Дороті та Чарівник у країні Оз
1. The Earthquake
Itwasabighorse,tallandbony,withlonglegsandlargekneesandfeet.Shecouldcounthisribseasilywheretheyshowedthroughtheskinofhisbody,andhisheadwaslongandseemedaltogethertoobigforhim,asifitdidnotfit.Histailwasshortandscraggly,andhisharnesshadbeenbrokeninmanyplacesandfastenedtogetheragainwithcordsandbitsofwire.Thebuggyseemedalmostnew,forithadashinytopandsidecurtains.Gettingaroundinfront,sothatshecouldlookinside,thegirlsawaboycurledupontheseat,fastasleep.
Shesetdownthebird-cageandpokedtheboywithherparasol.Presentlyhewokeup,rosetoasittingpositionandrubbedhiseyesbriskly.
"Hello!"hesaid,seeingher,"areyouDorothyGale?"
"Yes,"sheanswered,lookinggravelyathistousledhairandblinkinggrayeyes."HaveyoucometotakemetoHugson’sRanch?"
"Ofcourse,"heanswered."Trainin?"
"Icouldn’tbehereifitwasn’t,"shesaid.
Helaughedatthat,andhislaughwasmerryandfrank.JumpingoutofthebuggyheputDorothy’ssuit-caseundertheseatandherbird-cageonthefloorinfront.
"Canary-birds?"heasked.
"Ohno;it’sjustEureka,mykitten.Ithoughtthatwasthebestwaytocarryher."
Theboynodded.
"Eureka’safunnynameforacat,"heremarked.
"InamedmykittenthatbecauseIfoundit,"sheexplained."UncleHenrysays’Eureka’means’Ihavefoundit.’"
"Allright;hopin."
Sheclimbedintothebuggyandhefollowedher.Thentheboypickedupthereins,shookthem,andsaid"Gid-dap!"
Thehorsedidnotstir.
