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.The Wise Man could easily keep them inorder with the standing stick and they were too worn out from drilling tostart any serious rebellion.If the Octagon Islanders grew troublesome he would use the stick on them,too.As long as they did what he wanted, well and good."With this company offighters I can start for the Emerald City any day, and Clocker has found a wayPage 37ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlto cross the desert so everything will be mellifluous and grand!"With his wrinkled little face wreathed in smiles, the vain andambitious little midget turned to the drilling and training of good King Ato'sformer subjects.CHAPTER 11The No BodiesNO land had been sighted for two days but Peter found it vastlyexciting skimming over the mountainous green waves of the Nonestic Ocean.There was enough to do with the sails alone to keep four or five able-bodiedseamen busy, and all on board the pirate's ship worked as they had neverworked before.But not for anything in the world or Oz would Peter have tradedhis position as cabin boy and mate on the Crescent Moon.Sometimes, when thesea was calm and everything shipshape, Roger would read them stories fromAto's books or the volumes they had brought from Shell City.Some-times SamuelSalt would tell of his many strange voyages or Peter would relate hisadventures in Oz."It was on this very ocean that I first met the Gnome King," musedPeter, as he and Samuel were mending a sail one morning."He was on a rockyisland and I was dropped there by a balloon bird.Then there was a sea-quakeand we got off the island on an old pirate ship that was thrown up from thebottom of the sea.Did you ever know Polacky, Samuel?" Samuel Salt shook hishead thoughtfully."Well, anyway," went on Peter, "it was his ship, but it was prettywell done for, so we just drifted till we came to Ev.Then with a magic cloakof invisibility that we found on the ship, Rug flew to the Emerald City andstole back his magic belt.I fol-lowed him as quickly as I could and just ashe was sending Ozma and everybody to the bottom of the Nonestic Ocean, I waslucky enough to hit him with a silence stone I had found on the pirate ship.So of course he couldn't say another word.The Wizard made him visible andthat was that! Wonder what he s doing now? Boy, he was a bad one!""What happened the next time you came to Oz?" inquired Ato, whowas sitting on a pile of life preservers, shelling peas."Oh, last time I met Jack Pumpkinhead and an Iffin and we flewover the whole country on its back and captured the Baron of Baffleburg,"explained Peter carelessly."And, man! what do you think I found? A magicdinner bell.All you had to do was ring it and a slave would bring you a trayfull of wonderful food""That would be a right handy thing to have on a voyage," sighedato, wiping his royal brow on the sleeve of his ragged shirt."we've aboutdone with the stuff we brought from shell city, Samuel, and there's nothingfor dinner but wilted peas and bad peaches.""Sounds all right to me," said Samuel Salt, looking cross-eyed ashe threaded his needle."Anyway, we'll be heading in somewhere soon.Ahoy,Roger! Anything ahead?" Roger, who for the present was steersman, shook hisPage 38ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlhead without looking around."Water, water everywhere, and not a sign of land, Oh, for a teas,oh for a teas, a teaspoonful of sand!"croaked the Read Bird gloomily.Though used to flying, Roger had suffereduntold inconveniences from the rocking of the Crescent Moon and was wistfullylooking for an island."Bird!" yawned Samuel Salt, stretching his arms luxuriously upover his head, "bird, you're bilious!""Buffalo Billious!" teased Peter, winking at the King."Are weheading for Ev, Skipper, or straight out to sea?""Well," admitted Samuel, "I figured that my men would be likelv tostick to the open sea and Ato's subjects would make for the mainland.So firstwe'll cruise around and try to pick up my ship and then we'll head in forshore and find his.""I don't believe his subjects would know him now," observed Peter,looking enviously at the King's long beard."Gee, I wish I could growwhiskers.""Nonsense!" grumbled Ato, getting heavily to his feet."You cangrow whiskers when you're too old to do anything else.I'd trade my beard foryour nimble legs any day in the week.But say, do I really look different,Samuel?""Hah! Hoh!" roared the pirate, his eyes travelling from thesunburned, whiskered face of the King to the shabby toes of an old pair of seaboots the cook had found in a chest."Not only different but better! Your owngrandmother wouldn't know you, Ato.""And you're different, too," crowed Peter, pointing mischievouslyat Samuel Salt."And when you spring on your men all that new language we'vebeen practicing they'll step pretty lively, or I m a tin soldier.""Do you really think so, Pete?" The pirate, who had beenfaithfully practicing his rough, bluff and relentless role, blushed withpleasure."What was that last bit we decided on?" he mused meditatively."Avast and Belay!" Peter reminded him delightedly."Avast and belay, or I'llshatter your hull! To larboard and starboard with lubbers!""That's it! That's it!" beamed the pirate, Slapping his knee [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]