Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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of_the castle, were rows of tin statuary, very cleverly executed . among_these Ojo recognized statues of Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Wizard, the Shaggy Man, Jack Pumpkinhead and Ozma, all standing upon neat pedestals of tin .

Toto was well acquainted with_the residence of_the Tin Woodman and, being assured ajoyful welcome, he ran ahead and barked so loudly at_the front door that_the Tin Woodman heard him and came out in person to_see if_it were really his old friend Toto .Next moment the tin man had clasped the Scarecrow in awarm embrace and then turned to hug Dorothy .But now his eye was arrested by_the strange sight of_the Patchwork Girl, and he gazed upon her in mingled wonder and admiration .

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Tin Woodman Objects

The Tin Woodman was one_of_the_most important personages in all Oz .Though Emperor of_the Winkies, he owed allegiance to Ozma, who ruled all the land, and_the girl and_the tin man were warm personal friends . he_was something of adandy and kept his tin body brilliantly polished and_his tin joints well oiled .Also he_was very courteous in manner and so kind and gentle that everyone loved him .The Emperor greeted Ojo and Scraps with cordial hospitality and ushered the entire party into his handsome tin parlor, where all the furniture and pictures were made of tin .The walls were paneled with tin and from_the tin ceiling hung tin chandeliers .

The Tin Woodman wanted to_know, first of all, where Dorothy had found the Patchwork Girl, so between_them the visitors told the story of how Scraps was_made, as_well as_the accident to Margolotte and Unc Nunkie and how Ojo had set out upon ajourney to procure the things needed for_the Crooked Magician's magic charm .Then Dorothy told of_their adventures in_the Quadling Country and how at last they succeeded in getting the water from adark well .

While the little girl was relating these adventures the Tin Woodman sat in an easy chair listening with intense interest, while the others sat grouped around him .Ojo, however, had kept his eyes fixed upon_the body of_the tin Emperor, and now he noticed that under the joint of_his left knee atiny drop of oil was forming .He watched this drop of oil with afast-beating heart, and feeling in_his pocket brought out atiny vial of crystal, which he held secreted in_his hand .

Presently the Tin Woodman changed his position, and at once Ojo, to_the astonishment of all, dropped to_the floor and held his crystal vial under the Emperor's knee joint .Just then the drop of oil fell, and_the boy caught it in_his bottle and immediately corked it tight .Then, with ared face and embarrassed manner, he rose to confront the others .

"What in_the_world were you doing ? " asked the Tin Woodman .

"I caught adrop of oil that fell from your knee-joint," confessed Ojo .

"A drop of oil ! " exclaimed the Tin Woodman ."Dear me, how careless my valet must have_been in oiling me this_morning .I'm afraid I_shall_have to scold the fellow, for I_can't be dropping oil wherever I go ."

"Never mind," said Dorothy ."Ojo seems glad_to_have the oil, for some reason ."

"Yes," declared the Munchkin boy, " I_am_glad .For one_of_the things the Crooked Magician sent me to_get was adrop of oil from alive man's body .I had no idea, at first, that there_was such athing; but it's now safe in_the little crystal vial ."

" you_are very welcome to_it, indeed," said the Tin Woodman ." have_you now secured all the things you were in search of ? "

"Not quite all," answered Ojo ."There were five things I had to_get, and I_have found four of_them . I_have the three hairs in_the tip of aWoozy's tail, asix-leaved clover, agill of water from adark well and adrop of oil from alive man's body .The last thing is_the easiest of all to_get, and I'm sure that my dear Unc Nunkie--and good Margolotte, as_well--will soon be restored to life ."

The Munchkin boy said this with much pride and pleasure .

"Good ! " exclaimed the Tin Woodman; "I congratulate you .But what_is the fifth and last thing you_need, in_order to complete the magic charm ? "

"The left wing of ayellow butterfly," said Ojo ." in_this yellow country, and with your kind assistance, that ought_to_be very easy to_find ."

The Tin Woodman stared at him in amazement .

"Surely you_are joking ! " he_said .

"No," replied Ojo, much surprised; " I_am in earnest ."

"But do_you_think for amoment that i_would permit you, or anyone else, to pull the left wing from ayellow butterfly ? " demanded the Tin Woodman sternly .

" why_not, sir ? "

" why_not ? You ask me why_not ? It would_be cruel-- one_of_the_most cruel and heartless deeds I ever heard of," asserted the Tin Woodman ."The butterflies are among_the prettiest of all created things, and they_are very sensitive to pain .To tear awing from one would cause it exquisite torture and it would soon die in great agony . i_would_not permit such awicked deed under any circumstances ! "

Ojo was astounded at hearing this .Dorothy, too, looked grave and disconcerted, but she knew in her heart that_the Tin Woodman was right .The Scarecrow nodded his head in approval of_his friend's speech, so it_was evident that he agreed with_the Emperor's decision .Scraps looked from one to another in perplexity .

"Who cares for abutterfly ? " she asked .

"Don't you ? " inquired the Tin Woodman .

"Not the snap of afinger, for I_have no heart," said the Patchwork Girl ."But i_want to help Ojo, who_is my friend, to rescue the uncle whom he loves, and I'd kill adozen useless butterflies to enable him to do_that ."

The Tin Woodman sighed regretfully .

" you_have kind instincts," he_said, "and with aheart you_would indeed be afine creature . I_cannot blame you for your heartless remark, as_you_cannot understand the feelings of_those who possess hearts .I, for instance, have avery neat and responsive heart which the wonderful Wizard of Oz once gave_me, and so I_shall never--never-- never permit apoor yellow butterfly to_be tortured by anyone ."

"The yellow country of_the Winkies," said Ojo sadly, " is_the only place in Oz where ayellow butterfly can_be found ."

"I'm glad of_that," said the Tin Woodman ."As I rule the Winkie Country, I_can protect my butterflies ."

"Unless I get the wing--just one left wing--" said Ojo miserably, " I_can't save Unc Nunkie ."

"Then he_must remain amarble statue forever," declared the Tin Emperor, firmly .

Ojo wiped his eyes, for he_could_not hold back the tears .

"I'll tell you what to_do," said Scraps ."We'll take awhole yellow butterfly, alive and well, to_the Crooked Magician, and let him pull the left wing off ."

"No, you won't," said the Tin Woodman ." you_can't have one of_my dear little butterflies to treat in_that way ."

"Then what in_the_world shall we_do ? " asked Dorothy .

They all became silent and thoughtful .No one spoke for_a_long_time .Then the Tin Woodman suddenly roused himself and said:

" we_must all go back to_the Emerald City and ask Ozma's advice .She's awise little girl, our Ruler, and she may find away to help Ojo save his Unc Nunkie ."

So the following morning the party started on_the journey to_the Emerald City, which they reached in due time without any important adventure . it_was asad journey for Ojo, for without the wing of_the yellow butterfly he_saw no way to save Unc Nunkie--unless he waited six years for_the Crooked Magician to_make anew lot of_the Powder of Life .The boy was utterly discouraged, and as he walked along he groaned aloud .

"Is anything hurting you ? " inquired the Tin Woodman in akindly tone, for_the Emperor was with_the party .

"I'm Ojo the Unlucky," replied the boy ." I_might_have known i_would fail in anything I tried to_do ."

"Why are_you Ojo the Unlucky ? " asked the tin man .

"Because i_was born on aFriday ."

"Friday is_not unlucky," declared the Emperor ."It's just one of seven days . do_you suppose all the world becomes unlucky one-seventh of_the time ? "

"It was_the thirteenth day of_the month," said Ojo .

"Thirteen ! Ah, that_is indeed alucky number," replied the Tin Woodman ."All my good luck seems to happen on_the thirteenth .I suppose most people never notice the good luck that comes to_them with_the number 13, and yet if_the least bit of bad luck falls on_that_day, they blame it to_the number, and not to_the proper cause ."

"Thirteen's my lucky number, too," remarked the Scarecrow .

"And mine," said Scraps ."I've just thirteen patches on my head ."

"But," continued Ojo, "I'm left-handed ."

"Many of_our greatest men are that way," asserted the Emperor ." to_be left-handed is usually to_be two-handed; the right-handed people are usually one-handed ."

"And I've awart under my right arm," said Ojo .

"How lucky ! " cried the Tin Woodman ." if_it were on_the end of your nose it might_be unlucky, but under your arm it_is luckily out_of_the way ."

"For all those reasons," said the Munchkin boy, " I_have_been called Ojo the Unlucky ."

"Then we_must turn over anew leaf and call you henceforth Ojo the Lucky," declared the tin man ."Every reason you_have given is absurd .But I_have noticed that_those who continually dread ill luck and fear it_will overtake them, have no time to_take advantage of any good fortune that comes their way .Make up your mind to_be Ojo the Lucky ."

"How can I ? " asked the boy, "when all my attempts to save my dear uncle have failed ? "

"Never give up, Ojo," advised Dorothy ."No one ever knows what's going to happen next ."

Ojo did_not reply, but

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