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〃My school…teacher said so； and she knows a lot； Jim。〃
〃To 'climb down' is sometimes used as a figure of speech；〃 remarked
the Wizard。
〃Well； this was a figure of a cat；〃 said Jim； 〃and she WENT down；
anyhow； whether she climbed or crept。〃
〃Dear me！ how careless Eureka is；〃 exclaimed the girl； much
distressed。 〃The Gurgles will get her； sure！〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 chuckled the old cab…horse； 〃they're not 'Gurgles；' little
maid； they're Gargoyles。〃
〃Never mind； they'll get Eureka； whatever they're called。〃
〃No they won't；〃 said the voice of the kitten； and Eureka herself crawled
over the edge of the platform and sat down quietly upon the floor。
〃Wherever have you been； Eureka？〃 asked Dorothy； sternly。
〃Watching the wooden folks。 They're too funny for anything； Dorothy。
Just now they are all going to bed； andwhat do you think？they
unhook the hinges of their wings and put them in a corner until they
wake up again。〃
〃What； the hinges？〃
〃No； the wings。〃
〃That；〃 said Zeb； 〃explains why this house is used by them for a
prison。 If any of the Gargoyles act badly； and have to be put in
jail； they are brought here and their wings unhooked and taken away
from them until they promise to be good。〃
The Wizard had listened intently to what Eureka had said。
〃I wish we had some of those loose wings；〃 he said。
〃Could we fly with them？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃I think so。 If the Gargoyles can unhook the wings then the power to
fly lies in the wings themselves； and not in the wooden bodies of the
people who wear them。 So； if we had the wings； we could probably fly
as well as they doas least while we are in their country and under
the spell of its magic。〃
〃But how would it help us to be able to fly？〃 questioned the girl。
〃Come here；〃 said the little man； and took her to one of the corners
of the building。 〃Do you see that big rock standing on the hillside
yonder？〃 he continued； pointing with his finger。
〃Yes； it's a good way off； but I can see it；〃 she replied。
〃Well； inside that rock； which reaches up into the clouds； is an
archway very much like the one we entered when we climbed the spiral
stairway from the Valley of Voe。 I'll get my spy…glass； and then you
can see it more plainly。〃
He fetched a small but powerful telescope； which had been in his
satchel； and by its aid the little girl clearly saw the opening。
〃Where does it lead to？〃 she asked。
〃That I cannot tell；〃 said the Wizard； 〃but we cannot now be far below
the earth's surface； and that entrance may lead to another stairway
that will bring us on top of our world again； where we belong。 So； if
we had the wings； and could escape the Gargoyles； we might fly to that
rock and be saved。〃
〃I'll get you the wings；〃 said Zeb； who had thoughtfully listened to
all this。 〃That is； if the kitten will show me where they are。〃
〃But how can you get down？〃 enquired the girl； wonderingly。
For answer Zeb began to unfasten Jim's harness； strap by strap； and to
buckle one piece to another until he had made a long leather strip
that would reach to the ground。
〃I can climb down that； all right；〃 he said。
〃No you can't；〃 remarked Jim； with a twinkle in his round eyes。 〃You
may GO down； but you can only CLIMB up。〃
〃Well； I'll climb up when I get back； then；〃 said the boy； with a
laugh。 〃Now； Eureka； you'll have to show me the way to those wings。〃
〃You must be very quiet；〃 warned the kitten； 〃for if you make the
least noise the Gargoyles will wake up。 They can hear a pin drop。〃
〃I'm not going to drop a pin；〃 said Zeb。
He had fastened one end of the strap to a wheel of the buggy； and now
he let the line dangle over the side of the house。
〃Be careful；〃 cautioned Dorothy； earnestly。
〃I will；〃 said the boy； and let himself slide over the edge。
The girl and the Wizard leaned over and watched Zeb work his way
carefully downward； hand over hand； until he stood upon the ground
below。 Eureka clung with her claws to the wooden side of the house
and let herself down easily。 Then together they crept away to enter
the low doorway of a neighboring dwelling。
The watchers waited in breathless suspense until the boy again
appeared； his arms now full of the wooden wings。
When he came to where the strap was hanging he tied the wings all in a
bunch to the end of the line； and the Wizard drew them up。 Then the
line was let down again for Zeb to climb up by。 Eureka quickly
followed him； and soon they were all standing together upon the
platform； with eight of the much prized wooden wings beside them。
The boy was no longer sleepy； but full of energy and excitement。 He
put the harness together again and hitched Jim to the buggy。 Then；
with the Wizard's help； he tried to fasten some of the wings to the
old cab…horse。
This was no easy task； because half of each one of the hinges of the
wings was missing； it being still fastened to the body of the Gargoyle
who had used it。 However； the Wizard went once more to his satchel
which seemed to contain a surprising variety of odds and endsand
brought out a spool of strong wire； by means of which they managed to
fasten four of the wings to Jim's harness； two near his head and two
near his tail。 They were a bit wiggley； but secure enough if only the
harness held together。
The other four wings were then fastened to the buggy； two on each
side； for the buggy must bear the weight of the children and the
Wizard as it flew through the air。
These preparations had not consumed a great deal of time； but the
sleeping Gargoyles were beginning to wake up and move around； and soon
some of them would be hunting for their missing wings。 So the
prisoners resolved to leave their prison at once。
They mounted into the buggy； Dorothy holding Eureka safe in her lap。
The girl sat in the middle of the seat； with Zeb and the Wizard on each
side of her。 When all was ready the boy shook the reins and said：
〃Fly away； Jim！〃
〃Which wings must I flop first？〃 asked the cab…horse； undecidedly。
〃Flop them all together；〃 suggested the Wizard。
〃Some of them are crooked；〃 objected the horse。
〃Never mind； we will steer with the wings on the buggy；〃 said Zeb。
〃Just you light out and make for that rock； Jim； and don't waste any
time about it； either。〃
So the horse gave a groan； flopped its four wings all together； and
flew away from the platform。 Dorothy was a little anxious about the
success of their trip； for the way Jim arched his long neck and spread
out his bony legs as he fluttered and floundered through the air was
enough to make anybody nervous。 He groaned； too； as if frightened；
and the wings creaked dreadfully because the Wizard had forgotten to
oil them； but they kept fairly good time with the wings of the buggy；
so that they made excellent progress from the start。 The only thing
that anyone c