Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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our honorable little father . the prince shall be emperor after you_have peacefully returned to your ancestors, but not now . no ! no ! we_will_not have it ! "

"I feared this ! " quavered happy Toko .

" it_is_not the emperor, but the Scarecrow who speaks ! " shrilled the grand chew chew craftily ." he_knows not what he_says . but after_the transformation -- Ah, you shall see ! "

the company calmed down at_this ." let the ceremony proceed ! way for_the grand Gheewizard ! " they cried exultantly .

" chew chew," wailed the Scarecrow, " you're off the track ! " but it_was too late . no one would listen .

"I'll have to_think of something else," muttered the Scarecrow, sinking dejectedly back on_his throne .

"Oh ! " shuddered Dorothy, clutching the Scarecrow, " here he comes ! "

" way for_the grand Gheewizard ! way for_the grand Gheewizard ! "

the crowd parted .Hobbling toward the throne came the ugly little Gheewizard of_the silver island holding a large silver vase high above his head, and after him -- !

when sir Hokus caught a glimpse of what came after, he leaped clean over the comfortable camel .

"Uds daggers ! " roared the knight ." at last ! " he rushed forward violently . there_was a sharp thrust of_his good sword, then an explosion like twenty giant firecrackers in one, and_the room became quite black with smoke . before anyone realized what had happened, sir Hokus was back, dragging something after him and shouting exuberantly, "A dragon ! I_have slain a dragon ! what happiness ! "

everyone was coughing and spluttering from_the smoke, but as it cleared Dorothy saw that_it_was indeed a dragon sir Hokus had slain, the rheumatic dragon of_the old Gheewizard himself .

" why didn't you get the wizard ? " rumbled the cowardly lion angrily .

" must_have exploded," said the comfortable camel, sniffing the skin daintily .

" treason ! " yelled the three princes, while the grand Gheewizard flung himself on_the stone floor and began tearing strand after strand from_his silver pigtail .

" he has killed the little joy of_my hearth ! " screeched the old man ." i_will turn him to acat, a miserable yellow cat, and roast him for dinner ! "

"Oh ! " cried Dorothy, looking at sir Hokus sorrowfully ." how could you ? "

the slaying of_the dragon had thrown the whole hall into utmost confusion . sir Hokus turned a little pale under his armor, but faced the angry mob without flinching .

"Oh, my dear Karwan Bashi, this_is so uncomfortable ! " wheezed the camel, glancing back of him with frightened eyes .

" there's a shiny dagger in my left- hand saddlesack . I_doubt very_much whether they_would like it," coughed the doubtful dromedary, pressing close to_the knight .

" on with_the ceremony ! " cried the eldest prince, seeing that_the excitement was giving the Scarecrow's friends too_much time to_think ." the son of an iron pot shall be punished later ! "

" that's right ! " cried a voice from_the crowd ." let the emperor be restored ! "

"I guess it's all over," gulped the Scarecrow ." give my love to Ozma and tell her I tried to_come back ."

in helpless terror, the little company watched the Gheewizard approach . one could fight real enemies, but magic ! even sir Hokus, brave as he_was, felt that nothing could_be_done .

" one move and you shall be so_many prunes," shrilled the angry old man, fixing the people from Oz with_his wicked little eyes . the great room was so still you_could_have heard a pin drop . even the doubtful dromedary had_not the heart to doubt the wizard's power, but stood rigid as a statue .

the wizard advanced slowly, holding the sealed vase carefully over his head . the poor Scarecrow regarded it with gloomy fascination . one more moment and he_would_be an old, old Silverman . better to_be lost forever ! he held convulsively to Dorothy .

as for Dorothy herself, she was trembling with fright and grief . when_the grand Gheewizard raised the vase higher and higher and made ready to hurl it at_the Scarecrow, disregarding his dire threat she gave a shrill scream and threw up both hands .

" great grandmothers ! " gasped the Scarecrow, jumping to_his feet . as Dorothy had thrown up her arms, the little parasol swinging at her wrist had jerked open . up, up, up, and out through_the broken skylight in_the roof sailed the little princess of Oz !

the grand Gheewizard, startled as anyone, failed to throw the vase . every neck was craned upward, and everyone was gasping with astonishment .

the oldest prince, as usual, was_the first to recover ."Don't stand staring like an idiot ! now's your chance ! " he hissed angrily in_the Gheewizard's ear .

"I didn't come here to_be harried and hurried by foreigners," sobbed the little man ." how is one to work magic when interrupted every_other minute ? i_want my little dragon ."

"Oh, come on now, just throw it .I'll get you another dragon," begged the prince, his hands trembling with excitement .

in_the face of_this new disaster, the Scarecrow had forgotten all about_the Gheewizard . he and_the cowardly lion and sir Hokus were running distractedly around the great throne trying to_think up a way to rescue Dorothy . as for_the doubtful dromedary, he_was doubting everything in a loud, bitter voice, while the comfortable camel fairly snorted with sorrow .

" there ! now's your chance," whispered the prince . the Scarecrow, with_his back to_the crowd, was gesturing frantically .

Taking a firm hold on_the neck of_the vase and with a long incantation which there_is no use at all in repeating, the Gheewizard flung the bottle straight at_the Scarecrow's head . but scarcely had it left his hand before there_was a flash and a flutter and down came Dorothy and_the magic parasol right on top of_the vase .

ZIP ! the vase flew in quite another direction, and next minute had burst over the luckless heads of_the three plotting princes, while Dorothy floated gently to earth .

sir Hokus embraced the Scarecrow, and_the Scarecrow hugged the cowardly lion, and I don't wonder at all . for no sooner had the magic elixir touched the princes, than two of_them became silver pigs and_the eldest a weasel . they had_been turned to_their true shapes instead of_the Scarecrow . and while the company hopped about in alarm, they ran squealing from_the hall and disappeared in_the gardens .

" seize the Gheewizard and take him to_his cave," ordered the Scarecrow, asserting his authority for_the first time since_the proceedings has started . he had noticed the old man making queer signs and passes toward sir Hokus .a dozen took hold of_the struggling Gheewizard and hurried him out_of_the hall .

sir Hokus, at_the request of_the Scarecrow, clapped his iron gauntlets for silence .

" you_will agree with me, I'm sure," said the Scarecrow in a slightly unsteady voice, " that magic is a serious matter to meddle with . if_you_will all return quietly to your homes, i_will try to_find a way out of_our difficulties ."

the silver Islanders listened respectfully and after a little arguing among themselves backed out_of_the throne room . to_tell the truth, they were anxious to spread abroad the tale of_the morning's happenings .

princess orange blossom, however, refused to depart . magic or no magic, she had come to marry the emperor, and she_would not leave till the ceremony had_been performed .

" but my dear old lady, would you wish to marry aScarecrow ? " coaxed the emperor .

" all men are Scarecrows," snapped the princess sourly .

" then why marry at all ? " rumbled the cowardly lion, making a playful leap at her palanquin . this_was too_much . the princess swooned on_the spot, and_the Scarecrow, taking advantage of her unconscious condition, ordered her chair bearers to carry her away as far and as fast as they_could run .

" now," said the Scarecrow when_the last of_the company had disappeared, " let_us talk this over ."

chapter 21

the escape from_the silver island

" well ! " gasped Dorothy, fanning herself with her hat, "I never was so s'prised in my life ! "

" nor I," exclaimed the Scarecrow ." the grand Gheewizard will_be suing you for parassault and battery . but how did it happen ? "

" well," began Dorothy, " as_soon_as_the parasol opened, I flew up so fast that I_could hardly breathe . then, after I'd gone ever so_far, it came to_me that if_the parasol went up when it_was up, it would come down when it_was down .I couldn't leave you all in_such a fix -- so I closed it, and --"

" came down ! " finished the Scarecrow with a wave of_his hand ." you always do_the right thing in_the right place, my dear ."

" it_was lucky I hit the vase, wasn't it ? " sighed Dorothy ." but I'm rather sorry about_the princes ."

" served 'em right," growled the cowardly lion ." they'll make very_good pigs ! "

" but who's to rule the island ? " demanded sir Hokus, turning his gaze reluctantly from_the smoking dragonskin .

" this_will require thought," said the Scarecrow pensively ." let_us all think ."

" I_doubt that I_can ever think again ." the doubtful dromedary wagged his head from side to side in adazed fashion .

" just leave it to our dear Karwan Bashi ." the comfortable camel nodded complacently at_the knight and began plucking sly wisps from_the Scarecrow's boot top . for a short time there_was absolute silence .

then sir Hokus, who had_been thinking tremendously with_his elbows on_his knees, burst out, " why_not sir Pudding, here ? why_not this honest Punster ? who but happy Toko deserves the throne ? "

" the very person ! " cried the Scarecrow, clasping his yellow gloves, and taking off his silver hat, he set it impulsively upon_the head of_the fat little silver islander .

" he'll make a lovely emperor," said Dorothy ." he's so kind-hearted and jolly . and now the Scarecrow can abdicate and come home to Oz ."

they all looked triumphantly at_the imperial Punster, but happy Toko, snatching off the royal hat, burst into tears .

"Don't leave me behind, amiable master ! " he sobbed disconsolately ."Oh, how I_shall miss you ! "

" but don't you_see," coaxed Dorothy, " the Scarecrow needs you here more than anyplace, and think of all the fine clothes you_will_have and how rich you_will_be ! "

" and Tappy, my dear boy," said the Scarecrow, putting his arm around happy Toko, " you might_not like Oz any more than I like silver island . then think -- if everything goes well, you_can visit me -- just as one emperor visits another ! "

" and you won't forget me ? " sniffed happy, beginning to like the idea of being emperor .

" never ! " cried the Scarecrow with an impressive wave .

" and if anything goes wrong, will_you help me out ? " questioned happy uncertainly .

" we'll look in_the magic picture of Oz every_month," declared Dorothy, " and if_you_need us we'll surely find some way to help_you ."

" an' you ever require a trusty sword, Odds Bodikins ! " exclaimed sir Hokus, pressing Tappy's hand, "I'm your man ! "

" all right, dear master ! " happy slowly picked up the imperial hat and set it sideways on_his head ."I'll do my best ."

"I don't doubt it at all," said the doubtful dromedary to everyone's surprise .

" three cheers for_the emperor ! long live the emperor of_the silver island," rumbled the cowardly lion, and everybody from Oz, even the camel and dromedary, fell upon their knees before happy Toko .

" you_may_have my bride, too, Tappy," chuckled the Scarecrow with a wink at Dorothy ." and Tappy," he asked, sobering suddenly, " will_you have my grandsons brought up like real children ? just as_soon_as I return, I_shall send_them all the Books of Oz ."

happy bowed, too confused and excited for speech .

" now," said the Scarecrow, seizing Dorothy's hand, " I_can return to Oz with an easy mind ."

" doubt that," said the doubtful dromedary .

" you needn't ! " announced Dorothy ."I've thought it all out ." in a few short sentences she outlined her plan .

" bravo ! " roared the cowardly lion, and now the little party began in real earnest the preparation for_the journey back to Oz .

first, happy brought them a delicious luncheon, with plenty of twigs and hay for_the camel and dromedary and meat for_the cowardly lion . the Scarecrow packed into_the camel's sacks a few little souvenirs for_the people of Oz . then they dressed happy Toko in_the Scarecrow's most splendid robe and ordered him to sit upon_the throne . next, the Scarecrow rang for one_of_the palace servants and ordered the people of_the silver Islands to assemble in_the hall .

presently the Silvermen began to_come trooping in, packing the great throne room until it could hold no more . everyone was chattering excitedly .

it_was quite a different company that greeted them . the Scarecrow, cheerful and witty in_his old Munchkin suit, Dorothy and sir Hokus smiling happily, and_the three animal members of_the party fairly blinking with contentment .

" this," said the Scarecrow pleasantly when everyone was quiet, " is your new emperor, to_whom I ask_you to pledge allegiance ." he waved proudly in_the direction of happy Toko, who, to_tell the truth, presented a truly royal appearance ." it_is_not possible for_me to remain with_you, but I_shall always watch over this delightful island and with_the magic fan vanquish all its enemies and punish all offenders ."

happy Toko bowed to_his subjects .

the silver Islanders exchanged startled glances, then, as_the Scarecrow carelessly lifted the fan, they fell prostrate to_the earth .

"Ah ! " said the Scarecrow with a broad wink at happy ." this_is delightful . you agree with me, I_see . now then, three cheers for Tappy Oko, imperial emperor of_the silver island ."

the cheers were given with a will, and happy in acknowledgement made a speech that has since been written into_the royal book of state as a masterpiece of eloquence .

Having arranged affairs so satisfactorily, the Scarecrow embraced happy Toko with deep emotion . Dorothy and sir Hokus shook hands with_him and wished him every success and happiness . then the little party from Oz walked deliberately to_the bean pole in_the center of_the hall .

the silver Islanders were still a bit dazed by_the turn affairs had taken and stared in astonishment as_the Scarecrow and sir Hokus

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