Page:Kabumpo in Oz.djvu/265

The Scarecrow spread his hands eloquently and smiled at Peg.

"Has Glinda been here?" asked Kabumpo jealously.

"Yes," said the Scarecrow. "She came this morning and she's been trying all sorts of magic to reduce Ruggedo without harm to the palace."

"Great Grump! Do you hear that?" Kabumpo rolled his eyes anxiously toward the Prince. "If Glinda's magic takes effect before ours then where'll we be? Peg! Peg! Where's the box of Mixed Magic?"

"Would you mind telling me," burst out the Scarecrow, who had been examining one after another in the party with a puzzled expression, "would you mind telling me how you happened to know about the palace disappearing; how you got across the sandy desert; how you expect to help us; how he (with a jerk at Wag) came to be too large; how she (with a jerk of his thumb at Peg) came to be alive; and—"

"All in good time; all in good time!" trumpeted Kabumpo testily. "You sound like the Curious Cottabus! The principal thing to do now is to save Ozma. Will Ruggedo stay quiet a little longer?"

"If he's not disturbed," said the Scarecrow, with a meaning glance at Wag.