8.A dying poppy field

Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope,
and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river.
Beside them was the drak forest they had passed safelt through, although they had suffered many discouragements;
but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City.
To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land.
But the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woodman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they were ready to start.
Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms.
When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft it tipped badly, for he was big and heavy;
They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream,
farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick.
And the water grew so deep that long poles would not touch the bottom.
"This is bad," said the Tin Wooman, "for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West,
and she will enchant us and make us ger slaves."
"And then I should get no brains," said the Scarecrow.
"And I should get no heart," said the Tin Woodman.
"And I should never get back to Kansas," said Dorothy.
"We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can," the Scarecrow continued,
and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river.
Then, before he could pull it out again- or let go-- the raft was swept away,
and the poor Scarecrow left cliinging to the pole in the middle of the river.