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Back Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
Chapters (23)
  1. Title Page
  2. epubBooks Information
  3. To My Readers
  4. CHAPTER 1.
  5. CHAPTER 2.
  6. CHAPTER 3.
  7. CHAPTER 4.
  8. CHAPTER 5.
  9. CHAPTER 6.
  10. CHAPTER 7.
  11. CHAPTER 8.
  12. CHAPTER 9.
  13. CHAPTER 10.
  14. CHAPTER 11.
  15. CHAPTER 12.
  16. CHAPTER 13.
  17. Chapter 14.
  18. CHAPTER 15.
  19. CHAPTER 16.
  20. CHAPTER 17.
  21. CHAPTER 18.
  22. CHAPTER 19.
  23. CHAPTER 20.

All three got into the buggy and Zeb picked up the reins, though Jim needed no guidance of any sort. The horse was still smarting from the sharp claws of the invisible bears, and as soon as he was on land and headed toward the mountain the thought that more of those fearsome creatures might be near acted as a spur and sent him galloping along in a way that made Dorothy catch her breath.

Then Zeb, in a spirit of mischief, uttered a growl like that of the bears, and Jim pricked up his ears and fairly flew. His boney legs moved so fast they could scarcely be seen, and the Wizard clung fast to the seat and yelled "Whoa!" at the top of his voice.

"I—I'm 'fraid he's—he's running away!" gasped Dorothy.

"I know he is," said Zeb; "but no bear can catch him if he keeps up that gait—and the harness or the buggy don't break."

Jim did not make a mile a minute; but almost before they were aware of it he drew up at the foot of the mountain, so suddenly that the Wizard and Zeb both sailed over the dashboard and landed in the soft grass—where they rolled over several times before they stopped. Dorothy nearly went with them, but she was holding fast to the iron rail of the seat, and that saved her. She squeezed the kitten, though, until it screeched; and then the old cab–horse made several curious sounds that led the little girl to suspect he was laughing at them all.

CHAPTER 10.

CHAPTER 10.

THE BRAIDED MAN OF PYRAMID MOUNTAIN

The mountain before them was shaped like a cone and was so tall that its point was lost in the clouds. Directly facing the place where Jim had stopped was an arched opening leading to a broad stairway. The stairs were cut in the rock inside the mountain, and they were broad and not very steep, because they circled around like a cork–screw, and at the arched opening where the flight began the circle was quite big. At the foot of the stairs was a sign reading:

WARNING
These steps lead to the
Land of the Gargoyles
DANGER! KEEP OUT

"I wonder how Jim is ever going to draw the buggy up so many stairs," said Dorothy, gravely.

"No trouble at all," declared the horse, with a contemptuous neigh. "Still, I don't care to drag any passengers. You'll all have to walk."

"Suppose the stairs get steeper?" suggested Zeb, doubtfully.

"Then you'll have to boost the buggy–wheels, that's all," answered Jim.

"We'll try it, anyway," said the Wizard. "It's the only way to get out of the Valley of Voe."

So they began to ascend the stairs, Dorothy and the Wizard first, Jim next, drawing the buggy, and then Zeb to watch that nothing happened to the harness.