"The first thing required for the machine," said he, "is a body big enough
to carry the entire party. This sofa is the biggest thing we have, and might
be used for a body. But, should the machine ever tip sideways, we would all
slide off and fall to the ground."
195
"Why not use two sofas?" asked Tip. "There's another one just like this down
stairs."
"That is a very sensible suggestion," exclaimed the Tin Woodman. "You must
fetch the other sofa at once."
So Tip and the Saw-Horse managed, with much labor, to get the second sofa to
the roof; and when the two were placed together, edge to edge, the backs and
ends formed a protecting rampart all around the seats.
"Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "We can ride within this snug nest quite
at our ease."
The two sofas were now bound firmly together with ropes and clothes-lines,
and then Nick Chopper fastened the Gump's head to one end.
"That will show which is the front end of the Thing," said he, greatly
pleased with the idea." And, really, if you examine it critically, the Gump
looks very well as a figure-head. These great palm-leaves, for which I have
endangered my life seven times, must serve us as wings."
"Are they strong enough?" asked the boy.
"They are as strong as anything we can get," answered the Woodman; "and
although they are not in proportion to the Thing's body, we are not in a
position to be very particular.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130