CHAPTER 10
PRINCESS OZMA AND BETSY BOBBIN TALK IT OVER
"Dorothy must be having a lovely time at the Scarecrow's," remarkedBetsy Bobbin to Ozma one afternoon as they sat reading in the RoyalGardens several days after Dorothy's departure from the Emerald Cityof Oz.
"One always has a jolly time at the Scarecrow's," laughed the littleQueen of Oz. "I must look in my Magic Picture and see what they aredoing. Too bad she missed the A-B-Sea Serpent and Rattlesnakes.Weren't they the funniest creatures?"
Both the little girls (for Ozma is really just a little girl) wentoff into a gale of laughter. The two queer creatures had followed theScarecrow's advice and had spent their vacation in the Emerald City,and partly because they were so dazzled by their surroundings andpartly because they have no sort of memories whatever, they nevermentioned the Scarecrow himself or said anything about his plan tohunt his family tree. They talked incessantly of the Mer City andtold innumerable A-B-Sea stories to Scraps and the Tin Woodman andthe children of the Emerald City. When they were ready to go, theA-B-Sea Serpent snapped off its X block for Ozma. X, he said, meantalmost everything, and pretty well expressed his gratitude to thelovely little ruler of Oz. Ozma in turn gave each of the visitors anemerald collar, and that very morning they had started back to theMunchkin River, and all the celebrities of Oz had gotten up to seethem off.
"Maybe they'll come again some time," said Betsy Bobbin, swinging herfeet. "But look, Ozma, here comes a messenger." A messenger it surelywas, dressed in the quaint red costume of the Quadlings. It was fromGlinda, the Good Sorceress, and caused the Princess to sigh withvexation.
"Tell Jack Pumpkinhead to harness the Sawhorse to the red wagon,"said Ozma after glancing hastily at the little note. "The Horners andHoppers are at war again. And tell the Wizard to make ready for ajourney."
"May I come, too,?" asked Betsy. Ozma nodded with a troubled littlefrown, and Betsy bustled off importantly. Not many little girls arecalled upon to help settle wars and rule a country as wonderful asOz.
The Horners and Hoppers are a quarrelsome and curious folk living inthe Quadling mountains, and soon Ozma, Jack Pumpkinhead, Betsy andthe Wizard of Oz were rattling off at the best speed the Sawhorsecould manage. This was pretty fast, for the little horse, being madeof wood and magically brought to life, never tires and could outrunanything on legs in the fairy Kingdom of Oz.
But the fact that interests us is that Ozma did not look in the MagicPicture or see what exciting adventures the Scarecrow and Dorothyreally were having!
As for Professor Wogglebug, who had caused all the trouble, he wasbusily at work on the twelfth chapter of the Royal Book of Oz, whichhe had modestly headed:
H. M. WOGGLEBUG T.E., PRINCE OF BUGS,
Cultured and Eminent Educator and also Great Grand and General Genealogist of Oz.
The Royal Book of Oz Page 10
