Озма з країни Оз

           "

           "I’llgo!--ofcourseI’mgoing,"yelledthegeneral,asquickasscat."Whereistheentrance--whereisit?Letmegoatonce!"

           SotheNomeKingescortedhimintothepalace,andagainreturnedtoawaittheresult.Whatthegeneraldid,noonecantell;butitwasnotlongbeforetheKingcalledforthenextvictim,andacolonelwasforcedtotryhisfortune.

           Thus,oneafteranother,allofthetwenty-sixofficersfiledintothepalaceandmadetheirguesses--andbecameornaments.

           MeantimetheKingorderedrefreshmentstobeservedtothosewaiting,andathiscommandarudelyshapedNomeentered,bearingatray.ThisNomewasnotunliketheothersthatDorothyhadseen,butheworeaheavygoldchainaroundhisnecktoshowthathewastheChiefStewardoftheNomeKing,andheassumedanairofmuchimportance,andeventoldhismajestynottoeattoomuchcakelateatnight,orhewouldbeill.

           Dorothy,however,washungry,andshewasnotafraidofbeingill;sosheateseveralcakesandfoundthemgood,andalsoshedrankacupofexcellentcoffeemadeofarichlyflavoredclay,brownedinthefurnacesandthengroundfine,andfounditmostrefreshingandnotatallmuddy.

           Ofallthepartywhichhadstarteduponthisadventure,thelittleKansasgirlwasnowleftalonewiththeScarecrow,Tiktok,andtheprivateforcounsellorsandcompanions.OfcoursetheCowardlyLionandtheHungryTigerwerestillthere,butthey,havingalsoeatensomeofthecakes,hadgonetosleepatonesideofthecave,whileupontheothersidestoodtheSawhorse,motionlessandsilent,asbecameamerethingofwood.