He paused to note the effect of these words; but all his hearers seemedpuzzled and unconvinced.
"The Wonderful Wizard escaped in a balloon," he continued. "We don't knowhow to make a balloon, of course; but any sort of thing that can
187fly through the air can carry us easily. So I suggest that my friend the TinWoodman, who is a skillful mechanic, shall build some sort of a machine,with good strong wings, to carry us; and our friend Tip can then bring theThing to life with his magical powder."
"Bravo!" cried Nick Chopper.
"What splendid brains!" murmured Jack.
"Really quite clever!" said the Educated Woggle-Bug.
"I believe it can be done," declared Tip; "that is, if the Tin Woodman isequal to making the Thing."
"I'll do my best," said Nick, cheerily; "and, as a matter of fact, I do notoften fail in what I attempt. But the Thing will have to be built on theroof of the palace, so it can rise comfortably into the air."
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188
"To be sure," said the Scarecrow.
"Then let us search through the palace," continued the Tin Woodman, "andcarry all the material we can find to the roof, where I will begin my work."
"First, however," said the Pumpkinhead, "I beg you will release me from thishorse, and make me another leg to walk with. For in my present condition Iam of no use to myself or to anyone else."
So the Tin Woodman knocked a mahogany center-table to pieces with his axeand fitted one of the legs, which was beautifully carved, on to the body ofJack Pumpkinhead, who was very proud of the acquisition.
"It seems strange," said he, as he watched the Tin Woodman work, "that myleft leg should be the most elegant and substantial part of me."
"That proves you are unusual," returned the Scarecrow. "and I am convincedthat the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusualones. For the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and dieunnoticed."
"Spoken like a philosopher!" cried the Woggle-Bug, as he assisted the TinWoodman to set Jack upon his feet.
"How do you feel now?" asked Tip, watching
189the Pumpkinhead stump around to try his new leg."
As good as new" answered Jack, Joyfully, "and quite ready to assist you allto escape."
"Then let us get to work," said the Scarecrow, in a business-like tone.
So, glad to be doing anything that might lead to the end of their captivity,the friends separated to wander over the palace in search of fittingmaterial to use in the construction of their aerial machine.
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190 Full page line-art drawing.
191 The Astonishing Flight of the Gump
When the adventurers reassembled upon the roof it was found that aremarkably queer assortment of articles had been selected by the variousmembers of the party. No one seemed to have a very clear idea of what wasrequired, but all had brought something.
The Woggle-Bug had taken from its position over the mantle-piece in thegreat hallway the head of a Gump, which was adorned with wide-spreadingantlers; and this, with great care and greater difficulty, the insect hadcarried up the stairs to the roof. This Gump resembled an Elk's head, onlythe nose turned upward in a saucy manner and there were whiskers
192upon its chin, like those of a billy-goat. Why the Woggle-Bug selected thisarticle he could not have explained, except that it had aroused hiscuriosity.
Tip, with the aid of the Saw-Horse, had brought a large, upholstered sofa tothe roof. It was an oldfashioned piece of furniture, with high back andends, and it was so heavy that even by resting the greatest weight upon theback of the Saw-Horse, the boy found himself out of breath when at last theclumsy sofa was dumped upon the roof.
The Pumpkinhead had brought a broom, which was the first thing he saw. TheScarecrow arrived with a coil of clothes-lines and ropes which he had takenfrom the courtyard, and in his trip up the stairs he had become so entangledin the loose ends of the ropes that both he and his burden tumbled in a heapupon the roof and might have rolled off if Tip had not rescued him.
The Tin Woodman appeared last. He also had been to the courtyard, where hehad cut four great, spreading leaves from a huge palm-tree that was thepride of all the inhabitants of the Emerald City.
"My dear Nick!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, seeing what his friend had done;"you have been guilty of the greatest crime any person can commit in theEmerald City. If I remember rightly, the
193 Full page line-art drawing.
ALL BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE ROOF.
194penalty for chopping leaves from the royal palm-tree is to be killed seventimes and afterward imprisoned for life."
"It cannot be helped now" answered the Tin Woodman, throwing down the bigleaves upon the roof. "But it may be one more reason why it is necessary forus to escape. And now let us see what you have found for me to work with."
Many were the doubtful looks cast upon the heap of miscellaneous materialthat now cluttered the roof, and finally the Scarecrow shook his head andremarked:
"Well, if friend Nick can manufacture, from this mess of rubbish, a Thingthat will fly through the air and carry us to safety, then I willacknowledge him to be a better mechanic than I suspected."
But the Tin Woodman seemed at first by no means sure of his powers, and onlyafter polishing his forehead vigorously with the chamois-leather did heresolve to undertake the task.
"The first thing required for the machine," said he, "is a body big enoughto carry the entire party. This sofa is the biggest thing we have, and mightbe used for a body. But, should the machine ever tip sideways, we would allslide off and fall to the ground."
195
"Why not use two sofas?" asked Tip. "There's another one just like this downstairs."
"That is a very sensible suggestion," exclaimed the Tin Woodman. "You mustfetch the other sofa at once."
So Tip and the Saw-Horse managed, with much labor, to get the second sofa tothe roof; and when the two were placed together, edge to edge, the backs andends formed a protecting rampart all around the seats.
"Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "We can ride within this snug nest quiteat our ease."
The two sofas were now bound firmly together with ropes and clothes-lines,and then Nick Chopper fastened the Gump's head to one end.
"That will show which is the front end of the Thing," said he, greatlypleased with the idea." And, really, if you examine it critically, the Gumplooks very well as a figure-head. These great palm-leaves, for which I haveendangered my life seven times, must serve us as wings."
"Are they strong enough?" asked the boy.
"They are as strong as anything we can get," answered the Woodman; "andalthough they are not in proportion to the Thing's body, we are not in aposition to be very particular."
196
So he fastened the palm-leaves to the sofas, two on each side.
Said the Woggle-Bug, with considerable admiration:
"The Thing is now complete, and only needs to be brought to life."
"Stop a moment!" exclaimed Jack." Are you not going to use my broom?"
"What for?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Why, it can be fastened to the back end for a tail," answered thePumpkinhead. "Surely you would not call the Thing complete without a tail."
"Hm!" said the Tin Woodman, "I do not see the use of a tail. We are nottrying to copy a beast, or a fish, or a bird. All we ask of the Thing is tocarry us through the air.
"Perhaps, after the Thing is brought to life, it can use a tail to steerwith," suggested the Scarecrow. "For if it flies through the air it will notbe unlike a bird, and I've noticed that all birds have tails, which they usefor a rudder while flying."
"Very well," answered Nick, "the broom shall be used for a tail," and hefastened it firmly to the back end of the sofa body.
Tip took the pepper-box from his pocket.
"The Thin
g looks very big," said he, anxiously;
197"and I am not sure there is enough powder left to bring all of it to life.But I'll make it go as far as possible."
"Put most on the wings," said Nick Chopper; "for they must be made as strongas possible."
"And don't forget the head!" exclaimed the Woggle-Bug.
"Or the tail!" added Jack Pumpkinhead.
"Do be quiet," said Tip, nervously; "you must give me a chance to work themagic charm in the proper manner."
Very carefully he began sprinkling the Thing with the precious powder. Eachof the four wings was first lightly covered with a layer. then the sofaswere sprinkled, and the broom given a slight coating.
"The head! The head! Don't, I beg of you, forget the head!" cried theWoggle-Bug, excitedly.
"There's only a little of the powder left," announced Tip, looking withinthe box." And it seems to me it is more important to bring the legs of thesofas to life than the head."
"Not so," decided the Scarecrow. "Every thing must have a head to direct it;and since this creature is to fly, and not walk, it is really unimportantwhether its legs are alive or not."
So Tip abided by this decision and sprinkled the Gump's head with theremainder of the powder.
198
"Now" said he, "keep silence while I work the, charm!"
Having heard old Mombi pronounce the magic words, and having also succeededin bringing the Saw-Horse to life, Tip did not hesitate an instant inspeaking the three cabalistic words, each accompanied by the peculiargesture of the hands.
It was a grave and impressive ceremony.
As he finished the incantation the Thing shuddered throughout its huge bulk,the Gump gave the screeching cry that is familiar to those animals, and thenthe four wings began flopping furiously.
Tip managed to grasp a chimney, else he would have been blown off the roofby the terrible breeze raised by the wings. The Scarecrow, being light inweight, was caught up bodily and borne through the air until Tip luckilyseized him by one leg and held him fast. The Woggle-Bug lay flat upon theroof and so escaped harm,
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199and the Tin Woodman, whose weight of tin anchored him firmly, threw botharms around Jack Pumpkinhead and managed to save him. The Saw-Horse toppledover upon his back and lay with his legs waving helplessly above him.
And now, while all were struggling to recover themselves, the Thing roseslowly from the roof and mounted into the air.
"Here! Come back!" cried Tip, in a frightened voice, as he clung to thechimney with one hand and the Scarecrow with the other. "Come back at once,I command you!"
It was now that the wisdom of the Scarecrow, in bringing the head of theThing to life instead of the legs, was proved beyond a doubt. For the Gump,already high in the air, turned its head at Tip's command and graduallycircled around until it could view the roof of the palace.
"Come back!" shouted the boy, again.
And the Gump obeyed, slowly and gracefully waving its four wings in the airuntil the Thing had settled once more upon the roof and become still.
200 Full page line-art drawing.
201 In the Jackdaw's Nest
"This," said the Gump, in a squeaky voice not at all proportioned to thesize of its great body, "is the most novel experience I ever heard of. Thelast thing I remember distinctly is walking through the forest and hearing aloud noise. Something probably killed me then, and it certainly ought tohave been the end of me. Yet here I am, alive again, with four monstrouswings and a body which I venture to say would make any respectable animal orfowl weep with shame to own. What does it all mean? Am I a Gump, or am I ajuggernaut?" The creature, as it spoke, wiggled its chin whiskers in a verycomical manner.
"You're just a Thing," answered Tip, "with a Gump's head on it. And we havemade you and brought you to life so that you may carry us through the airwherever we wish to go."
202
"Very good!" said the Thing. "As I am not a Gump, I cannot have a Gump'spride or independent spirit. So I may as well become your servant asanything else. My only satisfaction is that I do not seem to have a verystrong constitution, and am not likely to live long in a state of slavery."
"Don't say that, I beg of you!" cried the Tin Woodman, whose excellent heartwas strongly affected by this sad speech." Are you not feeling well today?"
"Oh, as for that," returned the Gump, "it is my first day of existence; so Icannot Judge whether I am feeling well or ill." And it waved its broom tailto and fro in a pensive manner.
"Come, come!" said the Scarecrow, kindly. "do try, to be more cheerful andtake life as you find it. We shall be kind masters, and will strive torender your existence as pleasant as possible. Are you willing to carry usthrough the air wherever we wish to go?"
"Certainly," answered the Gump. "I greatly prefer to navigate the air. Forshould I travel on the earth and meet with one of my own species, myembarrassment would be something awful!"
"I can appreciate that," said the Tin Woodman, sympathetically.
"And yet," continued the Thing, "when I carefully
203look you over, my masters, none of you seems to be constructed much moreartistically than I am."
"Appearances are deceitful," said the Woggle-Bug, earnestly. "I am bothHighly Magnified and Thoroughly Educated."
"Indeed!" murmured the Gump, indifferently.
"And my brains are considered remarkably rare specimens," added theScarecrow, proudly.
"How strange!" remarked the Gump.
"Although I am of tin," said the Woodman, "I own a heart altogether thewarmest and most admirable in the whole world."
"I'm delighted to hear it," replied the Gump, with a slight cough.
"My smile," said Jack Pumpkinhead, "is worthy your best attention. It isalways the same."
"Semper idem," explained the Woggle-Bug, pompously; and the Gump turned tostare at him.
"And I," declared the Saw-Horse, filling in an awkward pause, "am onlyremarkable because I can't help it."
"I am proud, indeed, to meet with such exceptional masters," said the Gump,in a careless tone. "If I could but secure so complete an introduction tomyself, I would be more than satisfied."
"That will come in time," remarked the Scare-
204crow. "To 'Know Thyself' is considered quite an accomplishment, which it hastaken us, who are your elders, months to perfect. But now," he added,turning to the others, "let us get aboard and start upon our journey."
"Where shall we go?" asked Tip, as he clambered to a seat on the sofas andassisted the Pumpkinhead to follow him.
"In the South Country rules a very delightful Queen called Glinda the Good,who I am sure will gladly receive us," said the Scarecrow, getting into theThing clumsily. "Let us go to her and ask her advice."
"That is cleverly thought of," declared Nick Chopper, giving the Woggle-Buga boost and then toppling the Saw-Horse into the rear end of the cushionedseats." I know Glinda the Good, and believe she will prove a friend indeed."
"Are we all ready?" asked the boy.
"Yes," announced the Tin Woodman, seating himself beside the Scarecrow.
"Then," said Tip, addressing the Gump, "be kind enough to fly with us to theSouthward; and do not go higher than to escape the houses and trees, for itmakes me dizzy to be up so far."
"All right," answered the Gump, briefly.
205
It flopped its four huge wings and rose slowly into the air; and then, whileour little band of adventurers clung to the backs and sides of the sofas forsupport, the Gump turned toward the South and soared swiftly andmajestically away.
"The scenic effect, from this altitude, is marvelous," commented theeducated Woggle-Bug, as they rode along.
"Never mind the scenery," said the Scarecrow. "Hold on tight, or you may geta tumble. The Thing seems to rock badly.'
"It will be dark soon," said Tip, observing that the sun was low on thehorizon. "Perhaps we should have waited until morning. I
wonder if the Gumpcan fly in the night."
"I've been wondering that myself," returned the Gump quietly. "You see, thisis a new experience to me. I used to have legs that carried me swiftly overthe ground. But now my legs feel as if they were asleep."
"They are," said Tip. "We didn't bring 'em to life."
"You're expected to fly," explained the Scarecrow. "not to walk."
"We can walk ourselves," said the Woggle-Bug."
I begin to understand what is required of me," remarked the Gump; "so I willdo my best to
206please you," and he flew on for a time in silence.
Presently Jack Pumpkinhead became uneasy.
"I wonder if riding through the air is liable to spoil pumpkins," he said.
"Not unless you carelessly drop your head over the side," answered theWoggle-Bug. "In that event your head would no longer be a pumpkin, for itwould become a squash."
"Have I not asked you to restrain these unfeeling jokes?" demanded Tip,looking at the Woggle-Bug with a severe expression.
"You have; and I've restrained a good many of them," replied the insect."But there are opportunities for so many excellent puns in our languagethat, to an educated person like myself, the temptation to express them isalmost irresistible."
The Marvelous Land of Oz Page 10
