I'm captured," chuckled the Cowardly Lion mischievously, "what next ? "

"Oh, let someone else decide that," yawned Snorer Flopping down last seat bus soon sound asleep and snoring loudly

CHAPTER 14 Flying in Deluge

LET'S find Dorothy," shouted Bob necessary to shout, for Nick's snores rattled in their ears like series of explosions The Cowardly Lion and Notta looked doubtfully at They sure that Mustafa's magic ring would allow them toward the Emerald City

"We'll try it," shouted Notta " ? "

"I don't know," roared the Cowardly Lion "Let's fly up and look around till familiar landmark " So Notta pressed all the buttons necessary to start the bus, and up they went rush that Bob almost lost his cap Cowardly Lion's mane waved like flag Bob put both fingers ears, for with Nick's snores whir feather wheels the noise was deafening were about hundred feet above ground, Notta slowed the bus down and ran it gently and evenly over the pleasant blue fields and forests Munchkins Bob, slipping seat beside Snorer, put his nose, which had fallen off his ear, back on its hook Immediately Snorer awoke and stamped his foot, but in wink asleep again and Bob watched in open-eyed wonder, for snoring own ear wakened him about every three minutes, and when he wakened he stamped, between snoring and stamping the noise was worse than ever

" our friend was not such loud sleeper," growled the Cowardly Lion " 't even hear my own heart beat Say, thunder or Snorer ? "

"Thunder," quavered Notta anxiously "See how dark it's growing ! Let's go down ! "

"It's raining," cried Bob Up same breath

Notta touched the button marked "Faster," and was about to press the one marked "Down," when blinding flash of lightning zig-zagged across their path The Cowardly Lion, with roar of terror, dashed under the last seat bus, dragging Notta clutch to save himself the clown pressed the button marked "Turn," so Flyaboutabus increased its speed but churned 'round and 'round till the four occupants were almost knocked senseless

matters worse, the rain came down in perfect torrents Snorer, awakened awful clamor, put his wing around Bob and clutched the arm seat curling claws Even so they were shaken up and down till Bob's teeth chattered and nearly drowned storm Notta Cowardly Lion bottom bus were faring even worse Every time the clown scrambled feet, the Cowardly Lion, terrified by new flash of lightning, would spring in another direction and, tied to him stout rope, Notta dragged along

"Help ! Help ! I'm drowning," gurgled Notta eighth fall sudden flash of lightning showed Snorer Flyaboutabus was more than half full of water, and Notta lying entirely immersed

"Bob," cried Nick, " hold on minute by yourself ? " Bob nodded his head and with closed eyes grasped the side bus dare open his eyes, for flying in circle had made him dreadfully dizzy

Snorer sidled cautiously edge seat and with little spring jumped Cowardly Lion's back The big beast was trembling like runaway race horse, beating heart shook Snorer up and down But holding on mane with one claw, about water till his other one fastened belt of Notta's baggy suit Then he pulled with all his might till, dripping and breathless, the poor clown lay across the Cowardly Lion's back "Climb seat," directed Nick sternly " to drown the most beautiful person in Oz ? " With shaking legs the Cowardly Lion obeyed, Nick holding Notta safely in place, and were both seat he begged the lion, with tears eyes, to control himself The Cowardly Lion, catching glimpse of poor Notta, and realizing first time what he had done, wept with embarrassment

" what comes of being tied to coward," he roared dismally, "but someone clapped me back "

" thunderclap," chattered Snorer "Just close your eyes and hang together, and Bob same " Hastily he flew back little boy, who was rolling and slipping around wet seat Notta, wise from past experiences, fastened his arms tightly around the Cowardly Lion's neck

"Divided we fall, together we stand," he panted weakly " 're going to jump signal, won't you ? " The Cowardly Lion made no answer but just dug his claws seat and closed his eyes tighter The wind whistled shrilly in their ears, the rain pelted mercilessly upon their heads bus tumbled and tossed air like rudderless ship

Suddenly Snorer, who was less affected motion bus others, felt water feet

"Somebody bail out the boat," he shrieked in real terror, "it's sinking ! " And so The feather wheels, wet and draggled rain, moved slower and slower, bus was now so full of water that every time it lurched sideways the luckless voyagers were submerged like flying in very deep and dangerous tub

"I never expected drowned air," screamed Notta "Shall we jump overboard ? " " dashed to pieces ? " shouted Nick in reply "Hold on sides " more directions, but the fury storm drowned even his shrill voice, and each found he had enough from being washed over the edge The water rose higher and higher bus sank lower and lower With eyes closed, and only their heads above water, the four clung grimly feathery edges bus finally struck the ground it did so force all let go and fell back water The Cowardly Lion sprang out first, pulling Notta along Then, realizing Bob was still struggling water, he impulsively sprang back, seized the little boy teeth and jumped out again shout from Snorer made him pause Notta was bumping along end rope like big bag of clothes

"You've killed him," wailed Nick angrily But just then, with watery sigh, the clown opened his eyes Immediately he began fumbling chest pocket " you trying ? " screamed Snorer

"My disguise," choked the clown " put on my disguise-first disguise, then joke and run, ! "

"You don't need any disguise," wailed the Cowardly Lion remorsefully "You look like almost anyone

" the same way," coughed the clown "Am I dashed or drowned or both ? "

"Neither," croaked Snorer sorrowfully "Only tied to very forgetful friend " The disguises, concealed in various parts of Notta's apparel, were dragged down in disfiguring lumps about his knees There were four bumps forehead and one was coming back head Bob, though shivering and wet, was otherwise unhurt, so he and Nick helped Notta Cowardly Lion's back, and, dripping and shaken, the air-wrecked party started toward little hut near which they had fallen

"Where's the Fallaboutabus ? " muttered Notta thickly, Cowardly Lion stumbled over the sill

"I don't care where ," groaned the lion " it's busted I'm against flying in all its branches " He dropped panting hearth, and Notta even move back The hut evidently belonged to some thrifty woodcutter quite neat and comfortable and fire all ready to light

Bob, feeling , started cheerful blaze, and though the rain still rattled roof, inside quite cozy and comfortable Notta, with Bob's help, took out all disguises, three that had already been used he hung out in full view But the clown was so downhearted when Bob started to shake out the others, and seemed to attach importance to keeping them secret, that Snorer, without unrolling them, carried them next room and hung them on hooks to dry Notta was quite thin and fallen without them, but when his suit had dried and he had powdered his nose with woodcutter's flour quite restored, and not until then that he discovered his feathers were gone With little shout he looked Cowardly Lion and Bob

"We've all shed our feathers," he cried exultantly " washed away The Cowardly Lion was so pleased that he jumped for joy, and started to run and look woodcutter's mirror, upsetting Notta as usual

"It's because you're no longer unish," explained Snorer wisely, as Notta scrambled feet and hastened to accompany the lion mirror " both stopped planning unwise and unfair things the feathers just naturally dropped out, and Bob's followed suit, for there isn't an unish bone boy's body," continued Snorer, rolling his eyes knowingly "And now that we've all decided to stick together everything as happy as possible "

"We don't stick together ," sighed the Cowardly Lion, hanging his head "Did I hurt you, Notta, old fellow ? "

"Not much," said the clown, "but I'll have to use more padding going so impetuous " Being tied to Cowardly Lion was proving even worse than he had expected The Cowardly Lion himself felt uncomfortable and ill at ease

"See here," he rumbled, gathered round the fire again, " we had better separate I'll go on to Mudge and you three go Emerald City for help "

"No," objected Notta, wrinkling his poor bumped forehead, "let's stick together bit longer, for I don't know the way Emerald City, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions might tear you to pieces before we got back Traveling country is dreadfully uncertain Why, we don't even know where now ? "

"But the sun's out," cried Bob, running window "Let's see Flyaboutabus is still around " The Cowardly Lion started at once to run toward the door, but Notta, with flying leap jumped back and thus avoided another fall The bus was full of water, but the feather wheels, already somewhat drier, were slowly revolving drew nearer the bus began to run 'round in circles, spraying water in every direction