dorothy and the wizard in oz-第17章

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have　to　get　out　my　revolvers。〃



He　got　his　satchel　from　the　buggy　and；　opening　it；　took　out　two　deadly

looking　revolvers　that　made　the　children　shrink　back　in　alarm　just　to

look　at。



〃What　harm　can　the　Gurgles　do？〃　asked　Dorothy。　　〃They　have　no　weapons

to　hurt　us　with。〃



〃Each　of　their　arms　is　a　wooden　club；〃　answered　the　little　man；　〃and

I'm　sure　the　creatures　mean　mischief；　by　the　looks　of　their　eyes。

Even　these　revolvers　can　merely　succeed　in　damaging　a　few　of　their

wooden　bodies；　and　after　that　we　will　be　at　their　mercy。〃



〃But　why　fight　at　all；　in　that　case？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃So　I　may　die　with　a　clear　conscience；〃　returned　the　Wizard；　gravely。

〃It's　every　man's　duty　to　do　the　best　he　knows　how；　and　I'm　going　to

do　it。〃



〃Wish　I　had　an　axe；〃　said　Zeb；　who　by　now　had　unhitched　the　horse。



〃If　we　had　known　we　were　coming　we　might　have　brought　along　several

other　useful　things；〃　responded　the　Wizard。　　〃But　we　dropped　into　this

adventure　rather　unexpectedly。〃



The　Gargoyles　had　backed　away　a　distance　when　they　heard　the　sound　of

talking；　for　although　our　friends　had　spoken　in　low　tones　their　words

seemed　loud　in　the　silence　surrounding　them。　　But　as　soon　as　the

conversation　ceased；　the　grinning；　ugly　creatures　arose　in　a　flock　and

flew　swiftly　toward　the　strangers；　their　long　arms　stretched　out

before　them　like　the　bowsprits　of　a　fleet　of　sail…boats。　　The　horse

had　especially　attracted　their　notice；　because　it　was　the　biggest　and

strangest　creature　they　had　ever　seen；　so　it　became　the　center　of

their　first　attack。



But　Jim　was　ready　for　them；　and　when　he　saw　them　coming　he　turned　his

heels　toward　them　and　began　kicking　out　as　hard　as　he　could。　　Crack！

crash！　bang！　went　his　iron…shod　hoofs　against　the　wooden　bodies　of　the

Gargoyles；　and　they　were　battered　right　and　left　with　such　force　that

they　scattered　like　straws　in　the　wind。　　But　the　noise　and　clatter

seemed　as　dreadful　to　them　as　Jim's　heels；　for　all　who　were　able

swiftly　turned　and　flew　away　to　a　great　distance。　　The　others　picked

themselves　up　from　the　ground　one　by　one　and　quickly　rejoined　their

fellows；　so　for　a　moment　the　horse　thought　he　had　won　the　fight　with　ease。



But　the　Wizard　was　not　so　confident。



〃Those　wooden　things　are　impossible　to　hurt；〃　he　said；　〃and　all　the

damage　Jim　has　done　to　them　is　to　knock　a　few　splinters　from　their

noses　and　ears。　　That　cannot　make　them　look　any　uglier；　I'm　sure；　and

it　is　my　opinion　they　will　soon　renew　the　attack。〃



〃What　made　them　fly　away？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃The　noise；　of　course。　　Don't　you　remember　how　the　Champion　escaped

them　by　shouting　his　battle…cry？〃



〃Suppose　we　escape　down　the　stairs；　too；〃　suggested　the　boy。　　〃We　have

time；　just　now；　and　I'd　rather　face　the　invis'ble　bears　than　those

wooden　imps。〃



〃No；〃　returned　Dorothy；　stoutly；　〃it　won't　do　to　go　back；　for　then　we

would　never　get　home。　　Let's　fight　it　out。〃



〃That　is　what　I　advise；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃They　haven't　defeated　us

yet；　and　Jim　is　worth　a　whole　army。〃



But　the　Gargoyles　were　clever　enough　not　to　attack　the　horse　the　next

time。　　They　advanced　in　a　great　swarm；　having　been　joined　by　many　more

of　their　kind；　and　they　flew　straight　over　Jim's　head　to　where　the

others　were　standing。



The　Wizard　raised　one　of　his　revolvers　and　fired　into　the　throng　of

his　enemies；　and　the　shot　resounded　like　a　clap　of　thunder　in　that

silent　place。



Some　of　the　wooden　beings　fell　flat　upon　the　ground；　where　they

quivered　and　trembled　in　every　limb；　but　most　of　them　managed　to　wheel

and　escape　again　to　a　distance。



Zeb　ran　and　picked　up　one　of　the　Gargoyles　that　lay　nearest　to　him。

The　top　of　its　head　was　carved　into　a　crown　and　the　Wizard's　bullet

had　struck　it　exactly　in　the　left　eye；　which　was　a　hard　wooden　knot。

Half　of　the　bullet　stuck　in　the　wood　and　half　stuck　out；　so　it　had

been　the　jar　and　the　sudden　noise　that　had　knocked　the　creature　down；

more　than　the　fact　that　it　was　really　hurt。　　Before　this　crowned

Gargoyle　had　recovered　himself　Zeb　had　wound　a　strap　several　times

around　its　body；　confining　its　wings　and　arms　so　that　it　could　not

move。　　Then；　having　tied　the　wooden　creature　securely；　the　boy　buckled

the　strap　and　tossed　his　prisoner　into　the　buggy。　　By　that　time　the

others　had　all　retired。







12。　　A　Wonderful　Escape





For　a　while　the　enemy　hesitated　to　renew　the　attack。　　Then　a　few　of　them

advanced　until　another　shot　from　the　Wizard's　revolver　made　them　retreat。



〃That's　fine；〃　said　Zeb。　　〃We've　got　'em　on　the　run　now；　sure　enough。〃



〃But　only　for　a　time；〃　replied　the　Wizard；　shaking　his　head　gloomily。

〃These　revolvers　are　good　for　six　shots　each；　but　when　those　are　gone

we　shall　be　helpless。〃



The　Gargoyles　seemed　to　realize　this；　for　they　sent　a　few　of　their

band　time　after　time　to　attack　the　strangers　and　draw　the　fire　from

the　little　man's　revolvers。　　In　this　way　none　of　them　was　shocked　by

the　dreadful　report　more　than　once；　for　the　main　band　kept　far　away

and　each　time　a　new　company　was　sent　into　the　battle。　　When　the　Wizard

had　fired　all　of　his　twelve　bullets　he　had　caused　no　damage　to　the

enemy　except　to　stun　a　few　by　the　noise；　and　so　he　as　no　nearer　to

victory　than　in　the　beginning　of　the　fray。



〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　Dorothy；　anxiously。



〃Let's　yellall　together；〃　said　Zeb。



〃And　fight　at　the　same　time；〃　added　the　Wizard。　　〃We　will　get　near

Jim；　so　that　he　can　help　us；　and　each　one　must　take　some　weapon　and　do

the　best　he　can。　　I'll　use　my　sword；　although　it　isn't　much　account　in

this　affair。　　Dorothy　must　take　her　parasol　and　open　it　suddenly　when

the　wooden　folks　attack　her。　　I　haven't　anything　for　you；　Zeb。〃



〃I'll　use　the　king；〃　said　the　boy；　and　pulled　his　prisoner　out　of　the

buggy。　　The　bound　Gargoyle's　arms　extended　far　out　beyond　its　head；

so　by　grasping　its　wrists　Zeb　found　the　king　made　a　very　good　club。

The　boy　was　strong　for　one　of　his　years；　having　always　worked　upon　a　farm；

so　he　was　likely　to　prove　more　dangerous　to　the　enemy　than　the　Wizard。



When　the　next　company　of　Gargoyles　advanced；　our　adventurers　began

yelling　as　if　they　had　gone　mad。　　Even　the　kitten　gave　a　dreadfully

shrill　scream　and　at　the　same　time　Jim　the　cab…horse　neighed　loudly。

This　daunted　the　enemy　for　a　time；　but　the　defenders　were　soon　out　of

breath。　　Perceiving　this；　as　well　as　the　fact　that　there　were　no　more

of　the　awful　〃bangs〃　to　come　from　the　revolvers；　the　Gargoyles　advanced

in　a　swarm　as　thick　as　bees；　so　that　the　air　was　filled　with　them。



Dorothy　squatted　upon　the　ground　and　put　up　her　parasol；　which　nearly

covered　her　and　proved　a　great　protection。　　The　Wizard's　sword…blade

snapped　into　a　dozen　pieces　at　the　first　blow　he　struck　against　the

wooden　people。　　Zeb　pounded　away　with　the　Gargoyle　he　was　using　as　a

club　until　he　had　knocked　down　dozens　of　foes；　but　at　the　last　they

clustered　so　thickly　about　him　that　he　no　longer　had　room　in　which　to

swing　his　arms。　　The　horse　performed　some　wonderful　kicking　and　even

Eureka　assisted　when　she　leaped　bodily　upon　the　Gargoyles　and

scratched　and　bit　at　them　like　a　wild…cat。



But　all　this　bravery　amounted　to　nothing　at　all。　　The　wooden　things

wound　their　long　arms　around　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　and　held　them　fast。

Dorothy　was　captured　in　the　same　way；　and　numbers　of　the　Gargoyles

clung　to　Jim's　legs；　so　weighting　him　down　that　the　poor　beast　was

helpless。　　Eureka　made　a　desperate　dash　to　escape　and　scampered　along

the　ground　like　a　streak；　but　a　grinning　Gargoyle　flew　after　her　and

grabbed　her　before　she　had　gone　very　far。



All　of　them　expected　nothing　less　than　instant　death；　but　to　their

surprise　the　wooden　creatures　flew　into　the　air　with　them　and　bore

them　far　away；　over　miles　and　miles　of　wooden　country；　until　they　came

to　a　wooden　city。　　The　houses　of　this　city　had　many　corners；　being


square　and　six…sided　and　eight…sided。　　They　were　t