L. Frank Baum - Oz 25
Page 13
“Eighty and fifty-eight, fellows, you’ll have to wait If We’re to get this straight. One at a time! How did this pirate, King, bird, pig and Peter bring Help just in time?”
demanded the Patchwork Girl, turning a handspring and apparently no worse for her transformation.
“Yes, one at a time. That’s the idea,” agreed the Scarecrow, sidling up to Peter. “You tell what happened to you and then we’ll tell what happened to us. How would that be?”
“How is it that girl can make verses when she’s not riding me?” squealed Pigasus excitedly.
“It’s the way she’s made,” whispered Dorothy, who had slipped down on the sofa beside the pink pig. “Sh-h, Ozma wants to say something.” Ozma, upset and shocked as she had been by the unhappy events of the last hour, had now regained her composure.
“Let Peter and his friends tell their story,” directed Ozma, raising her scepter for silence, “and let us all-” Ozma looked reprovingly at the Patchwork Girl, “let us all keep quite still until they do.”
CHAPTER 19
Capital Times in the Capital
ALOUD cheer greeted the boy as he stepped forward, for Peter had saved the kingdom twice before and was not only a great favorite, but a great hero in the Emerald City of Oz. So much had happened since he landed on Ato’s Island that he scarcely knew where to begin. The celebrities, however, were so curious, so interested and so impatient to hear all about everything that he simply cleared his throat and plunged right into the story, telling all that had occurred on the strange islands which the Crescent Moon had passed and visited. The Oz folk cast sympathetic and approving glances at the handsome pirate and the jolly, old King as Peter explained how they had both been robbed and deserted, and all listened spellbound to his spirited and detailed account of the cruise on the pirate ship. The Wizard of Oz shook his head thoughtfully over Shell City and the banannygoat. Ozma was deeply interested in the castle boat of the Duke of Dork, while Dorothy and Trot could hardly wait to ride Pigasus and hear themselves talking in verse. Of Menankypoo, Peter could tell them very little, and after relating what Binx and Peggo had told, he turned eagerly to Samuel Salt.
“I left you and Ato and Roger in Menankypoo. Now, how in Oz did you ever get here?” demanded the boy, who had been trying to puzzle this mystery out for himself all the time he was telling his story.
“On the Crescent Moon,” answered the pirate, grinning down at his mate and cabin boy. “How else would an able-bodied seaman travel? Ha!”
“But without any water?” questioned Peter incredulously
“Aye, aye, mate! Without any water,” rasped Roger, touching his forehead with his claw. “We flew through the sky! Aye! Aye! Sky high!”
“It was that cask you brought ashore,” explained Samuel Salt, seeing that the curiosity of Peter and the whole company was growing well nigh unbearable. “That flask and Roger’s cleverness brought us here. Why, shiver my liver, had it not been for that bird we’d have been flying yet and forever!” If the celebrities had been thrilled by Peter’s story they were even more excited when the pirate described the flight of the Crescent Moon through the skyways of Oz and the masterly manner in which Roger had solved the problem of landing in time and in safety. And when Samuel concluded, Roger was given such a round of applause that he grew positively embarrassed and put his head under his wing. Ato came in for his share of cheering, too, and feeling well repaid for all their trials and vicissitudes, the four shipmates sat down on the sofa beside Dorothy and Pigasus while the Scarecrow told the other side of the story.
The Gnome King’s army had taken the capital by surprise and before word of his arrival had even reached the castle, the Octagon Islanders and pirates had overpowered Ozma’s gentle citizens and locked them up in their houses and shops. Then, hidden from view by some of the conjurer’s magic, Ruggedo and the Clock Man had entered the castle unseen and stolen the magic belt. Ozma and her councilors were in the throne room at the time, choosing a ruler for a new kingdom in the Gillikin Country and the first knowledge they had of the Gnome King’s presence was when he and the Wise Man of Menankypoo burst into the conference. Brandishing his dagger and tapping his magic belt the gnome had threatened them with instant transformation and destruction, and no sooner had the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman attempted to seize the little villain than the Cuckoo Clock Man had raised the conjurer’s stick and brought them all to a standstill. The only thing that had saved the Oz folk had been Ruggedo’s boastfulness. The gnome had not been able to resist this opportunity of telling his old enemies how he had at last outwitted them and taken their city, and what he intended to do once he was Ruler and Emperor
of Oz.
“And that is what he was doing when Peter came flying in on the pig,” finished the Scarecrow, pushing back his old straw hat.
“And right after that he turned you to a bale ‘of hay,” Peter reminded him seriously.
“Yes,” sighed the Scarecrow, ruefully rubbing his knees. “I can still feel those cords, but that about clears up everything, does it not, my dear?” Ozma smiled as the Scarecrow thus informally addressed her.
“Well, I don’t quite understand how Ruggedo recovered his speech,” mused the little Princess
of Oz
thoughtfully, “nor how he crossed the desert-”
“Or what he did to the pirates and Octagon Islanders,” added Peter, staring hard at the stone
jug which, strangely enough, had Ruggedo’s face on the spout. “I only saw two when I flew over the
city.”
“Yes, what has he done with our men?” wheezed Ato, jumping up so suddenly that the Read Bird tumbled from his shoulder into Dorothy’s lap.
“Fetch in those pirates,” commanded Ozma sternly, at which the Soldier with Green Whiskers, stepping out from behind the throne where he had been hiding all afternoon, started reluctantly for the garden. Peter, knowing the grand army of old, and realizing how exceedingly timid and nervous he was, ran quickly to help him and presently they returned with the two pirates, very ragged and downcast, between them. At sight of their old captain the buccaneers trembled violently and tried to pull away, but a word from the ruler of Oz made them straighten up and in faltering voices describe the capture of the city. Without rest or stop, Ruggedo had marched his army from Menankypoo to the capital. The Deadly Desert had been crossed on a way-word which Ruggedo had learned from the Cuckoo Clock Man. With uneasy glances at Ozma and Samuel Salt, they explained how they had driven the Ozites into their dwellings and how Ruggedo, instead of rewarding the pirates and Octagon Islanders, had turned them all into cobblestones-all, that is, except the two who had guarded the gates. Those two were to receive a bag of emeralds apiece for their trouble.
“And where are these cobblestones?” inquired Ozma sternly.
“Just inside your Majesty’s garden,” mumbled the first pirate glumly.
“A hard fate, but good enough for them,” ticked the Copper Man, in his mechanical way. “Let us build a mon-u-ment of these cob-ble stones to warn all peo-ple not to re-bel against their ru-lers.”
“Oh, I hope your Highness will not do that!” puffed Ato anxiously. “I am sure they are sorry now, and will not trouble you again.”
The two pirates, much to Peter’s amusement nodded vigorously, so Ozma, by means of her magic belt transformed the Gnome King’s army to their proper forms and Peter and the Scarecrow ran off to lead them to the throne room. A more ragged, dusty, discouraged band of rebels it would have been hard to discover. The Octagon Islanders failed to recognize in the burly pirate beside Peter their former kindly monarch. But when Ato made himself known to them, Sixentwo fell upon his knees and humbly begged for pardon and forgiveness on behalf of the subjects.
“All we desire,” sniffed the tattered and tired old councilor, “is to return to our island and our homes. We’ve had enough of conquering and ambition. And if your Majesty will take us back we will promise to serve and obey you for the rest of our unnatu
ral lives.”
“There, there!” murmured Ato, pulling Sixentwo to his feet and feeling terribly sorry for his poor, disillusioned subjects. “Say no more about it, old fellow. But you’ll have to do without me for six months of the year, for I’ve taken a notion to go exploring, and if Sammy will have me I intend to spend half of my time as cook on the Crescent Moon.
“Why, goosewing my tops’ls! That’s the best news I’ve heard since I landed in Oz!’ roared the pirate, clasping Ato affectionately round his great middle.
“No, it’s not! No, it’s not!” Jumping to her feet Ozma raised her scepter. “I have some better news! I hereby decree that Samuel Salt shall give up piracy and become our Royal Discoverer and Explorer, take possession of new countries and set the flag of Oz on far islands and mountain tops.”
“‘Ray! ‘Ray! Hurray!” shouted the company, stamping their feet and throwing up their hats and handkerchiefs. “Three cheers for Samuel Salt, Royal Explorer and Discoverer for Oz!”
“Oh, he’ll like that!” exulted Peter, rushing over to shake Samuel’s hand, and if the pirates looked a little sulky
and disconsolate nobody took any notice of them. Indeed, as both they and the Octagon Islanders were too
downcast and unhappy to enjoy so gay and carefree a crowd, Ozma transported the first
to their island homes-not forgetting the women and children locked up in the conjurer’s cave-and the second back to the Sea Lion in the harbor of Menankypoo. Then, because she felt so relieved and happy over the way everything was turning out the Princess ordered a grand feast in honor of Peter and Pigasus, Ato, Roger and Samuel Salt, Royal Explorer of Oz.
CHAPTER 20 Farewell to Oz
PETER had a chance to renew at the party his friendships with many of his old chums and comrades. The was so delighted to see the boy from Philadelphia that he shed tears ofjoy into the soup, while Jack Pumpkinhead lit the candle inside his pumpkin to remind Peter of the exciting adventures they had had together in Chimney-yule and flaflleburg. Ato, who loved both feasting and stories, had his fill of both and spent the most interesting and enjoyable evening of his life listening to the stories of the celebrities, the Princesses and famous beasts of Oz. Ruggedo, now a handsome stone jug, was passed curiously from hand to hand and then, at the Scarecrow’s suggestion, filled with delicious Ozade. And I am quite sure it was the first time the Gnome King was filled with anything so good, sweet and sparkling. Trot, mounted on Pigasus, flew round and round the table making such merry rhymes that Scraps had all she could do to answer them. And not till everyone was rested and refreshed did Ozma return to the more serious business of repairing all the damage done by the mischievous little gnome.
Summoning Clocker with the magic belt Ozma forced him to reveal how Ruggedo had recovered his speech, and after he had struck several times she turned him over to the Wizard, who promised to replace his bad works with good ones, and so he probably will become a useful and interesting addition to the castle. You can see yourself how useful a walking clock would be on picnics and trips.
“He’ll make a twin for you, Tilt Tok,” chuckled the Wizard, as he dragged Clocker determinedly off and the cask that had brought the Crescent Moon to Oz were carefully placed in the emerald safe and the Hardy-hood, which had protected Ruggedo from everything but magic, was presented to Roger as a slight token of appreciation for all he had done to save the Emerald City.
Next, the Menankypoos were brought up out of the sea and their treasure restored to them. Sam-uel Salt promised on his way back to stop and see that the rightful King was placed on the throne. But Ozma felt sure the inhabitants of the strange little country would be glad enough to have their old sovereign back. In the morning she promised to send the Crescent Moon to the Nonestic Ocean so that
Samuel could start on his first voyage of discovery. Then Samuel, who felt a little uneasy about his men, expressed a desire to see the pirates and running upstairs they all looked curiously in the magic picture while Ozina commanded it to reveal the buccaneers. It showed the pirates, bad to the end, sailing away under full sail in the Sea Lion.
“Ah, well,” rumbled Samuel Salt regretfully. “Let them go. Pirating is all they know or care about. I’ll pick me a crew of able-bodied seamen right in this town. I’ve a cook and lookout already.” he finshed, with a wink at Ato and the Read Bird. But Ozma had other ideas and without saying a word of her intentions, changed the pirates into sea gulls. “Now they can still have the sea that they love and yet do no harm to other ships and kingdoms,” decided the Princess wisely. It was long past midnight by now, and even Ato, fond as he was of story telling, began to yawn and grow drowsy. As the merry company began to break up and wish one another good-night, Peter slipped up to Ozma. He felt that he could not say goodbye to his old shipmates-that rather than say goodbye to Samuel, Ato, Roger and Pigasus, he would go before they missed him.
“I hate to leave,” sighed Peter, with a regretful look down the long, gay table. “But my grandfather must be worried about me and the team needs me, too, So, if you don’t mind, I’ll just dust along-and thanks a lot for everything. You’ll be good to Pigasus, won’t you? And some time, when Samuel is going on a real long voyage, wish me to Oz again !”
“I promise!” Solemnly Ozma nodded and smiled.
Next time bring your grandfather with you,”whispered the fairy, surely the most understanding and discerning little lady in Oz. “You might even teach us to play baseball,” she added mischievously, “and then you could stay here with us always.”
“Maybe I could,” mused Peter slowly with a long, long look at Samuel Salt and Ato. “Maybe next time I will stay!” Then, as he felt himself beginning to vanish, he raised one arm and with’ a long “Cheerio!” dropped out of sight and Oz into his own four post bed in Philadelphia. And that is all I know of the story. But imagine! The pearls he found in Shell City were real pearls, and the thoughtful ruler of Qz transported them with him. My, I should like to have been there when he woke up and found them!
THE END
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
Chapter 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
Chapter 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17 Pigasus in Oz
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19