[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

the forest move past. The crossroad was several miles
distant, and the sun was getting strong. The trees
began to get thirsty once more.
"Water, water," they began whispering.
"You'll get plenty of water at the Emerald City,"
promised the ghost. It continued to talk in its most
terrifying voice. The trees heard and trembled.
In the ghost's mind a more wicked scheme was
forming. It kept mumbling to itself, holding on to
its big toe to keep its insides from escaping.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Why shouldn't I make these stupid trees serve
me?" it was mumbling. "I'll use them to get my re-
venge on those people who cut me with scissors. I'LL
CAPTURE THE WHOLE CITY!"
The more it thought about this, the better the idea
seemed.
"Sure, I'll capture the whole kit and kaboodle, and
make myself king!" The ghost wriggled with delight
at this thought, smirking in a most self-satisfied way.
"And when I'm king," it went on to itself, "I'll
make a law that no scissors may be used by anyone
but me!"
The trees spread out over the entire road, making
it impossible for anyone to pass in either direction.
They were a purple, towering mass that moved
down the road like a landslide. Though the peaceful
trees did not know it, they looked frightening to chil-
dren and strangers.
Suddenly one young tree at the rear plunged leafily
into the tree ahead.
"Something is coming!" it hissed.
"Woodchoppers?" cried the second tree.
"Worse than woodchoppers! Something on wheels !"
The rumor spread swiftly among the trees. Looking
back, they discovered the five pursuing scalawagons.
"Run for your lives !" called the old tree.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
The trees began to sway and hobble in a panic.
High in its crow's nest, the ghost was thrashed about
like a ship in a storm.
"Hey, hey, what's going on down there?" it wheezed.
Then it remembered that it must keep its voice ter-
rible, and filling itself with air, it let out in a loud bel-
low:
"KEEP MOVING ONWARD!"
The trees now lost their heads completely. Fright-
ened by the speeding scalawagons behind, and by the
terrible voice above, they rushed on, pell-mell. At the
crossroads they came to the cross-eyed house. Its
eyes were crossed from watching both roads at the
same time.
"what's the hurry?" complained a small purple
bird sitting on a post. The post was marked "peanut
Pike." An arrow pointed to the north, and under the
arrow were the words: "To Bottle Hill. Take the
Lumbering Gate."
The old tree leader took in this sign at a glance,
and forgetting the ghost's directions, turned off to-
ward Bottle Hill.
"NO, NO, NOT THAT WAY!" roared the ghost
The old tree pulled itself up so hard that several
limbs snapped off. Then, in bewilderment it went
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
limping toward the Emerald City with the whole for-
est stampeding after it
"I'm the master, and they're my slaves!" grunted
the ghost. "Soon all the stupid people in the Emerald
City will be my slaves, too!"
Far behind the fleeing forest the five scalawagons
were racing. The girls had long since caught sight
of the purple mass of moving trees. It was Jenny who
cried,
"Maybe that rubber ghost is hiding among those
trees!"
"It certainly looks suspicious, the way they're run-
ing away from us," said Dorothy.
"Don't get too close," said Betsy. "They may turn
and stampede us!"
"We must wait till they stop," added Trot "And
hope that won't be too soon. This is real FUN!"
The five girls agreed that they were having the
time of their lives. For hours their scalawagons had
been racing up hill and down dale, over fences and
bushes and turnstiles.
At one turnstile, Jenny had said, "When this ad-
venture is over, I'll be glad to return to my own turn-
style shop. I'm beginning to miss it."
"It must be missing you, too, Jenny," said Dorothy.
"Nobody can manage it as well as you. You run it
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
like the duchess that you are."
Jenny gave Dorothy a pleased smile. "Thank you,
Dorothy. Spoken like the princess that you are! But
Number Nine's Sister Six is an able helper. She's
managing the shop during my absence."
There was not much chance to talk, for the uneven
ground separated the racing cars. Purple rabbits,
cats, and groundhogs scurried into their holes for
safety. Jenny and Dorothy forgot their dignity as a
duchess and a princess and squealed in delight like
Betsy, Trot, and Jellia.
"Cake's sakes! Wouldn't Ozma like to be here!"
cried Jellia.
"I certainly would!" exclaimed the Queen, standing
before her magic picture in the Emerald City.
Ozma and the Wizard had been sitting before
picture since early morning. As Ozma watched the
chase, she often got so excited that she burst out with
a spoken remark. Now she jumped to her feet and
cried, "Shall I help you find that mean little ghost?'
The Wizard put a restraining hand on the queen's
shoulder. "Sit down, please, and calm yourself."
Ozma sat down with a bashful smile. "I was for-
getting," she said, "that I told the girls they could do
it all by themselves. The picture is so real, I seem to
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
be with them."
"I know the temptation, your Majesty," said the
Wizard kindly. "It's so easy for you to remove that
ghost with a little simple magic. But the girls would
feel cheated."
"What do you suppose that ghost really is?" said
Ozma. "I can't find it in my library records."
"We'll get its secret just as soon as it's captured,"
said the Wizard. "Meanwhile, I am enjoying this mov-
ing picture. Aren't you?"
"As long as no one is in real danger," said Ozma.
"Look, the forest is coming into the frame. It's
getting closer!" said the Wizard.
Ozma bent forward, studying the picture intently.
"It won't do," she murmured. "We can't have a
purple forest in our green city. The color doesn't fit."
"They ought to know better," said the Wizard.
"They wouldn't be coming here if they didn't mean
some foul play."
"It can't be the trees that are foul," said Ozma,
shaking her head. "It's that rubber ghost hidden in
that nest. It's up to no good!"
"What do you propose to do about it?" asked the
Wizard.
Ozma's reply was drowned in the sudden loud
clanging of warning bells.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Listen!" cried the Wizard. "Our bell-men are
warning us that danger is heading this way!"
CHAPTER 22
The Forest Surrenders
THE clanging of the warning bells was heard out-
side the city gate. The moving forest heard it,
and stopping, began to whimper with terror.
"STOP BLUBBERING! GET FIERCE!" bellowed
the ghost.
"Fierce? How could we be fierce? We're gentle by
nature," said the old tree.
"Then change your nature," commanded the piti-
less ghost. It felt more desperate than ever, now that
its goal was in sight. The towers of the Emerald City
sparkled in the sunlight. The sight made the ghost
green with envy. If it could become king of all that! [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]