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CHAPTER 24 - THE LITTLE PINK BEAR SPEAKS TRULY

For several minutes they all stood staring at the black spot on the canvas of

the Magic Picture, wondering what it could mean. "P'r'aps we'd better ask the

little Pink Bear about Ozma," suggested Trot.

Pshaw!" said Button-Bright. "HE don't know anything."

He never makes a mistake," declared the King.

He did once, surely," said Betsy. "But perhaps he wouldn't make a mistake

again."

He won't have the chance," grumbled the Bear King.

We might hear what he has to say," said Dorothy. "It won't do any harm to

ask the Pink Bear where Ozma is."

I will not have him questioned," declared the King in a surly voice. "I do not

intend to allow my little Pink Bear to be again insulted by your foolish doubts.

He never makes a mistake."

Didn't he say Ozma was in that hole in the ground?" asked Betsy.

He did, and I am certain she was there," replied the Lavender Bear.

Scraps laughed jeeringly, and the others saw there was no use arguing with

the stubborn Bear King, who seemed to have absolute faith in his Pink Bear.

The Wizard, who knew that magical things can usually be depended upon and

that the little Pink Bear was able to answer questions by some remarkable

power of magic, thought it wise to apologize to the Lavender Bear for the

unbelief of his friends, at the same time urging the King to consent to question

the Pink Bear once more. Cayke and the Frogman also pleaded with the big

Bear, who finally agreed, although rather ungraciously, to put the little Bear's

wisdom to the test once more. So he sat the little one on his knee and turned

the crank, and the Wizard himself asked the questions in a very respectful

tone of voice. "Where is Ozma?" was his first query.

Here in this room," answered the little Pink Bear.

They all looked around the room, but of course did not see her. "In what part

of the room is she?" was the Wizard's next question.

The Lost Princess of Oz