The Tinman saw instantly that a mistake had been made. He spoke quickly. “Don’t worry about such a thing happening,” he said. “I know that the Wizard would never meddle with anyone’s appearance without first getting his consent. Put yourself entirely at ease and remember that you are among good friends in Oz.”
“Everything grows more wonderful as we come closer,” Davy answered. “Some of the things are still unbelievable. Many of the people outside are not such good fellows as you two are.”
The Scarecrow, anxious to make up for his error, joined in the conversation: “That’s too bad,” he remarked. “As near as I can gather you’ve had a hard time making the trip, but the end is worth all the trials. We, too, had difficulties with the outlaws. Now we know where they are so we avoid their wild haunts.”
“Thanks to our lucky stars and a good crew we have come through with only a few scratches and smears, and these can be repaired,” the whale said cheerfully.
“With a little magic, the authorities in the city will polish you up in no time,” the Tin Woodman replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they could fix you up better than you were before. They will make a new whale of you. Now, don’t worry, for you have better things to look forward to.”
“All my life I have been looking forward to this visit to Oz,” Davy said eagerly. “We have come a long way by land and river. Many of your rivers were not so friendly. Perhaps I had expected too much from them. But all that’s passed and I am indeed happy to have come as far as we are.”
“Since we are speaking of rivers-” interrupted the Scarecrow. “I will repeat what I have already told your flying friends… This kingdom was once overrun with mischievous rivers, so we had them removed. You may wonder why, when they are such convenient things. They didn’t know how to behave themselves. They brought troublesome witches from the mountains, and these nuisances became so frisky that we couldn’t walk through our own kingdom without being pushed or dragged into the water. Can you imagine such a state of affairs?”
The Flummux was indignant: “If I had been here I would have fixed them for you,” she cried.
“That’s very loyal of you,” replied the Scarecrow, “But I appealed to the Wizard. I recall his very words as he rolled back the rivers. ‘Humgumption!’ was what he said. Since then we have had no trouble. Now, wasn’t that a splendid thing for him to do? No one is so wise nor powerful as the Wizard. He is simply wonderful and can always find the way out of a bad situation. ‘Old pal,’ he said to me, ‘some day you may need a little river, and what do you say to my leaving one rolled up with a rubber band to hold it together, and you keep it under the cellar door.’ I ask you, Mr. Jones, was ever a friend so thoughtful? There it lay until we needed it for you!” “I’ll say it was thoughtful,” said Bucky.
“I do hope my river behaves itself properly,” added the Emperor of the Munchkins.
“I’ve never had any confidence in rivers,” the Tinman remarked. “You might allow me to suggest that you put the river back and get the Wizard to make you a set of strong tin wheels.”
He had spoken direct to the whale and Davy’s reply was just a look of disapproval. Noticing this disappointment, Nickchopper added: “Now that I come to
think of it, that isn’t a practicable idea for many of the streets in the city are so narrow, and I doubt if you could even get through the castle gate.”
“Had you thought of Lake Quad, Nicky?” asked the Scarecrow. “That’s only two miles south of the city. It’s large and just the place to run the river into.” “Excellent! Your fine brain is working well today I don’t see how you do it; it’s remarkable,” said the Tin Woodman.
“Oh, so-so…” carelessly remarked the Scarecrow pushing his brains into place before he put his hat on his head.
As he lifted his hat to put it on, it zinged out of his hands with a humming sound.
Again came the hum and one of the Gabooches was jerked overboard.
“Robbers! Witches!” warned Nick, springing to his feet and swinging his sharp axe. There came a sharper zing and the Tinman cut through a long extended rubber band that recoiled with a snap and lay on the ground beside the cellar door.
“Now tell me what did you go and do that for?” wailed the sad voice of the rubber band. “You have taken all the snap out of me-with all my bounce and stretch gone-what shall I do when you bring the river
back? With my gumption gone, I will not be able to hold the river together!”
“It’s entirely your own fault, trying to act like a robber band. Thought it would be snappy, didn’t you!” cried the Tinman. “You ought to be ashamed! You’ll never do it again!”
Bucky listened in bewilderment to this amazing conversation. “Will the wonders never cease?” he asked himself.
The Tinman took the Scarecrow to one side.
“It’s just as we expected,” announced the Strawman returning to the group. “The river is not to be trusted. We would never forgive ourselves if anything happened to you fine fellows while sailing on our river.”
“We have sailed worse rivers than this one and Davy lived through the racket,” said Bucky with a great show of confidence.
“I’m afraid he couldn’t weather this one,” the Scarecrow replied, “unless we go along to protect you.”
This suggestion met with instant approval. Two comfortable beach chairs were hauled from the cabin and placed on the flat part of the head of the wooden whale for the comfort of the distinguished passengers.
Cushions and footstools were provided. Nicky and the Strawman settled themselves to tell tales of their own adventures. Their listeners grouped themselves
about, fascinated by the narrative.
Davy swished his tail and speeded up a little and the next lap of the journey was begun.
Quite unexpectedly, they found themselves entering a well-cared-for stretch of lawn. On it was set a neat sign bearing the notice
WISE ACRES COUNTRY CLUB
CHAPTER 18
The Uncles
THERE was nothing out of the ordinary about the place except its neatness. A long, low clubhouse faced the river. As the whale came abreast of the building a hundred or more comfortably fat club men hurried down to the river-edge in great excitement.
“What in the name of all green grass do you mean by running a sloppy river through our grounds?” demanded one very stout fellow.
“It’s the shortest and most convenient way home,” condescended the Scarecrow, without the slightest hesitation.
“So?” snapped the clubman.
“So what?” asked the Emperor, not in the least disturbed.
“So you think you can run a cock-eyed river through our Kingdom of Uncles without permission, do you?”
“Yes … once in a while,” calmly responded the Scarecrow.
“Then you will find yourself answerable to Uncle Bill—that’s me—Chairman of the Club.”
“Have a chair then,” and the Scarecrow threw his deck chair to Uncle Bill who sat down pointing one fat finger at the Emperor demanding:
“Are you an Uncle?”
Without waiting for a reply he pointed another fat finger at the Tinman and repeated the question.
“That is the first rule of the Club,” chirped up another fat man. “I’m Uncle George.”
“Pleased to meet you, Uncle George.”
“Ask any member here… Uncle Jim, Uncle Joe, Uncle Charlie or Uncle Bob. Ask any of them…
At this moment a very dignified uncle walked across the lawn. He was tall, not fat like the others, and had a tuft of whiskers on the end of his chin.
“Here’s the president of the club. Ask him. He’ll tell you where you get off. How about it, Uncle Sam?”
“Calm down,” said Sam in a quiet tone of voice as he looked at the many angry members. “Don’t be
uneasy.”
While the others argued, the Tin Woodman arose. Giving a slight tilt to his head, he bowed: “Since you have asked me, I wil
l answer Yes, I am an uncle. I had six nieces, years ago. They all married Tinsmiths. I am your Uncle Nick, if that will ease the situation.” The uncles applauded to a man.
“What about the others?” insisted Uncle Fred. “That boy, for instance. He’s no uncle… throw him out.”
Bucky stepped forward: “I know I am no uncle,” he said. “I’m only a nephew-but-That’s my Own Uncle right there!!” raising his voice, he insisted: “I’d know him anywhere!” and he ran toward Uncle Sam with his hands outstretched.
“He is quite right,” soothed Uncle Sam, putting an arm around the shoulders of the boy.
Bucky held tightly to the hand of the distinguished man and looked up into his face.
“I knew you were my Uncle Sam as soon as I saw you. And am I glad to see you! Oh, boy, Oh, boy…!”
The other uncles insisted that the Scarecrow be thrown out. Uncle Pete started to take hold of him.
“Stand back,” commanded the Scarecrow springing
up.
Loosening the buttons of his coat he thrust his hand
inside the stuffing of crisp straw that gave shape to his body and drew out a hidden golden crown.
This he placed on his head. His painted eyes flashed as he began to speak:
“As a rule, uncles are an intelligent lot. I hope you use your intelligence, and, as Emperor of the Land of the Munchkins, I command all uncles to use the sense that goes with that intelligence.” Having spoken his brief message, he sat down.
“For the land’s sake, why didn’t you tell us that sooner,” exclaimed Uncle Ed and Uncle Dick hurrying forward to shake the Emperor’s hand. “We have heard such great things of you and we’ve always wanted to meet you. Come up to our clubhouse as our honored guests. You and all your party…”
“That’s very kind of you, my dear Sir, I am sure, but at the moment, it can’t be done. We are on our way to the Emerald City with our friends, who are strangers here.”
“On your way to the Emerald City,” they all yelled together. “Come on now, Emperor, be a good sport. We need a vacation.” They coaxed, crowding aboard the deck. “Take us along with you, please. We have never been to the Great Metropolis !”
“You will have to ask the whale, as he must carry you and have all that extra work to do!” replied the
Scarecrow.
“Make yourselves at home has always been my motto,” promptly responded the hospitable whale. “Get aboard; we have no time to waste.” Extending his lower jaw to its fullest length, Davy made more room on the deck for his guests.
“To be sure-no time to waste,” they agreed and in two minutes all the uncles were comfortably packed on board the good whale, Davy, who was skimming along expectantly toward the great green Capital.
The jolly uncles covered every foot of space and proved themselves delightful guests. Their jokes, riddles and funny stories amused the whale and the Gabooches. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who were both enjoying the trip immensely, were treated with the greatest respect.
Most of Bucky’s interest was directed toward his Uncle Sam. After he had found a deck chair for his hero, he sat down beside the old gentleman with the goatee and listened to him talk while the whale forged ahead along the smooth river through endless fields of corn.
Poor Davy strained every nerve under the excess burden. Resolutely he labored to keep up the pace throughout the long afternoon. There was still a long
pull, with many miles to go, but he did not waver. Wearing a look of determination on his wooden face, he bravely carried the additional weight. But, in spite of his courage, these hours of double duty began to tell on the whale’s enormous vitality. Considering the past days of rough voyaging, the strain of crashing through dark, rocky caverns, and the long stretches of burning sand over which Davy had dragged his weary planks, it was little wonder that he was nearly worn out. Beside the journey, the crash from the arc of the rainbow had been a terrific jolt that left wide cracks and dangerous openings between his timbers. So, when at last, late in the afternoon, he slid into Lake Quad and into deep water, he could do little more than let himself drift.
Little by little the water first seeped, then gushed, through the openings and lay inside. He tried to spout it out, but that exertion was more than he could put
forth.
He made a frantic effort to turn back to the shallow river, or to reach the shore but the attempt came too late. Bellowing a warning cry to his passengers, he gave one great exhausted sob and began to sink in the midst of a swirling foam.
Overboard went more than a hundred uncles, making a tremendous splash. Davy Jones disappeared.
Being all good swimmers, the Uncles managed to reach land. Uncle Sam swam close to Bucky. Between them they held the Scarecrow high above the water and succeeded in landing him on shore with only one boot damp, which really was remarkable considering the nervous state the Emperor was in. Uncle Harry and Uncle Joe, who were both strong swimmers, floated the Tin Woodman to safety between them. As every uncle reached the beach, he stretched out to dry.
Wearily the wooden whale let himself sink to the bottom of the lake, breathing out tired bubbles. “With just a few minutes rest, I’ll be myself again,” he murmured and closed his eyes.
But he opened them immediately when, from beneath him, he heard a fretful female voice scolding.
“Of all the unearthly flippity-flops! Why can’t you be careful and look where you are going? Isn’t the lake big enough for you? You don’t need to plump yourself on top of my head. And don’t make excuses!”
The injured creature was an enormous cat-fish. She looked exactly like a cat, had eight legs and called herself an octopuss.
“Can’t a respectable Octopuss take a cat-nap any more without having her nine lives endangered?” she continued to complain.
Eyes blazing, she attacked the whale with her eight paws, pummeling him for all she was worth. “I’ll show you-” she spat.
Good-natured Davy let her pummel. He swayed first to one side and then to the other under her blows, each of which pushed him shoreward. Over his face spread a broad grin as he recalled how the funny bones had helped him over the waste land.
Coming face to face with the angry cat, he remarked:
“You’re quite a pushy cat, aren’t you?”
This made her still angrier and she continued to beat him harder, fortunately always pushing him toward the shore.
“That will be sufficient,” he gurgled as he felt his planks scrape on the shallow bottom. “Many thanks,” he politely added as he quickly left her and stuck his head up out of the water.
Shouts of welcome greeted him when he emerged to join the delighted uncles and modestly take his place beside them on the warm, dry sand.
“I see you got rid of the soap,” said Uncle Sam with a laugh. He and the Tin Woodman were examining the open seams in Davy’s sides.
“Turn over and drain the water out,” suggested Nickchopper as he measured the damage with his tin
fingers. “I’ll close every leak and make you watertight in jig time,” he promised.
At once he began to split a board into long slivers with his axe. While examining, with patient thoroughness, every plank outside and in, the Tin Man was startled almost out of his wits to see the half-drowned, soggy figure of an old witch crawl across the cabin floor, with her eyes full of fight and fury.
Her bony hands clutched at him as he stumbled out of the door, and old Mombi was out almost as quick as he was. One after another, the astonished uncles were bowled over and knocked flat by the sudden assault of the old troublemaker.
The Flummux was the first to take in the situation. “A witch! A witch!!” she screamed. “Just what I’ve been looking for,” and flew straight for Mombi’s head, blowing her fiercest blast. She was soon joined by her three brothers. All the uncles cheered when they saw the disagreeable old hag tumbled around in the air before she streaked off with the Gabooches after her.
Fear lent wing
s to the old fury as she darted beyond the reach of the slow-flying Wind Birds. And she did not stop until she reached the farthest limits of the Land of Oz. Here, over the broad Nonentic Ocean she wandered until her eye caught sight of a small volcano,
and she zoomed down toward it. CHAPTER 19
Witch Hunt
MEANWHILE, in the Emerald City, Jenny Jump’s style shop on Strawberry Street immediately became the center of interest after her victory in the sky. And by the time Ozma’s royal Scalawagon arrived at Jennie’s door, the neighboring streets were filled with anxious friends.
In a few brief words the story of Jennie’s amazing triumph over old Mombi, and the recovery of the precious Black Bag, was told to the rulers.
Ozma drew her pale green silk gown tight over her magic belt as she thrilled with interest in the tale. Glinda, in a red velvet dress with black trimming, drew herself up to her full height and added her words of praise to those of the Queen. The Wizard was delighted with the result of Jennie’s dog-fight and expressed his thanks for the rescue of his bag. Handing the bag to Number Nine, he said:
“My boy, take this back to the Laboratory, please, and hide it behind the Ambassadoor. It was through my own carelessness that it ever got away.”
The boy rose from the sidewalk into the air and disappeared, arriving almost instantly at the dormer window in the tower, inside of which stood the dignified Ambassadoor.
All apparent danger was now averted and the Royal Party turned and walked briskly to the castle wall, followed by a happy band of attendants, sightseers and visitors from every part of the Queen’s vast Kingdom.
Although the scaffolds had been removed, many children were still working at their portrayal of the history of the Land of Oz. The air seemed to be filled with an undercurrent of excitement, as though something were amiss.
Dorothy, who was managing the exhibition, met the Royal Party half-way down Strawberry Street. An anxious frown darkened her fair, young face, usually so smiling.
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