Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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aclock off a little table, just to show how calm he_was ." think of_his brains ! the Scarecrow has never come to harm yet, and all we_have to_do is to return to_the emerald city and look in Ozma's magic picture . then, when we_know where he_is, we_can go and find him and tell him about our little adoption plan," he added, looking hopefully at Dorothy .

" the Scarecrow himself couldn't have spoken more sensi-bly," observed blink with a great sigh of relief, and even Dorothy felt better .

in Ozma's palace, as_many of you_know, there_is a magic picture, and when Ozma or Dorothy want_to_see any of_their friends, they_have merely to wish to_see them, and instantly the picture shows the person wished for and exactly what he_is doing at_that certain time .

" of_course ! " sighed Dorothy ." why didn't i_think of it myself ? "

" better have some lunch before_you start back," suggested blink, and bustling about had soon set out an appetizing repast . Dorothy was too busy worrying about_the Scarecrow to_have much appetite, but the cowardly lion swallowed seventeen roasts and a bucket of corn syrup .

" to_give_me courage ! " he explained to Dorothy, licking his chops ." there's nothing that makes me so cowardly as an empty stomach ! "

it_was quite late in_the afternoon before_they could get away . blink insisted on putting up a lunch, and it took some_time to_make enough sandwiches for_the cowardly lion . but at last it_was ready and packed into an old hat box belonging to Mops, the Scarecrow's cook . then Dorothy, balancing the box carefully on her lap, climbed on_the cowardly lion's back, and assuring blink that they_would return in_a_few_days with_his master, they bade him farewell . blink almost spoiled things by bursting into tears, but he managed to restrain himself long enough to_say goodbye, and Dorothy and_the cowardly lion, feeling a little solemn themselves, started toward the emerald city .

" my, but it's growing dark," said Dorothy after they had gone several miles ."I believe it's going to storm ."

scarcely had she finished speaking before there_was a terrific crash of thunder . the cowardly lion promptly sat down . off of_his back bounced the sandwich box and into_the sandwich box rolled Dorothy, head first .

" how terribly upsetting," coughed the cowardly lion .

" i_should say it_was ! " Dorothy crawled indignantly out_of_the hat box and began wiping the butter from her nose ." you've simply ruined the supper ! "

" it_was my heart," explained the cowardly lion sorrowfully ." it jumped so hard that_it upset me, but climb on my back again, and I'll run very fast to some place of shelter ."

" but where are_you ? " Dorothy asked in real alarm, for_it had grown absolutely dark .

" here," quavered the cowardly lion, and guided by his voice, Dorothy stumbled over to him and climbed again on_his back . one crash of thunder followed another, and at each crash the cowardly lion leapt forward a bit faster until they fairly flew through_the dark .

" it won't take us long to reach the emerald city at_this rate ! " called Dorothy, but the wind tossed the words far behind her, and seeing that conversation was impossible, she clung fast to_the lion's mane and began thinking about_the Scarecrow . the thunder continued at frequent intervals, but there_was no rain, and after they had_been running for what seemed to Dorothy hours and hours, a sudden terrific bump sent her flying over the lion's head into a bush . too breathless to_speak, she felt herself carefully all over . then, finding that she was still in one piece, she called to_the cowardly lion . she_could hear him moaning and muttering about his heart .

" any bones broken ? " she asked anxiously .

" only my head," groaned the lion dismally . just then the darkness lifted as suddenly as it had fallen, and Dorothy saw him leaning against a tree with_his eyes closed . there_was a big bump on_his head . with a little cry of sympathy, Dorothy hurried toward him, when all at once something strange about their surroundings struck her .

" why, where are we ? " cried the little girl, stopping short . the lion's eyes flew open, and forgetting all about his bump, he looked around in dismay . no sign of_the emerald city anywhere . indeed, they were in a great, dim forest, and considering the number of trees, it_is a wonder that_they had_not run into one long_ago .

" I_must_have run the wrong way," faltered the cowardly lion in adistressed voice .

" you couldn't help that; anyone would lose his way in_the dark," said Dorothy generously ." but i_wish we hadn't fallen in_the sandwiches .I'm hungry ! "

" so am I . do_you_think anyone lives in_this forest, Dorothy ? "

Dorothy did_not answer, for just then she caught sight of a big sign nailed to one_of_the trees .

" turn to_the right," directed the sign .

"Oh, come on ! " cried Dorothy, cheering up immediately ."I believe we're going to_have another adventure ."

"I'd rather have some supper," sighed the cowardly lion wistfully, " but unless we_want to_spend the night here, we_might as_well move along .I'm to_be fed up on adventure, I suppose ."

" turn to_the left," advised the next sign, and_the two turned obediently and hurried on, trying to_keep a straight course through_the trees . in a fairyland like Oz, where there_are no trains or trolleys or even horses for traveling ('cepting Ozma's sawhorse), there_are bound to_be unexplored portions . and though Dorothy had_been at one_time or another in almost every part of Oz, the country through which they were now passing was totally unfamiliar to her . night was coming on, and it_was growing so dark that she_could hardly read the third sign when_they presently came upon it .

"Don't sing," directed the sign sternly .

" sing ! " snapped Dorothy indignantly, " who wants to sing ? "

" we_might as_well keep to_the left," said the cowardly lion in a resigned voice, and_they walked along for some_time in silence . the trees were thinning out, and as_they came to_the edge of_the forest, another sign confronted them .

" slow down," read Dorothy with great difficulty ." what nonsense ! if_we slow down, how shall we ever get anywhere ? "

" wait a minute," mused the cowardly lion, half closing his eyes ."Aren't there two roads just ahead, one going up and one going down ? we're to take_the down road, I suppose .' slow down,' isn't that what it says ? "

slow down it surely was, for_the road was so steep and full of stones that Dorothy and_the cowardly lion had to pick their way with utmost care . but even bad roads must end somewhere, and coming suddenly to_the edge of_the woods, they saw a great city lying just below .a dim light burned over the main gate, and toward this the cowardly lion and Dorothy hurried as fast as they_could . this_was not very fast, for an unaccountable drowsiness was stealing over them .

slowly and more slowly, the tired little girl and her great four- footed companion advanced toward the dimly lighted gate . they were so drowsy that_they had ceased to_talk . but they dragged on .

"Hah, hoh, hum ! " yawned the cowardly lion ." what makes my feet so heavy ? "

he stopped short and examined each of_his four feet sleepily .

Dorothy swallowed a yawn and tried to run, but a walk was all she_could manage .

"Hah, hoh, hum ! " she gaped, stumbling along with her eyes closed .

by_the_time they had reached the gate, they were yawning so hard that_the cowardly lion had nearly dislocated his jaw, and Dorothy was perfectly breathless .Holding to_the lion's mane to steady herself, Dorothy blinked up uncertainly at_the sign over the gate .

"Hah -- here we_are -- Hoh ! " she held her hand wearily before her mouth .

then, with a great effort, she read the words of_the sign .

"Um -- great -- grand and mighty slow kingdom of Pokes ! Uh-hah -- Pokes ! do_you hear ? Hah, hoh, hu, uum ! "

Dorothy looked about in alarm, despite her sleepiness .

" do_you hear ? " she repeated anxiously as no answer came through_the gloom .

the cowardly lion did_not hear . he had fallen down and was fast asleep, and so in another minute was Dorothy, her head pillowed against his kind, comfortable, cowardly heart . fast asleep at_the gates of a strange gray city !

chapter 5

sir HOKUS of POKES

it_was long past sunup before Dorothy awoke . she rubbed her eyes, yawned once_or_twice, and then shook the cowardly lion . the gates of_the city were open, and although it looked even grayer in_the daytime than it looked at night, the travelers were too hungry to_be particular .a large placard was posted just inside:

this_is POKES ! DON'T run ! DON'T sing ! talk slowly ! DON'T whistle ! order of_the chief poker .

read Dorothy ." how cheerful ! Hah, hoh, hum- mm ! "

"Don't ! " begged the cowardly lion with tears in_his eyes ." if I yawn again, I'll swallow my tail, and if I don't have something to eat soon, I'll do_it anyway . let's hurry ! there's something queer about_this place, Dorothy ! Ah, hah, hoh, hum- mm ! "

Stifling their yawns, the two started down the long, narrow street . the houses were of gray stone, tall and stiff with tiny barred windows . it_was absolutely quiet, and not a person was in sight . but when_they turned the corner, they saw a crowd of queer- looking people creeping toward them . these singular individuals stopped between each step and stood perfectly still, and Dorothy was so surprised at their unusual appearance that she laughed right in_the middle of a yawn .

in_the first place, they never lifted their feet, but pushed them along like skates . the women were dressed in gray polka- dot dresses with huge poke bonnets that almost hid their fat, sleepy, wide- mouthed faces . most of_them had pet snails on strings, and so slowly did they move that_it looked as_though the snails were tugging them along .

the men were dressed like a party of congressmen, but instead of high hats wore large red nightcaps, and_they were all as solemn as owls . it seemed impossible for_them to_keep both eyes open at_the same time, and at first Dorothy thought they were winking at her . but as_the whole company continued to stare fixedly with one open eye, she burst out laughing . at_the unexpected sound ( for no one had ever laughed in Pokes before), the women picked up their snails in a great fright, and_the men clapped their fingers to_their ears or to_the places where their ears were under the red nightcaps .

" these must_be the slow Pokes," giggled Dorothy, nudging the cowardly lion ." let's go to meet them, for they'll never reach_us at_the rate they_are coming ! "

" there's something wrong with my feet," rumbled the cowardly lion without looking up ."Hah, hoh, hum ! what's the use of hurrying ? " the fact of_the matter was that_they couldn't hurry if_they tried . indeed, they_could hardly lift their feet at all .

" i_wish the Scarecrow were with_us," sighed the cowardly lion, shuffling along unhappily ." he never grows sleepy, and he always knows what to_do ."

" no use wishing," yawned Dorothy ."I only hope he's not as lost as_we_are ."

by struggling hard, they just managed to_keep moving, and by_the_time they came up with_the slow Pokes, they were completely worn out .a cross- looking poke held up his arm threateningly, and Dorothy and_the cowardly lion stopped .

" you --" said the poke; then closed his mouth and stood staring vacantly for a whole minute .

" are --" he brought out the word with a perfectly enormous yawn, and Dorothy began fanning the cowardly lion with her hat, for he showed signs of falling asleep again .

" what ? " she asked crossly .

" under --" sighed the poke after a long pause, and Dorothy, seeing that there_was no hurrying him, began counting to herself . just as she reached sixty, the poke pushed back his red nightcap and shouted:

" arrest ! "

" arrest ! " shouted all the other Pokes so loud that_the cowardly lion roused himself with a start, and_the pet snails stuck out their heads ."A rest ? a rest is_not what we_want ! we_want breakfast ! " growled the lion irritably and started to roar, but a yawn spoiled it .( one simply cannot look fierce by yawning .)

" you --" began the poke . but Dorothy could_not stand hearing the same slow speech again .Putting her fingers in her ears, she shouted back:

" what for ? "

the Pokes regarded her sternly . some even opened both eyes . then the one who had first addressed the, covering a terrific gape with one hand, pointed with_the other to a sign on a large post at_the corner of_the street .

" speed limit 1/4 mile an hour" said the sign .

" we're arrested for speeding ! " shouted Dorothy in_the cowardly lion's ear .

" did you say feeding ? " asked the poor lion, waking up with a start ." if I go to sleep again before I'm fed, I'll starve to death ! "

" then keep awake," yawned Dorothy . by_this_time, the Pokes had surrounded them and were waving them imperiously ahead . they looked so threatening that Dorothy and_the cowardly lion began to creep in_the direction of agloomy, gray castle . of_the journey neither of_them remembered a thing, for with_the gaping and yawning Pokes it_was almost impossible to_keep awake . but they_must_have walked in their sleep, for_the next thing Dorothy knew, a harsh voice called slowly:

" poke -- him ! "

greatly alarmed, Dorothy opened her eyes . they were in a huge stone

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