the scarecrow of oz-第34章

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the　paths　and　could　lead　them。　They　had　eaten　a　hearty



breakfast；　which　they　found　already　prepared　for　them　and



awaiting　them　on　the　table　when　they　arose　from　their



refreshing　sleep；　so　they　left　the　magic　house　in　a



contented　mood　and　with　hearts　lighter　and　more　happy



than　they　had　known　for　many　a　day。　As　they　marched



along　through　the　fields；　the　sun　shone　brightly　and　the



breeze　was　laden　with　delicious　fragrance；　for　it　carried



with　it　the　breath　of　millions　of　wildflowers。







At　noon；　when　they　stopped　to　rest　by　the　bank　of　a



pretty　river；　Trot　said　with　a　long…drawn　breath　that　was



much　like　a　sigh：







〃I　wish　we'd　brought　with　us　some　of　the　food　that　was



left　from　our　breakfast；　for　I'm　getting　hungry　again。〃







Scarcely　had　she　spoken　when　a　table　rose　up　before



them；　as　if　from　the　ground　itself；　and　it　was　loaded



with　fruits　and　nuts　and　cakes　and　many　other　good　things



to　eat。　The　little　girl's　eyes　opened　wide　at　this



display　of　magic；　and　Cap'n　Bill　was　not　sure　that　the



things　were　actually　there　and　fit　to　eat　until　he　had



taken　them　in　his　hand　and　tasted　them。　But　the　Scarecrow



said　with　a　laugh：







〃Someone　is　looking　after　your　welfare；　that　is



certain；　and　from　the　looks　of　this　table　I　suspect　my



friend　the　Wizard　has　taken　us　in　his　charge。　I've　known



him　to　do　things　like　this　before；　and　if　we　are　in　the



Wizard's　care　you　need　not　worry　about　your　future。〃







〃Who's　worrying？〃　inquired　Button…Bright；　already　at



the　table　and　busily　eating。







The　Scarecrow　looked　around　the　place　while　the　others



were　feasting；　and　finding　many　things　unfamiliar　to　him



he　shook　his　head　and　remarked：







〃I　must　have　taken　the　wrong　path；　back　in　that　last



valley；　for　on　my　way　to　Jinxland　I　remember　that　I



passed　around　the　foot　of　this　river；　where　there　was　a



great　waterfall。〃







〃Did　the　river　make　a　bend；　after　the　waterfall？〃　asked



Cap'n　Bill。







〃No；　the　river　disappeared。　Only　a　pool　of　whirling



water　showed　what　had　become　of　the　river；　but　I　suppose



it　is　under　ground；　somewhere；　and　will　come　to　the



surface　again　in　another　part　of　the　country。〃







〃Well；〃　suggested　Trot；　as　she　finished　her　luncheon；



〃as　there　is　no　way　to　cross　this　river；　I　s'pose　we'll



have　to　find　that　waterfall；　and　go　around　it。〃







〃Exactly；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow；　so　they　soon　renewed



their　journey；　following　the　river　for　a　long　time　until



the　roar　of　the　waterfall　sounded　in　their　ears。　By　and



by　they　came　to　the　waterfall　itself；　a　sheet　of　silver



dropping　far；　far　down　into　a　tiny　lake　which　seemed　to



have　no　outlet。　From　the　top　of　the　fall；　where　they



stood；　the　banks　gradually　sloped　away；　so　that　the



descent　by　land　was　quite　easy；　while　the　river　could　do



nothing　but　glide　over　an　edge　of　rock　and　tumble



straight　down　to　the　depths　below。







〃You　see；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　leaning　over　the　brink；



〃this　is　called　by　our　Oz　people　the　Great　Waterfall；



because　it　is　certainly　the　highest　one　in　all　the　land；



but　I　think　　Help！〃







He　had　lost　his　balance　and　pitched　headforemost　into



the　river。　They　saw　a　flash　of　straw　and　blue　clothes；



and　the　painted　face　looking　upward　in　surprise。　The



next　moment　the　Scarecrow　was　swept　over　the　waterfall



and　plunged　into　the　basin　below。







The　accident　had　happened　so　suddenly　that　for　a　moment



they　were　all　too　horrified　to　speak　or　move。







〃Quick！　We　must　go　to　help　him　or　he　will　be　drowned；〃



Trot　exclaimed。







Even　while　speaking　she　began　to　descend　the　bank　to



the　pool　below；　and　Cap'n　Bill　followed　as　swiftly　as　his



wooden　leg　would　let　him。　Button…Bright　came　more　slowly；



calling　to　the　girl：







〃He　can't　drown；　Trot；　he's　a　Scarecrow。〃







But　she　wasn't　sure　a　Scarecrow　couldn't　drown　and



never　relaxed　her　speed　until　she　stood　on　the　edge　of



the　pool；　with　the　spray　dashing　in　her　face。　Cap'n　Bill；



puffing　and　panting；　had　just　voice　enough　to　ask；　as　he



reached　her　side：







〃See　him；　Trot？〃







〃Not　a　speck　of　him。　　Oh；　Cap'n；　what　do　you　s'pose　has



become　of　him？〃







〃I　s'pose；〃　replied　the　sailor；　〃that　he's　in　that



water；　more　or　less　far　down；　and　I'm　'fraid　it'll　make



his　straw　pretty　soggy。　But　as　fer　his　bein'　drowned；　I



agree　with　Button…Bright　that　it　can't　be　done。〃







There　was　small　comfort　in　this　assurance　and　Trot



stood　for　some　time　searching　with　her　eyes　the　bubbling



water；　in　the　hope　that　the　Scarecrow　would　finally　come



to　the　surface。　Presently　she　heard　Button…Bright



calling：　〃Come　here；　Trot！〃　and　looking　around　she　saw



that　the　boy　had　crept　over　the　wet　rocks　to　the　edge　of



the　waterfall　and　seemed　to　be　peering　behind　it。　Making



her　way　toward　him；　she　asked：







〃What　do　you　see？〃







〃A　cave；〃　he　answered。　〃Let's　go　in。　P'r'aps　we'll　find



the　Scarecrow　there。〃







She　was　a　little　doubtful　of　that；　but　the　cave



interested　her；　and　so　did　it　Cap'n　Bill。　There　was　just



space　enough　at　the　edge　of　the　sheet　of　water　for　them



to　crowd　in　behind　it；　but　after　that　dangerous　entrance



they　found　room　enough　to　walk　upright　and　after　a　time



they　came　to　an　opening　in　the　wall　of　rock。　Approaching



this　opening；　they　gazed　within　it　and　found　a　series　of



steps；　cut　so　that　they　might　easily　descend　into　the



cavern。







Trot　turned　to　look　inquiringly　at　her　companions。　The



falling　water　made　such　din　and　roaring　that　her　voice



could　not　be　heard。　Cap'n　Bill　nodded　his　head；　but



before　he　could　enter　the　cave；　Button…Bright　was　before



him；　clambering　down　the　steps　without　a　particle　of



fear。　So　the　others　followed　the　boy。







The　first　steps　were　wet　with　spray；　and　slippery；　but



the　remainder　were　quite　dry。　A　rosy　light　seemed　to　come



from　the　interior　of　the　cave；　and　this　lighted　their



way。　After　the　steps　there　was　a　short　tunnel；　high



enough　for　them　to　walk　erect　in。　and　then　they　reached



the　cave　itself　and　paused　in　wonder　and　admiration。







They　stood　on　the　edge　of　a　vast　cavern；　the　walls



and　domed　roof　of　which　were　lined　with　countless



rubies；　exquisitely　cut　and　flashing　sparkling　rays



from　one　to　another。　This　caused　a　radiant　light　that



permitted　the　entire　cavern　to　be　distinctly　seen；　and



the　effect　was　so　marvelous　that　Trot　drew　in　her



breath　with　a　sort　of　a　gasp；　and　stood　quite　still　in



wonder。







But　the　walls　and　roof　of　the　cavern　were　merely　a



setting　for　a　more　wonderful　scene。　In　the　center　was　a



bubbling　caldron　of　water；　for　here　the　river　rose　again；



splashing　and　dashing　till　its　spray　rose　high　in　the



air；　where　it　took　the　ruby　color　of　the　jewels　and



seemed　like　a　seething　mass　of　flame。　And　while　they



gazed　into　the　tumbling；　tossing　water；　the　body　of　the



Scarecrow　suddenly　rose　in　the　center；　struggling　and



kicking；　and　the　next　instant　wholly　disappeared　from



view。







〃My；　but　he's　wet！〃　exclaimed　Button…Bright；　but　none



of　the　others　heard　him。







Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill　discovered　that　a　broad　ledge　



covered；　like　the　walls；　with　glittering　rubies　　ran



all　around　the　cavern；　so　they　followed　this　gorgeous



path　to　the　rear　and　found　where　the　water　made　its　final



dive　underground；　before　it　disappeared　entirely。　Where



it　plunged　into　this　dim　abyss　the　river　was　black　and



dreary　looking；　a