The Magic of Oz

be quite safe," he decided. So the Wizard told the Hungry Tiger and the

Cowardly Lion to guard the cage of monkeys until he returned, and then

he and Dorothy got upon the raft. The paddle which Cap'n Bill had made

was still there, so the little Wizard paddled the clumsy raft across the water

and ran it upon the beach of the Magic Isle as close to the place where

Cap'n Bill and Trot were rooted as he could.

Dorothy was shocked to see how small the prisoners had become, and

Trot said to her friends: "If you can't save us soon, there'll be nothing left

of us."

Be patient, my dear," counseled the Wizard, and took the little axe

from his black bag.

What are you going to do with that?" asked Cap'n Bill.

It's a magic axe," replied the Wizard, "and when I tell it to chop, it

will chop those roots from your feet and you can run to the raft before they

grow again."

Don't!" shouted the sailor in alarm. "Don't do it! Those roots are all

flesh roots, and our bodies are feeding 'em while they're growing into the

ground."

To cut off the roots," said Trot, "would be like cutting off our fingers

and toes."

The Wizard put the little axe back in the black bag and took out a pair

of silver pincers.

Grow--grow--grow!" he said to the pincers, and at once they grew

and extended until they reached from the raft to the prisoners.

What are you going to do now?" demanded Cap'n Bill, fearfully

eyeing the pincers.

This magic tool will pull you up, roots and all, and land you on this

raft," declared the Wizard.

Don't do it!" pleaded the sailor, with a shudder. "It would hurt us

awfully."

It would be just like pulling teeth to pull us up by the roots,"

explained Trot.

Grow small!" said the Wizard to the pincers, and at once they became