Подорож до Країни Оз
10. Escaping the Soup-Kettle
DorothyandPollyhadreachedthebridgeandcrosseditwhentheScoodlersbeganthrowingtheirheads.Oneofthequeermissilesstrucktheshaggymanonhisbackandnearlyknockedhimover;buthewasatthemouthofthecavenow,sohesetdownButton-BrightandtoldtheboytorunacrossthebridgetoDorothy.
Thentheshaggymanturnedaroundandfacedhisenemies,standingjustoutsidetheopening,andasfastastheythrewtheirheadsathimhecaughtthemandtossedthemintotheblackgulfbelow.TheheadlessbodiesoftheforemostScoodlerskepttheothersfromrunningcloseup,buttheyalsothrewtheirheadsinanefforttostoptheescapingprisoners.Theshaggymancaughtthemallandsentthemwhirlingdownintotheblackgulf.AmongthemhenoticedthecrimsonandyellowheadoftheQueen,andthishetossedaftertheotherswithrightgoodwill.
PresentlyeveryScoodlerofthelothadthrownitshead,andeveryheadwasdowninthedeepgulf,andnowthehelplessbodiesofthecreaturesweremixedtogetherinthecaveandwrigglingaroundinavainattempttodiscoverwhathadbecomeoftheirheads.Theshaggymanlaughedandwalkedacrossthebridgetorejoinhiscompanions.
"It’sluckyIlearnedtoplaybase-ballwhenIwasyoung,"heremarked,"forIcaughtallthoseheadseasilyandnevermissedone.Butcomealong,littleones;theScoodlerswillneverbotherusoranyoneelseanymore."
Button-Brightwasstillfrightenedandkeptinsisting,"Idon’twanttobesoup!"forthevictoryhadbeengainedsosuddenlythattheboycouldnotrealizetheywerefreeandsafe