The Oz Series
Chapter 33
Part of the The Marvelous Land of Oz: Tip's Rebellion and the Return of Ozma arc.
What happens
Tip slips away from the girls and follows the fleeing Soldier with the Green Whiskers, reaching the palace before news of the conquest spreads, because the invading army lingers to dig emeralds from the walls and paving-stones with their knitting-needles. The Scarecrow and Jack Pumpkinhead are still playing quoits in the courtyard when the Royal Army of Oz bursts in without hat or gun, clothes disarrayed and long beard streaming, gasping that the City is conquered by a regiment of girls gathered from the four corners of Oz. The Scarecrow calmly orders the Soldier to bar the palace doors and windows, and learns his Standing Army had been running because no man could face the invaders' terrible weapons.
Tip reunites with Jack, who reports the Saw-Horse ran away with him but he arrived safely and unharmed. The Scarecrow declares he does not much mind losing his tiresome throne or the heavy crown, but hopes the Conquerors mean him no injury. Tip reveals he heard the girls intend to make a rag carpet of the Scarecrow's outside and stuff sofa-cushions with his inside, prompting the Scarecrow to recognize his danger and consider escape. Jack Pumpkinhead worries that if any girls understand cooking his own end is near, and that as a prisoner he is liable to spoil, while the Scarecrow notes he himself is liable to live many years.
The Scarecrow pauses to reflect, standing face to the wall for five minutes, then asks about the Saw-Horse, which the Soldier had locked in the royal treasury as a jewel and fed a peck of sawdust. Pleased, the Scarecrow orders the horse brought and proposes it dash through the rebel ranks carrying them to his friend the Tin Woodman, Emperor of the Winkies, who will protect them. Since the horse cannot carry four, the Scarecrow decides to leave the Royal Army behind, having little confidence in him; the Soldier accepts, planning to disguise himself by cutting off his green whiskers. Tip mounts first close to the neck, the Pumpkinhead behind him, and the Scarecrow last; the King orders a clothesline to tie all three together and lash them to the Saw-Horse so that if one falls, all fall.
The gates are thrown open and Tip commands the Saw-Horse to run for the City gate without stopping. The horse dashes off, knocking over several guarding girls; Tip receives one knitting-needle prick in his left arm, but the needles have no effect on the Scarecrow or Jack. The Saw-Horse upsets a fruit cart, overturns several men, and bowls over the new Guardian of the Gate, a fat woman appointed by Jinjur, then dashes westward along the road with violent leaps that shake the breath from the boy. The Scarecrow shouts to slow him because his straw is shaking down into his legs, but Tip has no breath to speak, and the Saw-Horse races unchecked to the banks of a wide river, giving one final leap that launches them all into mid-air and then into the water, where they splash and bob about.
Who is in play
- Tin Woodman
- Tip
- General Jinjur
- Jack Pumpkinhead
- Saw-Horse
- Scarecrow
- Army of Revolt
- City of Emeralds
- Palace of Oz
- the soldier with the green whiskers
- Winkies