Озма з країни Оз
16. Purple, Green and Gold
"TheScarecrowissolidgold,andsoisTiktok;butIdon’texactlyknowwhattheTinWoodmanis,becausetheNomeKingsaidhehadbeentransformedintosomethingfunny."
Ozmaeagerlyassistedtheheninherquest,andsoontheScarecrowandthemachineman,beingornamentsofshininggold,werediscoveredandrestoredtotheiraccustomedforms.But,searchastheymight,innoplacecouldtheyfindafunnyornamentthatmightbethetransformationoftheTinWoodman.
"Onlyonethingcanbedone,"saidOzma,atlast,"andthatistoreturntotheNomeKingandobligehimtotelluswhathasbecomeofourfriend."
"Perhapshewon’t,"suggestedBillina.
"Hemust,"returnedOzma,firmly."TheKinghasnottreatedushonestly,forunderthemaskoffairnessandgoodnatureheentrappedusall,andwewouldhavebeenforeverenchantedhadnotourwiseandcleverfriend,theyellowhen,foundawaytosaveus."
"TheKingisavillain,"declaredtheScarecrow.
"Hislaughisworsethananotherman’sfrown,"saidtheprivate,withashudder.
"Ithoughthewashon-est,butIwasmis-tak-en,"remarkedTiktok."Mythoughtsareus-u-al-lycor-rect,butitisSmith&Tin-ker’sfaultiftheysome-timesgowrongordonotworkprop-er-ly."
"Smith&Tinkermadeaverygoodjobofyou,"saidOzma,kindly."Idonotthinktheyshouldbeblamedifyouarenotquiteperfect."
"Thankyou,"repliedTiktok.
"Then,"saidBillina,inherbrisklittlevoice,"letusallgobacktotheNomeKing,andseewhathehastosayforhimself
