Ozma Takes Things In Hand
Prince Pompadore jumped up quickly.
“I told you she wouldn’t!” he choked, looking reproachfully at Kabumpo.
“I’m not half good enough.”
“He doesn’t always look so scratched up and shabby,” wheezed Kabumpo
breathlessly. “We’ve been scorched and pinched and kidnapped. We’ve been
through every kind of hardship to save your Highness—and _now_!” The
Elegant Elephant slouched against a tree, the picture of discouragement.
He seemed to have forgotten the jewels that were to have won the
Princess for Pompa and his threat of running off with her should she
refuse him.
“Why, you don’t even know me,” cried Ozma, dismayed by even the thought
of marrying; for though the little Ruler of Oz has lived almost a
thousand years she is no older than _you_ are and would no more think of
marrying than Dorothy or Betsy Bobbin or Trot. Ruling the Kingdom of Oz
takes almost all of Ozma’s time and in any that is left she wants to
play and enjoy herself like any other sensible little girl. For Ozma is
only a little girl fairy after all.
“I’m not going to marry anybody!” she declared stoutly. Then, because
she really was touched by Pompa’s woebegone appearance, she asked more
kindly, “Why did you want to marry me especially?”
“Because you are the properest Princess in Oz,” groaned the Prince,
leaning disconsolately against Kabumpo. “Because if we don’t Pumperdink
will disappear and my poor old father and my mother and everyone.”
“Not to speak of us,” gulped the Elegant Elephant.
“But where is Pumperdink, and who said it would disappear?” asked Ozma
in amazement. “And how did you happen to have this Trick Tea and come to
rescue me?”
“The Prince always rescues the Princess he intends to marry,” said
Kabumpo wearily. “I should think you’d know that.”
“Well, I’m very grateful, and I’ll do anything I can except marry you,”
exclaimed Ozma, who was beginning to feel very much interested in this
strange pair.
“Thank you,” said Kabumpo stiffly, for he was deeply offended. “Thank
you, but we must be going. Come along, Pompa.”
“Don’t be a Gooch!” This time it was Pompa who spoke. “I’m going to tell
her everything!”
And Pompa, being as I have told you before the most charming Prince in
the world, made Ozma a comfortable throne of green boughs and, throwing
himself at her feet, poured out the whole story of their adventures,
beginning with the birthday party and the mysterious scroll. He told of
their meeting with Peg Amy and Wag and ended up with the ride upon the
Runaway Country.
Kabumpo stood by, swaying sulkily. He was very much disappointed in the
Princess of Oz. He felt that she had no proper appreciation of his or
Pompa’s importance.
“I’m going to find Peg,” he called finally. “She’s got more sense than
any of you,” he wheezed under his breath as he swept grandly out of
sight.
Ozma put both hands to her head as Pompa finished his recital and really
it was enough to puzzle any fairy. Scrolls, live Wooden Dolls, a giant
rabbit, a mysterious magician threatening disappearances and Ruggedo’s
wicked use of the box of Mixed Magic.
“Goodness!” cried the little Ruler of Oz. “I wish the Scarecrow would
come back. He’s so clever I’m sure he could help us; but first you had
better bring me the magic box.”
Pompa rose slowly and, picking up all the little flasks and boxes that
had spilled out when Wag pounded Ruggedo, he put them back into the
casket and handed it to Ozma. She examined the contents as curiously as
the others had done. The Expanding Extract was the only thing missing,
for Ruggedo had poured the whole bottle over his head. The Question Box
seemed to Ozma the most wonderful of all of Glegg’s magic.
“Why, all we have to do is to ask this box questions,” she cried in
excitement. “Has my palace reached the Emerald City?” she asked
breathlessly.
“Shake it three times,” said Pompa, as Ozma looked in vain for her
answer.
“Yes,” stated the box after the third shake, and Ozma sighed with
relief.
“I suppose you asked it if I were the Proper Princess mentioned in the
scroll,” she said, a bit shyly.
The Prince shook his head. “Knew without asking,” said Pompa heavily.
“Do you mean to say you never asked it that?” gasped Ozma in disbelief.
“Why, I am surprised at you.” And before Pompa could object she shook
the little box briskly. “Who is the Princess that Pompa must marry?” she
demanded anxiously.
“The Princess of Sun Top Mountain,” flashed the Question Box promptly.
Then, as an afterthought, it added, “Trust the mirror and golden door
knob!”
“Now, you see!” cried Ozma, jumping up in delight. “I wasn’t the Proper
Princess at all!”
Pompa smiled faintly, but without enthusiasm. The thought of hunting
another Princess was almost too much. “I wish I could just take Peg Amy
and Wag and go back to Pumperdink without marrying anybody,” he choked
bitterly.
“Now, don’t give up,” advised Ozma kindly. “It was very wrong of Glegg
to cause you all this trouble. I’m going to keep his box of Mixed Magic
and take away all his powers when I find him, but until I do, you’ll
have to follow directions. Oh mercy! What’s that?”
They both ducked and turned around in a hurry, as a terrific thumping
sounded behind them.
“It’s the Runaway Country again,” cried Pompa, seizing Ozma’s hands in
distress, “and it’s caught all the others.”
The Scarecrow had climbed a tree, and was waving to them wildly as the
Country galloped nearer. “Might as well come aboard,” he called
genially. “This is a fast Country—no arguing with it at all.”
Ozma looked helplessly at Pompa, and the Prince had only time to grasp
her more firmly when the Country scooped them neatly into the air. Down
they tumbled, beside Peg Amy and Wag and the Elegant Elephant.
“What do you mean by this?” demanded Ozma, as soon as she regained her
breath.
“Don’t you know this lady is the Ruler of all Oz?” cried Pompa
warningly.
“Peg’s the Ruler of me,” replied the Country calmly. “I nearly lost her
once, but now I’ve caught her and all the rest, and I am not going to
stop until I’ve reached the Nonestic Ocean—giants or no giants.”
Ozma had been somewhat prepared for the Runaway Country by Pompa’s
description, but she had never dreamed it would dare to run off with
her. While Peg Amy began to coax it to stop, she took out Glegg’s little
Question Box.
“How shall I stop this Country?” she whispered anxiously.
“Spin around six times and cross your fingers,” directed the Question
Box.
This Ozma proceeded to do, much to the agitation of the Scarecrow, who
thought she had taken leave of her senses. But next instant the Country
came to a jolting halt.
“Peg, Princess Peg!” shrieked the Island. “I am bewitched, I can’t move
a step!”
“Then everybody off,” shouted the Scarecrow, jerking a branch of a tree
as if he were a conductor. “End of the line—everybody off!” And they
lost no time tumbling off the wild little Country.
“It seems too bad to leave it,” said Peg Amy regretfully, picking
herself up.
“It threw us off without any feeling or consideration when it saw
Ruggedo,” sniffed Kabumpo. “Therefore it has no claims on us
whatsoever.”
“But couldn’t you do something for it?” asked Peg, approaching Ozma
timidly. “It’s so tired of being a plateau. Couldn’t you let it be an
island, and find someone to settle on it? I wouldn’t mind going,” she
added generously.
“You shall do nothing of the sort,” cried Kabumpo angrily. “You’re going
back to Pumperdink with Pompa and me.”
“She’s going with me,” cried Wag. “Aren’t you, Peg?”
“You seem to be a very popular person,” smiled Ozma. “While a Country
has no right to run away, and while I never heard of one doing it
before, I’ve no objections to its being an island. It’s running off with
people I object to.” She looked the Country sternly in its lake-eyes.
“But I can’t move,” screamed the Country, tears streaming down its hill,
“and I’ve got to have somebody to settle me.”
“Oh! Here’s Glinda,” shouted the Scarecrow, tossing up his hat. “Now we
shall know what’s happened to Ruggedo.”
Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to welcome the good
Sorceress of Oz. Glinda’s reports were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had
walked straight back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning
cavern, and immediately the palace had settled firmly upon its old
foundations. Then had come a muffled explosion, and when Glinda and
Dorothy ran through the secret passage, which had been discovered
meanwhile by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, they saw Ruggedo,
shrunken to his former size, sitting angrily on his sixth rock of
history.
“I have locked him up in the palace,” finished Glinda, “and I strongly
advise your Highness to punish him severely.”
Ozma sighed. “What would you do?” she asked, appealing to the Scarecrow.
So many things had come up for her attention and advice in the last few
hours that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy.
“Let’s all sit down in a circle and think,” proposed the Scarecrow
cheerfully. This they all did except Kabumpo, who stood off glumly by
himself. Peg was looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant
Elephant had told her of Ozma’s refusal, and wondering sadly what she
could do to help, when the Scarecrow bounced up impulsively.
“I have it,” chuckled the Straw Man. “Let’s send Ruggedo off on the
Runaway Country. He deserves to be banished and, if Ozma makes the
Country an Island, he can do no harm.”
Here Ozma had to stop and explain to Glinda about the Country that
wanted to be an Island, and after a short consultation they decided to
take the Scarecrow’s advice.
“Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I’ll put on my Magic Belt and
wish him onto the Island,” declared Ozma. “And I think we’d better go
right straight back,” she added thoughtfully, “for it’s growing darker
every minute and Dorothy will be anxious to hear everything that’s
happened.”
“Now you”—Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on the arm—“You must start at
once for Sun Top Mountain. I’m going to ask the Question Box just where
it is.”
Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted the Question Box as to the
location of Sun Top Mountain, it stated that this Kingdom was in the
very Centre of the North Winkie Country. “That’s fine,” said Ozma,
clapping her hands. “I’ll have the Runaway country carry you over the
Deadly Desert, and as soon as you have married the Princess you must
bring her to see me in the Emerald City.”
“What’s all this?” demanded Kabumpo, pricking up his ears.
“The Question Box says I must marry the Princess of Sun Top Mountain,”
said Pompa, getting up wearily.
“Well, Great Grump, why couldn’t it have said so before?” asked Kabumpo
shrilly.
“You never asked it,” snapped Wag, twitching his nose. “I told you Ozma
wasn’t the Princess mentioned in the scroll!”
“Now don’t quarrel,” begged Peg Amy, jumping up hastily. “There’s still
plenty of time to save Pumperdink. Come along, Pompa.”
“That’s right,” said Ozma, smiling approvingly at Peg. “And when Pompa
finds his Princess you must come and live with me in the Emerald City,
for as Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I want to take
care of you always.”
Peg Amy dropped a curtsey and promised to come, but she didn’t feel very
cheerful about it. Then, as Ozma was anxious to get back to the Emerald
City, they all hurried to Runaway Country.
“You are to take these travelers across the Deadly Desert,” said Ozma,
addressing the Runaway Country quite sternly, “and you are to set them
down in the Winkie Country. If you do this I will restore your moving
power again and give you a little gnome for King. Then you may run off
to the Nonestic Ocean as soon as ever you wish.”
“I want Peg,” pouted the Country, “but if that’s the best you can do I
suppose I’ll have to stand it.” After a little more grumbling it agreed
to Ozma’s terms. Wearily, Kabumpo, Wag, Peg and Pompa climbed aboard and
then Ozma spun around six times in the opposite direction and
immediately the Country found itself able to move again.
“Good-bye!” called Ozma, as she and the Scarecrow jumped into Glinda’s
chariot. “Good-bye and good luck!”
“Good-bye!” called Peg, waving her old torn bonnet.
“Good riddance,” grumbled the Country gruffly and, turning sideways,
began running toward the Deadly Desert.
[Illustration: (unlabelled)]