17. The Scarecrow Wins the Fight

           AfterBillinahadenteredthepalaceDorothyandEvringsatdowntoawaitthesuccessorfailureofhermission,andtheNomeKingoccupiedhisthroneandsmokedhislongpipeforawhileinacheerfulandcontentedmood.

           Thenthebellabovethethrone,whichsoundedwheneveranenchantmentwasbroken,begantoring,andtheKinggaveastartofannoyanceandexclaimed,"Rocketty-ricketts!"

           WhenthebellrangasecondtimetheKingshoutedangrily,"Smudgeandblazes!"andatathirdringhescreamedinafury,"Hippikaloric!"whichmustbeadreadfulwordbecausewedon’tknowwhatitmeans.

           Afterthatthebellwentonringingtimeaftertime;buttheKingwasnowsoviolentlyenragedthathecouldnotutteraword,buthoppedoutofhisthroneandallaroundtheroominamadfrenzy,sothatheremindedDorothyofajumping-jack.

           Thegirlwas,forherpart,filledwithjoyateverypealofthebell,foritannouncedthefactthatBillinahadtransformedonemoreornamentintoalivingperson.DorothywasalsoamazedatBillina’ssuccess,forshecouldnotimaginehowtheyellowhenwasabletoguesscorrectlyfromallthebewilderingnumberofarticlesclusteredintheroomsofthepalace.Butaftershehadcountedten,andthebellcontinuedtoring,sheknewthatnotonlytheroyalfamilyofEv,butOzmaandherfollowersalso,werebeingrestoredtotheirnaturalforms,andshewassodelightedthattheanticsoftheangryKingonlymadeherlaughmerrily.