The Royal Book of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

  CHAPTER 19

  PLANNING TO FLY FROM THE SILVER ISLAND

  It was the Comfortable Camel. Waking suddenly, he found himselfdeserted. "Oh, where is my dear Karwan Bashi?" he roared dismally."Come back! Come back!"

  "Hush up, can't you?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion. "Do you want Dorothyand everybody to be thrown into prison on our account? We can't climbthe bean pole and will have to wait here and face it out."

  "But how uncomfortable," wailed the camel. He began to sob heavily.Dorothy, although highest up the bean pole, heard all of thisdistinctly. "Oh," she cried remorsefully, "we can't desert theCowardly Lion like this. I never thought about him."

  "Spoken like the dear little Maid you are," said the Knight. "Thegood beast never reminded us of it, either. There's bravery for you!"

  "Let us descend at once, I'll not move a step without the CowardlyLion!" In his agitation, the Scarecrow lost his balance and fellheadlong to the ground, knocking Sir Hokus's helmet terribly askew ashe passed. The others made haste to follow him and were soon gatheredgravely at the foot of the beanstalk.

  "I'll have to think of some other plan," said the Scarecrow, lookingnervously at the sky, which showed, through the long windows, thefirst streaks of dawn. The Comfortable Camel controlled its sobs withdifficulty and pressed as close to Sir Hokus as it could. TheDoubtful Dromedary was still asleep.

  "It would have been a terrible climb," mused the Scarecrow, thinkingof his long, long fall down the pole. "Ah, I have it!"

  "What?" asked Dorothy anxiously.

  "I wonder I did not think of it before. Ah, my brains are workingbetter! I will abdicate," exclaimed the Scarecrow triumphantly. "Iwill abdicate, make a farewell speech, and return with you to Oz!"

  "What if they refuse to let your radiant Highness go?" put in HappyToko tremulously. "What if the Gheewizard should work his magicbefore you finished your speech?"

  "Then we'll make a dash for it!" said Sir Hokus, twirling his swordrecklessly.

  "I'm with you," said the Cowardly Lion huskily, "but you needn't havecome back for me."

  "All right!" said the Scarecrow cheerfully. "And now thateverything's settled so nicely, we might as well enjoy the littletime left. Put out the lights, Tappy. Dorothy and I will sit on thethrone, and the rest of you come as close as possible."

  Sir Hokus wakened the Doubtful Dromedary and pulled and tugged itacross the hall, where it immediately fell down asleep again. TheComfortable Camel ambled about eating the flowers out of the vases.The Cowardly Lion had placed himself at Dorothy's feet, and Sir Hokusand Happy Toko seated themselves upon the first step of the gorgeoussilver throne.

  Then, while they waited for morning, Dorothy told the Scarecrow allabout the Pokes and Fix City, and the Scarecrow told once again ofhis victory over the king of the Golden Islands.

  "Where is the magic fan now?" asked Dorothy at the end of the story.

  The Scarecrow smiled broadly, and feeling in a deep pocket broughtout the little fan and also the parasol he had plucked from thebeanstalk. "Do you know," he said smiling, "so much has happened Ihaven't thought of them since the battle. I was saving them for you,Dorothy."

  "For me!" exclaimed the little girl in delight. "Let me see them!"The Scarecrow handed them over obligingly, but Happy Toko trembled soviolently that he rolled down the steps of the throne.

  "I beg of you!" He scrambled to his feet and held up his hands interror. "I beg of you, don't open that fan!"

  "She's used to magic, Tappy. You needn't worry," said the Scarecroweasily.

  "Of course I am," said Dorothy with great dignity. "But this'll bemighty useful if anyone tries to conquer Oz again. We can just fan'em away."

  Dorothy pulled a hair from the Cowardly Lion's mane, and winding itaround the little fan, put it carefully in the pocket of her dress.The parasol she hung by its ribbon to her arm.

  "Perhaps Ozma will look in the Magic Picture and wish us all backagain," said the little girl after they had sat for a time insilence.

  "I doubt it." The Dromedary stirred and mumbled in its sleep.

  "Singular beast, that!" ejaculated the Knight. "Doubting never getsone anywhere."

  "Hush!" warned the Scarecrow. "I hear footsteps!"

  "Come here." Sir Hokus called hoarsely to the camel, who was eating apaper lantern at the other end of the room. The beast ran awkwardlyover to the throne, and swallowing the lantern with a convulsivegulp, settled down beside the dromedary.

  "Whatever happens, we must stick together," said the Knightemphatically. "Ah--!"

  Dorothy held fast to the Scarecrow with one hand and to the thronewith the other. The sun had risen at last. There was a loud crash ofdrums and trumpets, a rush of feet, and into the hall marched themost splendid company Dorothy had seen in her whole life ofadventures.