12. The Deadly Desert Crossed

           "Oh,that’stoobad!"criedDorothy;"IwantedtothankJohnnyDooitforallhiskindnesstous."

           "Hehasn’ttimetolistentothanks,"repliedtheshaggyman;"butI’msureheknowswearegrateful.Isupposeheisalreadyatworkinsomeotherpartoftheworld."

           Theynowlookedmorecarefullyatthesand-boat,andsawthatthebottomwasmodeledwithtwosharprunnerswhichwouldglidethroughthesand.Thefrontofthesand-boatwaspointedlikethebowofaship,andtherewasarudderatthesterntosteerby.

           Ithadbeenbuiltjustattheedgeofthedesert,sothatallitslengthlayuponthegraysandexcepttheafterpart,whichstillrestedonthestripofgrass.

           "Getin,mydears,"saidtheshaggyman;"I’msureIcanmanagethisboataswellasanysailor.Allyouneeddoissitstillinyourplaces."

           Dorothygotin,Totoinherarms,andsatonthebottomoftheboatjustinfrontofthemast.Button-BrightsatinfrontofDorothy,whilePollyleanedoverthebow.Theshaggymankneltbehindthemast.Whenallwerereadyheraisedthesailhalf-way.Thewindcaughtit.Atoncethesand-boatstartedforward—slowlyatfirst,thenwithaddedspeed.Theshaggymanpulledthesailwayup,andtheyflewsofastovertheDeadlyDesertthateveryoneheldfasttothesidesoftheboatandscarcelydaredtobreathe.

           Thesandlayinbillows,andwasinplacesveryuneven,sothattheboatrockeddangerouslyfromsidetoside;butitneverquitetippedover,andthespeedwassogreatthattheshaggymanhimselfbecamefrightenedandbegantowonderhowhecouldmaketheshipgoslower.