fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第20节

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he　Woodman　picked　up　his　axe　and　made　it　whirl　swiftly　around　his　head。
　　But　although　many　were　beaten　off　in　this　way；　the　birds　were　so　numerous　and　so　brave　that　they　continued　the　attack　as　furiously　as　before。　Some　of　them　pecked　at　the　eyes　of　the　Gump；　which　hung　over　the　nest　in　a　helpless　condition；　but　the　Gump's　eyes　were　of　glass　and　could　not　be　injured。　Others　of　the　Jackdaws　rushed　at　the　Saw…Horse；　but　that　animal；　being　still　upon　his　back；　kicked　out　so　viciously　with　his　wooden　legs　that　he　beat　off　as　many　assailants　as　did　the　Woodman's　axe。
　　Finding　themselves　thus　opposed；　the　birds　fell　upon　the　Scarecrow's　straw；　which　lay　at　the　center　of　the　nest；　covering　Tip　and　the　Woggle…Bug　and　Jack's　pumpkin　head；　and　began　tearing　it　away　and　flying　off　with　it；　only　to　let　it　drop；　straw　by　straw　into　the　great　gulf　beneath。
　　The　Scarecrow's　head；　noting　with　dismay　this　wanton　destruction　of　his　interior；　cried　to　the　Tin　Woodman　to　save　him；　and　that　good　friend　responded　with　renewed　energy。　His　axe　fairly　flashed　among　the　Jackdaws；　and　fortunately　the　Gump　began　wildly　waving　the　two　wings　remaining　on　the　left　side　of　its　body。　The　flutter　of　these　great　wings　filled　the　Jackdaws　with　terror；　and　when　the　Gump　by　its　exertions　freed　itself　from　the　peg　of　rock　on　which　it　hung；　and　sank　flopping　into　the　nest；　the　alarm　of　the　birds　knew　no　bounds　and　they　fled　screaming　over　the　mountains。
　　When　the　last　foe　had　disappeared；　Tip　crawled　from　under　the　sofas　and　assisted　the　Woggle…Bug　to　follow　him。
　　〃We　are　saved！〃　shouted　the　boy；　delightedly。
　　〃We　are；　indeed！〃　responded　the　Educated　Insect；　fairly　hugging　the　stiff　head　of　the　Gump　in　his　joy。　〃and　we　owe　it　all　to　the　flopping　of　the　Thing；　and　the　good　axe　of　the　Woodman！〃
　　〃If　I　am　saved；　get　me　out　of　here！〃　called　Jack；　whose　head　was　still　beneath　the　sofas；　and　Tip　managed　to　roll　the　pumpkin　out　and　place　it　upon　its　neck　again。　He　also　set　the　Saw…Horse　upright；　and　said　to　it：　〃We　owe　you　many　thanks　for　the　gallant　fight　you　made。〃
　　〃I　really　think　we　have　escaped　very　nicely；〃　remarked　the　Tin　Woodman；　in　a　tone　of　pride。
　　〃Not　so！〃　exclaimed　a　hollow　voice。
　　At　this　they　all　turned　in　surprise　to　look　at　the　Scarecrow's　head；　which　lay　at　the　back　of　the　nest。
　　〃I　am　pletely　ruined！〃　declared　the　Scarecrow；　as　he　noted　their　astonishment。　〃For　where　is　the　straw　that　stuffs　my　body？〃　The　awful　question　startled　them　all。　They　gazed　around　the　nest　with　horror；　for　not　a　vestige　of　straw　remained。　The　Jackdaws　had　stolen　it　to　the　last　wisp　and　flung　it　all　into　the　chasm　that　yawned　for　hundreds　of　feet　beneath　the　nest。
　　〃My　poor；　poor　friend！〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman；　taking　up　the　Scarecrow's　head　and　caressing　it　tenderly；　〃whoever　could　imagine　you　would　e　to　this　untimely　end？〃
　　〃I　did　it　to　save　my　friends；〃　returned　the　head；　〃and　I　am　glad　that　I　perished　in　so　noble　and　unselfish　a　manner。〃
　　〃But　why　are　you　all　so　despondent？〃　inquired　the　Woggle…Bug。　〃The　Scarecrow's　clothing　is　still　safe。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　answered　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃but　our　friend's　clothes　are　useless　without　stuffing。〃
　　〃Why　not　stuff　him　with　money？〃　asked　Tip。
　　〃Money！〃　they　all　cried；　in　an　amazed　chorus。
　　〃To　be　sure；〃　said　the　boy。　〃In　the　bottom　of　the　nest　are　thousands　of　dollar　bills　…　and　two…dollar　bills　…and　five…dollar　bills　…　and　tens；　and　twenties；　and　fifties。　There　are　enough　of　them　to　stuff　a　dozen　Scarecrows。　Why　not　use　the　money？〃　The　Tin　Woodman　began　to　turn　over　the　rubbish　with　the　handle　of　his　axe；　and；　sure　enough；　what　they　had　first　thought　only　worthless　papers　were　found　to　be　all　bills　of　various　denominations；　which　the　mischievous　Jackdaws　had　for　years　been　engaged　in　stealing　from　the　villages　and　cities　they　visited。
　　There　was　an　immense　fortune　lying　in　that　inaccessible　nest；　and　Tip's　suggestion　was；　with　the　Scarecrow's　consent；　quickly　acted　upon。
　　They　selected　all　the　newest　and　cleanest　bills　and　assorted　them　into　various　piles。　The　Scarecrow's　left　leg　and　boot　were　stuffed　with　five…　dollar　bills；　his　right　leg　was　stuffed　with　ten…dollar　bills；　and　his　body　so　closely　filled　with　fifties；　one…hundreds　and　one…thousands　that　he　could　scarcely　button　his　jacket　with　fort。
　　〃You　are　now〃　said　the　Woggle…Bug；　impressively；　when　the　task　had　been　pleted；　〃the　most　valuable　member　of　our　party；　and　as　you　are　among　faithful　friends　there　is　little　danger　of　your　being　spent。〃
　　〃Thank　you；〃　returned　the　Scarecrow；　gratefully。　〃I　feel　like　a　new　man；　and　although　at　first　glance　I　might　be　mistaken　for　a　Safety　Deposit　Vault；　I　beg　you　to　remember　that　my　Brains　are　still　posed　of　the　same　old　material。　And　these　are　the　possessions　that　have　always　made　me　a　person　to　be　depended　upon　in　an　emergency。〃
　　〃Well；　the　emergency　is　here；〃　observed　Tip；　〃and　unless　your　brains　help　us　out　of　it　we　shall　be　pelled　to　pass　the　remainder　of　our　lives　in　this　nest。〃
　　〃How　about　these　wishing　pills？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow；　taking　the　box　from　his　jacket　pocket。　〃Can't　we　use　them　to　escape？〃
　　〃Not　unless　we　can　count　seventeen　by　twos；〃　answered　the　Tin　Woodman。　〃But　our　friend　the　Woggle…Bug　claims　to　be　highly　educated；　so　he　ought　easily　to　figure　out　how　that　can　be　done。〃
　　〃It　isn't　a　question　of　education；〃　returned　the　Insect；　〃it's　merely　a　question　of　mathematics。　I've　seen　the　professor　work　lots　of　sums　on　the　blackboard；　and　he　claimed　anything　could　be　done　with　x's　and　y's　and　a's；　and　such　things；　by　mixing　them　up　with　plenty　of　plusses　and　minuses　and　equals；　and　so　forth。　But　he　never　said　anything；　so　far　as　I　can　remember；　about　counting　up　to　the　odd　number　of　seventeen　by　the　even　numbers　of　twos。〃
　　〃Stop！　stop！〃　cried　the　Pumpkinhead。　〃You're　making　my　head　ache。〃
　　〃And　mine；〃　added　the　Scarecrow。　〃Your　mathematics　seem　to　me　very　like　a　bottle　of　mixed　pickles　the　more　you　fish　for　what　you　want　the　less　chance　you　have　of　getting　it。　I　am　certain　that　if　the　thing　can　be　acplished　at　all；　it　is　in　a　very　simple　manner。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Tip。　〃old　Mombi　couldn't　use　x's　and　minuses；　for　she　never　went　to　school。〃
　　〃Why　not　start　counting　at　a　half　of　one？〃　asked　the　Saw…Horse；　abruptly。　〃Then　anyone　can　count　up　to　seventeen　by　twos　very　easily。〃　They　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise；　for　the　Saw…Horse　was　considered　the　most　stupid　of　the　entire　party。
　　〃You　make　me　quite　ashamed　of　myself；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　bowing　low　to　the　Saw…Horse。
　　〃Nevertheless；　the　creature　is　right；〃　declared　the　Woggle…Bug；　for　twice　one…half　is　one；　and　if　you　get　to　one　it　is　easy　to　count　from　one　up　to　seventeen　by　twos。〃
　　〃I　wonder　I　didn't　think　of　that　myself；〃　said　the　Pumpkinhead。
　　〃I　don't；〃　returned　the　Scarecrow。　〃You're　no　wiser　than　the　rest　of　us；　are　you？　But　let　us　make　a　wish　at　once。　Who　will　swallow　the　first　pill？〃
　　〃Suppose　you　do　it；〃　suggested　Tip。
　　〃I　can't；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Why　not？　You've　a　mouth；　haven't　you？〃　asked　the　boy。
　　〃Yes；　but　my　mouth　is　painted　on；　and　there's　no　swallow　connected　with　it；'　answered　the　Scarecrow。　〃In　fact；〃　he　continued；　looking　from　one　to　another　critically；　〃I　believe　the　boy　and　the　Woggle…Bug　are　the　only　ones　in　our　party　that　are　able　to　swallow。〃　Observing　the　truth　of　this　remark；　Tip　said：　〃Then　I　will　undertake　to　make　the　first　wish。　Give　me　one　of　the　Silver　Pills。〃　This　the　Scarecrow　tried　to　do；　but　his　padded　gloves　were　too　clumsy　to　clutch　so　small　an　object；　and　he　held　the　box　toward　the　boy　while　Tip　selected　one　of　the　pills　and　swallowed　it。
　　〃Count！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃One…half；　one；　three；　five；　seven；　nine；　eleven；！〃　counted　Tip。　thirteen；　fifteen；　seventeen。
　　〃Now　wish！〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman　anxiously：　But　Just　then　the　boy　began　to　suffer　such　fearful　pains　that　he　became　alarmed。
　　〃The　pill　has　poisoned　me！〃　he　gasped；　〃O　…　h！　O…o…o…o…o！　Ouch！　Murder！　Fire！　O…o…h！〃　and　here　he　rolled　upon　the　bottom　of　the　nest　in　such　contortions　that　he　frightened　them　all。
　　〃What　can　we　do　for　you。　Speak；　I　beg！〃　entreated　the　Tin　Woodman；　tears　of　sympathy　running　down　his　nickel　cheeks。
　　〃I　…　I　don't　know！〃　answered　Tip。　〃O　…　h！　I　wish　I'd　never　swallowed　that　pill！〃　Then　at　once　the　pain　stopped；　and　the　boy　rose　to　his　feet　again　and　found　the　Scarecrow　looking　with　amazement　at　the　end　of　the　pepper…box。
　　〃What's　happened？〃　asked　the　boy；　a　little　ashamed　of　his　recent　exhibition。
　　〃Why；　the　three　pills　are　in　the　box　again！〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Of　course　they　are；〃　the　Woggle…Bug　declared。　〃Didn't　Tip　wish　that　he'd　never　swallowed　one　of　them？
　　Well；　the　wish　came　true；　and　he　didn't　swallow　one　of　them。　So　of　course　they　are　all　three　in　the　box。〃
　　〃That　may　be；　but　the　pill　gave　me　a　dreadful　pain；　just　the　same；〃　said　the　boy。
　　〃Impossible！〃　declared　the　WoggleBug。　〃If　you　have　never　swallowed　it；　the　pill　can　not　have　given　you　a　pain。　And　as　your　wish；　being　granted；　proves　you　did　not　swallow　the　pill；　it　is　also　plain　that　you　suffered　no　pain。〃
　　〃Then　it　was　a　splendid　imitation　of　a　pain；〃　retorted　Tip；　angrily。　〃Suppose　you　try　the　next　pill　y