The Tin Woodman of Oz Page 7

  Chapter Seven

  The Lace Apron

  "Now," said the Canary, in a tone more brisk than before, "we may talktogether more freely, as Mrs. Yoop cannot hear us. Perhaps we canfigure out a way to escape."

  "Open!" said Woot the Monkey, still facing the door; but his commandhad no effect and he slowly rejoined the others.

  "You cannot open any door or window in this enchanted castle unless youare wearing the Magic Apron," said the Canary.

  "What Magic Apron do you mean?" asked the Tin Owl, in a curious voice.

  "The lace one, which the Giantess always wears. I have been herprisoner, in this cage, for several weeks, and she hangs my cage in herbedroom every night, so that she can keep her eye on me," explainedPolychrome the Canary. "Therefore I have discovered that it is theMagic Apron that opens the doors and windows, and nothing else can movethem. When she goes to bed, Mrs. Yoop hangs her apron on the bedpost,and one morning she forgot to put it on when she commanded the door toopen, and the door would not move. So then she put on the lace apronand the door obeyed her. That was how I learned the magic power of theapron."

  "I see--I see!" said the little Brown Bear, wagging his stuffed head."Then, if we could get the apron from Mrs. Yoop, we could open thedoors and escape from our prison."

  "That is true, and it is the plan I was about to suggest," repliedPolychrome the Canary-Bird. "However, I don't believe the Owl couldsteal the apron, or even the Bear, but perhaps the Monkey could hide inher room at night and get the apron while she is asleep."

  "I'll try it!" cried Woot the Monkey. "I'll try it this very night, ifI can manage to steal into her bedroom."

  "You mustn't think about it, though," warned the bird, "for she canread your thoughts whenever she cares to do so. And do not forget,before you escape, to take me with you. Once I am out of the power ofthe Giantess, I may discover a way to save us all."

  "We won't forget our fairy friend," promised the boy; "but perhaps youcan tell me how to get into the bedroom."

  "No," declared Polychrome, "I cannot advise you as to that. You mustwatch for a chance, and slip in when Mrs. Yoop isn't looking."

  They talked it over for a while longer and then Mrs. Yoop returned.When she entered, the door opened suddenly, at her command, and closedas soon as her huge form had passed through the doorway. During thatday she entered her bedroom several times, on one errand or another,but always she commanded the door to close behind her and her prisonersfound not the slightest chance to leave the big hall in which they wereconfined.

  The Green Monkey thought it would be wise to make a friend of the bigwoman, so as to gain her confidence, so he sat on the back of her chairand chattered to her while she mended her stockings and sewed silverbuttons on some golden shoes that were as big as row-boats. Thispleased the Giantess and she would pause at times to pat the Monkey'shead. The little Brown Bear curled up in a corner and lay still allday. The Owl and the Canary found they could converse together in thebird language, which neither the Giantess nor the Bear nor the Monkeycould understand; so at times they twittered away to each other andpassed the long, dreary day quite cheerfully.

  After dinner Mrs. Yoop took a big fiddle from a big cupboard and playedsuch loud and dreadful music that her prisoners were all thankful whenat last she stopped and said she was going to bed.

  After cautioning the Monkey and Bear and Owl to behave themselvesduring the night, she picked up the cage containing the Canary and,going to the door of her bedroom, commanded it to open. Just then,however, she remembered she had left her fiddle lying upon a table, soshe went back for it and put it away in the cupboard, and while herback was turned the Green Monkey slipped through the open door into herbedroom and hid underneath the bed. The Giantess, being sleepy, did notnotice this, and entering her room she made the door close behind herand then hung the bird-cage on a peg by the window. Then she began toundress, first taking off the lace apron and laying it over thebedpost, where it was within easy reach of her hand.

  As soon as Mrs. Yoop was in bed the lights all went out, and Woot theMonkey crouched under the bed and waited patiently until he heard theGiantess snoring. Then he crept out and in the dark felt around untilhe got hold of the apron, which he at once tied around his own waist.

  Next, Woot tried to find the Canary, and there was just enoughmoonlight showing through the window to enable him to see where thecage hung; but it was out of his reach. At first he was tempted toleave Polychrome and escape with his other friends, but remembering hispromise to the Rainbow's Daughter Woot tried to think how to save her.

  A chair stood near the window, and this--showing dimly in themoonlight--gave him an idea. By pushing against it with all his might,he found he could move the giant chair a few inches at a time. So hepushed and pushed until the chair was beneath the bird-cage, and thenhe sprang noiselessly upon the seat--for his monkey form enabled him tojump higher than he could do as a boy--and from there to the back ofthe chair, and so managed to reach the cage and take it off the peg.Then down he sprang to the floor and made his way to the door. "Open!"he commanded, and at once the door obeyed and swung open, But his voicewakened Mrs. Yoop, who gave a wild cry and sprang out of bed with onebound. The Green Monkey dashed through the doorway, carrying the cagewith him, and before the Giantess could reach the door it slammed shutand imprisoned her in her own bed-chamber!

  The noise she made, pounding upon the door, and her yells of anger anddreadful threats of vengeance, filled all our friends with terror, andWoot the Monkey was so excited that in the dark he could not find theouter door of the hall. But the Tin Owl could see very nicely in thedark, so he guided his friends to the right place and when all weregrouped before the door Woot commanded it to open. The Magic Apronproved as powerful as when it had been worn by the Giantess, so amoment later they had rushed through the passage and were standing inthe fresh night air outside the castle, free to go wherever they willed.