Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
7. Into the Black Pit and Out Again
Isupposethevegetablefolkwerealwaysafraidtoenterthiscavernbecauseitisdark;butwehaveourlanternstolighttheway,soIproposethatwestartoutanddiscoverwherethistunnelinthemountainleadsto."
Theothersagreedreadilytothissensiblesuggestion,andatoncetheboybegantoharnessJimtothebuggy.WhenallwasinreadinessthethreetooktheirseatsinthebuggyandJimstartedcautiouslyalongtheway,ZebdrivingwhiletheWizardandDorothyeachheldalightedlanternsothehorsecouldseewheretogo.
Sometimesthetunnelwassonarrowthatthewheelsofthebuggygrazedthesides;thenitwouldbroadenoutaswideasastreet;butthefloorwasusuallysmooth,andforalongtimetheytravelledonwithoutanyaccident.Jimstoppedsometimestorest,fortheclimbwasrathersteepandtiresome.
"Wemustbenearlyashighasthesixcoloredsuns,bythistime,"saidDorothy."Ididn’tknowthismountainwassotall."
"WearecertainlyagooddistanceawayfromtheLandoftheMangaboos,"addedZeb;"forwehaveslantedawayfromiteversincewestarted."
Buttheykeptsteadilymoving,andjustasJimwasabouttiredoutwithhislongjourneythewaysuddenlygrewlighter,andZebputoutthelanternstosavetheoil.
Totheirjoytheyfounditwasawhitelightthatnowgreetedthem,forallwerewearyofthecoloredrainbowlightswhich,afteratime,hadmadetheireyesachewiththeirconstantlyshiftingrays.Thesidesofthetunnelshowedbeforethemliketheinsideofalongspy-glass,andthefloorbecamemorelevel
