Glinda of Oz Page 13

  CHAPTER 13

  The Alarm Bell

  Glinda, the Good, in her palace in the Quadling Country, had manythings to occupy her mind, for not only did she look after the weavingand embroidery of her bevy of maids, and assist all those who came toher to implore her help--beasts and birds as well as people--but shewas a close student of the arts of sorcery and spent much time in herMagical Laboratory, where she strove to find a remedy for every eviland to perfect her skill in magic.

  Nevertheless, she did not forget to look in the Great Book of Recordseach day to see if any mention was made of the visit of Ozma andDorothy to the Enchanted Mountain of the Flatheads and the Magic Isleof the Skeezers. The Records told her that Ozma had arrived at themountain, that she had escaped, with her companion, and gone to theisland of the Skeezers, and that Queen Coo-ee-oh had submerged theisland so that it was entirely under water. Then came the statementthat the Flatheads had come to the lake to poison the fishes and thattheir Supreme Dictator had transformed Queen Coo-ee-oh into a swan.

  No other details were given in the Great Book and so Glinda did notknow that since Coo-ee-oh had forgotten her magic none of the Skeezersknew how to raise the island to the surface again. So Glinda was notworried about Ozma and Dorothy until one morning, while she sat withher maids, there came a sudden clang of the great alarm bell. This wasso unusual that every maid gave a start and even the Sorceress for amoment could not think what the alarm meant.

  Then she remembered the ring she had given Dorothy when she left thepalace to start on her venture. In giving the ring Glinda had warnedthe little girl not to use its magic powers unless she and Ozma werein real danger, but then she was to turn it on her finger once to theright and once to the left and Glinda's alarm bell would ring.

  So the Sorceress now knew that danger threatened her beloved Ruler andPrincess Dorothy, and she hurried to her magic room to seekinformation as to what sort of danger it was. The answer to herquestion was not very satisfactory, for it was only: "Ozma and Dorothyare prisoners in the great Dome of the Isle of the Skeezers, and theDome is under the water of the lake."

  "Hasn't Ozma the power to raise the island to the surface?" inquiredGlinda.

  "No," was the reply, and the Record refused to say more except thatQueen Coo-ee-oh, who alone could command the island to rise, had beentransformed by the Flathead Su-dic into a Diamond Swan.

  Then Glinda consulted the past records of the Skeezers in the GreatBook. After diligent search she discovered that Coo-ee-oh was apowerful sorceress, who had gained most of her power by treacherouslytransforming the Adepts of Magic, who were visiting her, into threefishes--gold, silver and bronze--after which she had them cast intothe lake.

  Glinda reflected earnestly on this information and decided thatsomeone must go to Ozma's assistance. While there was no great need ofhaste, because Ozma and Dorothy could live in a submerged dome a longtime, it was evident they could not get out until someone was able toraise the island.

  The Sorceress looked through all her recipes and books of sorcery, butcould find no magic that would raise a sunken island. Such a thing hadnever before been required in sorcery. Then Glinda made a littleisland, covered by a glass dome, and sunk it in a pond near hercastle, and experimented in magical ways to bring it to the surface.She made several such experiments, but all were failures. It seemed asimple thing to do, yet she could not do it.

  Nevertheless, the wise Sorceress did not despair of finding a way toliberate her friends. Finally she concluded that the best thing to dowas to go to the Skeezer country and examine the lake. While there shewas more likely to discover a solution to the problem that botheredher, and to work out a plan for the rescue of Ozma and Dorothy.

  So Glinda summoned her storks and her aerial chariot, and telling hermaids she was going on a journey and might not soon return, sheentered the chariot and was carried swiftly to the Emerald City.

  In Princess Ozma's palace the Scarecrow was now acting as Ruler of theLand of Oz. There wasn't much for him to do, because all the affairsof state moved so smoothly, but he was there in case anythingunforeseen should happen.

  Glinda found the Scarecrow playing croquet with Trot and Betsy Bobbin,two little girls who lived at the palace under Ozma's protection andwere great friends of Dorothy and much loved by all the Oz people.

  "Something's happened!" cried Trot, as the chariot of the Sorceressdescended near them. "Glinda never comes here 'cept something's gonewrong."

  "I hope no harm has come to Ozma, or Dorothy," said Betsy anxiously,as the lovely Sorceress stepped down from her chariot.

  Glinda approached the Scarecrow and told him of the dilemma of Ozmaand Dorothy and she added: "We must save them, somehow, Scarecrow."

  "Of course," replied the Scarecrow, stumbling over a wicket andfalling flat on his painted face.

  The girls picked him up and patted his straw stuffing into shape, andhe continued, as if nothing had occurred: "But you'll have to tell mewhat to do, for I never have raised a sunken island in all my life."

  "We must have a Council of State as soon as possible," proposed theSorceress. "Please send messengers to summon all of Ozma's counsellorsto this palace. Then we can decide what is best to be done."

  The Scarecrow lost no time in doing this. Fortunately most of theroyal counsellors were in the Emerald City or near to it, so they allmet in the throne room of the palace that same evening.