the lost princess of oz-第30章

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powers；　so　he　performed　an　enchantment　that　quickly



disposed　of　her　and　placed　her　out　of　his　sight　and



hearing。　After　that；　being　occupied　with　other　things；



he　soon　forgot　her。







But　now；　when　he　looked　into　the　Magic　Picture　and



read　the　Great　Book　of　Records；　the　Shoemaker　learned



that　his　wickedness　was　not　to　go　unchallenged。　Two



important　expeditions　had　set　out　to　find　him　and　force



him　to　give　up　his　stolen　property。　One　was　the　party



headed　by　the　Wizard　and　Dorothy；　while　the　other



consisted　of　Cayke　and　the　Frogman。　Others　were　also



searching；　but　not　in　the　right　places。　These　two



groups；　however；　were　headed　straight　for　the　wicker



castle　and　so　Ugu　began　to　plan　how　best　to　meet　them



and　to　defeat　their　efforts　to　conquer　him。



















Chapter　Twenty







More　Surprises











All　that　first　day　after　the　union　of　the　two　parties



our　friends　　marched　steadily　toward　the　wicker　castle



of　Ugu　the　Shoemaker。　When　night　came　they　camped　in　a



little　grove　and　passed　a　pleasant　evening　together；



although　some　of　them　were　worried　because　Button…



Bright　was　still　lost。







〃Perhaps；〃　said　Toto；　as　the　animals　lay　grouped



together　for　the　night；　〃this　Shoemaker　who　stole　my



growl；　and　who　stole　Ozma；　has　also　stolen　Button



Bright。〃







〃How　do　you　know　that　the　Shoemaker　stole　your



growl？〃　demanded　the　Woozy。







〃He　has　stolen　about　everything　else　of　value　in　Oz；



hasn't　he？〃　replied　the　dog。







〃He　has　stolen　everything　he　wants；　perhaps；〃　agreed



the　Lion；　〃but　what　could　anyone　want　with　your　growl？〃







〃Well；〃　said　the　dog；　wagging　his　tail　slowly；　〃my



recollection　is　that　it　was　a　wonderful　growl；　soft　and



low　and　　and　〃







〃And　ragged　at　the　edges；〃　said　the　Sawhorse。







〃So；〃　continued　Toto；　〃if　that　magician　hadn't　any



growl　of　his　own；　he　might　have　wanted　mine　and　stolen



it。〃







〃And；　if　he　has；　he　will　soon　wish　he　hadn't；〃



remarked　the　Mule。　〃Also；　if　he　has　stolen　Button…



Bright　he　will　be　sorry。〃







〃Don't　you　like　Button…Bright；　then？〃　asked　the　Lion



in　surprise。







〃It　isn't　a　question　of　liking　him；〃　replied　the



Mule。　〃It's　a　question　of　watching　him　and　looking



after　him。　Any　boy　who　causes　his　friends　so　much　worry



isn't　worth　having　around。　I　never　get　lost。〃







〃If　you　did；〃　said　Toto；　〃no　one　would　worry　a　bit。　I



think　Button…Bright　is　a　very　lucky　boy；　because　he



always　gets　found。〃







〃See　here；〃　said　the　Lion；　〃this　chatter　is　keeping



us　all　awake　and　tomorrow　is　likely　to　be　a　busy　day。



Go　to　sleep　and　forget　your　quarrels。〃







〃Friend　Lion；〃　retorted　the　dog；　〃if　I　hadn't　lost　my



growl　you　would　hear　it　now。　I　have　as　much　right　to



talk　as　you　have　to　sleep。〃







The　Lion　sighed。







〃If　only　you　had　lost　your　voice；　when　you　lost　your



growl；〃　said　he；　〃you　would　be　a　more　agreeable



companion。〃







But　they　quieted　down；　after　that；　and　soon　the



entire　camp　was　wrapped　in　slumber。







Next　morning　they　made　an　early　start　but　had　hardly



proceeded　on　their　way　an　hour　when；　on　climbing　a



slight　elevation；　they　beheld　in　the　distance　a　low



mountain；　on　top　of　which　stood　Ugu's　wicker　castle。　It



was　a　good…sized　building　and　rather　pretty　because　the



sides；　roofs　and　domes　were　all　of　wicker　closely



woven；　as　it　is　in　fine　baskets。







〃I　wonder　if　it　is　strong？〃　said　Dorothy　musingly；　as



she　eyed　the　queer　castle。







〃I　suppose　it　is；　since　a　magician　built　it；〃



answered　the　Wizard。　〃With　magic　to　protect　it；　even　a



paper　castle　might　be　as　strong　as　if　made　of　stone。



This　Ugu　must　be　a　man　of　ideas；　because　he　does　things



in　a　different　way　from　other　people。〃







〃Yes；　no　one　else　would　steal　our　dear　Ozma；〃　sighed



tiny　Trot。







〃I　wonder　if　Ozma　is　there？〃　said　Betsy；　indicating



the　castle　with　a　nod　of　her　head。







〃Where　else　could　she　be？〃　asked　Scraps。







〃S'pose　we　ask　the　Pink　Bear；〃　suggested　Dorothy。







That　seemed　a　good　idea；　so　they　halted　the



procession　and　the　Bear　King　held　the　little　Pink　Bear



on　his　lap　and　turned　the　crank　in　its　side　and　asked：







〃Where　is　Ozma　of　Oz？〃







And　the　little　Pink　Bear　answered：







〃She　is　in　a　hole　in　the　ground；　a　half　mile　away；　at



your　left。〃







〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Dorothy。　〃Then　she　is　not　in



Ugu's　castle　at　all。〃







〃It　is　lucky　we　asked　that　question；〃　said　the



Wizard；　〃for；　if　we　can　find　Ozma　and　rescue



her；　there　will　be　no　need　for　us　to　fight　that



wicked　and　dangerous　magician。〃







〃Indeed！〃　said　Cayke。　〃Then　what　about　my　dishpan？〃







The　Wizard　looked　puzzled　at　her　tone　of　remonstrance；



so　she　added：







〃Didn't　you　people　from　the　Emerald　City　promise　that



we　would　all　stick　together；　and　that　you　would　help　me



to　get　my　dishpan　if　I　would　help　you　to　get　your　Ozma？



And　didn't　I　bring　to　you　the　little　Pink　Bear；　which



has　told　you　where　Ozma　is　hidden？〃







〃She's　right；〃　said　Dorothy　to　the　Wizard。　〃We　must



do　as　we　agreed。〃







〃Well；　first　of　all；　let　us　go　and　rescue　Ozma；〃



proposed　the　Wizard。　〃Then　our　beloved　Ruler　may　be



able　to　advise　us　how　to　conquer　Ugu　the　Shoemaker。〃







So　they　turned　to　the　left　and　marched　for　half　a



mile　until　they　came　to　a　small　but　deep　hole　in　the



ground。　At　once　all　rushed　to　the　brim　to　peer　into　the



hole；　but　instead　of　finding　there　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；



all　that　they　saw　was　Button…Bright；　who　was　lying



asleep　on　the　bottom。







Their　cries　soon　wakened　the　boy；　who　sat　up　and



rubbed　his　eyes。　When　he　recognized　his　friends　he



smiled　sweetly；　saying：　〃Found　again！〃







〃Where　is　Ozma？〃　inquired　Dorothy　anxiously。







〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Button…Bright　from　the



depths　of　the　hole。　〃I　got　lost；　yesterday；　as　you　may



remember；　and　in　the　night；　while　I　was　wandering



around　in　the　moonlight；　trying　to　find　my　way　back　to



you；　I　suddenly　fell　into　this　hole。〃







〃And　wasn't　Ozma　in　it　then？〃







〃There　was　no　one　in　it　but　me；　and　I　was　sorry　it



wasn't　entirely　empty。　The　sides　are　so　steep　I　can't



climb　out；　so　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　but　sleep



until　someone　found　me。　Thank　you　for　coming。　If　you'll



please　let　down　a　rope　I'll　empty　this　hole　in　a



hurry。〃







〃How　strange！〃　said　Dorothy；　greatly　disappointed。



〃It's　evident　the　Pink　Bear　didn't　tell　us　the　truth。〃







〃He　never　makes　a　mistake；〃　declared　the　Lavender



Bear　King；　in　a　tone　that　showed　his　feelings　were



hurt。　And　then　he　turned　the　crank　of　the　little　Pink



Bear　again　and　asked：　〃Is　this　the　hole　that　Ozma　of　Oz



is　in？〃







〃Yes；〃　answered　the　Pink　Bear。







〃That　settles　it；〃　said　the　King；　positively。　〃Your



Ozma　is　in　this　hole　in　the　ground。〃







〃Don't　be　silly；〃　returned　Dorothy　impatiently。　〃Even



your　beady　eyes　can　see　there　is　no　one　in　the　hole　but



Button…Bright。〃







〃Perhaps　Button…Bright　is　Ozma；〃　suggested　the　King。







〃And　perhaps　he　isn't！　Ozma　is　a　girl；　and　Button…



Bright　is　a　boy。〃







〃Your　Pink　Bear　must　be　out　of　order；〃　said　the



Wizard；　〃for；　this　time　at　least；　his　machinery　has



caused　him　to　make　an　untrue　statement。〃







The　Bear　King　was　so　angry　at　this　remark　that　he



turned　away；　holding　the　P