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"No one must injure one of our friends in our presence," growled the
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Lion; and Zeb ran to Jim and whispered that unless he controlled his
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temper in the future he would probably be torn to pieces.
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Then the Tin Woodman cut a straight and strong limb from a tree with his
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gleaming axe and made a new leg and a new ear for the Sawhorse; and when
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they had been securely fastened in place Princess Ozma took the coronet
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from her own head and placed it upon that of the winner of the race.
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Said she:
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"My friend, I reward you for your swiftness by proclaiming you Prince of
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Horses, whether of wood or of flesh; and hereafter all other horses--in
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the Land of Oz, at least--must be considered imitations, and you the
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real Champion of your race."
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There was more applause at this, and then Ozma had the jewelled saddle
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replaced upon the Sawhorse and herself rode the victor back to the city
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at the head of the grand procession.
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"I ought to be a fairy," grumbled Jim, as he slowly drew the buggy home;
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"for to be just an ordinary horse in a fairy country is to be of no
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account whatever. It's no place for us, Zeb."
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"It's lucky we got here, though," said the boy; and Jim thought of the
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dark cave, and agreed with him.
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[Illustration]
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CHAPTER 18.
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THE TRIAL OF EUREKA THE KITTEN
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Several days of festivity and merry-making followed, for such old
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friends did not often meet and there was much to be told and talked over
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between them, and many amusements to be enjoyed in this delightful
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country.
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Ozma was happy to have Dorothy beside her, for girls of her own age with
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whom it was proper for the Princess to associate were very few, and
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often the youthful Ruler of Oz was lonely for lack of companionship.
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It was the third morning after Dorothy's arrival, and she was sitting
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with Ozma and their friends in a reception room, talking over old times,
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when the Princess said to her maid:
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"Please go to my boudoir, Jellia, and get the white piglet I left on the
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dressing-table. I want to play with it."
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Jellia at once departed on the errand, and she was gone so long that
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they had almost forgotten her mission when the green robed maiden
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returned with a troubled face.
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"The piglet is not there, your Highness," said she.
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"Not there!" exclaimed Ozma. "Are you sure?"
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"I have hunted in every part of the room," the maid replied.
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"Was not the door closed?" asked the Princess.
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"Yes, your Highness; I am sure it was; for when I opened it Dorothy's
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white kitten crept out and ran up the stairs."
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Hearing this, Dorothy and the Wizard exchanged startled glances, for
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they remembered how often Eureka had longed to eat a piglet. The little
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girl jumped up at once.
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"Come, Ozma," she said, anxiously; "let us go ourselves to search for
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the piglet."
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So the two went to the dressing-room of the Princess and searched
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carefully in every corner and among the vases and baskets and ornaments
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that stood about the pretty boudoir. But not a trace could they find of
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the tiny creature they sought.
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Dorothy was nearly weeping, by this time, while Ozma was angry and
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indignant. When they returned to the others the Princess said:
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"There is little doubt that my pretty piglet has been eaten by that
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horrid kitten, and if that is true the offender must be punished."
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"I don't b'lieve Eureka would do such a dreadful thing!" cried Dorothy,
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much distressed. "Go and get my kitten, please, Jellia, and we'll hear
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what she has to say about it."
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The green maiden hastened away, but presently returned and said:
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"The kitten will not come. She threatened to scratch my eyes out if I
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touched her."
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"Where is she?" asked Dorothy.
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"Under the bed in your own room," was the reply.
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So Dorothy ran to her room and found the kitten under the bed.
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