the scarecrow of oz-第12节
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With this he brought from a cupboard a stone jar and a
dipper； and the girl found it very nice lemonade； indeed。
Cap'n Bill liked it； too； but the Ork would not touch it。
〃If there is no water in this country； I cannot stay
here for long；〃 the creature declared。 〃Water means
life to man and beast and bird。〃
〃There must be water in lemonade；〃 said Trot。
〃Yes；〃 answered the Ork； 〃I suppose so； but there are
other things in it； too； and they spoil the good water。〃
The day's adventures had made our wanderers tired； so
the Bumpy Man brought them some blankets in which they
rolled themselves and then lay down before the fire；
which their host kept alive with fuel all through the
night。 Trot wakened several times and found the Mountain
Ear always alert and listening intently for the slightest
sound。 But the little girl could hear no sound at all
except the snores of Cap'n Bill。
Chapter Eight
Button…Bright is Lost and Found Again
〃Wake up wake up！〃 called the voice of the Bumpy
Man。 〃Didn't I tell you winter was coming？ I could hear
it coming with my left ear； and the proof is that it is
now snowing hard outside。〃
〃Is it？〃 said Trot； rubbing her eyes and creeping out
of her blanket。 〃Where I live； in California； I have
never seen snow； except far away on the tops of high
mountains。〃
〃Well； this is the top of a high mountain；〃 returned
the bumpy one； 〃and for that reason we get our heaviest
snowfalls right here。〃
The little girl went to the window and looked out。 The
air was filled with falling white flakes； so large in
size and so queer in form that she was puzzled。
〃Are you certain this is snow？〃 she asked。
〃To be sure。 I must get my snow…shovel and turn out to
shovel a path。 Would you like to come with me？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； and followed the Bumpy Man out when he
opened the door。 Then she exclaimed： 〃Why； it isn't cold
a bit！〃
〃Of course not；〃 replied the man。 〃It was cold last
night； before the snowstorm； but snow； when it falls； is
always crisp and warm。〃
Trot gathered a handful of it。
〃Why； it's popcorn？〃 she cried。
〃Certainly； all snow is popcorn。 What did you expect it
to be？〃
〃Popcorn is not snow in my country。〃
〃Well； it is the only snow we have in the Land of Mo；
so you may as well make the best of it；〃 said he； a
little impatiently。 〃I'm not responsible for the absurd
things that happen in your country； and when you're in Mo
you must do as the Momen do。 Eat some of our snow； and
you will find it is good。 The only fault I find with our
snow is that we get too much of it at times。〃
With this the Bumpy Man set to work shoveling a path
and he was so quick and industrious that he piled up the
popcorn in great banks on either side of the trail that
led to the mountain…top from the plains below。 While he
worked； Trot ate popcorn and found it crisp and slightly
warm； as well as nicely salted and buttered。 Presently
Cap'n Bill came out of the house and joined her。
〃What's this？〃 he asked。
〃Mo snow；〃 said she。 〃But it isn't real snow； although
it falls from the sky。 It's popcorn。〃
Cap'n Bill tasted it； then he sat down in the path and
began to eat。 The Ork came out and pecked away with its
bill as fast as it could。 They all liked popcorn and they
all were hungry this morning。
Meantime the flakes of 〃Mo snow〃 came down so fast that
the number of them almost darkened the air。 The Bumpy Man
was now shoveling quite a distance down the mountain…
side； while the path behind him rapidly filled up with
fresh…fallen popcorn。 Suddenly Trot heard him call out：
〃Goodness gracious mince pie and pancakes！ here
is some one buried in the snow。〃
She ran toward him at once and the others followed；
wading through the corn and crunching it underneath their
feet。 The Mo snow was pretty deep where the Bumpy Man was
shoveling and from beneath a great bank of it he had
uncovered a pair of feet。
〃Dear me！ Someone has been lost in the storm；〃 said
Cap'n Bill。 〃I hope he is still alive。 Let's pull him out
and see。〃
He took hold of one foot and the Bumpy Man took hold of
the other。 Then they both pulled and out from the heap of
popcorn came a little boy。 He was dressed in a brown
velvet jacket and knickerbockers； with brown stockings；
buckled shoes and a blue shirt…waist that had frills down
its front。 When drawn from the heap the boy was chewing a
mouthful of popcorn and both his hands were full of it。
So at first he couldn't speak to his rescuers but lay
quite still and eyed them calmly until he had swallowed
his mouthful。 Then he said：
〃Get my cap；〃 and stuffed more popcorn into his mouth。
While the Bumpy Man began shoveling into the corn…bank
to find the boy's cap； Trot was laughing joyfully and
Cap'n Bill had a broad grin on his face。 The Ork looked
from one to another and asked：
〃Who is this stranger？〃
〃Why； it's Button…Bright； of course；〃 answered Trot。
〃If anyone ever finds a lost boy； he can make up his mind
it's Button…Bright。 But how he ever came to be lost in
this far…away country is more'n I can make out。〃
〃Where does he belong？〃 inquired the Ork。
〃His home used to be in Philadelphia； I think； but I'm
quite sure Button…Bright doesn't belong anywhere。〃
〃That's right；〃 said the boy； nodding his head as he
swallowed the second mouthful。
〃Everyone belongs somewhere；〃 remarked the Ork。
〃Not me；〃 insisted Button…Bright。 〃I'm half way round
the world from Philadelphia； and I've lost my Magic
Umbrella； that used to carry me anywhere。 Stands to
reason that if I can't get back I haven't any home。 But I
don't care much。 This is a pretty good country； Trot。
I've had lots of fun here。〃
By this time the Mountain Ear had secured the boy's cap
and was listening to the conversation with much interest。
〃It seems you know this poor； snow…covered cast…
away；〃 he said。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 answered Trot。 〃We made a journey
together to Sky Island； once； and were good friends。〃
〃Well； then I'm glad I saved his life；〃 said the Bumpy
Man。
〃Much obliged； Mr。 Knobs；〃 said Button…Bright； sitting
up and staring at him； 〃but I don't believe you've saved
anything except some popcorn that I might have eaten had
you not disturbed me。 It was nice and warm in that bank
of popcorn； and there was plenty to eat。 What made you
dig me out？ And what makes you so bumpy everywhere？〃
〃As for the bumps；〃 replied the man； looking at himself
with much pride； 〃I was born with them and I suspect they
were a gift from the fairies。 They make me look rugged
and big； like the mountain I serve。〃
〃All right；〃 said Button…Bright and began eating
popcorn again。
It had stopped snowing； now； and great flocks of birds
were gathering around the mountain…side； eating the
popcorn with much eagerness and scarcely noticing the
people at all。 There were birds of every size and color；
most of them having gorgeous feathers and plumes。
〃Just look at them！〃 exclaimed the Ork scornfully。
〃Aren't they dreadful creatures； all covered with
feathers？〃
〃I think they're beautiful；〃 said Trot； and this
made the Ork so indignant that he went back into the
house and sulked。
Button…Bright reached out his hand and caught a big
bird by the leg。 At once it rose into the air and it was
so strong that it nearly carried the little boy with it。
He let go the leg in a hurry and the bird flew down again
and began to eat of the popcorn； not being frightened in
the least。
This gave Cap'n Bill an idea。 He felt in his pocket and
drew out several pieces of stout string。 Moving very
quietly； so as to not alarm the birds； he crept up to
several of the biggest ones and tied cords around their
legs； thus making them prisoners。 The birds were so
intent on their eating that they did not notice what had
happened to them； and when about twenty had been captured
in this manner Cap'n Bill tied the ends of all the
strings together and f
