the patchwork girl of oz-第32章

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almost　instantly　it　was　seized　by　a　great　fish。







They　knew　it　was　a　great　fish；　because　it



pulled　so　hard　on　the　line　that　it　dragged　the



raft　forward　even　faster　than　the　current　of　the



river　had　carried　it。　The　fish　was　frightened；



and　it　was　a　strong　swimmer。　As　the　other　end



of　the　clothesline　was　bound　around　the　logs



he　could　not　get　it　away；　and　as　he　had　greedily



swallowed　the　gold　hook　at　the　first　bite　he



could　not　get　rid　of　that；　either。







When　they　reached　the　place　where　the　current



had　before　changed；　the　fish　was　still　swimming



ahead　in　its　wild　attempt　to　escape。　The　raft



slowed　down；　yet　it　did　not　stop；　because　the　fish



would　not　let　it。　It　continued　to　move　in　the　same



direction　it　had　been　going。　As　the　current



reversed　and　rushed　backward　on　its　course　it



failed　to　drag　the　raft　with　it。　Slowly；　inch　by



inch；　they　floated　on；　and　the　fish　tugged　and



tugged　and　kept　them　going。







〃I　hope　he　won't　give　up；〃　said　Ojo　anxiously。



〃If　the　fish　can　hold　out　until　the　current



changes　again；　we'll　be　all　right。〃







The　fish　did　not　give　up；　but　held　the　raft



bravely　on　its　course；　till　at　last　the　water　in



the　river　shifted　again　and　floated　them　the　way



they　wanted　to　go。　But　now　the　captive　fish



found　its　strength　failing。　Seeking　a　refuge；　it



began　to　drag　the　raft　toward　the　shore。　As　they



did　not　wish　to　land　in　this　place　the　boy　cut



the　rope　with　his　pocket…knife　and　set　the　fish



free；　just　in　time　to　prevent　the　raft　from



grounding。







The　next　time　the　river　backed　up　the　Scarecrow



managed　to　seize　the　branch　of　a　tree　that



overhung　the　water　and　they　all　assisted　him　to



hold　fast　and　prevent　the　raft　from　being　carried



backward。　While　they　waited　here；　Ojo　spied　a　long



broken　branch　lying　upon　the　bank；　so　he　leaped



ashore　and　got　it。　When　he　had　stripped　off　the



side　shoots　he　believed　he　could　use　the　branch　as



a　pole；　to　guide　the　raft　in　case　of　emergency。







They　clung　to　the　tree　until　they　found　the



water　flowing　the　right　way；　when　they　let　go



and　permitted　the　raft　to　resume　its　voyage。　In



spite　of　these　pauses　they　were　really　making



good　progress　toward　the　Winkie　Country　and



having　found　a　way　to　conquer　the　adverse



current　their　spirits　rose　considerably。　They



could　see　little　of　the　country　through　which



they　were　passing；　because　of　the　high　banks；



and　they　met　with　no　boats　or　other　craft　upon



the　surface　of　the　river。







Once　more　the　trick　river　reversed　its　current；



but　this　time　the　Scarecrow　was　on　guard　and



used　the　pole　to　push　the　raft　toward　a　big



rock　which　lay　in　the　water。　He　believed　the



rock　would　prevent　their　floating　backward　with



the　current；　and　so　it　did。　They　clung　to　this



anchorage　until　the　water　resumed　its　proper



direction；　when　they　allowed　the　raft　to　drift　on。







Floating　around　a　bend　they　saw　ahead　a　high



bank　of　water；　extending　across　the　entire　river；



and　toward　this　they　were　being　irresistibly



carried。　There　being　no　way　to　arrest　the　progress



of　the　raft　they　clung　fast　to　the　logs　and　let



the　river　sweep　them　on。　Swiftly　the　raft　climbed



the　bank　of　water　and　slid　down　on　the　other　side；



plunging　its　edge　deep　into　the　water　and



drenching　them　all　with　spray。







As　again　the　raft　righted　and　drifted　on；



Dorothy　and　Ojo　laughed　at　the　ducking　they　had



received；　but　Scraps　was　much　dismayed　and　the



Scarecrow　took　out　his　handkerchief　and　wiped　the



water　off　the　Patchwork　Girl's　patches　as　well　as



he　was　able　to。　The　sun　soon　dried　her　and　the



colors　of　her　patches　proved　good；　for　they　did



not　run　together　nor　did　they　fade。







After　passing　the　wall　of　water　the　current　did



not　change　or　flow　backward　any　more　but　continued



to　sweep　them　steadily　forward。　The　banks　of　the



river　grew　lower；　too；　permitting　them　to　see　more



of　the　country；　and　presently　they　discovered



yellow　buttercups　and　dandelions　growing　amongst



the　grass；　from　which　evidence　they　knew　they　had



reached　the　Winkie　Country。







〃Don't　you　think　we　ought　to　land？〃　Dorothy



asked　the　Scarecrow。







〃Pretty　soon；〃　he　replied。　〃The　Tin　Woodman's



castle　is　in　the　southern　part　of　the　Winkie



Country；　and　so　it　can't　be　a　great　way　from



here。〃







Fearing　they　might　drift　too　far；　Dorothy　and



Ojo　now　stood　up　and　raised　the　Scarecrow　in



their　arms；　as　high　as　they　could；　thus　allowing



him　a　good　view　of　the　country。　For　a　time　he



saw　nothing　he　recognized；　but　finally　he　cried：







〃There　it　is！　There　it　is！〃







〃What？〃　asked　Dorothy。







〃The　Tin　Woodman's　tin　castle。　I　can　see



its　turrets　glittering　in　the　sun。　It's　quite　a　way



off；　but　we'd　better　land　as　quickly　as　we　can。〃







They　let　him　down　and　began　to　urge　the　raft



toward　the　shore　by　means　of　the　pole。　It　obeyed



very　well；　for　the　current　was　more　sluggish



now；　and　soon　they　had　reached　the　bank　and



landed　safely。







The　Winkie　Country　was　really　beautiful；



and　across　the　fields　they　could　see　afar　the



silvery　sheen　of　the　tin　castle。　With　light　hearts



they　hurried　toward　it；　being　fully　rested　by



their　long　ride　on　the　river。







By　and　by　they　began　to　cross　an　immense



field　of　splendid　yellow　lilies；　the　delicate



fragrance　of　which　was　very　delightful。







〃How　beautiful　they　are！〃　cried　Dorothy；



stopping　to　admire　the　perfection　of　these



exquisite　flowers。







〃Yes；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　reflectively；　〃but



we　must　be　careful　not　to　crush　or　injure　any



of　these　lilies。〃







〃Why　not？〃　asked　Ojo。







〃The　Tin　Woodman　is　very　kind…hearted；〃



was　the　reply；　〃and　he　hates　to　see　any　living



thing　hurt　in　any　way。







〃Are　flowers　alive？〃　asked　Scraps。







〃Yes；　of　course。　And　these　flowers　belong　to



the　Tin　Woodman。　So；　in　order　not　to　offend



him；　we　must　not　tread　on　a　single　blossom。〃







〃Once；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃the　Tin　Woodman



stepped　on　a　beetle　and　killed　the　little　creature。



That　made　him　very　unhappy　and　he　cried　until



his　tears　rusted　his　joints；　so　he　couldn't　move



'em。〃







〃What　did　he　do　then？〃　asked　Ojo。







〃Put　oil　on　them；　until　the　joints　worked



smooth　again。







〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　the　boy；　as　if　a　great　discovery



had　flashed　across　his　mind。　But　he　did　not　tell



anybody　what　the　discovery　was　and　kept　the　idea



to　himself。







It　was　a　long　walk；　but　a　pleasant　one；　and



they　did　not　mind　it　a　bit。　Late　in　the　afternoon



they　drew　near　to　the　wonderful　tin　castle　of



the　Emperor　of　the　Winkies；　and　Ojo　and



Scraps；　who　had　never　seen　it　before；　were



filled　with　amazement。







Tin　abounded　in　the　Winkie　Country　and



the　Winkies　were　said　to　be　the　most　skillful



tinsmiths　in　all　the　world。　So　the　Tin　Woodman



had　employed　them　in　building　his　magnificent



castle；　which　was　all　of　tin；　from　the　ground　to



the　tallest　turret；　and　so　brightly　polished　that



it　glittered　in　the　sun's　rays　more　gorgeously



than　silver。　Around　the　grounds　of　the　castle



ran　a　tin　wall；　with　tin　gates；　but　the　gates　stood



wide　open　because　the　Emperor　had　no　enemies



to　disturb　him。







When　they　entered　the　spacious　grounds　our



travelers　found　more　to　admire。　Tin　fountains　sent



sprays　of　clear　water　far　into　the　air　and　there



were　many　beds　of　tin　flowers；　all　as　perfectly



formed　as　any　natural　flowers　might　be。　There



were　tin　trees；　too；　and　here　and　there　shady



bowers　of　tin；　with　tin　benches　and　chairs　to　sit



upon。　Also；　on　the　sides　of　the　pathway　leading　up



to　the　front　door　of　the　castle；　were　rows　of　tin



statuary；　very　cleverly　executed。　Among　these　Ojo



recognized　statues　of　Dorothy；　Toto；　the



Scarecrow；　the　Wizard；　the　Shaggy　Man；　Jack



Pumpkinhead　and　Ozma；　all　standing　upon　neat



pedestals　of　tin。







Toto　was　well　acquainted　with　the　residence　of



the　Tin　Woodman　and；　being　assured　a　joyful



welcome；　he　ran　ahead　and　barked　so　loudly　at　the



front　door　that　the　Tin　Woodman　heard　him　and　came



out　in　person　to　see　if　it　were　really　his　old



friend　Toto。　Next　moment　the　tin　man　had　clasped



the　Scarecrow　in　a　warm　embrace　and　then　turned



to　hug　Dorothy。　But　now　his　eye　was　arrested　by



the　strange　sight　of　the　Patchwork　Girl；　and　he



gazed　upon　her　in　mingled　wonder　and　admiration。



















Chapter　Twenty…Seven







The　Tin　Woodman　Objects











The　Tin　Woodman　was　one　of　the　most　important



personages　in　all　Oz。　Though　Emperor　of　the



Winkies；　he　owed　allegiance　to　Ozma；　who　ruled　all



the　land；　and　the　girl　and　the　tin　man　were　warm



personal　friends。　He　was　something　of　a　dandy　and



kept　his　tin　body　brilliantly　polished　and　his　tin



joints　well　oiled。　Also　he　was　very　courteous　in



manner　and　so　kind　and　gentle　that　everyone　loved



him。　The　Emperor　greeted　Ojo　and　Scraps　with



cordial　hospitality　and　ushered　the　entire　party



into　his　handsome　tin　parlor；　where　all　the



furniture　and　pictures　were　made　of　tin。　The　walls



were　paneled　with　tin　and　from　the　tin　ceiling



hung　tin　chandeliers。







The　Tin　Woodman　wanted　to　know；　first　of



all；　where　Dorothy　had　found　the　Patchwork



Girl；　so　between　them　the　visitors　told　the　story



of　how　Scraps　was　made；　as　well　as　the　accident



to　Margolotte　and　Unc　Nunkie　and　how　Ojo



had　set　out　upon　a　journey　to　procure　the　things



needed　for　the　Crooked　Magician's　magic



charm。　Then　Dorothy　told　of　their　adventures



in　the　Quadling　Country　and　how　at　last　they



succeeded　in　getting　the　water　from　a　dark　well。







While　the　little　girl　was　relating　these



adventures　the　Tin　Woodman　sat　in　an　easy　chair



listening　with　intense　interest；　while　the　others



sat　grouped　around　him。　Ojo；　however；　had　kept　his



eyes　fixed　upon　the　body　of　the　tin　Emperor；　and



now　he　noticed　that　under　the　joint　of　his　left



knee　a　tiny　drop　of　oil　was　forming。　He　watched



this　drop　of　oil　with　a　fast…beating　heart；　and



feeling　in　his　pocket　brought　out　a　tiny　vial　of



crystal；　which　he　held　secreted　in　his　hand