In the Emerald City
"Who found this witch?" asked Ozma anxiously, for witches of any sort
distressed the kind little fairy ruler.
"Who found witch?" repeated Scraps, waving her cotton arms wildly; but
at a reproving nod from the Scarecrow she subsided. Before Dorothy
could answer, Tik Tok's machinery ran down and his iron hold on Nick's
neck relaxed, much to his relief.
"Villains!" squalled Snorer, flapping into the air. "This is a fine way
to receive friends. I've a mind to pull out your beard," he screamed
angrily, beating his wings in the face of the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers.
"Run, Bob," he cried, as the terrified soldier let go of the little
orphan. Everyone was so surprised at Snorer's sudden outbreak and his
unusual appearance that they simply gasped. But Notta, realizing what a
bad impression they were making, called pleadingly for Snorer to take
his claws out of the soldier's whiskers, and as Bob Up added his voice
to Notta's, Snorer let go and retired sulkily to the top of a golden
cabinet. "They're worse than Uns," he muttered, stamping his foot.
"I think there is no harm in the boy," whispered the Scarecrow to Ozma,
for he noticed that Bob made no attempt to escape.
"Why do you travel in the company of a witch?" asked Ozma rather
sternly.
"He's not a witch!" cried Bob Up miserably. "He's Notta!"
"Not a witch?" puzzled Ozma, wrinkling up her brows.
All the celebrities stared suspiciously at their prisoner, but as Sir
Hokus had him firmly by one arm and the Tin Woodman by the other, Notta
could not remove his disguise.
"The boy has spoken the truth," quavered the clown. "If these gentlemen
will let me go for a moment I will prove that I am not a witch."
"Don't let go," advised the Scarecrow, wrinkling his cotton forehead,
"for she may bewitch us. Have little Dorothy tell her story." So, while
Bob fumed with impatience and Notta groaned at the delay, Dorothy told
how they had come flying toward her in the garden.
"But if it had been a witch, wouldn't she have melted when you threw
the water on her?" asked Trot, who had listened so far in silence. She
liked the looks of this little boy and felt that some mistake had been
made.
"Call the Wizard of Oz!" cried Jack Pumpkinhead. This was such a
reasonable suggestion Bob wondered how a pumpkinhead could have thought
of it. As there seemed no way of convincing these interesting folks
that the clown was not a witch, Bob gave it up for the moment and began
examining them with close attention.
Tik Tok simply fascinated the little boy, and he immediately decided
that, next to Notta, he had never seen anyone more jolly than the
Scarecrow. Even the Knight, now that he had his visor up, no longer
alarmed Bob Up. And when the Comfortable Camel thrust his long neck in
through one of the windows to inquire what was the matter Bob burst out
laughing in spite of himself. Right here the little, bald Wizard of Oz
came bouncing into the throne room, a small black grip clutched in one
hand.
[Illustration: THE LITTLE, BALD WIZARD OF OZ CAME BOUNCING INTO THE
THRONE ROOM]
"If this person is a witch," sighed Ozma, after the Scarecrow had
related all that had happened, "she must be destroyed. Can you discover
by your magic whether or not it is a witch?"
"Certainly," said the sprightly little wizard, laying out his tools in
a businesslike manner. Snorer flew down from the cabinet in alarm.
"Will it hurt?" he cawed uneasily.
"If she is not a witch she has nothing to fear," replied the Wizard,
eying Snorer with amazement.
The Wizard, sending for a tumbler, first mixed a pink and green powder
together and then added a drop of red liquid that immediately set the
powder to sizzling. When it bubbled to the top he flung the contents
of the tumbler directly in the witch's face. Sir Hokus and the Tin
Woodman ducked and Notta spluttered, but the fiery liquid trickled
harmlessly off his nose.
"It is _not_ a witch!" smiled the Wizard of Oz, turning to Ozma.
"Then why do you pretend to be?" asked the little Queen. Her voice,
though still stern, sounded very much relieved. Taking heart, Notta
begged his two captors to release him. This they did, and the clown
hastily tore off his wig and stepped out of the black cloak.
"Why, it's a clown!" cried Dorothy in delight.
"I told you he wasn't a witch," shrilled Bob Up, wriggling away from
the Soldier with the Green Whiskers and rushing over to Notta Bit More.
"Well, bless my heart!" cried the Wizard of Oz, bounding down the steps
of the throne two at a time. "This _is_ a surprise. Sir, let me embrace
you!" And as Notta made no objection he gave him several good hugs. "I
used to work in a circus myself," beamed the little wizard, "and I tell
you a clown is a sight that makes me homesick!"
"As to that," said Notta with a little bow to Ozma, "this country
surpasses any circus I was ever in!"
"Can you do funny tricks?" asked Dorothy.
"He can somersault, cartwheel, stand on his head, walk on his hands
and he knows lots of songs--don't you, Notta?" cried Bob, dancing with
excitement.
"So do I," shrilled Scraps jealously, "and if he thinks I cannot stand
on my head, let him watch." Sir Hokus of Pokes restrained the reckless
girl, and Ozma, tapping on the arm of her throne for order, begged
Notta to explain his presence in the Emerald City and his reason for
coming as a witch.
"We are sorry to have treated you so rudely," said Ozma gravely, "but
we must blame your costume for that."
"Certainly," said Scraps, shaking her cotton finger at Notta. "If
you come as a witch you must expect to be treated every witch way."
Notta looked rather embarrassed as he explained his rules of disguise,
politeness, joke and run.
"I always seem to choose the wrong disguise," sighed the clown.
"Don't you think it is better to be natural?" asked the Scarecrow in
his jolly voice. "Especially when you are naturally so nice?" Notta was
quite flustered at this charming speech.
"First be nice and then be natural. How's that for a rule?" cried
Scraps brilliantly, and they were all so relieved that the clown had
turned out so well they laughed heartily.
"Ver-ry good," ticked Tik Tok, whom somebody had wound up. "I am
natu-ral-ly bright be-cause I am nat-u-ral-ly cop-per!"
"Well, after this," said Notta, when the merriment had subsided, "after
this, I will be myself, for I guess it is better to be yourself even if
you _are_ a clown."
"But how did you reach Oz? Who is this little boy? And do introduce us
to your feathered friend," begged the Scarecrow, who had been glancing
curiously from one to the other.
"This," said Notta, drawing Bob close to him, "is Bob Up, an orphan
from Philadelphia, and the bravest and best little boy in America."
"Hello, orphan!" cried Scraps genially:
"Orphan, orphan, howdedo,
You love me and I'll love you!
First you're here, then gone again,
Do come orphan on again!"
A stern "hush" from the Knight silenced her, and Notta introduced
Nickadoodle from Un. Nick immediately took the floor, and carefully
demonstrated his telephone nose, which he explained had been invented
by Uncle Billy. So, everyone, including the Scarecrow, came down and
shook him gravely by the claw. Then, as they were all anxious to hear
what had brought the three travelers to the Emerald City, they grouped
themselves about the throne and Notta started to tell the history of
his amazing three days in Oz.
But just as he was explaining in a spirited manner their flight to
Mudge, a bustle in the great hall without interrupted the story, and a
breathless footman came rushing in to announce the arrival of Glinda,
the Good Sorceress, who ruled over the Quadling country of Oz.
"Something must have happened!" cried Ozma, jumping up in distress.
"Don't be so previous, my dear," begged the Scarecrow, himself falling
down the steps of the throne to show how collected he was. But at
that instant Glinda herself swept into the throne room. Twelve little
maidens in lovely red dresses held up her long train and Bob Up,
looking at Glinda's beautiful face and lovely flame-colored robes,
thought he had never seen a more radiant fairy. The courtiers and
celebrities hastily made way for Glinda.
Hurrying up to Ozma the sorceress asked anxiously, "_Where_ is the
Cowardly Lion? Has anyone seen the Cowardly Lion?"
Now, strangely enough, no one in the palace had missed their big chum,
but at Glinda's words they all began shaking their heads and looking
uneasily at one another.
"Why, I haven't seen him for two days," cried Dorothy, with a worried
little frown.
"We have!" cried Bob Up, forgetting for a moment he was in the presence
of royalty. "We saw him yesterday."
"What's happened?" cried Notta. "I see now we never should have left
him."
"Why, do _you_ know the Cowardly Lion?" asked Ozma in surprise,
for Notta had not yet come to their meeting, nor even told them of
Mustafa's determination to add the Cowardly Lion to his collection.
So, as quickly as he could, and without stopping to describe Doorways
or Un, the clown told his story.
"Ah," sighed Glinda, as he finished, "that explains the entry in the
Magic Record Book. Hurry up, my friends. Some of us must go instantly
to Mudge."
"What did the records say?" asked Dorothy, and all the celebrities
looked frightened and anxious, for the Cowardly Lion was a great
favorite. The Magic Record Book is one of the treasures of Oz. It
tells, just as they happen, all the events in that marvelous country
and in every other country.
"It said," began Glinda in her soft voice, "that the Cowardly Lion
is in grave danger, and unless help comes before noon he will be
destroyed."
"Wha--aat?" shrilled Notta in horrified tones, while Sir Hokus of Pokes
began sharpening his dagger on his leg and the Scarecrow fell on his
nose from the very shock of the thing.
"Where's my Magic Belt?" cried Ozma, clapping her small hands
frantically. "Jellia, fetch my Magic Belt!" Ozma, with this belt, meant
to transport as many of the company as possible to Mudge.
But before the little serving maid returned, Notta himself had
accomplished that very thing. Glancing around hurriedly, he began
touching everyone who looked as if he might prove useful in a battle.
Sir Hokus vanished first, for Notta was very much impressed by the
Knight's warlike appearance, then the Tin Woodman, because his ax
looked so sharp, then Tik Tok, because he was so solid and dependable,
then Glinda because she was a sorceress and the Wizard because he was
also versed in magic, then Dorothy, because she was crying and Bob
because Notta could not bear to leave him behind and then Snorer,
because he had proven himself so faithful.
Ozma, who had forgotten about the magic verse, was startled almost out
of her senses by these sudden disappearances. She put up her scepter to
object, but Notta ran forward and touched her too and she was gone with
the others.
"Help!" wailed Scraps, tumbling out of the window, and the rest of
the company began backing into corners. But the clown, now satisfied
with his army of invasion, seized the yellow hand of the Scarecrow and
repeated his verse for the last time:
"Udge! Budge!
Come to Mudge!
Udgers Budgers,
We are Mudgers!"
In a flash they were in Mudge--every single person the clown had
touched. And the sight that met their eyes was simply terrifying.