English
Itdidn’trainjustthen,althoughthecloudsintheskygrewthickerandmorethreatening.
Polychromehopedforathunder-storm,followedbyherRainbow,butthetwotinmendidnotrelishtheideaofgettingwet.
TheyevenpreferredtoremaininNimmieAmee’shouse,althoughtheyfelttheywerenotwelcomethere,ratherthangooutandfacethecomingstorm.
ButtheScarecrow,whowasaverythoughtfulperson,saidtohisfriends:
“Ifweremainhereuntilafterthestorm,andPolychromegoesawayonherRainbow,thenwewillbeprisonersinsidetheWallofSolidAir;soitseemsbesttostartuponourreturnjourneyatonce.
IfIgetwet,mystrawstuffingwillberuined,andifyoutwotingentlemengetwet,youmayperhapsrustagain,andbecomeuseless.
Buteventhatisbetterthantostayhere.
Oncewearefreeofthebarrier,wehaveWoottheWanderertohelpus,andhecanoilyourjointsandrestuffmybody,ifitbecomesnecessary,fortheboyismadeofmeat,whichneitherrustsnorgetssoggyormoldy.”“Comealong,then!”
criedPolychromefromthewindow,andtheothers,realizingthewisdomoftheScarecrow’sspeech,tookleaveofNimmieAmee,whowasgladtoberidofthem,andsaidgood-byetoherhusband,whomerelyscowledandmadenoanswer,andthentheyhurriedfromthehouse.
“Youroldpartsarenotverypolite,Imustsay,”remarkedtheScarecrow,whentheywereinthegarden.
“No,”saidWoot,“Chopfytisaregulargrouch.Hemighthavewishedusapleasantjourney,attheveryleast.”
“Ibegyounottoholdusresponsibleforthatcreature’sactions,”pleadedtheTinWoodman.“WearethroughwithChopfytandshallhavenothingfurthertodowithhim.”
PolychromedancedaheadofthepartyandledthemstraighttotheburrowoftheBlueRabbit,whichtheymighthavehadsomedifficultyinfindingwithouther.
Thereshelostnotimeinmakingthemallsmallagain.
TheBlueRabbitwasbusynibblingcabbageleavesinNimmieAmee’sgarden,sotheydidnotaskhispermissionbutatonceenteredtheburrow.
Evennowtheraindropswerebeginningtofall,butitwasquitedryinsidethetunnelandbythetimetheyhadreachedtheotherend,outsidethecircularWallofSolidAir,thestormwasatitsheightandtherainwascomingdownintorrents.
“Letuswaithere,”proposedPolychrome,peeringoutoftheholeandthenquicklyretreating.
“TheRainbowwon’tappearuntilafterthestormandIcanmakeyoubigagaininajiffy,beforeIjoinmysistersonourbow.”
“That’sagoodplan,”saidtheScarecrowapprovingly.
“Itwillsavemefromgettingsoakedandsoggy.”
“Itwillsavemefromrusting,”saidtheTinSoldier.
“Itwillenablemetoremainhighlypolished,”saidtheTinWoodman.
“Oh,asforthat,Imyselfprefernottogetmyprettyclotheswet,”laughedtheRainbow’sdaughter.
“ButwhilewewaitIwillbidyoualladieu.
ImustalsothankyouforsavingmefromthatdreadfulGiantess,Mrs.Yoop.
YouhavebeengoodandpatientcomradesandIhaveenjoyedouradventurestogether,butIamneversohappyaswhenonmydearRainbow.”
“Willyourfatherscoldyouforgettingleftontheearth?”askedWoot.
“Isupposeso,”saidPolychromegaily;“I’malwaysgettingscoldedformymadpranks,astheyarecalled.
MysistersaresosweetandlovelyandproperthattheyneverdanceoffourRainbow,andsotheyneverhaveanyadventures.
Adventurestomearegoodfun,onlyIneverliketostaytoolongonearth,becauseIreallydon’tbelonghere.
IshalltellmyFathertheRainbowthatI’lltrynottobesocarelessagain,andhewillforgivemebecauseinourskymansionsthereisalwaysjoyandhappiness.”
Theywereindeedsorrytopartwiththeirdaintyandbeautifulcompanionandassuredheroftheirdevotioniftheyeverchancedtomeetagain.
SheshookhandswiththeScarecrowandtheTinMenandkissedWoottheWandererlightlyuponhisforehead.
Andthentherainsuddenlyceased,andasthetinypeoplelefttheburrowoftheBlueRabbit,agloriousbigRainbowappearedintheskyandtheendofitsarchslowlydescendedandtouchedthegroundjustwheretheystood.
Wootwassobusywatchingascoreoflovelymaidens—sistersofPolychrome—whowereleaningovertheedgeofthebow,andanotherscorewhodancedgailyamidtheradianceofthesplendidhues,thathedidnotnoticehewasgrowingbigagain.
ButnowPolychromejoinedhersistersontheRainbowandthehugearchliftedandslowlymeltedawayasthesunburstfromthecloudsandsentitsownwhitebeamsdancingoverthemeadows.
“Why,she’sgone!”exclaimedtheboy,andturnedtoseehiscompanionsstillwavingtheirhandsintokenofadieutothevanishedPolychrome.
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