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Onthismorning,whichoughttobethelastofthisimportantjourney,ourfriendsstartedawayasbrightandcheeryascouldbe,andWootwhistledamerrytunesothatPolychromecoulddancetothemusic.
Onreachingthetopofthehill,theplainspreadoutbeforetheminallitsbeautyofbluegrassesandwildflowers,andMountMunchseemedmuchnearerthanithadthepreviousevening.
Theytrudgedonatabriskpace,andbynoonthemountainwassoclosethattheycouldadmireitsappearance.
Itsslopeswerepartlyclothedwithprettyevergreens,anditsfoot-hillsweretuftedwithaslenderwavingbluegrassthathadatasselontheendofeveryblade.
And,forthefirsttime,theyperceived,nearthefootofthemountain,acharminghouse,notofgreatsizebutneatlypaintedandwithmanyflowerssurroundingitandvinesclimbingoverthedoorsandwindows.
Itwastowardthissolitaryhousethatourtravelersnowdirectedtheirsteps,thinkingtoinquireofthepeoplewholivedtherewhereNimmieAmeemightbefound.
Therewerenopaths,butthewaywasquiteopenandclear,andtheyweredrawingneartothedwellingwhenWoottheWanderer,whowasthenintheleadofthelittleparty,haltedwithsuchanabruptjerkthathestumbledoverbackwardandlayflatonhisbackinthemeadow.
TheScarecrowstoppedtolookattheboy.
“Whydidyoudothat?”heaskedinsurprise.
Wootsatupandgazedaroundhiminamazement.“I—Idon’tknow!”hereplied.
Thetwotinmen,arminarm,startedtopassthemwhenbothhaltedandtumbled,withagreatclatter,intoaheapbesideWoot.
Polychrome,laughingattheabsurdsight,camedancingupandshe,also,cametoasuddenstop,butmanagedtosaveherselffromfalling.
Everyoneofthemwasmuchastonished,andtheScarecrowsaidwithapuzzledlook:
“Idon’tseeanything.”“NorI,”saidWoot;“butsomethinghitme,justthesame.”
“Someinvisiblepersonstruckmeaheavyblow,”declaredtheTinWoodman,strugglingtoseparatehimselffromtheTinSoldier,whoselegsandarmsweremixedwithhisown.
“I’mnotsureitwasaperson,”saidPolychrome,lookingmoregravethanusual.
“ItseemstomethatImerelyranintosomehardsubstancewhichbarredmyway.
Inordertomakesureofthis,letmetryanotherplace.”
Sheranbackawayandthenwithmuchcautionadvancedinadifferentplace,butwhenshereachedapositiononalinewiththeothersshehalted,herarmsoutstretchedbeforeher.
“Icanfeelsomethinghard—somethingsmoothasglass,”shesaid,“butI’msureitisnotglass.”
“Letmetry,”suggestedWoot,gettingup;butwhenhetriedtogoforward,hediscoveredthesamebarrierthatPolychromehadencountered.
“No,”hesaid,“itisn’tglass.Butwhatisit?”
“Air,”repliedasmallvoicebesidehim.“Solidair;that’sall.”
Theyalllookeddownwardandfoundasky-bluerabbithadstuckhisheadoutofaburrowintheground.
Therabbit’seyeswereadeeperbluethanhisfur,andtheprettycreatureseemedfriendlyandunafraid.
“Air!”exclaimedWoot,staringinastonishmentintotherabbit’sblueeyes;“whoeverheardofairsosolidthatonecannotpushitaside?”
“Youcan’tpushthisairaside,”declaredtherabbit,“foritwasmadehardbypowerfulsorcery,anditformsawallthatisintendedtokeeppeoplefromgettingtothathouseyonder.”
“Oh;it’sawall,isit?”saidtheTinWoodman.
“Yes,itisreallyawall,”answeredtherabbit,“anditisfullysixfeetthick.”
“Howhighisit?”inquiredCaptainFyter,theTinSoldier.
“Oh,eversohigh;perhapsamile,”saidtherabbit.
“Couldn’twegoaroundit?”askedWoot.
“Ofcourse,forthewallisacircle,”explainedtherabbit.“Inthecenterofthecirclestandsthehouse,soyoumaywalkaroundtheWallofSolidAir,butyoucan’tgettothehouse.”
“Whoputtheairwallaroundthehouse?”wastheScarecrow’squestion.
“NimmieAmeedidthat.”
“NimmieAmee!”theyallexclaimedinsurprise.
“Yes,”answeredtherabbit.“SheusedtolivewithanoldWitch,whowassuddenlydestroyed,andwhenNimmieAmeeranawayfromtheWitch’shouse,shetookwithherjustonemagicformula—puresorceryitwas—whichenabledhertobuildthisairwallaroundherhouse—thehouseyonder.
Itwasquiteacleveridea,Ithink,foritdoesn’tmarthebeautyofthelandscape,solidairbeinginvisible,andyetitkeepsallstrangersawayfromthehouse.”
“DoesNimmieAmeelivetherenow?”askedtheTinWoodmananxiously.
“Yes,indeed,”saidtherabbit.
“Anddoessheweepandwailfrommorningtillnight?”continuedtheEmperor.
“No;sheseemsquitehappy,”assertedtherabbit.TheTinWoodmanseemedquitedisappointedtohearthisreportofhisoldsweetheart,buttheScarecrowreassuredhisfriend,saying:
“Nevermind,yourMajesty;howeverhappyNimmieAmeeisnow,I’msureshewillbemuchhappierasEmpressoftheWinkies.”
“Perhaps,”saidCaptainFyter,somewhatstiffly,“shewillbestillmorehappytobecomethebrideofaTinSoldier.”
“Sheshallchoosebetweenus,aswehaveagreed,”theTinWoodmanpromised;“buthowshallwegettothepoorgirl?”
Polychrome,althoughdancinglightlybackandforth,hadlistenedtoeverywordoftheconversation.
NowshecameforwardandsatherselfdownjustinfrontoftheBlueRabbit,hermany-hueddraperiesgivinghertheappearanceofsomebeautifulflower.Therabbitdidn’tbackawayaninch.
Instead,hegazedattheRainbow’sDaughteradmiringly.
“DoesyourburrowgounderneaththisWallofAir?”askedPolychrome.
“Tobesure,”answeredtheBlueRabbit;“IdugitthatwaysoIcouldroaminthesebroadfields,bygoingoutoneway,oreatthecabbagesinNimmieAmee’sgardenbyleavingmyburrowattheotherend.
Idon’tthinkNimmieAmeeoughttomindthelittleItakefromhergarden,ortheholeI’vemadeunderhermagicwall.
Arabbitmaygoandcomeashepleases,butnoonewhoisbiggerthanIamcouldgetthroughmyburrow.”
“Willyouallowustopassthroughit,ifweareableto?“inquiredPolychrome.
“Yes,indeed,”answeredtheBlueRabbit.
“I’mnoespecialfriendofNimmieAmee,foronceshethrewstonesatme,justbecauseIwasnibblingsomelettuce,andonlyyesterdaysheyelled‘Shoo!’atme,whichmademenervous.
You’rewelcometousemyburrowinanywayyouchoose.”
“Butthisisallnonsense!”declaredWoottheWanderer.“Weareeveryonetoobigtocrawlthrougharabbit’sburrow.”
“Wearetoobignow,”agreedtheScarecrow,“butyoumustrememberthatPolychromeisafairy,andfairieshavemanymagicpowers.”
Woot’sfacebrightenedasheturnedtothelovelyDaughteroftheRainbow.
“Couldyoumakeusallassmallasthatrabbit?”heaskedeagerly.
“Icantry,”answeredPolychrome,withasmile.
Andpresentlyshedidit—soeasilythatWootwasnottheonlyoneastonished.
Asthenowtinypeoplegroupedthemselvesbeforetherabbit’sburrowtheholeappearedtothemliketheentrancetoatunnel,whichindeeditwas.
“I’llgofirst,”saidweePolychrome,whohadmadeherselfgrowassmallastheothers,andintothetunnelshedancedwithouthesitation.
AtinyScarecrowwentnextandthenthetwofunnylittletinmen.
“Walkin;it’syourturn,”saidtheBlueRabbittoWoottheWanderer.“I’mcomingafter,toseehowyougetalong.ThiswillbearegularsurprisepartytoNimmieAmee.”
SoWootenteredtheholeandfelthiswayalongitssmoothsidesinthedarkuntilhefinallysawtheglimmerofdaylightaheadandknewthejourneywasalmostover.
Hadheremainedhisnaturalsize,thedistancecouldhavebeencoveredinafewsteps,buttoathumb-highWootitwasquiteapromenade.
Whenheemergedfromtheburrowhefoundhimselfbutashortdistancefromthehouse,inthecenterofthevegetablegarden,wheretheleavesofrhubarbwavingabovehisheadseemedliketrees.
Outsidethehole,andwaitingforhim,hefoundallhisfriends.
“Sofar,sogood!”remarkedtheScarecrowcheerfully.
“Yes;sofar,butnofarther,”returnedtheTinWoodmaninaplaintiveanddisturbedtoneofvoice.
“IamnowclosetoNimmieAmee,whomIhavecomeeversofartoseek,butIcannotaskthegirltomarrysuchalittlemanasIamnow.”
“I’mnobiggerthanatoysoldier!”saidCaptainFyter,sorrowfully.
“UnlessPolychromecanmakeusbigagain,thereislittleuseinourvisitingNimmieAmeeatall,forI’msureshewouldn’tcareforahusbandshemightcarelesslysteponandruin.”Polychromelaughedmerrily.
“IfImakeyoubig,youcan’tgetoutofhereagain,”saidshe,“andifyouremainlittleNimmieAmeewilllaughatyou.Somakeyourchoice.”
“Ithinkwe’dbettergoback,”saidWoot,seriously.
“No,”saidtheTinWoodman,stoutly,“Ihavedecidedthatit’smydutytomakeNimmieAmeehappy,incaseshewishestomarryme.”
“SohaveI,”announcedCaptainFyter.“Agoodsoldiernevershrinksfromdoinghisduty.”
“Asforthat,”saidtheScarecrow,“tindoesn’tshrinkanytospeakof,underanycircumstances.
ButWootandIintendtosticktoourcomrades,whatevertheydecidetodo,sowewillaskPolychrometomakeusasbigaswewerebefore.”
Polychromeagreedtothisrequestandinhalfaminuteallofthem,includingherself,hadbeenenlargedagaintotheirnaturalsizes.
TheythenthankedtheBlueRabbitforhiskindassistance,andatonceapproachedthehouseofNimmeAmee.
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