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_The Shaggy Man of Oz_
BY JACK SNOW, FOUNDED ON AND CONTINUING
THE FAMOUS OZ STORIES BY L. FRANK BAUM
ILLUSTRATED BY FRANK KRAMER
THE REILLY & LEE CO.
CHICAGO
* * * * *
THE SHAGGY MAN
OF OZ
COPYRIGHT 1949 BY
THE REILLY & LEE CO.
PRINTED IN
THE
U. S. A.
[Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any
evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
* * * * *
_TO THE CHILDREN_
During the past few years, several readers have written me asking:
"What ever happened to the Nome King's tunnel under the Deadly Desert?"
The answer will be found in this book.
Everyone who has read the Oz books knows and loves Shaggy. He first
met Dorothy in "The Road To Oz," and from that time on had a number
of adventures in which he discovered such famous Oz personages as the
Patchwork Girl, Ojo, Unk Nunkie, the Glass Cat, Betsy Bobbin and her
Mule Hank, and many others.
So, it is about time that the Shaggy Man had an Oz book all his
own--and here it is--faithfully recorded from the latest messages
received from the Land of Oz.
Incidentally, you will recall that after Glinda laid down her Barrier
of Invisibility, the only manner of communication between Oz and the
Great Outside World was by radio. Well, now, your author of the Oz
books has succeeded in tuning in the Emerald City on a specially built
television set--his "magic picture." This has helped a great deal in
the writing of this book--but not nearly so much as your own letters.
So don't forget to write and tell me all your thoughts about the Land
of Oz and the equally interesting countries surrounding it. Just now,
important things are happening there which I hope to tell you about in
another Oz book.
_JACK SNOW_
* * * * *
_This book is dedicated to my Father John Alonzo Snow_
Santa Claus was good to me--
Gave me lots of things
Wrapped in dainty parcels
And tied with ribbon-strings.
I can't recall what lovely gifts
Within there chanced to be--
The wrappers and the ribbons
Were what are dear to me.
They breathe of sweet remembrance,
Of Love and Kindly Thought--
The things about my presents
That never could be bought.
And so, although I'm far away,
Love's message spans the space
And our two hearts are linked anew
Through dear old Santa's grace.
_by L. Frank Baum a hitherto unpublished poem written to his Sister,
Mary Louise Brewster_
* * * * *
LIST _of_ CHAPTERS
1. The Twins Look In
2. On the Isle of Conjo
3. Omby Amby Bears Bad News
4. Ozma Uses the Magic Belt
5. The Castle of Conjo
6. The Magic Airmobile
7. Into Hightown
8. The Lord High Mayor
9. The Valley of Romance
10. Lady Cue
11. What Happened to Shaggy
12. A Midnight Adventure
13. Tom Goes to the Rescue
14. The Valley of Love
15. The King of the Fairy Beavers
16. In Beaver Land
17. The Tunnel Under the Desert
18. The Flame Folk
19. The Barrier of Invisibility
20. At the End of the Tunnel
21. The Wizard Is Excited
22. Conjo in Control
23. Twiffle Says Goodbye
24. Twink and Tom in Oz
25. The Black Bag of Magic Tools
26. Twink and Tom Home Again
CHAPTER 1
The Twins Look In
"It just isn't fair," declared Tom, staring unhappily through the
window at the heavy rain pelting the lawn and garden about the house.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it so we might as well make the
best of it," replied Twink philosophically.
"But I wanted to go outdoors and play this afternoon--you know we have
only a few more weeks until school starts. Besides, I'm sick and tired
of this old house and of every single thing we have to play with."
Almost as if he understood Tom's words, Twoffle, the children's wooden
clown, tumbled over on his face in the corner where he had been
standing neglected.
"Now look what you've done! You've hurt Twoffle's feelings," accused
Twink reprovingly as she hastened to stand the funny little clown erect
again in his corner of the room.
Twink was especially fond of Twoffle. The little wooden clown, with
his hinged joints and gaudily painted features and clothing, had been
a part of their lives almost as long as Twink could remember. He had
taken part in many of their games, and being constructed of a fine
grade of durable wood, he had outlasted many other more fragile toys
that had come and gone.
Twink and Tom were twins. They lived in a large, comfortable house in
the city of Buffalo, New York, with their Mother and Father and Rosie
the cook.
This afternoon the house was very quiet. Twink's and Tom's father,
Professor Jones, was at work at the University, where he taught young
people all about electrons, atoms, molecules, and other mysterious
matters. Mrs. Jones was attending a meeting of her Club of Lady
Voters. Rosie, the cook, dozed in her warm kitchen, nodding over the
latest issue of a fashion magazine.
So it was no wonder the twins were a bit lonesome. The rain streamed
down the window monotonously and it seemed the afternoon would drag on
forever.
Twink glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was a little Dutch cottage
clock and the hands indicated it was almost three o'clock. Twink was
struck with a sudden idea.
"Come on, Tom!" she called. "Look at the time. If we don't hurry we'll
miss Chapter Four of Buffalo Bill Rides Again!"
Tom came to life immediately, and in an instant both children were
dashing down the broad stairway and into the library.
Here was the solution to their dull afternoon--a television set that
Professor Jones had built himself and installed in the library. It was
a very special set with a large "projection screen." The glass tube of
the television set enlarged the picture on the screen. At three o'clock
each afternoon Twink and Tom could see another chapter in the exciting
moving picture serial of the wild west. The children were sure, of
course, that Buffalo Bill had been named after their own city, and this
made the picture all the more interesting.
Tom was busily turning knobs and dials and making adjustments. In a
few seconds the big screen lighted up with a bluish-green glare and
a moment later the pictures appeared. Buffalo Bill was ambushed by a
wildly howling mob of Redskins who were on the war-path. There was no
doubt in Twink's and Tom's minds that the famous scout would emerge
unharmed while the Indians would take to noisy flight.
But just as Buffalo Bill brought his rifle to his shoulder and was
sighting the nearest Redskin, something happened.
The flickering motion picture vanished from the television screen,
and in its place appeared a picture that made the children gasp. It
was one of the most beautiful scenes they could imagine: a peaceful,
rolling meadowland, bright with all kinds of wild-flowers on which the
sun shown down from a blue sky dotted with white, baby clouds. In the
distance rose the spires and minarets of a great castle, glittering and
glistening in the sunlight.
But it was not the castle or the sunny meadowland that held the
children's attention.
Twink and Tom stared unbelievingly at a figure that stood in the center
of the television picture looking out at them with the most familiar of
smiles.
It was Twoffle, their wooden clown.