Glinda of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

  CHAPTER 22

  The Sunken Island

  As soon as they had breakfasted the next morning, Glinda and theWizard and the three Adepts went down to the shore of the lake andformed a line with their faces toward the submerged island. All theothers came to watch them, but stood at a respectful distance in thebackground.

  At the right of the Sorceress stood Audah and Aurah, while at the leftstood the Wizard and Aujah. Together they stretched their arms overthe water's edge and in unison the five chanted a rhythmicincantation.

  This chant they repeated again and again, swaying their arms gentlyfrom side to side, and in a few minutes the watchers behind themnoticed that the lake had begun to recede from the shore. Before longthe highest point of the dome appeared above the water. Gradually thewater fell, making the dome appear to rise. When it was three or fourfeet above the surface Glinda gave the signal to stop, for their workhad been accomplished.

  The blackened submarine was now entirely out of water, but Uncle Henryand Cap'n Bill managed to push it into the lake. Glinda, the Wizard,Ervic and the Adepts got into the boat, taking with them a coil ofstrong rope, and at the command of the Sorceress the craft cleaved itsway through the water toward the part of the Dome which was nowvisible.

  "There's still plenty of water for the fish to swim in," observed theWizard as they rode along. "They might like more but I'm sure they canget along until we have raised the island and can fill up the lakeagain."

  The boat touched gently on the sloping glass of the Dome, and theWizard took some tools from his black bag and quickly removed onelarge pane of glass, thus making a hole large enough for their bodiesto pass through. Stout frames of steel supported the glass of theDome, and around one of these frames the Wizard tied the end of arope.

  "I'll go down first," said he, "for while I'm not as spry as Cap'nBill I'm sure I can manage it easily. Are you sure the rope is longenough to reach the bottom?"

  "Quite sure," replied the Sorceress.

  So the Wizard let down the rope and climbing through the openinglowered himself down, hand over hand, clinging to the rope with hislegs and feet. Below in the streets of the village were gathered allthe Skeezers, men, women and children, and you may be sure that Ozmaand Dorothy, with Lady Aurex, were filled with joy that their friendswere at last coming to their rescue.

  The Queen's palace, now occupied by Ozma, was directly in the centerof the Dome, so that when the rope was let down the end of it camejust in front of the palace entrance. Several Skeezers held fast tothe rope's end to steady it and the Wizard reached the ground insafety. He hugged first Ozma and then Dorothy, while all the Skeezerscheered as loud as they could.

  The Wizard now discovered that the rope was long enough to reach fromthe top of the Dome to the ground when doubled, so he tied a chair toone end of the rope and called to Glinda to sit in the chair while heand some of the Skeezers lowered her to the pavement. In this way theSorceress reached the ground quite comfortably and the three Adeptsand Ervic soon followed her.

  The Skeezers quickly recognized the three Adepts at Magic, whom theyhad learned to respect before their wicked Queen betrayed them, andwelcomed them as friends. All the inhabitants of the village had beengreatly frightened by their imprisonment under water, but now realizedthat an attempt was to be made to rescue them.

  Glinda, the Wizard and the Adepts followed Ozma and Dorothy into thepalace, and they asked Lady Aurex and Ervic to join them. After Ozmahad told of her adventures in trying to prevent war between theFlatheads and the Skeezers, and Glinda had told all about the RescueExpedition and the restoration of the three Adepts by the help ofErvic, a serious consultation was held as to how the island could bemade to rise.

  "I've tried every way in my power," said Ozma, "but Coo-ee-oh used avery unusual sort of magic which I do not understand. She seems tohave prepared her witchcraft in such a way that a spoken word isnecessary to accomplish her designs, and these spoken words are knownonly to herself."

  "That is a method we taught her," declared Aurah the Adept.

  "I can do no more, Glinda," continued Ozma, "so I wish you would trywhat your sorcery can accomplish."

  "First, then," said Glinda, "let us visit the basement of the island,which I am told is underneath the village."

  A flight of marble stairs led from one of Coo-ee-oh's private roomsdown to the basement, but when the party arrived all were puzzled bywhat they saw. In the center of a broad, low room, stood a mass ofgreat cog-wheels, chains and pulleys, all interlocked and seeming toform a huge machine; but there was no engine or other motive power tomake the wheels turn.

  "This, I suppose, is the means by which the island is lowered orraised," said Ozma, "but the magic word which is needed to move themachinery is unknown to us."

  The three Adepts were carefully examining the mass of wheels, and soonthe golden-haired one said:

  "These wheels do not control the island at all. On the contrary, oneset of them is used to open the doors of the little rooms where thesubmarines are kept, as may be seen from the chains and pulleys used.Each boat is kept in a little room with two doors, one to the basementroom where we are now and the other letting into the lake.

  "When Coo-ee-oh used the boat in which she attacked the Flatheads, shefirst commanded the basement door to open and with her followers shegot into the boat and made the top close over them. Then the basementdoor being closed, the outer door was slowly opened, letting the waterfill the room to float the boat, which then left the island, keepingunder water."

  "But how could she expect to get back again?" asked the Wizard.

  "Why the boat would enter the room filled with water and after theouter door was closed a word of command started a pump which pumpedall the water from the room. Then the boat would open and Coo-ee-ohcould enter the basement."

  "I see," said the Wizard. "It is a clever contrivance, but won't workunless one knows the magic words."

  "Another part of this machinery," explained the white-haired Adept,"is used to extend the bridge from the island to the mainland. Thesteel bridge is in a room much like that in which the boats are kept,and at Coo-ee-oh's command it would reach out, joint by joint, untilits far end touched the shore of the lake. The same magic commandwould make the bridge return to its former position. Of course thebridge could not be used unless the island was on the surface of thewater."

  "But how do you suppose Coo-ee-oh managed to sink the island, and makeit rise again?" inquired Glinda.

  This the Adepts could not yet explain. As nothing more could belearned from the basement they mounted the steps to the Queen'sprivate suite again, and Ozma showed them to a special room whereCoo-ee-oh kept her magical instruments and performed all her arts ofwitchcraft.