"Save her! Save her!" groaned the King, struggling to free himself from the Guards, but no one made a move. Akbad, stiff with fright and terror, saw the great body of Quiberon poised over the small craft, and in that moment some of the spirit and courage that had distinguished him in his youth returned. With a hoarse scream, the Soothsayer hurled himself into the air and, flying straight for Quiberon, snatched the Queen from the very jaws of death. The magic wings, which up to this time had refused to carry him beyond the islands, this time, because he now had no thought of himself, obeyed his command. Circling high over the head of the enraged sea monster, Akbad headed for the sapphire castle. With shouts and cheers the Ozure Islanders followed and, dashing into the castle after the Soothsayer, barred the doors and slammed down the windows. Before either the King or Queen had time to thank Akbad, the gigantic body of Quiberon crashed through the garden and hurled itself over the castle wall.
"We are lost!" wailed the King, as the castle began to rock and tremble from the repeated blows of the furious monster. "Nothing can save us now.
Cowering in the throne room, the King and his little band of followers waited for the blow that would crush the castle and destroy them utterly. But, strangely enough, the noise and confusion and thuds upon the wall grew less and finally stopped altogether. "He's backing away for a last try," groaned Toddledy, burying his head in his hands.
"Never mind," sighed the Queen, throwing her arms 'round Cheeriobed's neck. "At least we shall perish together." At the Queen's words there was a tremendous whack on the roof. A blue sapphire skylight splintered to bits and a great head was thrust through the opening.
CHAPTER 17
A Royal Welcome
AS HIGH BOY, neighing joyously, trotted down the main street of the Emerald City, windows were thrown up and doors flung open and the inhabitants rushed out with torches to see who was passing. And when they saw Trot and the Scarecrow, mounted on so strange a steed, they promptly fell in, so that by the time High Boy reached the castle a regular procession had formed behind them. Standing up and balancing himself by holding on to Benny, the Scarecrow introduced the little Prince of the Ozure Isles, the medicine man, the live statue and lastly High Boy himself. Then High Boy, to the great delight of the multitude, stretched up and then down, switched his umbrella tail and bowed so often and vigorously that Trot and the others had all they could do to keep their places. The wild cheers and shouts at High Boy's performance brought the occupants of the castle running to the windows and doors to see what was the matter.
"Why, Trot!" cried Dorothy, dashing down the golden steps. "We've been hunting you all day and were just going to look in the magic picture to see where you were.
"Well, here we are, my dear," laughed the Scarecrow, "and we bring strange news and four strangers to the castle. Hello Hokus! Hello, Jack! Hi there Tik Tok! Howdy, Scraps!"
Waving to the celebrities who crowded the open doorway, the Scarecrow urged High Boy to enter. Mounting the steps carefully and being careful not to tread upon any toes, High Boy stepped proudly into Ozma's royal residence, Dorothy dancing ahead to announce them to the little fairy. Betsy, Ozma, Nick Chopper and Jellia Jamb, a small maid-in-waiting, were playing pa'cheesi, but hastily pushed back the board, as High Boy came cantering in.
"Why here's the whole pack," cried the Tin Woodman, jumping up and waving the tin funnel he used for a hat-"the pack horse, too!" finished Nick, eyeing the King's steed in some surprise.
"Pack horse!" snorted High Boy, stopping short and rolling his red eyes temperishly. "I'm a high horse, you odd looking junkman, and I'll have you know I stand very high in my own country." To prove his claim, High Boy clicked his telescope legs up so fast that Trot bumped her head on the ceiling and the Scarecrow dove at once to the carpet.
"Down! Down!" whispered Philador reprovingly. "And don't forget you are in the presence of royalty." Lowering himself with one great jerk, High Boy shortened his front legs and made a deep bow to the little ruler of Oz, and Trot and the others lost no time tumbling off.
"The Prince of the Ozure Isles, Your Maj'sty!" puffed Trot, as Ozma gave High Boy a bewildered smile. "The Medicine Man of Oz and my friend Benny, from Boston."
"Is he alive?" whispered Betsy, putting out her hand to touch the stone man, who was bending stiffly before the throne.
"Alive, but not a real person," sighed Benny, fixing his stone eyes mournfully on Betsy Bobbin.
"He's much better than a real person," declared the Scarecrow, rushing impetuously forward. "Just wait till you hear how he jumped into the mouth of a monster."
"Tell us! Tell us!" begged Betsy, clasping her hands.
"Hast had an adventure, maiden?" Pushing his way to the throne, Sir Hokus, the Good Knight of Oz, took Trot eagerly by the arm.
"Dozens and dozens!" panted Trot, sinking down on the carpeted steps leading to the throne. "So many I hardly know where to begin."
"Why not begin with me?" suggested Herby, throwing out his chest importantly. High Boy groaned with impatience as the contents of Herby's chest flew about the room, and the Wizard of Oz, who stood just behind Ozma, clapped on an extra pair of spectacles and hurried forward to get a better view of the medicine man.
While Trot and the Scarecrow helped Herby pick up his pill boxes, Ozma, noticing the worried expression of Prince Philador, bade him come nearer and tell what was troubling him. Philador, dropping on one knee before the throne, thought he had never seen a gentler little fairy than the Queen of all Oz. Feeling a bit shy in the presence of so great and grand a company he arose and told the whole story of Mombi's enchantments and Quiberon's cruelty and of his flight on the blue gull to the hut of Tattypoo.
Ozma and her advisers were not only astonished at the little Prince's troubles, but alarmed and distressed by the unexplainable disappearance of the good witch.
"As soon as Philador tells us the rest of his story, we will look for Tattypoo in the magic picture" murmured Ozma, "and also for the Queen of the Ozure Isles."
"I'd like a chance at that monster," blustered Sir Hokus, who was a famous dragon slayer "and myself and sword are at your service, Princeling!"
Philador smiled gratefully at the Good Knight of Oz and, helped out by Trot and the Scarecrow, told how he had released the medicine man from his bottle-of his visit to the King of the Uplanders-his meeting with High Boy-and their adventures with Trot and her friends in Shutter Town. Then Trot told her story, about Benny and his strange coming to life, his drop to Oz and their frightful experiences in Cave City. During the telling of both stories, the Wizard of Oz made hurried notes in his little black book and, as Trot finished, he bounced out of his seat like a rubber ball.
"Your Highness," began the Wizard, looking over his specs at the little fairy ruler, "I have jotted down for your convenience the problems to be solved and the mysteries to be accounted for. First, we must find the Queen of the Ozure Isles and restore her to her subjects. Secondly, we must undo as much of Mombi's mischief as we can; destroy Quiberon, punish the bird-man who carried Trot to the monster's cave and restore the medicine man to himself."
At this Herby shook his head violently. "I prefer to remain as I am," declared Herby stoutly. "I am entirely satisfied with my medicine chest."
Ozma smiled at Herby's earnestness and the Wizard drew his pencil through that entry.
"We must then find Tattypoo," continued the little man seriously, "and change Benny to a real person, as a reward for his services to Philador and Trot."
"How about a little yummy jummy?" wheezed High Boy, who was sitting on his haunches with both ears cocked forward.
"Why you're a fellow after my own heart," purred the Hungry Tiger, crawling out from under a huge green sofa. "This good beast is hungry. Let's all have something to eat," he proposed, licking his chops and waving his tail gently from side to side.
"You may tell the royal cook to prepare a feast at once. Nodding laughingly at the Hungry Tiger, the little sovereign rose and, stepping dow
n from the throne, took Philador's arm. "Come!" said Ozma. "We will look in the magic picture and see whether Quiberon is still caught in the cavern and where Mombi has hidden your royal mother."
As you may well imagine, Philador needed no urging. Even Ozma forgot her dignity in the interest and excitement of the moment. Hand in hand, they skipped up the golden stairway, followed by Trot and all the other curious courtiers. Hanging in Ozma's sitting room is one of the most curious and powerful treasures in all Oz. It is a magic picture. One has but to stand before this picture and ask to see a certain person. Immediately he appears and in exactly the place where he happens to be at the moment the question is asked.
"We had better look at that monster first," said the Wizard of Oz, settling both pairs of specs and staring nervously over Ozma's shoulder. "Show us Quiberon!" he commanded, before the little ruler or Philador had a chance to speak. Instantly the quiet country scene melted away and out flashed the terrible figure of Mombi's monster, throwing himself again and again upon the sapphire castle of Oz. High Boy was so frightened that he shot up ten feet and bumped his head on the ceiling.
"Have at you!" roared Sir Hokus, plunging forward and almost forgetting. it was but the small picture of Quiberon he was seeing. Philador and Trot clutched one another in horror and only Ozma remained calm. Clapping her hands for silence, she turned quickly to the Wizard of Oz.
"Quick, Wizard!" breathed the little fairy, "Fetch your black bag of magic and transport us all to the Qzure Isles. Take hold of hands!" commanded Ozma, as the little wizard rushed from the room. Philador immediately took Trot's hand, Trot took Benny's, Benny took Herby's, Herby took the Tin Woodman's, Nick Chopper took Scraps', the Patch Work Girl took the Good Knight's, he took Betsy's, Betsy seized Dorothy, Dorothy took the Scarecrow, and High Boy not to be left out, jumped into the middle of the ring, as Jellia and Ozma completed the circle. Then back skipped the Wizard, and, wriggling between Dorothy and the Scarecrow, swallowed two of his famous wishing pills, smiling confidently.
"Transport us at once to the Sapphire City and Castle of Cheeriobed," commanded the Wizard. Now Philador had never been transported in his whole life. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes he waited tensely for something to drag him through the air and wondering fearfully if they would be in time to save his father and the royal household.
Feeling no motion or sensation of any kind he opened his eyes, thinking in great disappoint-ment that the magic spell had failed. But so powerful are the Wizard's wishing pills, they transport one in a twinkling and without ruffling so much as an eyebrow. So when the little Prince opened his eyes, he was terrified to find Quiberon in the center of their magic circle and the circle itself in the gardens of his father's blue palace. With part of his long body coiled up in a flower bed, and the other poised to strike another blow at the King's castle, the awful monster did not even seem aware of the people from the Emerald City. Trot hid her face on Philador's shoulder, and Philador, with a shudder, saw the Good Knight draw his sword. But before Sir Hokus could make a thrust, or Quiberon could strike, the Wizard of Oz, blowing a black powder into the air, stamped three times with his left foot.
With a terrible bellow, the great fear-fish began to hurl himself at the castle, but froze in mid air, petrified by the Wizard's black magic into a glittering dragon of silver and bronze.
"We'll move him later," observed the Wizard calmly. "A shame to have a creature like that cluttering up so lovely a garden, but now let us go in to the King."
Scarcely able to believe his eyes, and with many backward glances, the little Prince tiptoed to the great jewel-trimmed door and knocked twice. But no one came. Then Sir Hokus thumped loudly with his mailed fist and High Boy, turning about, played a lively tatoo upon the panels with his heels.
"They still think it's Quiberon," snorted High Boy at last. "Wait here, I'll look in and see whether everything's all right." Stretching up till he was on a level with one of the sky lights, High Boy butted out the sapphire pane and stuck his head through the opening.
"Unlock your door," whinnied the high horse impatiently. "Unlock the door, it's only us." Cheeriobed, who expected to see the terrible face of Quiberon, stared up in perfect amazement at the talking horse. It was not, you must admit, a very reassuring sight to see a horse's head coming through the roof, and for a few seconds he was too stunned to move or speak. But as High Boy continued to call loudly for admittance and finally shouted that they were keeping Ozma waiting in the garden, the good monarch sprang up and, unbolting the door, himself admitted the royal rescuers. You can well imagine the King's relief and astonishment when he saw the petrified figure of Quiberon, rearing up over his castle.
"Father! Father!" cried the little Prince, clasping him around the waist. "Here's Ozma and Trot and the Wizard of Oz, and Quiberon never can harm us again."
At the sound of Philador's voice, Queen Orin rushed out to embrace her son and, after hasty introductions and greetings all 'round, the party from the Emerald City filed into the castle. Akbad slunk. silently out of sight, as Cheeriobed led Ozma to the throne. Seating Queen Orin beside the little ruler and calling for footmen to bring chairs for the other visitors, the excited King ran to and fro until everyone was seated.
"Just think," puffed Cheeriobed, sinking down at last beside Philador, "we don't even know where your mother's been all these years nor how she escaped and came back to us. My! My! What a lot to be talked over!"
"Talk! Talk! And still no food," groaned High Boy, flopping down beside the medicine man. "I'm hollower than an old soldier's wooden leg!"
"Never mind," comforted Herby, opening his medicine chest. "I have a cure for that too." Taking out two pills and slipping them down High Boy's throat, he winked knowingly. "They will dull the pangs of hunger," he assured him gravely. While High Boy, with closed eyes waited for his pangs to be dulled, Ozma looked happily around the friendly group of Ozure Islanders.
"If we just knew where Tattypoo was, sighed the little fairy girl softly, "there would be nothing more to worry us.
"Worry no longer, Your Highness!" Turning to see where the whisper had come from, Ozma saw Queen Orin arise from the throne.
"I am the Good Witch of, the North," announced Orin clearly.
"But I thought you were my mother," wailed the little Prince, seizing her hand imploringly. At once the whole room was thrown into a state of utmost confusion, some saying this, some saying that, and all wondering aloud, so that it sounded like a session of congressmen.
"How can you be both a queen and a witch?" shouted the little Wizard, standing on a chair so that Orin could hear him.
"You'll have to admit she's a bewitching Queen," neighed High Boy, opening one eye and then the other and forgetting all about his hunger pangs. "Why not let the lady speak for herself?" he called shrilly.
"Sound horse sense," declared Toddledy, nodding approvingly at High Boy, and Ozma, who was even more astonished than Cheeriobed at Orin's announcement, raised her scepter for silence.
"Let Queen Orin tell her story," commanded Ozma in her gentle voice. There was an instant silence and almost as one, the whole company turned to the lovely figure in blue, and waited expectantly for her to speak.
CHAPTER 18
The Tale of Tattypoo
TWENTY-FIVE years ago, began the Queen, tossing back her golden hair, "I was a Princess of the North. To the mountain castle of my father, King Gil of Gilkenny, came Cheeriobed, Prince of the Ozure Isles, to ask for my hand in marriage. His father was King of the Munchkins, a monarch of great wealth and power. As my father made no objection to the match and as I myself was quite willing-" Here Orin paused and smiled prettily at Cheeriobed-"preparations were made at once for the wedding.
"At that time, as you all know, Mombi was ruler of the North. Passing Gilkenny one late afternoon and seeing the footmen hanging lanterns in the garden, she stopped to inquire the reason for the festivities. Cheeriobed, who was helping with the decorations, quickly explained that they w
ere for our wedding, and Mombi, in spite of her extreme age and ugliness, fell instantly and deeply in love with the Prince. As I watched uneasily from a hidden arbor, I saw the old witch transform herself into a charming young maiden. Following Cheeriobed about, she explained that she was no longer an old and ugly witch, but a powerful Princess, that if he would marry her they would have not only the Gilliken Country, but the Munchkin Country as well for their Kingdom."
Cheeriobed pursed up his lips and shook his head sadly at this part of the story, for he well remembered Mombi's wicked proposals and her plan to destroy his father, the King of the Mun-chkins.
"Of course," proceeded Orin demurely, "Cheeriobed refused and Mombi resuming her own shape rushed off in a fury, promising to make us all suffer. That very night word came by messenger that Cheeriobed's father had disappeared. And," continued the Queen somberly, "he has never been heard of since. Distressed and unhappy though we were, Cheeriobed and I were married at once and returned to the Ozure Isles, where he assumed the title of King and where we hoped to escape Mombi and her mischievous magic. For three years we were safe and happy and thought she had forgotten all about us. But one day, when Philador was about two years old, Mombi suddenly appeared on the beach, where we were sitting together. She was riding on a huge black eagle and, bidding the eagle seize me in its talons, carried me off before I had time to cry out for help, and that," sighed Orin, "was the last I saw of the Ozure Isles until tonight."
The Giant Horse Of Oz Page 11
