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〃Of course； in just a jiffy。 And Ozma has an enchanted picture
hanging in her room that shows her the exact scene where any of her
friends may be； at any time she chooses。 All she has to do is to
say： 'I wonder what So…and…so is doing；' and at once the picture shows
where her friend is and what the friend is doing。 That's REAL magic；
Mr。 Wizard； isn't it？ Well； every day at four o'clock Ozma has
promised to look at me in that picture； and if I am in need of help I
am to make her a certain sign and she will put on the Nome King's
Magic Belt and wish me to be with her in Oz。〃
〃Do you mean that Princess Ozma will see this cave in her enchanted
picture； and see all of us here； and what we are doing？〃 demanded Zeb。
〃Of course； when it is four o'clock；〃 she replied； with a laugh at his
startled expression。
〃And when you make a sign she will bring you to her in the Land of
Oz？〃 continued the boy。
〃That's it； exactly； by means of the Magic Belt。〃
〃Then；〃 said the Wizard； 〃you will be saved； little Dorothy； and I am
very glad of it。 The rest of us will die much more cheerfully when we
know you have escaped our sad fate。〃
〃I won't die cheerfully！〃 protested the kitten。 〃There's nothing
cheerful about dying that I could ever see； although they say a cat
has nine lives； and so must die nine times。〃
〃Have you ever died yet？〃 enquired the boy。
〃No； and I'm not anxious to begin；〃 said Eureka。
〃Don't worry； dear；〃 Dorothy exclaimed； 〃I'll hold you in my arms； and
take you with me。〃
〃Take us； too！〃 cried the nine tiny piglets； all in one breath。
〃Perhaps I can；〃 answered Dorothy。 〃I'll try。〃
〃Couldn't you manage to hold me in your arms？〃 asked the cab…horse。
Dorothy laughed。
〃I'll do better than that；〃 she promised； 〃for I can easily save you
all； once I am myself in the Land of Oz。〃
〃How？〃 they asked。
〃By using the Magic Belt。 All I need do is to wish you with me； and
there you'll besafe in the royal palace！〃
〃Good！〃 cried Zeb。
〃I built that palace； and the Emerald City； too；〃 remarked the Wizard；
in a thoughtful tone； 〃and I'd like to see them again； for I was very
happy among the Munchkins and Winkies and Quadlings and Gillikins。〃
〃Who are they？〃 asked the boy。
〃The four nations that inhabit the Land of Oz；〃 was the reply。 〃I
wonder if they would treat me nicely if I went there again。〃
〃Of course they would！〃 declared Dorothy。 〃They are still proud of
their former Wizard； and often speak of you kindly。〃
〃Do you happen to know whatever became of the Tin Woodman and the
Scarecrow？〃 he enquired。
〃They live in Oz yet；〃 said the girl； 〃and are very important people。〃
〃And the Cowardly Lion？〃
〃Oh； he lives there too； with his friend the Hungry Tiger； and Billina
is there； because she liked the place better than Kansas； and wouldn't
go with me to Australia。〃
〃I'm afraid I don't know the Hungry Tiger and Billina；〃 said the
Wizard； shaking his head。 〃Is Billina a girl？〃
〃No； she's a yellow hen； and a great friend of mine。 You're sure to
like Billina； when you know her；〃 asserted Dorothy。
〃Your friends sound like a menagerie；〃 remarked Zeb； uneasily。
〃Couldn't you wish me in some safer place than Oz。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 replied the girl。 〃You'll just love the folks in Oz；
when you get acquainted。 What time is it； Mr。 Wizard？〃
The little man looked at his watcha big silver one that he carried
in his vest pocket。
〃Half…past three；〃 he said。
〃Then we must wait for half an hour；〃 she continued； 〃but it won't
take long； after that； to carry us all to the Emerald City。〃
They sat silently thinking for a time。 Then Jim suddenly asked：
〃Are there any horses in Oz？〃
〃Only one；〃 replied Dorothy； 〃and he's a sawhorse。〃
〃A what？〃
〃A sawhorse。 Princess Ozma once brought him to life with a
witch…powder； when she was a boy。〃
〃Was Ozma once a boy？〃 asked Zeb； wonderingly。
〃Yes； a wicked witch enchanted her； so she could not rule her kingdom。
But she's a girl now； and the sweetest； loveliest girl in all the world。〃
〃A sawhorse is a thing they saw boards on；〃 remarked Jim； with a sniff。
〃It is when it's not alive；〃 acknowledged the girl。 〃But this
sawhorse can trot as fast as you can； Jim； and he's very wise； too。〃
〃Pah！ I'll race the miserable wooden donkey any day in the week！〃
cried the cab…horse。
Dorothy did not reply to that。 She felt that Jim would know more
about the Saw…Horse later on。
The time dragged wearily enough to the eager watchers； but finally the
Wizard announced that four o'clock had arrived； and Dorothy caught up
the kitten and began to make the signal that had been agreed upon to
the far…away invisible Ozma。
〃Nothing seems to happen；〃 said Zeb； doubtfully。
〃Oh； we must give Ozma time to put on the Magic Belt；〃 replied the girl。
She had scarcely spoken the words then she suddenly disappeared from
the cave； and with her went the kitten。 There had been no sound of
any kind and no warning。 One moment Dorothy sat beside them with the
kitten in her lap； and a moment later the horse； the piglets； the
Wizard and the boy were all that remained in the underground prison。
〃I believe we will soon follow her；〃 announced the Wizard； in a tone
of great relief； 〃for I know something about the magic of the
fairyland that is called the Land of Oz。 Let us be ready； for we may
be sent for any minute。〃
He put the piglets safely away in his pocket again and then he and Zeb
got into the buggy and sat expectantly upon the seat。
〃Will it hurt？〃 asked the boy； in a voice that trembled a little。
〃Not at all；〃 replied the Wizard。 〃It will all happen as quick as a wink。〃
And that was the way it did happen。
The cab…horse gave a nervous start and Zeb began to rub his eyes to
make sure he was not asleep。 For they were in the streets of a
beautiful emerald…green city； bathed in a grateful green light that
was especially pleasing to their eyes； and surrounded by merry faced
people in gorgeous green…and…gold costumes of many extraordinary designs。
Before them were the jewel…studded gates of a magnificent palace； and
now the gates opened slowly as if inviting them to enter the
courtyard； where splendid flowers were blooming and pretty fountains
shot their silvery sprays into the air。
Zeb shook the reins to rouse the cab…horse from his stupor of
amazement； for the people were beginning to gather around and stare at
the strangers。
〃Gid…dap！〃 cried the boy； and at the word Jim slowly trotted into the
courtyard and drew the buggy along the jewelled driveway to the great
entrance of the royal palace。
15。 Old Friends are Reunited
Many servants dressed in handsome uniforms stood ready to welcome the
new arrivals； and when the Wizard got out of the buggy a pretty girl
in a green gown