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"Exactly," replied the Scarecrow; so they soon renewed
their journey, following the river for a long time until
the roar of the waterfall sounded in their ears. By and
by they came to the waterfall itself, a sheet of silver
dropping far, far down into a tiny lake which seemed to
have no outlet. From the top of the fall, where they
stood, the banks gradually sloped away, so that the
descent by land was quite easy, while the river could do
nothing but glide over an edge of rock and tumble
straight down to the depths below.
"You see," said the Scarecrow, leaning over the brink,
"this is called by our Oz people the Great Waterfall,
because it is certainly the highest one in all the land;
but I think -- Help!"
He had lost his balance and pitched headforemost into
the river. They saw a flash of straw and blue clothes,
and the painted face looking upward in surprise. The
next moment the Scarecrow was swept over the waterfall
and plunged into the basin below.
The accident had happened so suddenly that for a moment
they were all too horrified to speak or move.
"Quick! We must go to help him or he will be drowned,"
Trot exclaimed.
Even while speaking she began to descend the bank to
the pool below, and Cap'n Bill followed as swiftly as his
wooden leg would let him. Button-Bright came more slowly,
calling to the girl:
"He can't drown, Trot; he's a Scarecrow."
But she wasn't sure a Scarecrow couldn't drown and
never relaxed her speed until she stood on the edge of
the pool, with the spray dashing in her face. Cap'n Bill,
puffing and panting, had just voice enough to ask, as he
reached her side:
"See him, Trot?"
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