按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Lion leaves us we will have no protector。
〃The Glass Cat could go；〃 suggested the Frogman。
〃The beasts can do her no harm； as we have discovered。〃
The Wizard turned to Glinda。
〃Cannot your sorcery discover where Button Bright
is？〃 he asked。
〃I think so；〃 replied the Sorceress。
She called to Uncle Henry； who had been carrying her
wicker box； to bring it to her； and when he obeyed she
opened it and drew out a small round mirror。 On the
surface of the glass she dusted a white powder and then
wiped it away with her handkerchief and looked in the
mirror。 It reflected a part of the forest； and there；
beneath a wide…spreading tree； Button Bright was lying
asleep。 On one side of him crouched a tiger； ready to
spring； on the other side was a big gray wolf； its
bared fangs glistening in a wicked way。
〃Goodness me！〃 cried Trot； looking over Glinda's
shoulder。 〃They'll catch and kill him sure。〃
Everyone crowded around for a glimpse at the magic
mirror。
〃Pretty bad pretty bad！〃 said the Scarecrow
sorrowfully。
〃Comes of getting lost！〃 said Cap'n Bill； sighing。
〃Guess he's a goner！〃 said the Frogman； wiping his
eyes on his purple silk handkerchief。
〃But where is he？ Can't we save him？〃 asked Ojo the
Lucky。
〃If we knew where he is we could probably save him；〃
replied the little Wizard； 〃but that tree looks so much
like all the other trees； that we can't tell whether
it's far away or near by。〃
〃Look at Glinda！〃 exclaimed Betsy
Glinda； having handed the mirror to the Wizard； had
stepped aside and was making strange passes with her
outstretched arms and reciting in low； sweet tones a
mystical incantation。 Most of them watched the
Sorceress with anxious eyes； despair giving way to the
hope that she might be able to save their friend。 the
Wizard； however； watched the scene in the mirror； while
over his shoulders peered Trot； the Scarecrow and the
Shaggy Man。
What they saw was more strange than Glinda's actions。
The tiger started to spring on the sleeping boy； but
suddenly lost its power to move and lay flat upon the
ground。 The gray wolf seemed unable to lift its feet
from the ground。 It pulled first at one leg and then at
another； and finding itself strangely confined to the
spot began to back and snarl angrily。 They couldn't
hear the barkings and snarls； but they could see the
creature's mouth open and its thick lips move。 Button
Bright； however； being but a few feet away from the
wolf； heard its cries of rage； which wakened him from
his untroubled sleep。 The boy sat up and looked first
at the tiger and then at the wolf。 His face showed that
for a moment he was quite frightened； but he soon saw
that the beasts were unable to approach him and so he
got upon his feet and examined them curiously； with a
mischievous smile upon his face。 Then he deliberately
kicked the tiger's head with his foot and catching up a
fallen branch of a tree he went to the wolf and gave it
a good whacking。 Both the beasts were furious at such
treatment but could not resent it。
Button Bright now threw down the stick and with his
hands in his pockets wandered carelessly away。
〃Now；〃 said Glinda； 〃let the Glass Cat run and find
him。 He is in that direction；〃 pointing the way； 〃but
how far off I do not know。 Make haste and lead him back
to us as quickly as you can。〃
The Glass Cat did not obey everyone's orders； but she
really feared the great Sorceress； so as soon as the
words were spoken the crystal animal darted away and
was quickly lost to sight。
The Wizard handed the mirror back to Glinda； for the
woodland scene had now faded from the glass。 Then those
who cared to rest sat down to await Button Bright's
coming。 It was not long before be appeared through the
trees and as he rejoined his friends he said in a
peevish tone：
〃Don't ever send that Glass Cat to find me again。 She
was very impolite and； if we didn't all know that she
had no manners； I'd say she insulted me。〃
Glinda turned upon the boy sternly。
〃You have caused all of us much anxiety and
annoyance；〃 said she。 〃Only my magic saved you from
destruction。 I forbid you to get lost again。〃
〃Of course；〃 he answered。 〃It won't be my fault if I
get lost again； but it wasn't my fault this time。〃
Chapter Sixteen
The Enchanted Fishes
I must now tell you what happened to Ervic and the
three other Skeezers who were left floating in the iron
boat after Queen Coo…ee…oh had been transformed into a
Diamond Swan by the magic of the Flathead Su…dic。
The four Skeezers were all young men and their leader
was Ervic。 Coo…ee…oh had taken them with her in the
boat to assist her if she captured the Flathead chief；
as she hoped to do by means of her silver rope。 They
knew nothing about the witchcraft that moved the
submarine and so； when left floating upon the lake；
were at a loss what to do。 The submarine could not be
submerged by them or made to return to the sunken
island。 There were neither oars nor sails in the boat；
which was not anchored but drifted quietly upon the
surface of the lake。
The Diamond Swan had no further thought or care for
her people。 She had sailed over to the other side of
the lake and all the calls and pleadings of Ervic and
his companions were unheeded by the vain bird。 As there
was nothing else for them to do； they sat quietly in
their boat and waited as patiently as they could for
someone to come to their aid。
The Flatheads had refused to help them and had gone
back to their mountain。 All the Skeezers were
imprisoned in the Great Dome and could not help even
themselves。 When evening came； they saw the Diamond
Swan； still keeping to the opposite shore of the lake；
walk out of the water to the sands； shake her diamond…
sprinkled feathers； and then disappear among the bushes
to seek a resting place for the night。
〃I'm hungry；〃 said Ervic。
〃I'm cold；〃 said another Skeezer。
〃I'm tired；〃 said a third。
〃I'm afraid；〃 said the last one of them。
But it did them no good to complain。 Night fell and
the moon rose and cast a silvery sheen over the surface
of the water。
〃Go to sleep；〃 said Ervic to his companions。 〃I'll
stay awake and watch； for we may be rescued in some
unexpected way。
So the other three laid themselves down in the bottom
of the boat and were soon fast asleep。
Ervic watched。 He rested himself by leaning over the
bow of the boat； his face near to the moonlit water；
and thought dreamily of the day's surprising events and
wondered what would happen to the prisoners in the
Great Dome。
Suddenly a tiny goldfish popped its head above the
surface of the lake； not more than a foot from his
eyes。 A silverfish then raised its head beside that of
the goldfish； and a moment later a bronzefish lifted
its head beside the others。 The three fis