The Magic of Oz

Cap'n Bill's stake, was facing the island, and now the ugly expression

which passed over its face when it defied and sneered at Cap'n Bill and

Trot, had changed to one of amusement and curiosity. When it saw the

adventurers had actually reached the island and were standing beside the

Magic Flower, it heaved a breath of satisfaction--a long, deep breath that

swelled its deep chest until the beast could feel the stake that held him

move a little, as if withdrawing itself from the ground.

Ah ha!" murmured the Kalidah, "a little more of this will set me free

and allow me to escape!"

So he began breathing as hard as he could, puffing out his chest as

much as possible with each indrawing breath, and by doing this he

managed to raise the stake with each powerful breath, until at last the

Kalidah--using the muscles of his four legs as well as his deep breaths--

found itself free of the sandy soil. The stake was sticking right through

him, however, so he found a rock deeply set in the bank and pressed the

sharp point of the stake upon the surface of this rock until he had driven it

clear through his body. Then, by getting the stake tangled among some

thorny bushes, and wiggling his body, he managed to draw it out

altogether.

There!" he exclaimed, "except for those two holes in me, I'm as good

as ever; but I must admit that that old wooden-legged fellow saved both

himself and the girl by making me a prisoner."

Now the Kalidahs, although the most disagreeable creatures in the

Land of Oz, were nevertheless magical inhabitants of a magical Fairyland,

and in their natures a certain amount of good was mingled with the evil.

This one was not very revengeful, and now that his late foes were in

danger of perishing, his anger against them faded away.

Our own Kalidah King," he reflected, "has certain magical powers of

his own. Perhaps he knows how to fill up these two holes in my body."

So without paying any more attention to Trot and Cap'n Bill than they

were paying to him, he entered the forest and trotted along a secret path

that led to the hidden lair of all the Kalidahs.

While the Kalidah was making good its escape Cap'n Bill took his pipe