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The Famous Oz Books
Since 1900, when L. Frank Baum introduced to the children of
America THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ and all the other
exciting characters who inhabit the land of Oz, these delightful fairy
tales have stimulated the imagination of millions of young readers.
These are stories which are genuine fantasy — creative, funny,
tender, exciting and surprising. Filled with the rarest and most
absurd creatures, each of the 14 volumes which now comprise the
series, has been eagerly sought out by generation after generation
until today they are known to all except the very young or those
who were never young at all.
When, in a recent survey, The New York Times polled a group of
teen agers on the books they liked best when they were young, the
Oz books topped the list.
THE FAMOUS OZ BOOKS
By L. Frank Baum:
THE WIZARD OF OZ
THE LAND OF OZ
OZMA OF OZ
DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ
THE ROAD TO OZ
THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ
THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ
TIK-TOK OF OZ
THE SCARECROW OF OZ
RINKITINK IN OZ
THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ
THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ
THE MAGIC OF OZ
GLINDA OF OZ
CHICAGO THE REILLY & LEE CO. Publishers
Dedicated to
"The Uplifters" of Los Angeles, California, in
grateful appreciation of the pleasure I have derived
from association with them, and in recognition of
their sincere endeavor to uplift humanity through
kindness, consideration and good-fellowship. They
are big men — all of them — and all with the generous
hearts of little children.
L. Frank Baum
THE
SCARECROW OF OZ
BY
L. FRANK BAUM
AUTHOR OF
THE ROAD TO OZ, DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ, THE
EMERALD CITY OF OZ, THE LAND OF OZ, OZMA
OF OZ. THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ,
TIK-TOK OF OZ
ILLUSTRATED B*
JOHN R. NEILL
The Reilly & Lee Co
Chicago
COPYEIQ-
'TWIXT YOU AND ME
The Army of Children which be-
sieged the Postoffice, conquered the
Postmen and delivered
to me its imperious
Commands, insisted that
Trot and Cap'n Bill be
admitted to the Land of
Oz, where Trot could
enjoy the society of
Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin
and Ozma, while the one-
legged sailor-man might
become a comrade of the
Tin Woodman, the
Shaggy Man, Tik-Tok
and all the other quaint
people who inhabit this
wonderful fairyland.
It was no easy task
to obey this order and
land Trot and Cap'n Bill
safely in Oz, as you will
discover by reading this
book. Indeed, it re-
quired the best
efforts of our dear
old friend, the
Scarecrow, to save
them from a dread-
ful fate on the
journey; but the story leaves them happily located in
Ozma's splendid palace and Dorothy has promised me
that Button-Bright and the three girls are sure to
encounter, in the near future, some marvelous adven-
tures in the Land of Oz, which I hope to be permitted
to relate to you in the next Oz Book.
Meantime, I am deeply grateful to my little readers
for their continued enthusiasm over the Oz stories, as
evinced in the many letters they send me, all of which
are lovingly cherished. It takes more and more Oz
Books every year to satisfy the demands of old and
new readers, and there have been formed many " Oz
Eeading Societies," where the Oz Books owned by
different members are read aloud. All this is very
gratifying to me and encourages me to write more Oz
stories. When the children have had enough of them,
I hope they will let me know, and then I'll try to write
something different.
L. FRANK BAUM
"Koyal Historian of Oz."
" OZCOT "
at HOLLYWOOD
in CALIFORNIA,
1915.
CHAPTER 1
The Great Whirlpool
" Seems to me," said Cap'n Bill, as he sat beside
Trot under the big acacia tree, looking out over the
blue ocean, " seems to me, Trot, as how the more we
know, the more we find we don't know."
" I can't quite make that out, Cap'n Bill," answered
the little girl in a serious voice, after a moment's
thought, during which her eyes followed those of the
old sailor-man across the glassy surface of the sea.
" Seems to me that all we learn is jus' so much
gained."
"I know; it looks that way at first sight," said the
sailor, nodding his head; " but those as knows the least
13
The Scarecrow of Oz
have a habit of thinkin' they know all there is to know,
while them as knows the most admits what a turr'ble
big world this is. It's the knowing ones that realize
one lifetime ain't long enough to git more'n a few
dips o' the oars of knowledge."
Trot didn't answer. She was a very little girl, with
big, solemn eyes and an earnest, simple manner.
Cap'n Bill had been her faithful companion for years
and had taught her almost everything she knew.
He was a wonderful man, this Cap'n Bill. Not so
very old, although his hair was grizzled — what there
was of it. Most of his head was bald as an egg and
as shiny as oilcloth, and this made his big ears stick
out in a funny way. His eyes had a gentle look and
were pale blue in color, and his round face was rugged
and bronzed. Cap'n Bill's left leg was missing, from
the knee down, and that was why the sailor no longer
sailed the seas. The wooden leg he wore was good
enough to stump around with on land, or even to take
Trot out for a row or a sail on the ocean, but when it
came to " runnin' up aloft ' or performing active
duties on shipboard, the old sailor was not equal to
the task. The loss of his leg had ruined his career
and the old sailor found comfort in devoting himself
to the education and companionship of the little girl.
14
Chapter One
The accident to Cap'n Bill's leg had happened at
about the time Trot was born, and ever since that he
had lived with Trot's mother as "a star boarder,"
having enough money saved up to pay for his weekly
" keep." He loved the baby and often held her on
his lap; her first ride was on Cap'n Bill's shoulders,
for she had no baby-carriage; and when she began
to toddle around, the child and the sailor became
close comrades and enjoyed many strange adventures
together. It is said the fairies had been present at
Trot's birth and had marked her forehead with their
invisible mystic signs, so that she was able to see and
do many wonderful things.
The acacia tree was on top of a high bluff, but a
path ran down the bank in a zigzag way to the water's
edge, where Cap'n Bill's boat was moored to a rock
by means of a stout cable. It had been a hot, sultry
afternoon, with scarcely a breath of air stirring, so
Cap'n Bill and Trot had been quietly sitting beneath
the shade of the tree, waiting for the sun to get low
enough for them to take a row.
They had decided to visit one of the great caves
which the waves had washed out of the rocky coast
during many years of steady effort. The caves were
a source of continual delight to both the girl and the
15
The Scarecrow of Oz
sailor, who loved to explore their awesome depths.
" I b'lieve, Cap'n," remarked Trot, at last, " that it's
time for us to start."
The old man cast a shrewd glance at the sky, the
sea and the motionless boat. Then he shook his head.
" Mebbe it's time, Trot," he answered, " but I don't
jes' like the looks o' things this afternoon."
"What's wrong?" she asked wonderingly.
" Can't say as to that. Things is too quiet to suit
me, that's all. No breeze, not a ripple a-top the water,
nary a gull a-flyin' anywhere, an' the end o' the hottest
day o' the year. I ain't no weather-prophet, Trot, but
any sailor would know the signs is ominous."
" There's nothing wrong that I can see," said Trot.
" If there was a cloud in the sky even as big as my
thumb, we might worry about it; but — look, Cap'n!
— the sky is as clear as can be."
He looked again and nodded.
"P'r'aps we can make the cave, all right," he
agreed, not wishing to disappoint her. "It's only a
little way out, an' we'll be on the watch; so come
along, Trot."
Together they descended the winding path to the
beach. It was no trouble for the girl to keep her
footing on the steep way, but Cap'n Bill, because of
16
Chapter One
his wooden leg, had to hold on to rocks and roots
now and then to save himself from tumbling. On a
level path he was as spry as anyone, but to climb
up hill or down required some care.
They reached the boat safely and while Trot was
untying the rope Cap'n Bill reached into a crevice
of the rock and drew out several tallow candles and
a box of wax matches, which he thrust into the
capacious pockets of his " sou'wester." This sou'-
wester was a short coat of oilskin which the old
sailor wore on all occasions — when he wore a coat
at all — and the pockets always contained a variety
of objects, useful and ornamental, which made even
Trot wonder where they all came from and why Cap'n
Bill should treasure them. The jackknives — a big
one and a little one — the bits of cord, the fishhooks,
the nails: these were handy to have on certain occa-
sions. But bits of shell, and tin boxes with unknown
contents, buttons, pincers, bottles of curious stones
and the like, seemed quite unnecessary to carry
around. That was Cap'n Bill's business, however, and
now that he added the candles and the matches to his
collection Trot made no comment, for she knew these
last were to light their way through the caves.
The sailor always rowed the boat, for he handled
17
The Scarecrow of Oz
the oars with strength and skill. Trot sat in the stern
and steered. The place where they embarked was a
little bight or circular bay, and the boat cut across a
much larger bay toward a distant headland where the
caves were located, right at the water's edge. They
were nearly a mile from shore and about halfway
across the bay when Trot suddenly sat up straight
and exclaimed: "What's that, Cap'n?'
He stopped rowing and turned half around to look.
18
Chapter One
" That, Trot," he slowly replied, " looks to me
mighty like a whirlpool."
"What makes it, Cap'n?"
" A whirl in the air makes the whirl in the water.
I was afraid as we'd meet with trouble, Trot. Things
didn't look right. The air was too still."
" It's coming closer," said the girl.
The old man grabbed the oars and began rowing
with all his strength.
19
The Scarecrow of Oz
" 'Tain't comin' closer to us, Trot," he gasped; " it's
we that are comin' closer to the whirlpool. The thing
is drawin' us to it like a magnet! '
Trot's sun-bronzed face was a little paler as she
grasped the tiller firmly and tried to steer the boat
away; but she said not a word to indicate fear.
The swirl of the water as they came nearer made a
roaring sound that was fearful to listen to. So fierce
and powerful was the whirlpool that it drew the sur-
face of the sea into the form of a great basin, slanting
downward toward the center, where a big hole had
been made in the ocean - - a hole with walls of water
that were kept in place by the rapid whirling of
the air.
The boat in which Trot and Cap'n Bill were riding
was just on the outer edge of this saucer-like slant,
and the old sailor knew very well that unless he could
quickly force the little craft away from the rushing
current they would soon be drawn into the great
black hole that yawned in the middle. So he exerted
all his might and pulled as he had never pulled before.
He pulled so hard that the left oar snapped in two
and sent Cap'n Bill sprawling upon the bottom of the
boat.
He scrambled up quickly enough and glanced over
20
Chapter One
the side. Then he looked at Trot, who sat quite still,
with a serious, far-away look in her sweet eyes. The
boat was now speeding swiftly of its own accord,
following the line of the circular basin round and
round and gradually drawing nearer to the great hole
in the center. Any further effort to escape the whirl-
pool was useless, and realizing this fact Cap'n Bill
turned toward Trot and put an arm around her, as if
to shield her from the awful fate before them. He
did not try to speak, because the roar of the waters
would have drowned the sound of his voice.
These two faithful comrades had faced dangers
before, but nothing to equal that which now faced
them. Yet Cap'n Bill, noting the look in Trot's eyes
and remembering how often she had been protected by
unseen powers, did not quite give way to despair.
The great hole in the dark water — now growing
nearer and nearer — looked very terrifying; but they
were both brave enough to face it and await the result
of the adventure.
21
CHAPTER 2
The Cavern Under the Sea
The circles were so much smaller at the bottom of
the basin, and the boat moved so much more swiftly,
that Trot was beginning to get dizzy with the motion,
when suddenly the boat made a leap and dived head-
long into the murky depths of the hole. Whirling
like tops, but still clinging together, the sailor and
the girl were separated from their boat and plunged
down — down — down — into the farthermost recesses
of the great ocean.
At first their fall was swift as an arrow, but pres-
ently they seemed to be going more moderately and
Trot was almost sure that unseen arms were about
22
Chapter Two
her, supporting her and protecting her. She could see
nothing, because the water filled her eyes and blurred
her vision, but she clung fast to Cap'n Bill's sou'-
wester, while other arms clung fast to her, and so
they gradually sank down and down until a full stop
was made, when they began to ascend again.
But it seemed to Trot that they were not rising
straight to the surface from where they had come.
The water was no longer whirling them and they
seemed to be drawn in a slanting direction through
still, cool ocean depths. And then - - in much quicker
time than I have told it — up they popped to the
surface and were cast at full length upon a sandy
beach, where they lay choking and gasping for breath
and wondering what had happened to them.
Trot was the first to recover. Disengaging herself
from Cap'n Bill's wet embrace and sitting up, she
rubbed the water from her eyes and then looked
around her. A soft, bluish-green glow lighted the
place, which seemed to be a sort of cavern, for above
and on either side of her were rugged rocks. They
had been cast upon a beach of clear sand, which
slanted upward from the pool of water at their feet
— a pool which doubtless led into the big ocean that
fed it. Above the reach of the waves of the pool were
23
The Scarecrow of Oz
more rocks, and still more and more, into the dim
windings and recesses of which the glowing light from
the water did not penetrate.
The place looked grim and lonely, but Trot was
thankful that she was still alive and had suffered
no severe injury during her trying adventure under
water. At her side Cap'n Bill was sputtering and
coughing, trying to get rid of the water he had
swallowed. Both of them were soaked through, yet
the cavern was warm and comfortable and a wetting
did not dismay the little girl in the least.
She crawled up the slant of sand and gathered in
her hand a bunch of dried seaweed, with which she
mopped the face of Cap'n Bill and cleared the water
from his eyes and ears. Presently the old man sat
up and stared at her intently. Then he nodded his
bald head three times and said in a gurgling voice:
" Mighty good, Trot; mighty good! We didn't reach
Davy Jones's locker that time, did we? Though why
we didn't, an' why we're here, is more'n I kin make
out."
"Take it easy, Cap'n," she replied. "We're safe
enough, I guess, at least for the time being."
He squeezed the water out of the bottoms of his
loose trousers and felt of his wooden leg and arms
24
Chapter Two
and head, and finding he had brought all of his person
with him he gathered courage to examine closely their
surroundings.
"Where d'ye think we are, Trot?" he presently
asked.
" Can't say, Cap'n. P'r'aps in one of our caves."
He shook his head. " No," said he, " I don't think
that, at all. The distance we came up didn't seem
half as far as the distance we went down; an' you'll
notice there ain't any outside entrance to this cavern
whatever. It's a reg'lar dome over this pool o' water,
and unless there's some passage at the back, up yon-
der, we're fast pris'ners."
Trot looked thoughtfully over her shoulder.
" When we're rested," she said, " we will crawl up
there and see if there's a way to get out."
Cap'n Bill reached in the pocket of his oilskin coat
and took out his pipe. It was still dry, for he kept
it in an oilskin pouch with his tobacco. His matches
were in a tight tin box, so in a few moments the old
sailor was smoking contentedly. Trot knew it helped
him to think when he was in any difficulty. Also, the
pipe did much to restore the old sailor's composure,
after his long ducking and his terrible fright- -a
fright that was more on Trot's account than his own.
25
The Scarecrow of Oz
The sand was dry where they sat, and soaked up
the water that dripped from their clothing. When
Trot had squeezed the wet out of her hair she began
to feel much like her old self again. By and by they
got upon their feet and crept up the incline to the
scattered boulders above. Some of these were of
huge size, but by passing between some and around
others, they were able to reach the extreme rear of
the cavern.
"Yes," said Trot, with interest, "here's a round
hole."
" And it's black as night inside it," remarked Cap'n
Bill.
" Just the same," answered the girl, " we ought to
explore it, and see where it goes, 'cause it's the only
poss'ble way we can get out of this place."
Cap'n Bill eyed the hole doubtfully.
" It may be a way out o' here, Trot," he said, " but
it may be a way into a far worse place than this. I'm
not sure but our best plan is to stay right here."
Trot wasn't sure, either, when she thought of it in
that light.. After awhile she made her way back to
the sands again, and Cap'n Bill followed her. As they
sat down, the child looked thoughtfully at the sailor's
bulging pockets.
26
The Scarecrow ot Oz
"How much food have we got, Cap'n?" she asked.
" Half a dozen ship's biscuits an' a hunk o' cheese,"
he replied. "Want some now, Trot?"
She shook her head, saying:
"That ought to keep us alive 'bout three days if
we're careful of it."
" Longer'n that, Trot," said Cap ii Bill, but his voice
was a little troubled and unsteady.
" But if we stay here we're bound to starve in time,"
continued the girl, "while if we go into tU dark
hole — "
" Some things are more hard to face than starva-
tion," said the sailor-man, gravely. 4 We don't know
what's inside that dark hole. Trot, nor where it might
lead us to."
" There's a way to find that out," she persisted.
Instead of replying, Cap'n Bill began searching in
his pockets. He soon drew out a little package of fish-
hooks and a long line. Trot watched Mm join them
together. Then he crept a little way up .he slope and
turned over a big rock. Two or three small crabs
began scurrying away over the sands and the old
sailor caught them and put one on his hoo!< ^tnd the
others in his pocket. Coming bc*ck to the 'poo! he
swung the hook over his shoulder and circled it around
28
Chapter Two
his head and cast it nearly into the center of the
water, where he allowed it to sink gradually, paying
out the line as far as it would go. When the end was
reached, he began drawing it in again, until the crab
bait was floating on the surface.
Trot watched him cast the line a second time, and
a third. She decided that either there were no fishes
in the pool or they would not bite the crab bait. But
Cap'n Bill was an old fisherman and not easily dis-
couraged. When the crab got away he put another on
the hook. When the crabs were all gone he climbed
up the rocks and found some more.
Meantime Trot tired of watching him and lay down
upon the sands, where she fell fast asleep. During
the next two hours her clothing dried completely, as
did that of the old sailor. They were both so used to
salt water that there was no danger of taking cold.
Finally the little girl was wakened by a splash
beside her and a grunt of satisfaction from Cap'n Bill.
She opened her eyes to find that the Cap'n had landed
a silver-scaled fish weighing about two pounds. This
cheered her considerably and she hurried to scrape
together a heap of seaweed, while Cap'n Bill cut up
the fish with his jackknife and got it ready for
cooking.
29
The Scarecrow of Oz
They had cooked fish with seaweed before. Cap'n
Bill wrapped his fish in some of the weed and dipped
it in the water to dampen it. Then he lighted a match
and set fire to Trot's heap, which speedily burned
down to a glowing bed of ashes. Then they laid the
wrapped fish on the ashes, covered it with more sea-
weed, and allowed this to catch fire and burn to
embers. After feeding the fire with seaweed for some
time, the sailor finally decided that their supper was
ready, so he scattered the ashes and drew out the bits
of fish, still encased in their smoking wrappings.
When these wrappings were removed, the fish was
found thoroughly cooked and both Trot and Cap'n
Bill ate of it freely. It had a slight flavor of seaweed
and would have been better with a sprinkling of salt.
The soft glow which until now had lighted the
cavern, began to grow dim, but there was a great
quantity of seaweed in the place, so after they had
eaten their fish they kept the fire alive for a time by
giving it a handful of fuel now and then.
From an inner pocket the sailor drew a small flask
of battered metal and unscrewing the cap handed it
to Trot. She took but one swallow of the water,
although she wanted more, and she noticed that Cap'c
Bill merely wet his lips with it.
30
Chapter Two
" S'pose," said she, staring at the glowing seaweed
fire and speaking slowly, " that we can catch all the
fish we need; how 'bout the drinking-water, Cap'n?"
He moved uneasily but did not reply. Both of them
were thinking about the dark hole, but while Trot had
little fear of it the old man could not overcome his
dislike to enter the place. He knew that Trot was
right, though. To remain in the cavern, where they
now were, could only result in slow but sure death.
It was nighttime up on the earth's surface, so the
little girl became drowsy and soon fell asleep. After
a time the old sailor slumbered on the sands beside
her. It was very still and nothing disturbed them for
hours. When at last they awoke the cavern was
light again.
They had divided one of the biscuits and were
munching it for breakfast when they were startled by
a sudden splash in the pool. Looking toward it they
saw emerging from the water the most curious
creature either of them had ever beheld. It wasn't a
fish, Trot decided, nor was it a beast. It had wings,
though, and queer wings they were: shaped like an
inverted chopping-bowl and covered with tough skin
instead of feathers. It had four legs — much like the
legs of a stork, only double the number — and its head
31
The Scarecrow of Oz
was shaped a good deal like that of a poll parrot, with
a beak that curved downward in front and upward
at the edges, and was half bill and half mouth. But
to call it a bird was out of the question, because it had
110 feathers whatever except a crest of wavy plumes
of a scarlet color on the very top of its head. The
strange creature must have weighed as much as Cap'n
Bill, and as it floundered and struggled to get out of
the water to the sandy beach it was so big and unusual
that both Trot and her companion stared at it in won-
der — in wonder that was not unmixed with fear.
i^fj * «Tv -\ • {••* C*^-%VT* +*• • .v
32
CHAPTER 3
The Ork
The eyes that regarded them, as the creature stood
dripping before them, were bright and mild in expres-
sion, and the queer addition to their party made no
attempt to attack them and seemed quite as surprised
by the meeting as they were.
" I wonder," whispered Trot, " what it is."
"Who, me?' exclaimed the creature in a shrill,
high-pitched voice. " Why, I'm an Ork."
" Oh! " said the girl. " But what is an Ork? "
" I am," he repeated, a little proudly, as he shook
the water from his funny wings; " and if ever an Ork
was glad to be out of the water and on dry land again,
33
The Scarecrow of Oz
you can be mighty sure that I'm that especial, indi-
vidual Ork! "
" Have you been in the water long? " inquired Cap'n
Bill, thinking it only polite to show an interest in the
strange creature..
" Why, this last ducking was about ten minutes, I
believe, and that's about nine minutes and sixty sec-
onds too long for comfort," was the reply. " But last
night I was in an awful pickle, I assure you. The
whirlpool caught me, and-
" Oh, were you in the whirlpool, too ? ' asked Trot
eagerly.
He gave her a glance that was somewhat
reproachful.
" I believe I was mentioning the fact, young lady,
when your desire to talk interrupted me," said the
Ork. " I am not usually careless in my actions, but
that whirlpool was so busy yesterday that I thought
I'd see what mischief it was up to. So I flew a little
too near it and the suction of the air drew me down
into the depths of the ocean. Water and I are natural
enemies, and it would have conquered me this time
had not a bevy of pretty mermaids come to my assist-
ance and dragged me away from the whirling water
and far up into a cavern, where they deserted me."
34
Chapter Three
" Why, that's about the same thing that happened
to us," cried Trot. " Was your cavern like this one ? "
" I haven't examined this one yet," answered the
Ork; " but if they happen to be alike I shudder at
our fate, for the other one was a prison, with no
outlet except by means of the water. I stayed there
all night, however, and this morning I plunged into
the pool, as far down as I could go, and then swam
as hard and as far as I could. The rocks scraped my
back, now and then, and I barely escaped the clutches
of an ugly sea-monster; but by and by I came to the
surface to catch my breath, and found myself here.
That's the whole story, and as I see you have some-
thing to eat I entreat you to give me a share of it.
The truth is, I'm half starved."
With these words the Ork squatted down beside
them. Very reluctantly Cap'n Bill drew another bis-
cuit from his pocket and held it out. The Ork
promptly seized it in one of its front claws and began
to nibble the biscuit in much the same manner a
parrot might have done.
" We haven't much grub," said the sailor-man, " but
we're willin' to share it with a comrade in distress."
" That's right," returned the Ork, cocking its head
sidewise in a cheerful manner, and then for a few
35
The Scarecrow of Oz
minutes there was silence while they all ate of the
biscuits. After a while Trot said:
" I've never seen or heard of an Ork before. Are
there many of you?'
" We are rather few and exclusive, I believe," was
the reply. " In the country where I was born we are
the absolute rulers of all living things, from ants to
elephants."
" What country is that? " asked Cap'n Bill.
" Orkland."
"Where does it lie?"
" I don't know, exactly. You see, I have a restless
nature, for some reason, while all the rest of my race
are quiet and contented Orks and seldom stray far
from home. From childhood days I loved to fly long
distances away, although father often warned me that
I would get into trouble by so doing.
" ' It's a big world, Flipper, my son/ he would say,
'and I've heard that in parts of it live queer two-
legged creatures called Men, who war upon all other
living things and would have little respect for even
an Ork/
"This naturally aroused my curiosity and after I
had completed my education and left school I decided
to fly out into the world and try to get a glimpse of
36
Chapter Three
the creatures called Men. So I left home without
saying good-bye, an act I shall always regret. Adven-
tures were many, I found. I sighted men several
times, but have never before been so close to them
as now. Also I had to fight my way through the air,
for I met gigantic birds, with fluffy feathers all over
them, which attacked me fiercely. Besides, it kept
me busy escaping from floating airships. In my ram-
bling I had lost all track of distance or direction, so
that when I wanted to go home I had no idea where
my country was located. I've now been trying to
find it for several months and it was during one of
my flights over the ocean that I met the whirlpool
and became its victim."
Trot and Cap'n Bill listened to this recital with
much interest, and from the friendly tone and harm-
less appearance of the Ork they judged he was not
likely to prove so disagreeable a companion as at first
they had feared he might be.
The Ork sat upon its haunches much as a cat does,
but used the finger-like claws of its front legs almost
as cleverly as if they were hands. Perhaps the most
curious thing about the creature was its tail, or what
ought to have been its tail. This queer arrangement
of skin, bones and muscle was shaped like the pro-
37
The Scarecrow of Oz
pellers used on boats and airships, having fan-like
surfaces and being pivoted to its body. Cap'n Bill
knew something of mechanics, and observing the
propeller-like tail of the Ork he said:
"I s'pose you're a pretty swift flyer?'
"Yes, indeed; the Orks are admitted to be Kings
of the Air."
" Your wings don't seem to amount to much,"
remarked Trot.
"Well, they are not very big," admitted the Ork,
waving the four hollow skins gently to and fro, " but
they serve to support my body in the air while I speed
along by means of my tail. Still, taken altogether,
I'm very handsomely formed, don't you think?'
Trot did not like to reply, but Cap'n Bill nodded
gravely. "For an Ork," said he, "you're a wonder.
I've never seen one afore, but I can imagine you're
as good as any."
That seemed to please the creature and it began
walking around the cavern, making its way easily
up the slope. While it was gone, Trot and Cap'n Bill
each took another sip from the water-flask, to wash
down their breakfast.
"Why, here's a hole — an exit — an outlet!'
exclaimed the Ork from above.
38
Chapter Three
" We know," said Trot. " We found it last night."
" Well, then, let's be off," continued the Ork, after
sticking its head into the black hole and sniffing once
or twice. " The air seems fresh and sweet, and
it can't lead us to any worse place than this."
J
The girl and the sailor-man got up and climbed to
the side of the Ork.
"We'd about decided to explore this hole before
you came," explained Cap'n Bill; " but it's a dangerous
place to navigate in the dark, so wait till I light a
candle."
39
The Scarecrow of Oz
" What is a candle ? " inquired the Ork.
"You'll see in a minute," said Trot.
The old sailor drew one of the candles from his
right-side pocket and the tin matchbox from his left-
side pocket. When he lighted the match the Ork gave
a startled jump and eyed the flame suspiciously; but
Cap'n Bill proceeded to light the candle and the action
interested the Ork very much.
" Light," it said, somewhat nervously, " is valuable
in a hole of this sort. The candle is not dangerous,
I hope?"
" Sometimes it burns your fingers," answered Trot,
" but that's about the worst it can do — 'cept to blow
out when you don't want it to."
Cap'n Bill shielded the flame with his hand and
crept into the hole. It wasn't any too big for a grown
man, but after he had crawled a few feet it grew
larger. Trot came close behind him and then the
Ork followed.
" Seems like a reg'lar tunnel," muttered the sailor-
man, who was creeping along awkwardly because of
his wooden leg. The rocks, too, hurt his knees.
For nearly half an hour the three moved slowly
along the tunnel, which made many twists and turns
and sometimes slanted downward and sometimes
40
Chapter Three
upward. Finally Cap'n Bill stopped short, with an
exclamation of disappointment, and held the flicker-
ing candle far ahead to light the scene.
"What's wrong?' demanded Trot, who could see
nothing because the sailor's form completely filled the
hole.
"Why, we've come to the end of our travels, I
guess," he replied.
"Is the hole blocked?" inquired the Ork.
"No; it's wuss nor that," replied Cap'n Bill sadly.
" I'm on the edge of a precipice. Wait a minute an'
I'll move along and let you see for yourselves. Be
careful, Trot, not to fall."
Then he crept forward a little and moved to one
side, holding the candle so that the girl could see to
follow him. The Ork came next and now all three
knelt on a narrow ledge of rock which dropped
straight away and left a huge black space which the
tiny flame of the candle could not illuminate.
" H-m! " said the Ork, peering over the edge; " this
doesn't look very promising, I'll admit. But let me
take your candle, and I'll fly down and see what's
below us."
"Aren't you afraid?" asked Trot.
" Certainly I'm afraid," responded the Ork. " But
41
The Scarecrow of Oz
if we intend to escape we can't stay on this shelf for-
ever. So, as I notice you poor creatures cannot fly,
it is my duty to explore the place for you."
Cap'n Bill handed the Ork the candle, which had
now burned to about half its length. The Ork took
it in one claw rather cautiously and then tipped its
body forward and slipped over the edge. They heard
a queer buzzing sound, as the tail revolved, and a
brisk flapping of the peculiar wings, but they were
more interested just then in following with their eyes
the tiny speck of light which marked the location of
the candle. This light first made a great circle, then
dropped slowly downward and suddenly was extin-
guished, leaving everything before them black as ink.
" Hi, there! How did that happen? '' cried the Ork.
" It blew out, I guess," shouted Cap'n Bill. " Fetch
it here."
" I can't see where you are," said the Ork.
So Cap'n Bill got out another candle and lighted it,
and its flame enabled the Ork to fly back to them.
It alighted on the edge and held out the bit of candle.
" What made it stop burning? " asked the creature.
" The wind," said Trot. " You must be more care-
ful, this time."
"What's the place like?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
42
Chapter Three
"I don't know, yet; but there must be a bottom
to it, so I'll try to find it."
With this the Ork started out again and this time
sank downward more slowly. Down, down, down it
went, till the candle was a mere spark, and then it
headed away to the left and Trot and Cap'n Bill lost
all sight of it.
In a few minutes, however, they saw the spark of
light again, and as the sailor still held the second
lighted candle the Ork made straight toward them.
43
The Scarecrow of Oz
It was only a few yards distant when suddenly it
dropped the candle with a cry of pain and next
moment alighted, fluttering wildly, upon the rocky
ledge.
"What's the matter?" asked Trot.
"It bit me!" wailed the Ork. "I don't like your
candles. The thing began to disappear slowly as soon
as I took it in my claw, and it grew smaller and
smaller until just now it turned and bit me — a most
unfriendly thing to do. Oh — oh! Ouch, what a
bite!"
"That's the nature of candles, I'm sorry to say,"
explained Cap'n Bill, with a grin. "You have to
handle 'em mighty keerful. But tell us, what did
you find down there ? '
" I found a way to continue our journey," said the
Ork, nursing tenderly the claw which had been burned.
" Just below us is a great lake of black water, which
looked so cold and wicked that it made me shudder;
but away at the left there's a big tunnel, which we
can easily walk through. I don't know where it leads
to, of course, but we must follow it and find out."
" Why, we can't get to it," protested the little girl.
" We can't fly, as you do, you must remember."
"No, that's true," replied the Ork musingly.
44
Chapter Three
"Your bodies are built very poorly, it seems to me,
since all you can do is crawl upon the earth's surface.
But you may ride upon my back, and in that way
T can promise you a safe journey to the tunnel."
" Are you strong enough to carry us? " asked Cap'n
Bill, doubtfully.
"Yes, indeed; I'm strong enough to carry a dozen
of you, if you could find a place to sit," was the reply;
" but there's only room between my wings for one
at a time, so I'll have to make two trips."
"All right; Til go first," decided Cap'n Bill.
He lit another candle for Trot to hold while they
were gone and to light the Ork on his return to her,
and then the old sailor got upon the Ork's back, where
he sat with his wooden leg sticking straight out
sidewise.
" If you start to fall, clasp your arms around my
neck," advised the creature.
"If I start to fall, it's good night an' pleasant
dreams," said Cap'n Bill.
"All ready?" asked the Ork.
" Start the buzz-tail," said Cap'n Bill, with a tremble
in his voice. But the Ork flew away so gently that
the old man never even tottered in his seat.
Trot watched the light of Cap'n Bill's candle till
45
The Scarecrow of Oz
it disappeared in the far distance. She didn't like
to be left alone on this dangerous ledge, with a lake
of black water hundreds of feet below her; but she
was a brave little girl and waited patiently for the
return of the Ork. It came even sooner than she had
expected and the creature said to her:
" Your friend is safe in the tunnel. Now, then, get
aboard and I'll carry you to him in a jiffy."
I'm sure not many little girls would have cared
to take that awful ride through the huge black cavern
on the back of a skinny Ork. Trot didn't care for it,
herself, but it just had to be done and so she did it
as courageously as possible. Her heart beat fast and
she was so nervous she could scarcely hold the candle
in her fingers as the Ork sped swiftly through the
darkness.
It seemed like a long ride to her, yet in reality the
Ork covered the distance in a wonderfully brief period
of time and soon Trot stood safely beside Cap'n Bill
on the level floor of a big arched tunnel. The sailor-
man was very glad to greet his little comrade again
and both were grateful to the Ork for his assistance.
" I dunno where this tunnel leads to," remarked
Cap'n Bill, " but it surely looks more promisin' than
that other hole we crept through."
46
Chapter Three
" Wlien the Ork is rested," said Trot, " we'll travel
on and see what happens."
" Rested! '' cried the Ork, as scornfully as his shrill
voice would allow. " That bit of flying didn't tire
me at all. I'm used to flying days at a time, without
ever once stopping."
" Then let's move on," proposed Cap'n Bill. He
still held in his hand one lighted candle, so Trot blew
out the other flame and placed her candle in the
sailor's big pocket. She knew it was not wise to
burn two candles at once.
The tunnel was straight and smooth and very easy
to walk through, so they made good progress. Trot
thought that the tunnel began about two miles from
the cavern where they had been cast by the whirlpool,
but now it was impossible to guess the miles traveled,
for they walked steadily for hours and hours without
any change in their surroundings.
Finally Cap'n Bill stopped to rest.
" There's somethin' queer about this 'ere tunnel, I'm
certain," he declared, wagging his head dolefully.
"Here's three candles gone a'ready, an' only three
more left us, yet the tunnel's the same as it was when
we started. An' how long it's goin' to keep up, no
one knows."
47
The Scarecrow of Oz
"Couldn't we walk without a light?" asked Trot.
"The way seems safe enough."
" It does right now," was the reply, " but we can't
tell when we are likely to come to another gulf, or
somethin' jes' as dangerous. In that case we'd be
killed afore we knew it."
"Suppose I go ahead?" suggested the Ork. "I
don't fear a fall, you know, and if anything happens
I'll call out and warn you."
" That's a good idea," declared Trot, and Cap'n Bill
thought so, too. So the Ork started off. ahead, quite
in the dark, and hand in hand the two followed him.
When they had walked in this way for a good long
time the Ork halted and demanded food. Cap'n Bill
had not mentioned food because there was so little
left --only three biscuits and a lump of cheese about
as big as his two fingers — but he gave the Ork half
of a biscuit, sighing as he did so. The creature didn't
care for the cheese, so the sailor divided it between
himself and Trot. They lighted a candle and sat down
in the tunnel while they ate.
" My feet hurt me," grumbled the Ork. " I'm not
used to walking and this rocky passage is so uneven
and lumpy that it hurts me to walk upon it."
" Can't you fly along? " asked Trot.
48
Chapter Three
" No; the roof is too low," said the Ork.
After the meal they resumed their journey, which
Trot began to fear would never end. When Cap'n
Bill noticed how tired the little girl was, he paused
and lighted a match and looked at his big silver watch.
" Why, it's night! " he exclaimed. " We've tramped
all day, an' still we're in this awful passage, which
mebbe goes straight through the middle of the world,
an' mebbe is a circle — in which case we can keep
walkin' till doomsday. Not knowin' what's before
us so well as we know what's behind us, I propose
we make a stop, now, an' try to sleep till mornin'."
" That will suit me," asserted the Ork, with a groan.
" My feet are hurting me dreadfully and for the last
few miles I've been limping with pain."
"My foot hurts, too," said the sailor, looking for
a smooth place on the rocky floor to sit down.
"Your foot!" cried the Ork. "Why, you've only
one to hurt you, while I have four. So I suffer four
times as much as you possibly can. Here; hold the
candle while I look at the bottoms of my claws. I
declare," he said, examining them by the flickering
light, " there are bunches of pain all over them! '
" P'r'aps," said Trot, who was very glad to sit down
beside her companions, "you've got corns."
49
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Corns? Nonsense! Orks never have corns," pro-
tested the creature, rubbing its sore feet tenderly.
" Then mebbe they're — they're — What do you call
'em, Cap'n Bill? Something 'bout the Pilgrim's Prog-
ress, you know."
"Bunions," said Cap'n Bill.
"Oh, yes; mebbe you've got bunions."
" It is possible," moaned the Ork. " But whatever
they are, another day of such walking on them would
drive me crazy."
" I'm sure they'll feel better by mornin'," said Cap'n
Bill, encouragingly. " Go to sleep an' try to forget
your sore feet."
The Ork cast a reproachful look at the sailor-man,
who didn't see it. Then the creature asked plaintively:
" Do we eat now, or do we starve ? '
" There's only half a biscuit left for you," answered
Cap'n Bill. " No one knows how long we'll have to
stay in this dark tunnel, where there's nothing what-
ever to eat; so I advise you to save that morsel
o' food till later."
" Give it me now! 9 demanded the Ork. " If I'm
going to starve, I'll do it all at once — not by degrees."
Cap'n Bill produced the biscuit and the creature ate
it in a trice. Trot was rather hungry and whispered
50
Chapter Three
to Cap'n Bill that she'd take part of her share; but
the old man secretly broke his own half-biscuit in
two, saving Trot's share for a time of greater need.
He was beginning to be worried over the little girl's
plight and long after she was asleep and the Ork was
snoring in a rather disagreeable manner, Cap'n Bill
sat with his back to a rock and smoked his pipe and
tried to think of some way to escape from this seem-
ingly endless tunnel. But after a time he also slept,
for hobbling on a wooden leg all day was tiresome,
and there in the dark slumbered the three adventurers
for many hours, until the Ork roused itself and kicked
the old sailor with one foot.
" It must be another day," said he.
51
CHAPTER 4
Daylight at Last
Cap'n Bill rubbed his eyes, lit a match and consulted
his watch.
"Nine o'clock. Yes, I guess it's another day, sure
enough. Shall we go on?' he asked.
" Of course," replied the Ork. " Unless this tunnel
is different from everything else in the world, and
has no end, we'll find a way out of it sooner or later."
The sailor gently wakened Trot. She felt much
rested by her long sleep and sprang to her feet eagerly.
"Let's start, Cap'n," was all she said.
They resumed the journey and had only taken a
few steps when the Ork cried "Wow!" and made a
52
Chapter Four
great fluttering of its wings and whirling of its tail.
The others, who were following a short distance
behind, stopped abruptly.
"What's the matter?" asked Cap'n Bill.
" Give us a light," was the reply. " I think we've
come to the end of the tunnel." Then, while Cap'n Bill
lighted a candle, the creature added: " If that is true,
we needn't have wakened so soon, for we were almost
at the end of this place when we went to sleep."
The sailor-man and Trot came forward with a light.
A wall of rock really faced the tunnel, but now they
saw that the opening made a sharp turn to the left.
So they followed on, by a narrower passage, and then
made another sharp turn- -this time to the right.
"Blow out the light, Cap'n," said the Ork, in a
pleased voice. " We've struck daylight."
Daylight at last! A shaft of mellow light fell almost
at their feet as Trot and the sailor turned the corner
of the passage, but it came from above, and raising
their eyes they found they were at the bottom of a
deep, rocky well, with the top far, far above their heads.
And here the passage ended.
For a while they gazed in silence, at least two of
them being filled with dismay at the sight. But the
Ork merely whistled softly and said cheerfully:
53
The Scarecrow of Oz
" That was the toughest journey I ever had the mis-
fortune to undertake, and I'm glad it's over. Yet,
unless I can manage to fly to the top of this pit, we
are entombed here forever."
" Do you think there is room enough for you to fly
in?" asked the little girl anxiously; and Cap'n Bill
added:
" It's a straight-up shaft, so I don't see how you'll
ever manage it."
" Were I an ordinary bird - - one of those horrid
feathered things - - 1 wouldn't even make the attempt
to fly out," said the Ork. " But my mechanical pro-
peller tail can accomplish wonders, and whenever
you're ready I'll show you a trick that is worth while."
"Oh!" exclaimed Trot; "do you intend to take us
up, too?"
"Why not?"
" I thought," said Cap'n Bill, " as you'd go first, an'
then send somebody to help us by lettin' down a rope."
"Ropes are dangerous," replied the Ork, "and I
might not be able to find one to reach all this distance.
Besides, it stands to reason that if I can get out
myself I can also carry you two with me."
"Well, I'm not afraid," said Trot, who longed to
be on the earth's surface again.
54
Chapter Four
" S'pose we fall?'' suggested Cap'n Bill, doubtfully.
" Why, in that case we would all fall together,"
returned the Ork. " Get aboard, little girl; sit across
my shoulders and put both your arms around mj
neck."
Trot obeyed and when she was seated on the Ork,
Cap'n Bill inquired:
"How 'bout me, Mr. Ork?"
"Why, I think you'd best grab hold of my rear
legs and let me carry you up in that manner," was
the reply.
Cap'n Bill looked way up at the top of the well,
and then he looked at the Ork's slender, skinny legs
and heaved a deep sigh.
"It's goin' to be some dangle, I guess; but if you
don't waste too much time on the way up, I may be
able to hang on," said he.
" All ready, then! " cried the Ork, and at once his
whirling tail began to revolve. Trot felt herself
rising into the air; when the creature's legs left the
ground Cap'n Bill grasped two of them firmly and
held on for dear life. The Ork's body was tipped
straight upward, and Trot had to embrace the neck
very tightly to keep from sliding off. Even in this
Dosition the Ork had trouble in escaping the rough
55
The Scarecrow of Oz
sides of the well. Several times it exclaimed " Wow! "
as it bumped its back, or a wing hit against some
jagged projection; but the tail kept whirling with
remarkable swiftness and the daylight grew brighter
and brighter. It was, indeed, a long journey from
the bottom to the top, yet almost before Trot realized
they had come so far, they popped out of the hole
into the clear air and sunshine and a moment later
the Ork alighted gently upon the ground.
The release was so sudden that even with the crea-
56
Chapter Four
ture's care for its passengers Cap'n Bill struck the
earth with a shock that sent him rolling heel over
head; but by the time Trot had slid down from her
seat the old sailor-man was sitting up and looking
around him with much satisfaction.
" It's sort o' pretty here," said he.
"Earth is a beautiful place!" cried Trot.
"I wonder where on earth we are?' pondered the
Ork, turning first one bright eye and then the other
to this side and that. Trees there were, in plenty,
57
The Scarecrow of Oz
and shrubs and flowers and green turf. But there
were no houses; there were no paths; there was no
sign of civilization whatever.
" Just before I settled down on the ground I thought
I caught a view of the ocean," said the Ork. " Let's
see if I was right." Then he flew to a little hill, near
by, and Trot and Cap'n Bill followed him more slowly.
When they stood on the top of the hill they could see
the blue waves of the ocean in front of them, to the
right of them, and at the left of them. Behind the
hill was a forest that shut out the view.
" I hope it ain't an island, Trot," said Cap'n Bill
gravely.
" If it is, I s'pose we're prisoners," she replied.
" Ezzackly so, Trot."
" But, even so, it's better than those terr'ble under-
ground tunnels and caverns," declared the girl.
" You are right, little one," agreed the Ork. " Any-
thing above ground is better than the best that lies
under ground. So let's not quarrel with our fate but
be thankful we've escaped."
"We are, indeed!' she replied. "But I wonder if
we can find something to eat in this place?'
"Let's explore an* find out," proposed Cap'n Bill.
" Those trees over at the left look like cherry-trees."
58
Chapter Four
On the way to them the explorers had to walk
through a tangle of vines and Cap'n Bill, who went
first, stumbled and pitched forward on his face.
"Why, it's a melon!' cried Trot delightedly, as
she saw what had caused the sailor to fall.
Cap'n Bill rose to his foot, for he was not at all
hurt, and examined the melon. Then he took his big
jackknife from his pocket and cut the melon open.
It was quite ripe and looked delicious; but the old
man tasted it before he permitted Trot to eat any.
Deciding it was good he gave her a big slice and then
offered the Ork some. The creature looked at the
59
The Scarecrow of Oz
fruit somewhat disdainfully, at first, but once he had
tasted its flavor he ate of it as heartily as did the
others. Among the vines they discovered many other
melons, and Trot said gratefully: "Well, there's no
danger of our starving, even if this is an island."
" Melons," remarked Cap'n Bill, " are both food an'
water. We couldn't have struck anything better."
Farther on they came to the cherry trees, where
they obtained some of the fruit, and at the edge of
the little forest were wild plums. The forest itself
consisted entirely of nut trees — walnuts, filberts,
almonds and chestnuts- -so there would be plenty
of wholesome food for them while they remained there.
Cap'n Bill and Trot decided to walk through the
forest, to discover what was on the other side of it,
but the Ork's feet were still so sore and " lumpy " from
walking on the rocks that the creature said he pre-
ferred to fly over the tree-tops and meet them on the
other side. The forest was not large, so by walking
briskly for fifteen minutes they reached its farthest
edge and saw before them the shore of the ocean.
"It's an island, all right," said Trot, with a sigh.
"Yes, and a pretty island, too," said Cap'n Bill,
trying to conceal his disappointment on Trot's account.
"I guess, partner, if the wuss comes to the wuss,
60
Chapter Four
I could build a raft- -or even a boat- -from those
trees, so's we could sail away in it."
The little girl brightened at this suggestion.
"I don't see the Ork anywhere," she remarked,
looking around. Then her eyes lighted upon some-
thing and she exclaimed: " Oh, Cap'n Bill! Isn't
that a house, over there to the left?'
Cap'n Bill, looking closely, saw a shed-like structure
built at one edge of the forest.
" Seems like it, Trot. Not that I'd call it much of
a house, but it's a buildin', all right. Let's go over
an' see if it's occypied."
61
CHAPTER 5
The Little Old Man of the Island
A few steps brought them to the shed, which was
merely a roof of boughs built over a square space,
with some branches of trees fastened to the sides to
keep off the wind. The front was quite open and
faced the sea, and as our friends came nearer they
observed a little man, with a long pointed beard, sit-
ting motionless on a stool and staring thoughtfully
out over the water.
" Get out of the way, please," he called in a fretful
voice. " Can't you see you are obstructing my view? '
" Good morning," said Cap'n Bill, politely.
"It isn't a good morning!'1 snapped the little man.
62
Chapter Five
" I^ e seen plenty of mornings better than this. Do
you call it a good morning when I'm pestered with
such a crowd as you? '
Trot was astonished to hear such words from a
stranger whom they had greeted quite properly, and
Cap'n Bill grew red at the little man's rudeness. But
the sailor said, in a quiet tone of voice:
" Are you the only one as lives on this 'ere island? '
" Your grammar's bad," was the reply. " But this
is my own exclusive island, and I'll thank you to get
off it as soon as possible."
" We'd like to do that," said Trot, and then she and
Cap'n Bill turned away and walked down to the shore,
to see if any other land was in sight.
The little man rose and followed them, although
both were now too provoked to pay any attention
to him.
"Nothin' in sight, partner," reported Cap'n Bill,
shading his eyes with his hand; "so we'll have to
stay here for a time, anyhow. It isn't a bad place,
Trot, by any means."
" That's all you know about it! " broke in the little
man. "The trees are altogether too green and the
rocks are harder than they ought to be. I find the
sand very grainy and the water dreadfully wet.
63
The Scarecrow of Oz
Every breeze makes a draught and the sun shines
in the daytime, when there's no need of it, and dis-
appears just as soon as it begins to get dark. If you
remain here you'll find the island very unsatisfactory."
Trot turned to look at him, and her sweet face
was grave and curious.
"I wonder who you are," she said.
" My name is Pessim," said he, with an air of pride.
" I'm called the Observer."
" Oh. What do you observe ? ' ' asked the little girl.
" Everything I see," was the reply, in a more surly
tone. Then Pessim drew back with a startled excla-
mation and looked at some footprints in the sand.
"Why, good gracious me!' he cried in distress.
"What's the matter now?' asked Cap'n Bill.
" Someone has pushed the earth in! Don't you
see it?"
" It isn't pushed in far enough to hurt anything,"
said Trot, examining the footprints.
" Everything hurts that isn't right," insisted the
man. " If the earth were pushed in a mile, it would
be a great calamity, wouldn't it?"
"I s'pose so," admitted the little girl.
"Well, here it is pushed in a full inch! That's a
twelfth of a foot, or a little more than a millionth
64
Chapter Five
part of a mile. Therefore it is one-millionth part of
a calamity — Oh, dear! How dreadful!" said Pessim
in a wailing voice.
"Try to forget it, sir," advised Cap'n Bill, sooth-
ingly. " It's beginning to rain. Let's get under you*
shed and keep dry."
"Raining! Is it really raining?' asked Pessim,
beginning to weep.
" It is," answered Cap'n Bill, as the drops began
to descend, " and I don't see any way to stop it —
although I'm some observer myself."
" No; we can't stop it, I fear," said the man. " Are
you very busy just now?'
" I won't be after I get to the shed," replied the
sailor-man.
" Then do me a favor, please," begged Pessim,
walking briskly along behind them, for they were
hastening to the shed.
"Depends on what it is," said Cap'n Bill.
" I wish you would take my umbrella down to the
shore and hold it over the poor fishes till it stops
raining. I'm afraid they'll get wet," said Pessim.
Trot laughed, but Cap'n Bill thought the little man
was poking fun at him and so he scowled upon Pessim
in a way that showed he was angry.
65
The Scarecrow of Oz
They reached the shed before getting very wet,
although the rain was now coming down in big drops.
The roof of the shed protected them and while they
stood watching the rainstorm something buzzed in
and circled around Pessim's head. At once the
Observer began beating it away with his hands, crying
out:
"A bumblebee! A bumblebee! The queerest bum-
blebee I ever saw!'
Cap'n Bill and Trot both looked at it and the little
girl said in surprise:
" Dear me! It's a wee little Ork! "
"That's what it is, sure enough," exclaimed Cap'n
Bill.
Really, it wasn't much bigger than a big bumble-
bee, and when it came toward Trot she allowed it
to alight on her shoulder.
" It's me, all right," said a very small voice in her
ear; "but I'm in an awful pickle, just the same!'
" What, are you our Ork, then? " demanded the girl,
much amazed.
" No, I'm my own Ork. But I'm the only Ork you
know," replied the tiny creature.
"What's happened to you?' asked the sailor, put-
ting his head close to Trot's shoulder in order to
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Chapter Five
hear the reply better. Pessim also put his head close,
and the Ork said:
" You will remember that when I left you I started
to fly over the trees, and just as I got to this side
of the forest I saw a bush that was loaded down
with the most luscious fruit you can imagine. The
fruit was about the size of a gooseberry and of a
lovely lavender color. So I swooped down and picked
off one in my bill and ate it. At once I began to
grow small. I could feel myself shrinking, shrinking
away, and it frightened me terribly, so that I alighted
67
The Scarecrow of Oz
on the ground to think over what was happening.
In a few seconds I had shrunk to the size you now
see me; but there I remained, getting no smaller,
indeed, but no Jarger. It is certainly a dreadful
affliction! After I had recovered somewhat from the
shock I began to search for you. It is not so easy to
find one's way when a creature is so small, but fortu-
nately I spied you here in this shed and came to
you at once."
Cap'n Bill and Trot were much astonished at this
story and felt grieved for the poor Ork, but the little
man Pessim seemed to think it a good joke. He
began laughing when he heard the story and laughed
until he choked, after which he lay down on the
ground and rolled and laughed again, while the tears
of merriment coursed down his wrinkled cheeks.
" Oh, dear! Oh, dear! ' he finally gasped, sitting
up and wiping his eyes. " This is too rich! It's almost
too joyful to be true."
"I don't see anything funny about it," remarked
Trot indignantly.
"You would if you'd had my experience," said
Pessim, getting upon his feet and gradually resuming
his solemn and dissatisfied expression of countenance.
"The same thing happened to me."
Chapter Five
"Oh, did it? And how did you happen to come
to this island? ' asked the girl.
"I didn't come; the neighbors brought me," replied
the little man, with a frown at the recollection.
" They said I was quarrelsome and fault-finding and
blamed me because I told them all the things that
went wrong, or never were right, and because I told
them how things ought to be. So they brought me
here and left me all alone, saying that if I quarreled
with myself, no one else would be made unhappy.
Absurd, wasn't it?"
" Seems to me," said Cap'n Bill, " those neighbors
did the proper thing."
"Well," resumed Pessim, "when I found myself
King of this island I was obliged to live upon fruits,
and I found many fruits growing here that I had
never seen before. I tasted several and found them
good and wholesome. But one day I ate a lavender
berry — as the Ork did — and immediately I grew
so small that I was scarcely two inches high. It
was a very unpleasant condition and like the Ork
I became frightened. I could not walk very well
nor very far, for every lump of earth in my way
seemed a mountain, every blade of grass a tree and
every grain of sand a rocky boulder. For several
69
The Scarecrow of Oz
days I stumbled around in an agony of fear. Once
a tree toad nearly gobbled me up, and if I ran out
from the shelter of the bushes the gulls and cor-
morants swooped down upon me. Finally I decided
to eat another berry and become nothing at all, since
life, to one as small as I was, had become a dreary
nightmare.
"At last I found a small tree that I thought bore
the same fruit as that I had eaten. The berry was
dark purple instead of light lavender, but otherwise
it was quite similar. Being unable to climb the tree,
I was obliged to wait underneath it until a sharp
breeze arose and shook the limbs so that a berry
fell. Instantly I seized it and taking a last view
of the world- -as I then thought- -I ate the berry
in a twinkling. Then, to my surprise, I began to
grow big again, until I became of my former stature,
and so I have since remained. Needless to say, I
have never eaten again of the lavender fruit, nor
do any of the beasts or birds that live upon this island
eat it."
They had all three listened eagerly to this amazing
tale, and when it was finished the Ork exclaimed:
"Do you think, then, that the deep purple berry
is the antidote for the lavender one?7
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Chapter Five
" I'm sure of it," answered Pessim.
"Then lead me to the tree at once!" begged the
Ork, " for this tiny form I now have terrifies me
greatly."
Pessim examined the Ork closely.
" You are ugly enough as you are," said he. " Were
you any larger you might be dangerous."
"Oh, no," Trot assured him; "the Ork has been
our good friend. Please take us to the tree."
Then Pessim consented, although rather reluctantly.
He led them to the right, which was the east side
71
The Scarecrow of Oz
of the island, and in a few minutes brought them
near to the edge of the grove which faced the shore
of the ocean. Here stood a small tree bearing berries
of a deep purple color. The fruit looked very enticing
and Cap'n Bill reached up and selected one that
seemed especially plump and ripe.
The Ork had remained perched upon Trot's shoulder
but now it flew down to the ground. It was so diffi-
cult for Cap'n Bill to kneel down, with his wooden
leg, that the little girl took the berry from him and
held it close to the Ork's head.
" It's too big to go into my mouth," said the little
creature, looking at the fruit sidewise.
"You'll have to make sev'ral mouthfuls of it, I
guess," said Trot; and that is what the Ork did. He
pecked at the soft, ripe fruit with his bill and ate
it up very quickly, because it was good.
Even before he had finished the berry they could
see the Ork begin to grow. In a few minutes he had
regained his natural size and was strutting before
them, quite delighted with his transformation.
"Well, well! What do you think of me now?" he
asked proudly.
"You are very skinny and remarkably ugly,"
declared Pessim.
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Chapter Five
"You are a poor judge of Orks," was the reply.
" Anyone can see that I'm much handsomer than those
dreadful things called birds, which are all fluff and
feathers."
" Their feathers make soft beds," asserted Pessim.
" And my skin would make excellent drumheads,"
retorted the Ork. " Nevertheless, a plucked bird or
a skinned Ork would be of no value to himself, so
we needn't brag of our usefulness after we are dead.
But for the sake of argument, friend Pessim, Pd like
to know what good you would be, were you not
alive?"
"Never mind that," said Cap'n Bill. "He isn't
much good as he is."
" I am King of this Island, allow me to say, and
you're intruding on my property," declared the little
man, scowling upon them. " If you don't like me —
and I'm sure you don't, for no one else does — why
don't you go away and leave me to myself? '
"Well, the Ork can fly, but we can't," explained
Trot, in answer. " We don't want to stay here a bit,
but I don't see how we can get away."
"You can go back into the hole you came from."
Cap'n Bill shook his head; Trot shuddered at the
thought; the Ork laughed aloud.
73
The Scarecrow of Oz
"You may be King here," the creature said to
Pessim, " but we intend to run this island to suit
ourselves, for we are three and you are one, and
the balance of power lies with us."
The little man made no reply to this, although as
they walked back to the shed his face wore its fiercest
scowl. Cap'n Bill gathered a lot of leaves and, assisted
by Trot, prepared two nice beds in opposite corners
of the shed. Pessim slept in a hammock which he
swung between two trees.
They required no dishes, as all their food consisted
of fruits and nuts picked from the trees; they made no
fire, for the weather was warm and there was nothing
to cook; the shed had no furniture other than the rude
stool which the little man was accustomed to sit upon.
He called it his " throne " and they let him keep it.
So they lived upon the island for three days, and
rested and ate to their hearts' content. Still, they
were not at all happy in this life because of Pessim.
He continually found fault with them, and all that
they did, and all their surroundings. He could see
nothing good or admirable in all the world and Trot
soon came to understand why the little man's former
neighbors had brought him to this island and left him
there, all alone, so he could not annoy anyone. It was
74
Chapter Five
their misfortune that they had been led to this place
by their adventures, for often they would have pre-
ferred the company of a wild beast to that of Pessim.
On the fourth day a happy thought came to the Ork.
They had all been racking their brains for a possible
way to leave the island, and discussing this or that
method, without finding a plan that was practical.
Cap'n Bill had said he could make a raft of the trees,
big enough to float them all, but he had no tools except
those two pocketknives and it was not possible to chop
down trees with such small blades.
" And s'pose we got afloat on the ocean," said Trot,
" where would we drift to, and how long would it take
us to get there ? '
Cap'n Bill was forced to admit he didn't know. The
Ork could fly away from the island any time it wished
to, but the queer creature was loyal to his new friends
and refused to leave them in such a lonely, forsaken
place.
It was when Trot urged him to go, on this fourth
morning, that the Ork had his happy thought.
" I will go," said he, " if you two will agree to ride
upon my back."
" We are too heavy; you might drop us," objected
Cap'n Bill.
75
The Scarecrow of Oz
"Yes, you are rather heavy for a long journey,"
acknowledged the Ork, " but you might eat of those
lavender berries and become so small that I could
carry you with ease."
This quaint suggestion startled Trot and she looked
gravely at the speaker while she considered it, but
Cap'n Bill gave a scornful snort and asked:
" What would become of us afterward! We wouldn't
be much good if we were some two or three inches
high. No, Mr. Ork, I'd rather stay here, as I am,
than be a hop-o'-my-thumb somewhere else."
" Why couldn't you take some of the dark purple
berries along with you, to eat after we had reached
our destination? " inquired the Ork. " Then you could
grow big again whenever you pleased."
Trot clapped her hands with delight.
"That's it!' she exclaimed. "Let's do it, Cap'n
Bill."
The old sailor did not like the idea at first, but he
thought it over carefully and the more he thought
the better it seemed.
" How could you manage to carry us, if we were so
small?" he asked.
"I could put you in a paper bag, and tie the bag
around my neck."
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Chapter Five
" But we haven't a paper bag," objected Trot.
The Ork looked at her.
" There's your sunbonnet," it said presently, " which
is hollow in the middle and has two strings that you
could tie around my neck."
Trot took off her sunbonnet and regarded it critic-
ally. Yes, it might easily hold both her and Cap'n
Bill, after they had eaten the lavender berries and
been reduced in size. She tied the strings around the
Ork's neck and the sunbonnet made a bag in which
77
The Scarecrow of Oz
two tiny people might ride without danger of falling
out. So she said:
" I b'lieve we'll do it that way, Cap'n."
Cap'n Bill groaned but could make no logical
objection except that the plan seemed to him quite
dangerous - - and dangerous in more ways than one.
" I think so, myself," said Trot soberly. " But
nobody can stay alive without getting into danger
sometimes, and danger doesn't mean getting hurt,
Cap'n; it only means we might get hurt. So I guess
we'll have to take the risk."
" Let's go and find the berries," said the Ork.
They said nothing to Pessim, who was sitting on his
stool and scowling dismally as he stared at the ocean,
but started at once to seek the trees that bore the
magic fruits. The Ork remembered very well where
the lavender berries grew and led his companions
quickly to the spot.
Cap'n Bill gathered two berries and placed them
carefully in his pocket. Then they went around to
the east side of the island and found the tree that
bore the dark purple berries.
"I guess I'll take four of these," said the sailor-
man, " so in case one doesn't make us grow big we
can eat another."
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Chapter Five
"Better take six," advised the Ork. "It's well to
be on the safe side, and I'm sure these trees grow
nowhere else in all the world."
So Cap'n Bill gathered six of the purple berries and
with their precious fruit they returned to the shed to
big good-bye to Pessim. Perhaps they would not have
granted the surly little man this courtesy had they not
wished to use him to tie the sunbonnet around the
Ork's neck.
When Pessim learned they were about to leave him
he at first looked greatly pleased, but he suddenly
recollected that nothing ought to please him and so
began to grumble about being left alone.
"We knew it wouldn't suit you," remarked Cap'n
Bill. " It didn't suit you to have us here, and it won't
suit you to have us go away."
" That is quite true," admitted Pessim. " I haven't
been suited since I can remember; so it doesn't matter
to me in the least whether you go or stay."
He was interested in their experiment, however, and
willingly agreed to assist, although he prophesied
they would fall out of the sunbonnet on their way and
be either drowned in the ocean or crushed upon some
rocky shore. This uncheerful prospect did not daunt
Trot, but it made Cap'n Bill quite nervous.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" I will eat my berry first," said Trot, as she placed
her sunbonnet on the ground, in such manner that
they could get into it.
Then she ate tne lavender berry and in a few seconds
became so small that Cap'n Bill picked her up gently
with his thumb and one finger and placed her in the
middle of the sunbonnet. Then he placed beside her
the six purple berries - - each one being about as big
as the tiny Trot's head — and all preparations being
now made the old sailor ate his lavender berry and
became very small — - wooden leg and all!
Cap'n Bill stumbled sadly in trying to climb over
the edge of the sunbonnet and pitched in beside Trot
headfirst, which caused the unhappy Pessim to laugh
with glee. Then the King of the Island picked up the
sunbonnet — - so rudely that he shook its occupants
like peas in a pod- -and tied it, by means of its
strings, securely around the Ork's neck.
" I hope, Trot, you sewed those strings on tight,"
said Cap'n Bill anxiously.
"Why, we are not very heavy, you know," she
replied, " so I think the stitches will hold. But be
careful and not crush the berries, Cap'n."
" One is jammed already," he said, looking at them.
" All ready? " asked the Ork.
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Chapter Five
" Yes! " they cried together, and Pessim came close
to the sunbonnet and called out to them: " You'll be
smashed or drowned, I'm sure you will! But farewell,
and good riddance to you."
The Ork was provoked by this unkind speech, so he
turned his tail toward the little man and made it
revolve so fast that the rush of air tumbled Pessim
over backward and he rolled several times upon the
ground before he could stop himself and sit up. By
that time the Ork was high in the air and speeding
swiftly over the ocean.
81
CHAPTER 6
The Flight of the Midgets
Cap'n Bill and Trot rode very comfortably in the
sunbonnet. The motion was quite steady, for they
weighed so little that the Ork flew without effort. Yet
they were both somewhat nervous about their future
fate and could not help wishing they were safe on
land and their natural size again.
" You're terr'ble small, Trot," remarked Cap'n Bill,
looking at his companion.
" Same to you, Cap'n," she said with a laugh; " but
as long as we have the purple berries we needn't
worry about our size."
" In a circus," mused the old man, " we'd be curi-
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Chapter Six
osities. But in a sunbonnet- -high up in the air-
sailin' over a big, unknown ocean - - they ain't no word
in any booktionary to describe us."
" Why, we're midgets, that's all," said the little girl.
The Ork flew silently for a long time. The slight
swaying of the sunbonnet made Cap'n Bill drowsy,
and he began to doze. Trot, however, was wide awake,
and after enduring the monotonous journey as long as
she was able she called out:
" Don't you see land anywhere, Mr. Ork? '
" Not yet," he answered. " This is a big ocean and
I've no idea in which direction the nearest land to
that island lies; but if I keep flying in a straight line
I'm sure to reach some place some time."
That seemed reasonable, so the little people in the
sunbonnet remained as patient as possible; that is,
Cap'n Bill dozed and Trot tried to remember her
geography lessons so she could figure out what land
they were likely to arrive at.
For hours and hours the Ork flew steadily, keeping
to the straight line and searching with his eyes the
horizon of the ocean for land. Cap'n Bill was fast
asleep and snoring and Trot had laid her head on his
shoulder to rest it when suddenly the Ork exclaimed:
" There! I've caught a glimpse of land, at last."
83
The Scarecrow of Oz
At this announcement they roused themselves.
Cap'n Bill stood up and tried to peek over the edge
of the sunbonnet.
"What does it look like?'1 he inquired.
"Looks like another island," said the Ork; "but I
can judge it better in a minute or two."
" I don't care much for islands, since we visited that
other one," declared Trot.
Soon the Ork made another announcement.
" It is surely an island, and a little one, too," said he.
" But I won't stop, because I see a much bigger land
straight ahead of it."
" That's right," approved Cap'n Bill. " The bigger
the land, the better it will suit us."
" It's almost a continent," continued the Ork after
a brief silence, during which he did not decrease the
speed of his flight. " I wonder if it can be Orkland,
the place I have been seeking so long? '
"I hope not," whispered Trot to Cap'n Bill — so
softly that the Ork could not hear her — " for I
shouldn't like to be in a country where only Orks live.
This one Ork isn't a bad companion, but a lot of him
wouldn't be much fun."
After a few more minutes of flying the Ork called
out in a sad voice:
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Chapter Six
"No! this is not my country. It's a place I have
never seen before, although I have wandered far and
wide. It seems to be all mountains and deserts and
green valleys and queer cities and lakes and rivers —
mixed up in a very puzzling way."
" Most countries are like that," commented Cap'n
Bill. "Are you going to land?'
" Pretty soon," was the reply. " There is a moun-
tain peak just ahead of me. What do you say to our
landing on that?"
" All right," agreed the sailor-man, for both he and
Trot were getting tired of riding in the sunbonnet and
longed to set foot on solid ground again.
So in a few minutes the Ork slowed down his speed
and then came to a stop so easily that they were
scarcely jarred at all. Then the creature squatted
down until the sunbonnet rested on the ground, and
began trying to unfasten with its claws the knotted
strings.
This proved a very clumsy task, because the strings
were tied at the back of the Ork's neck, just where
his claws would not easily reach. After much
fumbling he said:
" I'm afraid 1 can't let you out, and there is no one
near to help me."
85
The Scarecrow of Oz
This was at first discouraging, but after a little
thought Cap'n Bill said:
" If you don't mind, Trot, I can cut a slit in your
sunbonnet with my knife."
" Do," she replied. " The slit won't matter, 'cause I
can sew it up again afterward, when I am big."
So Cap'n Bill got out his knife, which was just as
small, in proportion, as he was, and after considerable
trouble managed to cut a long slit in the sunbonnet.
First he squeezed through the opening himself and
then helped Trot to get out.
When they stood on firm ground again their first
act was to begin eating the dark purple berries which
they had brought with them. Two of these Trot had
guarded carefully during the long journey, by holding
them in her lap, for their safety meant much to the
tiny people.
"I'm not very hungry," said the little girl as she
handed a berry to Cap'n Bill, "but hunger doesn't
count, in this case. It's like taking medicine to make
you well, so we must manage to eat 'em, somehow or
other."
But the berries proved quite pleasant to taste and as
Cap'n Bill and Trot nibbled at their edges their forms
began to grow in size- -slowly but steadily. The
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Chapter Six
bigger they grew the easier it was for them to eat the
berries, which of course became smaller to them, and
by the time the fruit was eaten our friends had
regained their natural size.
The little girl was greatly relieved when she found
herself as large as she had ever been, and Cap'n Bill
shared her satisfaction; for, although they had seen
the effect of the berries on the Ork, they had not been
sure the magic fruit would have the same effect on
human beings, or that the magic would work in any
other country than that in which the berries grew.
"What shall we do with the other four berries?"
asked Trot, as she picked up her sunbonnet, marveling
that she had ever been small enough to ride in it.
" They're no good to us now, are they, Cap'n ? '
"I'm not sure as to that," he replied. "If they
were eaten by one who had never eaten the lavender
berries, they might have no effect at all; but then,
contrarywise, they might. One of 'em has got badly
jammed, so I'll throw it away, but the other three I
b'lieve I'll carry with me. They're magic things, you
know, and may come handy to us some time."
He now searched in his big pockets and drew out a
small wooden box with a sliding cover. The sailor
had kept an assortment of nails, of various sizes, in
87
The Scarecrow of Oz
this box, but those he now dumped loosely into his
pocket and in the box placed the three sound purple
berries.
When this important matter was attended to they
found time to look about them and see what sort of
place the Ork had landed them in.
CHAPTER 7
The Bumpy Man
The mountain on which they had alighted was not
a barren waste, but had on its sides patches of green
grass, some bushes, a few slender trees and here and
there masses of tumbled rocks. The sides of the
slope seemed rather steep, but with care one could
climb up or down them with ease and safety. The
view from where they now stood showed pleasant
valleys and fertile hills lying below the heights. Trot
thought she saw some houses of queer shapes scattered
about the lower landscape, and there were moving
dots that might be people or animals, yet were too far
away for her to see them clearly.
89
The Scarecrow of Oz
Not far from the place where they stood was the top
of the mountain, which seemed to be flat, so the Ork
proposed to his companions that he would fly up and
see what was there.
" That's a good idea," said Trot, " 'cause it's getting
toward evening and we'll have to find a place to
sleep."
The Ork had not been gone more than a few minutes
when they saw him appear on the edge of the top
which was nearest them.
" Come on up! " he called.
So Trot and Cap'n Bill began to ascend the steep
slope and it did not take them long to reach the place
where the Ork awaited them.
Their first view of the mountain top pleased them
very much. It was a level space of wider extent than
they had guessed and upon it grew grass of a brilliant
green color. In the very center stood a house built
of stone and very neatly constructed. No one was in
sight, but smoke was coming from the chimney, so
with one accord all three began walking toward the
house.
"I wonder," said Trot, "in what country we are,
and if it's very far from my home in California."
" Can't say as to that, partner," answered Cap'n
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Chapter Seven
Bill, " but I'm mighty certain we've come a long way
since we struck that whirlpool."
" Yes," she agreed, with a sigh, " it must be miles
and miles! '
" Distance means nothing," said the Ork. " I have
flown pretty much all over the world, trying to find
my home, and it is astonishing how many little coun-
tries there are, hidden away in the cracks and corners
of this big globe of Earth. If one travels, he may find
some new country at every turn, and a good many of
them have never yet been put upon the maps."
" P'raps this is one of them," suggested Trot.
They reached the house after a brisk walk and Cap'n
Bill knocked upon the door. It was at once opened
by a rugged looking man who had "bumps all over
him," as Trot afterward declared. There were bumps
on his head, bumps on his body and bumps on his arms
and legs and hands. Even his fingers had bumps on
the ends of them. For dress he wore an old gray suit
of fantastic design, which fitted him very badly
because of the bumps it covered but could not conceal.
But the Bumpy Man's eyes were kind and twinkling
in expression and as soon as he saw his visitors he
bowed low and said in a rather bumpy voice:
"Happy day! Come in and shut the door, for it
91
The Scarecrow of Oz
grows cool when the sun goes down. Winter is now
upon us."
" Why, it isn't cold a bit, outside," said Trot, " so it
can't be winter yet."
" You will change your mind about that in a little
while," declared the Bumpy Man. " My bumps always
tell me the state of the weather, and they feel just
now as if a snowstorm was coming this way. But
make yourselves at home, strangers. Supper is nearly
ready and there is food enough for all."
Inside the house there was but one large room,
simply but comfortably furnished. It had benches, a
table and a fireplace, all made of stone. On the hearth
a pot was bubbling and steaming, and Trot thought it
had a rather nice smell. The visitors seated them-
selves upon the benches — except the Ork. which
squatted by the fireplace — and the Bumpy Man began
stirring the kettle briskly.
"May I ask what country this is, sir?' inquired
Cap'n Bill.
"Goodness me — fruit-cake and apple-sauce! —
don't you know where you are?' asked the Bumpy
Man, as he stopped stirring and looked at the speaker
in surprise.
"No," admitted Cap'n Bill. "We've just arrived."
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Chapter Seven
" Lost your way? " questioned the Bumpy Man.
" Not exactly," said Cap'n Bill. " We didn't have
any way to lose."
" Ah! ' said the Bumpy Man, nodding his bumpy
head. " This," he announced, in a solemn, impressive
voice, " is the famous Land of Mo."
" Oh! " exclaimed the sailor and the girl, both in one
breath. But, never having heard of the Land of Mo,
they were no wiser than before.
" I thought that would startle you," remarked the
Bumpy Man, well pleased, as he resumed his stirring.
The Ork watched him a while in silence and then
asked:
" Who may i/oube?"
"Me?' answered the Bumpy Man. "Haven't you
heard of me? Gingerbread and lemon-juice! I'm
known, far and wide, as the Mountain Ear."
They all received this information in silence at first,
for they were trying to think what he could mean.
Finally Trot mustered up courage to ask:
" What is a Mountain Ear, please? '
For answer the man turned around and faced them,
waving the spoon with which he had been stirring the
kettle, as he recited the following verses in a singsong
tone of voice:
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" Here's a mountain, hard of hearing,
That's sad-hearted and needs cheering,
So my duty is to listen to all sounds that Nature makes,
So the hill won't get uneasy —
Get to coughing, or get sneezy —
For this monster bump, when frightened, is quite
liable to quakes.
" You can hear a bell that's ringing;
I can feel some people's singing;
But a mountain isn't sensible of what goes on, and so
When I hear a blizzard blowing
Or it's raining hard, or snowing,
I tell it to the mountain and the mountain seems to
know.
" Thus I benefit all people
While I'm living on this steeple,
For I keep the mountain steady so my neighbors all
may thrive.
With my list'ning and my shouting
I prevent this mount from spouting,
And that makes me so important that I'm glad that
I'm alive."
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Chapter Seven
When he had finished these lines of verse the Bumpy
Man turned again to resume his stirring. The Ork
laughed softly and Cap'n Bill whistled to himself and
Trot made up her mind that the Mountain Ear must
be a little crazy. But the Bumpy Man seemed satis-
fied that he had explained his position fully and
presently he placed four stone plates upon the table
and then lifted the kettle from the fire and poured
some of its contents on each of the plates. Cap'n Bill
and Trot at once approached the table, for they were
hungry, but when she examined her plate the little
girl exclaimed:
" Why, it's molasses candy! '
" To be sure," returned the Bumpy Man, with a
pleasant smile. " Eat it quick, while it's hot, for it
cools very quickly this winter weather."
With this he seized a stone spoon and began putting
the hot molasses candv into his mouth, while the others
v
watched him in astonishment.
" Doesn't it burn you? " asked the girl.
" No indeed," said he. " Why don't you eat? Aren't
you hungry?'
" Yes," she replied, " I am hungry. But we usually
eat our candy when it is cold and hard. We always pull
molasses candy before we eat it."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" Ha, ha, ha! " laughed the Mountain Ear. " What a
funny idea! Where in the world did you come from? '
" California," she said.
" California! Pooh! there isn't any such place. I've
heard of every place in the Land of Mo, but I never
before heard of California."
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Chapter Seven
" It isn't in the Land of Mo," she explained.
" Then it isn't worth talking about," declared the
Bumpy Man, helping himself again from the steaming
kettle, for he had been eating all the time he talked.
" For my part," sighed Cap'n Bill, " I'd like a decent
square meal, once more, just by way of variety. In
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The Scarecrow of Oz
the last place there was nothing but fruit to eat, and
here it's worse, for there's nothing but candy."
" Molasses candy isn't so bad," said Trot. " Mine's
nearly cool enough to pull, already. Wait a bit, Cap'n,
and you can eat it."
A little later she was able to gather the candy from
the stone plate and begin to work it back and forth
with her hands. The Mountain Ear was greatly
amazed at this and watched her closely. It was really
good candy and pulled beautifully, so that Trot was
soon ready to cut it into chunks for eating.
Cap'n Bill condescended to eat one or two pieces
and the Ork ate several, but the Bumpy Man refused
to try it. Trot finished the plate of candy herself and
then asked for a drink of water.
"Water?' said the Mountain Ear wonderingly.
"What is that?"
" Something to drink. Don't you have water in
Mo?"
" None that ever I heard of," said he. " But I can
give you some fresh lemonade. I caught it in a 'jar
the last time it rained, which was only day before
yesterday."
" Oh, does it rain lemonade here ? ' ' she inquired.
"Always; and it is very refreshing and healthful."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
With this he brought from a cupboard a stone jar
and a dipper, and the girl found it very nice lemonade,
indeed. Cap'n Bill liked it, too; but the Ork would
not touch it.
" If there is no water in this country, I cannot stay
here for long," the creature declared. " Water means
life to man and beast and bird."
" There must be water in lemonade," said Trot.
"Yes," answered the Ork, "I suppose so; but there
are other things in it, too, and they spoil the good
water."
The day's adventures had made our wanderers tired,
so the Bumpy Man brought them some blankets in
which they rolled themselves and then lay down
before the fire, which their host kept alive with fuel
all through the night. Trot wakened several times
and found the Mountain Ear always alert and listen-
ing intently for the slightest sound. But the little girl
could hear no sound at all except the snores of Cap'n
Bill.
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CHAPTER 8
Button-Bright is Lost and Found
Again
"Wake up — wake up!' called the voice of the
Bumpy Man. " Didn't I tell you winter was coming?
I could hear it coming with my left ear, and the proof
is that it is now snowing hard outside."
"Is it?" said Trot, rubbing her eyes and creeping
out of her blanket. "Where I live, in California, I
have never seen snow, except far away on the tops
of high mountains."
" Well, this is the top of a high mountain," returned
the bumpy one, " and for that reason we get our
heaviest snowfalls right here."
The little girl went to the window and looked out.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
The air was filled with falling white flakes, so large in
size and so queer in form that she was puzzled.
" Are you certain this is snow ? ' she asked.
" To be sure. I must get my snow-shovel and turn
out to shovel a path. Would you like to come with
me?"
" Yes," she said, and followed the Bumpy Man out
when he opened the door. Then she exclaimed:
"Why, it isn't cold a bit!"
" Of course not," replied the man. " It was cold last
night, before the snowstorm; but snow, when it falls,
is alway crisp and warm."
Trot gathered a handful of it.
"Why, it's popcorn?7 she cried.
" Certainly; all snow is popcorn. What did you
expect it to be?'
" Popcorn is not snow in my country."
" Well, it is the only snow we have in the Land of
Mo, so you may as well make the best of it," said he, a
little impatiently. " I'm not responsible for the
absurd things that happen in your country, and when
you're in Mo you must do as the Momen do. Eat some
of our snow, and you will find it is good. The only
fault I find with our snow is that we get too much
of it at times."
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Chapter Eight
With this the Bumpy Man set to work shoveling a
path and he was so quick and industrious that he
piled up the popcorn in great banks on either side of
the trail that led to the mountain-top from the plains
below. While he worked, Trot ate popcorn and found
it crisp and slightly warm, as well as nicely salted
and buttered. Presently Cap'n Bill came out of the
house and joined her.
" What's this? " he asked.
" Mo snow," said she. " But it isn't real snow,
although it falls from the sky. It's popcorn."
Cap'n Bill tasted it; then he sat down in the path
and began to eat. The Ork came out and pecked away
with its bill as fast as it could. They all liked popcorn
and they all were hungry this morning.
Meantime the flakes of " Mo snow ' came down so
fast that the number of them almost darkened the air.
The Bumpy Man was now shoveling quite a distance
down the mountain-side, while the path behind him
rapidly filled up with fresh-fallen popcorn. Suddenly
Trot heard him call out:
"Goodness gracious- -mince pie and pancakes! —
here is some one buried in the snow."
She ran toward him at once and the others followed,
wading through the corn and crunching it underneath
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The Scarecrow of Oz
their feet. The Mo snow was pretty deep where the
Bumpy Man was shoveling and from beneath a great
bank of it he had uncovered a pair of feet.
"Dear me! Someone has been lost in the storm,"
said Cap'n Bill. " I hope he is still alive. Let's pull
him out and see."
He took hold of one foot and the Bumpy Man took
hold of the other. Then they both pulled and out from
the heap of popcorn came a little boy. He was dressed
in a brown velvet jacket and knickerbockers, with
brown stockings, buckled shoes and a blue shirt-waist
that had frills down its front. When drawn from the
heap the boy was chewing a mouthful of popcorn and
both his hands were full of it. So at first he couldn't
speak to his rescuers but lay quite still and eyed them
calmly until he had swallowed his mouthful. Then
he said:
" Get my cap," and stuffed more popcorn into his
mouth.
While the Bumpy Man began shoveling into the
corn-bank to find the boy's cap, Trot was laughing
joyfully and Cap'n Bill had a broad grin on his face.
The Ork looked from one to another and asked:
" Who is this stranger? '
"Why, it's Button-Bright, of course," answered
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Chapter Eight
Trot. " If anyone ever finds a lost boy, he can make
up his mind it's Button-Bright. But how he ever
came to be lost in this far-away country is more'n I
can make out."
"Where does he belong?" inquired the Ork.
"His home used to be in Philadelphia, I think; but
I'm quite sure Button-Bright doesn't belong
anywhere."
" That's right," said the boy, nodding his head as he
swallowed the second mouthful.
" Everyone belongs somewhere," remarked the Ork.
105
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Not me," insisted Button-Bright. " I'm half way
'round the world from Philadelphia, and I've lost my
Magic Umbrella, that used to carry me anywhere.
Stands to reason that if I can't get back I haven't
any home. But I don't care much. This is a pretty
good country, Trot. I've had lots of fun here."
By this time the Mountain Ear had secured the
boy's cap and was listening to the conversation with
much interest.
"It seems you know this poor, snow-covered cast-
away," he said.
" Yes, indeed," answered Trot. " We made a
journey together to Sky Island, once, and were good
friends."
"Well, then I'm glad I saved his life," said the
Bumpy Man.
" Much obliged, Mr. Knobs," said Button-Bright,
sitting up and staring at him, " but I don't believe
you've saved anything except some popcorn that I
might have eaten had you not disturbed me. It was
nice and warm in that bank of popcorn, and there was
plenty to eat. What made you dig me out? And
what makes you so bumpy everywhere? '
"As for the bumps," replied the man, looking at
himself with much pride, " I was born with them and
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Chapter Eight
I suspect they were a gift from the fairies. They
make me look rugged and big, like the mountain I
serve.'
" All right," said Button-Bright and began eating
popcorn again.
It had stopped snowing, now, and great flocks of
birds were gathering around the mountain-side, eating
the popcorn with much eagerness and scarcely notic-
ing the people at all. There were birds of every size
and color, most of them having gorgeous feathers
and plumes.
" Just look at them! " exclaimed the Ork scornfully.
"Aren't they dreadful creatures, all covered with
feathers?'
"I think they're beautiful,*' said Trot, and this
made the Ork so indignant that he went back into the
house and sulked.
Button-Bright reached out nis hand and caught a
big bird by the leg. At once it rose into the air and
it was so strong that it nearly carried the little boy
with it. He let go the leg in a hurry and the bird
flew down again and began to eat of the popcorn, not
being frightened in the least.
This gave Cap'n Bill an idea. He felt in his pocket
and drew out several pieces of stout string. Moving
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The Scarecrow of Oz
very quietly, so as to not alarm the birds, he crept up
to several of the biggest ones and tied cords around
their legs, thus making them prisoners. The birds
were so intent on their eating that they did not notice
what had happened to them, and when about twenty
had been captured in this manner Cap'n Bill tied the
ends of all the strings together and fastened them to a
huge stone, so they could not escape.
The Bumpy Man watched the old sailor's actions
with much curiosity.
" The birds will be quiet until they've eaten up all
the snow," he said, "but then they will want to fly
away to their homes. Tell me, sir, what will the poor
things do when they find they can't fly? '
"It may worry 'em a little," replied Cap'n Bill,
" but they're not going to be hurt if they take it easy
and behave themselves."
Our friends had all made a good breakfast of the
delicious popcorn and now they walked toward the
house again. Button-Bright walked beside Trot and
held her hand in his, because they were old friends
and he liked the little girl very much. The boy was
not so old as Trot, and small as she was he was half a
head shorter in height. The most remarkable thing
about Button-Bright was that he was always quiet
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Chapter Eight
and composed, whatever happened, and nothing was
ever able to astonish him. Trot liked him because he
was not rude and never tried to plague her. Cap'n
Bill liked him because he had found the boy cheerful
and brave at all times, and willing to do anything he
was asked to do.
When they came to the house Trot sniffed the air
and asked: "Don't I smell perfume?'
"I think you do," said the Bumpy Man. "You
smell violets, and that proves there is a breeze spring-
ing up from the south. All our winds and breezes are
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The Scarecrow of Oz
perfumed and for that reason we are glad to have
them blow in our direction. The south breeze always
has a violet odor; the north breeze has the fragrance
of wild roses; the east breeze is perfumed with lilies-
of-the-valley and the west wind with lilac blossoms.
So we need no weathervane to tell us which way the
wind is blowing. We have only to smell the perfume
and it informs us at once."
Inside the house they found the Ork, and Button-
Bright regarded the strange, bird-like creature with
curious interest. After examining it closely for a
time he asked:
" Which way does your tail whirl ? "
" Either way," said the Ork.
Button-Bright put out his hand and tried to spin it.
"Don't do that!' exclaimed the Ork.
"Why not?' inquired the boy.
"Because it happens to be my tail, and I reserve
the right to whirl it myself," explained the Ork.
" Let's go out and fly somewhere," proposed Button-
Bright. " I want to see how the tail works."
" Not now," said the Ork. " I appreciate your inter-
est in me, which I fully deserve; but I only fly when
I am going somewhere, and if I got started I might
not stop."
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Chapter Eight
" That reminds me," remarked Cap'n Bill, " to ask
you, friend Ork, how we are going to get away from
here?"
" Get away! ' exclaimed the Bumpy Man. " Why
don't you stay here? You won't find any nicer place
than Mo."
"Have you been anywhere else, sir?'
"No; I can't say that I have," admitted the Moun-
tain Ear.
" Then permit me to say you're no judge," declared
Cap'n Bill. " But you haven't answered my question,
friend Ork. How are we to get away from this
mountain?'
The Ork reflected a while before he answered.
" I might carry one of you — the boy or the girl —
upon my back," said he, "but three big people are
more than I can manage, although I have carried two
of you for a short distance. You ought not to have
eaten those purple berries so soon."
"P'r'aps we did make a mistake," Cap'n Bill
acknowledged.
" Or we might have brought some of those lavender
berries with us, instead of so many purple ones," sug-
gested Trot regretfully.
Cap'n Bill made no reply to this statement, which
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The Scarecrow of Oz
showed he did not fully agree with the little girl; but
he fell into deep thought, with wrinkled brows, and
finally he said:
" If those purple berries would make anything grow
bigger, whether it'd eaten the lavender ones or not,
I could find a way out of our troubles."
They did not understand this speech and looked at
the old sailor as if expecting him to explain what he
meant. But just then a chorus of shrill cries rose from
outside.
" Here! Let me go — let me go! " the voices seemed
to say. " Why are we insulted in this way? Mountain
Ear, come and help us! '
Trot ran to the window and looked out.
" It's the birds you caught, Cap'n," she said. " I
didn't know they could talk."
" Oh, yes; all the birds in Mo are educated to talk,"
said the Bumpy Man. Then he looked at Cap'n Bill
uneasily and added: " Won't you let the poor things
go?"
" I'll see," replied the sailor, and walked out to
where the birds were fluttering and complaining
because the strings would not allow them to fly away.
" Listen to me! " he cried, and at once they became
still. "We three people who are strangers in your
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Chapter Eight
land want to go to some other country, and we want
three of you birds to carry us there. We know we
are asking a great favor, but it's the only way we can
think of — excep' walkin', an' I'm not much good at
that because I've a wooden leg. Besides, Trot an'
Button-Bright are too small to undertake a long and
tiresome journey. Now, tell me: Which three of you
birds will consent to carry us?'
The birds looked at one another as if greatly aston-
ished. Then one of them replied:
" You must be crazy, old man. Not one of us is big
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The Scarecrow of Oz
enough to fly with even the smallest of your party."
" I'll fix the matter of size," promised Cap'n Bill.
" If three of you will agree to carry us, I'll make you
big an' strong enough to do it, so it won't worry you
a bit."
The birds considered this gravely. Living in a
magic country, they had no doubt but that the strange
one-legged man could do what he said. After a little,
one of them asked:
"If you make us big, would we stay big always?"
" I think so," replied Cap'n Bill.
They chattered a while among themselves and then
the bird that had first spoken said: " Til go, for one."
" So will I," said another; and after a pause a third
said: " I'll go, too."
Perhaps more would have volunteered, for it seemed
that for some reason they all longed to be bigger than
they were; but three were enough for Cap'n Bill's pur-
pose and so he promptly released all the others, who
immediately flew away.
The three that remained were cousins, and all were
of the same brilliant plumage and in size about as
large as eagles. When Trot questioned them she
found they were quite young, having only abandoned
their nests a few weeks before. They were strong
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Chapter Eight
young birds, with clear, brave eyes, and the little girl
decided they were the most beautiful of all the feath-
ered creatures she had ever seen.
Cap'n Bill now took from his pocket the wooden box
with the sliding cover and removed the three purple
berries, which were still in good condition.
"Eat these," he said, and gave one to each of the
birds. They obeyed, finding the fruit very pleasant
to taste. In a few seconds they began to grow in size
and grew so fast that Trot feared they would never
stop. But they finally did stop growing, and then
they were much larger than the Ork, and nearly the
size of full-grown ostriches.
Cap'n Bill was much pleased by this result.
" You can carry us now, all right," said he.
The birds strutted around with pride, highly pleased
with their immense size.
"I don't see, though," said Trot doubtfully, "how
we're going to ride on their backs without falling off."
" We're not going to ride on their backs," answered
Cap'n Bill. " I'm going to make swings for us to ride
in."
He then asked the Bumpy Man for some rope, but
the man had no rope. He had, however, an old suit of
gray clothes which he gladly presented to Cap'n Bill,
115
The Scarecrow of Oz
who cut the cloth into strips and twisted it so that
it was almost as strong as rope. With this material
he attached to each bird a swing that dangled below
its feet, and Button-Bright made a trial flight in one
of them to prove that it was safe and comfortable.
When all this had been arranged one of the birds
asked:
" Where do you wish us to take you? "
" Why, just follow the Ork," said Cap'n Bill. " He
will be our leader, and wherever the Ork flies you are
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Chapter Eight
to fly, and wherever the Ork lands you are to land.
Is that satisfactory? '
The birds declared it was quite satisfactory, so
Cap'n Bill took counsel with the Ork.
" On our way here," said that peculiar creature, " I
noticed a broad, sandy desert at the left of me, on
which was no living thing."
" Then we'd better keep away from it," replied the
sailor.
" Not so," insisted the Ork. " I have found, on nry
117
The Scarecrow of Oz
travels, that the most pleasant countries often lie in
the midst of deserts; so I think it would be wise for
us to fly over this desert and discover what lies beyond
it. For in the direction we came from lies the ocean,
as we well know, and beyond here is this strange
Land of Mo, which we do not care to explore. On one
side, as we can see from this mountain, is a broad
expanse of plain, and on the other the desert. For
my part, I vote for the desert."
"What do you say, Trot?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
" It's all the same to me," she replied.
No one thought of asking Button-Bright's opinion,
so it was decided to fly over the desert. They bade
good-bye to the Bumpy Man and thanked him for
his kindness and hospitality. Then they seated them-
selves in the swings — one for each bird — and told
the Ork to start away and they would follow.
The whirl of the Ork's tail astonished the birds at
first, but after he had gone a short distance they rose
in the air, carrying their passengers easily, and flew
with strong, regular strokes of their great wings in
the wake of their leader.
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CHAPTER 9
The Kingdom of Jinxland
Trot rode with more comfort than she had expected,
although the swing swayed so much that she had to
hold on tight with both hands. Cap'n Bill's bird fol-
lowed the Ork, and Trot came next, with Button-
Bright trailing behind her. It was quite an imposing
procession, but unfortunately there was no one to see
it, for the Ork had headed straight for the great sandy
desert and in a few minutes after starting they were
flying high over the broad waste, where no living
thing could exist.
The little girl thought this would be a bad place
for the birds to lose strength, or for the cloth ropes
119
The Scarecrow of Oz
to give way; but although she could not help feeling
a trifle nervous and fidgety she had confidence in the
huge and brilliantly plumaged bird that bore her, as
well as in Cap'n Bill's knowledge of how to twist and
fasten a rope so it would hold.
That was a remarkably big desert. There was noth-
ing to relieve the monotony of view and every minute
seemed an hour and every hour a day. Disagreeable
fumes and gases rose from the sands, which would
have been deadly to the travelers had they not been
so high in the air. As it was, Trot was beginning to
feel sick, when a breath of fresher air filled her nostrils
and on looking ahead she saw a great cloud of pink-
tinted mist. Even while she wondered what it could
be, the Ork plunged boldly into the mist and the other
birds followed. She could see nothing for a time, nor
could the bird which carried her see where the Ork
had gone, but it kept flying as sturdily as ever and
in a few moments the mist was passed and the girl
saw a most beautiful landscape spread out below her,
extending as far as her eye could reach.
She saw bits of forest, verdure clothed hills, fields
of waving grain, fountains, rivers and lakes; and
throughout the scene were scattered groups of pretty
houses and a few grand castles and palaces.
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Chapter Nine
Over all this delightful landscape -- which from
Trot's high perch seemed like a magnificent painted
picture — was a rosy glow such as we sometimes see
in the west at sunset. In this case, however, it was
not in the west only, but everywhere.
No wonder the Ork paused to circle slowly over this
lovely country. The other birds followed his action,
all eyeing the place with equal delight. Then, as with
one accord, the four formed a group and slowly sailed
downward. This brought them to that part of the
newly-discovered land which bordered on the desert's
edge; but it was just as pretty here as anywhere, so
the Ork and the birds alighted and the three pas-
sengers at once got out of their swings.
"Oh, Cap'n Bill, isn't this fine an' dandy?"
exclaimed Trot rapturously. " How lucky we were to
discover this beautiful country! '
"The country seems rather high class, I'll admit,
Trot," replied the old sailor-man, looking around him,
" but we don't know, as yet, what its people are like."
" No one could live in such a country without being
happy and good — I'm sure of that," she said earn-
estly. " Don't you think so, Button-Bright? "
"I'm not thinking, just now," answered the little
boy. " It tires me to think, and I never seem to gain
121
The Scarecrow of Oz
anything by it. When we see the people who live here
we will know what they are like, and no 'mount of
thinking will make them any different."
" That's true enough," said the Ork. " But now I
want to make a proposal. While you are getting
acquainted with this new country, which looks as if
it contains everything to make one happy, I would
like to fly along — all by myself — and see if I can
find my home on the other side of the great desert. If
I do, I will stay there, of course. But if I fail to find
Orkland I will return to you in a week, to see if I
can do anything more to assist you."
They were sorry to lose their queer companion, but
could offer no objection to the plan; so the Ork bade
them good-bye and rising swiftly in the air, he flew
over the country and was soon lost to view in the
distance.
The three birds which had carried our friends now
begged permission to return by the way they had
come, to their own homes, saying they were anxious
to show their families how big they had become. So
Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright all thanked
them gratefully for their assistance and soon the birds
began their long flight toward the Land of Mo.
Being now left to themselves in this strange land,
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Chapter Nine
the three comrades selected a pretty pathway and
began walking along it. They believed this path
would lead them to a splendid castle which they espied
in the distance, the turrets of which towered far above
the tops of the trees which surrounded it. It did not
seem very far away, so they sauntered on slowly,
admiring the beautiful ferns and flowers that lined
the pathway and listening to the singing of the birds
and the soft chirping of the grasshoppers.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
Presently the path wound over a little hill. In a
valley that lay beyond the hill was a tiny cottage sur-
rounded by flower beds and fruit trees. On the shady
porch of the cottage they saw, as they approached, a
pleasant faced woman sitting amidst a group of chil-
dren, to whom she was telling stories. The children
quickly discovered the strangers and ran toward them
with exclamations of astonishment, so that Trot and
her friends became the center of a curious group, all
chattering excitedly. Cap'n Bill's wooden leg seemed
to arouse the wonder of the children, as they could
not understand why he had not two meat legs. This
attention seemed to please the old sailor, who patted
the heads of the children kindly and then, raising his
hat to the woman, he inquired:
" Can you tell us, madam, just what country this
is?"
She stared hard at all three of the strangers as she
replied briefly: " Jinxland."
" Oh! ' exclaimed Cap'n Bill, with a puzzled look.
"And where is Jinxland, please?"
"In the Quadling Country," said she.
"What!' cried Trot, in sudden excitement. "Do
you mean to say this is the Quadling Country of the
Land of Oz?"
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Chapter Nine
" To be sure I do," the woman answered. " Every
bit of land that is surrounded by the great desert is
the Land of Oz, as you ought to know as well as I do;
but I'm sorry to say that Jinxland is separated from
the rest of the Quadling Country by that row of high
mountains you see yonder, which have such steep
sides that no one can cross them. So we live here all
by ourselves, and are ruled by our own King, instead
of by Ozma of Oz."
" I've been to the Land of Oz before," said Button-
Bright, " but I've never been here."
"Did you ever hear of Jinxland before?' asked
Trot.
" No," said Button-Bright.
"It is on the Map of Oz, though," asserted the
woman, " and it's a fine country, I assure you. If
only," she added, and then paused to look around her
with a frightened expression. " If only — " here she
stopped again, as if not daring to go on with her
speech.
"If only what, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill.
The woman sent the children into the house. Then
she came closer to the strangers and whispered: "If
only we had a different King, we would be very happy
and contented."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
"What's the matter with your King?" asked Trot,
curiously. But the woman seemed frightened to have
said so much. She retreated to her porch, merely
saying:
" The King punishes severely any treason on the
part of his subjects."
"What's treason?" asked Button-Bright.
" In this case," replied Cap'n Bill, " treason seems
to consist of knockin' the King; but I guess we know
his disposition now as well as if the lady had said
more.7
" I wonder," said Trot, going up to the woman,
" if you could spare us something to eat. We haven't
had anything but popcorn and lemonade for a long
time."
" Bless your heart! Of course I can spare you some
food," the woman answered, and entering her cottage
she soon returned with a tray loaded with sandwiches,
cakes and cheese. One of the children drew a bucket
of clear, cold water from a spring and the three wan-
derers ate heartily and enjoyed the good things
immensely.
When Button-Bright could eat no more he filled
the pockets of his jacket with cakes and cheese, and
not even the children objected to this. Indeed they
126
Chapter Nine
all seemed pleased to see the strangers eat, so Cap'n
Bill decided that no matter what the King of Jinx-
land was like, the people would prove friendly and
hospitable.
" Whose castle is that, yonder, ma'am I " he asked,
waving his hand toward the towers that rose above
the trees.
" It belongs to his Majesty, King Krewl." she said.
" Oh, indeed; and does he live there? "
" When he is not out hunting with his fierce cour-
tiers and war captains," she reDlied.
127
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Is he hunting now? " Trot inquired.
" I do not know, my dear. The less we know about
the King's actions the safer we are."
It was evident the woman did not like to talk about
King Krewl and so, having finished their meal, they
said good-bye and continued along the pathway.
" Don't you think we'd better keep away from that
King's castle, Cap'n?" asked Trot.
"Well," said he, "King Krewl would find out,
sooner or later, that we are in his country, so we
may as well face the music now. Perhaps he isn't
quite so bad as that woman thinks he is. Kings aren't
always popular with their people, you know, even if
they do the best they know how."
" Ozma is pop'lar," said Button-Bright.
" Ozma is diffrent from any other Ruler, from all
I've heard," remarked Trot musingly, as she walked
beside the boy. " And, after all, we are really in the
Land of Oz, where Ozma rules ev'ry King and ev'ry-
body else. I never heard of anybody getting hurt in
her dominions, did you, Button-Bright?"
" Not when she knows about it," he replied. " But
those birds landed us in just the wrong place, seems
to me. They might have carried us right on, over
that row of mountains, to the Em'rald City."
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Chapter Nine
"True enough," said Cap'n Bill; "but they didn't,
an' so we must make the best of Jinxland. Let's try
not to be afraid."
" Oh, I'm not very scared," said Button-Bright,
pausing to look at a pink rabbit that popped its head
out of a hole in the field near by.
" Nor am I," added Trot. " Eeally, Cap'n, I'm so
glad to be anywhere at all in the wonderful fairyland
of Oz that I think I'm the luckiest girl in all the
world. Dorothy lives in the Em'rald City, you know,
and so does the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and
Tik-Tok and the Shaggy Man --and all the rest of
'em that we've heard so much about — not to mention
Ozma, who must be the sweetest and loveliest girl in
all the world!"
"Take your time, Trot," advised Button-Bright.
" You don't have to say it all in one breath, you
know. And you haven't mentioned half of the curious
people in the Em'rald City."
" That 'ere Em'rald City," said Cap'n Bill impres-
sively, " happens to be on the other side o' those moun-
tains, that we're told no one is able to cross. I don't
want to discourage of you, Trot, but we're a'most as
much separated from your Ozma an' Dorothy as we
were when we lived in Californy."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
There was so much truth in this statement that
they all walked on in silence for some time. Finally
they reached the grove of stately trees that bordered
the grounds of the King's castle. They had gone half-
way through it when the sound of sobbing, as of some-
one in bitter distress, reached their ears and caused
them to halt abruptly.
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CHAPTER 10
Pon, the Gardener's Boy
It was Button-Bright who first discovered, lying
on his face beneath a broad spreading tree near the
pathway, a young man whose body shook with the
force of his sobs. He was dressed in a long brown
smock and had sandals on his feet, betokening one
in humble life. His head was bare and showed a
shock of brown, curly hair. Button-Bright looked
down on the young man and said:
"Who cares, anyhow?'
"I do! " cried the young man, interrupting his sobs
to roll over, face upward, that he might see who had
spoken. "I care, for my heart is broken!'
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" Can't you get another one? " asked the little boy.
" I don't want another! " wailed the young man.
By this time Trot and Cap'n Bill arrived at the
spot and the girl leaned over and said in a sympathetic
voice:
" Tell us your troubles and perhaps we may help
you."
The youth sat up, then, and bowed politely. After-
ward he got upon his feet, but still kept wringing
his hands as he tried to choke down his sobs. Trot
thought he was very brave to control such awful
agony so well.
" My name is Pon," he began. " I'm the gardener's
boy."
" Then the gardener of the King is your father, I
suppose," said Trot.
"Not my father, but my master," was the reply.
" I do the work and the gardener gives the orders.
And it was not my fault, in the least, that the Prin-
cess Gloria fell in love with me."
"Did she, really?" asked the little girl.
"I don't see why," remarked Button-Bright, star-
ing at the youth.
"And who may the Princess Gloria be?" inquired
Cap'n Bill.
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Chapter Ten
" She is the niece of King Krewl, who is her guar-
dian. The Princess lives in the castle and is the
loveliest and sweetest maiden in all Jinxland. She
is fond of flowers and used to walk in the gardens
with her attendants. At such times, if I was working
at my tasks, I used to cast down my eyes as Gloria
passed me; but one day I glanced up and found her
gazing at me with a very tender look in her eyes.
The next day she dismissed her attendants and, com-
ing to my side, began to talk with me. She said I
had touched her heart as no other young man had
ever done. I kissed her hand. Just then the King
came around a bend in the walk. He struck me with
his fist and kicked me with his foot. Then he seized
the arm of the Princess and rudely dragged her into
the castle."
"Wasn't he awful!' gasped Trot indignantly.
" He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, " so it was
the least I could expect. Up to that time I had not
thought of loving Princess Gloria, but realizing it
would be impolite not to return her love, I did so.
We met at evening, now and then, and she told me
the King wanted her to marry a rich courtier named
Googly-Goo, who is old enough to be Gloria's father.
She has refused Googly-Goo thirty-nine times, but he
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The Scarecrow of Oz
still persists and has brought many rich presents to
bribe the King. On that account King Krewl has
commanded his niece to marry the old man, but the
Princess has assured me, time and again, that she
will wed only me. This morning we happened to
meet in the grape arbor and as I was respectfully
saluting the cheek of the Princess, two of the King's
guards seized me and beat me terribly before the
very eyes of Gloria, whom the King himself held
back so she could not interfere."
" Why, this King must be a monster! " cried Trot.
" He is far worse than that," said Pon, mournfully.
"But, see here," interrupted Cap'n Bill, who had
listened carefully to Pon. " This King may not be so
much to blame, after all. Kings are proud folks,
because they're so high an' mighty, an' it isn't rea-
sonable for a royal Princess to marry a common
gardener's boy."
" It isn't right," declared Button-Bright. " A Prin-
cess should marry a Prince."
" I'm not a common gardener's boy," protested Pon.
" If I had my rights I would be the King instead of
Krewl. As it is, I'm a Prince, and as royal as any
man in Jinxland."
"How does that come?" asked Cap'n Bill.
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Chapter Ten
"My father used to be the King and Krewl was
his Prime Minister. But one day while out hunting,
King Phearse- -that was my father's name --had a
quarrel with Krewl and tapped him gently on the
nose with the knuckles of his closed hand. This so
provoked the wicked Krewl that he tripped my father
backward, so that he fell into a deep pond. At once
Krewl threw in a mass of heavy stones, which so
weighted down my poor father that his body could
not rise again to the surface. It is impossible to kill
anyone in this land, as perhaps you know, but when
my father was pressed down into the mud at the
bottom of the deep pool and the stones held him so
he could never escape, he was of no more use to
himself or the world than if he had died. Knowing
this, Krewl proclaimed himself King, taking posses-
sion of the royal castle and driving all my father's
people out. I was a small boy, then, but when I grew
up I became a gardener. I have served King Krewl
without his knowing that I am the son of the same
King Phearse whom he so cruelly made away with."
" My, but that's a terr'bly exciting story! " said Trot,
drawing a long breath. " But tell us, Pon, who was
Gloria's father?"
" Oh, he was the King before my father," replied
135
The Scarecrow of Oz
Pon. "Father was Prime Minister for King Kynd,
who was Gloria's father. She was only a baby when
King Kynd fell into the Great Gulf that lies just this
side of the mountains — the same mountains that
separate Jinxland from the rest of the Land of Oz.
It is said the Great Gulf has no bottom; but, however
that may be, King Kynd has never been seen again
and my father became King in his place."
" Seems to me," said Trot, " that if Gloria had her
rights she would be Queen of Jinxland."
" Well, her father was a King," admitted Pon, " and
so was my father; so we are of equal rank, although
she's a great lady and Pm a humble gardener's boy.
I can't see why we should not marry if we want to
— except that King Krewl won't let us."
"It's a sort of mixed-up mess, taken altogether,"
remarked Cap'n Bill. "But we are on our way to
visit King Krewl, and if we get a chance, young man,
we'll put in a good word for you."
"Do, please!" begged Pon.
"Was it the flogging you got that broke your
heart?' inquired Button-Bright.
" Why, it helped to break it, of course," said Pon.
"I'd get it fixed up, if I were you," advised the
boy, tossing a pebble at a chipmunk in a tree.
136
Chapter Ten
"You ought to give Gloria just as good a heart as
she gives you."
" That's common sense," agreed Cap'n Bill. So they
left the gardener's boy standing beside the path, and
resumed their journey toward the castle.
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CHAPTER 11
The Wicked King and Googly-Goo
When our friends approached the great doorway
of the castle they found it guarded by several soldiers
dressed in splendid uniforms. They were armed with
swords and lances. Cap'n Bill walked straight up to
them and asked:
" Does the King happen to be at home? '
"His Magnificent and Glorious Majesty, King
Krewl, is at present inhabiting his Royal Castle," was
the stiff reply.
"Then I guess we'll go in an' say how-d'ye-do,"
continued Cap'n Bill, attempting to enter the door-
way. But a soldier barred his way with a lance.
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Chapter Eleven
" Who are you, what are your names, and where
do you come from?7 demanded the soldier.
" You wouldn't know if we told you," returned the
sailor, " seein' as we're strangers in a strange land."
" Oh, if you are strangers you will be permitted to
enter," said the soldier, lowering his lance. " His
Majesty is very fond of strangers."
" Do many strangers come here ? ' asked Trot.
" You are the first that ever came to our country,"
said the man. " But his Majesty has often said that
if strangers ever arrived in Jinxland he would see
that they had a very exciting time."
Cap'n Bill scratched his chin thoughtfully. He
wasn't very favorably impressed by this last remark.
But he decided that as there was no way of escape
from Jinxland it would be wise to confront- the King
boldly and try to win his favor. So they entered the
castle, escorted bv one of the soldiers.
7 f
It was certainly a fine castle, with many large
rooms, all beautifully furnished. The passages were
winding and handsomely decorated, and after follow-
ing several of these the soldier led them into an open
court that occupied the very center of the huge build-
ing. It was surrounded on every side by high turreted
walls, and contained beds of flowers, fountains and
139
The Scarecrow of Oz
walks of many colored marbles which were matched
together in quaint designs. In an open space near
the middle of the court they saw a group of courtiers
and their ladies, who surrounded a lean man who
wore upon his head a jeweled crown. His face was
hard and sullen and through the slits of his half-
closed eyelids the eyes glowed like coals of fire. He
was dressed in brilliant satins and velvets and was
seated in a golden throne-chair.
This personage was King Krewl, and as soon as
Cap'n Bill saw him the old sailor knew at once that
he was not going to like the King of Jinxland.
" Hello! who's here? " said his Majesty, with a deep
scowl.
" Strangers, Sire," answered the soldier, bowing so
low that his forehead touched the marble tiles.
"Strangers, eh? Well, well; what an unexpected
visit! Advance, strangers, and give an account of
yourselves."
The King's voice was as harsh as his features. Trot
shuddered a little but Cap'n Bill calmly replied:
"There ain't much for us to say, 'cept as we've
arrived to look over your country an' see how we
like it. Judgin' from the way you speak, you don't
know who we are, or you'd be jumpin' up to shake
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Chapter Eleven
hands an' offer us seats. Kings usually treat us pretty
well, in the great big Outside World where we come
from, but in this little kingdom — which don't amount
to much, anyhow — folks don't seem to 'a' got much
culchure."
The King listened with amazement to this bold
speech, first with a frown and then gazing at the two
children and the old sailor with evident curiosity.
The courtiers were dumb with fear, for no one had
ever dared speak in such a manner to their self-willed,
cruel King before. His Majesty, however, was some-
what frightened, for cruel people are always cowards,
and he feared these mysterious strangers might pos-
sess magic powers that would destroy him unless
he treated them well. So he commanded his people to
give the new arrivals seats, and they obeyed with
trembling haste.
After being seated, Cap'n Bill lighted his pipe and
began puffing smoke from it, a sight so strange to
them that it filled them all with wonder. Presently
the King asked:
"How did you penetrate to this hidden country?
Did you cross the desert or the mountains?"
" Desert," answered Cap'n Bill, as if the task were
too easy to be worth talking about.
141
The Scarecrow of Oz
"Indeed! No one has ever been able to do that
before," said the King.
" Well, it's easy enough, if you know how," asserted
Cap'n Bill, so carelessly that it greatly impressed his
hearers. The King shifted in his throne uneasily. He
was more afraid of these strangers than before.
" Do you intend to stay long in Jinxland? '' was his
next anxious question.
" Depends on how we like it," said Cap'n Bill. " Just
now I might suggest to your Majesty to order some
rooms got ready for us in your dinky little castle
here. And a royal banquet, with some fried onions
an' pickled tripe, would set easy on our stomicks an'
make us a bit happier than we are now."
"Your wishes shall be attended to," said King
Krewl, but his eyes flashed from between their slits
in a wicked way that made Trot hope the food wouldn't
be poisoned. At the King's command several of his
attendants hastened away to give the proper orders
to the castle servants and no sooner were they gone
than a skinny old man entered the courtyard and
bowed before the King.
This disagreeable person was dressed in rich velvets,
with many furbelows and laces. He was covered with
golden chains, finely wrought rings and jeweled orna-
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The Scarecrow of Oz
ments. He walked with mincing steps and glared at
all the courtiers as if he considered himself far superior
to any or all of them.
"Well, well, your Majesty; what news — what
news?" he demanded, in a shrill, cracked voice.
The King gave him a surly look.
" No news, Lord Googly-Goo, except that strangers
have arrived," he said.
Googly-Goo cast a contemptuous glance at Cap'n
Bill and a disdainful one at Trot and Button-Bright.
Then he said:
" Strangers do not interest me, your Majesty. But
the Princess Gloria is very interesting — very inter-
esting, indeed! What does she say, Sire? Will she
marry me ? '
"Ask her," retorted the King.
"I have, many times; and every time she has
refused."
"Well?" said the King harshly.
" Well," said Googly-Goo in a jaunty tone, " a bird
that can sing, and won't sing, must be made to sing."
"Huh!" sneered the King. "That's easy, with a
bird; but a girl is harder to manage."
" Still," persisted Googly-Goo, " we must overcome
difficulties. The chief trouble is that Gloria fancies
144
Chapter Eleven
she loves that miserable gardener's boy, Pon. Sup-
pose we throw Pon into the Great Gulf, your
Majesty? "
"It would do you no good," returned the King.
" She would still love him."
" Too bad, too bad! " sighed Googly-Goo. " I have
laid aside more than a bushel of precious gems —
each worth a king's ransom — to present to your
Majesty on the day I wed Gloria."
The King's eyes sparkled, for he loved wealth above
everything; but the next moment he frowned deeply
again.
" It won't help us to kill Pon," he muttered. " What
we must do is kill Gloria's love for Pon."
"That is better, if you can find a way to do it,"
agreed Googly-Goo. "Everything would come right
if you could kill Gloria's love for that gardener's
boy. Really, Sire, now that I come to think of it,
there must be fully a bushel and a half of those
jewels! "
Just then a messenger entered the court to say that
the banquet was prepared for the strangers. So Cap'n
Bill, Trot and Button-Bright entered the castle and
were taken to a room where a fine feast was spread
upon the table.
T45
The Scarecrow of Oz
" I don't like that Lord Googly-Goo," remarked Trot
as she was busily eating.
" Nor I," said Cap'n Bill. " But from the talk we
heard I guess the gardener's boy won't get the
Princess."
"Perhaps not," returned the girl; "but I hope old
Googly doesn't get her, either."
" The King means to sell her for all those jewels,"
observed Button-Bright, his mouth half full of cake
and jam.
" Poor Princess! " sighed Trot. " I'm sorry for her,
although I've never seen her. But if she says no to
Googly-Goo, and means it, what can they do?'
"Don't let us worry about a strange Princess,"
advised Cap'n Bill. " I've a notion we're not too safe,
ourselves, with this cruel King."
The two children felt the same way and all three
were rather solemn during the remainder of the meal.
When they had eaten, the servants escorted them
to their rooms. Cap'n Bill's room was way to one
end of the castle, very high up, and Trot's room was
at the opposite end, rather low down. As for Button-
Bright, they placed him in the middle, so that all
were as far apart as they could possibly be. They
didn't like this arrangement very well, but all the
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Chapter Eleven
rooms were handsomely furnished and being guests
of the King they dared not complain.
After the strangers had left the courtyard the King
and Googly-Goo had a long talk together, and the
King said:
"I cannot force Gloria to marry you just now,
because those strangers may interfere. I suspect that
the wooden-legged man possesses great magical pow-
ers, or he would never have been able to carry himself
and those children across the deadly desert."
"I don't like him; he looks dangerous," answered
147
The Scarecrow of Oz
Googly-Goo. "But perhaps you are mistaken about
i
his being a wizard. Why don't you test his powers? '
"How?" asked the King.
" Send for the Wicked Witch. She will tell you in
a moment whether that wooden-legged person is a
common man or a magician."
"Ha! that's a good idea," cried the King. "Why
didn't I think of the Wicked Witch before? But the
woman demands rich rewards for her services."
" Never mind; I will pay her," promised the wealthy
Googly-Goo.
So a servant was dispatched to summon the Wicked
Witch, who lived but a few leagues from King Krewl's
castle. While they awaited her, the withered old
courtier proposed that they pay a visit to Princess
Gloria and see if she was not now in a more com-
plaisant mood. So the two started away together
and searched the castle over without finding Gloria.
At last Googly-Goo suggested she might be in the
rear garden, which was a large park filled with bushes
and trees and surrounded by a high wall. And what
was their anger, when they turned a corner of the
path, to find in a quiet nook the beautiful Princess,
and kneeling before her, Pon, the gardener's boy!
With a roar of rage the King dashed forward.; but
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Chapter Eleven
Pon had scaled the wall by means of a ladder, which
still stood in its place, and when he saw the King
coming he ran up the ladder and made good his escape.
But this left Gloria confronted by her angry guardian,
the King, and by old Googly-Goo, who was trembling
with a fury he could not express in words.
Seizing the Princess by her arm the King dragged
her back to the castle. Pushing her into a room on
the lower floor he locked the door upon the unhappy
girl. And at that moment the arrival of the Wicked
Witch was announced.
149
The Scarecrow of Oz
Hearing this, the King smiled, as a tiger smiles,
showing his teeth. And Googly-Goo smiled, as a ser-
pent smiles, for he had no teeth except a couple of
fangs. And having frightened each other with these
smiles the two dreadful men went away to the Royal
Council Chamber to meet the Wicked Witch.
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CHAPTER 12
The Wooden-Legged Grass-Hopper
Now it so happened that Trot, from the window of
her room, had witnessed the meeting of the lovers in
the garden and had seen the King come and drag
Gloria away. The little girl's heart went out in
sympathy for the poor Princess, who seemed to her
to be one of the sweetest and loveliest young ladies
she had ever seen, so she crept along the passages
and from a hidden niche saw Gloria locked in her
room.
The key was still in the lock, so when the King
had gone away, followed by Googly-Goo, Trot stole
up to the door, turned the key and entered. The
151
The Scarecrow of Oz
Princess lay prone upon a couch, sobbing bitterly.
Trot went up to her and smoothed her hair and tried
to comfort her.
" Don't cry," she said. " I've unlocked the door, so
you can go away any time you want to."
"It isn't that," sobbed the Princess. "I am
unhappy because they will not let me love Pon, the
gardener's boy! '
"Well, never mind; Pon isn't any great shakes,
anyhow, seems to me," said Trot soothingly. " There
are lots of other people you can love."
Gloria rolled over on the couch and looked at the
little girl reproachfully.
"Pon has won my heart, and I can't help loving
him," she explained. Then with sudden indignation
she added: " But I'll never love Googly-Goo — never,
as long as I live! '
"I should say not!' replied Trot. "Pon may not
be much good, but old Googly is very, very bad. Hunt
around, and I'm sure you'll find someone worth your
love. You're very pretty, you know, and almost any-
one ought to love you."
"You don't understand, my dear," said Gloria, as
she wiped the tears from her eyes with a dainty lace
handkerchief bordered with pearls. "When you are
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Chapter Twelve
older you will realize that a young lady cannot decide
whom she will love, or choose the most worthy. Her
heart alone decides for her, and whomsoever her heart
selects, she must love, whether he amounts to much
or not."
Trot was a little puzzled by this speech, which
seemed to her unreasonable; but she made no reply
and presently Gloria's grief softened and she began
to question the little girl about herself and her adven-
tures. Trot told her how they had happened to come
to Jinxland, and all about Cap'n Bill and the Ork and
Pessim and the Bumpy Man.
While they were thus conversing together, getting
more and more friendly as they became better
acquainted, in the Council Chamber the King and
Googly-Groo were talking with the Wicked Witch.
This evil creature was old and ugly. She had lost
one eye and wore a black patch over it, so the people
of Jinxland had named her "Blinkie." Of course
witches are forbidden to exist in the Land of Oz,
but Jinxland was so far removed from the center of
Ozma's dominions, and so absolutely cut off from it
by the steep mountains and the bottomless gulf, that
the laws of Oz were not obeyed very well in that coun-
try. So there were several witches in Jinxland who
153
The Scarecrow of Oz
were the terror of the people, but King Krewl favored
them and permitted them to exercise their evil sorcery.
Blinkie was the leader of all the other witches and
therefore the most hated and feared. The King used
her witchcraft at times to assist him in carrying out
his cruelties and revenge, but he was always obliged
to pay Blinkie large sums of money or heaps of pre-
cious jewels before she would undertake an enchant-
ment. This made him hate the old woman almost as
much as his subjects did, but to-day Lord Googly-Goo
had agreed to pay the witch's price, so the King
greeted her with gracious favor.
" Can you destroy the love of Princess Gloria for
the gardener's boy?" inquired his Majesty.
The Wicked Witch thought about it before she
replied:
"That's a hard question to answer. I can do lots
of clever magic, but love is a stubborn thing to con-
quer. When you think you've killed it, it's liable to
bob up again as strong as ever. I believe love and
cats have nine lives. In other words, killing love is
a hard job, even for a skillful witch, but I believe I
can do something that will answer your purpose just
as well."
" What is that? " asked the King.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
"I can freeze the girl's heart. I've got a special
incantation for that, and when Gloria's heart is thor-
oughly frozen she can no longer love Pon."
"Just the thing!' exclaimed Googly-Goo, and the
King was likewise much pleased.
They bargained a long time as to the price, but
finally the old courtier agreed to pay the Wicked
Witch's demands. It was arranged that they should
take Gloria to Blinkie's house the next day, to have
her heart frozen.
Then King Krewl mentioned to the old hag the
strangers who had that day arrived in Jinxland, and
said to her:
"I think the two children- -the boy and the girl
- are unable to harm me, but I have a suspicion that
the wooden-legged man is a powerful wizard."
The witch's face wore a troubled look when she
heard this.
"If you are right," she said, "this wizard might
spoil my incantation and interfere with me in other
ways. So it will be best for me to meet this stranger
at once and match my magic against his, to decide
which is the stronger."
" All right," said the King. " Come with me and
I will lead you to the man's room."
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Googly-Goo did not accompany them, as he was
obliged to go home to get the money and jewels he
had promised to pay old Blinkie, so the other two
climbed several flights of stairs and went through
many passages until they came to the room occupied
by Cap'n Bill.
The sailor-man, finding his bed soft and inviting,
and being tired with the adventures he had expe-
rienced, had decided to take a nap. When the Wicked
Witch and the King softly opened his door and
entered, Cap'n Bill was snoring with such vigor that
he did not hear them at all.
Blinkie approached the bed and with her one eye
anxiously stared at the sleeping stranger.
" Ah," she said in a soft whisper, " I believe you
are right, King Krewl. The man looks to me like a
very powerful wizard. But by good luck I have
caught him asleep, so I shall transform him before
he wakes up, giving him such a form that he will
be unable to oppose me."
"Careful!' cautioned the King, also speaking low.
" If he discovers what you are doing he may destroy
you, and that would annoy me because I need you
to attend to Gloria."
But the Wicked Witch realized as well as he did
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The Scarecrow of Oz
that she must be careful. She carried over her arm
a black bag, from which she now drew several packets
carefully wrapped in paper. Three of these she
selected, replacing the others in the bag. Two of the
packets she mixed together and then she cautiously
opened the third.
" Better stand back, your Majesty," she advised,
" for if this powder falls on you you might be trans-
formed yourself."
The King hastily retreated to the end of the room.
As Blinkie mixed the third powder with the others
she waved her hands over it, mumbled a few words,
and then backed away as quickly as she could.
Cap'n Bill was slumbering peacefully, all uncon-
scious of what was going on. Pun2! A great cloud
of smoke rolled over the bed and completely hid him
from view. When the smoke rolled away, both Blinkie
and the King saw that the body of the stranger had
quite disappeared, while in his place, crouching in
the middle of the bed, was a little gray grasshopper.
One curious thing about this grasshopper was that
the last joint of its left leg was made of wood.
Another curious thing- -considering it was a grass-
hopper- -was that it began talking, crying out in a
tiny but sharp voice:
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Chapter Twelve
" Here — you people! What do you mean by treat-
ing me so? Put me back where I belong, at once, or
you'll be sorry! '
The cruel King turned pale at hearing the grass-
hopper's threats, but the Wicked Witch merely
laughed in derision. Then she raised her stick and
aimed a vicious blow at the grasshopper, but before
the stick struck the bed the tiny hopper made a
marvelous jump — marvelous, indeed, when we con-
sider that it had a wooden leg. It rose in the air and
sailed across the room and passed right through the
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The Scarecrow of Oz
open window, where it disappeared from their view.
"Good!" shouted the King. "We are well rid of
this desperate wizard." And then they both laughed
heartily at the success of the incantation, and went
away to complete their horrid plans.
After Trot had visited a time with Princess Gloria,
the little girl went to Button-Bright's room but did
not find him there. Then she went to Cap'n Bill's
room, but he was not there because the witch and the
King had been there before her. So she made her
way downstairs and questioned the servants. They
said they had seen the little boy go out into the
garden, some time ago, but the old man with the
wooden leg they had not seen at all.
Therefore Trot, not knowing what else to do, ram-
bled through the great gardens, seeking for Button-
Bright or Cap'n Bill and not finding either of them.
This part of the garden, which lay before the castle,
was not walled in, but extended to the roadway, and
the paths were open to the edge of the forest; so,
after two hours of vain search for her friends, the
little girl returned to the castle.
But at the doorway a soldier stopped her.
" I live here," said Trot, " so it's all right to let
me in. The King has given me a room."
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"Well, he has taken it back again," was the sol-
dier's reply. "His Majesty's orders are to turn you
away if you attempt to enter. I am also ordered to
forbid the boy, your companion, to again enter the
King's castle."
"How 'bout Cap'n Bill'?' she inquired.
" Why, it seems he has mysteriously disappeared,"
replied the soldier, shaking his head ominously.
"Where he has gone to, I can't make out, but I can
assure you he is no longer in this castle. I'm sorry,
little girl, to disappoint you. Don't blame me; I
must obey my master's orders."
Now, all her life Trot had been accustomed to
depend on Cap'n Bill, so when this good friend was
suddenly taken from her she felt very miserable and
forlorn indeed. She was brave enough not to cry
before the soldier, or even to let him see her grief
and anxiety, but after she was turned away from the
castle she sought a quiet bench in the garden and for
a time sobbed as if her heart would break.
It was Button-Bright who found her, at last, just
as the sun had set and the shades of evening were
falling. He also had been turned away from the
King's castle, when he tried to enter it, and in the
park he came across Trot.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" Never mind," said the boy. " We can find a place
to sleep."
" I want Cap'n Bill," wailed the girl.
" Well, so do I," was the reply. " But we haven't
got him. Where do you s'pose he is, Trot ? '
" I don't s'pose anything. He's gone, an' that's all
I know 'bout it."
Button-Bright sat on the bench beside her and
thrust his hands in the pockets of his knickerbockers.
Then he reflected somewhat gravely for him.
" Cap'n Bill isn't around here," he said, letting his
eyes wander over the dim garden, " so we must go
somewhere else if we want to find him. Besides,
it's fast getting dark, and if we want to find a place
to sleep we must get busy while we can see where
to go."
He rose from the bench as he said this and Trot
also jumped up, drying her eyes on her apron. Then
she walked beside him out of the grounds of the
King's castle. They did not go by the main path,
but passed through an opening in a hedge and found
themselves in a small but well-worn roadway. Fol-
lowing this for some distance, along a winding way,
they came upon no house or building that would
afford them refuge for the night. It became so dark
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The Scarecrow of Oz
that they could scarcely see their way, and finally
Trot stopped and suggested that they camp under a
tree.
" All right," said Button-Bright, " I've often found
that leaves make a good warm blanket. But — look
there, Trot! — isn't that a light flashing over yonder? "
" It certainly is, Button-Bright. Let's go over and
see if it's a house. Whoever lives there couldn't treat
us worse than the King did."
To reach the light they had to leave the road, so
they stumbled over hillocks and brushwood, hand in
hand, keeping the tiny speck of light always in sight.
They were rather forlorn little waifs, outcasts in a
strange country and forsaken by their only friend
and guardian, Cap'n Bill. So they were very glad
when finally they reached a small cottage and, looking
in through its one window, saw Pon, the gardener's
boy, sitting by a fire of twigs.
As Trot opened the door and walked boldly in, Pon
sprang up to greet them. They told him of Cap'n
Bill's disappearance and how they had been turned
out of the King's castle. As they finished the story
Pon shook his head sadly.
"King Krewl is plotting mischief, I fear," said
he, " for to-day he sent for old Blinkie, the Wicked
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Chapter Twelve
Witch, and with my own eyes I saw her come from
the castle and hobble away toward her hut. She had
been with the King and Googly-Goo, and I was afraid
they were going to work some enchantment on Gloria
so she would no longer love me. But perhaps the
witch was only called to the castle to enchant your
friend, Cap'n Bill."
" Could she do that? " asked Trot, horrified by the
suggestion.
" I suppose so, for old Blinkie can do a lot of wicked
magical things."
"What sort of an enchantment could she put on
Cap'n Bill?"
"I don't know. But he has disappeared, so I'm
pretty certain she has done something dreadful to him.
But don't worry. If it has happened, it can't be
helped, and if it hasn't happened we may be able to
find him in the morning."
With this Pon went to the cupboard and brought
food for them. Trot was far too worried to eat, but
Button-Bright made a good supper from the simple
food and then lay down before the fire and went to
sleep. The little girl and the gardener's boy, how-
ever, sat for a long time staring into the fire, busy
with their thoughts. But at last Trot, too, became
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The Scarecrow of Oz
sleepy and Pon gently covered her with the one
blanket he possessed. Then he threw more wood on
the fire and laid himself down before it, next to
Button-Bright. Soon all three were fast asleep. They
were in a good deal of trouble; but they were young,
and sleep was good to them because for a time it
made them forget.
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CHAPTER 13
Glinda the Good and the Scare-
crow of Oz
That country south of the Emerald City, in the
Land of Oz, is known as the Quadling Country, and
in the very southernmost part of it stands a splendid
palace in which lives Glinda the Good.
Glinda is the Royal Sorceress of Oz. She has won-
derful magical powers and uses them only to benefit
the subjects of Ozma's kingdom. Even the famous
Wizard of Oz pays tribute to her, for Glinda taught
him all the real magic he knows, and she is his
superior in all sorts of sorcery.
Everyone loves Glinda, from the dainty and exquis-
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The Scarecrow of Oz
ite Ruler, Ozma, down to the humblest inhabitant of
Oz, for she is always kindly and helpful and willing
to listen to their troubles, however busy she may be.
No one knows her age, but all can see how beautiful
and stately she is. Her hair is like red gold and
finer than the finest silken strands. Her eyes are blue
as the sky and always frank and smiling. Her cheeks
are the envy of peach-blows and her mouth is entic-
ing as a rosebud. Glinda is tall and wears splendid
gowns that trail behind her as she walks. She wears
no jewels, for her beauty would shame them.
For attendants Glinda has half a hundred of the
loveliest girls in Oz. They are gathered from all over
Oz, from among the Winkies, the Munchkins, the
Gillikins and the Quadlings, as well as from Ozma's
magnificent Emerald City, and it is considered a great
favor to be allowed to serve the Royal Sorceress.
Among the many wonderful things in Glinda's
palace is the Great Book of Records. In this book
is inscribed everything that takes place in all the
world, just the instant it happens; so that by referring
to its pages Glinda knows what is taking place far
and near, in every country that exists. In this way
she learns when and where she can help any in dis-
tress or danger, and although her duties are confined
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LdndofOz
The Scarecrow of Oz
to assisting those who inhabit the Land of Oz, she is
always interested in what takes place in the unpro-
tected outside world.
So it was that on a certain evening Glinda sat in
her library, surrounded by a bevy of her maids, who
were engaged in spinning, weaving and embroidery,
when an attendant announced the arrival at the palace
of the Scarecrow.
This personage was one of the most famous and
popular in all the Land of Oz. His body was merely a
suit of Munchkin clothes stuffed with straw, but his
head was a round sack filled with bran, with which
the Wizard of Oz had mixed some magic brains of a
very superior sort. The eyes, nose and mouth of the
Scarecrow were painted upon the front of the sack,
as were his ears, and since this quaint being had been
endowed with life, the expression of his face was
very interesting, if somewhat comical.
The Scarecrow was good all through, even to his
brains, and while he was naturally awkward in his
movements and lacked the neat symmetry of other
people, his disposition was so kind and considerate
and he was so obliging and honest, that all who knew
him loved him, and there were few people in Oz who
had not met our Scarecrow and made his acquaintance.
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He lived part of the time in Ozma's palace at the
Emerald City, part of the time in his own corncob
castle in the Winkie Country, and part of the time
he traveled over all Oz, visiting with the people and
playing with the children, whom he dearly loved.
It was on one of his wandering journeys that the
Scarecrow had arrived at Glinda's palace, and the
Sorceress at once made him welcome. As he sat
beside her, talking of his adventures, he asked:
"What's new in the way of news?"
Glinda opened her Great Book of Records and read
some of the last pages.
"Here is an item quite curious and interesting,"
she announced, an accent of surprise in her voice.
" Three people from the big Outside World have
arrived in Jinxland."
"Where is Jinxland?' inquired the Scarecrow.
" Very near here, a little to the east of us," she said.
" In fact, Jinxland is a little slice taken off the
Quadling Country, but separated from it by a range of
high mountains, at the foot of which lies a wide, deep
gulf that is supposed to be impassable."
"Then Jinxland is really a part of the Land of
Oz," said he.
" Yes," returned Glinda, " but Oz people know noth-
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The Scarecrow of Oz
ing of it, except what is recorded here in my book."
"What does the Book say about it?' asked the
Scarecrow.
" It is ruled by a wicked man called King Krewl,
although he has no right to the title. Most of the
people are good, but they are very timid and live in
constant fear of their fierce ruler. There are also
several Wicked Witches who keep the inhabitants of
Jinxland in a state of terror."
"Do those witches have any magical powers?'
inquired the Scarecrow.
"Yes, they seem to understand witchcraft in its
most evil form, for one of them has just transformed
a respectable and honest old sailor — one of the
strangers who arrived there- -into a grasshopper.
This same witch, Blinkie by name, is also planning
to freeze the heart of a beautiful Jinxland girl named
Princess Gloria."
"Why, that's a dreadful thing to do!' exclaimed
the Scarecrow.
Glinda's face was very grave. She read in her book
how Trot and Button-Bright were turned out of the
King's castle, and how they found refuge in the hut
of Pon, the gardener's boy.
" I'm afraid those helpless earth people will endure
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Chapter Thirteen
much suffering in Jinxland, even if the wicked King
and the witches permit them to live," said the good
Sorceress, thoughtfully. " I wish I might help them."
"Can I do anything?' asked the Scarecrow,
anxiously. " If so, tell me what to do, and Til do it."
For a few moments Glinda did not reply, but sat
musing over the records. Then she said: "I am
going to send you to Jinxland, to protect Trot and
Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill."
"All right," answered the Scarecrow in a cheerful
voice. "I know Button-Bright already, for he has
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The Scarecrow of Oz
been in the Land of Oz before. You remember he
went away from the Land of Oz in one of our Wizard's
big bubbles."
" Yes," said Glinda, " I remember that." Then she
carefully instructed the Scarecrow what to do and
gave him certain magical things which he placed in
the pockets of his ragged Munchkin coat.
" As you have no need to sleep," said she, " you may
as well start at once."
" The night is the same as day to me," he replied,
" except that I cannot see my way so well in the dark."
" I will furnish a light to guide you," promised the
Sorceress.
So the Scarecrow bade her good-bye and at once
started on his journey. By morning he had reached
the mountains that separated the Quadling Country
from Jinxland. The sides of these mountains were
too steep to climb, but the Scarecrow took a small rope
from his pocket and tossed one end upward, into the
air. The rope unwound itself for hundreds of feet,
until it caught upon a peak of rock at the very top of
a mountain, for it was a magic rope furnished him by
Glinda. The Scarecrow climbed the rope and, after
pulling it up, let it down on the other side of the
mountain range. When he descended the rope on this
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The Scarecrow of Oz
side he found himself in Jinxland, but at his feet
yawned the Great Gulf, which must be crossed before
he could proceed any farther.
The Scarecrow knelt down and examined the
ground carefully, and in a moment he discovered a
fuzzy brown spider that had rolled itself into a ball.
So he took two tiny pills from his pocket and laid
them beside the spider, which unrolled itself and
quickly ate up the pills. Then the Scarecrow said in
a voice of command:
" Spin! " and the spider obeyed instantly.
In a few moments the little creature had spun two
slender but strong strands that reached way across the
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Chapter Thirteen
gulf, one being five or six feet above the other. When
these were completed the Scarecrow started across the
tiny bridge, walking upon one strand as a person
walks upon a rope, and holding to the upper strand
with his hands to prevent him from losing his balance
and toppling over into the gulf. The tiny threads held
him safely, thanks to the strength given them by the
magic pills.
Presently he was safe across and standing on the
plains of Jinxland. Far away he could see the towers
of the King's castle and toward this he at once began
to walk.
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CHAPTER 14
The Frozen Heart
In the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy, Button-
Bright was the first to waken in the morning. Leaving
his companions still asleep, he went out into the fresh
morning air and saw some blackberries growing on
bushes in a field not far away. Going to the bushes
he found the berries ripe and sweet, so he began eating
them. More bushes were scattered over the fields, so
the boy wandered on, from bush to bush, without
paying any heed to where he was wandering. Then a
butterfly fluttered by. He gave chase to it and fol-
lowed it a long way. When finally he paused to look
around him, Button-Bright could see no sign of Pon's
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house, nor had he the slightest idea in which direction
it lay.
" Well, I'm lost again," he remarked to himself.
" But never mind; I've been lost lots of times. Some-
one is sure to find me."
Trot was a little worried about Button-Bright when
she awoke and found him gone. Knowing how care-
less he was, she believed that he had strayed away,
but felt that he would come back in time, because he
had a habit of not staying lost. Pon got the little girl
some food for her breakfast and then together they
went out of the hut and stood in the sunshine.
Pon's house was some distance off the road, but
they could see it from where they stood and both
gave a start of surprise when they discovered two
soldiers walking along the roadway and escorting
Princess Gloria between them. The poor girl had her
hands bound together, to prevent her from struggling,
and the soldiers rudely dragged her forward when her
steps seemed to lag.
Behind this group came King Krewl, wearing his
jeweled crown and swinging in his hand a slender
golden staff with a ball of clustered gems at one end.
"Where are they going?'' asked Trot.
" To the house of the Wicked Witch, I fear," Pon
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The Scarecrow of Oz
replied. " Come, let us follow them, for I am sure
they intend to harm my dear Gloria."
"Won't they see usT she asked timidly.
"We won't let them. I know a short cut through
the trees to Blinkie's house," said he.
So they hurried away through the trees and reached
the house of the witch ahead of the King and his
soldiers. Hiding themselves in the shrubbery, they
watched the approach of poor Gloria and her escort,
all of whom passed so near to them that Pon could
have put out a hand and touched his sweetheart, had
he dared to.
Blinkie's house had eight sides, with a door and a
window in each side. Smoke was coming out of the
chimney and as the guards brought Gloria to one of
the doors it was opened by the old witch in person.
She chuckled with evil glee and rubbed her skinny
hands together to show the delight with which she
greeted her victim, for Blinkie was pleased to be able
to perform her wicked rites on one so fair and sweet
as the Princess.
Gloria struggled to resist when they bade her enter
the house, so the soldiers forced her through the
doorway and even the King gave her a shove as he
followed close behind. Pon was so incensed at the
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cruelty shown Gloria that he forgot all caution and
rushed forward to enter the house also; but one of the
soldiers prevented him, pushing the gardener's boy
away with violence and slamming the door in his
face.
" Never mind," said Trot soothingly, as Pon rose
from where he had fallen. "You couldn't do much
to help the poor Princess if you were inside. How
unfortunate it is that you are in love with her! "
" True," he answered sadly, " it is indeed my mis-
fortune. If I did not love her, it would be none of my
business what the King did to his niece Gloria; but
the unlucky circumstance of my loving her makes it
my duty to defend her."
" I don't see how you can, duty or no duty," observed
Trot.
" No ; I am powerless, for they are stronger than I.
But we might peek in through the window and see
what they are doing."
Trot was somewhat curious, too, so they crept up
to one of the windows and looked in, and it so
happened that those inside the witch's house were so
busy they did not notice that Pon and Trot were
watching them.
Gloria had been tied to a stout post in the center of
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The Scarecrow of Oz
the room and the King was giving the Wicked Witch
a quantity of money and jewels, which Googly-Goo
had provided in payment. When this had been done
the King said to her:
"Are you perfectly sure you can freeze this
maiden's heart, so that she will no longer love that
low gardener's boy?'
" Sure as witchcraft, your Majesty," the creature
replied.
" Then get to work," said the King. " There may be
some unpleasant features about the ceremony thai
would annoy me, so I'll bid you good day and leave
you to carry out your contract. One word, however:
If you fail, I shall burn you at the stake!' Then he
beckoned to his soldiers to follow him, and throwing
wide the door of the house walked out.
This action was so sudden that King Krewl almost
caught Trot and Pon eavesdropping, but they man-
aged to run around the house before he saw them.
Away he marched, up the road, followed by his men,
heartlessly leaving Gloria to the mercies of old
Blinkie.
When they again crept up to the window, Trot and
Pon saw Blinkie gloating over her victim. Although
nearly fainting from fear, the proud Princess gazed
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The Scarecrow of Oz
with haughty defiance into the face of the wicked
creature; but she was bound so tightly to the post
that she could do no more to express her loathing.
Pretty soon Blinkie went to a kettle that was swing-
ing by a chain over the fire and tossed into it several
magical compounds. The kettle gave three flashes,
and at every flash another witch appeared in the room.
These hags were very ugly but when one-eyed
Blinkie whispered her orders to them they grinned
with joy as they began dancing around Gloria. First
one and then another cast something into the kettle,
when to the astonishment of the watchers at the
window all three of the old women were instantly
transformed into maidens of exquisite beauty, dressed
in the daintiest costumes imaginable. Only their eyes
could not be disguised, and an evil glare still shone in
their depths. But if the eyes were cast down or
hidden, one could not help but admire these beautiful
creatures, even with the knowledge that they were
mere illusions of witchcraft.
Trot certainly admired them, for she had never seen
anything so dainty and bewitching, but her attention
was quickly drawn to their deeds instead of their
persons, and then horror replaced admiration.
Into the kettle old Blinkie poured another mess
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from a big brass bottle she took from a chest, and this
made the kettle begin to bubble and smoke violently.
One by one the beautiful witches approached to stir
the contents of the kettle and to mutter a magic
charm. Their movements were graceful and rhythmic
and the Wicked Witch who had called them to her
aid watched them with an evil grin upon her wrinkled
face.
Finally the incantation was complete. The kettle
ceased bubbling and together the witches lifted it
from the fire. Then Blinkie brought a wooden ladle
and filled it from the contents of the kettle. Going
with the spoon to Princess Gloria she cried:
" Love no more! Magic art
Now will freeze your mortal heart! "
With this she dashed the contents of the ladle full
upon Gloria's breast.
Trot saw the body of the Princess become trans-
parent, so that her beating heart showed plainly. But
now the heart turned from a vivid red to gray, and
then to white. A layer of frost formed about it and
tiny icicles clung to its surface. Then slowly the
body of the girl became visible again and the heart
was hidden from view. Gloria seemed to have fainted,
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The Scarecrow of Oz
but now she recovered and, opening her beautiful eyes,
stared coldly and without emotion at the group of
witches confronting her.
Blinkie and the others knew by that one cold look
that their charm had been successful. They burst into
a chorus of wild laughter and the three beautiful ones
began dancing again, while Blinkie unbound the
Princess and set her free.
Trot rubbed her eyes to prove that she was wide
awake and seeing clearly, for her astonishment was
great when the three lovely maidens turned into ugly,
crooked hags again, leaning on broomsticks and canes.
They jeered at Gloria, but the Princess regarded them
with cold disdain. Being now free, she walked to a
door, opened it and passed out. And the witches let
her go.
Trot and Pon had been so intent upon this scene
that in their eagerness they had pressed quite hard
against the window. Just as Gloria went out of the
house the window-sash broke loose from its fastenings
and fell with a crash into the room. The witches
uttered a chorus of screams and then, seeing that their
magical incantation had been observed, they rushed
for the open window with uplifted broomsticks and
canes. But Pon was off like the wind, and Trot
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The Scarecrow of Oz
followed at his heels. Fear lent them strength to run,
to leap across ditches, to speed up the hills and to
vault the low fences as a deer would.
The band of witches had dashed through the window
in pursuit; but Blinkie was so old, and the others so
crooked and awkward, that they soon realized they
would be unable to overtake the fugitives. So the
three who had been summoned by the Wicked Witch
put their canes or broomsticks between their legs and
flew away through the air, quickly disappearing
against the blue sky. Blinkie, however, was so
enraged at Pon and Trot that she hobbled on in the
direction they had taken, fully determined to catch
them, in time, and to punish them terribly for spying
upon her witchcraft.
When Pon and Trot had run so far that they were
confident they had made good their escape, they sat
down near the edge of a forest to get their breath
again, for both were panting hard from their exer-
tions. Trot was the first to recover speech, and she
said to her companion:
"My! wasn't it tenable?"
" The most terrible thing I ever saw," Pon agreed.
"And they froze Gloria's heart; so now she can't
love you any more."
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Chapter Fourteen
" Well, they froze her heart, to be sure," admitted
Pon, " but I'm in hopes I can melt it with my love."
"Where do you s'pose Gloria is?' asked the girl,
after a pause.
" She left the witch's house just before we did.
Perhaps she has gone back to the King's castle," he
said.
" Pm pretty sure she started off in a different direc-
tion," declared Trot. " I looked over my shoulder, as
I ran, to see how close the witches were, and I'm sure
I saw Gloria walking slowly away toward the north."
" Then let us circle around that way," proposed Pon,
" and perhaps we shall meet her."
Trot agreed to this and they left the grove and
began to circle around toward the north, thus drawing
nearer and nearer to old Blinkie's house again. The
Wicked Witch did not suspect this change of direction,
so when she came to the grove she passed through
it and continued on.
Pon and Trot had reached a place less than half a
mile from the witch's house when they saw Gloria
walking toward them. The Princess moved with
great dignity and with no show of haste whatever,
holding her head high and looking neither to right
nor left.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
Pon rushed forward, holding out his arms as if to
embrace her and calling her sweet names. But Gloria
gazed upon him coldly and repelled him with a
haughty gesture. At this the poor gardener's boy
sank upon his knees and hid his face in his arms,
weeping bitter tears; but the Princess was not at all
moved by his distress. Passing him by, she drew her
skirts aside, as if unwilling they should touch him,
and then she walked up the path a way and hesitated,
as if uncertain where to go next.
Trot was grieved by Pon's sobs and indignant
because Gloria treated him so badly. But she remem-
bered why.
" I guess your heart is frozen, all right," she said
to the Princess. Gloria nodded gravely, in reply, and
then turned her back upon the little girl. " Can't you
like even me ? ' asked Trot, half pleadingly.
" No," said Gloria.
" Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator," sighed the
little girl. " I'm awful sorry for you, 'cause you were
sweet an' nice to me before this happened. You can't
help it, of course; but it's a dreadful thing, jus' the
same.'
" My heart is frozen to all mortal loves," announced
Gloria, calmly. " I do not love even myself."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
" That's too bad," said Trot, " for, if you can't love
anybody, you can't expect anybody to love you."
" I do! " cried Pon. " I shall always love her."
" Well, you're just a gardener's boy," replied Trot,
" and I didn't think you 'mounted to much, from the
first. I can love the old Princess Gloria, with a warm
heart an' nice manners, but this one gives me the
shivers."
" It's her icy heart, that's all," said Pon.
" That's enough," insisted Trot. " Seeing her heart
isn't big enough to skate on, I can't see that she's of
any use to anyone. For my part, I'm goin' to try to
find Button-Bright an' Cap'n Bill."
" I will go with you," decided Pon. " It is evident
that Gloria no longer loves me and that her heart
is frozen too stiff for me to melt it with my own love;
therefore I may as well help you to find your friends."
As Trot started off, Pon cast one more imploring
look at the Princess, who returned it with a chill}7
stare. So he followed after the little girl.
As for the Princess, she hesitated a moment and
then turned in the same direction the others had
taken, but going far more slowly. Soon she heard
footsteps pattering behind her, and up came Googly-
Goo. a little out of breath with running.
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Chapter Fourteen
" Stop, Gloria! " he cried. " I have come to take you
back to my mansion, where we are to be married."
She looked at him wonderingly a moment, then
tossed her head disdainfully and walked on. But
Googly-Goo kept beside her.
"What does this mean?' he demanded. "Haven't
you discovered that you no longer love that gardener's
boy, who stood in my way?'
" Yes; I have discovered it," she replied. " My heart
is frozen to all mortal loves. I cannot love you, or
Pon, or the cruel King my uncle, or even myself. Go
your way, Googly-Goo, for I will wed no one at all."
He stopped in dismay when he heard this, but in
another minute he exclaimed angrily:
"You must wed me, Princess Gloria, whether you
want to or not! I paid to have your heart frozen; I
also paid the King to permit our marriage. If you
now refuse me it will mean that I have been robbed —
robbed — robbed of my precious money and jewels!'
He almost wept with despair, but she laughed a
cold, bitter laugh and passed on. Googly-Goo caught
at her arm, as if to restrain her, but she whirled and
dealt him a blow that sent him reeling into a ditch
beside the path. Here he lay for a long time, half
covered by muddy water, dazed with surprise.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
Finally the old courtier arose, dripping, and climbed
from the ditch. The Princess had gone; so, muttering
threats of vengeance upon her, upon the King and
upon Blinkie, old Groogly-Goo hobbled back to his
mansion to have the mud removed from his costly
velvet clothes.
WBai
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CHAPTER 15
Trot Meets the Scarecrow
Trot and Pon covered many leagues of ground,
searching through forests, in fields and in many of the
little villages of Jinxland, but could find no trace of
either Cap'n Bill or Button-Bright. Finally they
paused beside a cornfield and sat upon a stile to rest.
Pon took some apples from his pocket and gave one
to Trot. Then he began eating another himself, for
this was their time for luncheon. When his apple was
finished Pon tossed the core into the field.
" Tchuk-tchuk! " said a strange voice. "What do
you mean by hitting me in the eye with an
apple-core?'
195
The Scarecrow of Oz
Then rose up the form of the Scarecrow, who had
hidden himself in the cornfield while he examined
Pon and Trot and decided whether they were worthy
to be helped.
" Excuse me," said Pon. " I didn't know you were
there."
" How did you happen to be there, anyhow? " asked
Trot.
The Scarecrow came forward with awkward steps
and stood beside them.
"Ah, you are the gardener's boy," he said to Pon.
Then he turned to Trot. "And you are the little
girl who came to Jinxland riding on a big bird, and
who has had the misfortune to lose her friend, Cap'n
Bill, and her chum, Button-Bright."
" Why, how did you know all that? " she inquired.
"I know a lot of things," replied the Scarecrow,
winking at her comically. " My brains are the Care-
fully-Assorted, Double-Distilled, High-Efficiency sort
that the Wizard of Oz makes. He admits, himself,
that my brains are the best he ever manufactured."
"I think I've heard of you," said Trot slowly, as
she looked the Scarecrow over with much interest;
" but you used to live in the Land of Oz."
" Oh, I do now," he replied cheerfully. " I've just
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Chapter Fifteen
come over the mountains from the Quadling Country
to see if I can be of any help to you."
" Who, me? " asked Pon.
"No, the strangers from the big world. It seems
they need looking after."
" I'm doing that myself," said Pon, a little ungraci-
ously. " If you will pardon me for saying so, I don't
see how a Scarecrow with painted eyes can look after
anyone."
" If you don't see that, you are more blind than the
Scarecrow," asserted Trot. "He's a fairy man, Pon,
and comes from the fairyland of Oz, so he can do 'most
anything. I hope," she added, turning to the Scare-
crow, " you can find Cap'n Bill for me."
" I will try, anyhow," he promised. " But who is
that old woman who is running toward us and shaking
her stick at us?'
Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an
exclamation of fear. The next instant they took to
their heels and ran fast up the path. For it was old
Blinkie, the Wicked Witch, who had at last traced
them to this place. Her anger was so great that she
was determined not to abandon the chase of Pon and
Trot until she had caught and punished them.
The Scarecrow understood at once that the old
197
The Scarecrow of Oz
woman meant harm to his new friends, so as she drew
near he stepped before her. His appearance was so
sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him
and toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw
body and went rolling in the path beside him.
The Scarecrow sat up and said: "I beg your par-
don! " but she whacked him with her stick and
knocked him flat again. Then, furious with rage, the
old witch sprang upon her victim and began pulling
the straw out of his body. The poor Scarecrow was
helpless to resist and in a few moments all that was
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Chapter Fifteen
left of him was an empty suit of clothes and a heap of
straw beside it. Fortunately, Blinkie did not harm
his head, for it rolled into a little hollow and escaped
her notice. Fearing that Pon and Trot would escape
her, she quickly resumed the chase and disappeared
over the brow of a hill, following the direction in
which she had seen them go.
Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper
with a wooden leg came hopping along and lit directly
on the upturned face of the Scarecrow's head.
" Pardon me, but you are resting yourself upon my
nose," remarked the Scarecrow.
" Oh! are you alive? " asked the grasshopper.
" That is a question I have never been able to
decide," said the Scarecrow's head. " When my body
is properly stuffed I have animation and can move
around as well as any live person. The brains in the
head you are now occupying as a throne, are of very
superior quality and do a lot of very clever thinking.
But whether that is being alive, or not, I cannot prove
to you; for one who lives is liable to death, while I am
only liable to destruction."
" Seems to me," said the grasshopper, rubbing his
nose with his front legs, " that in your case it doesn't
matter — unless you're destroyed already."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
"I am not; all I need is re-stuffing," declared the
Scarecrow; "and if Pon and Trot escape the witch,
and come back here, I am sure they will do me that
favor."
"Tell me! Are Trot and Pon around here?"
inquired the grasshopper, its small voice trembling
with excitement.
The Scarecrow did not answer at once, for both his
eyes were staring straight upward at a beautiful face
that was slightly bent over his head. It was, indeed,
Princess Gloria, who had wandered to this spot, very
much surprised when she heard the Scarecrow's head
talk and the tiny gray grasshopper answer it.
"This," said the Scarecrow, still staring at her,
" must be the Princess who loves Pon, the gardener's
boy."
" Oh, indeed! " exclaimed the grasshopper — who of
course was Cap'n Bill — as he examined the young
lady curiously.
" No," said Gloria frigidly, " I do not love Pon, or
anyone else, for the Wicked Witch has frozen my
heart/
"What a shame!" cried the Scarecrow. "One so
lovely should be able to love. But would you mind,
my dear, stuffing that straw into my body again? '
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Chapter Fifteen
The dainty Princess glanced at the straw and at
the well-worn blue Munchkin clothes and shrank back
in disdain. But she was spared from refusing the
Scarecrow's request by the appearance of Trot and
Pon, who had hidden in some bushes just over the
brow of the hill and waited until old Blinkie had
passed them by. Their hiding place was on the same
side as the witch's blind eye, and she rushed on in the
chase of the girl and the youth without being aware
that they had tricked her.
Trot was shocked at the Scarecrow's sad condition
and at once began putting the straw back into his
body. Pon, at sight of Gloria, again appealed to her
201
The Scarecrow of Oz
to take pity on him, but the frozen-hearted Princess
turned coldly away and with a sigh the gardener's
boy began to assist Trot.
Neither of them at first noticed the small grass-
hopper, which at their appearance had skipped off the
Scarecrow's nose and was now clinging to a wisp of
grass beside the path, where he was not likely to be
stepped upon. Not until the Scarecrow had been
neatly restuffed and set upon his feet again — when
he bowed to his restorers and expressed his thanks —
did the grasshopper move from his perch. Then he
leaped lightly into the path and called out:
"Trot — Trot! Look at me. I'm Cap'n Bill! See
what the Wicked Witch has done to me."
The voice was small, to be sure, but it reached Trot's
ears and startled her greatly. She looked intently at
the grasshopper, her eyes wide with fear at first; then
she knelt down and, noticing the wooden leg, she
began to weep sorrowfully.
"Oh, Cap'n Bill — dear Cap'n Bill! What a cruel
thing to do!'' she sobbed.
"Don't cry, Trot," begged the grasshopper. "It
didn't hurt any, and it doesn't hurt now. But it's
mighty inconvenient an' humiliatin', to say the least."
"I wish," said the girl indignantly, while trying
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Chapter Fifteen
hard to restrain her tears, " that I was big 'nough an'
strong 'nough to give that horrid witch a good beating.
She ought to be turned into a toad for doing this to
you, Cap'n Bill!"
" Never mind," urged the Scarecrow, in a comfort-
ing voice, " such a transformation doesn't last always,
and as a general thing there's some way to break the
enchantment. I'm sure Glinda could do it, in a jiffy."
" Who is Glinda? " inquired Cap'n Bill.
Then the Scarecrow told them all about Glinda, not
forgetting to mention her beauty and goodness and
her wonderful powers of magic. He also explained
how the Royal Sorceress had sent him to Jinxland
especially to help the strangers, whom she knew to be
in danger because of the wiles of the cruel King and
the Wicked Witch.
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CHAPTER 16
Pon Summons the King to Surrender
Gloria had drawn near to the group to listen to their
talk, and it seemed to interest her in spite of her frigid
manner. They knew, of course, that the poor Princess
could not help being cold and reserved, so they tried
not to blame her.
" I ought to have come here a little sooner," said the
Scarecrow, regretfully; "but Glinda sent me as soon
as she discovered you were here and were likely to get
into trouble. And now that we are all together —
except Button-Bright, over whom it is useless to
worry — I propose we hold a council of war, to decide
what is best to be done."
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Chapter Sixteen
That seemed a wise thing to do, so they all sat down
upon the grass, including Gloria, and the grasshopper
perched upon Trot's shoulder and allowed her to
stroke him gently with her hand.
" In the first place," began the Scarecrow, " this
King Krewl is a usurper and has no right to rule
this Kingdom of Jinxland."
" That is true," said Pon, eagerly. " My father was
King before him, and I — "
" You are a gardener's boy," interrupted the Scare-
crow. " Your father had no right to rule, either, for
the rightful King of this land was the father of
Princess Gloria, and only she is entitled to sit upon
the throne of Jinxland."
" Good! " exclaimed Trot. " But what'll we do with
King Krewl? I s'pose he won't give up the throne
unless he has to."
" No, of course not," said the Scarecrow. " There-
fore it will be our duty to make him give up the
throne."
"How?" asked Trot.
" Give me time to think," was the reply. " That',*
what my brains are for. I don't know whether you
people ever think, or not, but my brains are the best
that the Wizard of Oz ever turned out, and if I give
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The Scarecrow of Oz
them plenty of time to work, the result usually sur-
prises me."
" Take your time, then," suggested Trot. " There's
no hurry."
" Thank you," said the straw man, and sat perfectly
still for half an hour. During this interval the grass-
hopper whispered in Trot's ear, to which he was very
close, and Trot whispered back to the grasshopper
sitting upon her shoulder. Pon cast loving glances at
Gloria, who paid not the slightest heed to them.
Finally the Scarecrow laughed aloud.
"Brains working?'1 inquired Trot.
"Yes. They seem in fine order to-day. We will
conquer King Krewl and put Gloria upon his throne
as Queen of Jinxland."
"Fine!' cried the little girl, clapping her hands
together gleefully. " But how? "
" Leave the how to me," said the Scarecrow proudly.
" As a conqueror I'm a wonder. We will, first of all,
write a message to send to King Krewl, asking him to
surrender. If he refuses, then we will make him
surrender."
"Why ask him. when we know he'll refuse?'
inquired Pon.
"Why, we must be polite, whatever we do,"
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Chapter Sixteen
explained the Scarecrow. " It would be very rude to
conquer a King without proper notice."
They found it difficult to write a message without
paper, pen and ink, none of which was at hand; so i
was decided to send Pon as a messenger, with instruc-
tions to ask the King, politely but firmly, to surrender.
Pon was not anxious to be the messenger. Indeed,
he hinted that it might prove a dangerous mission.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
But the Scarecrow was now the acknowledged head
of the Army of Conquest, and he would listen to no
refusal. So off Pon started for the King's castle, and
the others accompanied him as far as his hut, where
they had decided to await the gardener's boy's return.
I think it was because Pon had known the Scare-
crow such a short time that he lacked confidence in
the straw man's wisdom. It was easy to say: " We
will conquer King Krewl," but when Pon drew near
to the great castle he began to doubt the ability of a
straw-stuffed man, a girl, a grasshopper and a frozen-
hearted Princess to do it. As for himself, he had
never thought of defying the King before.
That was why the gardener's boy was not very bold
when he entered the castle and passed through to the
enclosed court where the King was just then seated,
with his favorite courtiers around him. None pre-
vented Pon's entrance, because he was known to be
the gardener's boy, but when the King saw him he
began to frown fiercely. He considered Pon to be to
blame for all his trouble with Princess Gloria, who
since her heart had been frozen had escaped to some
unknown place, instead of returning to the castle to
wed Googly-Goo, as she had been expected to do. So
the King bared his teeth angrily as he demanded:
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The Scarecrow of Oz
"What have you done with Princess Gloria?"
" Nothing, your Majesty! I have done nothing at
all," answered Pon in a faltering voice. " She does
not love me any more and even refuses to speak to
me.'
"Then why are you here, you rascal?' roared the
King.
Pon looked first one way and then another, but saw
9>
no means of escape; so he plucked up courage.
" I am here to summon your Majesty to surrender."
"What!" shouted the King. "Surrender? Sur-
render to whom? '
Pon's heart sank to his boots.
" To the Scarecrow," he replied.
Some of the courtiers began to titter, but King
Krewl was greatly annoyed. He sprang up and began
to beat poor Pon with the golden staff he carried. Pon
howled lustily and would have run away had not two
of the soldiers held him until his Majesty was
exhausted with punishing the boy. Then they let him
go and he left the castle and returned along the road,
sobbing at every step because his body was so sore
and aching.
"Well/' said the Scarecrow, "did the King
surrender or'
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Chapter Sixteen
"No; but he gave me a good drubbing!' sobbed
poor Pon.
Trot was very sorry for Pon, but Gloria did not
seem affected in any way by her lover's anguish. The
grasshopper leaped to the Scarecrow's shoulder and
asked him what he was going to do next.
" Conquer," was the reply. " But I will go alone,
this time, for beatings cannot hurt me at all; nor can
lance thrusts — or sword cuts — or arrow pricks."
" Why is that? " inquired Trot.
" Because I have no nerves, such as you meat people
possess. Even grasshoppers have nerves, but straw
doesn't; so whatever they do --except just one thing
— they cannot injure me. Therefore I expect to con-
quer King Krewl with ease."
" What is that one thing you excepted? " asked Trot.
" They will never think of it, so never mind. And
now, if you will kindly excuse me for a time, I'll go
over to the castle and do my conquering."
" You have no weapons," Pon reminded him.
" True," said the Scarecrow. " But if I carried
weapons I might injure someone — perhaps seriously
— and that would make me unhappy. I will just
borrow that riding-whip, which I see in the corner of
your hut, if you don't mind. It isn't exactly proper
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The Scarecrow of Oz
to walk with a riding-whip, but I trust you will
excuse the inconsistency."
Pon handed him the whip and the Scarecrow bowed
to all the party and left the hut, proceeding leisurely
along the way to the King's castle.
CHAPTER 17
The Ork Rescues Button -Bright
I must now tell you what had become of Button-
Bright since he wandered away in the morning and
got lost. This small boy, as perhaps you have
discovered, was almost as destitute of nerves as the
Scarecrow. Nothing ever astonished him much;
nothing ever worried him or made him unhappy.
Good fortune or bad fortune he accepted with a quiet
smile, never complaining, whatever happened. This
was one reason why Button-Bright was a favorite
with all who knew him — and perhaps it was the
reason why he so often got into difficulties, or found
himself lost.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
To-day, as he wandered here and there, over hill
and down dale, he missed Trot and Cap'n Bill, of
whom he was fond, but nevertheless he was not
unhappy. The birds sang merrily and the wildflowers
were beautiful and the breeze had a fragrance of
new-mown hay.
" The only bad thing about this country is its King,"
he reflected; " but the country isn't to blame for that."
A prairie-dog stuck its round head out of a mound
of earth and looked at the boy with bright eyes.
" Walk around my house, please," it said, " and then
you won't harm it or disturb the babies."
" All right," answered Button-Bright, and took care
not to step on the mound. He went on, whistling
merrily, until a petulant voice cried:
" Oh, stop it! Please stop that noise. It gets on my
nerves.'
Button-Bright saw an old gray owl sitting in the
crotch of a tree, and he replied with a laugh: " All
right, old Fussy," and stopped whistling until he had
passed out of the owl's hearing. At noon he came to
a farmhouse where an aged couple lived. They gave
him a good dinner and treated him kindly, but the
man was deaf and the woman was dumb, so they
could answer no questions to guide him on the way
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Chapter Seventeen
to Port's house. When he left them he was just as
much lost as he had been before.
Every grove of trees he saw from a distance he
visited, for he remembered that the King's castle was
near a grove of trees and Pon's hut was near the
King's castle; but always he met with disappointment.
Finally, passing through one of these groves, he came
out into the open and found himself face to face with
the Ork.
"Hello!" said Button-Bright. "Where did you
come from? "
215
The Scarecrow of Oz
"From Orkland," was the reply. "I've found my
own country, at last, and it is not far from here,
either. I would have come back to you sooner, to
see how you are getting along, had not my family and
friends welcomed my return so royally that a great
celebration was held in my honor. So I couldn't very
well leave Orkland again until the excitement was
over."
" Can you find your way back home again? '' asked
the boy.
"Yes, easily; for now I know exactly where it is.
But where are Trot and Cap'n Bill?"
Button-Bright related to the Ork their adventures
since it had left them in Jinxland, telling of Trot's
fear that the King had done something wicked to
Cap'n Bill, and of Pon's love for Gloria, and how Trot
and Button-Bright had been turned out of the King's
castle. That was all the news that the boy had, but it
made the Ork anxious for the safety of his friends.
" We must go to them at once, for they may need
us," he said.
"I don't know where to go," confessed Button-
Bright. "I'm lost."
"Well, I can take you back to the hut of the
gardener's boy," promised the Ork, "for when I fly
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Chapter Seventeen
high in the air I can look down and easily spy the
King's castle. That was how I happened to spy you,
just entering the grove; so I flew down and waited
until you came out."
" How can you carry me? " asked the boy.
"You'll have to sit straddle my shoulders and put
your arms around my neck. Do you think you can
keep from falling off? "
" Til try," said Button-Bright. So the Ork squatted
down and the boy took his seat and held on tight.
Then the skinny creature's tail began whirling and
up they went, far above all the tree-tops.
After the Ork had circled around once or twice, its
sharp eyes located the towers of the castle and away it
flew, straight toward the place. As it hovered in the
air, near by the castle, Button-Bright pointed out
Pon's hut, so they landed just before it and Trot came
running out to greet them.
Gloria was introduced to the Ork, who was surprised
to find Cap'n Bill transformed into a grasshopper.
" How do you like it? " asked the creature.
" Why, it worries me a good deal," answered Cap'n
Bill, perched upon Trot's shoulder. "I'm always
afraid o' bein' stepped on, and I don't like the flavor
of grass an' can't seem to get used to it. It's my nature
217
The Scarecrow of Oz
to eat grass, you know, but I begin to suspect it's an
acquired taste."
"Can you give molasses?" asked the Ork.
"I guess I'm not that kind of a grasshopper,"
replied Cap'n Bill. " But I can't say what I might do
if I was squeezed — which I hope I won't be."
" Well," said the Ork, " it's a great pity, and I'd like
to meet that cruel King and his Wicked Witch and
punish them both severely. You're awfully small,
Cap'n Bill, but I think I would recognize you any-
where by your wooden leg."
Then the Ork and Button-Bright were told all about
Gloria's frozen heart and how the Scarecrow had
come from the Land of Oz to help them. The Ork
seemed rather disturbed when it learned that the
Scarecrow had gone alone to conquer King Krewl.
" I'm afraid he'll make a fizzle of it," said the
skinny creature, " and there's no telling what that
terrible King might do to the poor Scarecrow, who
seems like a very interesting person. So I believe I'll
take a hand in this conquest myself."
"How? "asked Trot.
" Wait and see," was the reply. " But, first of all,
I must fly home again — back to my own country — so
if you'll forgive my leaving you so soon, I'll be off at
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Chapter Seventeen
once. Stand away from my tail, please, so that the
wind from it, when it revolves, won't knock you
over."
They gave the creature plenty of room and away it
went like a flash and soon disappeared in the sky.
" I wonder," said Button-Bright, looking solemnly
after the Ork, " whether he'll ever come back again."
"Of course he will!" returned Trot. "The Ork's
a pretty good fellow, and we can depend on him. An'
mark my words, Button-Bright, whenever our Ork
does come back, there's one cruel King in Jinxland
that'll wish he hadn't."
219
CHAPTER 18
The Scarecrow Meets an Enemy
The Scarecrow was not a bit afraid of King Krewl.
Indeed, he rather enjoyed the prospect of conquering
the evil King and putting Gloria on the throne of
Jinxland in his place. So he advanced boldly to the
royal castle and demanded admittance.
Seeing that he was a stranger, the soldiers allowed
him to enter. He made his way straight to the
throne room, where at that time his Majesty was
settling the disputes among his subjects.
" Who are you? " demanded the King.
"I'm the Scarecrow of Oz, and I command you to
surrender yourself my prisoner."
220
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Why should I do that ? ' ' inquired the King, much
astonished at the straw man's audacity.
" Because I've decided you are too cruel a King to
rule so beautiful a country. You must remember that
Jinxland is a part of Oz, and therefore you owe
allegiance to Ozma of Oz, whose friend and servant
I am."
Now, when he heard this, King Krewl was much
disturbed in mind, for he knew the Scarecrow spoke
the truth. But no one had ever before come to Jinx-
land from the Land of Oz and the King did not intend
to be put out of his throne if he could help it. There-
fore he gave a harsh, wicked laugh of derision and
said:
" I'm busy, now. Stand out of my way, Scarecrow,
and I'll talk with you by and by."
But the Scarecrow turned to the assembled courtiers
and people and called in a loud voice:
" I hereby declare, in the name of Ozma of Oz, that
this man is no longer ruler of Jinxland. From this
moment Princess Gloria is your rightful Queen, and
I ask all of you to be loyal to her and to obey her
commands."
The people looked fearfully at the King, whom they
all hated in their hearts, but likewise feared. Krewl
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Chapter Eighteen
was now in a terrible rage and he raised his golden
sceptre and struck the Scarecrow so heavy a blow that
he fell to the floor.
But he was up again, in an instant, and with Pon's
riding-whip he switched the King so hard that the
wicked monarch roared with pain as much as with
rage, calling on his soldiers to capture the Scarecrow.
They tried to do that, and thrust their lances and
swords into the straw body, but without doing any
damage except to make holes in the Scarecrow's
clothes. However, they were many against one and
finally old Googly-Goo brought a rope which he wound
around the Scarecrow, binding his legs together and
his arms to his sides, and after that the fight was over.
The King stormed and danced around in a dreadful
fury, for he had never been so switched since he was a
boy — and perhaps not then. He ordered the Scare-
crow thrust into the castle prison, which was no task
at all because one man could carry him easily, bound
as he was.
Even after the prisoner was removed the King
could not control his anger. He tried to figure out
some way to be revenged upon the straw man, but
could think of nothing that could hurt him.
At last, when the terrified people and the frightened
223
The Scarecrow of Oz
courtiers had all slunk away, old Googly-Goo
approached the king with a malicious grin upon his
face.
" I'll tell you what to do," said he. " Build a big
bonfire and burn the Scarecrow up, and that will be
the end of him."
The King was so delighted with this suggestion
that he hugged old Googly-Goo in his joy.
" Of course! " he cried. " The very thing. Why did
I not think of it my self?"
So he summoned his soldiers and retainers and bade
them prepare a great bonfire in an open space in the
castle park. Also he sent word to all his people to
assemble and witness the destruction of the Scarecrow
who had dared to defy his power. Before long a vast
throng gathered in the park and the servants had
heaped up enough fuel to make a fire that might be
seen for miles away — - even in the daytime.
When all was prepared, the King had his throne
brought out for him to sit upon and enjoy the
spectacle, and then he sent his soldiers to fetch the
Scarecrow.
Now the one thing in all the world that the straw
man really feared was fire. He knew he would burn
very easily and that his ashes wouldn't amount to
224
The Scarecrow of Oz
much afterward. It wouldn't hurt him to be destroyed
in such a manner, but he realized that many people in
the Land of Oz, and especially Dorothy and the Royal
Ozma, would feel sad if they learned that their old
friend the Scarecrow was no longer in existence.
In spite of this, the straw man was brave and faced
his fiery fate like a hero. When they marched him
out before the concourse of people he turned to the
King with great calmness and said:
" This wicked deed will cost you your throne, as
well as much suffering, for my friends will avenge
my destruction."
" Your friends are not here, nor will they know
what I have done to you, when you are gone and can-
not tell them," answered the King in a scornful
voice.
Then he ordered the Scarecrow bound to a stout
stake that he had had driven into the ground, and the
materials for the fire were heaped all around him.
When this had been done, the King's brass band
struck up a lively tune and old Googly-Goo came for-
ward with a lighted match and set fire to the pile.
At once the flames shot up and crept closer and
closer toward the Scarecrow. The King and all his
people were so intent upon this terrible spectacle
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Chapter Eighteen
that none of them noticed how the sky grew suddenly
dark. Perhaps they thought that the loud buzzing
sound — -like the noise of a dozen moving railway
trains — came from the blazing fagots; that the rush
of wind was merely a breeze. But suddenly down
swept a flock of Orks, half a hundred of them at the
least, and the powerful currents of air caused by
their revolving tails sent the bonfire scattering in
every direction, so that not one burning brand ever
touched the Scarecrow.
But that was not the only effect of this sudden
tornado. King Krewl was blown out of his throne
and went tumbling heels over head until he landed
with a bump against the stone wall of his own castle,
and before he could rise a big Ork sat upon him and
held him pressed flat to the ground. Old Googly-Goo
shot up into the air like a rocket and landed on a
tree, where he hung by the middle on a high limb,
kicking the air with his feet and clawing the air with
his hands, and howling for mercy like the coward he
was.
The people pressed back until they were jammed
close together, while all the soldiers were knocked
over and sent sprawling to the earth. The excite-
ment was great for a few minutes, and every fright-
227
The Scarecrow of Oz
ened inhabitant of Jinxland looked with awe and
amazement at the great Orks whose descent had
served to rescue the Scarecrow and conquer King
Krewl at one and the same time.
The Ork, who was the leader of the band, soon had
the Scarecrow free of his bonds. Then he said: " Well,
we were just in time to save you, which is better than
being a minute too late. You are now the master
here, and we are determined to see your orders
obeyed."
With this the Ork picked up Krewl's golden crown,
which had fallen off his head, and placed it upon
the head of the Scarecrow, who in his awkward way
then shuffled over to the throne and sat down in it.
Seeing this, a rousing cheer broke from the crowd
of people, who tossed their hats and waved their
handkerchiefs and hailed the Scarecrow as their King.
The soldiers joined the people in the cheering, for
now they fully realized that their hated master was
conquered and it would be wise to show their good
will to the conqueror. Some of them bound Krewl
with ropes and dragged him forward, dumping his
body on the ground before the Scarecrow's throne.
Googly-Goo struggled until he finally slid off the
limb of the tree and came tumbling to the ground.
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Chapter Eighteen
He then tried to sneak away and escape, but the
soldiers seized and bound him beside Krewl.
" The tables are turned," said the Scarecrow, swell-
ing out his chest until the straw within it crackled
pleasantly, for he was highly pleased; "but it was
you and your people who did it, friend Ork, and from
this time you may count me your humble servant."
229
CHAPTER 19
The Conquest of the Witch
Now as soon as the conquest of King Krewl had
taken place, one of the Orks had been dispatched to
Pon's house with the joyful news. At once Gloria
and Pon and Trot and Button-Bright hastened toward
the castle. They were somewhat surprised by the
sight that met their eyes, for there was the Scarecrow,
crowned King, and all the people kneeling humbly
before him. So they likewise bowed low to the new
ruler and then stood beside the throne. Cap'n Bill, as
the gray grasshopper, was still perched upon Trot's
shoulder, but now he hopped to the shoulder of the
Scarecrow and whispered into the painted ear:
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Chapter Nineteen
" I thought Gloria was to be Queen of Jinxland."
The Scarecrow shook his head.
" Not yet," he answered. " No Queen with a frozen
heart is fit to rule any country." Then he turned
to his new friend, the Ork, who was strutting about,
very proud of what he had done, and said: " Do you
suppose you, or your followers, could find old Blinkie
the Witch?"
"Where is she?" asked the Ork.
" Somewhere in Jinxland, I'm sure."
" Then," said the Ork, " we shall certainly be able
to find her."
" It will give me great pleasure," declared the
Scarecrow. " When you have found her, bring her
here to me, and I will then decide what to do with
her."
The Ork called his followers together and spoke a
few words to them in a low tone. A moment after
they rose into the air- -so suddenly that the Scare-
crow, who was very light in weight, was blown quite
out of his throne and into the arms of Pon, who
replaced him carefully upon his seat. There was an
eddy of dust and ashes, too, and the grasshopper only
saved himself from being whirled into the crowd of
people by jumping into a tree, from where a series of
231
The Scarecrow of Oz
hops soon brought him back to Trot's shoulder again.
The Orks were quite out of sight by this time, so
the Scarecrow made a speech to the people and pre-
sented Gloria to them, whom they knew well already
and were fond of. But not all of them knew of her
frozen heart, and when the Scarecrow related the
story of the Wicked Witch's misdeeds, which had
been encouraged and paid for by Krewl and Googly-
Goo, the people were very indignant.
Meantime the fifty Orks had scattered all over Jinx-
land, which is not a very big country, and their sharp
eyes were peering into every valley and grove and
gully. Finally one of them spied a pair of heels
sticking out from underneath some bushes, and with
a shrill whistle to warn his comrades that the witch
was found the Ork flew down and dragged old Blinkie
from her hiding-place. Then two or three of the
Orks seized the clothing of the wicked woman in
their strong claws and, lifting her high in the air,
where she struggled and screamed to no avail, they
flew with her straight to the royal castle and set her
down before the throne of the Scarecrow.
" Good! ' exclaimed the straw man, nodding his
stuffed head with satisfaction. " Now we can proceed
to business. Mistress Witch, I am obliged to request,
232
The Scarecrow of Oz
gently but firmly, that you undo all the wrongs you
have done by means of your witchcraft."
" Pah! ' cried old Blinkie in a scornful voice. " I
defy you all! By my magic powers I can turn you
all into pigs, rooting in the mud, and I'll do it if
you are not careful."
" I think you are mistaken about that," said the
Scarecrow, and rising from his throne he walked with
wobbling steps to the side of the Wicked Witch.
" Before I left the Land of Oz, Glinda the Royal
Sorceress gave me a box, which I was not to open
except in an emergency. But I feel pretty sure that
this occasion is an emergency; don't you, Trot?' he
asked, turning toward the little girl.
" Why, we've got to do something" replied Trot
seriously. . " Things seem in an awful muddle here,
jus' now, and they'll be worse if we don't stop this
witch from doing more harm to people."
" That is my idea, exactly," said the Scarecrow, and
taking a small box from his pocket he opened the
cover and tossed the contents toward Blinkie.
The old woman shrank back, pale and trembling,
as a fine white dust settled all about her. Under its
influence she seemed to the eyes of all observers to
shrivel and grow smaller.
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Chapter Nineteen
"Oh, dear — oh, dear!' she wailed, wringing her
hands in fear. "Haven't you the antidote, Scare-
crow? Didn't the great Sorceress give you another
box?"
" She did," answered the Scarecrow.
"Then give it me- -quick!' pleaded the witch.
" Give it me — and I'll do anything you ask me to ! "
" You will do what I ask first," declared the Scare-
crow, firmly.
The witch was shriveling and growing smaller
every moment.
"Be quick, then!' she cried. "Tell me what I
must do and let me do it, or it will be too late."
" You made Trot's friend, Cap'n Bill, a grasshopper.
I command you to give him back his proper form
again," said the Scarecrow.
" Where is he? Where's the grasshopper? Quick -
quick! " she screamed.
Cap'n Bill, who had been deeply interested in this
conversation, gave a great leap from Trot's shoulder
and landed on that of the Scarecrow. Blinkie saw
him alight and at once began to make magic passes
and to mumble magic incantations. She was in a
desperate hurry, knowing that she had no time to
waste, and the grasshopper was so suddenly trans-
235
The Scarecrow of Oz
formed into the old sailor-man, Cap'n Bill, that he
had no opportunity to jump off the Scarecrow's shoul-
der; so his great weight bore the stuffed Scarecrow to
the ground. No harm was done, however, and the
straw man got up and brushed the dust from his
clothes while Trot delightedly embraced Cap'n Bill.
" The other box! Quick! Give me the other box,"
begged Blinkie, who had now shrunk to half her
former size.
"Not yet," said the Scarecrow. "You must first
melt Princess Gloria's frozen heart."
"I can't; it's an awful job to do that! I can't,"
asserted the witch, in an agony of fear — for still she
was growing smaller.
"You must!*' declared the Scarecrow, firmly.
The witch cast a shrewd look at him and saw that
he meant it; so she began dancing around Gloria in a
frantic manner. The Princess looked coldly on, as
if not at all interested in the proceedings, while
Blinkie tore a handful of hair from her own head
and ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of her
gown. Then the witch sank upon her knees, took a
purple powder from her black bag and sprinkled it
over the hair and cloth.
"I hate to do it — I hate to do it!" she wailed,
236
Chapter Nineteen
" for there is no more of this magic compound in all
the world. But I must sacrifice it to save my own
life. A match 1 Give me a match, quick! " and panting
from lack of breath she gazed imploringly from one
to another.
Cap'n Bill was the only one who had a match, but
he lost no time in handing it to Blinkie, who quickly
set fire to the hair and the cloth and the purple
powder. At once a purple cloud enveloped Gloria,
and this gradually turned to a rosy pink color —
brilliant and quite transparent. Through the rosy
237
The Scarecrow of Oz
cloud they could all see the beautiful Princess, stand-
ing proud and erect. Then her heart became visible,
at first frosted with ice but slowly growing brighter
and warmer until all the frost had disappeared and
it was beating as softly and regularly as any other
heart. And now the cloud dispersed and disclosed
Gloria, her face suffused with joy, smiling tenderly
upon the friends who were grouped about her.
Poor Pon stepped forward- -timidly, fearing a
repulse, but with pleading eyes and arms fondly out-
stretched toward his former sweetheart- -and the
Princess saw him and her sweet face lighted with a
radiant smile. Without an instant's hesitation she
threw herself into Pon's arms and this reunion of two
loving hearts was so affecting that the people turned
away and lowered their eyes so as not to mar the
sacred joy of the faithful lovers.
But Blinkie's small voice was shouting to the Scare-
crow for help.
" The antidote! " she screamed. " Give me the other
box- -quick! '
The Scarecrow looked at the witch with his quaint,
painted eyes and saw that she was now no taller than
his knee. So he took from his pocket the second box
and scattered its contents on Blinkie. She ceased to
238
The Scarecrow of Oz
grow any smaller, but she could never regain her
former size, and this the wicked old woman well knew.
She did not know, however, that the second powder
had destroyed all her power to work magic, and seek-
ing to be revenged upon the Scarecrow and his friends
she at once began to mumble a charm so terrible in
its effect that it would have destroyed half the popu-
lation of Jinxland- -had it worked. But it did not
work at all, to the amazement of old Blinkie. And
by this time the Scarecrow noticed what the little
witch was trying to do, and said to her:
" Go home, Blinkie, and behave yourself. You are
no longer a witch, but an ordinary old woman, and
since you are powerless to do more evil I advise you
to try to do some good in the world. Believe me, it
is more fun to accomplish a good act than an evil one,
as you will discover when once you have tried it."
But Blinkie was at that moment filled with grief
and chagrin at losing her magic powers. She started
away toward her home, sobbing and bewailing her
fate, and not one who saw her go was at all sorry
for her.
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CHAPTER 20
Queen Gloria
Next morning the Scarecrow called upon all the
courtiers and the people to assemble in the throne
room of the castle, where there was room enough for
all that were able to attend. They found the straw
man seated upon the velvet cushions of the throne,
with the King's glittering crown still upon his stuffed
head. On one side of the throne, in a lower chair, sat
Gloria, looking radiantly beautiful and fresh as a new-
blown rose. On the other side sat Pon, the gardener's
boy, still dressed in his old smock frock and looking
sad and solemn; for Pon could not make himself
believe that so splendid a Princess would condescend
241
The Scarecrow of Oz
to love him when she had come to her own and was
seated upon a throne. Trot and Cap'n Bill sat at the
feet of the Scarecrow and were much interested in the
proceedings. Button-Bright had lost himself before
breakfast, but came into the throne room before the
ceremonies were over. Back of the throne stood a
row of the great Orks, with their leader in the center,
and the entrance to the palace was guarded by more
Orks, who were regarded with wonder and awe.
When all were assembled, the Scarecrow stood up
and made a speech. He told how Gloria's father, the
good King Kynd, who had once ruled them and been
loved by everyone, had been destroyed by King
Phearce, the father of Pon, and how King Phearce
had been destroyed by King Krewl. This last King
had been a bad ruler, as they knew very well, and the
Scarecrow declared that the only one in all Jinxland
who had the right to sit upon the throne was Princess
Gloria, the daughter of King Kynd.
" But," he added, " it is not for me, a stranger, to
say who shall rule you. You must decide for your-
selves, or you will not be content. So choose now
who shall be your future ruler."
And they all shouted: "The Scarecrow! The
Scarecrow shall rule us!'
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Chapter Twenty
Which proved that the stuffed man had made him-
self very popular by his conquest of King Krewl, and
the people thought they would like him for their
King. But the Scarecrow shook his head so vigorously
that it became loose, and Trot had to pin it firmly to
his body again.
" No," said he, " I belong in the Land of Oz, where
I am the humble servant of the lovely girl who rules
us all — the royal Ozma. You must choose one of
your own inhabitants to rule over Jinxland. Who
shall it be?"
They hesitated for a moment, and some few cried:
"Pon!' but many more shouted: "Gloria!"
So the Scarecrow took Gloria's hand and led her
to the throne, where he first seated her and then took
the glittering crown off. his own head and placed it
upon that of the young lady, where it nestled prettily
amongst her soft curls. The people cheered and
shouted then, kneeling before their new Queen; but
Gloria leaned down and took Pon's hand in both her
own and raised him to the seat beside her.
" You shall have both a King and a Queen to care
for you and to protect you, my dear subjects," she
said in a sweet voice, while her face glowed with
happiness; "for Pon was a King's son before he
243
The Scarecrow of Oz
became a gardener's boy, and because I love him he
is to be my Eoyal Consort."
That pleased them all, especially Pon, who realized
that this was the most important moment of his life.
Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n "Rill all congratu-
lated him on winning the beautiful Gloria; but the
Ork sneezed twice and said that in his opinion the
young lady might have done better.
Then the Scarecrow ordered the guards to bring in
the wicked Krewl, King no longer, and when he
appeared, loaded with chains and dressed in fustian,
the people hissed him and drew back as he passed so
their garments would not touch him.
Krewl was not haughty or overbearing any more; on
the contrary he seemed very meek and in great fear
of the fate his conquerors had in store for him. But
Gloria and Pon were too happy to be revengeful and
so they offered to appoint Krewl to the position of
gardener's boy at the castle, Pon having resigned to
become King. But they said he must promise to
reform his wicked ways and to do his duty faithfully,
and he must change his name from Krewl to Grewl.
All this the man eagerly promised to do, and so when
Pon retired to a room in the castle to put on princely
raiment, the old brown smock he had formerly worn
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Chapter Twenty
was given to Grewl, who then went out into the gar-
den to water the roses.
The remainder of that famous day, which was long
remembered in Jinxland, was given over to feasting
and merrymaking. In the evening there was a grand
dance in the courtyard, where the brass band played
a new piece of music called the " Ork Trot " which was
dedicated to " Our Glorious Gloria, the Queen."
While the Queen and Pon were leading this dance,
and all the Jinxland people were having a good time,
the strangers were gathered in a group in the park
245
The Scarecrow of Oz
outside the castle. Cap'n Bill, Trot, Button-Bright
and the Scarecrow were there, and so was their old
friend the Ork; but of all the great flock of Orks
which had assisted in the conquest but three remained
in Jinxland, besides their leader, the others having
returned to their own country as soon as Gloria was
crowned Queen. To the young Ork who had accom-
panied them in their adventures Cap'n Bill said:
"You've surely been a friend in need, and we're
mighty grateful to you for helping us. I might have
been a grasshopper yet if it hadn't been for you, an'
I might remark that bein' a grasshopper isn't much
fun."
"If it hadn't been for you, friend Ork," said the
Scarecrow, " I fear I could not have conquered King
Krewl."
" No," agreed Trot, " you'd have been just a heap of
ashes by this time."
" And I might have been lost yet," added Button-
Bright. " Much obliged, Mr. Ork."
" Oh, that's all right," replied the Ork. " Friends
must stand together, you know, or they wouldn't be
friends. But now I must leave you and be off to my
own country, where there's going to be a surprise
party on my uncle, and I've promised to attend it."
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Chapter Twenty
"Dear me," said the Scarecrow, regretfully. " That
is very unfortunate."
"Why so?" asked the Ork.
" I hoped you would consent to carry us over those
mountains, into the Land of Oz. My mission here
is now finished and I want to get back to the Emerald
City."
"How did you cross the mountains before?'
inquired the Ork.
" I scaled the cliffs by means of a rope, and crossed
the Great Gulf on a strand of spider web. Of course
I can return in the same manner, but it would be a
hard journey — and perhaps an impossible one — for
Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill. So I thought
that if you had the time you and your people would
carry us over the mountains and land us all safely
on the othei side, in the Land of Oz."
The Ork thoughtfully considered the matter for a
while. Then he said:
" I mustn't break my promise to be present at the
surprise party; but, tell me, could you go to Oz
to-night?"
"What, now?" exclaimed Trot.
" It is a fine moonlight night," said the Ork, <: and
I've found in my experience that there's no time so
247
The Scarecrow of Oz
good as right away. The fact is," he explained, " it's
a long journey to Orkland and I and my cousins here
are all rather tired by our day's work. But if you
will start now, and be content to allow us to carry
you over the mountains and dump you on the other
side, just say the word and- -off we go!7
Cap'n Bill and Trot looked at one another question-
ingly. The little girl was eager to visit the famous
fairyland of Oz and the old sailor had endured such
hardships in Jinxland that he would be glad to be
out of it.
" It's rather impolite of us not to say good-bye to
the new King and Queen," remarked the Scarecrow,
"but I'm sure they're too happy to miss us, and I
assure you it will be much easier to fly on the backs
of the Orks over those steep mountains than to climb
them as I did."
"All right; let's go!" Trot decided. "But where's
Button-Bright?"
Just at this important moment Button-Bright was
lost again, and they all scattered in search of him.
He had been standing beside them just a few minutes
before, but his friends had an exciting hunt for him
before they finally discovered the boy seated among
the members of the band, beating the end of the bass
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Chapter Twenty
drum with the bone of a turkey-leg that he had taken
from the table in the banquet room.
" Hello, Trot," he said, looking up at the little girl
when she found him. " This is the first chance I ever
had to pound a drum with a regular drum stick. And
I ate all the meat off the bone myself."
" Come quick. We're going to the Land of Oz."
"Oh, what's the hurry?" said Button-Bright; but
she seized his arm and dragged him away to the park,
where the others were waiting.
Trot climbed upon the back of her old friend, the
Ork leader, and the others took their seats on the
backs of his three cousins. As soon as all were placed
and clinging to the skinny necks of the creatures,
the revolving tails began to whirl and up rose the
four monster Orks and sailed away toward the moun-
tains. They were so high in the air that when they
passed the crest of the highest peak it seemed far
below them. No sooner were they well across the
barrier than the Orks swooped downward and landed
their passengers upon the ground.
"Here we are, safe in the Land of Oz!' cried the
Scarecrow joyfully.
"Oh, are we?" asked Trot, looking around he*
curiously.
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The Scarecrow of Oz
She could see the shadows of stately trees and the
outlines of rolling hills; beneath her feet was soft turf,
but otherwise the subdued light of the moon dis-
closed nothing clearly.
" Seems jus' like any other country," was Cap'n
Bill's comment.
" But it isn't," the Scarecrow assured him. " You
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Chapter Twenty
are now within the borders of the most glorious fairy-
land in all the world. This part of it is just a corner
of the Quadling Country, and the least interesting
portion of it. It's not very thickly settled, around
here, I'll admit, but -
He was interrupted by a sudden whir and a rush of
air as the four Orks mounted into the sky.
" Good night! " called the shrill voices of the strange
creatures, and although Trot shouted " Good night! "
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The Scarecrow of Oz
as loudly as she could, the little girl was almost ready
to cry because the Orks had not waited to be prop-
erly thanked for all their kindness to her and to Cap'n
Bill.
But the Orks were gone, and thanks for good
deeds do not amount to much except to prove one's
politeness.
" Well, friends," said the Scarecrow, " we mustn't
stay here in the meadows all night, so let us find a
pleasant place to sleep. Not that it matters to me, in
the least, for I never sleep; but I know that meat
people like to shut their eyes and lie still during the
dark hours."
" I'm pretty tired," admitted Trot, yawning as she
followed the straw man along a tiny path, " so, if you
don't find a house handy, Cap'n Bill and I will sleep
under the trees, or even on this soft grass."
But a house was not very far off, although when
the Scarecrow stumbled upon it there was no light
in it whatever. Cap'n Bill knocked on the door
several times, and there being no response the Scare-
crow boldly lifted the latch and walked in, followed
by the others. And no sooner had they entered than
a soft light filled the room. Trot couldn't tell where
it came from, for no lamp of any sort was visible, but
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Chapter Twenty
she did not waste much time on this problem, because
directly in the center of the room stood a table set
for three, with lots of good food on it and several of
the dishes smoking hot.
The little girl and Button-Bright both uttered
exclamations of pleasure, but they looked in vain for
any cook stove or fireplace, or for any person who
might have prepared for them this delicious feast.
" It's fairyland," muttered the boy, tossing his cap
in a corner and seating himself at the table. " This
supper smells 'most as good as that turkey-leg I had
in Jinxland. Please pass the muffins, Cap'n Bill."
Trot thought it was strange that no people but
themselves were in the house, but on the wall opposite
the door was a gold frame bearing in big letters the
word:
" WELCOME."
So she had no further hesitation in eating of the
food so mysteriously prepared for them.
"But there are only places for three!' she
exclaimed.
"Three are quite enough," said the Scarecrow. "I
never eat, because I am stuffed full already, and I like
my nice clean straw better than I do food."
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The Scarecrow of Oz
Trot and the sailor-man were hungry and made a
hearty meal, for not since they had left home had they
tasted such good food. It was surprising that But-
ton-Bright could eat so soon after his feast in Jinx-
land, but the boy always ate whenever there was an
opportunity. " If I don't eat now," he said, " the next
time I'm hungry I'll wish I had."
" Keally, Cap'n," remarked Trot, when she found
a dish of ice-cream appear beside her plate, " I
b'lieve this is fairyland, sure enough."
" There's no doubt of it, Trot," he answered gravely.
" I've been here before," said Button-Bright, " so
I know."
After supper they discovered three tiny bedrooms
adjoining the big living room of the house, and in
each room was a comfortable white bed with downy
pillows. You may be sure that the tired mortals were
not long in bidding the Scarecrow good night and
creeping into their beds, where they slept soundly
until morning.
For the first time since they set eyes on the terrible
whirlpool, Trot and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety
and care. Button-Bright never worried about any-
thing. The Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked
out of the window and tried to count the stars.
254
CHAPTER 21
Dorothy, Betsy and Ozma
I suppose many of my readers have read descrip-
tions of the beautiful and magnificent Emerald City
of Oz, so I need not describe it here, except to state
that never has any city in any fairyland ever equalled
this one in stately splendor. It lies almost exactly
in the center of the Land of Oz, and in the center of
the Emerald City rises the wall of glistening emeralds
that surrounds the palace of Ozma. The palace is
almost a city in itself and is inhabited by many of the
Ruler's especial friends and those who have won her
confidence and favor.
As for Ozma herself, there are no words in any
255
The Scarecrow of Oz
dictionary I can find that are fitted to describe this
young girl's beauty of mind and person. Merely to
see her is to love her for her charming face and man-
ners; to know her is to love her for her tender sym-
pathy, her generous nature, her truth and honor.
Born of a long line of Fairy Queens, Ozma is as nearly
perfect as any fairy may be, and she is noted for her
wisdom as well as for her other qualities. Her happy
subjects adore their girl Ruler and each one considers
her a comrade and protector.
At the time of which I write, Ozma's best friend
and most constant companion was a little Kansas girl
named Dorothy, a mortal who had come to the Land
of Oz in a very curious manner and had been offered
a home in Ozma's palace. Furthermore, Dorothy had
been made a Princess of Oz, and was as much at home
in the royal palace as was the gentle Ruler. She knew
almost every part of the great country and almost all
of its numerous inhabitants. Next to Ozma she was
loved better than anyone in all Oz, for Dorothy was
simple and sweet, seldom became angry and had such
a friendly, chummy way that she made friends where-
ever she wandered. It was she who first brought the
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly
Lion to the Emerald City. Dorothy had also intro-
256
Chapter Twenty-One
duced to Ozma the Shaggy Man and the Hungry
Tiger, as well as Billina the Yellow Hen, Eureka the
Pink Kitten, and many other delightful characters
and creatures. Coming as she did from our world,
Dorothy was much like many other girls we know;
so there were times when she was not so wise as she
might have been, and other times when she was obsti-
nate and got herself into trouble. But life in a fairy-
land had taught the little girl to accept all sorts of
surprising things as matters-of-course, for while
Dorothy was no fairy — but just as mortal as we are
— she had seen more wonders than most mortals ever
do.
Another little girl from our outside world also lived
in Ozma's palace. This was Betsy Bobbin, whose
strange adventures had brought her to the Emerald
City, where Ozma had cordially welcomed her. Betsy
was a shy little thing and could never get used to the
marvels that surrounded her, but she and Dorothy
were firm friends and thought themselves very fortu-
nate in being together in this delightful country.
One day Dorothy and Betsy were visiting Ozma in
the girl Ruler's private apartment, and among the
things that especially interested them was Ozma's
Magic Picture, set in a handsome frame and hung
257
The Scarecrow of Oz
upon the wall of the room. This picture was a magic
one because it constantly changed its scenes and
showed events and adventures happening in all parts
of the world. Thus it was really a " moving picture "
of life, and if the one who stood before it wished to
know what any absent person was doing, the picture
instantly showed that person, with his or her
surroundings.
The two girls were not wishing to see anyone in
particular, on this occasion, but merely enjoyed watch-
ing the shifting scenes, some of which were exceed-
ingly curious and remarkable. Suddenly Dorothy
exclaimed: "Why, there's Button-Bright! ' and this
drew Ozma also to look at the picture, for she and
Dorothy knew the boy well.
"Who is Button-Bright?" asked Betsy, who had
never met him.
" Why, he's the little boy who is just getting off the
back of that strange flying creature," exclaimed Doro-
thy. Then she turned to Ozma and asked: " What
is that thing, Ozma? A bird? I've never seen any-
thing like it before."
"It is an Ork," answered Ozma, for they were
watching the scene where the Ork and the three big
birds were first landing their passengers in Jinxland,
258
The Scarecrow of Oz
after the long flight across the desert. " I wonder,"
added the girl Euler, musingly, " why those strangers
dare venture into that unfortunate country, which
is ruled by a wicked King."
" That girl, and the one-legged man, seem to be
mortals from the outside world," said Dorothy.
"The man isn't one-legged," corrected Betsy; "he
has one wooden leg."
"It's almost as bad," declared Dorothy, watching
Cap'n Bill stump around.
" They are three mortal adventurers," said Ozma,
" and they seem worthy and honest. But I fear they
will be treated badly in Jinxland, and if they meet
with any misfortune there it will reflect upon me, for
Jinxland is a part of my dominions."
" Can't we help them in any way? ' inquired Dor-
othy. "That seems like a nice little girl. I'd be
sorry if anything happened to her."
"Let us watch the picture for awhile," suggested
Ozma, and so they all drew chairs before the Magic
Picture and followed the adventures of Trot and
Cap'n Bill and Button-Bright. Presently the scene
shifted and showed their friend the Scarecrow crossing
the mountains into Jinxland, and that somewhat
relieved Ozma's anxiety, for she knew at once that
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Chapter Twenty-One
Glinda the Good had sent the Scarecrow to protect the
strangers.
The adventures in Jinxland proved very interesting
to the three girls in Ozma's palace, who during the
succeeding days spent much of their time in watching
the picture. It was like a story to them.
"That girl's a reg'lar trump!' exclaimed Dorothy,
referring to Trot, and Ozma answered:
261
The Scarecrow of Oz
" She's a dear little thing, and I'm sure nothing very
bad will happen to her. The old sailor is a fine char-
acter, too, for he has never once grumbled over being
a grasshopper, as so many would have done."
When the Scarecrow was so nearly burned up the
girls all shivered a little, and they clapped their hands
in joy when the flock of Orks came and saved him.
So it was that when all the exciting adventures in
Jinxland were over and the four Orks had begun their
flight across the mountains to carry the mortals into
the Land of Oz, Ozma called the Wizard to her and
asked him to prepare a place for the strangers to
sleep.
The famous Wizard of Oz was a quaint little man
who inhabited the royal palace and attended to all
the magical things that Ozma wanted done. He was
not as powerful as Glinda, to be sure, but he could
do a great many wonderful things. He proved this
by placing a house in the uninhabited part of the
Quadling Country where the Orks landed Cap'n Bill
and Trot and Button-Bright, and fitting it with all
the comforts I have described in the last chapter.
Xext morning Dorothy said to Ozma:
" Oughtn't we to go meet the strangers, so we can
show them the way to the Emerald City? I'm sure
262
Chapter Twenty-One
that little girl will feel shy in this beautiful land, and
I know if 'twas me I'd like somebody to give me a
welcome."
Ozma smiled at her little friend and answered:
" You and Betsy may go to meet them, if you wish,
but I can not leave my palace just now, as I am to
have a conference with Jack Pumpkinhead and Pro-
fessor Wogglebug on important matters. You may
take the Sawhorse and the Eed Wagon, and if you
start soon you will be able to meet the Scarecrow and
the strangers at Glinda's palace."
" Oh, thank you! " cried Dorothy, and went away to
tell Betsy and to make preparations for the journey.
263
CHAPTEE 22
The Waterfall
Glinda's castle was a long way from the mountains,
but the Scarecrow began the journey cheerfully, since
time was of no great importance in the Land of Oz
and he had recently made the trip and knew the way.
It never mattered much to Button-Bright where he
was or what he was doing; the boy was content in
being alive and having good companions to share his
wanderings. As for Trot and Cap'n Bill, they now
found themselves so comfortable and free from dan-
ger, in this fine fairyland, and they were so awed and
amazed by the adventures they were encountering,
that the journey to Glinda's castle was more like a
264
Chapter Twenty-Two
pleasure trip than a hardship, so many wonderful
things were there to see.
Button-Bright had been in Oz before, but never in
this part of it, so the Scarecrow was the only one who
knew the paths and could lead them. They had eaten
a hearty breakfast, which they found already pre-
pared for them and awaiting them on the table when
they arose from their refreshing sleep, so they left
the magic house in a contented mood and with hearts
lighter and more happy than they had known for
many a day. As they marched along through the
fields, the sun shone brightly and the breeze was
laden with delicious fragrance, for it carried with it
the breath of millions of wildflowers.
At noon, when they stopped to rest by the banks of
a pretty river, Trot said with a long-drawn breath
that was much like a sigh:
" I wish we'd brought with us some of the food that
was left from our breakfast, for I'm getting hungry
again."
Scarcely had she spoken when a table rose up before
them, as if from the ground itself, and it was loaded
with fruits and nuts and cakes and many other good
things to eat. The little girl's eyes opened wide at
this display of magic, and Cap'n Bill was not sure
265
The Scarecrow of Oz
that the things were actually there and fit to eat until
he had taken them in his hand and tasted them. But
the Scarecrow said with a laugh:
" Someone is looking after your welfare, that is
certain, and from the looks of this table I suspect my
friend the Wizard has taken us in his charge. I've
known him to do things like this before, and if we
are in the Wizard's care you need not worry about
your future."
"Who's worrying?' inquired Button-Bright, al-
ready at the table and busily eating.
The Scarecrow looked around the place while the
others were feasting, and finding many things unfa-
miliar to him he shook his head and remarked:
" I must have taken the wrong path, back in that
last valley, for on my way to Jinxland I remember
that I passed around the foot of this river, where
there was a great waterfall."
" Did the river make a bend, after the waterfall ? '
asked Cap'n Bill.
" No, the river disappeared. Only a pool of whirl-
ing water showed what had become of the river; but
I suppose it is under ground, somewhere, and will
come to the surface again in another part of the
country."
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Chapter Twenty-Two
" Well," suggested Trot, as she finished her lunch-
eon, " as there is no way to cross this river, I s'pose
we'll have to find that waterfall, and go around it."
"Exactly," replied the Scarecrow; so they soon
renewed their journey, following the river for a long
time until the roar of the wraterfall sounded in their
ears. By and by they came to the waterfall itself,
a sheet of silver dropping far, far down into a tiny
lake which seemed to have no outlet. From the top
of the fall, where they stood, the banks gradually
sloped away, so that the descent by land was quite
easy, while the river could do nothing but glide over
an edge of rock and tumble straight down to the
depths below.
" You see," said the Scarecrow, leaning over the
brink, " this is called by our Oz people the Great
Waterfall, because it is certainly the highest one in
all the land; but I think — Help!"
He had lost his balance and pitched headforemost
into the river. They saw a flash of straw and blue
clothes, and the painted face looking upward in sur-
prise. The next moment the Scarecrow was swept
over the waterfall and plunged into the basin below.
The accident had happened so suddenly that for a
moment they were all too horrified to speak or move.
267
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Quick! We must go to help him or he will be
drowned," Trot exclaimed.
Even while speaking she began to descend the bank
to the pool below, and Cap'n Bill followed as swiftly
as his wooden leg would let him. Button-Bright came
more slowly, calling to the girl:
"He can't drown, Trot; he's a Scarecrow."
But she wasn't sure a Scarecrow couldn't drown
and never relaxed her speed until she stood on the
edge of the pool, with the spray dashing in her face.
Cap'n Bill, puffing and panting, had just voice enough
to ask, as he reached her side:
"See him, Trot?"
" Not a speck of him. Oh, Cap'n, what do you
s'pose has become of him1?'
" I s'pose," replied the sailor, " that he's in that
water, more or less far down, and I'm 'fraid it'll make
his straw pretty soggy. But as fer his bein' drowned,
I agree with Button-Bright that it can't be done."
There was small comfort in this assurance and Trot
stood for some time searching with her eyes the bub-
bling water, in the hope that the Scarecrow would
finally come to the surface. Presently she heard
Button-Bright calling: " Come here, Trot! " and look-
ing around she saw that the boy had crept over the
268
The Scarecrow of Oz
wet rocks to the edge of the waterfall and seemed to
be peering behind it. Making her way toward him,
she asked:
"What do you see?"
" A cave," he answered. " Let's go in. PVaps we'll
find the Scarecrow there."
She was a little doubtful of that, but the cave inter-
ested her, and so did it Cap'n Bill. There was just
space enough at the edge of the sheet of water for
them to crowd in behind it, but after that dangerous
entrance they found room enough to walk upright
and after a time they came to an opening in the wrall
of rock. Approaching this opening, they gazed within
it and found a series of steps, cut so that they might
easily descend into the cavern.
Trot turned to look inquiringly at her companions.
The falling water made such din and roaring that her
voice could not be heard. Cap'n Bill nodded his head,
but before he could enter the cave, Button-Bright
was before him, clambering down the steps without
a particle of fear. So the others followed the boy.
The first steps were wet with spray, and slippery,
but the remainder were quite dry. A rosy light
seemed to come from the interior of the cave, and
this lighted their way. After the steps there was a
270
Chapter Twenty-Two
short tunnel, high enough for them to walk erect in.
and then they reached the cave itself and paused in
wonder and admiration.
They stood on the edge of a vast cavern, the walls
and domed roof of which were lined with countless
rubies, exquisitely cut and flashing sparkling rays
from one to another. This caused a radiant light that
permitted the entire cavern to be distinctly seen, and
the effect was so marvelous that Trot drew in her
breath with a sort of a gasp, and stood quite still in
wonder.
But the walls and roof of the cavern were merely a
setting for a more wonderful scene. In the center was
a bubbling caldron of water, for here the river rose
again, splashing and dashing till its spray rose high
in the air, where it took the ruby color of the jewels
and seemed like a seething mass of flame. And while
they gazed into the tumbling, tossing water, the body
of the Scarecrow suddenly rose in the center, strug-
gling and kicking, and the next instant wholly dis-
appeared from view.
"My, but he's wet!" exclaimed Button-Bright; but
none of the others heard him.
Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge
— covered, like the walls, with glittering rubies -
271
The Scarecrow of Oz
ran all around the cavern; so they followed this gor-
geous path to the rear and found where the water
made its final dive underground, before it disappeared
entirely. Where it plunged into this dim abyss the
river was black and dreary looking, and they stood
gazing in awe until just beside them the body of the
Scarecrow again popped up from the water.
272
CHAPTEE 23
The Land of Oz
The straw man's appearance on the water was so
sudden that it startled Trot, but Cap'n Bill had the
presence of mind to stick his wooden leg out over the
water and the Scarecrow made a desperate clutch and
grabbed the leg with both hands. He managed to
hold on until Trot and Button-Bright knelt down and
seized his clothing, but the children would have been
powerless to drag the soaked Scarecrow ashore had
not Cap'n Bill now assisted them. When they laid
him on the ledge of rubies he was the most useless
looking Scarecrow you can imagine- -his straw sod-
den and dripping with water, his clothing wet and
273
The Scarecrow of Oz
crumpled, while even the sack upon which his face
was painted had become so wrinkled that the old jolly
expression of their stuffed friend's features was
entirely gone. But he could still speak, and when
Trot bent down her ear she heard him say:
" Get me out of here as soon as you can."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so Cap'n Bill lifted
his head and shoulders, and Trot and Button-Bright
each took a leg; among them they partly carried and
partly dragged the damp Scarecrow out of the Ruby
Cavern, along the tunnel, and up the flight of rock
steps. It was somewhat difficult to get him past the
edge of the waterfall, but they succeeded, after much
effort, and a few minutes later laid their poor comrade
on a grassy bank where the sun shone upon him freely
and he was beyond the reach of the spray.
Cap'n Bill now knelt down and examined the straw
that the Scarecrow was stuffed with.
"I don't believe it'll be of much use to him, any
more," said he, " for it's full of polliwogs an' fish eggs,
an' the water has took all the crinkle out o' the straw
an' ruined it. I guess, Trot, that the best thing for
us to do is to empty out all his body an' carry his
head an' clothes along the road till we come to a field
or a house where we can get some fresh straw."
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Chapter Twenty-Three
" Yes, Cap'n," sne agreed, " there's nothing else to
be done. But how shall we ever find the road to
Glinda's palace, without the Scarecrow to guide us*?"
" That's easy," said the Scarecrow, speaking in a
rather feeble but distinct voice. " If Cap'n Bill will
carry my head on his shoulders, eyes front, I can tell
him which way to go."
So they followed that plan and emptied all the old,
wet straw out of the Scarecrow's body. Then the
sailor-man wrung out the clothes and laid them in the
sun till they were quite dry. Trot took charge of
the head and pressed the wrinkles out of the face as it
dried, so that after a while the Scarecrow's expression
became natural again, and as jolly as before.
This work consumed some time, but when it was
completed they again started upon their journey,
Button-Bright carrying the boots and hat, Trot the
bundle of clothes, and Cap'n Bill the head. The
Scarecrow, having regained his composure and being
now in a good humor, despite his recent mishaps,
beguiled their way with stories of the Land of Oz.
It was not until the next morning, however, that
they found straw with which to restuff the Scarecrow.
That evening they came to the same little house they
had slept in before, only now it was magically trans-
275
The Scarecrow of O:
ferred to a new place. The same bountiful supper as
before was found smoking hot upon the table and the
same cosy beds were ready for them to sleep in.
They rose early and after breakfast went out of
doors, and there, lying just beside the house, was a
heap of clean, crisp straw. Ozma had noticed the
Scarecrow's accident in her Magic Picture and had
notified the Wizard to provide the straw, for she
knew the adventurers were not likely to find straw in
the country through which they were now traveling.
They lost no time in stuffing the Scarecrow anew,
and he was greatly delighted at being able to walk
around again and to assume the leadership of the
little party.
" Keally," said Trot, " I think you're better than
you were before, for you are fresh and sweet all
through and rustle beautifully when you move."
" Thank you, my dear," he replied gratefully. " I
always feel like a new man when I'm freshly stuffed.
No one likes to get musty, you know, and even good
straw may be spoiled by age."
It was water that spoiled you, the last time,"
remarked Button-Bright, " which proves that too
much bathing is as bad as too little. But, after all,
Scarecrow, water is not as dangerous for you as fire."
276
Chapter Twenty-Three
" All things are good in moderation," declared the
Scarecrow. " But now, let us hurry on, or we shall
not reach Glinda's palace by nightfall."
277
CHAPTER 24
The Royal Reception
At about four o'clock of that same day the Red
Wagon drew up at the entrance to Glinda's palace and
Dorothy and Betsy jumped out. Ozma's Red Wagon
was almost a chariot, being inlaid with rubies and
pearls, and it was drawn by Ozma's favorite steed,
the wooden Sawhorse.
' Shall I unharness you," asked Dorothy, " so you
can come in and visit?"
" No," replied the Sawhorse. " Til just stand here
and think. Take your time. Thinking doesn't seem
to bore me at all."
"What will you think of?" inquired Betsy.
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Chapter Twenty-Four
" Of the acorn that grew the tree from which I was
made."
So they left the wooden animal and went in to see
Glinda, who welcomed the little girls in her most
cordial manner.
" I knew you were on your way," said the good
Sorceress when they were seated in her library, " for
I learned from my Record Book that you intended
to meet Trot and Button-Bright on their arrival here."
"Is the strange little girl named Trot?' asked
Dorothy.
"Yes; and her companion, the old sailor, is named
Oap'n Bill. I think we shall like them very much,
for they are just the kind of people to enjoy and
appreciate our fairyland and I do not see any way, at
present, for them to return again to the outside
world."
" Well, there's room enough here for them, I'm
sure," said Dorothy. " Betsy and I are already eager
to welcome Trot. It will keep us busy for a year,
at least, showing her all the wonderful things in Oz."
Glinda smiled.
" I have lived here many years," said she, " and I
have not seen all the wonders of Oz vet."
«/
Meantime the travelers were drawing near to the
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The Scarecrow of Oz
palace, and when they first caught sight of its towers
Trot realized that it was far more grand and imposing
than was the King's castle in Jinxland. The nearer
they came, the more beautiful the palace appeared,
and when finally the Scarecrow led them up the great
marble steps, even Button-Bright was filled with awe.
" I don't see any soldiers to guard the place," said
the little girl.
" There is no need to guard Glinda's palace," replied
the Scarecrow. " We have no wicked people in Oz,
that we know of, and even if there were any, Glinda's
magic would be powerful enough to protect her."
Button-Bright was now standing on the top steps of
the entrance, and he suddenly exclaimed:
"Why, there's the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon!
Hip, hooray! " and next moment he was rushing down
to throw his arms around the neck of the wooden
horse, which good-naturedly permitted this familiarity
when it recognized in the boy an old friend.
Button-Bright's shout had been heard inside the
palace, so now Dorothy and Betsy came running out
to embrace their beloved friend, the Scarecrow, and
to welcome Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz.
We've been watching you for a long time, in
Ozma's Magic Picture," said Dorothy, " and Ozma has
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Chapter Twenty-Four
sent us to invite you to her own palace in the Em'rald
City. I don't know if you realize how lucky you are
to get that invitation, but you'll understand it better
after you've seen the royal palace and the Em'rald
City."
Glinda now appeared in person to lead all the party
into her Azure Reception Room. Trot was a little
afraid of the stately Sorceress, but gained courage by
holding fast to the hands of Betsy and Dorothy. Cap'n
Bill had no one to help him feel at ease, so the old
sailor sat stiffly on the edge of his chair and said:
" Yes, ma'am," or " No, ma'am," when he was spoken
to, and was greatly embarrassed by so much splendor.
The Scarecrow had lived so much in palaces that he
felt quite at home, and he chatted to Glinda and the
Oz girls in a merry, light-hearted way. He told all
about his adventures in Jinxland, and at the Great
Waterfall, and on the journey hither- -most of which
his hearers knew already- — and then he asked Dor-
othy and Betsy what had happened in the Emerald
City since he had left there.
They all passed the evening and the night at
Glinda's palace, and the Sorceress was so gracious to
Cap'n Bill that the old man by degrees regained his
self-possession and began to enjoy himself. Trot had
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The Scarecrow of Oz
already come to the conclusion that in Dorothy and
Betsy she had found two delightful comrades, and
Button-Bright was just as much at home here as he
had been in the fields of Jinxland or when he was
buried in the popcorn snow of the Land of Mo.
The next morning they arose bright and early and
after breakfast bade good-bye to the kind Sorceress,
whom Trot and Cap'n Bill thanked earnestly for send-
ing the Scarecrow to Jinxland to rescue them. Then
they all climbed into the Red Wagon.
There was room for all on the broad seats, and when
all had taken their places - - Dorothy, Trot and Betsy
on the rear seat and Cap'n Bill, Button-Bright and
the Scarecrow in front- -they called "Gid-dap!' to
the Sawhorse and the wooden steed moved briskly
away, pulling the Red Wagon with ease.
It was now that the strangers began to perceive the
real beauties of the Land of Oz, for they were passing
through a more thickly settled part of the country
and the population grew more dense as they drew
nearer to the Emerald City. Everyone they met had
a cheery word or a smile for the Scarecrow, Dorothy
and Betsy Bobbin, and some of them remembered
Button-Bright and welcomed him back to their
country.
282
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was a happy party, indeed, that journeyed in the
Red Wagon to the Emerald City, and Trot already
began to hope that Ozma would permit her and Cap'n
Bill to live always in the Land of Oz.
When they reached the great city they were more
amazed than ever, both by the concourse of people
in their quaint and picturesque costumes, and by the
splendor of the city itself. But the magnificence of
the Royal Palace quite took their breath away, until
Ozma received them in her own pretty apartment
and by her charming manners and assuring smiles
made them feel they were no longer strangers.
Trot was given a lovely little room next to that of
Dorothy, while Cap'n Bill had the cosiest sort of a
room next to Trot's and overlooking the gardens.
And that evening Ozma gave a grand banquet and
reception in honor of the new arrivals. While Trot
had read of many of the people she then met, Cap'n
Bill was less familiar with them and many of the
unusual characters introduced to him that evening
caused the old sailor to open his eyes wide in
astonishment.
He had thought the live Scarecrow about as curious
as anyone could be, but now he met the Tin Woodman,
who was all made of tin, even to his heart, and carried
283
The Scarecrow of Oz
a gleaming axe over his shoulder wherever he went.
Then there was Jack Pumpkinhead, whose head was
a real pumpkin with the face carved upon it; and
Professor Wogglebug, who had the shape of an enor-
mous bug but was dressed in neat fitting garments.
The Professor was an interesting talker and had very
polite manners, but his face was so comical that it
made Cap'n Bill smile to look at it. A great friend
of Dorothy and Ozma seemed to be a machine man
called Tik-Tok, who ran down several times during
the evening and had to be wound up again by someone
before he could move or speak.
At the reception appeared the Shaggy Man and his
brother, both very popular in Oz, as well as Dorothy's
Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, two happy old people
who lived in a pretty cottage near the palace.
But what perhaps seemed most surprising to both
Trot and Cap'n Bill was the number of peculiar ani-
mals admitted into Ozma's parlors, where they not
only conducted themselves quite properly but were
able to talk as well as anyone.
There was the Cowardly Lion, an immense beast
with a beautiful mane; and the Hungry Tiger, who
smiled continually; and Eureka the Pink Kitten, who
lay curled upon a cushion and had rather supercilious
286
Chapter Twenty-Four
manners; and the wooden Sawhorse; and nine tiny
piglets that belonged to the Wizard; and a mule
named Hank, who belonged to Betsy Bobbin. A fuzzy
little terrier dog, named Toto, lay at Dorothy's feet
but seldom took part in the conversation, although he
listened to every word that was said. But the most
wonderful of all to Trot was a square beast with a
winning smile, that squatted in a corner of the room
and wagged his square head at everyone in quite a
jolly way. Betsy told Trot that this unique beast was
called the Woozy, and there was no other like him in
all the world.
Cap'n Bill and Trot had both looked around expect-
antly for the Wizard of Oz, but the evening was far
advanced before the famous little man entered the
room. But he went up to the strangers at once and
said:
"I know you, but you don't know me; so let's
get acquainted."
And they did get acquainted, in a very short time,
and before the evening was over Trot felt that she
knew every person and animal present at the recep-
tion, and that they were all her good friends.
Suddenly they looked around for Button-Bright,
but he was nowhere to be found.
287
The Scarecrow of Oz
" Dear me! '' cried Trot. " He's lost again."
" Never mind, my dear," said Ozma, with her charm-
ing smile, " no one can go far astray in the Land of Oz,
and if Button-Bright isn't lost occasionally, he isn't
happy."
288
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