"Fly!" commanded Tip, eagerly.
"Where to?" asked the Gump, in its calm voice.
"I don't know," returned Tip, who was very nervous at the delay; "but if you
will mount into the air I think we can discover which way Glinda has gone."
Line-Art Drawing
261
"Very well," returned the Gump, quietly; and it spread its great wings and
mounted high into the air.
Far away, across the meadows, they could now see two tiny specks, speeding
one after the other; and they knew these specks must be the Griffin and the
Saw-Horse. So Tip called the Gump's attention to them and bade the creature
try to overtake the Witch and the Sorceress. But, swift as was the Gump's
flight, the pursued and pursuer moved more swiftly yet, and within a few
moments were blotted out against the dim horizon.
"Let us continue to follow them, nevertheless," said the Scarecrow. "for the
Land of Oz is of small extent, and sooner or later they must both come to a
halt."
Old Mombi had thought herself very wise to choose the form of a Griffin, for
its legs were exceedingly fleet and its strength more enduring than that of
other animals. But she had not reckoned on the untiring energy of the Saw-
Horse, whose wooden limbs could run for days without slacking their speed.
Therefore, after an hour's hard running, the Griffin's breath began to fail,
and it panted and gasped painfully, and moved more slowly than before.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173