"People with more or less education discovered those puns centuries ago,"said Tip.
"Are you sure?" asked the Woggle-Bug, with a startled look.
"Of course I am," answered the boy. "An educated Woggle-Bug may be a newthing; but a Woggle-Bug education is as old as the hills, judging from thedisplay you make of it."
The insect seemed much impressed by this remark, and for a time maintained ameek silence.
207
The Scarecrow, in shifting his seat, saw upon the cushions the pepper-boxwhich Tip had cast aside, and began to examine it.
"Throw it overboard," said the boy; "it's quite empty now, and there's nouse keeping it."
"Is it really empty?" asked the Scarecrow, looking curiously into the box.
"Of course it is," answered Tip. "I shook out every grain of the powder.
"Then the box has two bottoms," announced the Scarecrow, "for the bottom onthe inside is fully an inch away from the bottom on the outside."
"Let me see," said the Tin Woodman, taking the box from his friend. "Yes,"he declared, after looking it over, "the thing certainly has a false bottom.Now, I wonder what that is for?"
"Can't you get it apart, and find out?" enquired Tip, now quite interestedin the mystery.
"Why, yes; the lower bottom unscrews," said the Tin Woodman. "My fingers arerather stiff; please see if you can open it."
He handed the pepper-box to Tip, who had no difficulty in unscrewing thebottom. And in the cavity below were three silver pills, with a carefullyfolded paper lying underneath them.
This paper the boy proceeded to unfold, taking
208care not to spill the pills, and found several lines clearly written in redink.
"Read it aloud," said the Scarecrow. so Tip read, as follows:
"DR. NIKIDIK'S CELEBRATED WISHING PILLS.
"Directions for Use: Swallow one pill; count seventeen by twos; then make aWish.-The Wish will immediately be granted. CAUTION: Keep in a Dry and Dark Place."
"Why, this is a very valuable discovery!" cried the Scarecrow.
"It is, indeed," replied Tip, gravely. "These pills may be of great use tous. I wonder if old Mombi knew they were in the bottom of the pepper-box. Iremember hearing her say that she got the Powder of Life from this sameNikidik."
"He must be a powerful Sorcerer!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman; "and since thepowder proved a success we ought to have confidence in the pills."
"But how," asked the Scarecrow, "can anyone count seventeen by twos?Seventeen is an odd number."
"That is true," replied Tip, greatly disappointed. "No one can possiblycount seventeen by twos."
"Then the pills are of no use to us," wailed the Pumpkinhead; "and this factoverwhelms me with
209grief. For I had intended wishing that my head would never spoil."
"Nonsense!" said the Scarecrow, sharply. "If we could use the pills at allwe would make far better wishes than that."
"I do not see how anything could be better," protested poor Jack. "If youwere liable to spoil at any time you could understand my anxiety."
"For my part," said the Tin Woodman, "I sympathize with you in everyrespect. But since we cannot count seventeen by twos, sympathy is all youare liable to get."
By this time it had become quite dark, and the voyagers found above them acloudy sky, through which the rays of the moon could not penetrate.
The Gump flew steadily on, and for some reason the huge sofa-body rockedmore and more dizzily every hour.
The Woggle-Bug declared he was sea-sick; and Tip was also pale and somewhatdistressed. But the others clung to the backs of the sofas and did not seemto mind the motion as long as they were not tipped out.
Darker and darker grew the night, and on and on sped the Gump through theblack heavens. The
210travelers could not even see one another, and an oppressive silence settleddown upon them.
After a long time Tip, who had been thinking deeply, spoke.
"How are we to know when we come to the pallace of Glinda the Good?" heasked.
"It's a long way to Glinda's palace," answered the Woodman; "I've traveledit."
"But how are we to know how fast the Gump is flying?" persisted the boy. "Wecannot see a single thing down on the earth, and before morning we may befar beyond the place we want to reach."
"That is all true enough," the Scarecrow replied, a little uneasily. "But Ido not see how we can stop just now; for we might alight in a river, or on,the top of a steeple; and that would be a great disaster."
So they permitted the Gump to fly on, with regular flops of its great wings,and waited patiently for morning.
Then Tip's fears were proven to be well founded; for with the first streaksof gray dawn they looked over the sides of the sofas and discovered rollingplains dotted with queer villages, where the houses, instead of being dome-shaped--as they all are in the Land of Oz--had slanting roofs that roseto a peak
211in the center. Odd looking animals were also moving about upon the openplains, and the country was unfamiliar to both the Tin Woodman and theScarecrow, who had formerly visited Glinda the Good's domain and knew itwell.
"We are lost!" said the Scarecrow, dolefully. "The Gump must have carried usentirely out of the Land of Oz and over the sandy deserts and into theterrible outside world that Dorothy told us about."
"We must get back," exclaimed the Tin Woodman, earnestly. "we must get backas soon as possible!"
"Turn around!" cried Tip to the Gump. "turn as quickly as you can!"
"If I do I shall upset," answered the Gump. "I'm not at all used to flying,and the best plan would be for me to alight in some place, and then I canturn around and take a fresh start."
Just then, however, there seemed to be no stopping-place that would answertheir purpose. They flew over a village so big that the Woggle-Bug declaredit was a city. and then they came to a range of high mountains with manydeep gorges and steep cliffs showing plainly.
"Now is our chance to stop," said the boy, finding
212they were very close to the mountain tops. Then he turned to the Gump andcommanded: "Stop at the first level place you see!"
"Very well," answered the Gump, and settled down upon a table of rock thatstood between two cliffs.
But not being experienced in such matters, the Gump did not judge his speedcorrectly; and instead of coming to a stop upon the flat rock he missed itby half the width of his body, breaking off both his right wings against thesharp edge of the rock and then tumbling over and over down the cliff.
Our friends held on to the sofas as long as they could, but when the Gumpcaught on a proJecting rock the Thing stopped suddenly--bottom side up--andall were immediately dumped out.
By good fortune they fell only a few feet; for underneath them was a monsternest, built by a colony of Jackdaws in a hollow ledge of rock; so none ofthem--not even the Pumpkinhead--was injured by the fall. For Jack foundhis precious head resting on the soft breast of the Scarecrow, which made anexcellent cushion; and Tip fell on a mass of leaves and papers, which savedhim from injury. The Woggle-Bug had bumped his round head against
213 Full page line-art drawing.
ALL WERE IMMEDIATELY DUMPED OUT.
214the Saw-Horse, but without causing him more than a moment's inconvenience.
The Tin Woodman was at first much alarmed; but finding he had escapedwithout even a scratch upon his beautiful nickle-plate he at once regainedhis accustomed cheerfulness and turned to address his comrades.
"Our Journey had ended rather suddenly," said he; "and we cannot justlyblame our friend the Gump for our accident, because he did the best he couldunder the circumstances. But how we are ever to escape from this nest I mustleave to someone with better brains than I possess."
Here he gazed at the Scarecrow; who crawled to the edge of the nest andlooked over. Below them was a sheer precipice several hundred feet in depth.Above them was a smooth cliff unbroken save by the point of
rock where thewrecked body of the Gump still hung suspended from the end of one of thesofas. There really seemed to be no means of escape, and as they realizedtheir helpless plight the little band of adventurers gave way to theirbewilderment.
"This is a worse prison than the palace," sadly remarked the Woggle-Bug.
"I wish we had stayed there," moaned Jack.
215"I'm afraid the mountain air isn't good for pumpkins."
"It won't be when the Jackdaws come back," growled the Saw-Horse, which laywaving its legs in a vain endeavor to get upon its feet again. "Jackdaws areespecially fond of pumpkins."
"Do you think the birds will come here?" asked Jack, much distressed.
"Of course they will," said Tip; "for this is their nest. And there must behundreds of them," he continued, "for see what a lot of things they havebrought here!"
Indeed, the nest was half filled with a most curious collection of smallarticles for which the birds could have no use, but which the thievingJackdaws had stolen during many years from the homes of men. And as the nestwas safely hidden where no human being could reach it, this lost propertywould never be recovered.
The Woggle-Bug, searching among the rubbish--for the Jackdaws stoleuseless things as well as valuable ones--turned up with his foot abeautiful diamond necklace. This was so greatly admired by the Tin Woodmanthat the Woggle-Bug presented it to him with a graceful speech, after whichthe Woodman hung it around his neck with much pride,
216 Full page line-art drawing.
TURNED UP A BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND NECKLACE.
217rejoicing exceedingly when the big diamonds glittered in the sun's rays.
But now they heard a great jabbering and flopping of wings, and as the soundgrew nearer to them Tip exclaimed:
"The Jackdaws are coming! And if they find us here they will surely kill usin their anger."
"I was afraid of this!" moaned the Pumpkinhead. "My time has come!"
"And mine, also!" said the Woggle-Bug; "for Jackdaws are the greatestenemies of my race."
The others were not at all afraid; but the Scarecrow at once decided to savethose of the party who were liable to be injured by the angry birds. So hecommanded Tip to take off Jack's head and lie down with it in the bottom ofthe nest, and when this was done he ordered the Woggle-Bug to lie besideTip. Nick Chopper, who knew from past experience Just what to do, then tookthe Scarecrow to pieces (all except his head) and scattered the straw overTip and the Woggle-Bug, completely covering their bodies.
Hardly had this been accomplished when the flock of Jackdaws reached them.Perceiving the intruders in their nest the birds flew down upon them withscreams of rage.
218 Full page line-art drawing.
219 Dr. Nikidik's Famous Wishing Pills
The Tin Woodman was usually a peaceful man, but when occasion required hecould fight as fiercely as a Roman gladiator. So, when the Jackdaws nearlyknocked him down in their rush of wings, and their sharp beaks and clawsthreatened to damage his brilliant plating, the Woodman picked up his axeand made it whirl swiftly around his head.
But although many were beaten off in this way, the birds were so numerousand so brave that they continued the attack as furiously as before. Some ofthem pecked at the eyes of the Gump, which hung over the nest in a helplesscondition; but the Gump's eyes were of glass and could not be injured.Others of the Jackdaws rushed at the Saw-Horse; but that animal, being stillupon his back, kicked out so viciously with his wooden legs that he beat offas many assailants as did the Woodman's axe.
220
Finding themselves thus opposed, the birds fell upon the Scarecrow's straw,which lay at the center of the nest, covering Tip and the Woggle-Bug andJack's pumpkin head, and began tearing it away and flying off with it, onlyto let it drop, straw by straw into the great gulf beneath.
The Scarecrow's head, noting with dismay this wanton destruction of hisinterior, cried to the Tin Woodman to save him; and that good friendresponded with renewed energy. His axe fairly flashed among the Jackdaws,and fortunately the Gump began wildly waving the two wings remaining on theleft side of its body. The flutter of these great wings filled the Jackdawswith terror, and when the Gump by its exertions freed itself from the peg ofrock on which it hung, and sank flopping into the nest, the alarm of thebirds knew no bounds and they fled screaming over the mountains.
When the last foe had disappeared, Tip crawled from under the sofas andassisted the Woggle-Bug to follow him.
"We are saved!" shouted the boy, delightedly.
"We are, indeed!" responded the Educated Insect, fairly hugging the stiffhead of the Gump in his joy. "and we owe it all to the flopping of theThing, and the good axe of the Woodman!"
221
"If I am saved, get me out of here!" called Jack; whose head was stillbeneath the sofas; and Tip managed to roll the pumpkin out and place it uponits neck again. He also set the Saw-Horse upright, and said to it:
"We owe you many thanks for the gallant fight you made."
"I really think we have escaped very nicely," remarked the Tin Woodman, in atone of pride.
"Not so!" exclaimed a hollow voice.
At this they all turned in surprise to look at the Scarecrow's head, whichlay at the back of the nest.
"I am completely ruined!" declared the Scarecrow, as he noted theirastonishment. "For where is the straw that stuffs my body?"
The awful question startled them all. They gazed around the nest withhorror, for not a vestige of straw remained. The
222Jackdaws had stolen it to the last wisp and flung it all into the chasm thatyawned for hundreds of feet beneath the nest.
"My poor, poor friend!" said the Tin Woodman, taking up the Scarecrow's headand caressing it tenderly; "whoever could imagine you would come to thisuntimely end?"
"I did it to save my friends," returned the head; "and I am glad that Iperished in so noble and unselfish a manner."
"But why are you all so despondent?" inquired the Woggle-Bug. "TheScarecrow's clothing is still safe."
"Yes," answered the Tin Woodman; "but our friend's clothes are uselesswithout stuffing."
"Why not stuff him with money?" asked Tip.
"Money!" they all cried, in an amazed chorus.
"To be sure," said the boy. "In the bottom of the nest are thousands ofdollar bills--and two-dollar bills--and five-dollar bills--and tens,and twenties, and fifties. There are enough of them to stuff a dozenScarecrows. Why not use the money?"
The Tin Woodman began to turn over the rubbish with the handle of his axe;and, sure enough, what they had first thought only worthless papers werefound to be all bills of various denominations,
223which the mischievous Jackdaws had for years been engaged in stealing fromthe villages and cities they visited.
There was an immense fortune lying in that inaccessible nest; and Tip'ssuggestion was, with the Scarecrow's consent, quickly acted upon.
They selected all the newest and cleanest bills and assorted them intovarious piles. The Scarecrow's left leg and boot were stuffed with five-dollar bills; his right leg was stuffed with ten-dollar bills, and his bodyso closely filled with fifties, one-hundreds and one-thousands that he couldscarcely button his jacket with comfort.
"You are now" said the Woggle-Bug, impressively, when the task had beencompleted, "the most valuable member of our party; and as you
Line-Art Drawing
224are among faithful friends there is little danger of your being spent."
"Thank you," returned the Scarecrow, gratefully. "I feel like a new man; andalthough at first glance I might be mistaken for a Safety Deposit Vault, Ibeg you to remember that my Brains are still composed of the same oldmaterial. And these are the possessions that have always made me a person tobe depended upon in an emergency."
"Well, the emergency is here," observed Tip; "and unless your brains help usout of it we shall be compelled to pass the remainder of our lives in thisnest."
&
nbsp; "How about these wishing pills?" enquired the Scarecrow, taking the box fromhis jacket pocket. "Can't we use them to escape?"
"Not unless we can count seventeen by twos," answered the Tin Woodman. "Butour friend the Woggle-Bug claims to be highly educated, so he ought easilyto figure out how that can be done."
"It isn't a question of education," returned the Insect; "it's merely aquestion of mathematics. I've seen the professor work lots of sums on theblackboard, and he claimed anything could be done with x's and y's and a's,and such things, by mixing them up with plenty of plusses and minuses andequals, and so forth. But he never said anything, so far as
225I can remember, about counting up to the odd number of seventeen by the evennumbers of twos."
"Stop! stop!" cried the Pumpkinhead. "You're making my head ache."
"And mine," added the Scarecrow. "Your mathematics seem to me very like abottle of mixed pickles the more you fish for what you want the less chanceyou have of getting it. I am certain that if the thing can be accomplishedat all, it is in a very simple manner."
"Yes," said Tip. "old Mombi couldn't use x's and minuses, for she never wentto school."
The Marvelous Land of Oz Page 11