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10. The Giant with the Hammer
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So,OzmaandDorothyhavingalreadydismountedfromtheirbacks,theLionandtheTigerleapedbackagainundertheawfulhammerandreturnedwithtwogeneralsclingingtotheirnecks.Theyrepeatedthisdaringpassagetwelvetimes,whenalltheofficershadbeencarriedbeneaththegiant’slegsandlandedsafelyonthefurtherside.Bythattimethebeastswereverytired,andpantedsohardthattheirtongueshungoutoftheirgreatmouths.
"Butwhatistobecomeoftheprivate?"askedOzma.
"Oh,leavehimtheretoguardthechariot,"saidtheLion."I’mtiredout,andwon’tpassunderthatmalletagain."
Theofficersatonceprotestedthattheymusthavetheprivatewiththem,elsetherewouldbenooneforthemtocommand.ButneithertheLionortheTigerwouldgoafterhim,andsotheScarecrowsenttheSawhorse.
Eitherthewoodenhorsewascareless,oritfailedtoproperlytimethedescentofthehammer,forthemightyweaponcaughtitsquarelyuponitshead,andthumpeditagainstthegroundsopowerfullythattheprivateflewoffitsbackhighintotheair,andlandedupononeofthegiant’scast-ironarms.Hereheclungdesperatelywhilethearmroseandfellwitheachoneoftherapidstrokes.
TheScarecrowdashedintorescuehisSawhorse,andhadhisleftfootsmashedbythehammerbeforehecouldpullthecreatureoutofdanger.TheythenfoundthattheSawhorsehadbeenbadlydazedbytheblow;forwhilethehardwoodenknotofwhichhisheadwasformedcouldnotbecrushedbythehammer,bothhisearswerebrokenoffandhewouldbeunabletohearasounduntilsomenewonesweremadeforhim
