"Yours longest," laughed the Prince, as Kabumpo swung him elephant's back So, guided fragrant whiffs that came floating toward them, Kabumpo set out trees

CHAPTER 12

The Delicious Sea of Soup

Strange puffed Kabumpo, swinging along rapidly

"I hear water," answered Pompa, peering out over Kabumpo's head, "and there ! " Rippling silver under the rays moon, which shone brightly, lay great inland sea

The trees had thinned out, and smooth, sandy beach stretched down shore slight mist hunt air and all around delicious fragrance of vegetable soup

"Somebody's making soup," sighed the Prince, "but who, and where ? "

"Never mind, Pompa," wheezed the Elegant Elephant, walking down water's edge, "perhaps catch some fish, and while you cook them I'll go back and eat some leaves "

With jerk trunk, Kabumpo pulled length heavy silver thread torn robe and handed it Pompa Fastening jeweled pin to one end, the Prince cast his line far out waves first tug he drew it in " it ? " asked the Elegant Elephant, as Pompa pulled the dripping line over his trunk

"Oh, how delicious ! How wonderful ! " ex-claimed the once fastidious Prince of Pumper-dink Kabumpo could hear him munching away with relish

" it ? " he asked again

"A carrot ! lovely, red, delightful, tender carrot ! "

"Carrot ! Who ever heard of sea carrot ? " grunted Kabumpo "I'm afraid you're not yourself, my boy Let me see it "

Snaps and crunches, as Pompa consumed his strange catch, were the only answer, and in real alarm the Elegant Elephant moved away shore, and in bumped against white sign, stuck sand

"Please Don't Fall In," directed the sign politely "It Spoils the Soup

"Soup ! " sputtered Kabumpo Then another sign caught his eye: "Soup Sea-Salted To Taste-Help Yourself"

"Come down-come down here directly ! " cried the Elegant Elephant, snatching the Prince back "Here's the soup--a whole sea full Now all is bowl "

Swallowing convulsively the last bit of carrot, Pompa stood staring out over the tossing, smoking soup sea Every bone or vegetable would bob waves, poor hungry Prince of Pumperdink thought he had never seen more lovely sight life

"We'll probably be awarded china medal ," chuckled the Elegant Elephant "Won't old Pumper's eyes stick out when we tell him ? But now for bowl ! "

Swinging his trunk gently, Kabumpo walked up the white beach, and gone more than dozen steps before to cluster of huge shells He turned one over curiously "Why, it's soup bowl," whistled the Elegant Elephant He rushed back with it to Pompadore, who still stood dreamily surveying the soup

"I never thought I'd be so thrilled by common soup bowl," thought Kabumpo, staring Prince in amusement He stepped out on rock and dipped up bowl hot liquid

"Here ! Drink ! " commanded the Elegant Elephant, handing the bowl Prince "Drink Proper Princess future Queen of Pumperdink "

"Don't go," begged the Prince between gulps, " want two-three-several ! "

Kabumpo laughed good naturedly " pleasantest thing that has happened Here ! have another ! "

Then both Pompa Elegant Elephant gasped, for bubbling waves arose the most curious figure had ever seen-the most curious jolliest He entirely of soup bones, head was monster cabbage, with soup bowl set jauntily side for cap For cabbage head he sang and the song he kept time by waving silver ladle:

"Ho ! the King Soup Sea, Yes, the King Deep; My crown is bowl and my scepter ladle, I fell soup when I fell cradle, And find it exceedingly cheap !

I stir it up nightly, and pepper it rightly- liquid perfection you'll find And roll, sirs, So fill up your bowl, sirs, And think of me after you've dined "

When to "dined," the Soup King gave playful leap and disappeared backward waves

Pompa rubbed his eyes and looked at Kabumpo whether he dreaming

"Oh ! " cried Kabumpo, his eyes as round as little saucers Floating gently toward them were two large, crisp, buttered rolls

"The most charming King I've ever met," chuckled Kabumpo, scooping up the rolls and handing them to Pompa

Pompa, staring dreamily ahead, first took drink of soup, then nibble of roll, too happy for speech Four times the Elegant Elephant refilled the bowl Then, his stomach full first time since they had left Pumperdink, the Prince stretched himself out sands

"Now," puffed the Elegant Elephant ceremoniously, " you've had quite enough, I'll snatch few bites myself " Chuckling softly his way back to some young trees, and dined luxuriously off their tops

When he returned beach, Pompa was fast asleep, and for Kabumpo was inclined to sleep himself "But then," he reflected, "Ozma may require lot of coaxing before she consents to marry Pompa, and two precious seven days are gone plainly my duty to save Pumperdink Besides, when Pompa is married King of Oz ! Then I, the Elegant Elephant, the biggest figure at Court "

Kabumpo threw up his trunk and trumpeted softly stars Then, giving himself big shake and little stretch, he lifted the sleeping Prince back and started on again In about two hours he had circled the Soup Sea and, guiding himself by particularly bright and twinkling star, ran swiftly and steadily toward the South

first streaks of dawn appeared sky, Kabumpo passed through quaint little Gilliken village He snatched bag of rolls from doorstep and stuck them into his pocket, but stop, and so fast asleep little village that except for few wide-awake roosters, no one knew how important person had passed through

The sky grew pinker and pinker no idea how pink the morning skies in Oz Just sun got out of bed, the Elegant Elephant came wonderful Emerald City itself, shining and fairylike as dream under the lovely colors of sunrise Kabumpo paused and took deep breath Even impressed, and it took good bit to impress him He reached back and touched Pompa trunk

"Wake up, my boy," whispered Kabumpo in trembling voice "Wake up and put crown, for come city of your Proper Princess "

Pompa sat up and rubbed his eyes in amazement Without word, the crown Kabumpo handed him, and set it scorched, golden head Accustomed as Pompa was to grandeur, for Pumperdink is very magnificent in its funny old-fashioned way, help but gasp at Ozma's fair city The lovely green parks, and houses studded with countless emeralds, the shining marble streets, filled the Prince with wonder

"I don't believe she'll ever marry me," he stuttered, beginning quite frightened at his boldness

"Nonsense," wheezed Kabumpo faintly beginning misgivings himself "Sit up now ! Look your best, and I'll carry you straight palace gardens "

No one was awake Even the Soldier Green Whiskers lay snoring against tree, Kabumpo stole unobserved Royal Gardens

"I don't see the palace," whispered Pompa anxiously "Wouldn't it show above the trees ? "

"It ought to," said Kabumpo, wrinkling up his forehead "But look ! Who ? "

Pompa's heart almost stopped, and even Kabumpo's gave queer jump On golden bench, just ahead, sat the loveliest person either had seen in all eighteenth birthdays

"Ozma," gasped the Elegant Elephant, he had breath enough to whisper "What luck ! ask her at once

"Not now," begged the Prince of Pumperdink, as Kabumpo unceremoniously helped him ground His knees shook, his tongue stuck roof mouth He had never proposed to Fairy Princess before whole life Then all at once he had an idea Slipping his hand Elegant Elephant's pocket, he drew out the magic mirror "I'll see if she's princess," stuttered Pompa

The elephant shook his head angrily but was afraid again lest he disturb the quiet figure bench

"And I'll not propose unless the one," said Pompa, tip-toeing toward the bench Without making sound he suddenly held the mirror startled and lovely lady

"Glinda, good Sorceress of Oz," flashed the mirror promptly

"Great gooseberries ! " cried Glinda, springing to her feet in alarm and swinging around on Pompa "Where did you come from ? " After studying whole day and night in her magic books, Glinda had returned Emerald City to perfect her plan for rescuing Ozma

"From Pumperdink, your Highness," puffed Kabumpo, lunging forward anxiously He, too, had seen the words mirror fear of offending Sorceress made him quake skin- loose enough to quake in, dear knows !

"A thousand pardons ! " cried the Prince, dropping on one knee and taking off his crown

"We were seeking Princess Ozma, the Fairy Ruler of Oz "

Glinda looked from Kabumpo Prince and controlled desire to laugh The Elegant Elephant's torn and scorched robe hung in rags shoulders jeweled headpiece was dangling over one ear Pompa's clothes were equally shabby almost bald head with lock sticking up here and there gave him singular and comical appearance

"Pumperdink ? " mused Glinda, tapping her foot thoughtfully Then, like flash she remembered the entry Book of Records-"The Prince of Pumperdink is journeying toward the Emerald City "

"Why did you Ozma ? " asked Glinda anxiously Perhaps these two strangers could throw some light mysterious disappearance Royal Palace

"Our country was threatened with disappearance and -"

"He thought Ozma might ," finished the Elegant Elephant breathlessly believe in telling strange Sorceresses about everything Now if Glinda so occupied disappearance palace and all the dearest people in Oz, she more curious disappearance of Pumperdink As she just shook her head sadly "I'm afraid Ozma cannot ," she said, "for Ozma herself has disappeared-Ozma and everyone palace "