Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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around his waist, he began skipping rope up and down the hall . the princes, tapping their foreheads significantly, retired, and_the Scarecrow, throwing his arm around happy Toko, began whispering in_his ear . he had a plan himself . they_would see !

* * * * *

meanwhile, off in_his dark cave in one_of_the silver mountains, the grand Gheewizard of_the silver island was stirring a huge kettle of magic . every few_moments he paused to read out of a great yellow book that he had propped up on_the mantle . the fire in_the huge grate leaped fiercely under the big, black pot, and_the sputtering candles on each side of_the book sent creepy shadows into_the dark cave . dark chests, books, bundles of herbs, and heaps of gold and silver were everywhere . whenever the Gheewizard turned his back, a rheumatic silver- scaled old dragon would crawl toward the fire and swallow a mouthful of coals, until the old Gheewizard caught him in_the act and chained him to a ring in_the corner of_the cave .

" be patient, little joy of_my heart ! our fortune is about to_be made," hissed the wizened little man, waving a long iron spoon at_the dragon ." you_shall_have a bucket of red- hot coals every hour and I a silver cap with a tassel . have_not the royal princes promised it ? " the dragon shuffled about and finally went to sleep, smoking sulkily .

" is_it finished, son of a yellow dog ? " through_the narrow opening of_the cave, the youngest prince stuck his head .

" I_am working as fast as I_can, honorable prince, but the elixir must boil yet one more night . tomorrow, when_the sun shines on_the first bar of your celestial window, come, and all will_be ready ."

" are_you sure you_have found it ? " asked the prince, withdrawing his head, for_the smoking dragon and steam from_the kettle made him cough .

" quite_sure," wheezed the grand Gheewizard, and fell to stirring the kettle with all his might .

* * * * *

the Scarecrow, although busy with trials in_the great courtroom of_the palace, felt that something unusual was in_the air . the princes kept nodding to one another, and_the grand chew chew and general mugwump had their heads together at every opportunity .

" something's going to happen, Tappy . I_feel it in my straw," whispered the Scarecrow as he finished trying the last case . at_that very minute, the grand chew chew arose and held up his hand for silence . everybody paused in their way to_the exits and looked with surprise at_the old Silverman .

" I_have to announce," said the grand chew chew in a solemn voice, " that_the great and imperial Chang Wang woe will tomorrow be restored to_his own rightful shape . the grand Gheewizard of_the realm has discovered a magic formula to break the enchantment and free him from_this distressing Scarecrow body . behold for_the_last the Scarecrow of Oz . tomorrow he_will_be our old and glorious emperor ! "

" old and glorious ? " gasped the Scarecrow, nearly falling from_his throne .

"Tappy ! I forgot to lock up the wizards . great Cornstarch ! tomorrow i_will_be eighty-five years old ."

such cheers greeted the grand chew chew's announcement that no one even noticed the Scarecrow's distress .

"I, also, have an announcement ! " cried the eldest prince, standing up proudly ." to make_the celebration of_my royal Papa's restoration complete, we_have chosen the lovely and charming orange blossom for_his bride ."

" bride ! " gulped the Scarecrow ." but I_do_not approve of second marriages .I refuse to --"

no one paid the slightest attention to_the Scarecrow's remarks .

" hold my hand, Tappy," sighed the Scarecrow weakly ." it may_be your last chance ." then he sat up and stared in good earnest, for_the prince was leading forward a tall, richly clad lady .

" orange blossom ! " muttered the Scarecrow under his breath ." he means lemon peel ! silver grandmother, Tappy ! " orange blossom was a cross- looking princess of seventy-five, at_least .

" she_is a sister of_the king of_the golden Islands," whispered general mugwump ." of a richness surpassing your own . let me felicitate your highness ."

" fan me, Tappy ! fan me ! " gasped the Scarecrow . then he straightened himself suddenly . the time had come for action . he_would say nothing to anyone, but that night he_would escape and try to_find his way back to Oz, family or no family ! he bowed graciously to princess orange blossom, to_the grand chew chew, and to_his sons .

" let everything be made ready for_the ceremony, and may tomorrow indeed bring me to myself," he repeated solemnly . nothing was talked of_that evening but the emperor's impending marriage and_the grand Gheewizard's discovery . the Scarecrow seemed the least excited person in_the palace .Sitting on_his throne, he pretended to read the royal silver journal, but he_was really waiting impatiently for_the courtiers to retire . finally, when_the last one had bowed himself out and only happy Toko remained in_the throne room, the Scarecrow began making his plans .

" it's no use, Tappy," said he, tying up a few little trinkets for Dorothy in a silk handkerchief, "I'd rather be straw than meat .I'd rather be a plain Scarecrow in Oz than emperor of_the earth ! they_may_be my sons, but all they_want is my death .I'm going back to my old friends .I'd rather --" . he got no farther .a huge slave seized him suddenly from behind, while another caught happy Toko around his fat little waist .

" tie them fast," said the eldest prince, smiling wickedly at_the Scarecrow ." here, tie him to_the beanstalk . merely a part of_the grand Gheewizard's formula," he exclaimed maliciously as_the struggling Scarecrow was bound securely to_his family tree ." good night, dear papa Scarecrow . tomorrow you_will_be your old self again, and in a few short years i_will_be emperor of_the silver Islands ! "

" this rather upsets our plans, eh Tappy ? " wheezed the Scarecrow after a struggle with_his bonds .

"Pigs ! Weasels ! " choked Tappy ." what_are we to_do ? "

" alas ! " groaned the Scarecrow ." tomorrow there_will_be no Scarecrow in Oz . what_will Dorothy and Ozma think ? and once I_am changed into my old imperial self, I_can never make_the journey to_the emerald city .Eighty-six is too old for traveling ."

" has your majesty forgotten the wonderful brains given to_you by_the wizard of Oz ? "

"I had -- for a moment," confessed the Scarecrow ." be quiet, Tappy, while i_think ." Pressing his head against the magic beanpole, the Scarecrow thought and thought, harder than he had ever done in_the course of_his adventurous life, and in_the great, silent hall happy Toko struggled to set himself free .

chapter 16

Dorothy and her GUARDIANS meet new friends

while all these exciting things were happening to_the poor Scarecrow, Dorothy, sir Hokus and_the cowardly lion had_been having adventures of_their own . for three days, they had wandered through a deserted part of_the Winkie country, subsisting largely on berries, sleeping under trees, and looking in vain for a road to lead them back to_the emerald city . on_the second day, they had encountered an ancient woodsman, too old and deaf to_give them any information . he_did, however, invite them into his hut and give them a good dinner and a dozen sandwiches to carry away with_them .

" but, oh, for a good old pasty ! " sighed sir Hokus late on_the third afternoon as_they finished the last of_the crumbly sandwiches .

" do_you_know," said Dorothy, looking through_the straggly fields and woods ahead, "I believe we've been going in_the wrong direction again ."

" again ! " choked the cowardly lion ." you mean still .I've been in a good_many parts of Oz, but this -- this_is_the worst ."

" not even one little dragon ! " sir Hokus shook his head mournfully . then, seeing that Dorothy was tired and discouraged, he pretended to strum on a guitar and sang in_his high- pitched voice:

a rusty knight in steel bedite and lady dot, so fair, sir lion bold, with mane of gold and might besides to spa--ha-- hare ! and might beside to spare ! the dauntless three, a company of wit and bravery are, who seek the valiant Scarecrow man, who seek him near and fa--har--har, who seek him near and fa--har !

"Oh, I like that ! " cried Dorothy, jumping up and giving sir Hokus a little squeeze ." only you_should_have said trusty knight ."

the cowardly lion shook his golden mane ." let's do a little reconnoitering, Hokus," he_said carelessly . he_felt he_must live up_to_the song somehow ." perhaps we'll find a sign ."

"I don't believe in signs anymore," laughed Dorothy, " but I'm coming too ." sir Hokus' song had cheered them all, and it wasn't the first time the knight had helped make_the best of a tiresome journey .

" the air seemeth to grow very hot," observed sir Hokus after they had walked along silently for a time ."Hast noticed it, sir cowardly ? "

" no, but I've swallowed some of it," coughed the cowardly lion, looking suspiciously through_the trees .

"I'll just step forward and_see what it_is," said the knight . as he disappeared, the truth dawned on Dorothy .

" wait ! wait ! Don't go ! please, please, sir Hokus, come back, come back ! " cried the little girl, running after him as fast as she_could .

" what's the matter ? " rumbled the cowardly lion, thudding behind her . then both, coming suddenly out_of_the woods, gave a terrible scream, which so startled sir Hokus that he fell over backwards . just in_time, too, for another step would_have taken him straight on to_the deadly desert, which destroys every living thing and keeps all intruders away from Oz .

" what befell ? " puffed sir Hokus, getting to_his feet . naturally, he_knew nothing of_the poisonous sands .

" you_did," wheezed the cowardly lion in an agitated voice .

" was_it a dragon ? " asked the knight, limping toward them hopefully .

" sit down ! " the cowardly lion mopped his brow with_his tail ." one step on_that desert and it would_have_been one long goodnight ."

" i_should say it would ! " shuddered Dorothy, and explained to sir Hokus the deadly nature of_the sands ." and do_you_know what this_means ? " Dorothy was nearer to tears than even I like to_think about ." it means we've come in exactly the wrong direction and_are farther away from_the emerald city than we were when we started ."

" and seek him near and fa--hah--har," mumbled sir Hokus with a very troubled light in_his kindly blue eyes .

" and seek him near and far ."

"Fah--har--har ! i_should say it_was," said the cowardly lion bitterly ." but you needn't sing it ."

" no, I s' pose not .Uds helmets and hauberks ! I s' pose not ! " the knight lapsed into a discouraged silence, and all three sat and stared drearily at_the stretch of desert before them and thought gloomily of_the rough country behind .

" it's a caravan," wheezed a hoarse voice .

" I_doubt that, Camy, I_doubt it very_much ." the shrill nasal voices so startled the three travelers that_they swung about in astonishment .

" great dates and deserts ! " burst out the cowardly lion, jumping up . and on_the whole, this exclamation was entirely suitable, for ambling toward them were a long-legged camel and a wobbly- necked dromedary .

" at last ! asteed ! " cried the knight, bounding to_his feet .

" I_doubt that ." the dromedary stopped and looked at him coldly .

" try me," said the camel amiably ."I'm more comfortable ."

" I_doubt that, too ."

" the doubtful dromedary wept, as o'er the desert sands he stept, association with_the sphinx has_made him doubtful, so he thinks ! "

chortled the knight with_his head on one side .

" how did you_know ? " asked the dromedary, opening his eyes wide .

" it just occurred to_me," admitted sir Hokus, clearing his throat modestly .

" I_doubt that . somebody told you," said the doubtful dromedary bitterly .

"Pon my honor," said sir Hokus .

" I_doubt it, I_doubt it very_much," persisted the dromedary, wagging his head sorrowfully .

" you seem to doubt everything ! " Dorothy laughed in_spite of herself, and_the dromedary regarded her sulkily .

" he_does," said the camel ." it makes him very doubtful company . now, I like to_be comfortable and happy, and you_can't be if_you're always doubting things and people and places .Eh, my dear ? "

" where did you comfortable and doubtful parties come from ? " asked the cowardly lion ."Strangers here ? "

" well, yes," admitted the camel, nibbling the branch of a tree ." there_was a terrific sandstorm, and after blowing and blowing and blowing, we_found ourselves in_this little wood . the odd part of it is_that you talk in_our language . never knew a two- leg to understand a word of Camelia before ."

" you're not talking Camelia, you're talking Ozish," laughed Dorothy ." all animals can talk here ."

" well, now, that's very comfortable, I_must say," sighed the camel, " and if_you'd just tell me where to_go, it would_be more comfortable still ."

" I_doubt that," snapped the dromedary ." they're no caravan ."

" where do_you_want to_go ? " asked the cowardly lion, ignoring the doubtful dromedary .

" anywhere, just so we keep moving . we're used to being told when to start and stop, and life is mighty lonely without our Karwan Bashi," sighed the comfortable camel .

" why, I didn't know you smoked ! " exclaimed Dorothy in surprise . she thought the camel was referring to a brand of tobacco .

" he means his camel driver," whispered sir Hokus, eyeing the soft, pillowed seat on_the camel's back longingly . besides the seat, great sacks and bales of goods hung from its sides . the doubtful dromedary was similarly loaded .

" goodness ! " exclaimed Dorothy .a sudden idea had struck her ." you haven't anything to eat in those sacks, have_you ? "

" plenty, my child -- plenty ! " answered the camel calmly .

" three cheers for_the comfortable camel ! " roared the cowardly lion, while sir Hokus, following the camel's directions, carefully unfastened a large, woven basket from one_of_the sacks on its side .

" you_may_be my Karwan Bashi," announced the comfortable camel judiciously as sir Hokus paused for breath .

" hear that, lady dot ? " sir Hokus swept the camel a bow

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