AbdulHannanMujawar/ch_development · Datasets at Hugging Face

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might lead us to some place that is more comfortable than this black
pocket we are now in. I suppose the vegetable folk were always afraid to
enter this cavern because it is dark; but we have our lanterns to light
the way, so I propose that we start out and discover where this tunnel
in the mountain leads to."

The others agreed readily to this sensible suggestion, and at once the
boy began to harness Jim to the buggy. When all was in readiness the
three took their seats in the buggy and Jim started cautiously along the
way, Zeb driving while the Wizard and Dorothy each held a lighted
lantern so the horse could see where to go.

Sometimes the tunnel was so narrow that the wheels of the buggy grazed
the sides; then it would broaden out as wide as a street; but the floor
was usually smooth, and for a long time they travelled on without any
accident. Jim stopped sometimes to rest, for the climb was rather steep
and tiresome.

"We must be nearly as high as the six colored suns, by this time," said
Dorothy. "I didn't know this mountain was so tall."

"We are certainly a good distance away from the Land of the Mangaboos,"
added Zeb; "for we have slanted away from it ever since we started."

But they kept steadily moving, and just as Jim was about tired out with
his long journey the way suddenly grew lighter, and Zeb put out the
lanterns to save the oil.

To their joy they found it was a white light that now greeted them, for
all were weary of the colored rainbow lights which, after a time, had
made their eyes ache with their constantly shifting rays. The sides of
the tunnel showed before them like the inside of a long spy-glass, and
the floor became more level. Jim hastened his lagging steps at this
assurance of a quick relief from the dark passage, and in a few moments
more they had emerged from the mountain and found themselves face to
face with a new and charming country.

[Illustration]




CHAPTER 8.

THE VALLEY OF VOICES


By journeying through the glass mountain they had reached a delightful
valley that was shaped like the hollow of a great cup, with another
rugged mountain showing on the other side of it, and soft and pretty
green hills at the ends. It was all laid out into lovely lawns and
gardens, with pebble paths leading through them and groves of beautiful
and stately trees dotting the landscape here and there. There were
orchards, too, bearing luscious fruits that are all unknown in our
world. Alluring brooks of crystal water flowed sparkling between their
flower-strewn banks, while scattered over the valley were dozens of the
quaintest and most picturesque cottages our travelers had ever beheld.
None of them were in clusters, such as villages or towns, but each had
ample grounds of its own, with orchards and gardens surrounding it.

As the new arrivals gazed upon this exquisite scene they were enraptured
by its beauties and the fragrance that permeated the soft air, which
they breathed so gratefully after the confined atmosphere of the tunnel.
Several minutes were consumed in silent admiration before they noticed
two very singular and unusual facts about this valley. One was that it
was lighted from some unseen source; for no sun or moon was in the
arched blue sky, although every object was flooded with a clear and
perfect light. The second and even more singular fact was the absence of
any inhabitant of this splendid place. From their elevated position they
could overlook the entire valley, but not a single moving object could
they see. All appeared mysteriously deserted.

The mountain on this side was not glass, but made of a stone similar to
granite. With some difficulty and danger Jim drew the buggy over the
loose rocks until he reached the green lawns below, where the paths and
orchards and gardens began. The nearest cottage was still some distance
away.

"Isn't it fine?" cried Dorothy, in a joyous voice, as she sprang out of
the buggy and let Eureka run frolicking over the velvety grass.

"Yes, indeed!" answered Zeb. "We were lucky to get away from those
dreadful vegetable people."

"It wouldn't be so bad," remarked the Wizard, gazing around him, "if we
were obliged to live here always. We couldn't find a prettier place, I'm
sure."

He took the piglets from his pocket and let them run on the grass, and
Jim tasted a mouthful of the green blades and declared he was very
contented in his new surroundings.

"We can't walk in the air here, though," called Eureka, who had tried it
and failed; but the others were satisfied to walk on the ground, and the
Wizard said they must be nearer the surface of the earth than they had
been in the Mangaboo country, for everything was more homelike and
natural.

"But where are the people?" asked Dorothy.

might lead us to some place that is more comfortable than this black

pocket we are now in. I suppose the vegetable folk were always afraid to

enter this cavern because it is dark; but we have our lanterns to light

the way, so I propose that we start out and discover where this tunnel

in the mountain leads to."

The others agreed readily to this sensible suggestion, and at once the

boy began to harness Jim to the buggy. When all was in readiness the

three took their seats in the buggy and Jim started cautiously along the

way, Zeb driving while the Wizard and Dorothy each held a lighted

lantern so the horse could see where to go.

Sometimes the tunnel was so narrow that the wheels of the buggy grazed

the sides; then it would broaden out as wide as a street; but the floor

was usually smooth, and for a long time they travelled on without any

accident. Jim stopped sometimes to rest, for the climb was rather steep

and tiresome.

"We must be nearly as high as the six colored suns, by this time," said

Dorothy. "I didn't know this mountain was so tall."

"We are certainly a good distance away from the Land of the Mangaboos,"

added Zeb; "for we have slanted away from it ever since we started."

But they kept steadily moving, and just as Jim was about tired out with

his long journey the way suddenly grew lighter, and Zeb put out the

lanterns to save the oil.

To their joy they found it was a white light that now greeted them, for

all were weary of the colored rainbow lights which, after a time, had

made their eyes ache with their constantly shifting rays. The sides of

the tunnel showed before them like the inside of a long spy-glass, and

the floor became more level. Jim hastened his lagging steps at this

assurance of a quick relief from the dark passage, and in a few moments

more they had emerged from the mountain and found themselves face to

face with a new and charming country.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 8.

THE VALLEY OF VOICES

By journeying through the glass mountain they had reached a delightful

valley that was shaped like the hollow of a great cup, with another

rugged mountain showing on the other side of it, and soft and pretty

green hills at the ends. It was all laid out into lovely lawns and

gardens, with pebble paths leading through them and groves of beautiful

and stately trees dotting the landscape here and there. There were

orchards, too, bearing luscious fruits that are all unknown in our

world. Alluring brooks of crystal water flowed sparkling between their

flower-strewn banks, while scattered over the valley were dozens of the

quaintest and most picturesque cottages our travelers had ever beheld.

None of them were in clusters, such as villages or towns, but each had

ample grounds of its own, with orchards and gardens surrounding it.

As the new arrivals gazed upon this exquisite scene they were enraptured

by its beauties and the fragrance that permeated the soft air, which

they breathed so gratefully after the confined atmosphere of the tunnel.

Several minutes were consumed in silent admiration before they noticed

two very singular and unusual facts about this valley. One was that it

was lighted from some unseen source; for no sun or moon was in the

arched blue sky, although every object was flooded with a clear and

perfect light. The second and even more singular fact was the absence of

any inhabitant of this splendid place. From their elevated position they

could overlook the entire valley, but not a single moving object could

they see. All appeared mysteriously deserted.

The mountain on this side was not glass, but made of a stone similar to

granite. With some difficulty and danger Jim drew the buggy over the

loose rocks until he reached the green lawns below, where the paths and

orchards and gardens began. The nearest cottage was still some distance

away.

"Isn't it fine?" cried Dorothy, in a joyous voice, as she sprang out of

the buggy and let Eureka run frolicking over the velvety grass.

"Yes, indeed!" answered Zeb. "We were lucky to get away from those

dreadful vegetable people."

"It wouldn't be so bad," remarked the Wizard, gazing around him, "if we

were obliged to live here always. We couldn't find a prettier place, I'm

sure."

He took the piglets from his pocket and let them run on the grass, and

Jim tasted a mouthful of the green blades and declared he was very

contented in his new surroundings.

"We can't walk in the air here, though," called Eureka, who had tried it

and failed; but the others were satisfied to walk on the ground, and the

Wizard said they must be nearer the surface of the earth than they had

been in the Mangaboo country, for everything was more homelike and

natural.

"But where are the people?" asked Dorothy.