[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
looking doubtfully at the tremendous warhorse who stood with feet braced
and ears back ready to listen or defy them. Somehow Chalk had managed to
toss Skamperoo back into the saddle, and with both hands fixed grimly in
the horse's mane the Emperor was blinking his eyes in a vain attempt to see
them or catch a glimpse of Matiah, for he was convinced that the merchant
was at the bottom of the whole procedure.
"If we agree to lift this pall of darkness, will you agree to grant us an
uninterrupted hour of your time?" asked Bitty Bit, turning toward the
Emperor, but really addressing the horse, whom he considered the better man
of the two.
"I think we can, without undue danger, promise that," answered Chalk
guardedly, while Skamperoo hemmed and hawed with indecision. "Of course,
you must promise to use no more magic against us."
"Well, the same goes for you, too, remember," put in Pigasus quickly. "An
hour's time and conversation and no trickery."
"But who who are you?" muttered Skamperoo, finding his voice at last. "I
seem to hear three different voices."
"You'll soon see," answered Dorothy, clapping the lid on her powder of
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darkness. With a suddenness that made them all gasp, the laboratory was
again flooded with the bright noon sunshine, and in a determined row before
him Skamperoo saw a pretty little girl in green, a fat pink pig with white
wings, and a small, wrinkled old gentleman in brown.
"W-why," whinnied Chalk, drawing in a deep breath of relief, "at first I
thought you were enemies, but now I see that you are merely visitors and
friends."
"That depends," observed Bitty Bit, seating himself on a tall stool that
brought him on a level with Chalk's nose. "I am the Seer of Some Summit,
but these others are Princess Dorothy and Pigasus, the Winged Pig. They
really belong in this palace and are close friends of the rightful ruler of
this country, Ozma of Oz!"
"I am the rightful ruler of Oz!" shouted Skamperoo, growing red in the face
and thrusting out his three chins belligerently.
"Oh, don't bother putting on a show for me," exclaimed Bitty Bit, waving his
arms impatiently. "Remember, I am a Seer, I know all, I see all, and what
is more, I TELL ALL! You, my pretty fellow, are really the King of
Skampavia, a small, no-count country on the other side of the Deadly
Desert. In some way the long-lost necklaces of Lorna the Wood Nymph have
come into your possession. With these necklaces you have enchanted the
people of Oz into believing you are their ruler. You have wickedly banished
Ozma and her allies and counselors and unlawfully made yourself Emperor of
Oz."
"That seems to cover everything," drawled Chalk as Skamperoo turned from red
to purple.
"Not everything!" went on Bitty Bit, shaking his finger sternly under
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Chalk's nose. "Kingdoms are not won and held by trickery, my friends, and
we are here to see that those necklaces are returned and the Kingdom of Oz
restored to its proper rulers."
"And suppose we refuse!" suggested the white horse in a bored voice. "What
then?"
"Why then," Bitty Bit threw back his shoulders and spun round several times
on his shiny stool, "why then, it means WAR!" Bitty Bit did not say who
were his friends or allies or where he should get his armies, but he spoke
with such firm confidence, both Skamperoo and Chalk were taken aback and
completely dismayed. Matiah had been bad enough, but this strange and
determined little Seer was worse.
"Perhaps we can make a bargain or come to some agreement," suggested Chalk,
resolved to save what he could for himself and his Master. "Suppose King
Skamperoo and I agree to return the emerald necklaces, which undoubtedly
belong in Oz, will you grant us the privilege of using them twice for
ourselves?"
"But but " Skamperoo was about to blurt out the fact that they no
longer had the necklaces when Chalk gave him a savage nip on the leg which
silenced him effectively.
"Why should we do that?" inquired Pigasus, fluttering his wings nervously.
"After all the grief and worry you have caused us, you are lucky to get off
with your skins."
"Where are the necklaces now?" asked Dorothy, stepping close to Chalk and
looking eagerly up into the face of the discomfited Emperor. Skamperoo's [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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looking doubtfully at the tremendous warhorse who stood with feet braced
and ears back ready to listen or defy them. Somehow Chalk had managed to
toss Skamperoo back into the saddle, and with both hands fixed grimly in
the horse's mane the Emperor was blinking his eyes in a vain attempt to see
them or catch a glimpse of Matiah, for he was convinced that the merchant
was at the bottom of the whole procedure.
"If we agree to lift this pall of darkness, will you agree to grant us an
uninterrupted hour of your time?" asked Bitty Bit, turning toward the
Emperor, but really addressing the horse, whom he considered the better man
of the two.
"I think we can, without undue danger, promise that," answered Chalk
guardedly, while Skamperoo hemmed and hawed with indecision. "Of course,
you must promise to use no more magic against us."
"Well, the same goes for you, too, remember," put in Pigasus quickly. "An
hour's time and conversation and no trickery."
"But who who are you?" muttered Skamperoo, finding his voice at last. "I
seem to hear three different voices."
"You'll soon see," answered Dorothy, clapping the lid on her powder of
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
darkness. With a suddenness that made them all gasp, the laboratory was
again flooded with the bright noon sunshine, and in a determined row before
him Skamperoo saw a pretty little girl in green, a fat pink pig with white
wings, and a small, wrinkled old gentleman in brown.
"W-why," whinnied Chalk, drawing in a deep breath of relief, "at first I
thought you were enemies, but now I see that you are merely visitors and
friends."
"That depends," observed Bitty Bit, seating himself on a tall stool that
brought him on a level with Chalk's nose. "I am the Seer of Some Summit,
but these others are Princess Dorothy and Pigasus, the Winged Pig. They
really belong in this palace and are close friends of the rightful ruler of
this country, Ozma of Oz!"
"I am the rightful ruler of Oz!" shouted Skamperoo, growing red in the face
and thrusting out his three chins belligerently.
"Oh, don't bother putting on a show for me," exclaimed Bitty Bit, waving his
arms impatiently. "Remember, I am a Seer, I know all, I see all, and what
is more, I TELL ALL! You, my pretty fellow, are really the King of
Skampavia, a small, no-count country on the other side of the Deadly
Desert. In some way the long-lost necklaces of Lorna the Wood Nymph have
come into your possession. With these necklaces you have enchanted the
people of Oz into believing you are their ruler. You have wickedly banished
Ozma and her allies and counselors and unlawfully made yourself Emperor of
Oz."
"That seems to cover everything," drawled Chalk as Skamperoo turned from red
to purple.
"Not everything!" went on Bitty Bit, shaking his finger sternly under
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Chalk's nose. "Kingdoms are not won and held by trickery, my friends, and
we are here to see that those necklaces are returned and the Kingdom of Oz
restored to its proper rulers."
"And suppose we refuse!" suggested the white horse in a bored voice. "What
then?"
"Why then," Bitty Bit threw back his shoulders and spun round several times
on his shiny stool, "why then, it means WAR!" Bitty Bit did not say who
were his friends or allies or where he should get his armies, but he spoke
with such firm confidence, both Skamperoo and Chalk were taken aback and
completely dismayed. Matiah had been bad enough, but this strange and
determined little Seer was worse.
"Perhaps we can make a bargain or come to some agreement," suggested Chalk,
resolved to save what he could for himself and his Master. "Suppose King
Skamperoo and I agree to return the emerald necklaces, which undoubtedly
belong in Oz, will you grant us the privilege of using them twice for
ourselves?"
"But but " Skamperoo was about to blurt out the fact that they no
longer had the necklaces when Chalk gave him a savage nip on the leg which
silenced him effectively.
"Why should we do that?" inquired Pigasus, fluttering his wings nervously.
"After all the grief and worry you have caused us, you are lucky to get off
with your skins."
"Where are the necklaces now?" asked Dorothy, stepping close to Chalk and
looking eagerly up into the face of the discomfited Emperor. Skamperoo's [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]