  There are only a few more mysteries to clear up before we leave for a time the jolly Kingdom of Oz. Ruggedo, much shaken by his terrible experiences with Glegg’s magic, confessed everything to Ozma on her return to the Emerald City. You can imagine the surprise of the little Fairy Ruler on learning how her palace had come to be impaled upon the spikes of the wicked old gnome’s gray head. “He will nev-er re-form,” said Tik Tok mournfully, as Ruggedo finished his recital. The bad little gnome assured Ozma that he had reformed and begged for another chance, but this time Ozma knew better, and putting on her Magic Belt she whispered a few secret words. Then they all hurried over to the Magic Picture, for they knew that Ruggedo had been transported to a safe place at last. The picture showed the Runaway Country rushing along faster than an express train and dancing up and down on its highest hill was the furious old King of the Gnomes. They watched until the Country plunged joyfully into the Nonestic Ocean and, when it was almost in the middle, Ozma stopped it by the magic spinning process and it became Ruggedo’s Island. “Well,” sighed Dorothy as they turned from the picture, “I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock!” “He’s rocked in the cradle of the deep now,” chuckled the Scarecrow. “And I hope it quiets him down. They ought to make a good pair—that bad little Island and that bad little King,” he added reflectively. “I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock,” said Dorothy “I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock,” said Dorothy Then Ozma proposed that they follow the adventures of Peg and Pompa, having so satisfactorily disposed of Ruggedo. How she transported Glegg just in time to save the Princess you already know. But what happened to Glegg himself is interesting. When the old magician had asked his Question Box how to regain control over Peg again it had directed him to bury his Mixed Magic under the Emerald City and in two years to send the scroll to Pumperdink. So Glegg had tunneled out the cave under Ozma’s palace and left his magic in what he supposed was a very safe place. It had been a great hardship to do without it for two years, but he wanted Peg so badly that he actually did this, never dreaming that Ruggedo had moved in and discovered his treasures. The Question Box had told the exact day Peg would be disenchanted and all that long two years Glegg had waited, hidden in a forest near Sun Top Mountain. As he knew nothing of the discovery of his magic box, no one was more surprised than he to find himself, just as he was on the point of seizing Peg, transported to the Emerald City. While Sir Hokus of Pokes held the struggling Glegg, Ozma asked the Question Box how to deal with him. Everybody crowded around the little Fairy Ruler to hear what the wicked old magician’s fate was to be. “Give him a taste of his own magic,” directed the Question Box. “Make him drink a cup of his Triple Trick Tea.” This Ozma did, although it took fourteen people to get Glegg to drink it. But, stars! No sooner had the liquid touched his lips than the miserable old magician went off with a loud explosion! (unlabelled) The box of Mixed Magic was carefully put away in Ozma’s gold safe and then the whole company—Ozma, Dorothy, Sir Hokus, the Scarecrow and all the celebrities—devoted themselves to setting the topsy turvy palace to rights, for they knew by the Magic picture that Pompa and Peg Amy were coming to visit them. “Glegg, Glegg, shake a leg And never more, Sir, bother Peg!” shouted Scraps, as she swept up the black soot Glegg had left when he exploded. And he never did. (unlabelled) (unlabelled)
|
|
