the lost princess of oz-第27节
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〃So；〃 continued Toto； 〃if that magician hadn't any
growl of his own； he might have wanted mine and stolen
it。〃
〃And； if he has； he will soon wish he hadn't；〃
remarked the Mule。 〃Also； if he has stolen Button…
Bright he will be sorry。〃
〃Don't you like Button…Bright； then？〃 asked the Lion
in surprise。
〃It isn't a question of liking him；〃 replied the
Mule。 〃It's a question of watching him and looking
after him。 Any boy who causes his friends so much worry
isn't worth having around。 I never get lost。〃
〃If you did；〃 said Toto； 〃no one would worry a bit。 I
think Button…Bright is a very lucky boy； because he
always gets found。〃
〃See here；〃 said the Lion； 〃this chatter is keeping
us all awake and tomorrow is likely to be a busy day。
Go to sleep and forget your quarrels。〃
〃Friend Lion；〃 retorted the dog； 〃if I hadn't lost my
growl you would hear it now。 I have as much right to
talk as you have to sleep。〃
The Lion sighed。
〃If only you had lost your voice； when you lost your
growl；〃 said he； 〃you would be a more agreeable
companion。〃
But they quieted down； after that； and soon the
entire camp was wrapped in slumber。
Next morning they made an early start but had hardly
proceeded on their way an hour when； on climbing a
slight elevation； they beheld in the distance a low
mountain； on top of which stood Ugu's wicker castle。 It
was a good…sized building and rather pretty because the
sides； roofs and domes were all of wicker closely
woven； as it is in fine baskets。
〃I wonder if it is strong？〃 said Dorothy musingly； as
she eyed the queer castle。
〃I suppose it is； since a magician built it；〃
answered the Wizard。 〃With magic to protect it； even a
paper castle might be as strong as if made of stone。
This Ugu must be a man of ideas； because he does things
in a different way from other people。〃
〃Yes； no one else would steal our dear Ozma；〃 sighed
tiny Trot。
〃I wonder if Ozma is there？〃 said Betsy； indicating
the castle with a nod of her head。
〃Where else could she be？〃 asked Scraps。
〃S'pose we ask the Pink Bear；〃 suggested Dorothy。
That seemed a good idea； so they halted the
procession and the Bear King held the little Pink Bear
on his lap and turned the crank in its side and asked：
〃Where is Ozma of Oz？〃
And the little Pink Bear answered：
〃She is in a hole in the ground； a half mile away； at
your left。〃
〃Good gracious！〃 cried Dorothy。 〃Then she is not in
Ugu's castle at all。〃
〃It is lucky we asked that question；〃 said the
Wizard； 〃for； if we can find Ozma and rescue
her； there will be no need for us to fight that
wicked and dangerous magician。〃
〃Indeed！〃 said Cayke。 〃Then what about my dishpan？〃
The Wizard looked puzzled at her tone of remonstrance；
so she added：
〃Didn't you people from the Emerald City promise that
we would all stick together； and that you would help me
to get my dishpan if I would help you to get your Ozma？
And didn't I bring to you the little Pink Bear； which
has told you where Ozma is hidden？〃
〃She's right；〃 said Dorothy to the Wizard。 〃We must
do as we agreed。〃
〃Well； first of all； let us go and rescue Ozma；〃
proposed the Wizard。 〃Then our beloved Ruler may be
able to advise us how to conquer Ugu the Shoemaker。〃
So they turned to the left and marched for half a
mile until they came to a small but deep hole in the
ground。 At once all rushed to the brim to peer into the
hole； but instead of finding there Princess Ozma of Oz；
all that they saw was Button…Bright； who was lying
asleep on the bottom。
Their cries soon wakened the boy； who sat up and
rubbed his eyes。 When he recognized his friends he
smiled sweetly； saying： 〃Found again！〃
〃Where is Ozma？〃 inquired Dorothy anxiously。
〃I don't know；〃 answered Button…Bright from the
depths of the hole。 〃I got lost； yesterday； as you may
remember； and in the night； while I was wandering
around in the moonlight； trying to find my way back to
you； I suddenly fell into this hole。〃
〃And wasn't Ozma in it then？〃
〃There was no one in it but me； and I was sorry it
wasn't entirely empty。 The sides are so steep I can't
climb out； so there was nothing to be done but sleep
until someone found me。 Thank you for coming。 If you'll
please let down a rope I'll empty this hole in a
hurry。〃
〃How strange！〃 said Dorothy； greatly disappointed。
〃It's evident the Pink Bear didn't tell us the truth。〃
〃He never makes a mistake；〃 declared the Lavender
Bear King； in a tone that showed his feelings were
hurt。 And then he turned the crank of the little Pink
Bear again and asked： 〃Is this the hole that Ozma of Oz
is in？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the Pink Bear。
〃That settles it；〃 said the King； positively。 〃Your
Ozma is in this hole in the ground。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 returned Dorothy impatiently。 〃Even
your beady eyes can see there is no one in the hole but
Button…Bright。〃
〃Perhaps Button…Bright is Ozma；〃 suggested the King。
〃And perhaps he isn't！ Ozma is a girl； and Button…
Bright is a boy。〃
〃Your Pink Bear must be out of order；〃 said the
Wizard； 〃for； this time at least； his machinery has
caused him to make an untrue statement。〃
The Bear King was so angry at this remark that he
turned away； holding the Pink Bear in his paws； and
refused to discuss the matter in any further way。
〃At any rate；〃 said the Frogman； 〃the Pink Bear has
led us to your boy friend and so enabled you to rescue
him。〃
Scraps was leaning so far over the hole； trying to
find Ozma in it； that suddenly she lost her balance and
pitched in headforemost。 She fell upon Button…Bright
and tumbled him over； but he was not hurt by her soft
stuffed body and only laughed at the mishap。 The Wizard
buckled some straps together and let one end of them
down into the hole； and soon both Scraps and the boy
had climbed up and were standing safely beside the
others。
They looked once more for Ozma； but the hole was now
absolutely vacant。 It was a round hole； so from the top
they could plainly see every part of it。 Before they
left the place Dorothy went to the Bear King and said：
〃I'm sorry we couldn't believe what the little Pink
Bear said； 'cause we don't want to make you feel bad by
doubting him。 There must be a mistake； somewhere； and
we prob'ly don't understand just what the little Pink
Bear means。 Will you let me ask him one more question？〃
The Lavender Bear King was a good…natured bear；
considering how he was made and stuffed and jointed； so
he accepted Dorothy's apology and turned the crank and
allowed the little girl to question his wee Pink Bear。
〃Is Ozma really in this hole？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃No；〃 said the little Pink Bear。
This surprised everybody。 Even the Bear King was now
puzzled by the contradictory statements of his oracle。
〃Where is she？〃 asked the King。
〃Here； among you；〃 answered the little Pink Bear。
〃Well；〃 said Dorothy； 〃this beats me； entirely！ I
guess the little Pink Bear has gone crazy。
〃Perhaps；〃 called Scraps； who was rapidly turning
〃cart…wheels〃 all around the perplexed group； 〃Ozma is
invisible。〃
〃Of course！〃 cried Betsy。 〃That would account for
it。〃
〃Well； I've noticed that people can speak； even when
they've been made invisible；〃 said the Wizard。 And then
he looked all around him and said in a solemn voice：
〃Ozma； are you here？〃
There was no reply。 Dorothy asked the question； too；
and so did Button…Bright and Trot and Betsy； but none
received any reply at all。
〃It's strange it's terrible strange！〃 muttered
Cayke the Cookie Cook。 〃I was sure that the little Pink
Bear always tells the truth。〃
〃I still believe in his honesty；〃 said the Frogman；
and this tribute so pleased the Bear King that he gave
these last speakers grateful looks； but still gazed
sourly on the others。
〃Come to think of it；〃 remarked the Wizard； 〃
