good rest, and afterward began walking along the road.
"Some time I will surely overtake them," he reflected; "for the road
will end at the gates of the Emerald City, and they can go no further
than that."
Meantime Jack was holding fast to the post and the Saw-Horse was
tearing along the road like a racer. Neither of them knew Tip was left
behind, for the Pumpkinhead did not look around and the Saw-Horse
couldn't.
As he rode, Jack noticed that the grass and trees had become a bright
emerald-green in color, so he guessed they were nearing the Emerald
City even before the tall spires and domes came into sight.
At length a high wall of green stone, studded thick with emeralds,
loomed up before them; and fearing the Saw-Horse would not know enough
to stop and so might smash them both against this wall, Jack ventured
to cry "Whoa!" as loud as he could.
So suddenly did the horse obey that had it not been for his post Jack
would have been pitched off head foremost, and his beautiful face
ruined.
"That was a fast ride, dear father!" he exclaimed; and then, hearing no
reply, he turned around and discovered for the first time that Tip was
not there.
This apparent desertion puzzled the Pumpkinhead, and made him uneasy.
And while he was wondering what had become of the boy, and what he
ought to do next under such trying circumstances, the gateway in the
green wall opened and a man came out.
This man was short and round, with a fat face that seemed remarkably
good-natured. He was clothed all in green and wore a high, peaked green
hat upon his head and green spectacles over his eyes. Bowing before the
Pumpkinhead he said:
"I am the Guardian of the Gates of the Emerald City. May I inquire who
you are, and what is your business?"
"My name is Jack Pumpkinhead," returned the other, smilingly; "but as
to my business, I haven't the least idea in the world what it is."
The Guardian of the Gates looked surprised, and shook his head as if
dissatisfied with the reply.
"What are you, a man or a pumpkin?" he asked, politely.
"Both, if you please," answered Jack.
"And this wooden horse--is it alive?" questioned the Guardian.
The horse rolled one knotty eye upward and winked at Jack. Then it gave
a prance and brought one leg down on the Guardian's toes.
"Ouch!" cried the man; "I'm sorry I asked that question. But the answer
is most convincing. Have you any errand, sir, in the Emerald City?"
"It seems to me that I have," replied the Pumpkinhead, seriously; "but
I cannot think what it is. My father knows all about it, but he is not
here."
"This is a strange affair--very strange!" declared the Guardian. "But
you seem harmless. Folks do not smile so delightfully when they mean
mischief."
"As for that," said Jack, "I cannot help my smile, for it is carved on
my face with a jack-knife."
"Well, come with me into my room," resumed the Guardian, "and I will
see what can be done for you."
So Jack rode the Saw-Horse through the gate-way into a little room
built into the wall. The Guardian pulled a bell-cord, and presently
a very tall soldier--clothed in a green uniform--entered from the
opposite door. This soldier carried a long green gun over his shoulder
and had lovely green whiskers that fell quite to his knees. The
Guardian at once addressed him, saying:
"Here is a strange gentleman who doesn't know why he has come to the
Emerald City, or what he wants. Tell me, what shall we do with him?"
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers looked at Jack with much care and
curiosity. Finally he shook his head so positively that little waves
rippled down his whiskers, and then he said:
"I must take him to His Majesty, the Scarecrow."
"But what will His Majesty, the Scarecrow, do with him?" asked the
Guardian of the Gates.
"That is His Majesty's business," returned the soldier. "I have
troubles enough of my own. All outside troubles must be turned over to
His Majesty. So put the spectacles on this fellow, and I'll take him to
the royal palace."
So the Guardian opened a big box of spectacles and tried to fit a pair
to Jack's great round eyes.
"I haven't a pair in stock that will really cover those eyes up," said
the little man, with a sigh; "and your head is so big that I shall be
obliged to tie the spectacles on."
"But why need I wear spectacles?" asked Jack.
"It's the fashion here," said the Soldier, "and they will keep you from
being blinded by the glitter and glare of the gorgeous Emerald City."
"Oh!" exclaimed Jack. "Tie them on, by all means. I don't wish to be
blinded."
"Nor I!" broke in the Saw-Horse; so a pair of green spectacles was
quickly fastened over the bulging knots that served it for eyes.
Then the Soldier with the Green Whiskers led them through the inner
gate and they at once found themselves in the main street of the
magnificent Emerald City.
Sparkling green gems ornamented the fronts of the beautiful houses and
the towers and turrets were all faced with emeralds. Even the green
marble pavement glittered with precious stones, and it was indeed a
grand and marvelous sight to one who beheld it for the first time.
However, the Pumpkinhead and the Saw-Horse, knowing nothing of wealth
and beauty, paid little attention to the wonderful sights they saw
through their green spectacles. They calmly followed after the green
soldier and scarcely noticed the crowds of green people who stared
at them in surprise. When a green dog ran out and barked at them the
Saw-Horse promptly kicked at it with its wooden leg and sent the little
animal howling into one of the houses; but nothing more serious than
this happened to interrupt their progress to the royal palace.
The Pumpkinhead wanted to ride up the green marble steps and straight
into the Scarecrow's presence; but the soldier would not permit that.
So Jack dismounted, with much difficulty, and a servant led the
Saw-Horse around to the rear while the Soldier with the Green Whiskers
escorted the Pumpkinhead into the palace, by the front entrance.
The stranger was left in a handsomely furnished waiting room while the
soldier went to announce him. It so happened that at this hour His
Majesty was at leisure and greatly bored for want of something to do,
so he ordered his visitor to be shown at once into his throne room.
Jack felt no fear or embarrassment at meeting the ruler of this
magnificent city, for he was entirely ignorant of all worldly customs.
But when he entered the room and saw for the first time His Majesty
the Scarecrow seated upon his glittering throne, he stopped short in
amazement.
[Illustration]
[Illustration:
His majesty the Scarecrow
]
I suppose every reader of this book knows what a scarecrow is; but Jack
Pumpkinhead, never having seen such a creation, was more surprised at
meeting the remarkable King of the Emerald City than by any other one
experience of his brief life.
His Majesty the Scarecrow was dressed in a suit of faded blue clothes,
and his head was merely a small sack stuffed with straw, upon which
eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth had been rudely painted to represent a
face. The clothes were also stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly
or carelessly that his Majesty's legs and arms seemed more bumpy
than was necessary. Upon his hands were gloves with long fingers,
and these were padded with cotton. Wisps of straw stuck out from the
monarch's coat and also from his neck and boot-tops. Upon his head
he wore a heavy golden crown set thick with sparkling jewels, and
the weight of this crown caused his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving
a thoughtful expression to the painted face. Indeed, the crown alone
betokened majesty; in all else the Scarecrow King was but a simple
scarecrow--flimsy, awkward, and unsubstantial.
But if the strange appearance of his Majesty the Scarecrow seemed
startling to Jack, no less wonderful was the form of the Pumpkinhead
to the Scarecrow. The purple trousers and pink waistcoat and red
shirt hung loosely over the wooden joints Tip had manufactured, and
the carved face on the pumpkin grinned perpetually, as if its wearer
considered life the jolliest thing imaginable.
At first, indeed, His Majesty thought his queer visitor was laughing at
him, and was inclined to resent such a liberty; but it was not without
reason that the Scarecrow had attained the reputation of being the
wisest personage in the Land of Oz. He made a more careful examination
of his visitor, and soon discovered that Jack's features were carved
into a smile and that he could not look grave if he wished to.
The King was the first to speak. After regarding
[Illustration]
Jack for some minutes he said, in a tone of wonder:
"Where on earth did you come from, and how do you happen to be alive?"
"I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned the Pumpkinhead; "but I do not
understand you."
"What don't you understand?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Why, I don't understand your language. You see, I came from the
Country of the Gillikins, so that I am a foreigner."
"Ah, to be sure!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "I myself speak the language
of the Munchkins, which is also the language of the Emerald City. But
you, I suppose, speak the language of the Pumpkinheads?"
"Exactly so, your Majesty," replied the other, bowing; "so it will be
impossible for us to understand one another."
"That is unfortunate, certainly," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "We
must have an interpreter."
"What is an interpreter?" asked Jack.
"A person who understands both my language and your own. When I say
anything, the interpreter can tell you what I mean; and when you
say anything the interpreter can tell me what _you_ mean. For the
interpreter can speak both languages as well as understand them."
"That is certainly clever," said Jack, greatly pleased at finding so
simple a way out of the difficulty.
So the Scarecrow commanded the Soldier with the Green Whiskers to
search among his people until he found one who understood the language
of the Gillikins as well as the language of the Emerald City, and to
bring that person to him at once.
When the Soldier had departed the Scarecrow said:
"Won't you take a chair while we are waiting?"
"Your Majesty forgets that I cannot understand you," replied the
Pumpkinhead. "If you wish me to sit down you must make a sign for me to
do so."
The Scarecrow came down from his throne and rolled an armchair to a
position behind the Pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden push that
sent him sprawling upon the cushions in so awkward a fashion that he
doubled up like a jack-knife, and had hard work to untangle himself.
"Did you understand that sign?" asked His Majesty, politely.
"Perfectly," declared Jack, reaching up his arms to turn his head
to the front, the pumpkin having twisted around upon the stick that
supported it.
"You seem hastily made," remarked the Scarecrow, watching Jack's
efforts to straighten himself.
"Not more so than your Majesty," was the frank reply.
"There is this difference between us," said the Scarecrow, "that
whereas I will bend, but not break, you will break, but not bend."
[Illustration: "HE GAVE JACK A SUDDEN PUSH."]
At this moment the soldier returned leading a young girl by the hand.
She seemed very sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful
green eyes and hair. A dainty green silk skirt reached to her knees,
showing silk stockings embroidered with pea-pods, and green satin
slippers with bunches of lettuce for decorations instead of bows or
buckles. Upon her silken waist clover leaves were embroidered, and
she wore a jaunty little jacket trimmed with sparkling emeralds of a
uniform size.
"Why, it's little Jellia Jamb!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, as the green
maiden bowed her pretty head before him. "Do you understand the
language of the Gillikins, my dear?"
"Yes, your Majesty," she answered, "for I was born in the North
Country."
"Then you shall be our interpreter," said the Scarecrow, "and explain
to this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to me all that
_he_ says. Is this arrangement satisfactory?" he asked, turning toward
his guest.
"Very satisfactory indeed," was the reply.
"Then ask him, to begin with," resumed the Scarecrow, turning to
Jellia, "what brought him to the Emerald City."
But instead of this the girl, who had been staring at Jack, said to
him:
"You are certainly a wonderful creature. Who made you?"
"A boy named Tip," answered Jack.
"What does he say?" inquired the Scarecrow. "My ears must have deceived
me. What did he say?"
"He says that your Majesty's brains seem to have come loose," replied
the girl, demurely.
The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt of his head with
his left hand.
"What a fine thing it is to understand two different languages," he
said, with a perplexed sigh. "Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection
to being put in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City.
"I didn't insult you!" protested Jack, indignantly.
"Tut--tut!" cautioned the Scarecrow; "wait until Jellia translates my
speech. What have we got an interpreter for, if you break out in this
rash way?"
"All right, I'll wait," replied the Pumpkinhead, in a surly
tone--although his face smiled as genially as ever. "Translate the
speech, young woman."
"His Majesty inquires if you are hungry," said Jellia.
"Oh, not at all!" answered Jack, more pleasantly. "for it is impossible
for me to eat."
"It's the same way with me," remarked the Scarecrow. "What did he say,
Jellia, my dear?"
"He asked if you were aware that one of your eyes is painted larger
than the other," said the girl, mischievously.
"Don't you believe her, your Majesty," cried Jack.
"Oh, I don't," answered the Scarecrow, calmly. Then, casting a sharp
look at the girl, he asked:
"Are you quite certain you understand the languages of both the
Gillikins and the Munchkins?"
"Quite certain, your Majesty," said Jellia Jamb, trying hard not to
laugh in the face of royalty.
"Then how is it that I seem to understand them myself?" inquired the
Scarecrow.
"Because they are one and the same!" declared the girl, now laughing
merrily. "Does not your Majesty know that in all the land of Oz but one
language is spoken?"
"Is it indeed so?" cried the Scarecrow, much relieved to hear this;
"then I might easily have been my own interpreter!"
"It was all my fault, your Majesty," said Jack, looking rather foolish,
"I thought we must surely speak different languages, since we came from
different countries."
"This should be a warning to you never to think," returned the
Scarecrow, severely. "For unless one can think wisely it is better to
remain a dummy--which you most certainly are."
"I am!--I surely am!" agreed the Pumpkinhead.
"It seems to me," continued the Scarecrow, more mildly, "that your
manufacturer spoiled some good pies to create an indifferent man."
"I assure your Majesty that I did not ask to be created," answered Jack.
"Ah! It was the same in my case," said the King, pleasantly. "And so,
as we differ from all ordinary people, let us become friends."
"With all my heart!" exclaimed Jack.
"What! Have you a heart?" asked the Scarecrow, surprised.
"No; that was only imaginative--I might say, a figure of speech," said
the other.
"Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so I
must beg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you
have no right to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.
"To be sure!" said Jack, without in the least comprehending.
His Majesty then dismissed Jellia Jamb and the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers, and when they were gone he took his new friend by the arm and
led him into the courtyard to play a game of quoits.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration:
Gen. Jinjur's Army
of Revolt
]
Tip was so anxious to rejoin his man Jack and the Saw-Horse that he
walked a full half the distance to the Emerald City without stopping to
rest. Then he discovered that he was hungry and the crackers and cheese
he had provided for the journey had all been eaten.
While wondering what he should do in this emergency he came upon a
girl sitting by the roadside. She wore a costume that struck the boy
as being remarkably brilliant: her silken waist being of emerald green
and her skirt of four distinct colors--blue in front, yellow at the
left side, red at the back and purple at the right side. Fastening the
waist in front were four buttons--the top one blue, the next yellow, a
third red and the last purple.
[Illustration]
The splendor of this dress was almost barbaric; so Tip was fully
justified in staring at the gown for some moments before his eyes
were attracted by the pretty face above it. Yes, the face was pretty
enough, he decided; but it wore an expression of discontent coupled to
a shade of defiance or audacity.
While the boy stared the girl looked upon him calmly. A lunch basket
stood beside her, and she held a dainty sandwich in one hand and a
hard-boiled egg in the other, eating with an evident appetite that
aroused Tip's sympathy.
He was just about to ask a share of the luncheon when the girl stood up
and brushed the crumbs from her lap.
"There!" said she; "it is time for me to go. Carry that basket for me
and help yourself to its contents if you are hungry."
Tip seized the basket eagerly and began to eat, following for a time
the strange girl without bothering to ask questions. She walked along
before him with swift strides, and there was about her an air of
decision and importance that led him to suspect she was some great
personage.
Finally, when he had satisfied his hunger, he ran up beside her and
tried to keep pace with her swift footsteps--a very difficult feat, for
she was much taller than he, and evidently in a hurry.
"Thank you very much for the sandwiches," said Tip, as he trotted
along. "May I ask your name?"
"I am General Jinjur," was the brief reply.
"Oh!" said the boy, surprised. "What sort of a General?"
"I command the Army of Revolt in this war," answered the General, with
unnecessary sharpness.
"Oh!" he again exclaimed. "I didn't know there was a war."
"You were not supposed to know it," she returned, "for we have kept it
a secret; and considering that our army is composed entirely of girls,"
she added, with some pride, "it is surely a remarkable thing that our
Revolt is not yet discovered."
"It is, indeed," acknowledged Tip. "But where is your army?"
"About a mile from here," said General Jinjur. "The forces have
assembled from all parts of the Land of Oz, at my express command. For
this is the day we are to conquer His Majesty the Scarecrow, and wrest
from him the throne. The Army of Revolt only awaits my coming to march
upon the Emerald City."
"Well!" declared Tip, drawing a long breath, "this is certainly a
surprising thing! May I ask why you wish to conquer His Majesty the
Scarecrow?"
"Because the Emerald City has been ruled by men long enough, for one
reason," said the girl. "Moreover, the City glitters with beautiful
gems, which might far better be used for rings, bracelets and
necklaces; and there is enough money in the King's treasury to buy
every girl in our Army a dozen new gowns. So we intend to conquer the
City and run the government to suit ourselves."
Jinjur spoke these words with an eagerness and decision that proved she
was in earnest.
"But war is a terrible thing," said Tip, thoughtfully.
"This war will be pleasant," replied the girl, cheerfully.
"Many of you will be slain!" continued the boy, in an awed voice.
"Oh, no," said Jinjur. "What man would oppose a girl, or dare to harm
her? And there is not an ugly face in my entire Army."
Tip laughed.
"Perhaps you are right," said he. "But the Guardian of the Gate is
considered a faithful Guardian, and the King's Army will not let the
City be conquered without a struggle."
"The Army is old and feeble," replied General Jinjur, scornfully. "His
strength has all been used to grow whiskers, and his wife has such a
temper that she has already pulled more than half of them out by the
roots. When the Wonderful Wizard reigned the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers was a very good Royal Army, for people feared the Wizard. But
no one is afraid of the Scarecrow, so his Royal Army don't count for
much in time of war."
After this conversation they proceeded some distance in silence, and
before long reached a large clearing in the forest where fully four
hundred young women were assembled. These were laughing and talking
together as gaily as if they had gathered for a picnic instead of a war
of conquest.
They were divided into four companies, and Tip noticed that all were
dressed in costumes similar to that worn by General Jinjur. The only
real difference was that while those girls from the Munchkin country
had the blue strip in front of their skirts, those from the country of
the Quadlings had the red strip in front; and those from the country
of the Winkies had the yellow strip in front, and the Gillikin girls
wore the purple strip in front. All had green waists, representing the
Emerald City they intended to conquer, and the top button on each waist
indicated by its color which country the wearer came from. The uniforms
were jaunty and becoming, and quite effective when massed together.
Tip thought this strange Army bore no weapons whatever; but in this he
was wrong. For each girl had stuck through the knot of her back hair
two long, glittering knitting-needles.
[Illustration]
General Jinjur immediately mounted the stump of a tree and addressed
her army.
"Friends, fellow-citizens, and girls!" she said; "we are about to begin
our great Revolt against the men of Oz! We march to conquer the Emerald
City--to dethrone the Scarecrow King--to acquire thousands of gorgeous
gems--to rifle the royal treasury--and to obtain power over our former
oppressors!"
"Hurrah!" said those who had listened; but Tip thought most of the Army
was too much engaged in chattering to pay attention to the words of the
General.
The command to march was now given, and the girls formed themselves
into four bands, or companies, and set off with eager strides toward
the Emerald City.
[Illustration]
The boy followed after them, carrying several baskets and wraps and
packages which various members of the Army of Revolt had placed in his
care. It was not long before they came to the green granite walls of
the City and halted before the gateway.
The Guardian of the Gate at once came out and looked at them curiously,
as if a circus had come to town. He carried a bunch of keys swung round
his neck by a golden chain; his hands were thrust carelessly into
his pockets, and he seemed to have no idea at all that the City was
threatened by rebels. Speaking pleasantly to the girls, he said:
"Good morning, my dears! What can I do for you?"
[Illustration]
"Surrender instantly!" answered General Jinjur, standing before him and
frowning as terribly as her pretty face would allow her to.
"Surrender!" echoed the man, astounded. "Why, it's impossible. It's
against the law! I never heard of such a thing in my life."
"Still, you must surrender!" exclaimed the General, fiercely. "We are
revolting!"
"You don't look it," said the Guardian, gazing from one to another,
admiringly.
"But we are!" cried Jinjur, stamping her foot, impatiently; "and we
mean to conquer the Emerald City!"
"Good gracious!" returned the surprised Guardian of the Gates; "what
a nonsensical idea! Go home to your mothers, my good girls, and milk
the cows and bake the bread. Don't you know it's a dangerous thing to
conquer a city?"
"We are not afraid!" responded the General; and she looked so
determined that it made the Guardian uneasy.
So he rang the bell for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, and the
next minute was sorry he had done so. For immediately he was surrounded
by a crowd of girls who drew the knitting-needles from their hair and
began jabbing them at the Guardian with the sharp points dangerously
near his fat cheeks and blinking eyes.
The poor man howled loudly for mercy and made no resistance when Jinjur
drew the bunch of keys from around his neck.
[Illustration: GENERAL JINJUR AND HER ARMY CAPTURE THE CITY.]
Followed by her Army the General now rushed to the gateway, where she
was confronted by the Royal Army of Oz--which was the other name for
the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
"Halt!" he cried, and pointed his long gun full in the face of the
leader.