But only Roses are allowed here, continued a delicate Tea Rose, bending her brows in a frown; therefore you must go away before the Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the sea.
Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then? inquired Betsy.
To be sure.
And is he a Rose, also?
Of course not; hes a man a wonderful man, was the reply.
Well, Im not afraid of a man, declared the girl, much relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse a spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the other.
He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose-colored costume, with ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and his face puckered and deeply lined.
O-ho! he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his greenhouse, and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over the mules head and danced around with his fork, in such agitation that presently he fell over the handle of the implement and sprawled at full length upon the ground.
Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hanks head. The little mule was angry at the treatment he had received and backed toward the Gardener threateningly.
Look out for his heels! called Betsy warningly and the Gardener scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses.
You are breaking the Law! he shouted, sticking out his head to glare at the girl and the mule.
What Law? asked Betsy.
The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in these domains.
Not when theyre shipwrecked? she inquired.
The Law doesnt except shipwrecks, replied the Royal Gardener, and he was about to say more when suddenly there was a crash of glass and a man came tumbling through the roof of the greenhouse and fell plump to the ground.
CHAPTER 6 Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother
him.
Good gracious! exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. Who are you, and where did you come from?
Me? Oh, Im Shaggy Man, said he, taking another bite of the apple. Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming haste.
Why, I spose you couldnt help the haste, said Betsy.
No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way and here I am.
As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to Hank who ate it greedily and then stood up to bow politely to Betsy and the Roses.
The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the crash of glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, but now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in his squeaky voice:
Youre breaking the Law! Youre breaking the Law!
Shaggy stared at him solemnly.
Is the glass the Law in this country? he asked.
Breaking the glass is breaking the Law, squeaked the Gardener, angrily. Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking the Law.
How do you know? asked Shaggy.
Why, its printed in a book, said the Gardener, coming forward and taking a small book from his pocket. Page thirteen. Here it is: If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death. So you see, strangers, he continued triumphantly, its death for you all and your time has come!
But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mules heels shot out and struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up like the letter U and flew out of the door so swiftly never touching the ground that he was gone before Betsy had time to wink.
But the mules attack frightened the girl.
Come, she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his hand; lets go somewhere else. Theyll surely kill us if we stay here!
Dont worry, my dear, replied Shaggy, patting the childs head. Im not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love Magnet.
The Love Magnet! Why, what is that? asked Betsy.
Its a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of everyone who looks upon it, was the reply. The Love Magnet used to hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; but when I started on this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take it with me.
Oh! cried Betsy, staring hard at him; are you really from the wonderful Land of Oz?
Yes. Ever been there, my dear?
No; but Ive heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?
Very well indeed.
And and Princess Dorothy?
Dorothys an old chum of mine, declared Shaggy.
Dear me! exclaimed Betsy. And why did you ever leave such a beautiful land as Oz?
On an errand, said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. Im trying to find my dear little brother.
Oh! Is he lost? questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the poor man.
Been lost these ten years, replied Shaggy, taking out a handkerchief and wiping a tear from his eye. I didnt know it until lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So now Im trying to find him.
Where was he lost? asked the girl sympathetically.
Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. Brother was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went into his mine and never came out. They searched for him, but he was not there. Disappeared entirely, Shaggy ended miserably.