THE BRAIDED MAN OF PYRAMID MOUNTAIN
The mountain before them was shaped like a cone and was so tall that its
point was lost in the clouds. Directly facing the place where Jim had
stopped was an arched opening leading to a broad stairway. The stairs
were cut in the rock inside the mountain, and they were broad and not
very steep, because they circled around like a cork-screw, and at the
arched opening where the flight began the circle was quite big. At the
foot of the stairs was a sign reading:
WARNING.
These steps lead to the
Land of the Gargoyles.
DANGER! KEEP OUT.
"I wonder how Jim is ever going to draw the buggy up so many stairs,"
said Dorothy, gravely.
"No trouble at all," declared the horse, with a contemptuous neigh.
"Still, I don't care to drag any passengers. You'll all have to walk."
"Suppose the stairs get steeper?" suggested Zeb, doubtfully.
"Then you'll have to boost the buggy-wheels, that's all," answered Jim.
"We'll try it, anyway," said the Wizard. "It's the only way to get out
of the Valley of Voe."
So they began to ascend the stairs, Dorothy and the Wizard first, Jim
next, drawing the buggy, and then Zeb to watch that nothing happened to
the harness.
The light was dim, and soon they mounted into total darkness, so that
the Wizard was obliged to get out his lanterns to light the way. But
this enabled them to proceed steadily until they came to a landing where
there was a rift in the side of the mountain that let in both light and
air. Looking through this opening they could see the Valley of Voe lying
far below them, the cottages seeming like toy houses from that distance.
After resting a few moments they resumed their climb, and still the
stairs were broad and low enough for Jim to draw the buggy easily after
him. The old horse panted a little, and had to stop often to get his
breath. At such times they were all glad to wait for him, for
continually climbing up stairs is sure to make one's legs ache.
They wound about, always going upward, for some time. The lights from
the lanterns dimly showed the way, but it was a gloomy journey, and they
were pleased when a broad streak of light ahead assured them they were
coming to a second landing.
Here one side of the mountain had a great hole in it, like the mouth of
a cavern, and the stairs stopped at the near edge of the floor and
commenced ascending again at the opposite edge.
The opening in the mountain was on the side opposite to the Valley of
Voe, and our travellers looked out upon a strange scene. Below them was
a vast space, at the bottom of which was a black sea with rolling
billows, through which little tongues of flame constantly shot up. Just
above them, and almost on a level with their platform, were banks of
rolling clouds which constantly shifted position and changed color. The
blues and greys were very beautiful, and Dorothy noticed that on the
cloud banks sat or reclined fleecy, shadowy forms of beautiful beings
who must have been the Cloud Fairies. Mortals who stand upon the earth
and look up at the sky cannot often distinguish these forms, but our
friends were now so near to the clouds that they observed the dainty
fairies very clearly.
"Are they real?" asked Zeb, in an awed voice.
"Of course," replied Dorothy, softly. "They are the Cloud Fairies."
"They seem like open-work," remarked the boy, gazing intently. "If I
should squeeze one, there wouldn't be anything left of it."
In the open space between the clouds and the black, bubbling sea far
beneath, could be seen an occasional strange bird winging its way
swiftly through the air. These birds were of enormous size, and reminded
Zeb of the rocs he had read about in the Arabian Nights. They had fierce
eyes and sharp talons and beaks, and the children hoped none of them
would venture into the cavern.
"Well, I declare!" suddenly exclaimed the little Wizard. "What in the
world is this?"
They turned around and found a man standing on the floor in the center
of the cave, who bowed very politely when he saw he had attracted their
attention. He was a very old man, bent nearly double; but the queerest
thing about him was his white hair and beard. These were so long that
they reached to his feet, and both the hair and the beard were
carefully plaited into many braids, and the end of each braid fastened
with a bow of colored ribbon.
"Where did you come from?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly.
"No place at all," answered the man with the braids; "that is, not
recently. Once I lived on top the earth, but for many years I have had
my factory in this spot--half way up Pyramid Mountain."
"Are we only half way up?" enquired the boy, in a discouraged tone.
"I believe so, my lad," replied the braided man. "But as I have never
been in either direction, down or up, since I arrived, I cannot be
positive whether it is exactly half way or not."
"Have you a factory in this place?" asked the Wizard, who had been
examining the strange personage carefully.
"To be sure," said the other. "I am a great inventor, you must know, and
I manufacture my products in this lonely spot."
"What are your products?" enquired the Wizard.
"Well, I make Assorted Flutters for flags and bunting, and a superior
grade of Rustles for ladies' silk gowns."
"I thought so," said the Wizard, with a sigh. "May we examine some of
these articles?"
[Illustration: THE CLOUD FAIRIES.]
[Illustration: THE BRAIDED MAN.]
"Yes, indeed; come into my shop, please," and the braided man turned and
led the way into a smaller cave, where he evidently lived. Here, on a
broad shelf, were several card-board boxes of various sizes, each tied
with cotton cord.
"This," said the man, taking up a box and handling it gently, "contains
twelve dozen rustles--enough to last any lady a year. Will you buy it,
my dear?" he asked, addressing Dorothy.
"My gown isn't silk," she said, smiling.
"Never mind. When you open the box the rustles will escape, whether you
are wearing a silk dress or not," said the man, seriously. Then he
picked up another box. "In this," he continued, "are many assorted
flutters. They are invaluable to make flags flutter on a still day, when
there is no wind. You, sir," turning to the Wizard, "ought to have this
assortment. Once you have tried my goods I am sure you will never be
without them."
"I have no money with me," said the Wizard, evasively.
"I do not want money," returned the braided man, "for I could not spend
it in this deserted place if I had it. But I would like very much a blue
hair-ribbon. You will notice my braids are tied with yellow, pink,
brown, red, green, white and black; but I have no blue ribbons."
"I'll get you one!" cried Dorothy, who was sorry for the poor man; so
she ran back to the buggy and took from her suit-case a pretty blue
ribbon. It did her good to see how the braided man's eyes sparkled when
he received this treasure.
"You have made me very, very happy, my dear!" he exclaimed; and then he
insisted on the Wizard taking the box of flutters and the little girl
accepting the box of rustles.
"You may need them, some time," he said, "and there is really no use in
my manufacturing these things unless somebody uses them."
"Why did you leave the surface of the earth?" enquired the Wizard.
"I could not help it. It is a sad story, but if you will try to restrain
your tears I will tell you about it. On earth I was a manufacturer of
Imported Holes for American Swiss Cheese, and I will acknowledge that I
supplied a superior article, which was in great demand. Also I made
pores for porous plasters and high-grade holes for doughnuts and
buttons. Finally I invented a new Adjustable Post-hole, which I thought
would make my fortune. I manufactured a large quantity of these
post-holes, and having no room in which to store them I set them all end
to end and put the top one in the ground. That made an extraordinary
long hole, as you may imagine, and reached far down into the earth; and,
as I leaned over it to try to see to the bottom, I lost my balance and
tumbled in. Unfortunately, the hole led directly into the vast space you
see outside this mountain; but I managed to catch a point of rock that
projected from this cavern, and so saved myself from tumbling headlong
into the black waves beneath, where the tongues of flame that dart out
would certainly have consumed me. Here, then, I made my home; and
although it is a lonely place I amuse myself making rustles and
flutters, and so get along very nicely."
When the braided man had completed this strange tale Dorothy nearly
laughed, because it was all so absurd; but the Wizard tapped his
forehead significantly, to indicate that he thought the poor man was
crazy. So they politely bade him good day, and went back to the outer
cavern to resume their journey.
[Illustration]