The Classic Children's Literature Collection: 39 Classic Novels

by Various Authors

  The Sorceress now said to the boat:

  “Close up, submerge and carry us to the basement door of the sunken island—the door from which you emerged at the command of Queen Coo-ee-oh.”

  The boat obeyed. As it sank into the water the top sections rose from the sides and joined together over the heads of Glinda and the Wizard, who were thus enclosed in a water-proof chamber. There were four glass windows in this covering, one on each side and one on either end, so that the passengers could see exactly where they were going. Moving under water more slowly than on the surface, the submarine gradually approached the island and halted with its bow pressed against the huge marble door in the basement under the Dome. This door was tightly closed and it was evident to both Glinda and the Wizard that it would not open to admit the underwater boat unless a magic word was spoken by them or someone from within the basement of the island. But what was this magic word? Neither of them knew.

  “I’m afraid,” said the Wizard regretfully, “that we can’t get in, after all. Unless your sorcery can discover the word to open the marble door.”

  “That is probably some word only known to Coo-ce-oh,” replied the Sorceress. “I may be able to discover what it is, but that will require time. Let us go back again to our companions.”

  “It seems a shame, after we have made the boat obey us, to be balked by just a marble door,” grumbled the Wizard.

  At Glinda’s command the boat rose until it was on a level with the glass dome that covered the Skeezer village, when the Sorceress made it slowly circle all around the Great Dome.

  Many faces were pressed against the glass from the inside, eagerly watching the submarine, and in one place were Dorothy and Ozma, who quickly recognized Glinda and the Wizard through the glass windows of the boat. Glinda saw them, too, and held the boat close to the Dome while the friends exchanged greetings in pantomime. Their voices, unfortunately, could not be heard through the Dome and the water and the side of the boat. The Wizard tried to make the girls understand, through signs, that he and Glinda had come to their rescue, and Ozma and Dorothy understood this from the very fact that the Sorceress and the Wizard had appeared. The two girl prisoners were smiling and in safety, and knowing this Glinda felt she could take all the time necessary in order to effect their final rescue.

  As nothing more could be done just then, Glinda ordered the boat to return to shore and it obeyed readily. First it ascended to the surface of the water, then the roof parted and fell into the slots at the side of the boat, and then the magic craft quickly made the shore and beached itself on the sands at the very spot from which it had departed at Glinda’s command. All the Oz people and the Skeezers at once ran to the boat to ask if they had reached the island, and whether they had seen Ozma and Dorothy. The Wizard told them of the obstacle they had met in the way of a marble door, and how Glinda would now undertake to find a magic way to conquer the door.

  Realizing that it would require several days to succeed in reaching the island raising it and liberating their friends and the Skeezer people, Glinda now prepared a camp half way between the lake shore and the palm trees.

  The Wizard’s wizardry made a number of tents appear and the sorcery of the Sorceress furnished these tents all complete, with beds, chairs, tables, flags, lamps and even books with which to pass idle hours. All the tents had the Royal Banner of Oz flying from the centerpoles and one big tent, not now occupied, had Ozma’s own banner moving in the breeze.

  Betsy and Trot had a tent to themselves, and Button Bright and Ojo had another. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman paired together in one tent and so did Jack Pumpkinhead and the Shaggy Man, Cap’n Bill and Uncle Henry, Tik-Tok and Professor Wogglebug. Glinda had the most splendid tent of all, except that reserved for Ozma, while the Wizard had a little one of his own. Whenever it was meal time, tables loaded with food magically appeared in the tents of those who were in the habit of eating, and these complete arrangements made the rescue party just comfortable as they would have been in their own homes.

  Far into the night Glinda sat in her tent studying a roll of mystic scrolls in search of a word that would open the basement door of the island and admit her to the Great Dome. She also made many magical experiments, hoping to discover something that would aid her. Yet the morning found the powerful Sorceress still unsuccessful.

  Glinda’s art could have opened any ordinary door, you may be sure, but you must realize that this marble door of the island had been commanded not to open save in obedience to one magic word, and therefore all other magic words could have no effect upon it. The magic word that guarded the door had probably been invented by Coo-ee-oh, who had now forgotten it. The only way, then, to gain entrance to the sunken island was to break the charm that held the door fast shut. If this could be done no magic would be required to open it.

  The next day the Sorceress and the Wizard again entered the boat and made it submerge and go to the marble door, which they tried in various ways to open, but without success.

  “We shall have to abandon this attempt, I think,” said Glinda. “The easiest way to raise the island would be for us to gain admittance to the Dome and then descend to the basement and see in what manner Coo-ee-oh made the entire island sink or rise at her command. It naturally occurred to me that the easiest way to gain admittance would be by having the boat take us into the basement through the marble door from which Coo-ee-oh launched it. But there must be other ways to get inside the Dome and join Ozma and Dorothy, and such ways we must find by study and the proper use of our powers of magic.”

  “It won’t be easy,” declared the Wizard, “for we must not forget that Ozma herself understands considerable magic, and has doubtless tried to raise the island or find other means of escape from it and failed.”

  “That is true,” returned Glinda, “but Ozma’s magic is fairy magic, while you are a Wizard and I am a Sorceress. In this way the three of us have a great variety of magic to work with, and if we should all fail it will be because the island is raised and lowered by a magic power none of us is acquainted with. My idea therefore is to seek—by such magic as we possess—to accomplish our object in another way.”

  They made the circle of the Dome again in their boat, and once more saw Ozma and Dorothy through their windows and exchanged signals with the two imprisoned girls.

  Ozma realized that her friends were doing all in their power to rescue her and smiled an encouragement to their efforts. Dorothy seemed a little anxious but was trying to be as brave as her companion.

  After the boat had returned to the camp and Glinda was seated in her tent, working out various ways by which Ozma and Dorothy could be rescued, the Wizard stood on the shore dreamily eying the outlines of the Great Dome which showed beneath the clear water, when he raised his eyes and saw a group of strange people approaching from around the lake. Three were young women of stately presence, very beautifully dressed, who moved with remarkable grace. They were followed at a little distance by a good-looking young Skeezer.

  The Wizard saw at a glance that these people might be very important, so he advanced to meet them. The three maidens received him graciously and the one with the golden hair said:

  “I believe you are the famous Wizard of Oz, of whom I have often heard. We are seeking Glinda, the Sorceress, and perhaps you can lead us to her.”

  “I can, and will, right gladly,” answered the Wizard. “Follow me, please.”

  The little Wizard was puzzled as to the identity of the three lovely visitors but he gave no sign that might embarrass them.

  He understood they did not wish to be questioned, and so he made no remarks as he led the way to Glinda’s tent.

  With a courtly bow the Wizard ushered the three visitors into the gracious presence of Glinda, the Good.

  Chapter Twenty-One.The Three Adepts

  The Sorceress looked up from her work as the three maidens entered, and some
thing in their appearance and manner led her to rise and bow to them in her most dignified manner. The three knelt an instant before the great Sorceress and then stood upright and waited for her to speak.

  “Whoever you may be,” said Glinda, “I bid you welcome.”

  “My name is Audah,” said one.

  “My name is Aurah,” said another.

  “My name is Aujah,” said the third.

  Glinda had never heard these names before, but looking closely at the three she asked:

  “Are you witches or workers in magic?”

  “Some of the secret arts we have gleaned from Nature,” replied the brownhaired maiden modestly, “but we do not place our skill beside that of the Great Sorceress, Glinda the Good.”

  “I suppose you are aware it is unlawful to practice magic in the Land of Oz, without the permission of our Ruler, Princess Ozma?”

  “No, we were not aware of that,” was the reply. “We have heard of Ozma, who is the appointed Ruler of all this great fairyland, but her laws have not reached us, as yet.”

  Glinda studied the strange maidens thoughtfully; then she said to them:

  “Princess Ozma is even now imprisoned in the Skeezer village, for the whole island with its Great Dome, was sunk to the bottom of the lake by the witchcraft of Coo-ee-oh, whom the Flathead Su-dic transformed into a silly swan. I am seeking some way to overcome Coo-ee-oh’s magic and raise the isle to the surface again. Can you help me do this?”

  The maidens exchanged glances, and the white-haired one replied:

  “We do not know; but we will try to assist you.”

  “It seems,” continued Glinda musingly, “that Coo-ee-oh derived most of her witchcraft from three Adepts at Magic, who at one time ruled the Flatheads. While the Adepts were being entertained by Coo-ee-oh at a banquet in her palace, she cruelly betrayed them and after transforming them into fishes cast them into the lake.

  “If I could find these three fishes and return them to their natural shapes—they might know what magic Coo-ee-oh used to sink the island. I was about to go to the shore and call these fishes to me when you arrived. So, if you will join me, we will try to find them.”

  The maidens exchanged smiles now, and the golden-haired one, Audah, said to Glinda:

  “It will not be necessary to go to the lake. We are the three fishes.”

  “Indeed!” cried Glinda. “Then you are the three Adepts at Magic, restored to your proper forms?”

  “We are the three Adepts,” admitted Aujah.

  “Then,” said Glinda, “my task is half accomplished. But who destroyed the transformation that made you fishes?”

  “We have promised not to tell,” answered Aurah; “but this young Skeezer was largely responsible for our release; he is brave and clever, and we owe him our gratitude.”

  Glinda looked at Ervic, who stood modestly behind the Adepts, hat in hand. “He shall be properly rewarded,” she declared, “for in helping you he has helped us all, and perhaps saved his people from being imprisoned forever in the sunken isle.”

  The Sorceress now asked her guests to seat themselves and a long talk followed, in which the Wizard of Oz shared.

  “We are quite certain,” said Aurah, “that if we could get inside the Dome we could discover Coo-ee-oh’s secrets, for in all her work, after we became fishes, she used the formulas and incantations and arts that she stole from us. She may have added to these things, but they were the foundation of all her work.”

  “What means do you suggest for our getting into the Dome?” inquired Glinda.

  The three Adepts hesitated to reply, for they had not yet considered what could be done to reach the inside of the Great Dome. While they were in deep thought, and Glinda and the Wizard were quietly awaiting their suggestions, into the tent rushed Trot and Betsy, dragging between them the Patchwork Girl.

  “Oh, Glinda,” cried Trot, “Scraps has thought of a way to rescue Ozma and Dorothy and all of the Skeezers.”

  The three Adepts could not avoid laughing merrily, for not only were they amused by the queer form of the Patchwork Girl, but Trot’s enthusiastic speech struck them as really funny. If the Great Sorceress and the famous Wizard and the three talented Adepts at Magic were unable as yet to solve the important problem of the sunken isle, there was little chance for a patched girl stuffed with cotton to succeed.

  But Glinda, smiling indulgently at the earnest faces turned toward her, patted the children’s heads and said:

  “Scraps is very clever. Tell us what she has thought of, my dear.”

  “Well,” said Trot, “Scraps says that if you could dry up all the water in the lake the island would be on dry land, an’ everyone could come and go whenever they liked.”

  Glinda smiled again, but the Wizard said to the girls:

  “If we should dry up the lake, what would become of all the beautiful fishes that now live in the water?”

  “Dear me! That’s so,” admitted Betsy, crestfallen; “we never thought of that, did we Trot?”

  “Couldn’t you transform ‘em into polliwogs?” asked Scraps, turning a somersault and then standing on one leg. “You could give them a little, teeny pond to swim in, and they’d be just as happy as they are as fishes.”

  “No indeed!” replied the Wizard, severely. “It is wicked to transform any living creatures without their consent, and the lake is the home of the fishes and belongs to them.”

  “All right,” said Scraps, making a face at him; “I don’t care.”

  “It’s too bad,” sighed Trot, “for I thought we’d struck a splendid idea.”

  “So you did,” declared Glinda, her face now grave and thoughtful. “There is something in the Patchwork Girl’s idea that may be of real value to us.”

  “I think so, too,” agreed the golden-haired Adept. “The top of the Great Dome is only a few feet below the surface of the water. If we could reduce the level of the lake until the Dome sticks a little above the water, we could remove some of the glass and let ourselves down into the village by means of ropes.”

  “And there would be plenty of water left for the fishes to swim in,” added the white-haired maiden.

  “If we succeed in raising the island we could fill up the lake again,” suggested the brown-haired Adept.

  “I believe,” said the Wizard, rubbing his hands together in delight, “that the Patchwork Girl has shown us the way to success.”

  The girls were looking curiously at the three beautiful Adepts, wondering who they were, so Glinda introduced them to Trot and Betsy and Scraps, and then sent the children away while she considered how to carry the new idea into effect.

  Not much could be done that night, so the Wizard prepared another tent for the Adepts, and in the evening Glinda held a reception and invited all her followers to meet the new arrivals. The Adepts were greatly astonished at the extraordinary personages presented to them, and marveled that Jack Pumpkinhead and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and Tik-Tok could really live and think and talk just like other people. They were especially pleased with the lively Patchwork Girl and loved to watch her antics.

  It was quite a pleasant party, for Glinda served some dainty refreshments to those who could eat, and the Scarecrow recited some poems, and the Cowardly Lion sang a song in his deep bass voice. The only thing that marred their joy was the thought that their beloved Ozma and dear little Dorothy were yet confined in the Great Dome of the Sunken island.

  Chapter Twenty-Two.The Sunken Island

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

  At the right of the Sorceress stood Audah and Aurah, while at the left stood the Wizard and Aujah. Togeth
er they stretched their arms over the water’s edge and in unison the five chanted a rhythmic incantation.

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

  The blackened submarine was now entirely out of water, but Uncle Henry and 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 of strong rope, and at the command of the Sorceress the craft cleaved its way through the water toward the part of the Dome which was now visible.

  “There’s still plenty of water for the fish to swim in,” observed the Wizard as they rode along. “They might like more but I’m sure they can get along until we have raised the island and can fill up the lake again.”

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

  “I’ll go down first,” said he, “for while I’m not as spry as Cap’n Bill I’m sure I can manage it easily. Are you sure the rope is long enough to reach the bottom?”

  “Quite sure,” replied the Sorceress.

  So the Wizard let down the rope and climbing through the opening lowered himself down, hand over hand, clinging to the rope with his legs and feet. Below in the streets of the village were gathered all the Skeezers, men, women and children, and you may be sure that Ozma and Dorothy, with Lady Aurex, were filled with joy that their friends were at last coming to their rescue.