"Shall we go in?" asked Dorothy, drawing a deep breath.
"To be sure," said the Wizard. "Anything is better than this stone prison."
"Ah, a philosopher, and a wise one, too," remarked the little man.
As soon as Dorothy and the Wizard were in the elevator—for such it proved to be—the stone door swung shut. At once the little man pressed one of several buttons on the side of the car and again they heard the whirring sound which had puzzled them in the cavern. Dorothy concluded it was caused by the machinery that operated the elevator. The little car was shooting upward with a speed that caused her ears to ring.
"Just swallow several times," advised the Wizard, sensing Dorothy's discomfort. "That will make equal the air pressure inside and outside your body. It's a trick I learned when I went up in my balloon to draw crowds to the circus back in Omaha."
Dorothy did as the Wizard suggested and found the ringing sensation disappeared.
"Who are you?" asked the Wizard gazing curiously at the little man. "And where are you taking us?"
"You don't know who I am?" exclaimed the little man with surprise. "After all, you know you did ring for the elevator, and since I am the elevator operator, naturally I answered. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hi-Lo and I am taking you to the only other place the elevator goes except for the bottom—and that's to the top of Mount Illuso. I assure you it's a far better place than the bottom!"
While he spoke, Dorothy had been regarding the little man who called himself Hi-Lo. He was very short, his head coming only to Dorothy's waist. He was dressed in a bright blue uniform with big, gold buttons. A red cap was perched at a jaunty angle on his head. His face was round and his cheeks as rosy as two apples. His blue eyes were very bright and friendly. But the oddest thing about him was that his clothes appeared to be a part of his body—as though they were painted on. And Dorothy concluded he was most certainly made of some substance other than flesh and blood.
"Ah, I see I've aroused your interest," remarked the little man with satisfaction. "Well, I'm proud to tell you that I am made of the finest white pine and painted with quick-drying four-hour enamel that flows easily from the brush and is guaranteed not to chip, crack, craze or peel. I'm easily washable, too; spots and stains wipe off in a jiffy with a damp cloth or sponge—no rubbing or scrubbing for me! And I suppose," Hi-Lo concluded vainly, "you've already admired my rich, glossy finish and beautiful rainbow colors."