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！
of thistles began。
〃They're the prickliest thistles I ever felt；〃
grumbled the Lion。 〃My legs smart yet from their
stings； though I jumped out of them as quick as I
could。〃
〃Here is a new difficulty；〃 remarked the Wizard in a
grieved tone。 〃The city has stopped hopping around； it
is true； but how are we to get to it； over this mass of
prickers？〃
〃They can't hurt me；〃 said the thick…skinned Woozy；
advancing fearlessly and trampling among the thistles。
〃Nor me；〃 said the Wooden Sawhorse。
〃But the Lion and the Mule cannot stand the
prickers；〃 asserted Dorothy； 〃and we can't leave them
behind。〃
〃Must we all go back？〃 asked Trot。
〃Course not！〃 replied Button…Bright scornfully。
〃Always； when there's trouble； there's a way out of it；
if you can find it。〃
〃I wish the Scarecrow was here；〃 said Scraps；
standing on her head on the Woozy〃s square back。 〃His
splendid brains would soon show us how to conquer this
field of thistles。〃
〃What's the matter with your brains？〃 asked the boy。
〃Nothing；〃 she said； making a flip…flop into the
thistles and dancing among them without feeling their
sharp points。 〃I could tell you in half a minute how to
get over the thistles； if I wanted to。〃
〃Tell us； Scraps！〃 begged Dorothy。
〃I don't want to wear my brains out with overwork；〃
replied the Patchwork Girl。
〃Don't you love Ozma？ And don't you want to find
her？〃 asked Betsy reproachfully。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said Scraps； walking on her hands as
an acrobat does at the circus。
〃Well； we can't find Ozma unless we get past these
thistles；〃 declared Dorothy。
Scraps danced around them two or three
times； without reply。 Then she said：
〃Don't look at me； you stupid folks； look at those
blankets。〃
The Wizard's face brightened at once。
〃Of course！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why didn't we
think of those blankets before？〃
〃Because you haven't magic brains；〃 laughed Scraps。
〃Such brains as you have are of the common sort that
grow in your heads； like weeds in a garden。 I'm sorry
for you people who have to be born in order to be
alive。〃
But the Wizard was not listening to her。 He quickly
removed the blankets from the back of the Sawhorse and
spread one of them upon the thistles； just next to the
grass。 The thick cloth rendered the prickers harmless；
so the Wizard walked over this first blanket and spread
the second one farther on； in the direction of the
phantom city。
〃These blankets；〃 said he； 〃are for the Lion and the
Mule to walk upon。 The Sawhorse and the Woozy can walk
on the thistles。〃
So the Lion and the Mule walked over the first
blanket and stood upon the second one until the Wizard
had picked up the one they had passed over and spread
it in front of them； when they advanced to that one and
waited while the one behind them was again spread in
front。
〃This is slow work；〃 said the Wizard； 〃but it will
get us to the city after a while。〃
〃The city is a good half mile away； yet；〃 announced
Button…Bright。
〃And this is awful hard work for the Wizard；〃 added
Trot。
〃Why couldn't the Lion ride on the Woozy's back？〃
asked Dorothy。 〃It's a big； flat back； and the Woozy's
mighty strong。 Perhaps the Lion wouldn't fall off。〃
〃You may try it； if you like；〃 said the Woozy to the
Lion。 〃I can take you to the city in a jiffy and then
come back for Hank。〃
〃I'm I'm afraid；〃 said the Cowardly Lion。 He was
twice as big as the Woozy。
〃Try it；〃 pleaded Dorothy。
〃And take a tumble among the thistles？〃 asked the
Lion reproachfully。 But when the Woozy came close to
him the big beast suddenly bounded upon its back and
managed to balance himself there； although forced to
hold his four legs so close together that he was in
danger of toppling over。 The great weight of the
monster Lion did not seem to affect the Woozy； who
called to his rider： 〃Hold on tight！〃 and ran swiftly
over the thistles toward the city。
The others stood on the blankets and watched the
strange sight anxiously。 Of course the Lion couldn't
〃hold on tight〃 because there was nothing to hold to；
and he swayed from side to side as if likely to fall
off any moment。 Still； he managed to stick to the
Woozy's back until they were close to the walls of the
city； when he leaped to the ground。 Next moment the
Woozy came dashing back at full speed。
〃There's a little strip of ground next to the wall
where there are no thistles；〃 he told them； when he had
reached the adventurers once more。 〃Now； then； friend
Hank； see if you can ride as well as the Lion did。〃
〃Take the others first；〃 proposed the Mule。 So the
Sawhorse and the Woozy made a couple of trips over the
thistles to the city walls and carried all the people
in safety； Dorothy holding little Toto in her arms。 The
travelers then sat in a group on a little hillock； just
outside the wall； and looked at the great blocks of
gray stone and waited for the Woozy to bring Hank to
them。 The Mule was very awkward and his legs trembled
so badly that more than once they thought he would
tumble off； but finally he reached them in safety and
the entire party was now reunited。 More than that； they
had reached the city that had eluded them for so long
and in so strange a manner。
〃The gates must be around the other side；〃 said the
Wizard。 〃Let us follow the curve of the wall until we
reach an opening in it。〃
〃Which way？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃We must guess at that；〃 he replied。 〃Suppose we go
to the left？ One direction is as good as another。〃
They formed in marching order and went around the
city wall to the left。 It wasn't a big city； as I have
said； but to go way around it； outside the high wall；
was quite a walk； as they became aware。 But around it
our adventurers went； without finding any sign of a
gateway or other opening。 When they had returned to the
little mound from which they had started； they
dismounted from the animals and again seated themselves
on the grassy mound。
〃It's mighty queer； isn't it？〃 asked Button…Bright。
〃There must be some way for the people to get out and
in；' declared Dorothy。 〃Do you s'pose they have flying
machines； Wizard？〃
〃No；〃 he replied； 〃fo