Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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as sir Hokus did_not immediately answer .

" have_you seen aught of_the noble Scarecrow ? " asked sir Hokus, and all of_them waited anxiously for_the king's reply .

"I don't know about_the Scarecrow .I've seen aScarecrow, and a sensible chap he_was, hanging still like a reasonable person and letting chairs and tables chase themselves ' round ."

" where was he ? " asked sir Hokus in great agitation .

" in a picture," said the king ." wait, I'll ring for_it ."

" no use," said the knight in adisappointed voice ." we're looking for a man ."

" would you mind telling me why you_are all so still, and why all your furniture runs around ? " asked Dorothy, who was growing a little restless .

" you forget where you_are, and you're out of turn . but I'll overlook it this once," said the king ." have_you ever noticed, little with D, that furniture lasts longer than people ? "

" why, yes," admitted Dorothy .

" well, there you_are ! " king fix sit folded his hands and regarded her complacently ." here we manage things better . we stand still and let the furniture run around and wear itself out . how does it strike you ? "

" it seem sensible," acknowledged Dorothy ." but don't you ever grow tired of standing still ? "

"I've heard of growing hair and flowers and corn, but never of growing tired . what_is it ? " asked Sticken plaster, leaning toward Dorothy .

" i_think she's talked enough," said the king, closing his eyes .

sir Hokus had_been staring anxiously at_the king for some_time . now he_came close to_the monarch's side, and standing on tiptoe whispered hoarsely: "Hast any dragons here ? "

" did you say wagons ? " asked the king, opening his eyes with a terrible yawn .

"Dragons ! " hissed the knight .

" never heard of 'em," said the king . the cowardly lion chuckled behind his whiskers, and sir Hokus in great confusion stepped back .

" what time is_it ? " demanded the king suddenly . he touched a bell, and next minute a whole company of clocks came running down the street . the big ones pushed the little ones, and a grandfather clock ran so fast that_it tripped over acobblestone and fell on its face, which cracked all the way across .

" you've plenty of_time; why don't you take it ? " called the king angrily, while two clothes trees helped the clock to its feet .

" they're all different," giggled Dorothy, nudging the cowardly lion . some pointed to eight o'clock, some to nine, and others to half past ten .

" why shouldn't they be different ? " asked Sticken haughtily ." some run faster than others ! "

" pass the time, please," said the king, looking hard at Dorothy .

" the lazy lump ! " growled the cowardly lion . but Dorothy picked up the nearest little clock and handed it to king fix sit .

" i_thought so," yawned the king, pointing at_the clock . at_this, everybody began ringing bells till Dorothy was obliged to_cover her ears . in an instant, the whole street was filled with beds, "rolling up just as if_they were taxis," laughed Dorothy to sir Hokus . the knight smiled faintly, but as he had never seen a taxi, he_could_not appreciate Dorothy's remark .

" here come your beds," said the king shortly ." tell them to_take you around the corner . I_can't abide snoring ."

"I don't snore, thank_you," said Dorothy angrily, but the king had stepped into his bed and drawn the curtains tight .

" we_might as_well go to bed, I 'spose," said the little girl ."I'm so tired ! "

the three beds were swaying restlessly in_the middle of_the street . they were tall, four- post affairs with heavy chintz hangings . Dorothy chose the blue one, and sir Hokus lifted her up carefully and then went off to catch his bed, which had gotten into an argument with alamppost . when he spoke to_it sharply, it left off and came trotting over to him . the cowardly lion, contrary to_his usual custom, leaped into his bed, and soon the three four-posters were walking quietly down the street, evidently following the king's instructions .

Dorothy slipped off her shoes and dress and nestled comfortably down among_the soft covers ." just like sleeping in a train," she thought drowsily ." what alot I_shall_have to_tell the Scarecrow and Ozma when I get home ."

" good night ! " said the bed politely .

" good night ! " said Dorothy, too nearly asleep to even think it strange for a bed to_talk ." good night ! "

chapter 13

DANCING BEDS and_the ROADS that unrolled

" it must_be a shipwreck," thought Dorothy, sitting up in alarm . she seemed to_be tossing about wildly .

" time for little girls to_get up," grumbled a harsh voice that seemed to_come from_the pillows .

Dorothy rubbed her eyes . one_of_the bedposts was addressing her, and_the big four- poster itself was dancing a regular jig .

"Oh, stop ! " cried Dorothy, holding on to_the post to_keep from bouncing out .

" can't you_see I'm awake ? "

" well, I go off duty now, and you'll have to hurry," said the bed sulkily ."I'm due at_the lecture at nine ."

" lecture ? " gasped Dorothy .

" what's so queer about_that ? " demanded the bed coldly ."I've got to_keep well posted, haven't I ? I belong to a polished set, I_do . hurry up, little girl, or I'll throw you out ."

"I'm glad my bed doesn't talk to_me in_this impertinent fashion," thought Dorothy, slipping into her dress and combing her hair with her side comb ." imagine being ordered about by a bed ! I wonder if sir Hokus is up ." Parting the curtains, she jumped down, and_the bed, without even saying goodbye, took itself off .

sir Hokus was sitting on a stile, polishing his armor with apillowslip he had taken from_his bed, and_the cowardly lion was lying beside him lazily thumping his tail and making fun of_the passing furniture .

" have_you had breakfast ? " asked Dorothy, joining her friends .

" we were waiting for your ladyship," chuckled the cowardly lion ." would you mind ordering two for_me, Hokus ? I_find one quite insufficient ."

sir Hokus threw away the pillowslip, and talking cheerfully they walked toward king fix sit's circle . the beds had_been replaced by breakfast tables, and_the whole street was eating busily .

" good morning, king," said sir Hokus ."Four breakfasts, please ."

the king rang a bell four times without looking up from_his oatmeal .Seeing that he_did_not wish to_be disturbed, the three waited quietly for their tables .

" in some ways," said Dorothy, contentedly munching a hot roll, " in some ways this_is a very comfortable place ."

" in sooth 'tis that," mumbled sir Hokus, his mouth full of baked apple . as for_the cowardly lion, he finished his two breakfasts in no time ." and now," said sir Hokus as_the tables walked off, " let_us continue our quest . could'st tell us the way to_the emerald city, my good king fix ? "

" if_you go, go away . and if_you stay, stay away . that's my motto," answered king fix shortly ." I_can't have people running around here like common furniture," he added in a grieved voice . all the fix its nodded vigorously .

" let them take their stand or their departure," said Sticken plaster firmly .

the king felt in_his pocket and brought out three pieces of chalk ." go to_the end of_the street . choose a place and draw your circle . in five minutes you_will_find it impossible to move out_of_the circle, and you_will_be saved all this unnecessary motion ."

" but we don't want to_come to a standstill," objected Dorothy .

" no, by my good sword ! " spluttered the knight, glaring around nervously . then, seeing the king looked displeased, he_made a low bow ." if your highness could graciously direct us out_of_the city --"

" buy a piece of road and go where it takes you," snapped the king .

Seeing no more was to_be got out of him, they started down the long street .

"I wonder what they_do when it rains ? " said Dorothy, looking curiously at_the solemn rows of people .

" call for roofs, silly ! " snapped a fix, staring at her rudely ." if_you_would spend your time thinking instead of walking, you'd know more ."

" go to, and swallow a gooseberry ! " roared the knight, waving his sword at_the fix, and Dorothy, fearing an encounter, begged him to_come on, which he_did -- though with many backward glances .

fix city seemed to consist of one long street, and_they had soon come to_the very end .

"Uds daggers ! " gasped sir Hokus .

" great palm trees," roared the cowardly lion .

as for Dorothy, she_could do nothing but stare . the street ended surely enough, and beyond there_was nothing at all . that_is, nothing but air .

" well," said the cowardly lion, backing a few paces, " this_is a pretty fix ."

" glad you like it," said a wheezy voice . the three travelers turned in surprise .a huge fix was regarding them with interest . his circle, which_was the last in_the row, was about twenty times as large as_the other circles, and on_the edge stood a big sign:'

road shop .

"Don't you remember, the king said something about buying a road," said Dorothy in an excited undertone to_the knight .

" can'st direct us to a road, my good man ? " asked sir Hokus with a bow . the fix jerked his thumb back at_the sign ." what kind of a road to you_want ? " he asked hoarsely .

"A road that_will take us back to_the emerald city, please," said Dorothy .

" I_can't guarantee anything like that," declared the fix, shaking his head .

" our roads go where they please, and you'll have to_go where they take you . do_you_want to_go on or off ? "

" on," shivered the cowardly lion, looking with a shudder over the precipice at_the end of_the street .

" what kind of a road will_you have ? make up your minds, please . I_am busy ."

" what kind of roads have_you ? " asked Dorothy timidly . it_was her first experience at buying roads, and she felt a bit perplexed .

" sunny, shady, straight, crooked, and cross-roads," snapped the fix .

" we wouldn't want a cross one," said Dorothy positively ." have_you any with trees at both sides and water at_the end ? "

" how_many yards ? " asked the fix, taking a pair of shears as large as himself off a long counter beside him .

"Five miles," said sir Hokus as Dorothy looked confused ." that ought to_take us somewhere ! "

the fix rang one_of_the bells in_the counter . the next minute, a big trap door in_the ground opened, and a perfectly huge roll bounced out at his feet .

" get on," commanded the fix in_such a sharp tone that_the three jumped to obey .Holding fast to sir Hokus, Dorothy stepped on_the piece of road that had already unrolled . the cowardly lion, looking very anxious, followed . no sooner had they done so than_the road gave a terrific leap forward that stretched the three flat upon their backs and started unwinding from its spool at aterri- fying speed . as it unrolled, tall trees snapped erect on each side and began laughing derisively at_the three travelers huddled together in_the middle .

"G-g- glad we only took five miles," stuttered Dorothy to_the knight, whose armor was rattling like a Ford .

the cowardly lion had wound his tail around a tree and dug his claws into_the road, for he had no intention of falling off into nothingness . as for_the road, it snapped along at about a mile a minute, and before_they had time to grow accustomed to_this singular mode of travel, it gave a final jump that sent them circling into_the air, and began rapidly winding itself up .

down, down, down whirled Dorothy, falling with aresounding splash into a broad stream of water . then down, down, down again, almost to_the bottom .

" help ! " screamed Dorothy as her head rose above water, and she began striking out feebly . but the fall through_the air had taken all her breath .

" what do_you_want ? " a thin, neat little man was watching her anxiously from_the bank, making careful notes in a book that he held in one hand .

" help ! save me ! " choked Dorothy, feeling herself going down in_the muddy stream again .

" wait ! I'll look it up under the 'H's," called the little man, making a trumpet of_his hands ." are_you an island ? an island is a body of land entirely surrounded by water, but this seems_to_be a some- body," Dorothy heard him mutter as he whipped over several pages of_his book ." sorry," he_called back, shaking his head slowly, " but this_is_the wrong day .I only save lives on Monday ."

" stand aside, Mem, you villain ! " a second little man exactly like the first except that he_was exceedingly untidy plunged into_the stream .

" it's no use," thought Dorothy, closing her eyes, for he had jumped in far below the spot where she had fallen and was making no progress whatever . the waters rushed over her head the second time . then she felt herself being dragged upward .

when she opened her eyes, the cowardly lion was standing over her ." are_you all right ? " he rumbled anxiously ." I_came as_soon_as I_could .Fell in way upstream . seen Hokus ? "

"Oh, he'll drown," cried Dorothy, forgetting her own narrow escape ." he_can't swim in_that heavy armor ! "

" never fear, I'll get him," puffed the cowardly lion, and without waiting to catch his breath he plunged back into_the stream . the little man who only saved lives on Monday now approached timidly ."I'd like to_get a statement from_you, if_you don't mind . it might help me in_the_future ."

" you might_have helped me in_the present,"

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