dorothy and the wizard in oz-第14章

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For　answer　Zeb　began　to　unfasten　Jim's　harness；　strap　by　strap；　and　to

buckle　one　piece　to　another　until　he　had　made　a　long　leather　strip

that　would　reach　to　the　ground。



〃I　can　climb　down　that；　all　right；〃　he　said。



〃No　you　can't；〃　remarked　Jim；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　round　eyes。　　〃You

may　GO　down；　but　you　can　only　CLIMB　up。〃



〃Well；　I'll　climb　up　when　I　get　back；　then；〃　said　the　boy；　with　a

laugh。　　〃Now；　Eureka；　you'll　have　to　show　me　the　way　to　those　wings。〃



〃You　must　be　very　quiet；〃　warned　the　kitten；　〃for　if　you　make　the

least　noise　the　Gargoyles　will　wake　up。　　They　can　hear　a　pin　drop。〃



〃I'm　not　going　to　drop　a　pin；〃　said　Zeb。



He　had　fastened　one　end　of　the　strap　to　a　wheel　of　the　buggy；　and　now

he　let　the　line　dangle　over　the　side　of　the　house。



〃Be　careful；〃　cautioned　Dorothy；　earnestly。



〃I　will；〃　said　the　boy；　and　let　himself　slide　over　the　edge。



The　girl　and　the　Wizard　leaned　over　and　watched　Zeb　work　his　way

carefully　downward；　hand　over　hand；　until　he　stood　upon　the　ground

below。　　Eureka　clung　with　her　claws　to　the　wooden　side　of　the　house

and　let　herself　down　easily。　　Then　together　they　crept　away　to　enter

the　low　doorway　of　a　neighboring　dwelling。



The　watchers　waited　in　breathless　suspense　until　the　boy　again

appeared；　his　arms　now　full　of　the　wooden　wings。



When　he　came　to　where　the　strap　was　hanging　he　tied　the　wings　all　in　a

bunch　to　the　end　of　the　line；　and　the　Wizard　drew　them　up。　　Then　the

line　was　let　down　again　for　Zeb　to　climb　up　by。　　Eureka　quickly

followed　him；　and　soon　they　were　all　standing　together　upon　the

platform；　with　eight　of　the　much　prized　wooden　wings　beside　them。



The　boy　was　no　longer　sleepy；　but　full　of　energy　and　excitement。　　He

put　the　harness　together　again　and　hitched　Jim　to　the　buggy。　　Then；

with　the　Wizard's　help；　he　tried　to　fasten　some　of　the　wings　to　the

old　cab…horse。



This　was　no　easy　task；　because　half　of　each　one　of　the　hinges　of　the

wings　was　missing；　it　being　still　fastened　to　the　body　of　the　Gargoyle

who　had　used　it。　　However；　the　Wizard　went　once　more　to　his　satchel

which　seemed　to　contain　a　surprising　variety　of　odds　and　endsand

brought　out　a　spool　of　strong　wire；　by　means　of　which　they　managed　to

fasten　four　of　the　wings　to　Jim's　harness；　two　near　his　head　and　two

near　his　tail。　　They　were　a　bit　wiggley；　but　secure　enough　if　only　the

harness　held　together。



The　other　four　wings　were　then　fastened　to　the　buggy；　two　on　each

side；　for　the　buggy　must　bear　the　weight　of　the　children　and　the

Wizard　as　it　flew　through　the　air。



These　preparations　had　not　consumed　a　great　deal　of　time；　but　the

sleeping　Gargoyles　were　beginning　to　wake　up　and　move　around；　and　soon

some　of　them　would　be　hunting　for　their　missing　wings。　　So　the

prisoners　resolved　to　leave　their　prison　at　once。



They　mounted　into　the　buggy；　Dorothy　holding　Eureka　safe　in　her　lap。

The　girl　sat　in　the　middle　of　the　seat；　with　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　on　each

side　of　her。　　When　all　was　ready　the　boy　shook　the　reins　and　said：



〃Fly　away；　Jim！〃



〃Which　wings　must　I　flop　first？〃　asked　the　cab…horse；　undecidedly。



〃Flop　them　all　together；〃　suggested　the　Wizard。



〃Some　of　them　are　crooked；〃　objected　the　horse。



〃Never　mind；　we　will　steer　with　the　wings　on　the　buggy；〃　said　Zeb。

〃Just　you　light　out　and　make　for　that　rock；　Jim；　and　don't　waste　any

time　about　it；　either。〃



So　the　horse　gave　a　groan；　flopped　its　four　wings　all　together；　and

flew　away　from　the　platform。　　Dorothy　was　a　little　anxious　about　the

success　of　their　trip；　for　the　way　Jim　arched　his　long　neck　and　spread

out　his　bony　legs　as　he　fluttered　and　floundered　through　the　air　was

enough　to　make　anybody　nervous。　　He　groaned；　too；　as　if　frightened；

and　the　wings　creaked　dreadfully　because　the　Wizard　had　forgotten　to

oil　them；　but　they　kept　fairly　good　time　with　the　wings　of　the　buggy；

so　that　they　made　excellent　progress　from　the　start。　　The　only　thing

that　anyone　could　complain　of　with　justice　was　the　fact　that　they

wobbled　first　up　and　then　down；　as　if　the　road　were　rocky　instead　of

being　as　smooth　as　the　air　could　make　it。



The　main　point；　however；　was　that　they　flew；　and　flew　swiftly；　if　a

bit　unevenly；　toward　the　rock　for　which　they　had　headed。



Some　of　the　Gargoyles　saw　them；　presently；　and　lost　no　time　in

collecting　a　band　to　pursue　the　escaping　prisoners；　so　that　when

Dorothy　happened　to　look　back　she　saw　them　coming　in　a　great　cloud

that　almost　darkened　the　sky。







13。　　The　Den　of　the　Dragonettes





Our　friends　had　a　good　start　and　were　able　to　maintain　it；　for　with

their　eight　wings　they　could　go　just　as　fast　as　could　the　Gargoyles。

All　the　way　to　the　great　rock　the　wooden　people　followed　them；　and

when　Jim　finally　alighted　at　the　mouth　of　the　cavern　the　pursuers　were

still　some　distance　away。



〃But；　I'm　afraid　they'll　catch　us　yet；〃　said　Dorothy；　greatly　excited。



〃No；　we　must　stop　them；〃　declared　the　Wizard。　　〃Quick　Zeb；　help　me

pull　off　these　wooden　wings！〃



They　tore　off　the　wings；　for　which　they　had　no　further　use；　and　the

Wizard　piled　them　in　a　heap　just　outside　the　entrance　to　the　cavern。

Then　he　poured　over　them　all　the　kerosene　oil　that　was　left　in　his

oil…can；　and　lighting　a　match　set　fire　to　the　pile。



The　flames　leaped　up　at　once　and　the　bonfire　began　to　smoke　and　roar

and　crackle　just　as　the　great　army　of　wooden　Gargoyles　arrived。　　The

creatures　drew　back　at　once；　being　filled　with　fear　and　horror；　for

such　as　dreadful　thing　as　a　fire　they　had　never　before　known　in　all

the　history　of　their　wooden　land。



Inside　the　archway　were　several　doors；　leading　to　different　rooms　built

into　the　mountain；　and　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　lifted　these　wooden　doors

from　their　hinges　and　tossed　them　all　on　the　flames。



〃That　will　prove　a　barrier　for　some　time　to　come；〃　said　the　little

man；　smiling　pleasantly　all　over　his　wrinkled　face　at　the　success　of

their　stratagem。　　〃Perhaps　the　flames　will　set　fire　to　all　that

miserable　wooden　country；　and　if　it　does　the　loss　will　be　very　small

and　the　Gargoyles　never　will　be　missed。　　But　come；　my　children；

let　us　explore　the　mountain　and　discover　which　way　we　must　go

in　order　to　escape　from　this　cavern；　which　is　getting　to　be　almost

as　hot　as　a　bake…oven。〃



To　their　disappointment　there　was　within　this　mountain　no　regular

flight　of　steps　by　means　of　which　they　could　mount　to　the　earth's

surface。　　A　sort　of　inclined　tunnel　led　upward　for　a　way；　and　they

found　the　floor　of　it　both　rough　and　steep。　　Then　a　sudden　turn

brought　them　to　a　narrow　gallery　where　the　buggy　could　not　pass。　　This

delayed　and　bothered　them　for　a　while；　because　they　did　not　wish　to

leave　the　buggy　behind　them。　　It　carried　their　baggage　and　was　useful

to　ride　in　wherever　there　were　good　roads；　and　since　it　had

accompanied　them　so　far　in　their　travels　they　felt　it　their　duty　to

preserve　it。　　So　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　set　to　work　and　took　off　the

wheels　and　the　top；　and　then　they　put　the　buggy　edgewise；　so　it　would

take　up　the　smallest　space。　　In　this　position　they　managed；　with　the

aid　of　the　patient　cab…horse；　to　drag　the　vehicle　through　the　narrow

part　of　the　passage。　　It　was　not　a　great　distance；　fortunately；　and

when　the　path　grew　broader　they　put　the　buggy　together　again　and

proceeded　more　comfortably。　　But　the　road　was　nothing　more　than　a

series　of　rifts　or　cracks　in　the　mountain；　and　it　went　zig…zag　in

every　direction；　slanting　first　up　and　then　down　until　they　were

puzzled　as　to　whether　they　were　any　nearer　to　the　top　of　the　earth

than　when　they　had　started；　hours　before。



〃Anyhow；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃we've　'scaped　those　awful　Gurgles；　and　that's

ONE　comfort！〃



〃Probably　the　Gargoyles　are　still　busy　trying　to　put　out　the　fire；〃

returned　the　Wizard。　　〃But　even　if　they　succeeded　in　doing　that　it

would　be　very　difficult　for　them　to　fly　amongst　these　rocks；　so　I　am

sure　we　need　fear　them　no　longer。〃



Once　in　a　while　they　would　come　to　a　deep　crack　in　the　floor；　which

made　the　way　quite　dangerous；　but　there　was　still　enough　oil　in　the

lanterns　to　give　them　light；　and　the　cracks　were　not　so　wide　but　that

they　were　able　to　jump　over　them。　　Sometimes　they　had　to　climb　over

heaps　of　loose　rock；　where　Jim　could　scarcely　drag　the　buggy。　　At　such

times　Dorothy；　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　all　pushed　behind；　and　lifted　the

wheels　over　the　roughest　places；　so　they　managed；　by　dint　of　hard

work；　to　keep　going。　　But　the　little　party　was　both　weary　and

discouraged　when　at　last；　on　turning　a　sharp　corner；　the　wanderers

found　themselves　in　a　vast　cave　arching　high　over　their　heads　and

having　a　smooth；　level　floor。



The　cave　was　circular　in　shape；　and　all　around　its　edge；　near　to　the

ground；　appeared　groups　of　dull　yellow　lights；　two　of　them　being

always　side　by　side。　　These　were　motionless　at　first；　but　soon　began

to　flicker　more　brightly　and　to　sway　slowly　from　side　to　side　and　then

up　and　down。



〃What　sort　of　place　is　this？〃　asked　the　boy；　trying　to　see　more

clearly　through　the　gloom。



〃I　cannot　imagine；　I'm　sure；〃　answered　the　Wizard；　also　peering　about。



〃Woogh！〃　snarled　Eureka；　arching　her　back　until　her　hair　stood

straight　on　end；　〃it's　den　of　alligators；　or　crocodiles；　or　some　other

dreadful　creatures！　　Don't　you　see　their　terrible　eyes？〃



〃Eureka　sees　better　in　the　dark　than　we　can；〃　whispered　Dorothy。

〃Tell　us；　dear；　what　do　the　creatures　look　like？〃　she　asked；

addressing　her　pet。



〃I　simply　can't　describe　'em；〃　answered　the　kitten；　shuddering。

〃Their　eyes　are　like　pie…plates　and　their　mouths　like　coal…scuttles。

But　their　bodies　don't　seem　very　big。〃



〃Where　are　they？〃　enquired　the　girl。



〃They　are　in　little　pockets　all　around　the　edge　of　this　cavern。　　Oh；

Dorothyyou　can't　imagine　what　horrid　things　they　are！　　They're

uglier　than　the　Gargoyles。〃



〃Tut…tut！　be　careful　how　you　criticise　your　neighbors；〃　spoke　a

rasping　voice　near　by。　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact　you　are　rather

ugly…looking　creatures　yourselves；　and　I'm　sure　mother　has　often　told

us　we　were　the　loveliest　and　prettiest　things　in　all　the　world。〃



Hearing　these　words　our　friends　turned　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；

and　the　Wizard　held　his　lanterns　so　that　their　light　would　flood　one

of　the　little　pockets　in　the　rock。



〃Why；　it's　a　dragon！〃　he　exclaimed。



〃No；〃　answered　the　owner　of　the　big　yellow　eyes　which　were　blinking　at

them　so　steadily；　〃you　are　wrong　about　that。　　We　hope　to　grow　to　be

dragons　some　day；　but　just　now　we're　only　dragonettes。〃



〃What's　that？〃　asked　Dorothy；　gazing　fearfully　at　the　great　scaley

head；　the　yawning　mouth　and　the　big　eyes。



〃Young　dragons；　of　course；　but　we　are　not　allowed　to　call　ourselves

real　dragons　until　we　get　our　full　growth；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　big

dragons　are　very　proud；　and　don't　think　children　amount　to　much；　but

mother　sa