For several minutes they all stood staring at the black spot on the
canvas of the Magic Picture, wondering what it could mean.
"P'r'aps we'd better ask the little Pink Bear about Ozma," suggested
Trot.
"Pshaw!" said Button-Bright, "_he_ don't know anything."
"He never makes a mistake," declared the King.
"He did once, surely," said Betsy. "But perhaps he wouldn't make a
mistake again."
"He won't have the chance," grumbled the Bear King.
"We might hear what he has to say," said Dorothy. "It won't do any harm
to ask the Pink Bear where Ozma is."
"I will not have him questioned," declared the King, in a surly voice.
"I do not intend to allow my little Pink Bear to be again insulted by
your foolish doubts. He never makes a mistake."
"Didn't he say Ozma was in that hole in the ground?" asked Betsy.
"He did; and I am certain she was there," replied the Lavender Bear.
Scraps laughed jeeringly and the others saw there was no use arguing
with the stubborn Bear King, who seemed to have absolute faith in his
Pink Bear. The Wizard, who knew that magical things can usually be
depended upon, and that the little Pink Bear was able to answer
questions by some remarkable power of magic, thought it wise to
apologize to the Lavender Bear for the unbelief of his friends, at the
same time urging the King to consent to question the Pink Bear once
more. Cayke and the Frogman also pleaded with the big Bear, who
finally agreed, although rather ungraciously, to put the little Bear's
wisdom to the test once more. So he sat the little one on his knee and
turned the crank and the Wizard himself asked the questions in a very
respectful tone of voice.
[Illustration]
"Where is Ozma?" was his first query.
"Here, in this room," answered the little Pink Bear.
They all looked around the room, but of course did not see her.
"In what part of this room is she?" was the Wizard's next question.
"In Button-Bright's pocket," said the little Pink Bear.
This reply amazed them all, you may be sure, and although the three
girls smiled and Scraps yelled: "Hoo-ray!" in derision, the Wizard
seemed to consider the matter with grave thoughtfulness.
"In which one of Button-Bright's pockets is Ozma?" he presently
inquired.
"In the lefthand jacket-pocket," said the little Pink Bear.
"The pink one has gone crazy!" exclaimed Button-Bright, staring hard at
the little bear on the big bear's knee.
"I am not so sure of that," declared the Wizard. "If Ozma proves to be
really in your pocket, then the little Pink Bear spoke truly when he
said Ozma was in that hole in the ground. For at that time you were also
in the hole, and after we had pulled you out of it the little Pink Bear
said Ozma was not in the hole."
"He never makes a mistake," asserted the Bear King, stoutly.
"Empty that pocket, Button-Bright, and let's see what's in it,"
requested Dorothy.
So Button-Bright laid the contents of his left jacket-pocket on the
table. These proved to be a peg-top, a bunch of string, a small rubber
ball and a golden peach-pit.
"What's this?" asked the Wizard, picking up the peach-pit and examining
it closely.
"Oh," said the boy, "I saved that to show to the girls, and then forgot
all about it. It came out of a lonesome peach that I found in the
orchard back yonder, and which I ate while I was lost. It looks like
gold, and I never saw a peach-pit like it before."
"Nor I," said the Wizard, "and that makes it seem suspicious."
All heads were bent over the golden peach-pit. The Wizard turned it over
several times and then took out his pocket-knife and pried the pit
open.
As the two halves fell apart a pink, cloud-like haze came pouring from
the golden peach-pit, almost filling the big room, and from the haze a
form took shape and settled beside them. Then, as the haze faded away, a
sweet voice said: "Thank you, my friends!" and there before them stood
their lovely girl Ruler, Ozma of Oz.
With a cry of delight Dorothy rushed forward and embraced her. Scraps
turned gleeful flip-flops all around the room. Button-Bright gave a low
whistle of astonishment. The Frogman took off his tall hat and bowed low
before the beautiful girl who had been freed from her enchantment in so
startling a manner.
For a time no sound was heard beyond the low murmur of delight that came
from the amazed group, but presently the growl of the big Lavender Bear
grew louder and he said in a tone of triumph:
"He never makes a mistake!"
[Illustration]
Ozma of Oz
[Illustration]