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siEvery beach. Close to the sea stood a glittering red glass castle, like no
other castle in Oz or elsewhere. Large, low, and circular, with countless
triangular turrets rising from its flat roof, it had kaleidoscopes topping
each turret which spun around and around, their sparkling glass pendants
tinkling like bells in the ocean breezes. Beyond the main castle were hundreds
of smaller castles, exact copies of the large one. Every castle had circular
gardens with flowering shrubs, date and palm trees. In the distance rose low
and high mountains, range after range. At the top of the hundred glass steps
leading to the castle, the jinrikisha came to a gentle and perfect landing.
Almost as soon as it touched down, Yankee was out. Bolting down the many
steps, he plunged joyously into the tumbling sea, diving through the green
combers and riding them in, over and over again. Tompy longed to be doing the
same, but hampered by his clothes, stared up at the castle, off at the
mountains, and down at the sparkling ocean. "Man oh man," he sighed. "If I
lived in a spot like this one I'd never go away." "Har har! I hardly ever
do," puffed Jinnicky popping up his head. "But on this trip I met you and big
bouncer down there. Wouldn't have missed that for a barrel of jumping beans."
"Even though you were all cracked up doing it?" laughed Tompy, touching the
jagged gash in the Red Jinn's jug with a drum stick. "Even though," chuckled
Jinnicky. "What do I care about that? Everybody's a little cracked, even
though the cracks do not show," he sniffed, waving to Yankee who was bounding
up the glass steps, three at a time. "Ough--wow. WOW! How do you stand all
this grandeur?" snuffled the space dog shaking water in every direction. "I
manage, I manage!" Jinnicky nodded his head like a china mandarin. "And why
not? My people are brave. They love me and I love them, and each fellow is a
king in his own castle. The ruby mines in the mountains take care of us all.
The men work the mines and it's share and share alike with enough for
everyone! But, good gollywoks, we can't stand here talking like people at a
tea party. We can't leave Ozma on the mountain with a big bully like
Badmannah. But I have a red magic trick or two that will settle his
hashamaroo. HAH!" Tumbling out of his chariot, the Red Jinn clapped his
hands three times. At the first clap, a black boy dashed out a side entrance
and began rubbing Yankee with a red towel, a second boy handed Tompy a tall
glass of EV ade, while a third, after one look at Jinnicky's cracked jug, ran
screaming for Alibabble. "I tell you what," proposed Jinnicky almost as if
he had read Tompy's mind, "why not cool off in my ocean while I'm assembling
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the proper jugs and jars." "Oh, could I?" Handing his empty glass back to
the small servitor, Tompy looked around for a place to undress. With an
understanding wink the boy took off, returning almost immediately with a big
towel, a sharp pair of red trunks, and a small dressing tent which was quickly
set up on the broad step. Yankee, meanwhile, wriggling out of the clutches of
the first boy, went pattering after Jinnicky who already was pushing through
the great glass doors of his castle. Stepping into the tent, Tompy slipped out
of his drum halter and shed his clothes. Then cantering down the long flight
of steps, he flung himself into the cool green water, to dive, float, tumble,
and swim seven ways for Sunday! All the weariness and worry of the morning
were soon forgotten in a familiar ocean. Waiting for him at the top of the
stair when he finally came out was the same obliging boy, this time with two
towels and his clothes, the band uniform brushed and pressed, his loafers
polished and shining like glass. "Say--thanks!" sputtered Tompy accepting
the load with a broad grin. With an answering grin, the boy winked and ran
back into the castle. Dried and dressed in record time, Tompy slipped into his
halter, tilted his cap at a dashing angle, and, feeling ready for almost
anything, marched through the swinging glass doors and into the Red Jinn's
elegant throne room. In fact, he felt so refreshed and great that he
ra-a-ta-tatted his way between the long line of red vases and right up to the
throne itself. Instead of Jinnicky, a small dainty figure perched on the
throne's very edge. "Why, it's the princess, the lost princess," breathed
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