Another Wishing Pill
After a merry breakfast in the gardens, Cheeriobed conducted the royal
party over the entire Sapphire City. High Boy carried Ozma, Scraps,
Trot, Betsy and Dorothy, and they all agreed that, next to the capital,
the Sapphire City was the fairest city in Oz. The sun shone with
dazzling brightness on the glittering spires, the jeweled sands and
rocks had never sparkled more beautifully. Even the waters of Orizon
seemed bluer since the Queen's return. Everywhere the cheers and shouts
of the delighted Islanders greeted the visitors and lovely Orin.
"If we just had our sea horses," mused Cheeriobed, putting one arm
around the Queen and the other around Philador, "everything would be as
it was before." The old mer-man who stood close by the King looked so
unhappy at this remark that Ozma bade High Boy stop, and jumping down
hurried over to the Wizard. After a whispered conference which nobody
seemed to notice, Ozma and the little man tip-toed off by themselves.
And when next Cheeriobed looked out over the lake, he gave a shout
of delight and pleasure. In toward the shore, with flying manes and
flashing tails, raced the whole herd of white sea horses, lively and
lovely as they ever were.
"I wish Joe King could see this," whinnied High Boy, wading out to
meet them and neighing a greeting in the high horse tongue. Orpah was
already in the water, caressing first one and then another of his
former pets, while the little Prince jumped in with all his clothes, to
mount his own prancing sea charger.
"How did you do it?" begged Cheeriobed, turning back to Ozma, who stood
smiling at him from her perch on an opal rock.
"Ask the Wizard," replied the little fairy mysteriously, but when they
all crowded curiously around the Wizard he merely shook his head and
muttered that restoring a herd of sea horses from a pile of bones was
quite easy--if you just knew how. And with this answer they were forced
to be satisfied.
Next the Wizard, with another of his magic powders, moved the great
figure of Quiberon to the mouth of his cave, where it stands to this
day for all to see.
"The fire from his nostrils must have eaten away the sides of the
passageway and enabled him to squeeze out," explained the Wizard, who
had been puzzling over this particular problem ever since his arrival.
As this cleared up the last of the mysteries, Ozma and her courtiers
now made ready to depart. Philador was so loath to say goodbye to
Trot that Ozma persuaded the King, the Queen and the little Prince to
return with them to the Emerald City. So again a magic ring was formed,
with High Boy in the center, and again the Wizard's wishing pills
transported them over hills and valleys to the most splendid castle in
Oz.