Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
13. The Den of the Dragonettes
Butcome,mychildren;letusexplorethemountainanddiscoverwhichwaywemustgoinordertoescapefromthiscavern,whichisgettingtobealmostashotasabake-oven."
Totheirdisappointmenttherewaswithinthismountainnoregularflightofstepsbymeansofwhichtheycouldmounttotheearth’ssurface.Asortofinclinedtunnelledupwardforaway,andtheyfoundthefloorofitbothroughandsteep.Thenasuddenturnbroughtthemtoanarrowgallerywherethebuggycouldnotpass.Thisdelayedandbotheredthemforawhile,becausetheydidnotwishtoleavethebuggybehindthem.Itcarriedtheirbaggageandwasusefultorideinwhereverthereweregoodroads,andsinceithadaccompaniedthemsofarintheirtravelstheyfeltittheirdutytopreserveit.SoZebandtheWizardsettoworkandtookoffthewheelsandthetop,andthentheyputthebuggyedgewise,soitwouldtakeupthesmallestspace.Inthispositiontheymanaged,withtheaidofthepatientcab-horse,todragthevehiclethroughthenarrowpartofthepassage.Itwasnotagreatdistance,fortunately,andwhenthepathgrewbroadertheyputthebuggytogetheragainandproceededmorecomfortably.Buttheroadwasnothingmorethanaseriesofriftsorcracksinthemountain,anditwentzig-zagineverydirection,slantingfirstupandthendownuntiltheywerepuzzledastowhethertheywereanynearertothetopoftheearththanwhentheyhadstarted,hoursbefore.