17. A Remarkable Journey

           "Yousee,"explainedtheGlassCat,"thatMagicIslewhereTrotandCap’nBillarestuckisalsointhisGillikinCountry—overattheeastsideofit,andit’snofarthertogoacross-lotsfromherethanitisfromheretotheEmeraldCity.Sowe’llsavetimebycuttingacrossthemountains."

           "Areyousureyouknowtheway?"askedDorothy.

           "IknowalltheLandofOzbetterthananyotherlivingcreatureknowsit,"assertedtheGlassCat.

           "Goahead,then,andguideus,"saidtheWizard."We’veleftourpoorfriendshelplesstoolongalready,andthesoonerwerescuethemthehappierthey’llbe."

           "Areyousureyoucanget’emoutoftheirfix?"thelittlegirlinquired.

           "I’venodoubtofit,"theWizardassuredher."ButIcan’ttellwhatsortofmagicImustuseuntilIgettotheplaceanddiscoverjusthowtheyareenchanted."

           "I’veheardofthatMagicIslewheretheWonderfulFlowergrows,"remarkedtheCowardlyLion."Longago,whenIusedtoliveintheforests,thebeaststoldstoriesabouttheIsleandhowtheMagicFlowerwasplacedtheretoentrapstrangers—menorbeasts."

           "IstheFlowerreallywonderful?"questionedDorothy.

           "Ihavehearditisthemostbeautifulplantintheworld,"answeredtheLion."Ihaveneverseenitmyself,butfriendlybeastshavetoldmethattheyhavestoodontheshoreoftheriverandlookedacrossattheplantinthegoldflower-potandseenhundredsofflowers,ofallsortsandsizes,blossomuponitinquicksuccession.