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"What do you mean by this?" demanded Ozma, as soon as she regained
her breath.
"Don't you know this lady is the Ruler of all Oz?" cried Pompa
warningly.
"Peg's the Ruler of me," replied the Country calmly. "I nearly lost her
once, but now I've caught her and all the rest, and I am not going to stop until
I've reached the Nonestic Ocean-giants or no giants."
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r r
Ozma had been somewhat prepared for the Runaway Country by
Pompa's description, but she had never dreamed it would dare to run off with
her. While Peg Amy began to coax it to stop, she took out Glegg's little
Question Box.
"How shall I stop this Country?" she whispered anxiously.
"Spin around six times and cross your fingers," directed the Question
Box.
This Ozma proceeded to do, much to the agitation of the Scarecrow,
who thought she had taken leave of her senses. But next instant the Country
came to a jolting halt.
"Peg, Princess Peg!" shrieked the Island. "I am bewitched, I can't move
a step!"
"Then everybody off," shouted the Scarecrow, jerking a branch of a tree
as if he were a conductor. "End of the line everybody off!" And they lost no
time tumbling off the wild little Country.
"It seems too bad to leave it," said Peg Amy regretfully, picking herself
up.
"It threw us off without any feeling or consideration when it saw
Ruggedo," sniffed Kabumpo. "Therefore it has no claims on us whatsoever."
"But couldn't you do something for it?" asked Peg, approaching Ozma
timidly. "It's so tired of being a plateau. Couldn't you let it be an island, and
find someone to settle on it? I wouldn't mind going," she added generously.
"You shall do nothing of the sort," cried Kabumpo angrily. "You're
going back to Pumperdink with Pompa and me."
"She's going with me," cried Wag. "Aren't you, Peg?"
"You seem to be a very popular person, smiled Ozma. "While a Country
has no right to run away, and while I never heard of one doing it before, I've
no objections to its being an island. It's running off with people I object to."
She looked the Country sternly in its lake-eyes.
"But I can't move," screamed the Country, tears streaming down its hill,
"and I've got to have somebody to settle me."
"Oh! Here's Glinda," shouted the Scarecrow, tossing up his hat. "Now
we shall know what's happened to Ruggedo."
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r r
Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to welcome the good
Sorceress of Oz. Glinda's reports were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had walked
straight back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning cavern, and
immediately the palace had settled firmly upon its old foundations. Then had
come a muffled explosion, and when Glinda and Dorothy ran through the
secret passage, which had been discovered meanwhile by the Soldier with the
Green Whiskers, they saw Ruggedo, shrunken to his former size, sitting
angrily on his sixth rock of history.
"I have locked him up in the palace," finished Glinda, "and I strongly
advise your Highness to punish him severely."
Ozma sighed. "What would you do?" she asked, appealing to the
Scarecrow. So many things had come up for her attention and advice in the
last few hours that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy.
"Let's all sit down in a circle and think," proposed the Scarecrow
cheerfully. This they all did except Kabumpo, who stood off glumly by
himself. Peg was looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant Elephant
had told her of Ozma's refusal, and wondering sadly what she could do to
help, when the Scarecrow bounced up impulsively.
"I have it," chuckled the Straw Man. "Let's send Ruggedo off on the
Runaway Country. He deserves to be banished and, if Ozma makes the
Country an Island, he can do no harm."
Here Ozma had to stop and explain to Glinda about the Country that
wanted to be an Island, and after a short consultation they decided to take the
Scarecrow's advice.
"Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I'll put on my Magic Belt and
wish him onto the Island," declared Ozma. "And I think we'd better go right
straight back," she added thoughtfully, "for it's growing darker every minute
and Dorothy will be anxious to hear everything that's happened."
"Now you"-Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on the arm-"You must start
at once for Sun Top Mountain. I'm going to ask the Question Box just where it
is.
Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted the Question Box as to
the location of Sun Top Mountain, it stated that this Kingdom was in the very
centre of the North Winkie Country. "That's fine," said Ozma, clapping her
hands. "I'll have the Runaway Country carry you over the Deadly Desert, and
as soon as you have married the Princess you must bring her to see me in the
Emerald City."
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r r
"What's all this?" demanded Kabumpo, pricking up his ears.
"The Question Box says I must marry the Princess of Sun Top
Mountain," said Pompa, getting up wearily.
"Well, Great Grump, why couldn't it have said so before?" asked
Kabumpo shrilly.
"You never asked it," snapped Wag, twitching his nose. "I told you
Ozma wasn't the Princess mentioned in the scroll!"
"Now don't quarrel," begged Peg Amy, jumping up hastily. "There's still
plenty of time to save Pumperdink. Come along, Pompa."
"That's right," said Ozma, smiling approvingly at Peg. "And when
Pompa finds his Princess you must come and live with me in the Emerald
City, for as Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I want to take [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]