L.Frank Baum. The marvelous land of Oz -
26 >
"None at all," answered the boy.
"Then I'll not break my back rowing you over," said the ferryman,
decidedly.
"What a nice man!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, smilingly.
The ferryman stared at him, but made no reply. Tip was trying to
think, for it was a great disappointment to him to find his journey so
suddenly brought to an end.
"I must certainly get to the Emerald City," he said to the boatman;
"but how can I cross the river if you do not take me?"
The man laughed, and it was not a nice laugh.
"That wooden horse will float," said he; "and you can ride him
across. As for the pumpkinheaded loon who accompanies you, let him sink or
swim it won't matter greatly which."
"Don't worry about me," said Jack, smiling pleasantly upon the
crabbed ferryman; "I'm sure I ought to float beautifully."
Tip thought the experiment was worth making, and the Saw-Horse, who
did not know what danger meant, offered no objections whatever. So the boy
led it down into the water and climbed upon its back. Jack also waded in
up to his knees and grasped the tail of the horse so that he might keep
his pumpkin head above the water.
"Now," said Tip, instructing the Saw-Horse, "if you wiggle your legs
you will probably swim; and if you swim we shall probably reach the other
side."
The Saw-Horse at once began to wiggle its legs, which acted as oars
and moved the adventurers slowly across the river to the opposite side. So
successful was the trip that presently they were climbing, wet and
dripping, up the grassy bank.
Tip's trouser-legs and shoes were thoroughly soaked; but the
Saw-Horse had floated so perfectly that from his knees up the boy was
entirely dry. As for the Pumpkinhead, every stitch of his gorgeous