The Magic of Oz

I know one thing that 'ud please her," remarked Cap'n Bill, turning his

round face with its fringe of whiskers toward the two girls and staring at

them with his big, light-blue eyes wide open.

What is it, Cap'n Bill?"

It's an Enchanted Flower," said he. "It's a pretty plant that stands in a

golden flower-pot an' grows all sorts o' flowers, one after another. One

minute a fine rose buds an' blooms, an' then a tulip, an' next a chrys--

chrys--"

--anthemum," said Dorothy, helping him.

That's it; and next a dahlia, an' then a daffydil, an' on all through the

range o' posies. Jus' as soon as one fades away, another comes, of a

different sort, an' the perfume from 'em is mighty snifty, an' they keeps

bloomin' night and day, year in an' year out."

That's wonderful!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I think Ozma would like it."

But where is the Magic Flower, and how can we get it?" asked Trot.

Dun'no, zac'ly," slowly replied Cap'n Bill. "The Glass Cat tol' me

about it only yesterday, an' said it was in some lonely place up at the

nor'east o' here. The Glass Cat goes travelin' all around Oz, you know, an'

the little critter sees a lot o' things no one else does."

That's true," said Dorothy, thoughtfully. "Northeast of here must be in

the Munchkin Country, and perhaps a good way off, so let's ask the Glass

Cat to tell us how to get to the Magic Flower."

So the two girls, with Cap'n Bill stumping along on his wooden leg

after them, went out into the garden, and after some time spent in

searching, they found the Glass Cat curled up in the sunshine beside a

bush, fast sleep.

The Glass Cat is one of the most curious creatures in all Oz. It was

made by a famous magician named Dr. Pipt before Ozma had forbidden

her subjects to work magic. Dr. Pipt had made the Glass Cat to catch mice,

but the Cat refused to catch mice and was considered more curious than

useful.

This astonished cat was made all of glass and was so clear and

transparent that you could see through it as easily as through a window. In