<h2 id="c9"><span class="smaller">Chapter 9</span> <br/>Mixed Magic Makes Mischief</h2>
<p>The Book of Records had been perfectly correct in
stating that Ruggedo had something on his mind.
<i>He had!</i> To understand the mysterious disappearance
of Ozma’s palace, we must go back to the old Ex-King
of the Gnomes. The whole of the night after he had
found Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic, Ruggedo had
spent trying to open the box. But pry and poke as he
would it stubbornly refused to give up its secrets.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_115">115</div>
<p>“Better come to bed,” advised Wag, twitching his
nose nervously. “Mixed Magic isn’t safe, you know.
It might explode.”</p>
<p>“Idiot!” grumbled Ruggedo. “I don’t know who
Glegg is or was, but I’m going to find out what kind of
magic he mixes. I’m going to open this box if it takes
me a century.”</p>
<p>“All right,” quavered Wag, retiring backward and
holding up his paw. “All right, but remember I
warned you! Don’t meddle with magic, that’s my
motto!”</p>
<p>“I don’t care a harebell what your motto is,”
sneered the gnome, continuing to hammer on the gold
lid.</p>
<p>When he reached his room, Wag shut the door and
sank dejectedly upon the edge of the bed.</p>
<p>“There’s no manner of use trying to stop him,”
sighed the rabbit, “so I’ve got to get out of here before
he gets me into trouble. I’ll go to-morrow!” resolved
Wag, pulling his long ear nervously. With this good
resolution, the little rabbit drooped off asleep.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_116">116</div>
<p>Very cautiously he opened the door of his little rock-room
next morning. Ruggedo was sound asleep on
the floor, his head on the magic box, and Peg Amy,
with her wooden arms and legs flung out in every direction,
lay sprawled in a corner.</p>
<p>“Been shaking you again, the old scrabble-scratch!”
whispered the rabbit indignantly, “just ’cause he
couldn’t open that box. Well, never mind, Peg, I’m
leaving to-day and as surely as I’ve ears and whiskers
you shall go too!” Picking up the poor wooden doll
Wag tucked her under his arm. Was it imagination,
or did the little wooden face break into a sunny smile?
It seemed so to Wag and, with a real thrill of pleasure,
he tip-toed back to his room and began tossing his
treasures into one of the bed sheets. He seated Peg
in his own small rocking chair and from time to time
he nodded to her reassuringly.</p>
<p>“We’ll soon be out now, my dear,” he chuckled,
quite as if Peg had been alive. She often did seem
alive to Wag. “Then we’ll see what Ozma has to say
to this Mixed Magic,” continued the bunny, wiggling
his ears indignantly. And so occupied was he collecting
his treasures that he did not hear Ruggedo’s call
and next minute the angry gnome himself stood in the
doorway.</p>
<p>“What does this mean?” he cried furiously, pointing
to the tied up sheet. Then he stamped his foot so hard
that Peg Amy fell over sideways in the chair and all
the ornaments in the room skipped as if alive.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_117">117</div>
<p>The rabbit whirled ’round in a hurry.</p>
<p>“It means I’m leaving you for good, you wicked little
monster!” shrilled Wag, his whiskers trembling
with agitation and his ears sticking straight out
behind. “<i>Leaving</i>—do you hear?”</p>
<p>Then he snatched Peg Amy in one paw and his
treasures in the other and tried to brush past Ruggedo.
But the gnome was too quick for him. Springing out
of the room, he slammed the door and locked it. Wag
could hear him rolling up rocks for further security.</p>
<p>“Thought you’d steal a march on old Ruggedo;
thought you’d tell Ozma all his plans and get a nice
little reward! Well, <i>think again</i>!” shouted the gnome
through the keyhole.</p>
<p>Wag had plenty of time to think, for Ruggedo never
came near the rabbit’s room all day. At every sound
poor Wag leaped into the air, for he felt sure each
blow could only mean the opening of the dreaded
magic box. To reassure himself he held long conversations
with the wooden doll and Peg’s calm cheerfulness
steadied him a lot.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_118">118</div>
<p>“I might dig my way out but it would take so long!
My ear tips! How provoking it is!” exclaimed Wag.
“But perhaps he’ll relent by nightfall!” Slowly the
day dragged on but nothing came from the big rock
room but thumps, grumbles and bangs.</p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_122.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width-obs="600" height-obs="402" /></div>
<p>“It is fortunate that you do not eat, Peg, dear,”
sighed the rabbit late in the afternoon, nibbling disconsolately
on a stale biscuit he had found under his
bureau. “Shall you care very much if I starve? I
probably shall, you know. Of course no one in Oz can
die, but starving forever is not comfortable either.” At
this the wooden doll seemed to shake her head, as much
as to say: “You won’t starve, Wag dear; just be
patient a little longer.” Not that she really said this,
mind you, but Wag knew from her smile that this is
what she was thinking.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_119">119</div>
<p>It was hot and stuffy in the little rock chamber and
the faint light that filtered down from the hole in the
ceiling was far from cheerful. At last night came, and
that was worse. Wag lit his only candle but it was
already partly burned down and soon with a dismal
sputter it went out and left the two sitting in the dark.
Peg Amy stared cheerfully ahead but the rabbit, worn
out by his long day of fright and worry, fell into a
heavy slumber.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Ruggedo had worked on the magic box
and every minute he became more impatient. All his
poundings failed to make even a dent on the gold lid
and even jumping on it brought no result. The little
gnome had eaten nothing since morning and by nightfall
he was stamping around the box in a perfect fury.
His eyes snapped and twinkled like live coals and his
wispy white hair fairly crackled with rage. Hidden
in this box were magic secrets that would doubtless
enable him to capture the Whole of Oz but, <i>klumping
kaloogas</i>, how was he to get at ’em? He finally gave
the gold box such a vindictive kick that he almost
crushed his curly toes; then holding onto one foot, he
hopped about on the other till he fell over exhausted.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_120">120</div>
<p>For several minutes he lay perfectly still; then
jumping up he seized the box and flung it with all his
gnome might against the rock wall.</p>
<p>“Take that!” screamed Ruggedo furiously. There
was a bright flash; then the box righted itself slowly
and sailed straight back into Ruggedo’s hands and,
more wonderful still, <i>it was open</i>! With his eyes almost
popping from his head, the gnome sat down on
the floor, the box in his lap.</p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_124.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width-obs="600" height-obs="398" /></div>
<p>In the first tray were four golden flasks and each
one was carefully labeled. The first was marked,
“Flying Fluid”; “Vanishing Cream” was in the second.
The third flask held “Glegg’s Instantaneous Expanding
Extract,” and in the fourth was “Spike’s Hair
Strengthener.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_121">121</div>
<p>Ruggedo rubbed his hands gleefully and lifted out
the top tray. In the next compartment was a tiny
copper kettle, a lamp and a package marked “Triple
Trick Tea.” So anxious was Ruggedo to know what
was in the last compartment that he scarcely glanced
at Glegg’s tea set. Quickly he peered into the bottom
of the casket. There were two boxes. Taking up the
first Ruggedo read, “Glegg’s Question Box. Shake
three times after each question.”</p>
<p>“Great Grampus!” spluttered the gnome, “this is
a find!” He was growing more excited every minute
and his hands shook so he could hardly read the label
on the last box. Finally he made it out: “Re-animating
Rays, guaranteed to reawaken any person who has
lost the power of life through sorcery, witchcraft or
enchantment,” said the label.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_122">122</div>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_128.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width-obs="600" height-obs="410" /></div>
<p>Well, did anyone ever hear anything more magic
than that? Ruggedo glanced from one to the other of
the little gold flasks and boxes. There were so many
he hardly knew which to use first. “Flying Fluid and
Vanishing Cream,” mused the gnome. Well, they
might help after he had captured Oz, but he felt it
would take more powerful magic than Flying Fluid
and Vanishing Cream to capture the fairy Kingdom.
Next he picked up the bottle labeled “Spike’s Hair
Strengthener.” Anything that strengthened would
be helpful, so, with one eye on the last bottle, Ruggedo
absently rubbed some of the hair strengthener on his
head. He stopped rubbing in a hurry and put his
finger in his mouth with a howl of pain. Then he
jumped up in alarm and ran to a small mirror hanging
on the wall. Every hair on his head had become an
iron spike and the result was so terrible that it frightened
even the old gnome. He flung the bottle angrily
on the ground. But stop! He could butt his enemies
with the sharp spikes! Comforting himself with this
cheerful thought, Ruggedo returned to the magic
box.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_123">123</div>
<p>“Instantaneous Expanding Extract,” muttered the
gnome, turning the bottle over carefully. “That ought
to make me <i>larger</i>—and if I were larger—if I were
larger!” He snapped his fingers and began hopping
up and down. He was about to empty the bottle over
his head when he suddenly reflected that it might be
safer to try this powerful extract on someone else.
But on whom?</p>
<p>Ruggedo glanced quickly around the cave and then
remembered the wooden doll. He would try a little
on Peg Amy and see how it worked. Turning the key
he stepped softly into Wag’s room. Without wakening
the rabbit, Ruggedo dragged out the wooden doll.
Propping her up against the wall, the gnome uncorked
the bottle of expanding fluid and dropped two drops
on Peg Amy’s head. Peg was about ten inches high,
but no sooner had the expanding fluid touched her
than she shot up four feet and with such force that she
lost her balance and came crashing down on top of
Ruggedo, almost crushing him flat.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_124">124</div>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_130.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width-obs="600" height-obs="495" /></div>
<p>“Get off, you great log of wood!” screamed the
gnome, struggling furiously. But this Peg Amy was
powerless to do and it was only after a frightful
struggle that Ruggedo managed to drag himself out.
He started to shake Peg but as she was now four
times his size he soon gave that up.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_125">125</div>
<p>“Well, anyway it works,” sighed the gnome, rubbing
his nose and the middle of his back. “I wonder
how it would act on a live person? I’ll try a little on
that silly rabbit,” he concluded, tip-toeing back into
Wag’s room. Now Wag’s apartment was about seven
feet square—plenty large enough for a regular rabbit—but
two drops of the expanding fluid—and, <i>stars</i>!
Wag was no longer a regular rabbit but a six-foot
funny bunny, stretching from one end of the room to
the other. He expanded without even waking up.
Ruggedo had to squeeze past him in order to get out
and, chuckling with satisfaction, the gnome hurried
back to his box of magic. His mind was now made up.
He would take Glegg’s Mixed Magic under his arm,
go above ground and with the Expanding Fluid
change himself into a giant. Then conquering Oz
would be a simple matter.</p>
<p>It was all going to be so easy and amusing that
Ruggedo felt he had plenty of time to examine the
rest of the bottles and boxes. He rubbed some of the
Vanishing Cream on a sofa cushion and it instantly
disappeared. The box of Re-animating Rays, guaranteed
to reawaken anyone from enchantment, interested
the old gnome immensely, but how could he try
them when there was no bewitched person about—at
least none that he knew of? Then his eye fell on the
Question Box. Why not try that? So, “How shall I
use the Re-animating Rays?” asked Ruggedo, shaking
the box three times. Nothing happened at first. Then,
by the light from his emerald lamp, the gnome saw a
sentence forming on the lid.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_126">126</div>
<p>“Try them on Peg,” said the box shortly. Without
thinking of consequences or wondering what the
Question Box meant by suggesting Peg, the curious
gnome opened the box of rays and held it over the
huge wooden doll. For as long as it would take to
count ten Peg lay perfectly still. Then, with a creak
and jerk, she sprang to her feet.</p>
<p>“How perfectly pomiferous!” cried Peg Amy, with
an awkward jump. “I’m alive! Why, I’m alive all
over!” She moved one arm, then the other and
turned her head stiffly from side to side. “I can
walk!” cried Peg. “I can walk; I can skip; I can
run!” Here Peg began running around the cave, her
joints squeaking merrily at every step.</p>
<p>At Peg’s first move Ruggedo had jumped back of a
rock, his every spike standing on end. Too late he
realized his mistake. This huge wooden creature clattering
around the cave was positively dangerous.
Why, she might easily pound him to bits. Why on
earth had he meddled with the magic rays and why
under the earth should a wooden doll come to life?
He waited till Peg had run to the farthest end of the
cave; then he dashed to the magic casket and scrambled
the bottles, the Trick Tea Set and the flasks back
into place and started for the door that led to the
secret passage as fast as his crooked little legs would
carry him.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_127">127</div>
<p>But he was not fast enough, for Peg heard and like
a flash was after him.</p>
<p>“Stop! Go away!” screamed Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Why, it’s the old gnome!” cried the Wooden Doll
in surprise. “The wicked old gnome who used to
shake me all the time. Why, how small he is! I could
pick him up with one hand!” She made a snatch at
Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Go away!” shrieked Ruggedo, ducking behind a
rock. “Go away—there’s a dear girl,” he added coaxingly.
“I didn’t shake you much—not too much, you
know!”</p>
<p>Peg Amy put a wooden finger to her forehead and
regarded him attentively.</p>
<p>“I remember,” she murmured thoughtfully. “You
found a magic box, and you’re going to harm Ozma
and try to conquer Oz. I must get that box!”</p>
<p>Reaching around the rock she seized Ruggedo by
the arm.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_128">128</div>
<p>In a panic, he jerked away. “Help! Help!” cried
the gnome King, darting off toward the other end of
the cave. “Help! Help!”</p>
<p>In his little rock room Wag stirred uneasily. Then,
as Ruggedo’s cries grew louder, he bounced erect and
almost cracked his skull on the low ceiling. Hardly
knowing what he was doing he rushed at the door only
to knock himself almost senseless against the top, for
of course he did not realize he had expanded into a
giant rabbit. But as the cries from the other room
became louder and louder he got up and rubbing his
head in a dazed fashion he somehow crowded himself
through the door and hopped into the cave. When he
saw Peg Amy chasing Ruggedo, Wag fell back against
the wall.</p>
<p>“My wocks and hoop soons!” stuttered the rabbit.
“She is alive! And he’s shrunk!”</p>
<p>Wag’s voice rose triumphantly. “I’m going to
pound his curly toes off!” he shouted. With this he
joined merrily in the chase.</p>
<p>“I’ll catch him!” he called, “I’ll catch him, Peg, my
dear, and make him pay for all the shakings he has
given you. I’ll pound his curly toes off!”</p>
<p>“Oh, Wag! Don’t do that,” cried the Wooden Doll,
stopping short. “I didn’t mind the shakings and
gnomes don’t know any better!”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_129">129</div>
<p>“Neither do rabbits!” cried Wag stubbornly, bounding
after Ruggedo. “I’ll pound his curly toes off, I
tell you!”</p>
<p>The old gnome was sputtering like a firecracker.
What chance had he now with two after him? Then
suddenly he had an idea. Without stopping, he fumbled
in the box which he still clutched under one arm
and pulled out the bottle of Expanding Fluid. Uncorking
the bottle he poured its contents over his
head—<i>every single drop</i>!</p>
<p>This is what happened: First he shot out sideways,
till Peg and Wag were almost crushed against the
wall. With a hoarse scream Wag dragged Peg Amy
back into his room, which was now barely large
enough to hold them. They were just in time, for
Ruggedo was still spreading. Soon there was not an
inch of space left to expand in. Then he shot up and
grew up and grew and grew and groaned and grew
till there wasn’t any more room to grow in. So, he
burst through the top of the cave, with a noise like
fifty boilers exploding.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_130">130</div>
<p>No wonder Dorothy thought it was a cyclone! For
what was on the top of the cave but the royal palace
of Oz? The next instant it was impaled fast on the
spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head and shooting up with
him toward the clouds. And that wretched gnome
never stopped growing till he was three-quarters of a
mile high!</p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_131.jpg" alt="The royal palace of Oz impaled fast on the spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head" width-obs="590" height-obs="801" /> <p class="caption"><span class="sc">The royal palace of Oz impaled fast on the spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head</span></p> </div>
<p>If the people in the palace were frightened, Ruggedo
was more frightened still. Being a giant was a
new experience for him and having a castle jammed
on his head was worse still. The first thing he tried
to do, when he stopped growing, was to lift the castle
off, but his spikes were driven fast into the foundations
and it fitted closer than his scalp.</p>
<p>In a panic Ruggedo began to run, and when a giant
runs he gets somewhere. Each step carried him a half
mile and shook the country below like an earthquake
and rattled the people in the castle above like pennies
in a Christmas bank. Shaking with terror and hardly
knowing why, the gnome made for his old Kingdom,
and in an hour had reached the little country of
Oogaboo, which is in the very northwestern corner of
Oz, opposite his old dominions.</p>
<p>The Deadly Desert is so narrow at this point that
with one jump Ruggedo was across and, puffing like
a volcano about to erupt, he sank down on the highest
mountain in Ev. Fortunately he had not stepped on
any cities in his flight, although he had crushed several
forests and about a hundred fences.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_131">131</div>
<p>“Oh, Oh, My head!” groaned Ruggedo, rocking to
and fro. He seemed to have forgotten all about conquering
Oz. He was full of twinges and growing pains.
Ozma’s castle was giving him a thundering headache,
and there he sat, a fearsome figure in the bright moonlight,
moaning and groaning instead of conquering.</p>
<p>The Book of Records had been right indeed when it
stated that Ruggedo had something on his mind.
Ozma’s castle itself sat squarely upon that mischievous
mind—and every moment it seemed to grow
heavier.</p>
<p>No wonder there had been confusion in the castle!
Every time Ruggedo shook his aching head Ozma and
her guests were tossed about like leaves in a storm.
Mixed magic had made mischief indeed.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_132">132</div>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_138.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width-obs="500" height-obs="473" /></div>
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