the lost princess of oz-第30节
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First； they all slid down to the wall back of them；
but as the room continued to turn over they next slid
down the wall and found themselves at the bottom of the
great dome； bumping against the big chandelier which；
like everything else； was now upside…down。
The turning movement now stopped and the room became
stationary。 Looking far up； they saw Ugu suspended in
his cage at the very top； which had once been the floor
〃Ah；〃 said he； grinning down at them； 〃the way to
conquer is to act； and he who acts promptly is sure to
win。 This makes a very good prison； from which I am
sure you cannot escape。 Please amuse yourselves in any
way you like； but I must beg you to excuse me； as I
have business in another part of my castle。〃
Saying this； he opened a trap door in the floor of
his cage （which was now over his head） and climbed
through it and disappeared from their view。 The diamond
dishpan still remained in the cage； but the bars kept
it from falling down on their heads。
〃Well； I declare！〃 said the Patchwork Girl； seizing
one of the bars of the chandelier and swinging from it；
〃we must peg one for the Shoemaker； for he has trapped
us very cleverly。〃
〃Get off my foot； please；〃 said the Lion to the
Sawhorse。
〃And oblige me； Mr。 Mule；〃 remarked the Woozy； 〃by
taking your tail out of my left eye。
〃It's rather crowded down here；〃 explained Dorothy；
〃because the dome is rounding and we have all slid into
the middle of it。 But let us keep as quiet as possible
until we can think what's best to be done。〃
〃Dear； dear！〃 wailed Cayke； 〃I wish I had my darling
dishpan；〃 and she held her arms longingly toward it。
〃I wish I had the magic on those shelves up there；〃
sighed the Wizard。
〃Don't you s'pose we could get to it？〃 asked Trot
anxiously。
〃We'd have to fly；〃 laughed the Patchwork Girl。
But the Wizard took the suggestion seriously； and so
did the Frogman。 They talked it over and soon planned
an attempt to reach the shelves where the magical
instruments were。 First the Frogman lay against the
rounding dome and braced his foot on the stem of the
chandelier； then the Wizard climbed over him and lay on
the dome with his feet on the Frogman's shoulders； the
Cookie Cook came next； then Button…Bright climbed to
the woman's shoulders； then Dorothy climbed up； and
Betsy and Trot； and finally the Patchwork Girl； and all
their lengths made a long line that reached far up the
dome but not far enough for Scraps to touch the
shelves。
〃Wait a minute； perhaps I can reach the magic； called
the Bear King； and began scrambling up the bodies of
the others。 But when he came to the Cookie Cook his
soft paws tickled her side so that she squirmed and
upset the whole line。 Down they came； tumbling in a
heap against the animals； and although no one was much
hurt it was a bad mix…up and the Frogman； who was at
the bottom； almost lost his temper before he could get
on his feet again。
Cayke positively refused to try what she called 〃the
pyramid act〃 again； and as the Wizard was now convinced
they could not reach the magic tools in that manner the
attempt was abandoned。
〃But something must be done；〃 said the Wizard； and
then he turned to the Lavender Bear and asked： 〃Cannot
Your Majesty's magic help us to escape from here？〃
〃My magic powers are limited；〃 was the reply。 〃When I
was stuffed； the fairies stood by and slyly dropped
some magic into my stuffing。 Therefore I can do any of
the magic that's inside me； but nothing else。 You；
however； are a wizard； and a wizard should be able to
do anything。〃
〃Your Majesty forgets that my tools of magic have
been stolen；〃 said the Wizard sadly； 〃and a wizard
without tools is as helpless as a carpenter without a
hammer or saw。
〃Don't give up；〃 pleaded Button…Bright； 〃'cause if we
can't get out of this queer prison we'll all starve to
death。〃
〃Not I！〃 laughed the Patchwork Girl； now standing on
top the chandelier； at the place that was meant to be
the bottom of it。
〃Don't talk of such dreadful things；〃 said Trot；
shuddering。 〃We came here to capture the Shoemaker；
didn't we？〃
〃Yes； and to save Ozma；〃 said Betsy。
〃And here we are； captured ourselves； and my darling
dishpan up there in plain sight！〃 wailed the Cookie
Cook； wiping her eyes on the tail of the Frogman's
coat。
〃Hush！〃 called the Lion； with a low； deep growl。
〃Give the Wizard time to think。〃
〃He has plenty of time；〃 said Scraps。 〃What he needs
is the Scarecrow's brains。〃
After all； it was little Dorothy who came to their
rescue； and her ability to save them was almost as much
a surprise to the girl as it was to her friends。
Dorothy had been secretly testing the powers of her
Magic Belt； which she had once captured from the Nome
King； and experimenting with it in various ways； ever
since she had started on this eventful journey。 At
different times she had stolen away from the others of
her party and in solitude had tried to find out what
the Magic Belt could do and what it could not do。 There
were a lot of things it could not do； she discovered；
but she learned some things about the Belt which even
her girl friends did not suspect she knew。
For one thing； she had remembered that when the Nome
King owned it the Magic Belt used to perform
transformations； and by thinking hard she had finally
recalled the way in which such transformations had been
accomplished。 Better than this； however； was the
discovery that the Magic Belt would grant its wearer
one wish a day。 All she need do was close her right eye
and wiggle her left toe and then draw a long breath and
make her wish。 Yesterday she had wished in secret for a
box of caramels； and instantly found the box beside
her。 Today she had saved her daily wish； in case she
might need it in an emergency； and the time had now
come when she must use the wish to enable her to escape
with her friends from the prison in which Ugu had
caught them。
So； without telling anyone what she intended to do
for she had only used the wish once and could not be
certain how powerful the Magic Belt might be Dorothy
closed her right eye and wiggled her left big toe and
drew a long breath and wished with all her might。 The
next moment the room began to revolve again； as slowly
as before； and by degrees they all slid to the side
wall and down the wall to the floor all but Scraps；
who was so astonished that she still clung to the
chandelier。 When the big hall was in its proper
position again and the others stood firmly upon the
floor of it； they looked far up to the dome and saw the
Patchwork Girl swinging from the chandelier。
〃Good gracious！〃 cried Dorothy。 〃How ever will you
get down？〃
〃Won't the room keep turning？〃 asked Scraps。
〃I hope not。 I believe it has stopped for good；〃 said
Princess Dorothy。
〃Then stand from under； so you won't get hurt！〃
shouted the Patchwork Girl； and as soon as they had
obeyed this request she let go the chandelier and came
tumbling down heels over head and twisting and turning
in a very exciting manner。 Plump！ she fell on the tiled
floor and they ran to her and rolled her and patted her
into shape again。
Chapter Twenty…Three
The Defiance of Ugu the Shoemaker
The delay caused by Scraps had prevented anyone from
running to the shelves to secure the magic instruments
so badly needed。 Even Cayke neglected to get her
diamond…studded dishpan because she was watching the
Patchwork Girl。 And now the magician had opened his
trap door and appeared in his golden cage again；
frowning angrily because his prisoners had been able to
turn their upside…down prison right…side…up。
〃Which of you has dared defy my magic？〃 he shouted in
a terrible voice。
〃It was I；〃 answered Dorothy calmly。
〃Then I shall destroy you； for you are only an Earth
girl and no fairy；〃 he said； and began to mumble some
magic words。
Dorothy now realized that Ugu must be treated as an
enemy； so she advanced tow
