Chapter 24: Ojo Finds the Dark Well

They now followed Diksey to the farther end of the great cave, beyond the Horner city, where there were several round, dark holes leading into the ground in a slanting direction. Diksey went to one of these holes and said:

"Here is the mine in which lies the dark well you are seeking. Follow me and step carefully and I'll lead you to the place."

He went in first and after him came Ojo, and then Dorothy, with the Scarecrow behind her. The Patchwork Girl entered last of all, for Toto kept close beside his little mistress.

A few steps beyond the mouth of the opening it was pitch dark. "You won't lose your way, though," said the Horner, "for there's only one way to go. The mine's mine and I know every step of the way. How's that for a joke, eh? The mine's mine." Then he chuckled gleefully as they followed him silently down the steep slant. The hole was just big enough to permit them to walk upright, although the Scarecrow, being much the taller of the party, often had to bend his head to keep from hitting the top.

The floor of the tunnel was difficult to walk upon because it had been worn smooth as glass, and pretty soon Scraps, who was some distance behind the others, slipped and fell head foremost. At once she began to slide downward, so swiftly that when she came to the Scarecrow she knocked him off his feet and sent him tumbling against Dorothy, who tripped up Ojo. The boy fell against the Horner, so that all went tumbling down the slide in a regular mix-up, unable to see where they were going because of the darkness.

Fortunately, when they reached the bottom the Scarecrow and Scraps were in front, and the others bumped against them, so that no one was hurt. They found themselves in a vast cave which was dimly lighted by the tiny grains of radium that lay scattered among the loose rocks.

"Now," said Diksey, when they had all regained their feet, "I will show you where the dark well is. This is a big place, but if we hold fast to each other we won't get lost."

They took hold of hands and the Horner led them into a dark corner, where he halted.

"Be careful," said he warningly. "The well is at your feet."

"All right," replied Ojo, and kneeling down he felt in the well with his hand and found that it contained a quantity of water. "Where's the gold flask, Dorothy?" he asked, and the little girl handed him the flask, which she had brought with her.

Ojo knelt again and by feeling carefully in the dark managed to fill the flask with the unseen water that was in the well. Then he screwed the top of the flask firmly in place and put the precious water in his pocket.

"All right!" he said again, in a glad voice; "now we can go back."

They returned to the mouth of the tunnel and began to creep cautiously up the incline. This time they made Scraps stay behind, for fear she would slip again; but they all managed to get up in safety and the Munchkin boy was very happy when he stood in the Horner city and realized that the water from the dark well, which he and his friends had traveled so far to secure, was safe in his jacket pocket.

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Introduction
Chapter 1: Ojo and Unc Nunkie
Chapter 2: The Crooked Magician
Chapter 3: The Patchwork Girl
Chapter 4: The Glass Cat
Chapter 5: A Terrible Accident
Chapter 6: The Journey
Chapter 7: The Troublesome Phonograph
Chapter 8: The Foolish Owl and the Wise Donkey
Chapter 9: They Meet the Woozy
Chapter 10: Shaggy Man to the Rescue
Chapter 11: A Good Friend
Chapter 12: The Giant Porcupine
Chapter 13: Scraps and the Scarecrow
Chapter 14: Ojo Breaks the Law
Chapter 15: Ozma's Prisoner
Chapter 16: Princess Dorothy
Chapter 17: Ozma and Her Friends
Chapter 18: Ojo is Forgiven
Chapter 19: Trouble with the Tottenhots
Chapter 20: The Captive Yoop
Chapter 21: Hip Hopper the Champion
Chapter 22: The Joking Horners
Chapter 23: Peace is Declared
Chapter 24: Ojo Finds the Dark Well
Chapter 25: They Bribe the Lazy Quadling
Chapter 26: The Trick River
Chapter 27: The Tin Woodman Objects
Chapter 28: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

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