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Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank), 1856-1919

"The Patchwork Girl of Oz"

Scraps followed closely after the
straw man and then Ojo and Dorothy timidly stepped
inside the tunnel. As soon as all of them had
passed the big rock, it slowly turned and filled
up the opening again; but now they were no longer
in the dark, for a soft, rosy light enabled them
to see around them quite distinctly.
It was only a passage, wide enough for two
of them to walk abreast--with Toto in between
them--and it had a high, arched roof. They
could not see where the light which flooded the
place so pleasantly came from, for there were
no lamps anywhere visible. The passage ran
straight for a little way and then made a bend
to the right and another sharp turn to the left,
after which it went straight again. But there
were no side passages, so they could not lose
their way.
After proceeding some distance, Toto, who
had gone on ahead, began to bark loudly. They
ran around a bend to see what was the matter
and found a man sitting on the floor of the
passage and leaning his back against the wall.
He had probably been asleep before Toto's barks
aroused him, for he was now rubbing his eyes
and staring at the little dog with all his might.
There was something about this man that Toto
objected to, and when he slowly rose to his foot
they saw what it was.


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