L.Frank Baum. The marvelous land of Oz -
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the horse was long since out of sight.
So he did the only sensible thing he could do. He sat down and took a
good rest, and afterward began walking along the road.
"Some time I will surely overtake them," he reflected; "for the road
will end at the gates of the Emerald City, and they can go no further than
that."
Meantime Jack was holding fast to the post and the Saw-Horse was
tearing along the road like a racer. Neither of them knew Tip was left
behind, for the Pumpkinhead did not look around and the Saw-Horse
couldn't.
As he rode, Jack noticed that the grass and trees had become a bright
emerald-green in color, so he guessed they were nearing the Emerald City
even before the tall spires and domes came into sight.
At length a high wall of green stone, studded thick with emeralds,
loomed up before them; and fearing the Saw-Horse would not know enough to
stop and so might smash them both against this wall, Jack ventured to cry
"Whoa!" as loud as he could.
So suddenly did the horse obey that had it not been for his post Jack
would have been pitched off head foremost, and his beautiful face ruined.
"That was a fast ride, dear father!" he exclaimed; and then, hearing
no reply, he turned around and discovered for the first time that Tip was
not there.
This apparent desertion puzzled the Pumpkinhead, and made him uneasy.
And while he was wondering what had become of the boy, and what he ought
to do next under such trying circumstances, the gateway in the green wall
opened and a man came out.
This man was short and round, with a fat face that seemed remarkably
goodnatured. He was clothed all in green and wore a high, peaked green hat
upon his head and green spectacles over his eyes. Bowing before the