the patchwork girl of oz-第34章

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as　if　he　did　not　like　these　strange　creatures　a　bit。



Scraps　began　to　mutter　something　about　〃hopity；



poppity；　jumpity；　dump！〃　but　no　one　paid　any



attention　to　her。　Ojo　kept　close　to　the　Scarecrow



and　the　Scarecrow　kept　close　to　Dorothy；　but　the



little　girl　turned　to　the　queer　creatures　and



asked：







〃Who　are　you？〃







They　answered　this　question　all　together；　in



a　sort　of　chanting　chorus；　the　words　being　as　follows：











〃We're　the　jolly　Tottenhots；



We　do　not　like　the　day；



But　in　the　night　'tis　our　delight



To　gambol；　skip　and　play。







〃We　hate　the　sun　and　from　it　run；



The　moon　is　cool　and　clear；



So　on　this　spot　each　Tottenhot



Waits　for　it　to　appear。







〃We're　ev'ry　one　chock　full　of　fun；



And　full　of　mischief；　too；



But　if　you're　gay　and　with　us　play



We'll　do　no　harm　to　you。















〃Glad　to　meet　you；　Tottenhots；〃　said　the



Scarecrow　solemnly。　〃But　you　mustn't　expect　us



to　play　with　you　all　night；　for　we've　traveled



all　day　and　some　of　us　are　tired。〃







〃And　we　never　gamble；〃　added　the　Patchwork　Girl。



〃It's　against　the　Law。〃







These　remarks　were　greeted　with　shouts　of



laughter　by　the　impish　creatures　and　one　seized



the　Scarecrow's　arm　and　was　astonished　to　find　the



straw　man　whirl　around　so　easily。　So　the　Tottenhot



raised　the　Scarecrow　high　in　the　air　and　tossed



him　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　Some　one　caught



him　and　tossed　him　back；　and　so　with　shouts　of



glee　they　continued　throwing　the　Scarecrow　here



and　there；　as　if　he　had　been　a　basket…ball。







Presently　another　imp　seized　Scraps　and　began　to



throw　her　about；　in　the　same　way。　They　found　her　a



little　heavier　than　the　Scarecrow　but　still　light



enough　to　be　tossed　like　a　sofa…cushion；　and　they



were　enjoying　the　sport　immensely　when　Dorothy；



angry　and　indignant　at　the　treatment　her　friends



were　receiving；　rushed　among　the　Tottenhots　and



began　slapping　and　pushing　them　until　she　had



rescued　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Patchwork　Girl　and



held　them　close　on　either　side　of　her。　Perhaps　she



would　not　have　accomplished　this　victory　so　easily



had　not　Toto　helped　her；　barking　and　snapping　at



the　bare　legs　of　the　imps　until　they　were　glad　to



flee　from　his　attack。　As　for　Ojo；　some　of　the



creatures　had　attempted　to　toss　him；　also；　but



finding　his　body　too　heavy　they　threw　him　to　the



ground　and　a　row　of　the　imps　sat　on　him　and　held



him　from　assisting　Dorothy　in　her　battle。







The　little　brown　folks　were　much　surprised



at　being　attacked　by　the　girl　and　the　dog；　and



one　or　two　who　had　been　slapped　hardest　began



to　cry。　Then　suddenly　they　gave　a　shout；　all



together；　and　disappeared　in　a　flash　into　their



various　houses；　the　tops　of　which　closed　with　a



series　of　pops　that　sounded　like　a　bunch　of



firecrackers　being　exploded。







The　adventurers　now　found　themselves　alone；



and　Dorothy　asked　anxiously：







〃Is　anybody　hurt？〃







〃Not　me；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。　〃They　have



given　my　straw　a　good　shaking　up　and　taken　all　the



lumps　out　of　it。　I　am　now　in　splendid　condition



and　am　really　obliged　to　the　Tottenhots　for　their



kind　treatment。〃







〃I　feel　much　the　same　way；〃　said　Scraps。



〃My　cotton　stuffing　had　sagged　a　good　deal　with



the　day's　walking　and　they've　loosened　it　up



until　I　feel　as　plump　as　a　sausage。　But　the　play



was　a　little　rough　and　I'd　had　quite　enough　of



it　when　you　interfered。〃







〃Six　of　them　sat　on　me；〃　said　Ojo；　〃but　as



they　are　so　little　they　didn't　hurt　me　much。〃







Just　then　the　roof　of　the　house　in　front　of



them　opened　and　a　Tottenhot　stuck　his　head



out；　very　cautiously；　and　looked　at　the　strangers。







〃Can't　you；　take　a　joke？〃　he　asked；



reproachfully；　〃haven　t　you　any　fun　in　you　at



all？〃







〃If　I　had　such　a　quality；〃　replied　the



Scarecrow；　〃your　people　would　have　knocked　it　out



of　me。　But　I　don't　bear　grudges。　I　forgive　you。〃







〃So　do　I；〃　added　Scraps。　〃That　is；　if　you　behave



yourselves　after　this。〃







〃It　was　just　a　little　rough…house；　that's　all；〃



said　the　Tottenhot。　〃But　the　question　is　not　if



we　will　behave；　but　if　you　will　behave？　We



can't　be　shut　up　here　all　night；　because　this



is　our　time　to　play；　nor　do　we　care　to　come　out



and　be　chewed　up　by　a　savage　beast　or　slapped



by　an　angry　girl。　That　slapping　hurts　like　sixty；



some　of　my　folks　are　crying　about　it。　So　here's



the　proposition：　you　let　us　alone　and　we'll　let



you　alone。〃







〃You　began　it；〃　declared　Dorothy。







〃Well；　you　ended　it；　so　we　won't　argue　the



matter。　May　we　come　out　again？　Or　are　you　still



cruel　and　slappy？〃







〃Tell　you　what　we'll　do；〃　said　Dorothy。　〃We're



all　tired　and　want　to　sleep　until　morning。　If



you'll　let　us　get　into　your　house；　and　stay　there



until　daylight；　you　can　play　outside　all　you　want



to。〃







〃That's　a　bargain！〃　cried　the　Tottenhot



eagerly；　and　he　gave　a　queer　whistle　that



brought　his　people　popping　out　of　their　houses



on　all　sides。　When　the　house　before　them　was



vacant；　Dorothy　and　Ojo　leaned　over　the　hole



and　looked　in；　but　could　see　nothing　because



it　was　so　dark。　But　if　the　Tottenhots　slept　there



all　day　the　children　thought　they　could　sleep



there　at　night；　so　Ojo　lowered　himself　down



and　found　it　was　not　very　deep。〃







〃There's　a　soft　cushion　all　over；〃　said　he。



〃Come　on　in。〃







Dorothy　handed　Toto　to　the　boy　and　then　climbed



in　herself。　After　her　came　Scraps　and　the



Scarecrow；　who　did　not　wish　to　sleep　but　preferred



to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　the　mischievous



Tottenhots。







There　seemed　no　furniture　in　the　round　den；　but



soft　cushions　were　strewn　about　the　floor　and



these　they　found　made　very　comfortable　beds。　They



did　not　close　the　hole　in　the　roof　but　left　it



open　to　admit　air。　It　also　admitted　the　shouts　and



ceaseless　laughter　of　the　impish　Tottenhots　as



they　played　outside；　but　Dorothy　and　Ojo；　being



weary　from　their　journey；　were　soon　fast　asleep。







Toto　kept　an　eye　open；　however；　and　uttered　low；



threatening　growls　whenever　the　racket　made　by　the



creatures　outside　became　too　boisterous；　and　the



Scarecrow　and　the　Patchwork　Girl　sat　leaning



against　the　wall　and　talked　in　whispers　all　night



long。　No　one　disturbed　the　travelers　until



daylight；　when　in　popped　the　Tottenhot　who　owned



the　place　and　invited　them　to　vacate　his　premises。



















Chapter　Twenty







The　Captive　Yoop











As　they　were　preparing　to　leave；　Dorothy　asked：



〃Can　you　tell　us　where　there　is　a　dark　well？〃







〃Never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　said　the



Tottenhot。　〃We　live　our　lives　in　the　dark；　mostly；



and　sleep　in　the　day…time；　but　we've　never　seen　a



dark　well；　or　anything　like　one。〃







〃Does　anyone　live　on　those　mountains　beyond



here？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。







〃Lots　of　people。　But　you'd　better　not　visit



them。　We　never　go　there；〃　was　the　reply。







〃What　are　the　people　like？〃　Dorothy　inquired。







〃Can't　say。　We've　been　told　to　keep　away



from　the　mountain　paths；　and　so　we　obey。　This



sandy　desert　is　good　enough　for　us；　and　we're



not　disturbed　here；〃　declared　the　Tottenhot。







So　they　left　the　man　snuggling　down　to　sleep　in



his　dusky　dwelling；　and　went　out　into　the



sunshine；　taking　the　path　that　led　toward　the



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