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"
In Button-Bright's pocket," said the little Pink Bear.
This reply amazed them all, you may be sure, and although the three girls
smiled and Scraps yelled "Hoo-ray!" in derision, the Wizard turned to consider
the matter with grave thoughtfulness. "In which one of Button-Bright's
pockets is Ozma?" he presently inquired.
"
In the left-hand jacket pocket," said the little Pink Bear.
"
The pink one has gone crazy!" exclaimed Button-Bright, staring hard at the
little bear on the big bear's knee.
"
I am not so sure of that," declared the Wizard. "If Ozma proves to be really in
your pocket, then the little Pink Bear spoke truly when he said Ozma was in
that hole in the ground. For at that time you were also in the hole, and after
we had pulled you out of it, the little Pink Bear said Ozma was not in the
hole."
"
"
He never makes a mistake," asserted the Bear King stoutly.
Empty that pocket, Button-Bright, and let's see what's in it," requested
Dorothy.
So Button-Bright laid the contents of his left jacket pocket on the table. These
proved to be a peg top, a bunch of string, a small rubber ball and a golden
peach pit. "What's this?" asked the Wizard, picking up the peach pit and
examining it closely.
"
Oh," said the boy, "I saved that to show to the girls, and then forgot all about
it. It came out of a lonesome peach that I found in the orchard back yonder,
and which I ate while I was lost. It looks like gold, and I never saw a peach pit
like it before."
"
Nor I," said the Wizard, "and that makes it seem suspicious."
All heads were bent over the golden peach pit. The Wizard turned it over
several times and then took out his pocket knife and pried the pit open. As
the two halves fell apart, a pink, cloud-like haze came pouring from the golden
peach pit, almost filling the big room, and from the haze a form took shape
and settled beside them. Then, as the haze faded away, a sweet voice said,
"
Thank you, my friends!" and there before them stood their lovely girl Ruler,
Ozma of Oz.
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