CHAPTER 15
THE THREE PRINCES PLOT TO UNDO THE EMPEROR
"Let me help your Imperial Serenity!"
"Bring a cane!"
"Carefully, now!"
The three royal Princes, with every show of affection, weresupporting the Scarecrow to the silver bench in the garden where heusually sat during luncheon.
"Are you quite comfortable?" asked the elder. "Here, Happy, yourogue, fetch a scarf for his Imperial Highness. You must be careful,dear Papa Scarecrow. At your age, drafts are dangerous." The rascallyPrince wound the scarf about the Scarecrow's neck.
"What do you suppose they are up to?" asked the Scarecrow, staringafter the three suspiciously. "Why this sudden devotion? It upsets myImperial Serenity a lot."
"Trying to make you feel old," grumbled Happy. Several hours hadpassed since they had overheard the conversation in the garden. TheScarecrow had decided to watch his sons closely and fall in with anyplan they suggested so they would suspect nothing. Then, when thetime came, he would act. Just what he would do he did not know, buthis excellent brains would not, he felt sure, desert him. Happy Tokosat as close to the Scarecrow as he could and scowled terriblywhenever the Princes approached, which was every minute or so duringthe afternoon.
"How is the Scarecrow's celestial old head?"
"Does he suffer from honorable gout?"
"Should they fetch the Imperial Doctor?"
The Scarecrow, who had never thought of age in his whole straw life,became extremely nervous.
Was he really old? Did his head ache? When no one was looking, hefelt himself carefully all over. Then something of his old time Ozspirit returned. Seizing the cushion that his eldest son was placingat his back, he hurled it over his head. Leaping from his throne, hebegan turning handsprings in a careless and sprightly manner.
"Don't you worry about your honorable old papa," chuckled theScarecrow, winking at Happy Toko. "He's good for a couple ofcenturies!"
The three Princes stared sourly at this exhibition of youth.
"But your heart," objected the eldest Prince.
"Have none," laughed the Scarecrow. Snatching off the silver cordfrom around his waist, he began skipping rope up and down the hall.The Princes, tapping their foreheads significantly, retired, and theScarecrow, throwing his arm around Happy Toko, began whispering inhis ear. He had a plan himself. They would see!
* * * * *
Meanwhile, off in his dark cave in one of the silver mountains, theGrand Gheewizard of the Silver Island was stirring a huge kettle ofmagic. Every few moments he paused to read out of a great yellow bookthat he had propped up on the mantle. The fire in the huge grateleaped fiercely under the big, black pot, and the sputtering candleson each side of the book sent creepy shadows into the dark cave. Darkchests, books, bundles of herbs, and heaps of gold and silver wereeverywhere. Whenever the Gheewizard turned his back, a rheumaticsilver-scaled old dragon would crawl toward the fire and swallow amouthful of coals, until the old Gheewizard caught him in the act andchained him to a ring in the corner of the cave.
"Be patient, little joy of my heart! Our fortune is about to bemade," hissed the wizened little man, waving a long iron spoon at thedragon. "You shall have a bucket of red-hot coals every hour and I asilver cap with a tassel. Have not the Royal Princes promised it?"The dragon shuffled about and finally went to sleep, smoking sulkily.
"Is it finished, son of a yellow dog?" Through the narrow opening ofthe cave, the youngest Prince stuck his head.
"I am working as fast as I can, Honorable Prince, but the elixir mustboil yet one more night. Tomorrow, when the sun shines on the firstbar of your celestial window, come, and all will be ready."
"Are you sure you have found it?" asked the Prince, withdrawing hishead, for the smoking dragon and steam from the kettle made himcough.
"Quite sure," wheezed the Grand Gheewizard, and fell to stirring thekettle with all his might.
* * * * *
The Scarecrow, although busy with trials in the great courtroom ofthe palace, felt that something unusual was in the air. The Princeskept nodding to one another, and the Grand Chew Chew and GeneralMugwump had their heads together at every opportunity.
"Something's going to happen, Tappy. I feel it in my straw,"whispered the Scarecrow as he finished trying the last case. At thatvery minute, the Grand Chew Chew arose and held up his hand forsilence. Everybody paused in their way to the exits and looked withsurprise at the old Silverman.
"I have to announce," said the Grand Chew Chew in a solemn voice,"that the Great and Imperial Chang Wang Woe will tomorrow be restoredto his own rightful shape. The Grand Gheewizard of the realm hasdiscovered a magic formula to break the enchantment and free him fromthis distressing Scarecrow body. Behold for the last the Scarecrow ofOz. Tomorrow he will be our old and glorious Emperor!"
"Old and glorious?" gasped the Scarecrow, nearly falling from histhrone.
"Tappy! I forgot to lock up the wizards. Great Cornstarch! Tomorrow Iwill be eighty-five years old."
Such cheers greeted the Grand Chew Chew's announcement that no oneeven noticed the Scarecrow's distress.
"I, also, have an announcement!" cried the eldest Prince, standing upproudly. "To make the celebration of my royal Papa's restorationcomplete, we have chosen the lovely and charming Orange Blossom forhis bride."
"Bride!" gulped the Scarecrow. "But I do not approve of secondmarriages. I refuse to--"
No one paid the slightest attention to the Scarecrow's remarks.
"Hold my hand, Tappy," sighed the Scarecrow weakly. "It may be yourlast chance." Then he sat up and stared in good earnest, for thePrince was leading forward a tall, richly clad lady.
"Orange Blossom!" muttered the Scarecrow under his breath. "He meansLemon Peel! Silver grandmother, Tappy!" Orange Blossom was across-looking Princess of seventy-five, at least.
"She is a sister of the King of the Golden Islands," whisperedGeneral Mugwump. "Of a richness surpassing your own. Let mefelicitate your Highness."
"Fan me, Tappy! Fan me!" gasped the Scarecrow. Then he straightenedhimself suddenly. The time had come for action. He would say nothingto anyone, but that night he would escape and try to find his wayback to Oz, family or no family! He bowed graciously to PrincessOrange Blossom, to the Grand Chew Chew, and to his sons.
"Let everything be made ready for the ceremony, and may tomorrowindeed bring me to myself," he repeated solemnly. Nothing was talkedof that evening but the Emperor's impending marriage and the GrandGheewizard's discovery. The Scarecrow seemed the least excited personin the palace. Sitting on his throne, he pretended to read the RoyalSilver Journal, but he was really waiting impatiently for thecourtiers to retire. Finally, when the last one had bowed himself outand only Happy Toko remained in the throne room, the Scarecrow beganmaking his plans.
"It's no use, Tappy," said he, tying up a few little trinkets forDorothy in a silk handkerchief, "I'd rather be straw than meat. I'drather be a plain Scarecrow in Oz than Emperor of the Earth! They maybe my sons, but all they want is my death. I'm going back to my oldfriends. I'd rather--". He got no farther. A huge slave seized himsuddenly from behind, while another caught Happy Toko around his fatlittle waist.
"Tie them fast," said the eldest Prince, smiling wickedly at theScarecrow. "Here, tie him to the beanstalk. Merely a part of theGrand Gheewizard's formula," he exclaimed maliciously as thestruggling Scarecrow was bound securely to his family tree. "Goodnight, dear papa Scarecrow. Tomorrow you will be your old self again,and in a few short years _I_ will be Emperor of the Silver Islands!"
"This rather upsets our plans, eh Tappy?" wheezed the Scarecrow aftera struggle with his bonds.
"Pigs! Weasels!" choked Tappy. "What are we to do?"
"Alas!" groaned the Scarecrow. "Tomorrow there will be no Scarecrowin Oz. What will Dorothy and Ozma think? And once I am changed intomy old Imperial self, I can never make the journey to the EmeraldCity. Eighty-six is too old for traveling."
"Has your Majest
y forgotten the wonderful brains given to you by theWizard of Oz?"
"I had--for a moment," confessed the Scarecrow. "Be quiet, Tappy,while I think." Pressing his head against the magic beanpole, theScarecrow thought and thought, harder than he had ever done in thecourse of his adventurous life, and in the great, silent hall HappyToko struggled to set himself free.