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.13.The Den of the DragonettesOur friends had a good start and were able to maintain it, for withtheir eight wings they could go just as fast as could the Gargoyles.All the way to the great rock the wooden people followed them, andwhen Jim finally alighted at the mouth of the cavern the pursuers werestill some distance away.Page 109 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"But, I'm afraid they'll catch us yet," said Dorothy, greatly excited."No; we must stop them," declared the Wizard."Quick Zeb, help mepull off these wooden wings!"They tore off the wings, for which they had no further use, and theWizard piled them in a heap just outside the entrance to the cavern.Then he poured over them all the kerosene oil that was left in hisoil-can, and lighting a match set fire to the pile.The flames leaped up at once and the bonfire began to smoke and roarand crackle just as the great army of wooden Gargoyles arrived.Thecreatures drew back at once, being filled with fear and horror; forsuch as dreadful thing as a fire they had never before known in allthe history of their wooden land.Inside the archway were several doors, leading to different rooms builtinto the mountain, and Zeb and the Wizard lifted these wooden doorsfrom their hinges and tossed them all on the flames."That will prove a barrier for some time to come," said the littleman, smiling pleasantly all over his wrinkled face at the success oftheir stratagem."Perhaps the flames will set fire to all thatmiserable wooden country, and if it does the loss will be very smalland the Gargoyles never will be missed.But come, my children;let us explore the mountain and discover which way we must goin order to escape from this cavern, which is getting to be almostas hot as a bake-oven."Page 110 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlTo their disappointment there was within this mountain no regularflight of steps by means of which they could mount to the earth'ssurface.A sort of inclined tunnel led upward for a way, and theyfound the floor of it both rough and steep.Then a sudden turnbrought them to a narrow gallery where the buggy could not pass.Thisdelayed and bothered them for a while, because they did not wish toleave the buggy behind them.It carried their baggage and was usefulto ride in wherever there were good roads, and since it hadaccompanied them so far in their travels they felt it their duty topreserve it.So Zeb and the Wizard set to work and took off thewheels and the top, and then they put the buggy edgewise, so it wouldtake up the smallest space.In this position they managed, with theaid of the patient cab-horse, to drag the vehicle through the narrowpart of the passage.It was not a great distance, fortunately, andwhen the path grew broader they put the buggy together again andproceeded more comfortably.But the road was nothing more than aseries of rifts or cracks in the mountain, and it went zig-zag inevery direction, slanting first up and then down until they werepuzzled as to whether they were any nearer to the top of the earththan when they had started, hours before."Anyhow," said Dorothy, "we've 'scaped those awful Gurgles, and that'sONE comfort!""Probably the Gargoyles are still busy trying to put out the fire,"returned the Wizard."But even if they succeeded in doing that itwould be very difficult for them to fly amongst these rocks; so I amsure we need fear them no longer."Once in a while they would come to a deep crack in the floor, whichPage 111 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlmade the way quite dangerous; but there was still enough oil in thelanterns to give them light, and the cracks were not so wide but thatthey were able to jump over them.Sometimes they had to climb overheaps of loose rock, where Jim could scarcely drag the buggy.At suchtimes Dorothy, Zeb and the Wizard all pushed behind, and lifted thewheels over the roughest places; so they managed, by dint of hardwork, to keep going.But the little party was both weary anddiscouraged when at last, on turning a sharp corner, the wanderersfound themselves in a vast cave arching high over their heads andhaving a smooth, level floor.The cave was circular in shape, and all around its edge, near to theground, appeared groups of dull yellow lights, two of them beingalways side by side.These were motionless at first, but soon beganto flicker more brightly and to sway slowly from side to side and thenup and down."What sort of place is this?" asked the boy, trying to see moreclearly through the gloom."I cannot imagine, I'm sure," answered the Wizard, also peering about."Woogh!" snarled Eureka, arching her back until her hair stoodstraight on end; "it's den of alligators, or crocodiles, or some otherdreadful creatures! Don't you see their terrible eyes?""Eureka sees better in the dark than we can," whispered Dorothy."Tell us, dear, what do the creatures look like?" she asked,addressing her pet.Page 112 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"I simply can't describe 'em," answered the kitten, shuddering."Their eyes are like pie-plates and their mouths like coal-scuttles.But their bodies don't seem very big.""Where are they?" enquired the girl."They are in little pockets all around the edge of this cavern.Oh,Dorothy--you can't imagine what horrid things they are! They'reuglier than the Gargoyles.""Tut-tut! be careful how you criticise your neighbors," spoke arasping voice near by."As a matter of fact you are ratherugly-looking creatures yourselves, and I'm sure mother has often toldus we were the loveliest and prettiest things in all the world."Hearing these words our friends turned in the direction of the sound,and the Wizard held his lanterns so that their light would flood oneof the little pockets in the rock."Why, it's a dragon!" he exclaimed."No," answered the owner of the big yellow eyes which were blinking atthem so steadily; "you are wrong about that.We hope to grow to bedragons some day, but just now we're only dragonettes.""What's that?" asked Dorothy, gazing fearfully at the great scaleyhead, the yawning mouth and the big eyes
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