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Ourfriendshadagoodstartandwereabletomaintainit,forwiththeireightwingstheycouldgojustasfastascouldtheGargoyles.
Allthewaytothegreatrockthewoodenpeoplefollowedthem,andwhenJimfinallyalightedatthemouthofthecavernthepursuerswerestillsomedistanceaway.
“But,I’mafraidthey’llcatchusyet,”saidDorothy,greatlyexcited.
“No;wemuststopthem,”declaredtheWizard.“QuickZeb,helpmepulloffthesewoodenwings!”
Theytoreoffthewings,forwhichtheyhadnofurtheruse,andtheWizardpiledtheminaheapjustoutsidetheentrancetothecavern.
Thenhepouredoverthemallthekeroseneoilthatwasleftinhisoilcan,andlightingamatchsetfiretothepile.
TheflamesleapedupatonceandthebonfirebegantosmokeandroarandcracklejustasthegreatarmyofwoodenGargoylesarrived.
Thecreaturesdrewbackatonce,beingfilledwithfearandhorror;forsuchadreadfulthingasafiretheyhadneverbeforeknowninallthehistoryoftheirwoodenland.
Insidethearchwaywereseveraldoors,leadingtodifferentroomsbuiltintothemountain,andZebandtheWizardliftedthesewoodendoorsfromtheirhingesandtossedthemallontheflames.
“Thatwillproveabarrierforsometimetocome,”saidthelittleman,smilingpleasantlyalloverhiswrinkledfaceatthesuccessoftheirstratagem.
“Perhapstheflameswillsetfiretoallthatmiserablewoodencountry,andifitdoesthelosswillbeverysmallandtheGargoylesneverwillbemissed.
Butcome,mychildren;letusexplorethemountainanddiscoverwhichwaywemustgoinordertoescapefromthiscavern,whichisgettingtobealmostashotasabake-oven.”
Totheirdisappointmenttherewaswithinthismountainnoregularflightofstepsbymeansofwhichtheycouldmounttotheearth’ssurface.
Asortofinclinedtunnelledupwardforaway,andtheyfoundthefloorofitbothroughandsteep.
Thenasuddenturnbroughtthemtoanarrowgallerywherethebuggycouldnotpass.
Thisdelayedandbotheredthemforawhile,becausetheydidnotwishtoleavethebuggybehindthem.
Itcarriedtheirbaggageandwasusefultorideinwhereverthereweregoodroads,andsinceithadaccompaniedthemsofarintheirtravelstheyfeltittheirdutytopreserveit.
SoZebandtheWizardsettoworkandtookoffthewheelsandthetop,andthentheyputthebuggyedgewise,soitwouldtakeupthesmallestspace.
Inthispositiontheymanaged,withtheaidofthepatientcab-horse,todragthevehiclethroughthenarrowpartofthepassage.
Itwasnotagreatdistance,fortunately,andwhenthepathgrewbroadertheyputthebuggytogetheragainandproceededmorecomfortably.
Buttheroadwasnothingmorethanaseriesofriftsorcracksinthemountain,anditwentzig-zagineverydirection,slantingfirstupandthendownuntiltheywerepuzzledastowhethertheywereanynearertothetopoftheearththanwhentheyhadstarted,hoursbefore.
“Anyhow,”saidDorothy,“we’ve‘scapedthoseawfulGurgles,andthat’sONEcomfort!”
“ProbablytheGargoylesarestillbusytryingtoputoutthefire,”returnedtheWizard.
“Buteveniftheysucceededindoingthatitwouldbeverydifficultforthemtoflyamongsttheserocks;soIamsureweneedfearthemnolonger.”
Onceinawhiletheywouldcometoadeepcrackinthefloor,whichmadethewayquitedangerous;buttherewasstillenoughoilinthelanternstogivethemlight,andthecrackswerenotsowidebutthattheywereabletojumpoverthem.
Sometimestheyhadtoclimboverheapsoflooserock,whereJimcouldscarcelydragthebuggy.
AtsuchtimesDorothy,ZebandtheWizardallpushedbehind,andliftedthewheelsovertheroughestplaces;sotheymanaged,bydintofhardwork,tokeepgoing.
Butthelittlepartywasbothwearyanddiscouragedwhenatlast,onturningasharpcorner,thewanderersfoundthemselvesinavastcavearchinghighovertheirheadsandhavingasmooth,levelfloor.
Thecavewascircularinshape,andallarounditsedge,neartotheground,appearedgroupsofdullyellowlights,twoofthembeingalwayssidebyside.
Theseweremotionlessatfirst,butsoonbegantoflickermorebrightlyandtoswayslowlyfromsidetosideandthenupanddown.
“Whatsortofplaceisthis?”askedtheboy,tryingtoseemoreclearlythroughthegloom.
“Icannotimagine,I’msure,”answeredtheWizard,alsopeeringabout.
“Woogh!”snarledEureka,archingherbackuntilherhairstoodstraightonend;“it’sadenofalligators,orcrocodiles,orsomeotherdreadfulcreatures!Don’tyouseetheirterribleeyes?”
“Eurekaseesbetterinthedarkthanwecan,”whisperedDorothy.“Tellus,dear,whatdothecreatureslooklike?”sheasked,addressingherpet.
“Isimplycan’tdescribe‘em,”answeredthekitten,shuddering.“Theireyesarelikepie-platesandtheirmouthslikecoal-scuttles.Buttheirbodiesdon’tseemverybig.”
“Wherearethey?”enquiredthegirl.
“Theyareinlittlepocketsallaroundtheedgeofthiscavern.Oh,Dorothy—youcan’timaginewhathorridthingstheyare!They’reuglierthantheGargoyles.”
“Tut-tut!becarefulhowyoucriticizeyourneighbors,”spokearaspingvoicenearby.
“Asamatteroffactyouareratherugly-lookingcreaturesyourselves,andI’msuremotherhasoftentoldusweweretheloveliestandprettiestthingsinalltheworld.”
Hearingthesewordsourfriendsturnedinthedirectionofthesound,andtheWizardheldhislanternssothattheirlightwouldfloodoneofthelittlepocketsintherock.
“Why,it’sadragon!”heexclaimed.
“No,”answeredtheownerofthebigyelloweyeswhichwereblinkingatthemsosteadily;“youarewrongaboutthat.Wehopetogrowtobedragonssomeday,butjustnowwe’reonlydragonettes.”
“What’sthat?”askedDorothy,gazingfearfullyatthegreatscalyhead,theyawningmouthandthebigeyes.
“Youngdragons,ofcourse;butwearenotallowedtocallourselvesrealdragonsuntilwegetourfullgrowth,”wasthereply.
“Thebigdragonsareveryproud,anddon’tthinkchildrenamounttomuch;butmothersaysthatsomedaywewillallbeverypowerfulandimportant.”
“Whereisyourmother?”askedtheWizard,anxiouslylookingaround.
“Shehasgoneuptothetopoftheearthtohuntforourdinner.Ifshehasgoodluckshewillbringusanelephant,orabraceofrhinoceri,orperhapsafewdozenpeopletostayourhunger.”
“Oh;areyouhungry?”enquiredDorothy,drawingback.
“Very,”saidthedragonette,snappingitsjaws.
“And—and—doyoueatpeople?”
“Tobesure,whenwecangetthem.Butthey’vebeenveryscarceforafewyearsandweusuallyhavetobecontentwithelephantsorbuffaloes,”answeredthecreature,inaregretfultone.
“Howoldareyou?”enquiredZeb,whostaredattheyelloweyesasiffascinated.
“Quiteyoung,Igrievetosay;andallofmybrothersandsistersthatyouseeherearepracticallymyownage.IfIrememberrightly,weweresixty-sixyearsoldthedaybeforeyesterday.”
“Butthatisn’tyoung!”criedDorothy,inamazement.
“No?”drawledthedragonette;“itseemstomeverybabyish.”
“Howoldisyourmother?”askedthegirl.
“Mother’sabouttwothousandyearsold;butshecarelesslylosttrackofherageafewcenturiesagoandskippedseveralhundreds.
She’salittlefussy,youknow,andafraidofgrowingold,beingawidowandstillinherprime.”
“Ishouldthinkshewouldbe,”agreedDorothy.Then,afteramoment’sthought,sheasked:“Arewefriendsorenemies?Imean,willyoubegoodtous,ordoyouintendtoeatus?”
“Asforthat,wedragonetteswouldlovetoeatyou,mychild;butunfortunatelymotherhastiedallourtailsaroundtherocksatthebackofourindividualcaves,sothatwecannotcrawlouttogetyou.
Ifyouchoosetocomenearerwewillmakeamouthfulofyouinawink;butunlessyoudoyouwillremainquitesafe.”
Therewasaregretfulaccentinthecreature’svoice,andatthewordsalltheotherdragonettessigheddismally.
Dorothyfeltrelieved.Presentlysheasked:
“Whydidyourmothertieyourtails?”
“Oh,sheissometimesgoneforseveralweeksonherhuntingtrips,andifwewerenottiedwewouldcrawlalloverthemountainandfightwitheachotherandgetintoalotofmischief.
Motherusuallyknowswhatsheisabout,butshemadeamistakethistime;foryouaresuretoescapeusunlessyoucometoonear,andyouprobablywon’tdothat.”
“No,indeed!”saidthelittlegirl.“Wedon’twishtobeeatenbysuchawfulbeasts.”
“Permitmetosay,”returnedthedragonette,“thatyouareratherimpolitetocallusnames,knowingthatwecannotresentyourinsults.
Weconsiderourselvesverybeautifulinappearance,formotherhastoldusso,andsheknows.
AndweareofanexcellentfamilyandhaveapedigreethatIchallengeanyhumanstoequal,asitextendsbackabouttwentythousandyears,tothetimeofthefamousGreenDragonofAtlantis,wholivedinatimewhenhumanshadnotyetbeencreated.
Canyoumatchthatpedigree,littlegirl?”
“Well,”saidDorothy,“IwasbornonafarminKansas,andIguessthat’sbeingjustas‘spectableandhaughtyaslivinginacavewithyourtailtiedtoarock.
Ifitisn’tI’llhavetostandit,that’sall.”
“Tastesdiffer,”murmuredthedragonette,slowlydroopingitsscalyeyelidsoveritsyelloweyes,untiltheylookedlikehalf-moons.
Beingreassuredbythefactthatthecreaturescouldnotcrawloutoftheirrock-pockets,thechildrenandtheWizardnowtooktimetoexaminethemmoreclosely.
Theheadsofthedragonetteswereasbigasbarrelsandcoveredwithhard,greenishscalesthatglitteredbrightlyunderthelightofthelanterns.
Theirfrontlegs,whichgrewjustbackoftheirheads,werealsostrongandbig;buttheirbodiesweresmalleraroundthantheirheads,anddwindledawayinalonglineuntiltheirtailswereslimasashoe-string.
Dorothythought,ifithadtakenthemsixty-sixyearstogrowtothissize,thatitwouldbefullyahundredyearsmorebeforetheycouldhopetocallthemselvesdragons,andthatseemedlikeagoodwhiletowaittogrowup.
“Itoccurstome,”saidtheWizard,“thatweoughttogetoutofthisplacebeforethemotherdragoncomesback.”
“Don’thurry,”calledoneofthedragonettes;“motherwillbegladtomeetyou,I’msure.”
“Youmayberight,”repliedtheWizard,“butwe’realittleparticularaboutassociatingwithstrangers.Willyoukindlytelluswhichwayyourmotherwenttogetontopoftheearth?”
“Thatisnotafairquestiontoaskus,”declaredanotherdragonette.
“For,ifwetoldyoutruly,youmightescapeusaltogether;andifwetoldyouanuntruthwewouldbenaughtyanddeservetobepunished.”
“Then,”decidedDorothy,“wemustfindourwayoutthebestwecan.”
Theycircledallaroundthecavern,keepingagooddistanceawayfromtheblinkingyelloweyesofthedragonettes,andpresentlydiscoveredthatthereweretwopathsleadingfromthewalloppositetotheplacewheretheyhadentered.
Theyselectedoneoftheseataventureandhurriedalongitasfastastheycouldgo,fortheyhadnoideawhenthemotherdragonwouldbebackandwereveryanxiousnottomakeheracquaintance.
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