Путешествие в Страну Оз

           "

           "Then,"saidKingDox,"perhapsyou’llbegoodenoughtogetmeaninvitationtoPrincessOzma’sbirthdaycelebration."

           "I’lltry,"shepromised;"ifIseeherintime."

           "It’sonthetwenty-first,remember,"hecontinued;"andifyou’lljustseethatI’minvitedI’llfindawaytocrosstheDreadfulDesertintothemarvelousLandofOz.I’vealwayswantedtovisittheEmeraldCity,soI’msureitwasfortunateyouarrivedherejustwhenyoudid,youbeingPrincessOzma’sfriendandabletoassistmeingettingtheinvitation."

           "IfIseeOzmaI’llaskhertoinviteyou,"shereplied.

           TheFox-Kinghadadelightfulluncheonputupforthem,whichtheshaggymanshovedinhispocket,andthefox-captainescortedthemtoanarchatthesideofthevillageoppositetheonebywhichtheyhadentered.Heretheyfoundmoresoldiersguardingtheroad.

           "Areyouafraidofenemies?"askedDorothy.

           "No;becausewearewatchfulandabletoprotectourselves,"answeredthecaptain."Butthisroadleadstoanothervillagepeopledbybig,stupidbeastswhomightcauseustroubleiftheythoughtwewereafraidofthem."

           "Whatbeastsarethey?"askedtheshaggyman.

           Thecaptainhesitatedtoanswer.Finally,hesaid:

           "Youwilllearnallaboutthemwhenyouarriveattheircity.Butdonotbeafraidofthem.Button-BrightissowonderfullycleverandhasnowsuchanintelligentfacethatI’msurehewillmanagetofindawaytoprotectyou."

           ThismadeDorothyandtheshaggymanratheruneasy,fortheyhadnotsomuchconfidenceinthefox-boy’swisdomasthecaptainseemedtohave