The Patchwork Girl of Oz
Page 25
OJO FINDS THE DARK WELL
CHAP. 24
They now followed Diksey to the farther end of the great cave, beyondthe Horner city, where there were several round, dark holes leading intothe ground in a slanting direction. Diksey went to one of these holesand said:
"Here is the mine in which lies the dark well you are seeking. Follow meand step carefully and I'll lead you to the place."
He went in first and after him came Ojo, and then Dorothy, with theScarecrow behind her. The Patchwork Girl entered last of all, for Totokept close beside his little mistress.
A few steps beyond the mouth of the opening it was pitch dark. "Youwon't lose your way, though," said the Horner, "for there's only oneway to go. The mine's mine and I know every step of the way. How's thatfor a joke, eh? The mine's mine." Then he chuckled gleefully as theyfollowed him silently down the steep slant. The hole was just big enoughto permit them to walk upright, although the Scarecrow, being much thetaller of the party, often had to bend his head to keep from hitting thetop.
The floor of the tunnel was difficult to walk upon because it had beenworn smooth as glass, and pretty soon Scraps, who was some distancebehind the others, slipped and fell head foremost. At once she began toslide downward, so swiftly that when she came to the Scarecrow sheknocked him off his feet and sent him tumbling against Dorothy, whotripped up Ojo. The boy fell against the Horner, so that all wenttumbling down the slide in a regular mix-up, unable to see where theywere going because of the darkness.
Fortunately, when they reached the bottom the Scarecrow and Scraps werein front, and the others bumped against them, so that no one was hurt.They found themselves in a vast cave which was dimly lighted by the tinygrains of radium that lay scattered among the loose rocks.
"Now," said Diksey, when they had all regained their feet, "I will showyou where the dark well is. This is a big place, but if we hold fast toeach other we won't get lost."
They took hold of hands and the Horner led them into a dark corner,where he halted.
"Be careful," said he warningly. "The well is at your feet."
"All right," replied Ojo, and kneeling down he felt in the well with hishand and found that it contained a quantity of water. "Where's the goldflask, Dorothy?" he asked, and the little girl handed him the flask,which she had brought with her.
Ojo knelt again and by feeling carefully in the dark managed to fill theflask with the unseen water that was in the well. Then he screwed thetop of the flask firmly in place and put the precious water in hispocket.
"All right!" he said again, in a glad voice; "now we can go back."
They returned to the mouth of the tunnel and began to creep cautiouslyup the incline. This time they made Scraps stay behind, for fear shewould slip again; but they all managed to get up in safety and theMunchkin boy was very happy when he stood in the Horner city andrealized that the water from the dark well, which he and his friends hadtraveled so far to secure, was safe in his jacket pocket.