"It won't be comfortable," said Dorothy, "but since we have no choice, we'll have to make the best of it and try to get as comfortable as possible."
So it was decided that Dorothy was to have the bottom shelf, Jam the next, with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman in the next two above them. The four animals scrambled up to the top four shelves where they crouched a little more comfortably than their friends. When the guards saw that they were all arranged, they swung shut the great bookcase door, and our friends heard the rasp of the key as they were locked securely into their curious prison.
As there was no glass in the door, they were in total darkness when the portal swung shut and they had difficulty in judging the passage of time. They soon discovered that they could hear each other talking so they lay on their dark shelves, talking to one another and trying to figure out some way to escape from their predicament.
Chapter 15
Percy Gnaws a Hole
PRESENTLY Dorothy said, "It must be suppertime. I'm getting awfully hungry."
Jam, in the shelf above her, managed, after much maneuvering, to get at some of the food in his knapsack.
"I think I can slide a sandwich down to you between the edge of my shelf and the door," he said to Dorothy and proceeded to do just that, so the two children were able to eat a little. He could not, however, manage to send any food up to the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger, Spots, and Percy. The Hungry Tiger said he didn't really mind, because one little sandwich could do no more than whet his appetite.
Percy, meanwhile, had had an idea.
"Hey, kiddos," he said, "I wonder how much luck I'd have at gnawing my way out of here. I am a rodent, you know, and gnawing is right up my alley."
"A brilliant suggestion," said the Scarecrow from his shelf. "If you could manage to get out of here maybe you could get the key away from our jailor and free us all."
"If only they hadn't taken my axe away from me,"
mourned Nick Chopper, "I could have hacked a way out of this prison in no time at all."
"No use crying over spilled milk," said Jam philosophically.
"In fact, you'd better not cry at all," said Dorothy to her tin friend, "or you'll rust."
So Percy began gnawing as hard and as fast as he could.
"What a racket," exclaimed Spots from his shelf.
"If Percy keeps that up, the guard will hear us and come to investigate."
"That wouldn't be so good, would it?" Said Jam from where he lay.
"But if Percy doesn't gnaw, we won't have any chance at all of escaping," said the Tin Woodman.
"What do you think we should do, Scarecrow?" He asked, for the Scarecrow had been noted for his brilliance ever since the famous Wizard of Oz had given him brains made of bran, pins, and needles.
"Maybe if we all sang we would make so much noise that Percy's chewing wouldn't be heard," suggested their learned friend after due consideration.
"Is there any song that we all know?" Asked Jam.
"How about, 'The Land of Oz Forever'?" Suggested the Tin Woodman.
"I don't know that one," objected Jam.
"We might sing 'Way Down Upon the Swanee River'," said Dorothy; but the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger said that they didn't know the words.
"It may not sound very pleasant," said the Scarecrow, "But how about each person singing whatever song he likes. After all, what we want to do is make noise."
So it was agreed that they all would sing different songs if they wished.
"All together, now," cried Dorothy from the bottom shelf. "One, two, three, sing!"
Immediately a terrific din began, as the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman sang 'The Land of Oz Forever,' Jam and Dorothy sang 'Way Down Upon the Swanee River,' and Spots, the Hungry Tiger, and the Cowardly Lion sang 'I Went to the Animal Fair.' It nearly deafened all of them, but they kept on singing as loudly as they could, for they wanted Percy to gnaw a hole through the back of the bookcase prison without any interruption.
Percy gnawed and gnawed and gnawed amid the noise, and before too long, he had made a little hole through the board that enclosed them. So he gnawed and gnawed and gnawed some more and made the hole big enough to stick his head through. He cautiously poked his head out of the opening and looked around to see if anyone suspected what he was up to.
As this was the back of the jail, with no doors or windows in it, the guards did not even patrol it, for they had no idea that anyone could get out of the prison anywhere except through the door. ? ? ? Saw that there was no one in sight, so he pulled his head back in through the hole and started gnawing again. He was so anxious to get himself and friends out of the prison that he chewed faster than usual. It was now dark outside, so he felt safe in making the hole large enough to get his body through. He knew that it now would be difficult for anyone on the outside to see his work. In a few minutes the hole was large enough to squeeze through so he called to his friends to stop singing. But they were making so much noise that they could not hear him and kept right on making their discordant melodies.
The white rat realized that none of the others could get out of the hole that he had made, for there was no way of their getting from one shelf to another; so either he would have to gnaw a hole for each of them to get through or he would have to find some way to get the door of the prison open from the outside. He feared that if he had to gnaw seven more holes in the back wall of the prison, he would not be finished by morning, and the escape would be foiled; therefore he must find some other way to get them out of the bookcase. Percy crept quietly around the corner of the grey prison, inching his way along so that he would make no sound to attract the attention of the guard. He was just ready to peek around the corner at the front of the building when he heard a sound that made his hair stand on end.
"Pssst!" Came from behind him.
Percy whirled around, his teeth bared, ready to attack whoever had discovered him. In the darkness he could see a darker form which looked like one of the book people. Just as he prepared to spring upon the dusky figure, it spoke to him in a whisper.
"Tee hee! Tee hee! A form I see That has escaped from jail.
He'd best watch out, or I've no doubt They'll catch him by the tail!"
"The Rhyming Dictionary!" Gasped Percy. "What are you doing here?"
"Be quiet, chum, or you'll be glum. The guard will surely hear you; Just take it slow, whisper low. For I am standing near you."
When he realized that the Court Jester did not intend to call the guard, Percy said "Why are you out at this time of night? Does the king know where you are, kiddo?"
"I've slipped away, for, sooth to say The King does now detest me; My warning rimes he thinks are crimes For which he would arrest me."
Percy was quick-witted enough to realize that if he could keep the Court Jester on his side, the imprisoned party might have a valuable ally, so he said "Gee, I can't understand why the king is so mean to you. After all, kiddo, you are a smart operator, and the king should know that he can't do without you.
Who cheers him up when he is low with witty sayings? Who sings clever songs to him to kill time when he's bored? Who is really the slickest operator in his court? You, my friend, you!"
The Rhyming Dictionary thought about this for a few minutes.
"There's truth indeed in what you say: The King, who once admired me Keeps picking on me every day In fact, he's even fired me!"
"I think that he abuses you, kiddo, "said Percy realizing that he was fast winning the Jester over to his side." Why don't you run out on him, and then he'll find out how important you were and be sorry that he was so mean to you."
"The idea's good And if I could To leave I'd not be slow to.
But should I roam Away from home I know nowhere to go to."
"You could join us, kiddo. We're making our getaway just as fast as we can, and we don't intend to come back."
"I will! I will!
But what about Your friends? They still Are in, not out."
<
br /> "I'm working on that little deal right now," said Percy. "If we could get the key from the captain of the guard, it would be a cinch."
"The King told the Captain He wanted me clapped in The dungeon, as Top Public Enemy; So I'm sure he'll give chase At his head-longest pace Just as soon as he catches some ken o 'me.
I can jump out quite near him And jinglingly jeer him And then, when he starts to pursue me I think you will find I can lead him behind That gray bookshelf, before be gets to me."
Percy immediately saw what the Rhyming Dictionary meant to do. He would entice the guard back of the prison, where Percy could pounce upon him and get the key to the prison.
"That's the old fight, kiddo," said the rat enthusiastically. "I think that there is only one of the books on guard. And once you lure him back here, his goose is cooked."
With this, the book pranced gaily around the corner of the bookcase, and into the line of vision of the guard. As soon as the Court Jester came in sight the officer cried, "Stop! You are under arrest. I order you to give yourself up in the name of the Book of Royalty."
"Whoppity why, whop pity whee I'll never surrender-you'll have to catch me!"
Chanted the fool, dancing out of the clutches of the guard who made a quick lunge at him. He edged toward the back of the prison and slipped out of sight around the corner of the jail with the guard pursuing him. Imagine the guard's surprise when Percy pounced upon him, pinning him to the ground and muttering fiercely in his ear "Quiet, or it's all up with you, kiddo."
The captain of the guards was so stunned that he lay there in silence, afraid that the rat would chew him to pieces.
"Reach in his pocket and pull out the keys And we'll open the prison as quick as a sneeze!"
Percy had meanwhile searched the captain of the guards and had found the huge key that opened the door of the bookshelves.
"Sit on him and don't let him get away," Percy instructed the Court Jester. "I'll open the door and let out my friends."
"Now, don't forget me when you leave For I have helped you, I believe."
"Never fear, kiddo, we'll take you with us" 'said Percy. And with these words he ran around to the front of the bookcase and unlocked the door. After a lot of pulling and tugging he managed to get the door open.
By this time the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger Spots, Jam, Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, and the Scarecrow had sung themselves hoarse; but they were still croaking away, for they did not know that Percy had freed himself from his shelf. Imagine their surprise, then, when the door of the jail began to swing open. Immediately the songs ceased, and all was as quiet as could be.
"It's all right, kiddos," came a welcome whisper from the rat. "It's me, Percy."
"How did you manage to get the door open?"
Asked Dorothy.
"It's a long story, kiddo, and I think it should wait until we're safe. Hop out now and let's make our getaway before we are discovered."
"An excellent suggestion, "said the Tin Woodman as Jam and Dorothy slid out of their shelves.
"Oh, I've been doubled up on that shelf so long that I feel like an accordion," Jam exclaimed as he stretched, trying to get the kinks out of his arms and legs and back.
"My left leg's asleep," said Dorothy.
"Walk around on it, my dear," instructed the Scarecrow, "and it will soon feel all right," and he climbed down from his place in the bookcase, while the Tin Woodnian followed him. The three big cats leaped down to the ground with ease, and the group crowded around Percy, asking how he had got the key that unlocked the huge door.
"The Court Jester and I captured the guard and took the key away from him," Percy told them. "The Jester's keeping his eye on the guard. One peep out of him, and it's curtains for a certain volume I could mention!"
"What shall be do with him?" Asked Dorothy.
"If we let him go, he'll spread the alarm, and we may be recaptured," Jam said.
"Why don't we lock him up in the prison?" Suggested the Scarecrow. "We'll put him on one of the lower shelves, so he can't get out through the hole that Percy gnawed in the back wall. Then our escape won't be noticed until the guard changes."
"That's a good idea, my friend, "the Tin Man said and all the rest of the party agreed with him. So the Emperor of the Winkies accompanied Percy to the back of the bookcase, where the guard was still lying on the ground with the Rhyming Dictionary sitting on his chest, murmuring silly little jingles to himself. When he saw Percy and Nick Chopper, he jumped up from his seat on the soldier and turned the prisoner over to them, glad to be relieved of any responsibility.
In short order they marched the guard around the building and shoved him in on the bottom shelf of the prison. Then the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow closed the heavy door, and locked it, leaving the key in the lock.
"There's no point in taking the key with us," explained the Scarecrow, "and we don't want the guard to have to stay in his own jail indefinitely. All we want is a chance to escape."
The Tin Woodman, meanwhile, had found his trusty axe propped against a tree near the place where the guard had stood watch; so, armed once more with the gleaming blade, he was ready to lead the escape.
Jam and Dorothy decided to ride on the backs of the Hungry Tiger and the Cowardly Lion, for they could travel more quickly that way. After a brief council of war, the party moved down the broad avenue in the direction of the gate.
Suddenly Dorothy asked," How will we get through the wall?"
The Rhyming Dictionary capered close to her and whispered "There is a way-a secret door Where seldom eye detects it; But I've had chances to explore And know just where to exit."
"Good," said Jam. "Then we won't have to worry about getting out of this dreadful place."
"Lead on, then," said the Tin Woodman, "for we don't want to stay here too long, or we might be discovered."
The Court Jester took the lead, followed by the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Jam on the Hungry Tiger, Dorothy riding on the Cowardly Lion, and Spots and Percy bringing up the rear. Soon they turned off the main avenue along which they were traveling, and began to wind their way through narrow streets and alleys, past dark bookcases looming like tall buildings along the streets, until they came to the wall that surrounded the town.
The Rhyming Dictionary stopped the party in the shadow of a building and whispered "Stand silently here Till the coast is quite clear. Then I'll open the gate and say And be sure when I call To slip out through the wall Without fuss or confusion or flurry!"
'Hurry!'
Then he slipped away from them and approached the wall. After a moment, they heard a faint creaking of rusty hinges, and a small section of the wall swung outward, leaving a small door through which they all hurried while the Jester held the door ajar.
In a moment, they were all outside the city wall, and the Rhyming Dictionary allowed the door to swing shut behind him and hurried on with the group. He said "We're out of danger now; They never leave the city.
They miss the lovely outside world. Now isn't that a pity?"
Now that they felt that they were safe, the group decided to make camp for the rest of the night; so finding mossy beds under the great trees in the forest, Dorothy and Jam fell fast asleep. The animals soon followed suit, while the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Court Jester walked a little farther along the path and conversed together until dawn.
When the children awoke, they found that the Tin Woodman had found a patch of wild strawberries which he had picked for their breakfast. The Hungry Tiger, the Cowardly Lion, Spots, and Percy had found their own food in the forest, although Percy asked for another small bite of the magic muffin to keep himself from growing small again.
"There isn't a. Great deal left," cautioned Jam, "so don't eat too much or you won't have enough to last you until we get to the tree again."
"Maybe then I can get a few extra ones," said Percy, "so that I'll have some to keep me large until l get to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to enchant me so t
hat I can't ever grow small again."
"What if he won't do it for you?" Inquired Spots big dark patches of doubt showing on his back.
"We'll tell Ozma how he saved our lives," said the Scarecrow, "and I think that she'll be glad to have the Wizard grant his request."
"I hope so, kiddo," said Percy gratefully, for he liked being large and hated to think of having to be just an ordinary white rat again after all of his adventures in his large state.
"Well, we must be on our way," said the Straw Man when he saw that the members of the party who needed to eat had finished their breakfast. "We still have a long way to go to reach the castle of Terp, the Terrible."
"We aren't even out of the land of the Winkies yet," Dorothy added, "and we have to get to the land of the Gillikens in order to conquer the giant."
"How are we going to defeat him after we get to his castle?" Asked Jam, for he remembered that Terp was indeed terrible and knew that it would not be an easy task to subdue him.
"First we must destroy his magic muffin tree," asserted the Tin Man, "for without it, he will cease to be a giant after a short while. Then, when he is the size of an ordinary man once again, defeating him should be no trouble at all."
"I hope it works out that way, kiddo," said Percy rather skeptically.
"Just talking about it isn't going to get us any place," Dorothy reminded them. "So let's get started on our journey."
The poor Rhyming Dictionary was confused,. For he didn't know what any of them were talking about.
So Jam told him the story of his queer journey to Oz and the adventures he had had with the giant the Equinots, and the Kites of Kite Island. The Court Jester didn't seem too happy when the boy had finished the tale, so Dorothy asked what was troubling him. The Rhyming Dictionary explained that he was not so very venturesome, really, and that he didn't think that he was going to enjoy the trip to the Gilliken country. Neither did he wish to go back to Bookville., For he knew that he would be punished severely if he returned.
After much deliberation, Dorothy said, "You would fit in beautifully at the Royal Palace for there is a Patchwork Girl there who is always making up poems, and I know that she'd love to have you for a companion. If you could find your way to the Emerald City alone, I know that she would make you welcome."
The Hidden Valley of Oz Page 8
