Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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to_keep from hitting the top .

the floor of_the tunnel was difficult to walk upon because it had_been worn smooth as glass, and pretty soon Scraps, who was some distance behind the others, slipped and fell head foremost . at once she began to slide downward, so swiftly that when she came to_the Scarecrow she knocked him off his feet and sent him tumbling against Dorothy, who tripped up Ojo . the boy fell against the Horner, so_that all went tumbling down the slide in a regular mix- up, unable to_see where they were going because of_the darkness .

Fortunately, when_they reached the bottom the Scarecrow and Scraps were in front, and_the others bumped against them, so_that no one was hurt . they found themselves in a vast cave which_was dimly lighted by_the tiny grains of radium that lay scattered among_the loose rocks .

" now," said Diksey, when_they had all regained their feet, " i_will show you where the dark well is . this_is a big place, but if_we hold fast to each_other we won't get lost ."

they took hold of hands and_the Horner led them into a dark corner, where he halted .

" be careful," said he warningly ." the well is at your feet ."

" all right," replied Ojo, and kneeling down he_felt in_the well with_his hand and found that_it contained a quantity of water ." where's the gold flask, Dorothy ? " he asked, and_the little girl handed him the flask, which she had brought with her .

Ojo knelt again and by feeling carefully in_the dark managed to_fill the flask with_the unseen water that was in_the well . then he screwed the top of_the flask firmly in place and put the precious water in_his pocket .

" all right ! " he_said again, in a glad voice; " now we_can go back ."

they returned to_the mouth of_the tunnel and began to creep cautiously up the incline . this_time they made Scraps stay behind, for fear she_would slip again; but they all managed to_get up in safety and_the Munchkin boy was very happy when he stood in_the Horner city and realized that_the water from_the dark well, which he and_his friends had traveled so_far to secure, was safe in_his jacket pocket .

chapter Twenty-Five

they bribe the lazy Quadling

" now," said Dorothy, as_they stood on_the mountain path, having left behind them the cave in_which dwelt the Hoppers and_the Horners, " i_think we_must find a road into_the country of_the Winkies, for there_is where Ojo wants to_go next ."

" is_there such a road ? " asked the Scarecrow .

"I don't know," she replied ."I s' pose we_can go back the way we came, to jack Pumpkinhead's house, and then turn into_the Winkie country; but that seems like running ' round a haystack, doesn't it ? "

" yes," said the Scarecrow ." what_is the next thing Ojo must get ? "

"A yellow butterfly," answered the boy .

" that means the Winkie country, all right, for_it's the yellow country of Oz," remarked Dorothy ." i_think, Scarecrow, we ought to_take him to_the tin woodman, for he's the Emp'ror of_the Winkies and will help_us to_find what Ojo wants ."

" of_course," replied the Scarecrow, brightening at_the suggestion ." the tin woodman will do anything we ask him, for he's one of_my dearest friends .I believe we_can take a crosscut into his country and so get to_his castle a day sooner than if_we travel back the way we came ."

" i_think so, too," said the girl; " and_that means we_must keep to_the left ."

they were obliged to_go down the mountain before_they found any path that led in_the direction they wanted to_go, but among_the tumbled rocks at_the foot of_the mountain was a faint trail which they decided to_follow . two_or_three hours walk along_this trail brought them to a clear, level country, where there were a few farms and some scattered houses . but they knew they were still in_the country of_the Quadlings, because everything had a bright red color . not that_the trees and grasses were red, but the fences and houses were painted that color and all the wild-flowers that bloomed by_the wayside had red blossoms . this part of_the Quadling country seemed peaceful and prosperous, if rather lonely, and_the road was more distinct and easier to_follow .

but just as_they were congratulating themselves upon_the progress they had made they came upon a broad river which swept along between high banks, and here the road ended and there_was no bridge of any sort to allow them to cross .

" this_is queer," mused Dorothy, looking at_the water reflectively ." why should there be any road, if_the river stops everyone walking along it ? "

"Wow ! " said Toto, gazing earnestly into her face .

" that's the best answer you'll get," declared the Scarecrow, with_his comical smile, " for no one knows any more than Toto about_this road ."

said Scraps:

"Ev'ry time I_see a river, I_have chills that make me shiver, for I never can forget all the water's very wet . if_my patches get a soak it_will_be a sorry joke; so to swim I'll never try till I_find the water dry ."

" try to control yourself, Scraps," said Ojo; " you're getting crazy again . no one intends to swim that river ."

" no," decided Dorothy, " we couldn't swim it if we_tried . it's too big a river, and_the water moves awful fast ."

" there ought_to_be aferryman with a boat," said the Scarecrow; " but I don't see any ."

"Couldn't we_make a raft ? " suggested Ojo .

" there's nothing to_make one of," answered Dorothy .

"Wow ! " said Toto again, and Dorothy saw he_was looking along the bank of_the river .

" why, he sees a house over there ! " cried the little girl ."I wonder we didn't notice it ourselves . let's go and ask_the people how to_get ' cross the river ."

a quarter of a mile along the bank stood a small, round house, painted bright red, and as it_was on their side of_the river they hurried toward it .a chubby little man, dressed all in red, came out to greet them, and with_him were two children, also in red costumes . the man's eyes were big and staring as he examined the Scarecrow and_the patchwork girl, and_the children shyly hid behind him and peeked timidly at Toto .

" do_you live here, my good man ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" i_think I_do, most mighty magician," replied the Quadling, bowing low; " but whether I'm awake or dreaming I_can't be positive, so I'm not sure where I live . if_you'll kindly pinch me I'll find out all about_it ! "

" you're awake," said Dorothy, " and this_is no magician, but just the Scarecrow ."

" but he's alive," protested the man, " and he oughtn't to_be, you_know . and_that other dreadful person-- the girl who_is all patches-- seems_to_be alive, too ."

" very_much so," declared Scraps, making a face at him ." but that isn't your affair, you_know ."

"I've a right to_be surprised, haven't I ? " asked the man meekly .

"I'm not sure; but anyhow you've no right to_say I'm dreadful . the Scarecrow, who_is a gentleman of great wisdom, thinks I'm beautiful," retorted Scraps .

" never mind all that," said Dorothy ." tell us, good Quadling, how we_can get across the river ."

"I don't know," replied the Quadling .

"Don't you ever cross it ? " asked the girl .

" never ."

"Don't travelers cross it ? "

" not to my knowledge," said he .

they were much surprised to hear this, and_the man added: " it's a pretty big river, and_the current is strong . I_know a man who lives on_the opposite bank, for I've seen him there a good_many years; but we've never spoken because neither of us has ever crossed over ."

" that's queer," said the Scarecrow ."Don't you own a boat ? "

the man shook his head .

" nor a raft ? "

" where does this river go to ? " asked Dorothy .

" that way," answered the man, pointing with one hand, " it goes into_the country of_the Winkies, which_is ruled by_the tin emperor, who_must be a mighty magician because he's all made of tin, and yet he's alive . and_that way," pointing with_the other hand, " the river runs between two mountains where dangerous people dwell ."

the Scarecrow looked at_the water before them .

" the current flows toward the Winkie country," said he; " and so, if_we had a boat, or a raft, the river would float us there more quickly and more easily than we_could walk ."

" that_is true," agreed Dorothy; and then they all looked thoughtful and wondered what could_be_done .

" why can't the man make us a raft ? " asked Ojo .

" will_you ? " inquired Dorothy, turning to_the Quadling .

the chubby man shook his head .

"I'm too lazy," he_said ." my wife says I'm the laziest man in all Oz, and she_is a truthful woman .I hate work of any kind, and making a raft is hard work ."

"I'll give_you my em'rald ring," promised the girl .

" no; I don't care for emeralds . if_it were a ruby, which_is the color I like best, I_might work a little while ."

"I've got some square meal Tablets," said the Scarecrow ." each_one is_the same as a dish of soup, a fried fish, a mutton pot- pie, lobster salad, charlotte russe and lemon jelly-- all made into one little tablet that you_can swallow without trouble ."

" without trouble ! " exclaimed the Quadling, much interested; " then those tablets would_be fine for a lazy man . it's such hard work to chew when_you eat ."

"I'll give_you six of_those tablets if_you'll help_us make a raft," promised the Scarecrow ." they're a combination of food which people who eat are very fond of .I never eat, you_know, being straw; but some of_my friends eat regularly . what do_you say to my offer, Quadling ? "

"I'll do_it," decided the man ."I'll help, and you_can do most of_the work . but my wife has gone fishing for red eels to- day, so some of you_will_have to mind the children ."

Scraps promised to do_that, and_the children were_not so shy when_the patchwork girl sat down to play with_them . they grew to like Toto, too, and_the little dog allowed them to pat him on_his head, which gave the little ones much joy .

there were a number of fallen trees near the house and_the Quadling got his axe and chopped them into logs of equal length . he_took his wife's clothesline to bind these logs together, so_that they_would form a raft, and Ojo found some strips of wood and nailed them along the tops of_the logs, to render them more firm . the Scarecrow and Dorothy helped roll the logs together and carry the strips of wood, but it took so_long to make_the raft that evening came just as it_was finished, and with evening the Quadling's wife returned from her fishing .

the woman proved to_be cross and bad- tempered, perhaps because she had only caught one red eel during all the day . when she found that her husband had used her clothesline, and_the logs she had wanted for firewood, and_the boards she had intended to mend the shed with, and alot of gold nails, she became very angry .Scraps wanted to shake the woman, to_make her behave, but Dorothy talked to her in a gentle tone and told the Quadling's wife she was a princess of Oz and a friend of Ozma and_that when she got back to_the emerald city she_would send_them alot of things to repay them for_the raft, including a new clothesline . this promise pleased the woman and she soon became more pleasant, saying they_could stay the night at her house and begin their voyage on_the river next morning .

this they_did, spending a pleasant evening with_the Quadling family and being entertained with_such hospitality as_the poor people were able to offer them . the man groaned a good_deal and said he had overworked himself by chopping the logs, but the Scarecrow gave him two more tablets than he had promised, which seemed to comfort the lazy fellow .

chapter Twenty-Six

the trick river

next morning they pushed the raft into_the water and all got aboard . the Quadling man had to hold the log craft fast while they took their places, and_the flow of_the river was so powerful that_it nearly tore the raft from_his hands . as_soon_as they were all seated upon_the logs he let go and away it floated and_the adventurers had begun their voyage toward the Winkie country .

the little house of_the Quadlings was out of sight almost before_they had cried their good- byes, and_the Scarecrow said in a pleased voice: " it won't take us long to_get to_the Winkie country, at_this rate ."

they had floated several miles down the stream and were enjoying the ride when suddenly the raft slowed up, stopped short, and then began to float back the way it had come .

" why, what's wrong ? " asked Dorothy, in astonishment; but they were all just as bewildered as she was and at first no one could answer the question . soon, however, they realized the truth: that_the current of_the river had reversed and_the water was now flowing in_the opposite direction-- toward the mountains .

they began to recognize the scenes they had passed, and by and by they came in sight of_the little house of_the Quadlings again . the man was standing on_the river bank and he_called to_them:

" how do_you do ? glad_to_see you again .I forgot to_tell you that_the river changes its direction every little while .Sometimes it flows one_way, and sometimes the other ."

they had no time to answer him, for_the raft was swept past the house and a long distance on_the other side of it .

" we're going just the way we don't want to_go," said Dorothy, " and I guess the best thing

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