<h2 id="c19"><span class="smaller">Chapter 19</span> <br/>Ozma Takes Things In Hand</h2>
<p>Prince Pompadore jumped up quickly.</p>
<p>“I told you she wouldn’t!” he choked, looking
reproachfully at Kabumpo. “I’m not half good
enough.”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t always look so scratched up and
shabby,” wheezed Kabumpo breathlessly. “We’ve
been scorched and pinched and kidnapped. We’ve
been through every kind of hardship to save your
Highness—and <i>now</i>!” The Elegant Elephant slouched
against a tree, the picture of discouragement. He
seemed to have forgotten the jewels that were to have
won the Princess for Pompa and his threat of running
off with her should she refuse him.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_256">256</div>
<p>“Why, you don’t even know me,” cried Ozma, dismayed
by even the thought of marrying; for though
the little Ruler of Oz has lived almost a thousand years
she is no older than <i>you</i> are and would no more think
of marrying than Dorothy or Betsy Bobbin or Trot.
Ruling the Kingdom of Oz takes almost all of Ozma’s
time and in any that is left she wants to play and
enjoy herself like any other sensible little girl. For
Ozma is only a little girl fairy after all.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to marry anybody!” she declared
stoutly. Then, because she really was touched by
Pompa’s woebegone appearance, she asked more
kindly, “Why did you want to marry me especially?”</p>
<p>“Because you are the properest Princess in Oz,”
groaned the Prince, leaning disconsolately against
Kabumpo. “Because if we don’t Pumperdink will
disappear and my poor old father and my mother and
everyone.”</p>
<p>“Not to speak of us,” gulped the Elegant Elephant.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_257">257</div>
<p>“But where is Pumperdink, and who said it would
disappear?” asked Ozma in amazement. “And how
did you happen to have this Trick Tea and come to
rescue me?”</p>
<p>“The Prince always rescues the Princess he intends
to marry,” said Kabumpo wearily. “I should think
you’d know that.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m very grateful, and I’ll do anything I can
except marry you,” exclaimed Ozma, who was beginning
to feel very much interested in this strange
pair.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” said Kabumpo stiffly, for he was
deeply offended. “Thank you, but we must be going.
Come along, Pompa.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be a Gooch!” This time it was Pompa who
spoke. “I’m going to tell her everything!”</p>
<p>And Pompa, being as I have told you before the
most charming Prince in the world, made Ozma a
comfortable throne of green boughs and, throwing
himself at her feet, poured out the whole story of
their adventures, beginning with the birthday party
and the mysterious scroll. He told of their meeting
with Peg Amy and Wag and ended up with the ride
upon the Runaway Country.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_258">258</div>
<p>Kabumpo stood by, swaying sulkily. He was very
much disappointed in the Princess of Oz. He felt that
she had no proper appreciation of his or Pompa’s
importance.</p>
<p>“I’m going to find Peg,” he called finally. “She’s
got more sense than any of you,” he wheezed under
his breath as he swept grandly out of sight.</p>
<p>Ozma put both hands to her head as Pompa finished
his recital and really it was enough to puzzle any
fairy. Scrolls, live Wooden Dolls, a giant rabbit, a
mysterious magician threatening disappearances and
Ruggedo’s wicked use of the box of Mixed Magic.</p>
<p>“Goodness!” cried the little Ruler of Oz. “I wish
the Scarecrow would come back. He’s so clever I’m
sure he could help us; but first you had better bring
me the magic box.”</p>
<p>Pompa rose slowly and, picking up all the little
flasks and boxes that had spilled out when Wag
pounded Ruggedo, he put them back into the casket
and handed it to Ozma. She examined the contents
as curiously as the others had done. The Expanding
Extract was the only thing missing, for Ruggedo had
poured the whole bottle over his head. The Question
Box seemed to Ozma the most wonderful of all of
Glegg’s magic.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_259">259</div>
<p>“Why, all we have to do is to ask this box questions,”
she cried in excitement. “Has my palace
reached the Emerald City?” she asked breathlessly.</p>
<p>“Shake it three times,” said Pompa, as Ozma looked
in vain for her answer.</p>
<p>“Yes,” stated the box after the third shake, and
Ozma sighed with relief.</p>
<p>“I suppose you asked it if I were the Proper Princess
mentioned in the scroll,” she said, a bit shyly.</p>
<p>The Prince shook his head. “Knew without asking,”
said Pompa heavily.</p>
<p>“Do you mean to say you never asked it that?”
gasped Ozma in disbelief. “Why, I am surprised at
you.” And before Pompa could object she shook the
little box briskly. “Who is the Princess that Pompa
must marry?” she demanded anxiously.</p>
<p>“The Princess of Sun Top Mountain,” flashed the
Question Box promptly. Then, as an afterthought,
it added, “Trust the mirror and golden door knob!”</p>
<p>“Now, you see!” cried Ozma, jumping up in delight.
“I wasn’t the Proper Princess at all!”</p>
<p>Pompa smiled faintly, but without enthusiasm. The
thought of hunting another Princess was almost too
much. “I wish I could just take Peg Amy and Wag
and go back to Pumperdink without marrying anybody,”
he choked bitterly.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_260">260</div>
<p>“Now, don’t give up,” advised Ozma kindly. “It
was very wrong of Glegg to cause you all this trouble.
I’m going to keep his box of Mixed Magic and take
away all his powers when I find him, but until I do,
you’ll have to follow directions. Oh mercy! What’s
that?”</p>
<p>They both ducked and turned around in a hurry,
as a terrific thumping sounded behind them.</p>
<p>“It’s the Runaway Country again,” cried Pompa,
seizing Ozma’s hands in distress, “and it’s caught all
the others.”</p>
<p>The Scarecrow had climbed a tree, and was waving
to them wildly as the Country galloped nearer.
“Might as well come aboard,” he called genially.
“This is a fast Country—no arguing with it at all.”</p>
<p>Ozma looked helplessly at Pompa, and the Prince
had only time to grasp her more firmly when the
Country scooped them neatly into the air. Down
they tumbled, beside Peg Amy and Wag and the Elegant
Elephant.</p>
<p>“What do you mean by this?” demanded Ozma, as
soon as she regained her breath.</p>
<p>“Don’t you know this lady is the Ruler of all Oz?”
cried Pompa warningly.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_261">261</div>
<p>“Peg’s the Ruler of me,” replied the Country
calmly. “I nearly lost her once, but now I’ve caught
her and all the rest, and I am not going to stop until
I’ve reached the Nonestic Ocean—giants or no
giants.”</p>
<p>Ozma had been somewhat prepared for the Runaway
Country by Pompa’s description, but she had
never dreamed it would dare to run off with her.
While Peg Amy began to coax it to stop, she took out
Glegg’s little Question Box.</p>
<p>“How shall I stop this Country?” she whispered
anxiously.</p>
<p>“Spin around six times and cross your fingers,”
directed the Question Box.</p>
<p>This Ozma proceeded to do, much to the agitation
of the Scarecrow, who thought she had taken leave
of her senses. But next instant the Country came to
a jolting halt.</p>
<p>“Peg, Princess Peg!” shrieked the Island. “I am
bewitched, I can’t move a step!”</p>
<p>“Then everybody off,” shouted the Scarecrow, jerking
a branch of a tree as if he were a conductor.
“End of the line—everybody off!” And they lost
no time tumbling off the wild little Country.</p>
<p>“It seems too bad to leave it,” said Peg Amy regretfully,
picking herself up.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_262">262</div>
<p>“It threw us off without any feeling or consideration
when it saw Ruggedo,” sniffed Kabumpo.
“Therefore it has no claims on us whatsoever.”</p>
<p>“But couldn’t you do something for it?” asked Peg,
approaching Ozma timidly. “It’s so tired of being a
plateau. Couldn’t you let it be an island, and find
someone to settle on it? I wouldn’t mind going,” she
added generously.</p>
<p>“You shall do nothing of the sort,” cried Kabumpo
angrily. “You’re going back to Pumperdink with
Pompa and me.”</p>
<p>“She’s going with me,” cried Wag. “Aren’t you,
Peg?”</p>
<p>“You seem to be a very popular person,” smiled
Ozma. “While a Country has no right to run away,
and while I never heard of one doing it before, I’ve
no objections to its being an island. It’s running off
with people I object to.” She looked the Country
sternly in its lake-eyes.</p>
<p>“But I can’t move,” screamed the Country, tears
streaming down its hill, “and I’ve got to have somebody
to settle me.”</p>
<p>“Oh! Here’s Glinda,” shouted the Scarecrow, tossing
up his hat. “Now we shall know what’s happened
to Ruggedo.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_263">263</div>
<p>Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to
welcome the good Sorceress of Oz. Glinda’s reports
were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had walked straight
back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning
cavern, and immediately the palace had settled firmly
upon its old foundations. Then had come a muffled
explosion, and when Glinda and Dorothy ran through
the secret passage, which had been discovered meanwhile
by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, they
saw Ruggedo, shrunken to his former size, sitting
angrily on his sixth rock of history.</p>
<p>“I have locked him up in the palace,” finished
Glinda, “and I strongly advise your Highness to
punish him severely.”</p>
<p>Ozma sighed. “What would you do?” she asked,
appealing to the Scarecrow. So many things had come
up for her attention and advice in the last few hours
that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy.</p>
<p>“Let’s all sit down in a circle and think,” proposed
the Scarecrow cheerfully. This they all did except
Kabumpo, who stood off glumly by himself. Peg was
looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant Elephant
had told her of Ozma’s refusal, and wondering
sadly what she could do to help, when the Scarecrow
bounced up impulsively.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_264">264</div>
<p>“I have it,” chuckled the Straw Man. “Let’s send
Ruggedo off on the Runaway Country. He deserves
to be banished and, if Ozma makes the Country an
Island, he can do no harm.”</p>
<p>Here Ozma had to stop and explain to Glinda about
the Country that wanted to be an Island, and after a
short consultation they decided to take the Scarecrow’s
advice.</p>
<p>“Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I’ll put
on my Magic Belt and wish him onto the Island,”
declared Ozma. “And I think we’d better go right
straight back,” she added thoughtfully, “for it’s growing
darker every minute and Dorothy will be anxious
to hear everything that’s happened.”</p>
<p>“Now you”—Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on
the arm—“You must start at once for Sun Top Mountain.
I’m going to ask the Question Box just where
it is.”</p>
<p>Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted
the Question Box as to the location of Sun Top Mountain,
it stated that this Kingdom was in the very
Centre of the North Winkie Country. “That’s fine,”
said Ozma, clapping her hands. “I’ll have the Runaway
country carry you over the Deadly Desert, and
as soon as you have married the Princess you must
bring her to see me in the Emerald City.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_265">265</div>
<p>“What’s all this?” demanded Kabumpo, pricking
up his ears.</p>
<p>“The Question Box says I must marry the Princess
of Sun Top Mountain,” said Pompa, getting up
wearily.</p>
<p>“Well, Great Grump, why couldn’t it have said so
before?” asked Kabumpo shrilly.</p>
<p>“You never asked it,” snapped Wag, twitching his
nose. “I told you Ozma wasn’t the Princess mentioned
in the scroll!”</p>
<p>“Now don’t quarrel,” begged Peg Amy, jumping up
hastily. “There’s still plenty of time to save Pumperdink.
Come along, Pompa.”</p>
<p>“That’s right,” said Ozma, smiling approvingly at
Peg. “And when Pompa finds his Princess you must
come and live with me in the Emerald City, for as
Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I
want to take care of you always.”</p>
<p>Peg Amy dropped a curtsey and promised to come,
but she didn’t feel very cheerful about it. Then, as
Ozma was anxious to get back to the Emerald City,
they all hurried to Runaway Country.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_266">266</div>
<p>“You are to take these travelers across the Deadly
Desert,” said Ozma, addressing the Runaway Country
quite sternly, “and you are to set them down in the
Winkie Country. If you do this I will restore your
moving power again and give you a little gnome for
King. Then you may run off to the Nonestic Ocean
as soon as ever you wish.”</p>
<p>“I want Peg,” pouted the Country, “but if that’s
the best you can do I suppose I’ll have to stand it.”
After a little more grumbling it agreed to Ozma’s
terms. Wearily, Kabumpo, Wag, Peg and Pompa
climbed aboard and then Ozma spun around six times
in the opposite direction and immediately the Country
found itself able to move again.</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Ozma, as she and the Scarecrow
jumped into Glinda’s chariot. “Good-bye and good
luck!”</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Peg, waving her old torn bonnet.</p>
<p>“Good riddance,” grumbled the Country gruffly and,
turning sideways, began running toward the Deadly
Desert.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_267">267</div>
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