10. Escaping the Soup-Kettle

           Theshaggymangotupandfeltofhimselftoseeifhewashurt;buthewasnot.Oneoftheheadshadstruckhisbreastandtheotherhisleftshoulder;yetthoughtheyhadknockedhimdown,theheadswerenothardenoughtobruisehim.

           "Comeon,"hesaidfirmly;"we’vegottogetoutofheresomeway,"andforwardhestartedagain.

           TheScoodlersbeganyellingandthrowingtheirheadsingreatnumbersatourfrightenedfriends.Theshaggymanwasknockedoveragain,andsowasButton-Bright,whokickedhisheelsagainstthegroundandhowledasloudashecould,althoughhewasnothurtabit.OneheadstruckToto,whofirstyelpedandthengrabbedtheheadbyanearandstartedrunningawaywithit.

           TheScoodlerswhohadthrowntheirheadsbegantoscrambledownandruntopickthemup,withwonderfulquickness;buttheonewhoseheadTotohadstolenfoundithardtogetitbackagain.Theheadcouldn’tseethebodywitheitherpairofitseyes,becausethedogwasintheway,sotheheadlessScoodlerstumbledaroundovertherocksandtrippedonthemmorethanonceinitsefforttoregainitstop.Totowastryingtogetoutsidetherocksandrolltheheaddownthehill;butsomeoftheotherScoodlerscametotherescueoftheirunfortunatecomradeandpeltedthedogwiththeirownheadsuntilhewasobligedtodrophisburdenandhurrybacktoDorothy.

           ThelittlegirlandtheRainbow’sDaughterhadbothescapedtheshowerofheads,buttheysawnowthatitwouldbeuselesstotrytorunawayfromthedreadfulScoodlers.