Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge --
covered, like the walls, with glittering rubies -- ran
all around the cavern; so they followed this gorgeous
path to the rear and found where the water made its final
dive underground, before it disappeared entirely. Where
it plunged into this dim abyss the river was black and
dreary looking, and they stood gazing in awe until just
beside them the body of the Scarecrow again popped up
from the water.
Chapter Twenty Three
The Land of Oz
The straw man's appearance on the water was so sudden
that it startled Trot, but Cap'n Bill had the presence of
mind to stick his wooden leg out over the water and the
Scarecrow made a desperate clutch and grabbed the leg
with both hands. He managed to hold on until Trot and
Button-Bright knelt down and seized his clothing, but the
children would have been powerless to drag the soaked
Scarecrow ashore had not Cap'n Bill now assisted them.
When they laid him on the ledge of rubies he was the most
useless looking Scarecrow you can imagine -- his straw
sodden and dripping with water, his clothing wet and
crumpled, while even the sack upon which his face was
painted had become so wrinkled that the old jolly
expression of their stuffed friend's features was
entirely gone.
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