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18. The Fate of the Tin Woodman
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"Andheowedmesixweeksbackpay!"saidoneofthegenerals,wipingthetearsfromhiseyeswithhisgold-lacedcoatsleeve.
Verysorrowfullytheydeterminedtoreturntotheupperworldwithouttheirformercompanion,andsoOzmagavetheordertobeginthemarchthroughthepassage.
Thearmywentfirst,andthentheroyalfamilyofEv,andafterwardcameDorothy,Ozma,Billina,theScarecrowandTiktok.
TheylefttheNomeKingscowlingatthemfromhisthrone,andhadnothoughtofdangeruntilOzmachancedtolookbackandsawalargenumberofthewarriorsfollowingtheminfullchase,withtheirswordsandspearsandaxesraisedtostrikedownthefugitivesassoonastheydrewnearenough.
EvidentlytheNomeKinghadmadethislastattempttopreventtheirescapinghim;butitdidhimnogood,forwhenDorothysawthedangertheywereinshestoppedandwavedherhandandwhisperedacommandtothemagicbelt.
Instantlytheforemostwarriorsbecameeggs,whichrolleduponthefloorofthecaverninsuchnumbersthatthosebehindcouldnotadvancewithoutsteppinguponthem.But,whentheysawtheeggs,alldesiretoadvancedepartedfromthewarriors,andtheyturnedandfledmadlyintothecavern,andrefusedtogobackagain.
Ourfriendshadnofurthertroubleinreachingtheendofthepassage,andsoonwerestandingintheouterairuponthegloomypathbetweenthetwohighmountains.ButthewaytoEvlayplainlybeforethem,andtheyferventlyhopedthattheyhadseenthelastoftheNomeKingandofhisdreadfulpalace
