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CHAPTER 10. THE BRAIDED MAN OF PYRAMID MOUNTAIN
The mountain before them was shaped like a cone and was so tall that its point was
lost in the clouds.
Directly facing the place where Jim had stopped was an arched opening leading to a
broad stairway.
The stairs were cut in the rock inside the mountain, and they were broad and not very
steep, because they circled around like a cork-screw, and at the arched opening where
the flight began the circle was quite big.
At the foot of the stairs was a sign reading:
WARNING. These steps lead to the Land of the
Gargoyles. DANGER!
KEEP OUT.
"I wonder how Jim is ever going to draw the buggy up so many stairs," said Dorothy,
gravely. "No trouble at all," declared the horse,
with a contemptuous neigh.
"Still, I don't care to drag any passengers.
You'll all have to walk." "Suppose the stairs get steeper?" suggested
Zeb, doubtfully.
"Then you'll have to boost the buggy- wheels, that's all," answered Jim.
"We'll try it, anyway," said the Wizard. "It's the only way to get out of the Valley
of Voe."
So they began to ascend the stairs, Dorothy and the Wizard first, Jim next, drawing the
buggy, and then Zeb to watch that nothing happened to the harness.
The light was dim, and soon they mounted into total darkness, so that the Wizard was
obliged to get out his lanterns to light the way.
But this enabled them to proceed steadily until they came to a landing where there
was a rift in the side of the mountain that let in both light and air.
Looking through this opening they could see the Valley of Voe lying far below them, the
cottages seeming like toy houses from that distance.
After resting a few moments they resumed their climb, and still the stairs were
broad and low enough for Jim to draw the buggy easily after him.
The old horse panted a little, and had to stop often to get his breath.
At such times they were all glad to wait for him, for continually climbing up stairs
is sure to make one's legs ache.
They wound about, always going upward, for some time.
The lights from the lanterns dimly showed the way, but it was a gloomy journey, and
they were pleased when a broad streak of light ahead assured them they were coming
to a second landing.
Here one side of the mountain had a great hole in it, like the mouth of a cavern, and
the stairs stopped at the near edge of the floor and commenced ascending again at the
opposite edge.
The opening in the mountain was on the side opposite to the Valley of Voe, and our
travellers looked out upon a strange scene.
Below them was a vast space, at the bottom of which was a black sea with rolling
billows, through which little tongues of flame constantly shot up.
Just above them, and almost on a level with their platform, were banks of rolling
clouds which constantly shifted position and changed color.
The blues and greys were very beautiful, and Dorothy noticed that on the cloud banks
sat or reclined fleecy, shadowy forms of beautiful beings who must have been the
Cloud Fairies.
Mortals who stand upon the earth and look up at the sky cannot often distinguish
these forms, but our friends were now so near to the clouds that they observed the
dainty fairies very clearly.
"Are they real?" asked Zeb, in an awed voice.
"Of course," replied Dorothy, softly. "They are the Cloud Fairies."
"They seem like open-work," remarked the boy, gazing intently.
"If I should squeeze one, there wouldn't be anything left of it."
In the open space between the clouds and the black, bubbling sea far beneath, could
be seen an occasional strange bird winging its way swiftly through the air.
These birds were of enormous size, and reminded Zeb of the rocs he had read about
in the Arabian Nights.
They had fierce eyes and sharp talons and beaks, and the children hoped none of them
would venture into the cavern. "Well, I declare!" suddenly exclaimed the
little Wizard.
"What in the world is this?" They turned around and found a man standing
on the floor in the center of the cave, who bowed very politely when he saw he had
attracted their attention.
He was a very old man, bent nearly double; but the queerest thing about him was his
white hair and beard.
These were so long that they reached to his feet, and both the hair and the beard were
carefully plaited into many braids, and the end of each braid fastened with a bow of
colored ribbon.
"Where did you come from?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly.
"No place at all," answered the man with the braids; "that is, not recently.
Once I lived on top the earth, but for many years I have had my factory in this spot--
half way up Pyramid Mountain." "Are we only half way up?" enquired the
boy, in a discouraged tone.
"I believe so, my lad," replied the braided man.
"But as I have never been in either direction, down or up, since I arrived, I
cannot be positive whether it is exactly half way or not."
"Have you a factory in this place?" asked the Wizard, who had been examining the
strange personage carefully. "To be sure," said the other.
"I am a great inventor, you must know, and I manufacture my products in this lonely
spot." "What are your products?" enquired the
Wizard.
"Well, I make Assorted Flutters for flags and bunting, and a superior grade of
Rustles for ladies' silk gowns." "I thought so," said the Wizard, with a
sigh.
"May we examine some of these articles?" "Yes, indeed; come into my shop, please,"
and the braided man turned and led the way into a smaller cave, where he evidently
lived.
Here, on a broad shelf, were several card- board boxes of various sizes, each tied
with cotton cord.
"This," said the man, taking up a box and handling it gently, "contains twelve dozen
rustles--enough to last any lady a year. Will you buy it, my dear?" he asked,
addressing Dorothy.
"My gown isn't silk," she said, smiling. "Never mind.
When you open the box the rustles will escape, whether you are wearing a silk
dress or not," said the man, seriously.
Then he picked up another box. "In this," he continued, "are many assorted
flutters. They are invaluable to make flags flutter
on a still day, when there is no wind.
You, sir," turning to the Wizard, "ought to have this assortment.
Once you have tried my goods I am sure you will never be without them."
"I have no money with me," said the Wizard, evasively.
"I do not want money," returned the braided man, "for I could not spend it in this
deserted place if I had it.
But I would like very much a blue hair- ribbon.
You will notice my braids are tied with yellow, pink, brown, red, green, white and
black; but I have no blue ribbons."
"I'll get you one!" cried Dorothy, who was sorry for the poor man; so she ran back to
the buggy and took from her suit-case a pretty blue ribbon.
It did her good to see how the braided man's eyes sparkled when he received this
treasure.
"You have made me very, very happy, my dear!" he exclaimed; and then he insisted
on the Wizard taking the box of flutters and the little girl accepting the box of
rustles.
"You may need them, some time," he said, "and there is really no use in my
manufacturing these things unless somebody uses them."
"Why did you leave the surface of the earth?" enquired the Wizard.
"I could not help it.
It is a sad story, but if you will try to restrain your tears I will tell you about
it.
On earth I was a manufacturer of Imported Holes for American Swiss Cheese, and I will
acknowledge that I supplied a superior article, which was in great demand.
Also I made pores for porous plasters and high-grade holes for doughnuts and buttons.
Finally I invented a new Adjustable Post- hole, which I thought would make my
fortune.
I manufactured a large quantity of these post-holes, and having no room in which to
store them I set them all end to end and put the top one in the ground.
That made an extraordinary long hole, as you may imagine, and reached far down into
the earth; and, as I leaned over it to try to see to the bottom, I lost my balance and
tumbled in.
Unfortunately, the hole led directly into the vast space you see outside this
mountain; but I managed to catch a point of rock that projected from this cavern, and
so saved myself from tumbling headlong into
the black waves beneath, where the tongues of flame that dart out would certainly have
consumed me.
Here, then, I made my home; and although it is a lonely place I amuse myself making
rustles and flutters, and so get along very nicely."
When the braided man had completed this strange tale Dorothy nearly laughed,
because it was all so absurd; but the Wizard tapped his forehead significantly,
to indicate that he thought the poor man was crazy.
So they politely bade him good day, and went back to the outer cavern to resume
their journey.