Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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who put the air wall around the house ? " was_the Scarecrow's question .

"Nimmie Amee did that ."

"Nimmie Amee ! " they all exclaimed in surprise .

" yes," answered the rabbit ." she used to live with an old witch, who was suddenly destroyed, and when Nimmie Amee ran away from_the witch's house, she took with her just one magic formula -- pure sorcery it_was -- which enabled her to build this air wall around her house -- the house yonder . it_was quite a clever idea, i_think, for_it doesn't mar the beauty of_the landscape, solid air being invisible, and yet it keeps all strangers away from_the house ."

"Does Nimmie Amee live there now ? " asked the tin woodman anxiously .

" yes, indeed," said the rabbit .

" and does she weep and wail from morning till night ? " continued the emperor .

" no; she seems quite happy," asserted the rabbit .

the tin woodman seemed quite disappointed to hear this report of_his old sweetheart, but the Scarecrow reassured his friend, saying:

" never mind, your majesty; however happy Nimmie Amee is now, I'm sure she will_be much happier as empress of_the Winkies ."

" perhaps," said captain Fyter, somewhat stiffly, " she will_be still more happy to_become the bride of a tin soldier ."

" she shall choose between_us, as we_have agreed," the tin woodman promised; " but how shall we get to_the poor girl ? "

polychrome, although dancing lightly back and forth, had listened to every word of_the conversation . now she came forward and sat herself down just in front of_the blue rabbit, her many-hued draperies giving her the appearance of some beautiful flower . the rabbit didn't back away an inch . instead, he gazed at_the rainbow's daughter admiringly .

"Does your burrow go underneath this wall of air ? " asked polychrome .

" to_be_sure," answered the blue rabbit; "I dug it that way so I_could roam in_these broad fields, by going out one_way, or eat the cabbages in Nimmie Amee's garden by leaving my burrow at_the other end .I don't think Nimmie Amee ought to mind the little I take from her garden, or the hole I've made under her magic wall .a rabbit may go and come as he pleases, but no one who_is bigger than I_am could get through my burrow ."

" will_you allow us to_pass through it, if_we_are able to ? " inquired polychrome .

" yes, indeed," answered the blue rabbit ."I'm no especial friend of Nimmie Amee, for once she threw stones at me, just because i_was nibbling some lettuce, and only yesterday she yelled 'Shoo ! ' at me, which made me nervous . you're welcome to use my burrow in any_way you choose ."

" but this_is all nonsense ! " declared Woot the wanderer ." we_are every_one too big to crawl through a rabbit's burrow ."

" we_are too big now," agreed the Scarecrow, " but you_must remember that polychrome is a fairy, and fairies have many magic powers ."

Woot's face brightened as he turned to_the lovely daughter of_the rainbow .

" could you make us all as small as_that rabbit ? " he asked eagerly .

" I_can try," answered polychrome, with a smile . and presently she did it -- so easily that Woot was not the only_one astonished . as_the now tiny people grouped themselves before_the rabbit's burrow the hole appeared to_them like the entrance to a tunnel, which indeed it_was .

"I'll go first," said wee polychrome, who had made herself grow as small as_the others, and into_the tunnel she danced without hesitation .a tiny Scarecrow went next and then the two funny little tin men .

" walk in; it's your turn," said the blue rabbit to Woot the wanderer ."I'm coming after, to_see how you get along . this_will_be a regular surprise party to Nimmie Amee ."

so Woot entered the hole and felt his way along its smooth sides in_the dark until he finally saw the glimmer of daylight ahead and knew the journey was almost over . had he remained his natural size, the distance could_have_been covered in a few steps, but to a thumb- high Woot it_was quite a promenade . when he emerged from_the burrow he_found himself but a short distance from_the house, in_the center of_the vegetable garden, where the leaves of rhubarb waving above his head seemed like trees . outside the hole, and waiting for him, he_found all his friends .

" so_far, so good ! " remarked the Scarecrow cheerfully .

" yes; so_far, but no farther," returned the tin woodman in a plaintive and disturbed tone of voice ." I_am now close to Nimmie Amee, whom I_have come ever so_far to seek, but I_cannot ask_the girl to marry such a little man as I_am now ."

"I'm no bigger than a toy soldier ! " said captain Fyter, sorrowfully ." unless polychrome can make us big again, there_is little use in_our visiting Nimmie Amee at all, for I'm sure she wouldn't care for a husband she might carelessly step on and ruin ."

polychrome laughed merrily .

" if I make you big, you_can't get out of here again," said she, " and if_you remain little Nimmie Amee will laugh at you . so make your choice ."

" i_think we'd better go back," said Woot seriously

" no," said the tin woodman, stoutly, " I_have decided that_it's my duty to_make Nimmie Amee happy, in_case she wishes to marry me ."

" so have I," announced captain Fyter ."A good soldier never shrinks from doing his duty ."

" as for_that," said the Scarecrow, " tin doesn't shrink any to_speak of, under any circumstances . but Woot and I intend to stick to our comrades, whatever they decide to_do, so we_will ask polychrome to_make us as big as_we were before ."

polychrome agreed to_this request and in half a minute all of_them, including herself, had_been enlarged again to_their natural sizes . they then thanked the blue rabbit for_his kind assistance, and at once approached the house of Nimme Amee .

chapter Twenty- two

Nimmie Amee

we may_be_sure that at_this moment our friends were all anxious to_see the end of_the adventure that had caused them so_many trials and troubles . perhaps the tin woodman's heart did_not beat any faster, because it was_made of red velvet and stuffed with sawdust, and_the tin soldier's heart was_made of tin and reposed in_his tin bosom without a hint of emotion . however, there_is little doubt that_they both knew that a critical moment in their lives had arrived, and_that Nimmie Amee's decision was destined to influence the future of one or the other .

as_they assumed their natural sizes and_the rhubarb leaves that had before towered above their heads now barely covered their feet, they looked around the garden and found that no person was visible save themselves . no sound of activity came from_the house, either, but they walked to_the front door, which had a little porch built before it, and there the two tinmen stood side by side while both knocked upon_the door with their tin knuckles .

as no one seemed eager to answer the summons they knocked again; and then again . finally they heard a stir from within and someone coughed .

" who's there ? " called a girl's voice .

" it's I ! " cried the tin twins, together .

" how did you get there ? " asked the voice .

they hesitated how to reply, so Woot answered for_them:

" by_means of magic ."

"Oh," said the unseen girl ." are_you friends, or foes ? "

" friends ! " they all exclaimed .

then they heard footsteps approach the door, which slowly opened and revealed a very pretty Munchkin girl standing in_the doorway .

"Nimmie Amee ! " cried the tin twins .

" that's my name," replied the girl, looking at them in cold surprise ." but who_can you be ? "

"Don't you_know me, Nimmie ? " said the tin woodman ."I'm your old sweetheart, nick chopper ! "

"Don't you_know me, my dear ? " said the tin soldier ."I'm your old sweetheart, captain Fyter ! "

Nimmie Amee smiled at them both . then she looked beyond them at_the rest of_the party and smiled again . however, she seemed more amused than pleased .

" come in," she said, leading the way inside ." even sweethearts are forgotten after a time, but you and your friends are welcome ."

the room they now entered was cosy and comfortable, being neatly furnished and well swept and dusted . but they found someone there besides Nimmie Amee .a man dressed in_the attractive Munchkin costume was lazily reclining in an easy chair, and he sat up and turned his eves on_the visitors with a cold and indifferent stare that was almost insolent . he_did_not even rise from_his seat to greet the strangers, but after glaring at them he looked away with a scowl, as if_they were of too little importance to interest him .

the tin men returned this man's stare with interest, but they_did_not look away from_him because neither of_them seemed able to_take his eyes off this Munchkin, who was remarkable in having one tin arm quite like their own tin arms .

"Seems to_me," said captain Fyter, in a voice that sounded harsh and indignant, " that you, sir, are a vile impostor ! "

" gently -- gently ! " cautioned the Scarecrow; "don't be rude to strangers, captain ."

" rude ? " shouted the tin soldier, now very_much provoked; " why, he's a scoundrel -- a thief ! the villain is wearing my own head ! "

" yes," added the tin woodman, " and he's wearing my right arm ! I_can recognize it by_the two warts on_the little finger ."

" good gracious ! " exclaimed Woot ." then this must_be the man whom old Ku-Klip patched together and named Chopfyt ."

the man now turned toward them, still scowling .

" yes, that_is my name," he_said in a voice like a growl, " and it_is absurd for_you tin creatures, or for anyone else, to claim my head, or arm, or any part of me, for they_are my personal property ."

" you ? you're a nobody ! " shouted captain Fyter .

" you're just a mix- up," declared the emperor .

" now, now, gentlemen," interrupted Nimmie Amee, " I_must ask_you to_be more respectful to poor Chopfyt . for, being my guests, it_is_not polite for_you to insult my husband ."

" your husband ! " the tin twins exclaimed in dismay .

" yes," said she ."I married Chopfyt a long_time_ago, because my other two sweethearts had deserted me ."

this reproof embarrassed both nick chopper and captain Fyter . they looked down, shamefaced, for a moment, and then the tin woodman explained in an earnest voice:

"I rusted ."

" so did I," said the tin soldier .

" I_could_not know that, of_course," asserted Nimmie Amee ." all I_knew was_that neither of you came to marry me, as_you had promised to_do . but men are_not scarce in_the land of Oz . after I_came here to live, I met Mr Chopfyt, and he was_the more interesting because he reminded me strongly of both of you, as_you were before_you became tin . he even had a tin arm, and_that reminded me of you the more .

" no wonder ! " remarked the Scarecrow .

" but, listen, Nimmie Amee ! " said the astonished Woot; " he really is both of_them, for he_is made of_their cast- off parts ."

"Oh, you're quite wrong," declared polychrome, laughing, for she was greatly enjoying the confusion of_the others ." the tin men are still themselves, as_they_will tell you, and so Chopfyt must_be someone else ."

they looked at her bewildered, for_the facts in_the case were too puzzling to_be grasped at once .

" it_is all the fault of old Ku-Klip," muttered the tin woodman ." he had no right to use our castoff parts to_make another man with ."

" it seems he_did it, however," said Nimmie Amee calmly, " and I married him because he resembled you both .I won't say he_is a husband to_be proud of, because he has a mixed nature and isn't always an agreeable companion . there_are times when I_have to chide him gently, both with my tongue and with my broomstick . but he_is my husband, and I_must make_the best of him ."

" if_you don't like him," suggested the tin woodman, " captain Fyter and I_can chop him up with_our axe and sword, and each take such parts of_the fellow as belong to him . then we_are willing for_you to select one of us as_your husband ."

" that_is a good idea," approved captain Fyter, drawing his sword .

" no," said Nimmie Amee; " i_think I'll keep the husband I now have . he_is now trained to draw the water and carry in_the wood and hoe the cabbages and weed the flower-beds and dust the furniture and perform many tasks of a like character .a new husband would_have to_be scolded -- and gently chided -- until he learns my ways . so i_think it_will_be better to_keep my Chopfyt, and I_see no reason why you_should object to him . you two gentlemen threw him away when_you became tin, because you had no further use for him, so you_cannot justly claim him now .I advise you to_go back to your own homes and forget me, as I_have forgotten you ."

" good advice ! " laughed polychrome, dancing .

" are_you happy ? " asked the tin soldier .

" of_course I_am," said Nimmie Amee; "I'm the mistress of all I survey -- the queen of_my little domain ."

"Wouldn't you like to_be the empress of_the Winkies ? " asked the tin woodman .

" mercy, no," she answered ." that_would_be alot of bother .I don't care for society, or pomp, or posing . all I ask is_to_be left alone and not to_be annoyed by visitors ."

the Scarecrow nudged Woot the wanderer .

" that sounds to_me like a hint," he_said .

"Looks as_if we'd had our journey

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