Ozoplaning With The Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Author:L. Frank Baum [Baum, L. Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult, Oz, Fiction
Published: 2011-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

KING, KING C4 DOUBLE KING!

The effect of the Cowardly Lion's speech was astonishing indeed. The

Stratovanians behind the Queen turned and ran for their lives. They started

backing away so fast they fell up at every step, so that their progress was

curious enough to watch. There were few animals on the airosphere, and

certainly none that talked. Thoroughly convinced that the Cowardly Lion was

Strut and Strut was the lion, his terrified subjects fled in all

directions.

"Whew!" exclaimed the Wizard, snatching out his green handkerchief and

mopping his moist forehead. "That was quick thinking, my dear. Good acting,

too," he puffed, leaning down to give the lion an approving pat.

"Oh, wasn't he WONDERFUL?" Jellia hugged the lion so energetically he fairly

gasped for breath.

"Not so hard for ME to play King," he wheezed when he managed to escape from

Jellia's embrace. "After all, I AM the King of the Forest!"

"Well, however that may be, Jellia is certainly Starina of the Strat!"

declared the Scarecrow. "I'm beginning to think Strut was right in choosing

her! You've been wasting your talents in Oz, my dear, and you surely have

earned a crown today!"

"But I don't want a crown!" asserted Jellia with spirit. Nevertheless, she

was quite pleased at such high praise. "Now, look! Since the Cowardly Lion

ordered supper in the Royal Pavilion, perhaps we'd better go. It will be as

good a place as any to rest while we plan our next move."

"Hi there, is everything all right?" Wantowin Battles, who had hidden

himself behind a crystal rock at the Blowmen's approach, now peered out

nervously.

"For the present," called the Wizard, waving his kerchief, "for the present.

Come along, Soldier, we're going to have supper in the Royal Pavilion!"

"Not I," said the Soldier, falling in step with the Scarecrow. "Count me out

of that!"

"I'm sure I'll not be able to eat a bite," sighed Dorothy, picking up the

Tell-all-escope. "How can you even think of supper with those awful airmen

flying to the Emerald City? Oh, why don't we go after them now?"

"Because I do not believe Nick will take them to the Emerald City," said

Jellia, straightening her crown. "He'll lose them somehow and then come

back here for Wanny and me."

"My own deduction exactly," agreed the Wizard, walking briskly along beside

Jellia. "But wherever Nick is, we'll find him same as we have found you."

"How did you find us?" asked Jellia, stopping short and staring up into the

Wizard's face. "I've been wondering about that."

"Well, you see," explained the little magician impressively, "on the Ozpril

there is a magnetic compass that shows the exact course taken by the

Oztober, provided that both planes are in flight. By following the compass,

I followed your exact route. The delay in our arrival was caused by the

difference in speed!"

"Why, them, you saw the very same things we did," cried Jellia, nodding

distantly to several airlanders who were bowing to the ground as the little

procession passed.

"The very same," said the Wizard. Then, as a little afterthought, "By the

way, what did you see?"

"Oh, nothing much but clouds, fog, an icecloud, and some flying airimals

with spikes," Jellia told him briefly as she started up the long steps to

the Royal Pavilion.

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