Next she touched the image of a purple kitten that stood on the corner of a mantel, and as she pronounced the word “Ev” the kitten disappeared, and a pretty, fair-haired boy stood beside her.  At the same time a bell rang somewhere in the distance, and as Dorothy started back, partly in surprise and partly in joy, the little one exclaimed: 

“Where am I?  And who are you?  And what has happened to me?”

“Well, I declare!” said Dorothy.  “I’ve really done it.”

“Done what?” asked the boy.

“Saved myself from being an ornament,” replied the girl, with a laugh, “and saved you from being forever a purple kitten.”

“A purple kitten?” he repeated.  “There is no such thing.”

“I know,” she answered.  “But there was, a minute ago.  Don’t you remember standing on a corner of the mantel?”

“Of course not.  I am a Prince of Ev, and my name is Evring,” the little one announced, proudly.  “But my father, the King, sold my mother and all her children to the cruel ruler of the Nomes, and after that I remember nothing at all.”

“A purple kitten can’t be ’spected to remember, Evring,” said Dorothy.  “But now you are yourself again, and I’m going to try to save some of your brothers and sisters, and perhaps your mother, as well.  So come with me.”

She seized the child’s hand and eagerly hurried here and there, trying to decide which object to choose next.  The third guess was another failure, and so was the fourth and the fifth.

Little Evring could not imagine what she was doing, but he trotted along beside her very willingly, for he liked the new companion he had found.

Dorothy’s further quest proved unsuccessful; but after her first disappointment was over, the little girl was filled with joy and thankfulness to think that after all she had been able to save one member of the royal family of Ev, and could restore the little Prince to his sorrowing country.  Now she might return to the terrible Nome King in safety, carrying with her the prize she had won in the person of the fair-haired boy.

So she retraced her steps until she found the entrance to the palace, and as she approached, the massive doors of rock opened of their own accord, allowing both Dorothy and Evring to pass the portals and enter the throne room.

15.  Billina Frightens the Nome King

Now when Dorothy had entered the palace to make her guesses and the Scarecrow was left with the Nome King, the two sat in moody silence for several minutes.  Then the monarch exclaimed, in a tone of satisfaction: 

“Very good!”

“Who is very good?” asked the Scarecrow.

“The machine man.  He won’t need to be wound up any more, for he has now become a very neat ornament.  Very neat, indeed.”

“How about Dorothy?” the Scarecrow enquired.

“Oh, she will begin to guess, pretty soon,” said the King, cheerfully.  “And then she will join my collection, and it will be your turn.”