Oz 15: The Royal Book of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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them to leave him to_his fate, they held on with all their might . just as it looked as if_they all three would fly into_the air again, the little wizard of Oz happened to_turn around .

" look ! look ! " he cried, tugging Ozma's sleeve .

" why, it's Dorothy ! " gasped Ozma, rubbing her eyes ." it's Dorothy and --"

" help ! help ! " screamed the Scarecrow, waving one arm wildly . without waiting another second, all the celebrities of Oz came running toward the three adventurers .

" somebody heavy come take hold ! " puffed Dorothy, out of breath with her efforts to_keep sir Hokus on_the ground .

the Ozites, seeing that help was needed at once, suppressed their curiosity .

"I'm heavy," said Tik-Tok solemnly, clasping the knight's arm . the tin woodman seized his other hand, and Dorothy sank down exhausted on_the grass .

princess Ozma pressed forward .

" what does it all mean ? where did you come from ? " asked the little queen of Oz, staring in amazement at_the strange spectacle before her .

" and who is_this medieval person ? " asked professor Wogglebug, pushing forward importantly .( he had returned to_the palace to collect more data for_the royal book of Oz .)

" he doesn't look evil to_me," giggled Scraps, dancing up_to sir Hokus, her suspender button eyes snapping with fun .

" he isn't," said Dorothy indignantly, for sir Hokus was too shaken about to answer ." he's my knight Errant ."

"Ah, I_see," replied professor Wogglebug ."A case of ' when knighthood was in flower .'" and would you believe it -- the beanstalk at_that minute burst into a perfect shower of red blossoms that came tumbling down over everyone . before_they had recovered from their surprise, the branch snapped off close to_the knight's armor, and Tik-Tok, the tin woodman and sir Hokus rolled over in a heap . the branch itself whistled through_the air and disappeared .

"Oh," cried Dorothy, hugging the knight impulsively, "I'm so glad ."

" are_you all right ? " asked the Scarecrow anxiously .

" good as ever ! " announced sir Hokus, and indeed all traces of_the magic stalk had disappeared from_his shoulders .

" Dorothy ! " cried Ozma again ." what does it all mean ? "

" merely that I slid down my family tree and_that Dorothy and this knight rescued me," said the Scarecrow calmly .

" and he's a real royalty -- so there ! " cried Dorothy with a wave at_the Scarecrow and making a little face at professor Wogglebug ." meet his supreme highness, Chang Wang woe of silver island, who had abdicated his throne and returned to_be a plain Scarecrow in Oz ! "

then, as_the eminent educator of Oz stood gaping at_the Scarecrow, "Oh, Ozma, I've so_much to_tell you ! "

" begin ! begin ! " cried the little wizard ." for everything's mighty mysterious . first, the cowardly lion and two unknown beasts shoot through_the air and stop just outside the third- story windows, and there they hang although I've tried all my magic to_get them down . then you and_the Scarecrow drop in with a strange knight ! "

"Oh, the poor cowardly lion ! " gasped Dorothy as_the wizard finished speaking ." the magic fan ! " she felt hurriedly in her pocket ." it's gone ! "

" it must_have slipped out of your pocket and blown them here, and_they'll never come down till that fan is closed," cried the Scarecrow in an agitated voice .

all of this_was Greek to Ozma and_the others, but when Dorothy begged the little queen to send for her magic belt, she did it without question . this belt Dorothy had captured from_the gnome king, and it enabled the wearer to wish people and objects wherever one wanted them .

" i_wish the magic fan to close and to_come safely back to_me," said Dorothy as_soon_as she had clasped the belt around her waist . no sooner were the words out before there_was a loud crash and a series of roars and groans . everybody started on a run for_the palace, sir Hokus ahead of all the rest . the fan had mysteriously returned to Dorothy's pocket .

the three animals had fallen into a huge cluster of rose bushes and, though badly scratched and frightened, were really unhurt .

" I_doubt that I'll like Oz," quavered the doubtful dromedary, lurching toward sir Hokus .

" you might_have_been more careful of_that fan," growled the cowardly lion reproachfully, plucking thorns from_his hide . the comfortable camel was so overjoyed to_see the knight that he rested his head on sir Hokus's shoulder and began weeping down his armor .

and now that their adventures seemed really over, what explanations were to_be made ! Sitting on_the top step of_the palace with all of_them around her, Dorothy told the whole wonderful story of_the Scarecrow's family tree . when her breath gave out, the Scarecrow took up the tale himself, and as_they all realized how nearly they had lost their jolly comrade, many_of_the party shed real tears . indeed, nick chopper hugged the Scarecrow till there_was not a whole straw in_his body .

" never leave us again," begged Ozma, and_the Scarecrow, crossing nick chopper's heart ( he had none of_his own), promised that he never would .

and what a welcome they gave sir Hokus, the doubtful dromedary and_the comfortable camel ! only professor Wogglebug seemed disturbed . during the strange recital, he had grown quieter and quieter and finally, with an embarrassed cough, had excused himself and hurried into_the palace .

he went directly to_the study, and seating himself at a desk opened a large book, none other_than the royal book of Oz .Dipping an emerald pen in_the ink, he began a new chapter headed thus:

his imperial majesty, the SCARECROW

late emperor and imperial sovereign of silver island

then, flipping over several pages to a chapter headed " princess Dorothy ! ", he wrote carefully at_the end, " Dorothy, princess and royal discoverer of Oz ."

meanwhile, below stairs, the Scarecrow was distributing his gifts . there were silver chains for everyone in_the palace and shining silver slippers for Ozma, Betsy bobbin, trot and Dorothy, and a bottle of silver polish for nick chopper .

Dorothy presented Ozma with_the magic fan and parasol, and_they were safely put away by Jellia Jamb with_the other magic treasures of Oz .

next, because they were all curious to_see the Scarecrow's wonderful kingdom, they hurried upstairs to look in_the magic picture .

" show us the emperor of silver island," commanded Ozma . immediately the beautiful silver throne room appeared . happy Toko had removed his imperial hat and was standing on_his head to_the great delight of_the whole court, and a host of little silver islander boys were peeking in at_the windows .

" now doesn't that look cheerful ? " asked the Scarecrow delightedly ." I_knew he'd make a good emperor ."

" i_wish we_would hear what he's saying," said Dorothy ."Oh, do look at chew chew ! " the grand chew chew was standing beside the throne scowling horribly .

" i_think I_can arrange for_you to hear," muttered the wizard of Oz, and taking a queer magic instrument from_his pocket, he whispered "Aohbeeobbuy ."

instantly they heard the jolly voice of happy Toko singing:

Oh shine his shoes of silver, and brush his silver queue, for I_am but an emperor and he's the grand chew chew !

Ozma laughed heartily as_the picture faded away, and so did the others . indeed, there_was so_much to ask and wonder about_that it seemed as if_they never would finish talking .

" let's have a party -- an old- fashioned Oz party," proposed Ozma when_the excitement had calmed down a bit . and an old- fashioned party it_was, with places for everybody and a special table for_the cowardly lion, the hungry tiger, Toto, the glass Cat, the comfortable camel, the doubtful Drome-dary and all the other dear creatures of_that amazing kingdom .

sir Hokus insisted upon stirring up a huge pasty for_the occasion, and there were songs, speeches and cheers for everyone, not forgetting the doubtful dromedary .

at_the cheering he rose with an embarrassed jerk of_his long neck ." in my left- hand saddle-sack," he_said gruffly, " there_is a quantity of silken shawls and jewels . I_doubt whether they_are good enough, but i_would like Dorothy and queen Ozma to_have them ."

" hear ! hear ! " cried the Scarecrow, pounding on_the table with_his knife . then everything grew quiet as Ozma told how she, with_the help of Glinda, the good sorceress, had stopped the war between_the Horners and Hoppers .

when she had finished, sir Hokus sprang up impulsively ."I prithee, lovely lady, never trouble your royal head about wars again . from now on, i_will do battle for_you and little Dorothy and Oz, and_I_will_be your good knight every day ." at_this, the applause was tremendous .

ye good knight of Oz, full of courage and vim, will do battle for_us, and we'll take care of him !

shouted Scraps, who was becoming more excited every_minute .

"I'll lend you some of_my polish for your armor, old fellow," said nick chopper as_the knight sat down, beaming with pleasure .

" well," said Ozma with a smile when everyone had feasted and talked to heart's content, " is everybody happy ? "

" I_am ! " cried the comfortable camel ." for here I_am perfectly comfortable ."

" I_am ! " cried Dorothy, putting her arm around the Scarecrow, who sat next to her ." for I_have found my old friend and made some new ones ."

"I'm happy ! " cried the Scarecrow, waving his glass, " because there_is no age in Oz, and I_am still my old Ozish self ."

" as for_me," said the knight, " I_am happy, for I_have served a lady, gone on a quest, and slain a dragon ! Ozma, and Oz forever !

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