The Magic of Oz

CHAPTER 18. The Magic of the

Wizard

He first set up a small silver tripod and placed a gold basin at the top

of it. Into this basin he put two powders--a pink one and a sky-blue one--

and poured over them a yellow liquid from a crystal vial. Then he

mumbled some magic words, and the powders began to sizzle and burn

and send out a cloud of violet smoke that floated across the river and

completely enveloped both Trot and Cap'n Bill, as well as the toadstools

on which they sat, and even the Magic Plant in the gold flower-pot. Then,

after the smoke had disappeared into air, the Wizard called out to the

prisoners:

Are you free?"

Both Trot and Cap'n Bill tried to move their feet and failed.

No!" they shouted in answer.

The Wizard rubbed his bald head thoughtfully and then took some

other magic tools from the bag.

First he placed a little black ball in a silver pistol and shot it toward the

Magic Isle. The ball exploded just over the head of Trot and scattered a

thousand sparks over the little girl.

Oh!" said the Wizard, "I guess that will set her free."

But Trot's feet were still rooted in the ground of the Magic Isle, and

the disappointed Wizard had to try something else.

For almost an hour he worked hard, using almost every magic tool in

his black bag, and still Cap'n Bill and Trot were not rescued.

Dear me!" exclaimed Dorothy, "I'm 'fraid we'll have to go to Glinda,

after all."

That made the little Wizard blush, for it shamed him to think that his

magic was not equal to that of the Magic Isle.

I won't give up yet, Dorothy," he said, "for I know a lot of wizardry

that I haven't yet tried. I don't know what magician enchanted this little