L. Frank Baum_Oz 12 Read Online Free PDF Page A

as you're going to be," declared the King. "Before you
exploded you were bigger than the rest of us, and that caused you to
be proud and overbearing. Now you're a little smaller than the rest,
and you will last longer and be more humble."
    "Pump me up—pump me up!" wailed Panta "If you don't you'll break my
heart."
    "If we do we'll break your skin," replied the King.
    So the Loons stopped pumping air into Panta, and pushed him away from
the pump. He was certainly more humble than before his accident, for he
crept into the background and said nothing more.
    "Now pump up the other one," ordered the King. Til had already mended
him, and the Loons set to work to pump him full of air.
    During these last few moments none had paid much attention to the
prisoners, so Woot, finding his legs free, crept over to the Tin
Woodman and rubbed the bonds that were still around his arms and body
against the sharp edge of the axe, which quickly cut them.
    The boy was now free, and the thorn which the Loon had stuck into his
leg was lying unnoticed on the ground, where the creature had dropped
it when he exploded. Woot leaned forward and picked up the thorn, and
while the Loons were busy watching the pump, the boy sprang to his feet
and suddenly rushed upon the group.
    "Pop"—"pop"—"pop!" went three of the Loons, when the Wanderer pricked
them with his thorn, and at the sounds the others looked around and saw
their danger. With yells of fear they bounded away in all directions,
scattering about the clearing, with Woot the Wanderer in full chase.
While they could run much faster than the boy, they often stumbled and
fell, or got in one another's way, so he managed to catch several and
prick them with his thorn.
    It astonished him to see how easily the Loons exploded. When the air
was let out of them they were quite helpless. Til Loon was one of those
who ran against his thorn and many others suffered the same fate. The
creatures could not escape from the enclosure, but in their fright many
bounded upward and caught branches of the trees, and then climbed out
of reach of the dreaded thorn.
    Woot was getting pretty tired chasing them, so he stopped and came
over, panting, to where his friends were sitting, still bound.
    "Very well done, my Wanderer," said the Tin Woodman. "It is evident
that we need fear these puffed-up creatures no longer, so be kind
enough to unfasten our bonds and we will proceed upon our journey."
    Woot untied the bonds of the Scarecrow and helped him to his feet. Then
he freed the Tin Woodman, who got up without help. Looking around them,
they saw that the only Loon now remaining within reach was Bal Loon,
the King, who had remained seated in his throne, watching the
punishment of his people with a bewildered look in his purple eyes.
    "Shall I puncture the King?" the boy asked his companions.
    King Bal must have overheard the question, for he fumbled with the cord
that fastened him to the throne and managed to release it. Then he
floated upward until he reached the leafy dome, and parting the
branches he disappeared from sight. But the string that was tied to his
body was still connected with the arm of the throne, and they knew they
could pull his Majesty down again, if they wanted to.
    "Let him alone," suggested the Scarecrow. "He seems a good enough king
for his peculiar people, and after we are gone, the Loons will have
something of a job to pump up all those whom Woot has punctured."
    "Every one of them ought to be exploded," declared Woot, who was angry
because his leg still hurt him.
    "No," said the Tin Woodman, "that would not be just fair. They were
quite right to capture us, because we had no business to intrude here,
having been warned to keep away from Loonville. This is their country,
not ours, and since the poor things can't get out of the clearing, they
can harm no one save those who venture here out of curiosity, as we
did."
    "Well said, my friend," agreed tile Scarecrow. "We really had no right
to disturb