Evening star., 1920-02-15
A WONDERFUL ESCAPE.

gether.
The other four wings We're then fas-
tened to the buggy. two on each side,
for the buggy must bear the weight of
the children and the Wizard as 1t flew
through the air
X X
These preparations had not con-
sleeping Gargoyles We're beginning to
wake up and move around. and soon
some Of them would be hunting for
their missing wings. SO the prison.
ers resolved to leave their prison at
once.
They mounted into the buggy, Dor
othy holding Eureka safe in her lap.
The girl sat in the middle of the seat
with Ieb and the Wizard on each side
or her. When all was ready the boy
shook the reins and said:
Fly away, JIM"
(which wings must | flop first?"
asked the cab horse, undecidedly.
FLOP them all together" suggested
the Wizard
Some Of them are crooked" OBJ
jected the horse
'Never mind; we will steer with the
wings on the buggy" said Zeb. Just
you light out and make for that rock,
Jim: and don't waste any time about
1T, either"
SO the horse gave a groan, Topped
Its four wings all together. and flew
away from the platform. Dorothy
was little anxious about the success
of their trip, for the way jim arched
his long neck and spread out his bony
legs as he futtered and foundered
through the air was enough to make
anybody nervous. He groaned, too,
as If frightened. and the wings
creaked dreadfully because the Wiz
ard had forgotten to oil them; but
they kept fairly good time with the
wings of the buggy, so that they
MADE excellent progress from the
start. The only thing that any one
could complain Of with justice was
the fact that they wobbled first up
and then down. as if the road were
rocky instead of being as smooth as
the air could make ii.
n j: X X
The main point. however. was that
they new, and flew swiftly, il bit
unevenly. toward the rock for which
they had headed.
Some Of the Gargoyles saw them.
presently, and lost no time in collect
ing a band to pursue the escaping
prisoners, so that when Dorothy hap
pened to look back she saw them COM
ing in great cloud that almost dark
ened the sky.
Our friends had good start and
were able to maintain it, for with
their eight wings they could 60 just
as fast as could the Gargoyles. All
the way to the great rock the wooden
people followed them, and when Jim
hnally alighted at the mouth of the
cavern the pursuers were still some
distance away.
But, I'm afraid they'll catch us yet"
said Dorothy. greatly excited.
mo. we must stop them" declared
the Wizard. "Quick, Zeb, help me pull
off these wooden wings"
They tore off the wings, for which
they had no further use, and the
Wizard piled them in heap just
outside the entrance to the cavern.
Then he poured over them all the
kerosene oil that was left in his oil
can, and, lighting a match, set fire to
the pile.
The flames leaped up at once and
the bonfire began to smoke and roar
and crackle just as the great army Of
wooden Gargoyles arrived. The crea-
lures drew back at once, being filed
with fear and horror; for such a
dreadful thing as fire they had
never before known in all the his
tory of their wooden land.
Inside the archway were several
doors, leading to different rooms built
into the mountain and Zeb and the
Wizard lifted these wooden doors
from their hinges and tossed them all
on the flames.
That will prove a barrier for come
time to come" said the little man
smiling pleasantly all over his wrin-
kled face at the success of their
stratagem.
Perhaps the flames Will set fire IN
all That miserable wooden country. and