第37章

Trot Meets the Scarecrow Trot and Pon covered many leagues of ground, searching through forests, in fields and in many of the little villages of Jinxland, but could find no trace of either Cap'n Bill or Button-Bright.Finally they paused beside a cornfield and sat upon a stile to rest.Pon took some apples from his pocket and gave one to Trot.Then he began eating another himself, for this was their time for luncheon.When his apple was finished Pon tossed the core into the field.

"Tchuk-tchuk!" said a strange voice."what do you mean by hitting me in the eye with an apple-core?"Then rose up the form of the Scarecrow, who had hidden himself in the cornfield while he examined Pon and Trot and decided whether they were worthy to be helped.

"Excuse me," said Pon."I didn't know you were there.""How did you happen to be there, anyhow?" asked Trot.

The Scarecrow came forward with awkward steps and stood beside them.

"Ah, you are the gardener's boy," he said to Pon.Then he turned to Trot."And you are the little girl who came to Jinxland riding on a big bird, and who has had the misfortune to lose her friend, Cap'n Bill, and her chum, Button-Bright.""Why, how did you know all that?" she inquired.

"I know a lot of things," replied the Scarecrow, winking at her comically."My brains are the Carefully-Assorted, Double-Distilled, High-Efficiency sort that the Wizard of Oz makes.He admits, himself, that my brains are the best he ever manufactured.""I think I've heard of you," said Trot slowly, as she looked the Scarecrow over with much interest; "but you used to live in the Land of Oz.""Oh, I do now," he replied cheerfully."I've just come over the mountains from the Quadling Country to see if Ican be of any help to you."

"Who, me?" asked Pon.

"No, the strangers from the big world.It seems they need looking after.""I'm doing that myself," said Pon, a little ungraciously."If you will pardon me for saying so, Idon't see how a Scarecrow with painted eyes can look after anyone.""If you don't see that, you are more blind than the Scarecrow," asserted Trot."He's a fairy man, Pon, and comes from the fairyland of Oz, so he can do 'most anything.I hope," she added, turning to the Scarecrow, "you can find Cap'n Bill for me.""I will try, anyhow," he promised."But who is that old woman who is running toward us and shaking her stick at us?"Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an exclamation of fear.The next instant they took to their heels and ran fast up the path.For it was old Blinkie, the Wicked Witch, who had at last traced them to this place.Her anger was so great that she was determined not to abandon the chase of Pon and Trot until she had caught and punished them.The Scarecrow understood at once that the old woman meant harm to his new friends, so as she drew near he stepped before her.His appearance was so sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him and toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw body and went rolling in the path beside him.

The Scarecrow sat up and said: "I beg your pardon!" but she whacked him with her stick and knocked him flat again.Then, furious with rage, the old witch sprang upon her victim and began pulling the straw out of his body.

The poor Scarecrow was helpless to resist and in a few moments all that was left of him was an empty suit of clothes and a heap of straw beside it.Fortunately, Blinkie did not harm his head, for it rolled into a little hollow and escaped her notice.Fearing that Pon and Trot would escape her, she quickly resumed the chase and disappeared over the brow of a hill, following the direction in which she had seen them go.

Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper with a wooden leg came hopping along and lit directly on the upturned face of the Scarecrow's head.

"Pardon me, but you are resting yourself upon my nose,"remarked the Scarecrow"Oh! are you alive?" asked the grasshopper.