Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
11. They Meet the Wooden Gargoyles
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Hegothissatchelfromthebuggyand,openingit,tookouttwodeadlylookingrevolversthatmadethechildrenshrinkbackinalarmjusttolookat.
"WhatharmcantheGurglesdo?"askedDorothy."Theyhavenoweaponstohurtuswith."
"Eachoftheirarmsisawoodenclub,"answeredthelittleman,"andI’msurethecreaturesmeanmischief,bythelooksoftheireyes.Eventheserevolverscanmerelysucceedindamagingafewoftheirwoodenbodies,andafterthatwewillbeattheirmercy."
"Butwhyfightatall,inthatcase?"askedthegirl.
"SoImaydiewithaclearconscience,"returnedtheWizard,gravely."It’severyman’sdutytodothebestheknowshow;andI’mgoingtodoit."
"WishIhadanaxe,"saidZeb,whobynowhadunhitchedthehorse.
"Ifwehadknownwewerecomingwemighthavebroughtalongseveralotherusefulthings,"respondedtheWizard."Butwedroppedintothisadventureratherunexpectedly."
TheGargoyleshadbackedawayadistancewhentheyheardthesoundoftalking,foralthoughourfriendshadspokeninlowtonestheirwordsseemedloudinthesilencesurroundingthem.Butassoonastheconversationceased,thegrinning,uglycreaturesaroseinaflockandflewswiftlytowardthestrangers,theirlongarmsstretchedoutbeforethemlikethebowspritsofafleetofsail-boats.Thehorsehadespeciallyattractedtheirnotice,becauseitwasthebiggestandstrangestcreaturetheyhadeverseen;soitbecamethecenteroftheirfirstattack.
ButJimwasreadyforthem,andwhenhesawthemcomingheturnedhisheelstowardthemandbegankickingoutashardashecould.
