  The great beast that had plunged into the tunnel suddenly stopped roaring, shook the gravel and dirt from his mane and back, and said calmly: "I'm surprised at you, Shaggy Man! What do you mean by digging holes in Ozma's garden and leaving them open for unsuspecting folks to fall into? I might very easily have broken a leg or fractured a paw." The Shaggy Man was grinning broadly. "Ten to one you were running away from something in an effort to work up your well-known, but careful courage to the point of fighting." The huge lion looked down at the ground in embarrassment. "You seem to know this great beast," said the beaver King, who had been regarding the sudden entrant into the tunnel with intense curiosity. "Indeed, I do!" replied the Shaggy Man. "He's an old friend of mine and quite harmless—if he is your friend. For this, you see, is the famous Cowardly Lion of Oz." Twink and Tom had been staring with fascination at the huge lion. It was the first time they had ever come face to face with so great a beast, and although they had read so much about the famous Cowardly Lion of Oz that they recognized him, he had looked so fierce when he had fallen into the tunnel that they would surely have been frightened had it not been for Shaggy's reassuring words. "I don't know what this is all about, Shaggy," sighed the lion. "I was told Ozma had sent you out of the country on an errand for her, and now you turn up in a hole in her garden with a group of strange people and animals." "It can all be explained," soothed the Shaggy Man. "Meanwhile do you think you can help us out of here?" "Of course," replied the Cowardly Lion, "any friends of yours are friends of mine. Just climb on my back and you will have no difficulty in pulling yourselves to level ground. Those little animals don't bite, do they?" The great lion looked anxiously at the beaver's sharp teeth. With a laugh Shaggy assured him he had nothing to fear. The beavers and their King went first, followed by Twink and Tom, who found the lion's coat to be delightfully thick and soft, and finally by Twiffle and the Shaggy Man. The Cowardly Lion leaped from the tunnel and surveyed Shaggy and his friends. "Children, animals, and a wooden clown—all popping up from what I now perceive is the Nome King's tunnel and not just a hole in the ground as I thought when I first tumbled into it. Tell me, Shaggy, have you had trouble with the Nome King again?" Shaggy started to relate his adventures, but after a few words the Cowardly Lion interrupted him. "That can wait, you can tell me all about it later. The important thing is that you are here safely and—I almost forgot—there is plenty going on here!" "What do you mean?" asked the Shaggy Man. "Well, to tell the truth, I was running because I was frightened. Then the ground gave way beneath me and I fell into the tunnel." "But why were you frightened?" persisted the Shaggy Man. "Something is going on in the Royal Palace that I don't understand. The Wizard is very excited. He claims someone has stolen his Black Bag of Magic Tools and locked the door of the tower that leads to his magic workshop so he can't get in. I overheard him telling Dorothy about it and they both seemed very upset. I decided I had better hide somewhere until I had gathered enough courage to lead an attack on the enemy." The Shaggy Man smiled to himself. "You come with us," he said to the Lion. "First, I want you to meet my friends, Twink, Tom, Twiffle, and the King of the Fairy Beavers. Then we must find the Wizard and Dorothy and see what this is all about." The Cowardly Lion acknowledged the introduction so cordially that Twink and Tom felt as if they had been friends for years. They all walked through the beautiful gardens of Ozma's Royal Palace until they came to a large French door leading into a study. Here, by a stroke of good luck, they found Princess Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, deep in conversation. Dorothy and the Wizard looked up in amazement as Shaggy and his strangely assorted band of followers trailed into the study. Introductions were made again, and this time Twink and Tom were very nearly tongue-tied as they realized they were actually in the company of a real Princess of the Fairyland of Oz, and the one and only Wizard of Oz. But Dorothy was so friendly and sweet that the little boy and girl felt quite at ease almost at once. Shaggy told his story as briefly as possible, and then asked the Wizard for an explanation of what had been happening in the Palace. "I wish I could tell you more definitely," said the Wizard ruefully. "But I am as mystified as anyone. Here is all I know: I had ordered the Royal Stables to have the Sawhorse saddled so that I might ride him to the College of Natural History, where I wished to consult some of the books written by Professor Wogglebug. I had placed on the ground my Black Bag of Magic Tools which I needed for some experiments I planned to make at the College. I was about to mount the Sawhorse and pick up the bag when suddenly from out of nowhere, a wild-eyed little man appeared. He gave me one stare, picked up my Black Bag, and dashed into the Palace. I was so startled that it was several moments before I called to him to stop. Then I went dashing into the Palace after him. But the little man was nowhere to be seen. I hurried to Dorothy's rooms and she accompanied me to the throne room. Just as we entered the throne room, the little man whisked past us and was up the tower stairs that lead to my magic workroom." "Did he have the Black Bag then?" asked Shaggy. "No, that's the strange part of it, he did not," replied the Wizard. "He locked the tower door securely after him, so Dorothy and I couldn't follow. We have searched everywhere, but there just is not a single trace of the Black Bag." Twink and Tom listened, spellbound by the Wizard's story. Here they were—not only in the Emerald City of Oz, but in the midst of an adventure that excited even the famous Wizard of Oz! "I just can't understand it," said the Wizard rubbing his bald head in perplexity. "Well, can't we break down the door to the tower?" asked Dorothy. "Perhaps we could, but there are six other doors after that one before my magic workroom can be reached. And all are protected by my own magic!" groaned the Wizard. "Are there no other magic tools that can be used?" inquired Shaggy. "None," said the Wizard despondently. "Ozma took Dorothy's Magic Belt with her when she went to visit Glinda, so we are helpless for the moment." Twiffle had been listening with great interest. Now he said: "Tell me, was the little man who suddenly appeared quite fat and bald save for a fringe of white hair? And did he have blue eyes and a sort of cherry-like nose?" "Why, yes, that describes him quite well, from the glimpse I had of him," said the Wizard thoughtfully. "I think," Twiffle went on quietly, "that if you had had the opportunity to observe him more closely, you would have seen that he wore on his wrist Ozma's Magic Compass!" |
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