The Wizard picked up the magic axe and after carefully wiping it silk handkerchief put it away black bag Then they went on and in short time reached the river

"Let me see," said the Glass Cat, looking up and down the stream, " below the Magic Isle; so go up the stream until we come "

So up the stream they traveled, walking comfortably river bank, and after while the water broadened and sharp bend appeared river, hiding all below from their view They walked briskly along, however, and had nearly reached the bend when voice cried warningly: "Look out ! "

The travelers halted abruptly Wizard said: "Look out for what ? "

"You almost stepped on my Diamond Palace," replied the voice, and duck with gorgeously colored feathers appeared before them "Beasts and men are terribly clumsy," continued the Duck in an irritated tone, "and you've no business side River, anyway you doing here ? "

"We've come to rescue some friends of ours stuck fast Magic Isle river," explained Dorothy

" 'em," said the Duck "I've been 'em, 're stuck fast, all right go back home, for no power can save them "

" Wonderful Wizard of Oz," said Dorothy, pointing little man

"Well, I'm the Lonesome Duck," reply, fowl strutted up and down to show its feathers to best advantage "I'm the great Forest Magician, as any beast can tell you, but even no power to destroy the dreadful charm Magic Isle "

" lonesome because you're magician ? " inquired Dorothy

"No; I'm lonesome because no family and no friends But I like lonesome, so please don't offer friendly with me Go away, and try not to step on my Diamond Palace "

"Where ? " asked the girl

"Behind this bush "

Dorothy hopped off the lion's back and ran around the bush the Diamond Palace Lonesome Duck, although the gaudy fowl protested in series of low quacks The girl found, indeed, glistening dome formed of clearest diamonds, neatly cemented together, with doorway side just big enough to admit the duck

"Where did you find diamonds ? " asked Dorothy, wonderingly

" place mountains where thick as pebbles," said the Lonesome Duck, "and I brought them here in my bill, one by one and put them river and let the water run over them until they were brightly polished Then I built this palace, and I'm positive it's the only Diamond Palace in all the world "

"It's the of," said the little girl; "but live all alone, I don't see why it's any better than wooden palace, or one of bricks or cobble-stones "

"You're not supposed to understand that," retorted the Lonesome Duck "But tell you, as matter of education, that home of any sort beautiful who live , and intended strangers The Diamond Palace is my home, and I like it So I don't care quack whether YOU like it or not "

"Oh, but ! " exclaimed Dorothy "It's lovely outside, but--" Then she stopped speaking, Lonesome Duck had entered his palace little door without even saying good-bye So Dorothy returned to her friends resumed their journey

" , Wizard, the Duck was right in saying no magic can rescue Trot and Cap'n Bill ? " asked the girl in worried tone of voice

"No, I don't think the Lonesome Duck was right in saying that," answered the Wizard, gravely, "but possible that their enchantment harder to overcome than I expected I'll do my best, , and no one can do more than his best "

That didn't entirely relieve Dorothy's anxiety, but she said nothing more, and soon, on turning the bend river, they came in sight Magic Isle

"There ! " exclaimed Dorothy eagerly

"Yes, them," replied the Wizard, nodding " sitting on two big toadstools "

"That's queer," remarked the Glass Cat "There were no toadstools there when I left them "

"What lovely flower ! " cried Dorothy in rapture, as her gaze fell Magic Plant

"Never mind the Flower, just now," advised the Wizard "The most important thing is to rescue our friends "

they had arrived at place just opposite the Magic Isle, and now both Trot and Cap'n Bill saw the arrival friends and called for help

"How ? " shouted the Wizard, putting his hands mouth so hear him better across the water

"We're in hard luck," shouted Cap'n Bill, in reply "We're anchored here and can't move till you find way to cut the hawser "

"What does he mean ? " asked Dorothy

" 't move our feet bit ! " called Trot, speaking as loud as

" ? " inquired Dorothy

"They've got roots on 'em," explained Trot

hard from so great distance, so the Wizard said Glass Cat:

"Go island and tell our friends patient, for come to save them It may take little time to release them, Magic Isle is new and to experiment But tell them I'll hurry as fast as "

So the Glass Cat walked across the river under the water Trot and Cap'n Bill not to worry, Wizard at once opened his black bag and began his preparations

18 The Magic Wizard

He first set up small silver tripod and placed gold basin top of it basin he put two powders--a pink one and sky-blue one--and poured over them yellow liquid from crystal vial Then he mumbled some magic words, powders began to sizzle and burn and send out cloud of violet smoke that floated across the river and completely enveloped both Trot and Cap'n Bill, toadstools they sat, and even the Magic Plant gold flower-pot Then, smoke had disappeared into air, the Wizard called out prisoners:

" free ? "

Both Trot and Cap'n Bill tried to move their feet and failed

"No ! " they shouted in answer

The Wizard rubbed his bald head thoughtfully and then took some other magic tools bag

First he placed little black ball in silver pistol and shot it toward the Magic Isle The ball exploded just over the head of Trot and scattered thousand sparks over the little girl

"Oh ! " said the Wizard, "I guess set her free "

But Trot's feet were still rooted ground Magic Isle, disappointed Wizard had something else

For almost an hour he worked hard, using almost every magic tool black bag, and still Cap'n Bill and Trot rescued

"Dear me ! " exclaimed Dorothy, "I'm 'fraid we'll have to Glinda, after all "

That made the little Wizard blush, shamed him that his magic was not equal Magic Isle

"I won't give up yet, Dorothy," , "for lot of wizardry that I haven't yet tried I don't know what magician enchanted this little island, or what his powers were, but know that break any enchantment known ordinary witches and magicians that used to inhabit the Land of Oz It's like unlocking door; all is the right key "

"But 'spose you haven't the right key " suggested Dorothy; "what then ? "

"Then we'll have to key," he answered

The Glass Cat now came back side river, walking under the water, and said Wizard: "They're getting frightened over there island because they're both growing smaller Just now, when I left them, both Trot and Cap'n Bill were only about half their natural sizes "

" ," said the Wizard reflectively, "that I'd better go shore island, where talk and work to better advantage How did Trot and Cap'n Bill get island ? "

"On raft," answered the Glass Cat "It's over there now beach "

"I suppose you're not strong enough to bring the raft side, ? "

"No; I couldn't move it an inch," said the Cat

"I'll try it ," volunteered the Cowardly Lion "I'm dreadfully scared for fear the Magic Isle will capture me, too; but I'll try the raft and bring it side "

" , my friend," said the Wizard

So the Lion plunged river and swam with powerful strokes across to where the raft was beached island Placing one paw raft, he turned and struck out other three legs and so strong great beast that he managed to drag the raft from off the beach and propel it slowly to where the Wizard stood river bank

"Good ! " exclaimed the little man, well pleased

"May I go across ? " asked Dorothy

The Wizard hesitated

" 'll take care not to leave the raft or step foot island, you'll be quite safe," he decided So the Wizard told the Hungry Tiger Cowardly Lion to guard the cage of monkeys until he returned, and then he and Dorothy got raft The paddle which Cap'n Bill had made was still there, so the little Wizard paddled the clumsy raft across the water and ran it beach Magic Isle as close place where Cap'n Bill and Trot were rooted as

Dorothy was shocked how small the prisoners had become, and Trot said to her friends: " 't save us soon, there'll be nothing left of us "

"Be patient, my dear," counseled the Wizard, and took the little axe black bag

" you going ? " asked Cap'n Bill