2. The Glass City

           WhenDorothyrecoveredhersensestheywerestillfalling,butnotsofast.Thetopofthebuggycaughttheairlikeaparachuteoranumbrellafilledwithwind,andheldthembacksothattheyfloateddownwardwithagentlemotionthatwasnotsoverydisagreeabletobear.Theworstthingwastheirterrorofreachingthebottomofthisgreatcrackintheearth,andthenaturalfearthatsuddendeathwasabouttoovertakethematanymoment.Crashaftercrashechoedfarabovetheirheads,astheearthcametogetherwhereithadsplit,andstonesandchunksofclayrattledaroundthemoneveryside.Thesetheycouldnotsee,buttheycouldfeelthempeltingthebuggytop,andJimscreamedalmostlikeahumanbeingwhenastoneovertookhimandstruckhisboneybody.Theydidnotreallyhurtthepoorhorse,becauseeverythingwasfallingtogether;onlythestonesandrubbishfellfasterthanthehorseandbuggy,whichwereheldbackbythepressureoftheair,sothattheterrifiedanimalwasactuallymorefrightenedthanhewasinjured.

           HowlongthisstateofthingscontinuedDorothycouldnotevenguess,shewassogreatlybewildered.Butbyeandbye,asshestaredaheadintotheblackchasmwithabeatingheart,shebegantodimlyseetheformofthehorseJim—hisheadupintheair,hisearserectandhislonglegssprawlingineverydirectionashetumbledthroughspace.Also,turningherhead,shefoundthatshecouldseetheboybesideher,whohaduntilnowremainedasstillandsilentassheherself.

           Dorothysighedandcommencedtobreatheeasier.