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managed to get him up on the truck. Then the Queen hurriedly gaveher people the order to start, for she feared if the mice stayedamong the poppies too long they also would fall asleep.At first the little creatures, many though they were, couldhardly stir the heavily loaded truck; but the Woodman and theScarecrow both pushed from behind, and they got along better.Soon they rolled the Lion out of the poppy bed to the green fields,where he could breathe the sweet, fresh air again, instead of thepoisonous scent of the flowers.
Dorothy came to meet them and thanked the little mice warmlyfor saving her companion from death. She had grown so fond ofthe big Lion she was glad he had been rescued.Then the mice were unharnessed from the truck and scamperedaway through the grass to their homes. The Queen of the Mice wasthe last to leave.
"If ever you need us again," she said, "come out into thefield and call, and we shall hear you and come to your assistance.Good-bye!"
"Good-bye!" they all answered, and away the Queen ran, whileDorothy held Toto tightly lest he should run after her andfrighten her.
After this they sat down beside the Lion until he shouldawaken; and the Scarecrow brought Dorothy some fruit from a treenear by, which she ate for her dinner.
10. The Guardian of the Gate
It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he hadlain among the poppies a long while, breathing in their deadlyfragrance; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truckhe was very glad to find himself still alive."I ran as fast as I could," he said, sitting down and yawning,"but the flowers were too strong for me. How did you get me out?"Then they told him of the field mice, and how they had generouslysaved him from death; and the Cowardly Lion laughed, and said:"I have always thought myself very big and terrible; yet suchlittle things as flowers came near to killing me, and such smallanimals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is!
But, comrades, what shall we do now?""We must journey on until we find the road of yellow brick again,"said Dorothy, "and then we can keep on to the Emerald City."So, the Lion being fully refreshed, and feeling quite himself again,they all started upon the journey, greatly enjoying the walk through the soft,fresh grass; and it was not long before they reached the road of yellow brickand turned again toward the Emerald City where the Great Oz dwelt.The road was smooth and well paved, now, and the country aboutwas beautiful, so that the travelers rejoiced in leaving theforest far behind, and with it the many dangers they had met inits gloomy shades. Once more they could see fences built besidethe road; but these were painted green, and when they came to asmall house, in which a farmer evidently lived, that also waspainted green. They passed by several of these houses during the
