Fantasy fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
When Peter awakened next morning, he thought for a few moments he was
still aboard ship. But he soon realized that the up and down motion
he was experiencing was merely the deep breathing of the little bear.
Without disturbing Grumpy, he straightened up and rubbed his eyes.
Scraps was over by the window turning Soob’s emerald over and over in
her cotton fingers. Reminded of the letter he had been about to read
when the candle went out, Peter felt around till he found Kuma’s note.
Hurrying over to the Patchwork Girl, he spread it open and quickly read
its contents.
“If you ever need a helping hand, send for mine,” said the note. “Write
directions on this paper and toss into the air.”
“Well, hurrah!” exclaimed Peter, showing the note to Scraps. “Kuma
will lend us a hand any time we need it.”
“Three cheers! Four laughs!
Five grins--a bow!
Send for it quick, I need it now,”
cried the Patchwork Girl. “In a minute I’ll have to cook, sweep, dust,
scrub and make beds. Why, an extra hand will be wonderful. Send for it,
Peter. Send for it right way. You’re a slave too, remember.”
“I was thinking it might unlock the doors and help us escape,” mused
the little boy, wrinkling up his brows. “Could you read the markings on
the emerald?”
“No,” admitted Scraps, handing back the stone, “but keep it safely,
Peter. You never know when or where magic will work in this country and
we need all the magic we can find to get to the Emerald City before
Ruggedo.”
“I wonder where he is now?” worried Peter. “Zamagoochie was the country
Kuma’s father came from, but I wonder where it is and whether Rug is
still there or whether he has reached the Emerald City and turned Ozma
to a canary?”
“Stop! Stop!” begged Scraps. “Let’s stop worrying and try to think. If
we send for Kuma’s hand now, when all the Quilties are working in the
fields, we will soon be captured, even if we escape from the castle.
We’ll have to wait till night,” sighed the Patchwork Girl, “though how
I’m going to stand another day here I don’t see!”
“Never mind,” said Peter sympathetically, “I’ll help.”
“I’ll help, too!” volunteered Grumpy, rolling over on his side and
yawning tremendously. “It won’t be as bad as growling all the time and
that’s how I helped Cross Patch!”
“Sh-hh!” warned Scraps, “Here they come! Look out for the Scissor Bird,
Peter, he’s dreadfully careless with his bill.” Thrusting Kuma’s note
into his pocket and assuming as defiant an attitude as he well could,
Peter waited for the door to open, which it presently did. In came
Scrapper, the Scissor Bird on his shoulder and Piecer staggering under
a great pile of coats and other garments that had been sent in to be
mended.
“Good morning, Slave!” Scrapper bowed stiffly to Peter and then to
Scraps. “Kindly prepare breakfast, at once!”
“Oh scrapple!” scolded the Patchwork Girl.
“Not scrapple, eggs,” said Piecer, setting down his pile of garments.
“And when you have finished with breakfast, please sort these.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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