第 十九 章 · The King of Ev

. The King of Ev

If there were any shifting, rock-colored Nomes on the mountain side

now, they were silent and respectful, for our adventurers were not

annoyed, as before, by their impudent laughter. Really the Nomes had

nothing to laugh at, since the defeat of their King.

On the other side they found Ozma's golden chariot, standing as they

had left it. Soon the Lion and the Tiger were harnessed to the

beautiful chariot, in which was enough room for Ozma and the Queen and

six of the royal children.

Little Evring preferred to ride with Dorothy upon the Sawhorse, which

had a long back. The Prince had recovered from his shyness and had

become very fond of the girl who had rescued him, so they were fast

friends and chatted pleasantly together as they rode along. Billina

was also perched upon the head of the wooden steed, which seemed not to

mind the added weight in the least, and the boy was full of wonder that

a hen could talk, and say such sensible things.

When they came to the gulf, Ozma's magic carpet carried them all over

in safety; and now they began to pass the trees, in which birds were

singing; and the breeze that was wafted to them from the farms of Ev

was spicy with flowers and new-mown hay; and the sunshine fell full

upon them, to warm them and drive away from their bodies the chill and

dampness of the underground kingdom of the Nomes.

"I would be quite content," said the Scarecrow to Tiktok, "were only

the Tin Woodman with us. But it breaks my heart to leave him behind."

"He was a fine fel-low," replied Tiktok, "al-though his ma-ter-i-al was

not ve-ry du-ra-ble."

"Oh, tin is an excellent material," the Scarecrow hastened to say; "and

if anything ever happened to poor Nick Chopper he was always easily

soldered. Besides, he did not have to be wound up, and was not liable

to get out of order."

"I some-times wish," said Tiktok, "that I was stuffed with straw, as

you are. It is hard to be made of cop-per."

"I have no reason to complain of my lot," replied the Scarecrow. "A

little fresh straw, now and then, makes me as good as new. But I can

never be the polished gentleman that my poor departed friend, the Tin

Woodman, was."

You may be sure the royal children of Ev and their Queen mother were

delighted at seeing again their beloved country; and when the towers of

the palace of Ev came into view they could not forbear cheering at the

sight. Little Evring, riding in front of Dorothy, was so overjoyed

that he took a curious tin whistle from his pocket and blew a shrill

blast that made the Sawhorse leap and prance in sudden alarm.

"What is that?" asked Billina, who had been obliged to flutter her

wings in order to keep her seat upon the head of the frightened

Sawhorse.

"That's my whistle," said Prince Evring, holding it out upon his hand.

It was in the shape of a little fat pig, made of tin and painted green.

The whistle was in the tail of the pig.

"Where did you get it?" asked the yellow hen, closely examining the toy

with her bright eyes.

"Why, I picked it up in the Nome King's palace, while Dorothy was

making her guesses, and I put it in my pocket," answered the little

Prince.

Billina laughed; or at least she made the peculiar cackle that served

her for a laugh.

"No wonder I couldn't find the Tin Woodman," she said; "and no wonder

the magic belt didn't make him appear, or the King couldn't find him,

either!"

"What do you mean?" questioned Dorothy.

"Why, the Prince had him in his pocket," cried Billina, cackling again.

"I did not!" protested little Evring. "I only took the whistle."

"Well, then, watch me," returned the hen, and reaching out a claw she

touched the whistle and said "Ev."

Swish!

"Good afternoon," said the Tin Woodman, taking off his funnel cap and

bowing to Dorothy and the Prince. "I think I must have been asleep for

the first time since I was made of tin, for I do not remember our

leaving the Nome King."

"You have been enchanted," answered the girl, throwing an arm around

her old friend and hugging him tight in her joy. "But it's all right,

now."

"I want my whistle!" said the little Prince, beginning to cry.

"Hush!" cautioned Billina. "The whistle is lost, but you may have

another when you get home."

The Scarecrow had fairly thrown himself upon the bosom of his old

comrade, so surprised and delighted was he to see him again, and Tiktok

squeezed the Tin Woodman's hand so earnestly that he dented some of his

fingers. Then they had to make way for Ozma to welcome the tin man,

and the army caught sight of him and set up a cheer, and everybody was

delighted and happy.

For the Tin Woodman was a great favorite with all who knew him, and his

sudden recovery after they had thought he was lost to them forever was

indeed a pleasant surprise.

Before long the cavalcade arrived at the royal palace, where a great

crowd of people had gathered to welcome their Queen and her ten

children. There was much shouting and cheering, and the people threw

flowers in their path, and every face wore a happy smile.

They found the Princess Langwidere in her mirrored chamber, where she

was admiring one of her handsomest heads--one with rich chestnut hair,

dreamy walnut eyes and a shapely hickorynut nose. She was very glad to

be relieved of her duties to the people of Ev, and the Queen graciously

permitted her to retain her rooms and her cabinet of heads as long as

she lived.

Then the Queen took her eldest son out upon a balcony that overlooked

the crowd of subjects gathered below, and said to them:

"Here is your future ruler, King Evardo Fifteenth. He is fifteen years

of age, has fifteen silver buckles on his jacket and is the fifteenth

Evardo to rule the land of Ev."

The people shouted their approval fifteen times, and even the Wheelers,

some of whom were present, loudly promised to obey the new King.

So the Queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon Evardo's

head, and threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and proclaimed him

King; and he bowed gratefully to all his subjects and then went away to

see if he could find any cake in the royal pantry.

Ozma of Oz and her people, as well as Dorothy, Tiktok and Billina, were

splendidly entertained by the Queen mother, who owed all her happiness

to their kind offices; and that evening the yellow hen was publicly

presented with a beautiful necklace of pearls and sapphires, as a token

of esteem from the new King.