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+*Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Baum*
+#7 in the L. Frank Baum's Wonderful World Of Oz Series
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+The Patchwork Girl of Oz
+
+by L. Frank Baum
+
+June, 1997  [Etext #955]
+
+
+*Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Baum*
+*****This file should be named 07woz10.txt or 07woz10.zip******
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+
+
+
+
+THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ
+
+by L. FRANK BAUM
+
+Affectionately dedicated to my young friend
+Sumner Hamilton Britton of Chicago
+
+
+Prologue
+
+Through the kindness of Dorothy Gale of Kansas,
+afterward Princess Dorothy of Oz, an humble writer
+in the United States of America was once appointed
+Royal Historian of Oz, with the privilege of
+writing the chronicle of that wonderful fairyland.
+But after making six books about the adventures of
+those interesting but queer people who live in the
+Land of Oz, the Historian learned with sorrow that
+by an edict of the Supreme Ruler, Ozma of Oz, her
+country would thereafter be rendered invisible to
+all who lived outside its borders and that all
+communication with Oz would, in the future, be cut off.
+
+
+The children who had learned to look for the
+books about Oz and who loved the stories about the
+gay and happy people inhabiting that favored
+country, were as sorry as their Historian that
+there would be no more books of Oz stories. They
+wrote many letters asking if the Historian did not
+know of some adventures to write about that had
+happened before the Land of Oz was shut out from
+all the rest of the world. But he did not know of
+any. Finally one of the children inquired why we
+couldn't hear from Princess Dorothy by wireless
+telegraph, which would enable her to communicate
+to the Historian whatever happened in the far-off
+Land of Oz without his seeing her, or even knowing
+just where Oz is.
+
+That seemed a good idea; so the Historian rigged
+up a high tower in his back yard, and took lessons
+in wireless telegraphy until he understood it,
+and then began to call "Princess Dorothy of Oz" by
+sending messages into the air.
+
+Now, it wasn't likely that Dorothy would be
+looking for wireless messages or would heed the
+call; but one thing the Historian was sure of, and
+that was that the powerful Sorceress, Glinda,
+would know what he was doing and that he desired
+to communicate with Dorothy. For Glinda has a big
+book in which is recorded every event that takes
+place anywhere in the world, just the moment that
+it happens, and so of course the book would tell
+her about the wireless message.
+
+And that was the way Dorothy heard that the
+Historian wanted to speak with her, and there was
+a Shaggy Man in the Land of Oz who knew how to
+telegraph a wireless reply. The result was that
+the Historian begged so hard to be told the latest
+news of Oz, so that he could write it down for the
+children to read, that Dorothy asked permission of
+Ozma and Ozma graciously consented.
+
+That is why, after two long years of waiting,
+another Oz story is now presented to the children
+of America. This would not have been possible had
+not some clever man invented the "wireless" and an
+equally clever child suggested the idea of
+reaching the mysterious Land of Oz by its means.
+
+L. Frank Baum.
+
+"OZCOT"
+at Hollywood
+in California
+
+
+
+LIST OF CHAPTERS
+1  - Ojo and Unc Nunkie
+2  - The Crooked Magician
+3  - The Patchwork Girl
+4  - The Glass Cat
+5  - A Terrible Accident
+6  - The Journey
+7  - The Troublesome Phonograph
+8  - The Foolish Owl and the Wise Donkey
+9  - They Meet the Woozy
+10 - Shaggy Man to the Rescue
+11 - A Good Friend
+12 - The Giant Porcupine
+13 - Scrapes and the Scarecrow
+14 - Ojo Breaks the Law
+15 - Ozma's Prisoner
+16 - Princess Dorothy
+17 - Ozma and Her Friends
+18 - Ojo is Forgiven
+19 - Trouble with the Tottenhots
+20 - The Captive Yoop
+21 - Hip Hopper the Champion
+22 - The Joking Horners
+23 - Peace is Declared
+24 - Ojo Finds the Dark Well
+25 - They Bribe the Lazy Quadling
+26 - The Trick River
+27 - The Tin Woodman Objects
+28 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
+
+
+
+
+
+The Patchwork Girl of Oz
+
+
+
+
+Chapter One
+
+Ojo and Unc Nunkie
+
+
+"Where's the butter, Unc Nunkie?" asked Ojo.
+
+Unc looked out of the window and stroked his
+long beard. Then he turned to the Munchkin boy and
+shook his head.
+
+"Isn't," said he.
+
+"Isn't any butter? That's too bad, Unc. Where's
+the jam then?" inquired Ojo, standing on a stool
+so he could look through all the shelves of the
+cupboard. But Unc Nunkie shook his head again.
+
+"Gone," he said.
+
+"No jam, either? And no cake--no jelly--no
+apples--nothing but bread?"
+
+"All," said Unc, again stroking his beard as he
+gazed from the window.
+
+The little boy brought the stool and sat be side
+his uncle, munching the dry bread slowly and
+seeming in deep thought.
+
+"Nothing grows in our yard but the bread
+tree," he mused, "and there are only two more
+loaves on that tree; and they're not ripe yet. Tell
+me, Unc; why are we so poor?"
+
+The old Munchkin turned and looked at Ojo. He
+had kindly eyes, but he hadn't smiled or laughed
+in so long that the boy had forgotten that Unc
+Nunkie could look any other way than solemn. And
+Unc never spoke any more words than he was obliged
+to, so his little nephew, who lived alone with
+him, had learned to understand a great deal from
+one word.
+
+"Why are we so poor, Unc?" repeated the
+
+"Not," said the old Munchkin.
+
+"I think we are," declared Ojo. "What have we
+got?"
+
+"House," said Unc Nunkie.
+
+"I know; but everyone in the Land of Oz
+has a place to live. What else, Unc?"
+
+"Bread."
+
+"I'm eating the last loaf that's ripe. There;
+I've put aside your share, Unc. It's on the table,
+so you can eat it when you get hungry. But when
+that is gone, what shall we eat, Unc?"
+
+The old man shifted in his chair but merely
+shook his head.
+
+"Of course," said Ojo, who was obliged to talk
+because his uncle would not, "no one starves in
+the Land of Oz, either. There is plenty for
+everyone, you know; only, if it isn't just where
+you happen to be, you must go where it is."
+
+The aged Munchkin wriggled again and stared at
+his small nephew as if disturbed by his argument.
+
+"By tomorrow morning," the boy went on, we must
+go where there is something to eat, or we shall
+grow very hungry and become very unhappy."
+
+"Where?" asked Unc.
+
+"Where shall we go? I don't know, I'm sure,"
+replied Ojo. "But you must know, Unc. You must
+have traveled, in your time, because you're so
+old. I don't remember it, because ever since I
+could remember anything we've lived right here in
+this lonesome, round house, with a little garden
+back of it and the thick woods all around. All
+I've ever seen of the great Land of Oz, Unc dear,
+is the view of that mountain over at the south,
+where they say the Hammerheads live--who won't let
+anybody go by them--and that mountain at the
+north, where they say nobody lives."
+
+"One," declared Unc, correcting him.
+
+"Oh, yes; one family lives there, I've heard.
+That's the Crooked Magician, who is named
+Dr. Pipt, and his wife Margolotte. One year you
+told me about them; I think it took you a whole
+year, Unc, to say as much as I've just said about
+the Crooked Magician and his wife. They live
+high up on the mountain, and the good Munchkin
+Country, where the fruits and flowers grow, is
+just the other side. It's funny you and I should
+live here all alone, in the middle of the forest,
+Isn't it?"
+
+"Yes," said Unc.
+
+"Then let's go away and visit the Munchkin
+Country and its jolly, good-natured people. I'd
+love to get a sight of something besides woods,
+Unc Nunkie."
+
+"Too little," said Unc.
+
+"Why, I'm not so little as I used to be,"
+answered the boy earnestly. "I think I can walk
+as far and as fast through the woods as you
+can, Unc. And now that nothing grows in our
+back yard that is good to eat, we must go where
+there is food."
+
+Unc Nunkie made no reply for a time. Then
+he shut down the window and turned his chair
+to face the room, for the sun was sinking behind
+the tree-tops and it was growing cool.
+
+By and by Ojo lighted the fire and the logs
+blazed freely in the broad fireplace. The two sat
+in the firelight a long time--the old, white-
+bearded Munchkin and the little boy. Both were
+thinking. When it grew quite dark out-side, Ojo
+said:
+
+"Eat your bread, Unc, and then we will go to
+bed."
+
+But Unc Nunkie did not eat the bread; neither
+did he go directly to bed. Long after his little
+nephew was sound asleep in the corner of the room
+the old man sat by the fire, thinking.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Two
+
+The Crooked Magician
+
+
+Just at dawn next morning Unc Nunkie laid his hand
+tenderly on Ojo's head and awakened him.
+
+"Come," he said.
+
+Ojo dressed. He wore blue silk stockings, blue
+knee pants with gold buckles, a blue ruffled
+waist and a jacket of bright blue braided with
+gold. His shoes were of blue leather and turned up
+at the toes, which were pointed. His hat had a
+peaked crown and a flat brim, and around the brim
+was a row of tiny golden bells that tinkled when
+he moved. This was the native costume of those
+who inhabited the Munchkin Country of the Land of
+Oz, so Unc Nunkie's dress was much like that of
+his nephew. Instead of shoes, the old man wore
+boots with turnover tops and his blue coat had
+wide cuffs of gold braid.
+
+The boy noticed that his uncle had not eaten
+the bread, and supposed the old man had not
+been hungry. Ojo was hungry, though; so he
+divided the piece of bread upon the table and
+ate his half for breakfast, washing it down with
+fresh, cool water from the brook. Unc put the
+other piece of bread in his jacket pocket, after
+which he again said, as he walked out through
+the doorway: "Come."
+
+Ojo was well pleased. He was dreadfully
+tired of living all alone in the woods and wanted
+to travel and see people. For a long time he had
+wished to explore the beautiful Land of Oz
+in which they lived. When they were outside,
+Unc simply latched the door and started up the
+path. No one would disturb their little house,
+even if anyone came so far into the thick forest
+while they were gone.
+
+At the foot of the mountain that separated the
+Country of the Munchkins from the Country of the
+Gillikins, the path divided. One way led to the
+left and the other to the right--straight up the
+mountain. Unc Nunkie took this right--hand path and
+Ojo followed without asking why. He knew it would
+take them to the house of the Crooked Magician,
+whom he had never seen but who was their nearest
+neighbor.
+
+All the morning they trudged up the mountain path
+and at noon Unc and Ojo sat on a fallen tree-trunk
+and ate the last of the bread which the old
+Munchkin had placed in his pocket. Then they
+started on again and two hours later came in sight
+of the house of Dr. Pipt.
+
+It was a big house, round, as were all the
+Munchkin houses, and painted blue, which is the
+distinctive color of the Munchkin Country of Oz.
+There was a pretty garden around the house, where
+blue trees and blue flowers grew in abundance and
+in one place were beds of blue cabbages, blue
+carrots and blue lettuce, all of which were
+delicious to eat. In Dr. Pipt's garden grew bun-
+trees, cake-trees, cream-puff bushes, blue
+buttercups which yielded excellent blue butter and
+a row of chocolate-caramel plants. Paths of blue
+gravel divided the vegetable and flower beds and a
+wider path led up to the front door. The place was
+in a clearing on the mountain, but a little way
+off was the grim forest, which completely
+surrounded it.
+
+Unc knocked at the door of the house and
+a chubby, pleasant-faced woman, dressed all in
+blue, opened it and greeted the visitors with a
+smile.
+
+"Ah," said Ojo; "you must be Dame Margolotte,
+the good wife of Dr. Pipt."
+
+"I am, my dear, and all strangers are welcome
+to my home."
+
+"May we see the famous Magician, Madam?"
+
+"He is very busy just now," she said, shaking
+her head doubtfully. "But come in and let me
+give you something to eat, for you must have
+traveled far in order to get our lonely place."
+
+"We have," replied Ojo, as he and Unc entered
+the house. "We have come from a far lonelier place
+than this."
+
+"A lonelier place! And in the Munchkin Country?"
+she exclaimed. "Then it must be somewhere in the
+Blue Forest."
+
+"It is, good Dame Margolotte."
+
+"Dear me!" she said, looking at the man, "you
+must be Unc Nunkie, known as the Silent One." Then
+she looked at the boy. "And you must be Ojo the
+Unlucky," she added.
+
+"Yes," said Unc.
+
+"I never knew I was called the Unlucky,"
+said Ojo, soberly; "but it is really a good name
+for me."
+
+"Well," remarked the woman, as she bustled
+around the room and set the table and brought food
+from the cupboard, "you were unlucky to live all
+alone in that dismal forest, which is much worse
+than the forest around here; but perhaps your luck
+will change, now you are away from it. If, during
+your travels, you can manage to lose that 'Un' at
+the beginning of your name  Unlucky,' you will
+then become Ojo the Lucky, which will be a great
+improvement."
+
+"How can I lose that 'Un,' Dame Margolotte?"
+
+"I do not know how, but you must keep the
+matter in mind and perhaps the chance will
+come to you," she replied.
+
+Ojo had never eaten such a fine meal in all
+his life. There was a savory stew, smoking hot,
+a dish of blue peas, a bowl of sweet milk of a
+delicate blue tint and a blue pudding with blue
+plums in it. When the visitors had eaten heartily
+of this fare the woman said to them:
+
+"Do you wish to see Dr. Pipt on business or
+for pleasure?"
+
+Unc shook his head.
+
+"We are traveling," replied Ojo, "and we
+stopped at your house just to rest and refresh
+ourselves. I do not think Unc Nunkie cares
+very much to see the famous Crooked Magician;
+but for my part I am curious to look at such
+a great man.
+
+The woman seemed thoughtful.
+
+"I remember that Unc Nunkie and my husband used
+to be friends, many years ago," she said, "so
+perhaps they will be glad to meet again. The
+Magician is very busy, as I said, but if you will
+promise not to disturb him you may come into his
+workshop and watch him prepare a wonderful charm."
+
+"Thank you," replied the boy, much pleased.
+"I would like to do that."
+
+She led the way to a great domed hall at the
+back of the house, which was the Magician's
+workshop. There was a row of windows extending
+nearly around the sides of the circular room,
+which rendered the place very light, and there was
+a back door in addition to the one leading to the
+front part of the house. Before the row of windows
+a broad seat was built and there were some chairs
+and benches in the room besides. At one end stood
+a great fireplace, in which a blue log was blazing
+with a blue flame, and over the fire hung four
+kettles in a row, all bubbling and steaming at a
+great rate. The Magician was stirring all four of
+these kettles at the same time, two with his
+hands and two with his feet, to the latter, wooden
+ladles being strapped, for this man was so very
+crooked that his legs were as handy as his arms.
+
+Unc Nunkie came forward to greet his old
+friend, but not being able to shake either his
+hands or his feet, which were all occupied in
+stirring, he patted the Magician's bald head and
+asked: "What?"
+
+"Ah, it's the Silent One," remarked Dr. Pipt,
+without looking up, "and he wants to know
+what I'm making. Well, when it is quite finished
+this compound will be the wonderful Powder
+of Life, which no one knows how to make but
+myself. Whenever it is sprinkled on anything,
+that thing will at once come to life, no matter
+what it is. It takes me several years to make this
+magic Powder, but at this moment I am pleased
+to say it is nearly done. You see, I am making it
+for my good wife Margolotte, who wants to use
+some of it for a purpose of her own. Sit down
+and make yourself comfortable, Unc Nunkie,
+and after I've finished my task I will talk to
+you.
+
+"You must know," said Margolottte, when they
+were all seated together on the broad window-seat,
+"that my husband foolishly gave away all the
+Powder of Life he first made to old Mombi the
+Witch, who used to live in the Country of the
+Gillikins, to the north of here. Mombi gave to Dr.
+Pipt a Powder of Perpetual Youth in exchange for
+his Powder of Life, but she cheated him wickedly,
+for the Powder of Youth was no good and could work
+no magic at all."
+
+"Perhaps the Powder of Life couldn't either,"
+said Ojo.
+
+"Yes; it is perfection," she declared. "The first
+lot we tested on our Glass Cat, which not only
+began to live but has lived ever since. She's
+somewhere around the house now."
+
+"A Glass Cat!" exclaimed Ojo, astonished.
+
+"Yes; she makes a very pleasant companion, but
+admires herself a little more than is considered
+modest, and she positively refuses to catch mice,"
+explained Margolotte. "My husband made the cat
+some pink brains, but they proved to be too high-
+bred and particular for a cat, so she thinks it is
+undignified in her to catch mice. Also she has a
+pretty blood-red heart, but it is made of stone--a
+ruby, I think--and so is rather hard and unfeeling.
+I think the next Class Cat the Magician makes will
+have neither brains nor heart, for then it will
+not object to catching mice and may prove of some
+use to us."
+
+"What did old Mombi the Witch do with the
+Powder of Life your husband gave her?" asked
+the boy.
+
+"She brought Jack Pumpkinhead to life, for
+one thing," was the reply. "I suppose you've
+heard of jack Pumpkinhead. He is now living
+near the Emerald City and is a great favorite
+with the Princess Ozma, who rules all the Land
+of Oz."
+
+"No; I've never heard of him," remarked
+Ojo. "I'm afraid I don't know much about the
+Land of Oz. You see, I've lived all my life with
+Unc Nunkie, the Silent One, and there was no
+one to tell me anything."
+
+"That is one reason you are Ojo the Unlucky,"
+said the woman, in a sympathetic tone. "The more
+one knows, the luckier he is, for knowledge is the
+greatest gift in life."
+
+"But tell me, please, what you intend to do
+With this new lot of the Powder of Life, which
+Dr. Pipt is making. He said his wife wanted it
+for some especial purpose.
+
+"So I do," she answered. "I want it to bring
+my Patchwork Girl to life."
+
+"Oh! A Patchwork Girl? What is that?" Ojo
+asked, for this seemed even more strange and
+unusual than a Glass Cat.
+
+"I think I must show you my Patchwork
+Girl," said Margolotte, laughing at the boy's
+astonishment, "for she is rather difficult to
+explain. But first I will tell you that for many
+years I have longed for a servant to help me with
+the housework and to cook the meals and wash the
+dishes. No servant will come here because the
+place is so lonely and out-of-the-way, so my
+clever husband, the Crooked Magician, proposed
+that I make a girl out of some sort of material
+and he would make her live by sprinkling over her
+the Powder of Life. This seemed an excellent
+suggestion and at once Dr. Pipt set to work to
+make a new batch of his magic powder. He has been
+at it a long, long while, and so I have had plenty
+of time to make the girl. Yet that task was not so
+easy as you may suppose. At first I couldn't think
+what to make her of, but finally in searching
+through a chest I came across an old patchwork
+quilt, which my grandmother once made when she was
+young.
+
+"What is a patchwork quilt?" asked Ojo.
+
+"A bed-quilt made of patches of different kinds
+and colors of cloth, all neatly sewed together.
+The patches are of all shapes and sizes, so a
+patchwork quilt is a very pretty and gorgeous
+thing to look at. Sometimes it is called a
+'crazyquilt,' because the patches and colors are
+so mixed up. We never have used my grand-mother's
+manycolored patchwork quilt, hand-some as it is,
+for we Munchkins do not care for any color other
+than blue, so it has been packed away in the chest
+for about a hundred years. When I found it, I said
+to myself that it would do nicely for my servant
+girl, for when she was brought to life she would
+not be proud nor haughty, as the Glass Cat is, for
+such a dreadful mixture of colors would discourage
+her from trying to, be as dignified as the blue
+Munchkins are.
+
+"Is blue the only respectable color, then?"
+inquired Ojo.
+
+"Yes, for a Munchkin. All our country is blue,
+you know. But in other parts of Oz the people
+favor different colors. At the Emerald City,
+where our Princess Ozma lives, green is the
+popular color. But all Munchkins prefer blue
+to anything else and when my housework girl
+is brought to life she will find herself to be of
+so many unpopular colors that she'll never dare
+be rebellious or impudent, as servants are
+sometimes liable to be when they are made the same
+way their mistresses are."
+
+Unc Nunkie nodded approval.
+
+"Good idea," he said; and that was a long
+speech for Unc Nunkie because it was two
+words.
+
+"So I cut up the quilt," continued Margolotte,
+"and made from it a very well-shaped girl,
+which I stuffed with cotton-wadding. I will
+show you what a good job I did," and she went
+to a tall cupboard and threw open the doors.
+
+Then back she came, lugging in her arms the
+Patchwork Girl, which she set upon the bench
+and propped up so that the figure would not
+tumble over.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Three
+
+The Patchwork Girl
+
+
+Ojo examined this curious contrivance with wonder.
+The Patchwork Girl was taller than he, when she
+stood upright, and her body was plump and rounded
+because it had been so neatly stuffed with cotton.
+Margolotte had first made the girl's form from the
+patchwork quilt and then she had dressed it with a
+patchwork skirt and an apron with pockets in it--
+using the same gay material throughout. Upon the
+feet she had sewn a pair of red leather shoes with
+pointed toes. All the fingers and thumbs of the
+girl's hands had been carefully formed and stuffed
+and stitched at the edges, with gold plates at the
+ends to serve as finger-nails.
+
+"She will have to work, when she comes to
+life," said Marglotte.
+
+The head of the Patchwork Girl was the most
+curious part of her. While she waited for her
+husband to finish making his Powder of Life the
+woman had found ample time to complete the head as
+her fancy dictated, and she realized that a good
+servant's head must be properly constructed. The
+hair was of brown yarn and hung down on her neck
+in several neat braids. Her eyes were two silver
+suspender-buttons cut from a pair of the
+Magician's old trousers, and they were sewed on
+with black threads, which formed the pupils of the
+eyes. Margolotte had puzzled over the ears for
+some time, for these were important if the servant
+was to hear distinctly, but finally she had made
+them out of thin plates of gold and attached them
+in place by means of stitches through tiny holes
+bored in the metal. Gold is the most common metal
+in the Land of Oz and is used for many purposes
+because it is soft and pliable.
+
+The woman had cut a slit for the Patchwork
+Girl's mouth and sewn two rows of white pearls
+in it for teeth, using a strip of scarlet plush for
+a tongue. This mouth Ojo considered very artistic
+and lifelike, and Margolotte was pleased when the
+boy praised it. There were almost too many patches
+on the face of the girl for her to be considered
+strictly beautiful, for one cheek was yellow and
+the other red, her chin blue, her forehead purple
+and the center, where her nose had been formed and
+padded, a bright yellow.
+
+"You ought to have had her face all pink,"
+suggested the boy.
+
+"I suppose so; but I had no pink cloth," replied
+the woman. "Still, I cannot see as it matters
+much, for I wish my Patchwork Girl to be useful
+rather than ornamental. If I get tired looking at
+her patched face I can whitewash it."
+
+"Has she any brains?" asked Ojo.
+
+"No; I forgot all about the brains!" exclaimed
+the woman. "I am glad you reminded me of
+them, for it is not too late to supply them, by
+any means. Until she is brought to life I can
+do anything I please with this girl. But I must
+be careful not to give her too much brains, and
+those she has must be such as are fitted to the
+station she is to occupy in life. In other words,
+her brains mustn't be very good."
+
+"Wrong," said Unc Nunkie.
+
+"No; I am sure I am right about that," returned
+the woman.
+
+"He means," explained Ojo, "that unless your
+servant has good brains she won't know how to obey
+you properly, nor do the things you ask her to
+do."
+
+"Well, that may be true," agreed Margolotte;
+"but, on the contrary, a servant with too much
+brains is sure to become independent and high-
+and-mighty and feel above her work. This is a
+very delicate task, as I said, and I must take
+care to give the girl just the right quantity of
+the right sort of brains. I want her to know just
+enough, but not too much."
+
+With this she went to another cupboard which was
+filled With shelves. All the shelves were lined
+With blue glass bottles, neatly labeled by the
+Magician to show what they contained. One whole
+shelf was marked: "Brain Furniture," and the
+bottles on this shelf were labeled as follows:
+"Obedience," "Cleverness," "Judgment," "Courage,"
+"Ingenuity," "Amiability," "Learning," "Truth,"
+"Poesy," "Self Reliance."
+
+"Let me see," said Margolotte; "of those
+qualities she must have 'Obedience' first of all,"
+and she took down the bottle bearing that label
+and poured from it upon a dish several grains of
+the contents. "'Amiability' is also good and
+'Truth.'" She poured into the dish a quantity from
+each of these bottles. "I think that will do," she
+continued, "for the other qualities are not needed
+in a servant."
+
+Unc Nunkie, who with Ojo stood beside her,
+touched the bottle marked "Cleverness."
+
+"Little," said he.
+
+"A little 'Cleverness'? Well, perhaps you are
+right, sir," said she, and was about to take down
+the bottle when the Crooked Magician suddenly
+called to her excitedly from the fireplace.
+
+"Quick, Margolotte! Come and help me."
+
+She ran to her husband's side at once and
+helped him lift the four kettles from the fire.
+Their contents had all boiled away, leaving in
+the bottom of each kettle a few grains of fine
+white powder. Very carefully the Magician removed
+this powder, placing it all together in a golden
+dish, where he mixed it with a golden spoon. When
+the mixture was complete there was scarcely a
+handful, all told.
+
+"That," said Dr. Pipt, in a pleased and
+triumphant tone, "is the wonderful Powder of Life,
+which I alone in the world know how to make. It
+has taken me nearly six years to prepare these
+precious grains of dust, but the little heap on
+that dish is worth the price of a kingdom and many
+a king would give all he has to possess it. When
+it has become cooled I will place it in a small
+bottle; but meantime I must watch it carefully,
+lest a gust of wind blow it away or scatter it.'
+
+Unc Nunkie, Margolotte and the Magician
+all stood looking at the marvelous Powder, but
+Ojo was more interested just then in the Patchwork
+Girl's brains. Thinking it both unfair and unkind
+to deprive her of any good qualities that were
+handy, the boy took down every bottle on the shelf
+and poured some of the contents in Margolotte's
+dish. No one saw him do this, for all were looking
+at the Powder of Life; but soon the woman
+remembered what she had been doing, and came back
+to the cupboard.
+
+"Let's see," she remarked; "I was about to give
+my girl a little 'Cleverness,' which is the
+Doctor's substitute for 'Intelligence'--a quality
+he has not yet learned how to manufacture." Taking
+down the bottle of "Cleverness" she added some of
+the powder to the heap on the dish. Ojo became a
+bit uneasy at this, for he had already put quite
+a lot of the "Cleverness" powder in the dish; but
+he dared not interfere and so he comforted himself
+with the thought that one cannot have too much
+cleverness.
+
+Margolotte now carried the dish of brains to
+the bench. Ripping the seam of the patch on
+the girl's forehead, she placed the powder within
+the head and then sewed up the seam as neatly
+and securely as before.
+
+"My girl is all ready for your Powder of Life,
+my dear," she said to her husband. But the
+Magician replied:
+
+"This powder must not be used before tomorrow
+morning; but I think it is now cool enough to be
+bottled."
+
+He selected a small gold bottle with a pepper-
+box top, so that the powder might be sprinkled on
+any object through the small holes. Very carefully
+he placed the Powder of Life in the gold bottle
+and then locked it up in a drawer of his cabinet.
+
+"At last," said he, rubbing his hands together
+gleefully, "I have ample leisure for a good talk
+with my old friend Unc Nunkie. So let us sit
+down cosily and enjoy ourselves. After stirring
+those four kettles for six years I am glad to
+have a little rest."
+
+"You will have to do most of the talking,"
+said Ojo, "for Unc is called the Silent One and
+uses few words."
+
+"I know; but that renders your uncle a
+most agreeable companion and gossip," declared
+Dr. Pipt. "Most people talk too much, so it is
+a relief to find one who talks too little."
+
+Ojo looked at the Magician with much awe
+and curiosity.
+
+"Don't you find it very annoying to be so
+crooked?" he asked.
+
+"No; I am quite proud of my person," was
+the reply. "I suppose I am the only Crooked
+Magician in all the world. Some others are accused
+of being crooked, but I am the only genuine."
+
+He was really very crooked and Ojo wondered how
+he managed to do so many things with such a
+twisted body. When he sat down upon a crooked
+chair that had been made to fit him, one knee was
+under his chin and the other near the small of his
+back; but he was a cheerful man and his face bore
+a pleasant and agreeable expression.
+
+"I am not allowed to perform magic, except
+for my own amusement," he told his visitors,
+as he lighted a pipe with a crooked stem and
+began to smoke. "Too many people were working
+magic in the Land of Oz, and so our lovely
+Princess Ozma put a stop to it. I think she was
+quite right. There were several wicked Witches who
+caused a lot of trouble; but now they are all out
+of business and only the great Sorceress, Glinda
+the Good, is permitted to practice her arts, which
+never harm anybody. The Wizard of Oz, who used to
+be a humbug and knew no magic at all, has been
+taking lessons of Glinda, and I'm told he is
+getting to be a pretty good Wizard; but he is
+merely the assistant of the great Sorceress. I've
+the right to make a servant girl for my wife, you
+know, or a Glass Cat to catch our mice--which she
+refuses to do--but I am forbidden to work magic for
+others, or to use it as a profession."
+
+"Magic must be a very interesting study,"
+said Ojo.
+
+"It truly is," asserted the Magician. "In my
+time I've performed some magical feats that were
+worthy of the skill of Glinda the Good. For
+instance, there's the Powder of Life, and my
+Liquid of Petrifaction, which is contained in that
+bottle on the shelf yonder-over the window."
+
+"What does the Liquid of Petrifaction do?"
+inquired the boy.
+
+"Turns everything it touches to solid marble.
+It's an invention of my own, and I find it very
+useful. Once two of those dreadful Kalidahs,
+with bodies like bears and heads like tigers,
+came here from the forest to attack us; but I
+sprinkled some of that Liquid on them and
+instantly they turned to marble. I now use them
+as ornamental statuary in my garden. This table
+looks to you like wood, and once it really was
+wood; but I sprinkled a few drops of the Liquid
+of Petrifaction on it and now it is marble. It
+will never break nor wear out.
+
+"Fine!" said Unc Nunkie, wagging his head
+and stroking his long gray beard.
+
+"Dear me; what a chatterbox you're getting
+to be, Unc," remarked the Magician, who was
+pleased with the compliment. But just then
+there came a scratching at the back door and a
+shrill voice cried:
+
+"Let me in! Hurry up, can't you? Let me in!"
+
+Margolotte got up and went to the door.
+
+"Ask like a good cat, then," she said.
+
+"Meeee-ow-w-w! There; does that suit your
+royal highness?" asked the voice, in scornful
+accents.
+
+"Yes; that's proper cat talk," declared the
+woman, and opened the door. At once a cat entered,
+came to the center of the room and stopped short
+at the sight of strangers. Ojo and Unc Nunkie both
+stared at it with wide open eyes, for surely no
+such curious creature had ever existed before--
+even in the Land of Oz.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Four
+
+The Glass Cat
+
+
+The cat was made of glass, so clear and
+transparent that you could see through it as
+easily as through a window. In the top of its
+head, however, Was a mass of delicate pink balls
+which looked like jewels, and it had a heart made
+of a blood-red ruby. The eyes were two large
+emeralds, but aside from these colors all the rest
+of the animal was clear glass, and it had a spun-
+glass tail that was really beautiful.
+
+"Well, Doc Pipt, do you mean to introduce us, or
+not?" demanded the cat, in a tone of annoyance.
+"Seems to me you are forgetting your manners."
+
+"Excuse me," returned the Magician. "This
+is Unc Nunkie, the descendant of the former
+kings of the Munchkins, before this country be
+came a part of the Land of Oz."
+
+"He needs a haircut," observed the cat,
+washing its face.
+
+"True," replied Unc, with a low chuckle of
+amusement.
+
+"But he has lived alone in the heart of the
+forest for many years," the Magician explained;
+"and, although that is a barbarous country,
+there are no barbers there."
+
+"Who is the dwarf?" asked the cat.
+
+"That is not a dwarf, but a boy," answered
+the Magician. "You have never seen a boy before.
+He is now small because he is young. With more
+years he will grow big and become as tall as Unc
+Nunkie."
+
+"Oh. Is that magic?" the glass animal inquired.
+
+"Yes; but it is Nature's magic, which is more
+wonderful than any art known to man. For
+instance, my magic made you, and made you
+live; and it was a poor job because you are
+useless and a bother to me; but I can't make you
+grow. You will always be the same size--and
+the same saucy, inconsiderate Glass Cat, with
+pink brains and a hard ruby heart."
+
+"No one can regret more than I the fact that you
+made me," asserted the cat, crouching upon the
+floor and slowly swaying its spun-glass tail from
+side to side. "Your world is a very uninteresting
+place. I've wandered through your gardens and in
+the forest until I'm tired of it all, and when I
+come into the house the conversation of your fat
+wife and of yourself bores me dreadfully."
+
+"That is because I gave you different brains
+from those we ourselves possess--and much too
+good for a cat," returned Dr. Pipt.
+
+"Can't you take 'em out, then, and replace
+em with pebbles, so that I won't feel above my
+station in life?" asked the cat, pleadingly.
+
+"Perhaps so. I'll try it, after I've brought the
+Patchwork Girl to life," he said.
+
+The cat walked up to the bench on which
+the Patchwork Girl reclined and looked at her
+attentively.
+
+"Are you going to make that dreadful thing
+live?" she asked.
+
+The Magician nodded.
+
+"It is intended to be my wife's servant maid,"
+he said. "When she is alive she will do all our
+work and mind the house. But you are not to
+order her around, Bungle, as you do us. You
+must treat the Patchwork Girl respectfully."
+
+"I won't. I couldn't respect such a bundle
+of scraps under any circumstances."
+
+"If you don't, there will be more scraps than
+you will like," cried Margolotte, angrily.
+
+"Why didn't you make her pretty to look at?"
+asked the cat. "You made me pretty--very pretty,
+indeed--and I love to watch my pink brains roll
+around when they're working, and to see my
+precious red heart beat." She went to a long
+mirror, as she said this, and stood before it,
+looking at herself with an air of much pride.
+"But that poor patched thing will hate herself,
+when she's once alive," continued the cat. "If
+I were you I'd use her for a mop, and make
+another servant that is prettier."
+
+"You have a perverted taste," snapped
+Margolotte, much annoyed at this frank criticism.
+"I think the Patchwork Girl is beautiful,
+considering what she's made of. Even the rainbow
+hasn't as many colors, and you must admit that the
+rainbow is a pretty thing."
+
+The Glass Cat yawned and stretched herself
+upon the floor.
+
+"Have your own way," she said. "I'm sorry
+for the Patchwork Girl, that's all."
+
+Ojo and Unc Nunkie slept that night in the
+Magician's house, and the boy was glad to stay
+because he was anxious to see the Patchwork
+Girl brought to life. The Glass Cat was also a
+wonderful creature to little Ojo, who had never
+seen or known anything of magic before, although
+he had lived in the Fairyland of Oz ever since he
+was born. Back there in the woods nothing unusual
+ever happened. Unc Nunkie, who might have been
+King of the Munchkins, had not his people united
+with all the other countries of Oz in
+acknowledging Ozma as their Sole ruler, had
+retired into this forgotten forest nook with his
+baby nephew and they had lived all alone there.
+Only that the neglected garden had failed to grow
+food for them, they would always have lived in the
+solitary Blue Forest; but now they had started out
+to mingle with other people, and the first place
+they came to proved so interesting that Ojo could
+scarcely sleep a wink all night.
+
+Margolotte was an excellent cook and gave
+them a fine breakfast. While they were all engaged
+in eating, the good woman said:
+
+"This is the last meal I shall have to cook
+for some time, for right after breakfast Dr. Pipt
+has promised to bring my new servant to life.
+I shall let her wash the breakfast dishes and
+sweep and dust the house. What a relief it
+will be!"
+
+"It will, indeed, relieve you of much drudgery,"
+said the Magician. "By the way, Margolotte, I
+thought I saw you getting some brains from the
+cupboard, while I was busy with my kettles. What
+qualities have you given your new servant?"
+
+"Only those that an humble servant requires,"
+she answered. "I do not wish her to feel above
+her station, as the Glass Cat does. That would
+make her discontented and unhappy, for of
+course she must always be a servant."
+
+Ojo was somewhat disturbed as he listened to
+this, and the boy began to fear he had done wrong
+in adding all those different qualities of brains
+to the lot Margolotte had prepared for the
+servant. But it was too late now for regret, since
+all the brains were securely sewn up inside the
+Patchwork Girl's head. He might have confessed
+what he had done and thus allowed Margolotte and
+her husband to change the brains; but he was
+afraid of incurring their anger. He believed that
+Unc had seen him add to the brains, and Unc had
+not said a word against it; but then, Unc never
+did say anything unless it was absolutely
+necessary.
+
+As soon as breakfast was over they all went
+into the Magician's big workshop, where the
+Glass Cat was lying before the mirror and the
+Patchwork Girl lay limp and lifeless upon the
+bench.
+
+"Now, then," said Dr. Pipt, in a brisk tone,
+"we shall perform one of the greatest feats of
+magic possible to man, even in this marvelous
+Land of Oz. In no other country could it be
+done at all. I think we ought to have a little
+music while the Patchwork Girl comes to life.
+It is pleasant to reflect that the first sounds her
+golden ears will hear will be delicious music.
+
+As he spoke he went to a phonograph, which
+screwed fast to a small table, and wound up
+the spring of the instrument and adjusted the
+big gold horn.
+
+"The music my servant will usually hear,"
+remarked Margolotte, "will be my orders to do
+her work. But I see no harm in allowing her to
+listen to this unseen band while she wakens to
+her first realization of life. My orders will beat
+the band, afterward."
+
+The phonograph was now playing a stirring
+march tune and the Magician unlocked his
+cabinet and took out the gold bottle containing
+the Powder of Life.
+
+They all bent over the bench on which the
+Patchwork Girl reclined. Unc Nunkie and Margolotte
+stood behind, near the windows, Ojo at one side
+and the Magician in front, where he would have
+freedom to sprinkle the powder. The Glass Cat came
+near, too, curious to watch the important scene.
+
+"All ready?" asked Dr. Pipt.
+
+"All is ready," answered his wife.
+
+So the Magician leaned over and shook from
+the bottle some grains of the wonderful Powder,
+and they fell directly on the Patchwork Girl's
+head and arms.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Five
+
+A Terrible Accident
+
+
+
+"It will take a few minutes for this powder to
+do its work," remarked the Magician, sprinkling
+the body up and down with much care.
+
+But suddenly the Patchwork Girl threw up one
+arm, which knocked the bottle of powder from the
+crooked man's hand and sent it flying across the
+room. Unc Nunkie and Margolotte were so startled
+that they both leaped backward and bumped
+together, and Unc's head joggled the shelf above
+them and upset the bottle containing the Liquid of
+Petrifaction.
+
+The Magician uttered such a wild cry that Ojo
+jumped away and the Patchwork Girl sprang after
+him and clasped her stuffed arms around him in
+terror. The Glass Cat snarled and hid under the
+table, and so it was that when the powerful Liquid
+of Petrifaction was spilled it fell only upon the
+wife of the Magician and the uncle of Ojo. With
+these two the charm worked promptly. They stood
+motionless and stiff as marble statues, in exactly
+the positions they were in when the Liquid struck
+them.
+
+Ojo pushed the Patchwork Girl away and
+ran to Unc Nunkie, filled with a terrible fear
+for the only friend and protector he had ever
+known. When he grasped Unc's hand it was
+cold and hard. Even the long gray beard was
+solid  marble.  The  Crooked  Magician  was
+dancing around the room in a frenzy of despair,
+calling upon his wife to forgive him, to speak
+to him, to come to life again!
+
+The Patchwork Girl, quickly recovering from her
+fright, now came nearer and looked from one to
+another of the people with deep interest. Then she
+looked at herself and laughed. Noticing the
+mirror, she stood before it and examined her
+extraordinary features with amazement--her button
+eyes, pearl bead teeth and puffy nose. Then,
+addressing her reflection in the glass, she exclaimed:
+
+
+"Whee, but there's a gaudy dame!
+Makes a paint-box blush with shame.
+Razzle-dazzle, fizzle-fazzle!
+Howdy-do, Miss What's-your-name?"
+
+
+
+She bowed, and the reflection bowed. Then
+she laughed again, long and merrily, and the
+Glass Cat crept out from under the table and said:
+
+"I don't blame you for laughing at yourself.
+Aren't you horrid?"
+
+"Horrid?" she replied. "Why, I'm thoroughly
+delightful. I'm an Original, if you please, and
+therefore incomparable. Of all the comic, absurd,
+rare and amusing creatures the world contains, I
+must be the supreme freak. Who but poor Margolotte
+could have managed to invent such an unreasonable
+being as I? But I'm glad--I'm awfully glad!--that
+I'm just what I am, and nothing else."
+
+"Be quiet, will you?" cried the frantic
+Magician; "be quiet and let me think! If I don't
+think I shall go mad."
+
+"Think ahead," said the Patchwork Girl, seating
+herself in a chair. "Think all you want to. I
+don't mind."
+
+"Gee! but I'm fired playing that tune," called
+the phonograph, speaking through its horn in
+a brazen, scratchy voice. "If you don't mind,
+Pipt, old boy, I'll cut it out and take a rest."
+
+The Magician looked gloomily at the music-
+machine.
+
+"What dreadful luck!" he wailed, despondently.
+"The Powder of Life must have fallen on the
+phonograph."
+
+He went up to it and found that the gold bottle
+that contained the precious powder had dropped
+upon the stand and scattered its life-giving
+grains over the machine. The phonograph was very
+much alive, and began dancing a jig with the legs
+of the table to which it was attached, and this
+dance so annoyed Dr. Pipt that he kicked the thing
+into a corner and pushed a bench against it, to
+hold it quiet.
+
+"You were bad enough before," said the Magician,
+resentfully; "but a live phonograph is enough to
+drive every sane person in the Land of Oz stark
+crazy."
+
+"No insults, please," answered the phonograph in
+a surly, tone. "You did it, my boy; don't blame
+me. "
+
+"You've bungled everything, Dr. Pipt," added
+the Glass Cat, contemptuously.
+
+"Except me," said the Patchwork Girl, jumping up
+to whirl merrily around the room.
+
+"I think," said Ojo, almost ready to cry
+through grief over Unc Nunkie's sad fate, "it
+must all be my fault, in some way. I'm called
+Ojo the Unlucky, you know."
+
+"That's nonsense, kiddie," retorted the
+Patchwork Girl cheerfully. "No one can be unlucky
+who has the intelligence to direct his own
+actions. The unlucky ones are those who beg for a
+chance to think, like poor Dr. Pipt here. What's
+the row about, anyway, Mr. Magic-maker?"
+
+"The Liquid of Petrifaction has accidentally
+fallen upon my dear wife and Unc Nunkie and
+turned them into marble," he sadly replied.
+
+"Well, why don't you sprinkle some of that
+powder on them and bring them to life again?"
+asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+The Magician gave a jump.
+
+"Why, I hadn't thought of that!" he joyfully
+cried, and grabbed up the golden bottle, with
+which he ran to Margolotte.
+
+Said the Patchwork Girl:
+
+
+"Higgledy, piggledy, dee-
+What fools magicians be!
+His head's so thick
+He can't think quick,
+So he takes advice from me."
+
+
+
+Standing upon the bench, for he was so
+crooked he could not reach the top of his wife's
+head in any other way, Dr. Pipt began shaking
+the bottle. But not a grain of powder came out.
+He pulled off the cover, glanced within, and
+then threw the bottle from him with a wail of
+despair.
+
+"Gone-gone! Every bit gone," he cried.
+"Wasted on that miserable phonograph when
+it might have saved my dear wife!"
+
+Then the Magician bowed his head on his
+crooked arms and began to cry.
+
+Ojo was sorry for him. He went up to the
+sorrowful man and said softly:
+
+"You can make more Powder of Life, Dr. Pipt."
+
+"Yes; but it will take me six years--six long,
+weary years of stirring four kettles with both
+feet and both hands," was the agonized reply. "Six
+years! while poor Margolotte stands watching me as
+a marble image. "
+
+"Can't anything else be done?" asked the
+Patchwork Girl.
+
+The Magician shook his head. Then he seemed to
+remember something and looked up.
+
+"There is one other compound that would destroy
+the magic spell of the Liquid of Petrifaction and
+restore my wife and Unc Nunkie to life," said he.
+"It may be hard to find the things I need to make
+this magic compound, but if they were found I
+could do in an instant what will otherwise take
+six long, weary years of stirring kettles with
+both hands and both feet."
+
+"All right; let's find the things, then,"
+suggested the Patchwork Girl. "That seems a lot
+more sensible than those stirring times with the
+kettles."
+
+"That's the idea, Scraps," said the Glass Cat,
+approvingly. "I'm glad to find you have decent
+brains. Mine are exceptionally good. You can
+see em work; they're pink."
+
+"Scraps?" repeated the girl. "Did you call me
+'Scraps'? Is that my name?"
+
+"I--I believe my poor wife had intended to
+name you 'Angeline,'" said the Magician.
+
+"But I like 'Scraps' best," she replied with a
+laugh. "It fits me better, for my patchwork is
+all scraps, and nothing else. Thank you for
+naming me, Miss Cat. Have you any name of
+your own?"
+
+"I have a foolish name that Margolotte once
+gave me, but which is quite undignified for
+one of my importance," answered the cat. "She
+called me 'Bungle.'"
+
+"Yes," sighed the Magician; "you were a sad
+bungle, taken all in all. I was wrong to make
+you as I did, for a more useless, conceited and
+brittle thing never before existed."
+
+"I'm not so brittle as you think," retorted the
+cat. "I've been alive a good many years, for
+Dr. Pipt experimented on me with the first
+magic Powder of Life he ever made, and so
+far I've never broken or cracked or chipped any
+part of me."
+
+"You seem to have a chip on your shoulder,"
+laughed the Patchwork Girl, and the cat went
+to the mirror to see.
+
+"Tell me," pleaded Ojo, speaking to the
+Crooked Magician, "what must we find to make
+the compound that will save Unc Nunkie?"
+
+"First," was the reply, "I must have a six-
+leaved clover. That can only be found in the green
+country around the Emerald City, and six-leaved
+clovers are very scarce, even there."
+
+"I'll find it for you," promised Ojo.
+
+"The next thing," continued the Magician,
+"is the left wing of a yellow butterfly. That
+color can only be found in the yellow country
+of the Winkies, West of the Emerald City."
+
+"I'll find it," declared Ojo. "Is that all?"
+
+"Oh, no; I'll get my Book of Recipes and see
+what comes next."
+
+Saying this, the Magician unlocked a drawer
+of his cabinet and drew out a small book covered
+with blue leather. Looking through the pages
+he found the recipe he wanted and said: "I
+must have a gill of water from a dark well."
+
+"What kind of a well is that, sir?" asked the
+boy.
+
+"One where the light of day never penetrates.
+The water must be put in a gold bottle and brought
+to me without any light ever reaching it.
+
+"I'll get the water from the dark well," said
+Ojo.
+
+"Then I must have three hairs from the tip
+of a Woozy's tail, and a drop of oil from a live
+man's body."
+
+Ojo looked grave at this.
+
+"What is a Woozy, please?" he inquired.
+
+"Some sort of an animal. I've never seen one,
+so I can't describe it," replied the Magician.
+
+"If I can find a Woozy, I'll get the hairs from
+its tail," said Ojo. "But is there ever any oil in a
+man's body?"
+
+The Magician looked in the book again, to make
+sure.
+
+"That's what the recipe calls for," he replied,
+"and of course we must get everything that is
+called for, or the charm won't work. The book
+doesn't say 'blood'; it says 'oil,' and there must
+be oil somewhere in a live man's body or the
+book wouldn't ask for it."
+
+"All right," returned Ojo, trying not to feel
+discouraged; "I'll try to find it."
+
+The Magician looked at the little Munchkin
+boy in a doubtful way and said:
+
+"All this will mean a long journey for you;
+perhaps several long journeys; for you must search
+through several of the different countries of Oz
+in order to get the things I need."
+
+"I know it, sir; but I must do my best to save
+Unc Nunkie."
+
+"And also my poor wife Margolotte. If you save
+one you will save the other, for both stand there
+together and the same compound will restore them
+both to life. Do the best you can, Ojo, and while
+you are gone I shall begin the six years job of
+making a new batch of the Powder of Life. Then, if
+you should unluckily fail to secure any one of the
+things needed, I will have lost no time. But if
+you succeed you must return here as quickly as you
+can, and that will save me much tiresome stirring
+of four kettles with both feet and both hands."
+
+"I will start on my journey at once, sir," said
+the boy.
+
+"And I will go with you," declared the Patchwork
+Girl.
+
+"No, no!" exclaimed the Magician. "You have no
+right to leave this house. You are only a servant
+and have not been discharged."
+
+Scraps, who had been dancing up and down
+the room, stopped and looked at him.
+
+"What is a servant?" she asked.
+
+"One who serves. A--a Sort of slave," he
+explained.
+
+"Very well," said the Patchwork Girl, "I'm going
+to serve you and your wife by helping Ojo find the
+things you need. You need a lot, you know, such as
+are not easily found."
+
+"It is true," sighed Dr. Pipt. "I am well aware
+that Ojo has undertaken a serious task."
+
+Scraps laughed, and resuming her dance she said:
+
+
+"Here's a job for a boy of brains:
+A drop of oil from a live man's veins;
+A six-leaved clover; three nice hairs
+From a Woozy's tail, the book declares
+Are needed for the magic spell,
+And water from a pitch-dark well.
+The yellow wing of a butterfly
+To find must Ojo also try,
+And if he gets them without harm,
+Doc Pipt will make the magic charm;
+But if he doesn't get 'em, Unc
+Will always stand a marble chunk."
+
+
+The Magician looked at her thoughtfully.
+
+"Poor Margolotte must have given you some of the
+quality of poesy, by mistake," he said. "And, if
+that is true, I didn't make a very good article
+when I prepared it, or else you got an overdose or
+an underdose. However, I believe I shall let you
+go with Ojo, for my poor wife will not need your
+services until she is restored to life. Also I
+think you may be able to help the boy, for your
+head seems to contain some thoughts I did not
+expect to find in it. But be very careful of
+yourself, for you're a souvenir of my dear
+Margolotte. Try not to get ripped, or your
+stuffing may fall out. One of your eyes seems
+loose, and you may have to sew it on tighter. If
+you talk too much you'll wear out your scarlet
+plush tongue, which ought to have been hemmed on
+the edges. And remember you belong to me and must
+return here as soon as your mission is
+accomplished."
+
+"I'm going with Scraps and Ojo," announced
+the Glass Cat.
+
+"You can't," said the Magician.
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"You'd get broken in no time, and you
+couldn't be a bit of use to the boy and the
+Patchwork Girl."
+
+"I beg to differ with you," returned the cat,
+in a haughty tone. "Three heads are better
+than two, and my pink brains are beautiful.
+You can see em work."
+
+"Well, go along," said the Magician, irritably.
+"You're only an annoyance, anyhow, and I'm glad to
+get rid of you."
+
+"Thank you for nothing, then," answered the cat,
+stiffly.
+
+Dr. Pipt took a small basket from a cupboard
+and packed several things in it. Then he handed
+it to Ojo.
+
+"Here is some food and a bundle of charms," he
+said. "It is all I can give you, but I am sure you
+will find friends on your journey who will assist
+you in your search. Take care of the Patchwork
+Girl and bring her safely back, for she ought to
+prove useful to my wife. As for the Glass Cat--
+properly named Bungle--if she bothers you I now
+give you my permission to break her in two, for
+she is not respectful and does not obey me. I made
+a mistake in giving her the pink brains, you see.
+
+Then Ojo went to Unc Nunkie and kissed the old
+man's marble face very tenderly.
+
+"I'm going to try to save you, Unc," he said,
+just as if the marble image could hear him; and
+then he shook the crooked hand of the Crooked
+Magician, who was already busy hanging the four
+kettles in the fireplace, and picking up his
+basket left the house.
+
+The Patchwork Girl followed him, and after
+them came the Glass Cat.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Six
+
+The Journey
+
+
+Ojo had never traveled before and so he only knew
+that the path down the mountainside led into the
+open Munchkin Country, where large numbers of
+people dwelt. Scraps was quite new and not
+supposed to know anything of the Land of Oz, while
+the Glass Cat admitted she had never wandered very
+far away from the Magician's house. There was only
+one path before them, at the beginning, so they
+could not miss their way, and for a time they
+walked through the thick forest in silent thought,
+each one impressed with the importance of the
+adventure they had undertaken.
+
+Suddenly the Patchwork Girl laughed. It was
+funny to see her laugh, because her cheeks
+wrinkled up, her nose tipped, her silver button
+eyes twinkled and her mouth curled at the
+corners in a comical way.
+
+"Has something pleased you?" asked Ojo, who was
+feeling solemn and joyless through thinking upon
+his uncle's sad fate.
+
+"Yes," she answered. "Your world pleases me, for
+it's a queer world, and life in it is queerer
+still. Here am I, made from an old bedquilt and
+intended to be a slave to Margolotte, rendered
+free as air by an accident that none of you could
+foresee. I am enjoying life and seeing the world,
+while the woman who made me is standing helpless
+as a block of wood. If that isn't funny enough to
+laugh at, I don't know what is."
+
+"You're not seeing much of the world yet,
+my poor, innocent Scraps," remarked the Cat.
+"The world doesn't consist wholly of the trees
+that are on all sides of us."
+
+"But they're part of it; and aren't they pretty
+trees?" returned Scraps, bobbing her head until
+her brown yarn curls fluttered in the breeze.
+"Growing between them I can see lovely ferns
+and wild-flowers, and soft green mosses. If the
+rest of your world is half as beautiful I shall be
+glad I'm alive."
+
+"I don't know what the rest of the world is
+like, I'm sure," said the cat; "but I mean to
+find out."
+
+"I have never been out of the forest," Ojo
+added; "but to me the trees are gloomy and sad
+and the wild-flowers seem lonesome. It must be
+nicer where there are no trees and there is room
+for lots of people to live together."
+
+"I wonder if any of the people we shall meet
+will be as splendid as I am," said the Patchwork
+Girl. "All I have seen, so far, have pale,
+colorless skins and clothes as blue as the country
+they live in, while I am of many gorgeous colors--
+face and body and clothes. That is why I am bright
+and contented, Ojo, while you are blue and sad."
+
+"I think I made a mistake in giving you so many
+sorts of brains," observed the boy. "Perhaps, as
+the Magician said, you have an over-dose, and they
+may not agree with you."
+
+"What had you to do with my brains?" asked
+Scraps.
+
+"A lot," replied Ojo. "Old Margolotte meant
+to give you only a few--just enough to keep
+you going--but when she wasn't looking I added
+a good many more, of the best kinds I could
+find in the Magician's cupboard."
+
+"Thanks," said the girl, dancing along the
+path ahead of Ojo and then dancing back to his
+side. "If a few brains are good, many brains
+must be better."
+
+"But they ought to be evenly balanced," said the
+boy, "and I had no time to be careful. From the
+way you're acting, I guess the dose was badly
+mixed."
+
+"Scraps hasn't enough brains to hurt her, so
+don't worry," remarked the cat, which was trotting
+along in a very dainty and graceful manner. "The
+only brains worth considering are mine, which are
+pink. You can see 'em work."
+
+After walking a long time they came to a little
+brook that trickled across the path, and here Ojo
+sat down to rest and eat something from his
+basket. He found that the Magician had given him
+part of a loaf of bread and a slice of cheese. He
+broke off some of the bread and was surprised to
+find the loaf just as large as it was before. It
+was the same way with the cheese: however much he
+broke off from the slice, it remained exactly the
+same size.
+
+"Ah," said he, nodding wisely; "that's magic.
+Dr. Pipt has enchanted the bread and the cheese,
+so it will last me all through my journey, however
+much I eat."
+
+"Why do you put those things into your mouth?"
+asked Scraps, gazing at him in astonishment. "Do
+you need more stuffing? Then why don't you use
+cotton, such as I am stuffed with?"
+
+"I don't need that kind," said Ojo.
+
+"But a mouth is to talk with, isn't it?"
+
+"It is also to eat with," replied the boy. "If I
+didn't put food into my mouth, and eat it, I would
+get hungry and starve.
+
+"Ah, I didn't know that," she said. "Give me
+some."
+
+Ojo handed her a bit of the bread and she put it
+in her mouth.
+
+"What next?" she asked, scarcely able to speak.
+
+"Chew it and swallow it," said the boy.
+
+Scraps tried that. Her pearl teeth were unable
+to chew the bread and beyond her mouth there was
+no opening. Being unable to swallow she threw away
+the bread and laughed.
+
+"I must get hungry and starve, for I can't eat,"
+she said.
+
+"Neither can I," announced the cat; "but I'm
+not fool enough to try. Can't you understand
+that you and I are superior people and not made
+like these poor humans?"
+
+"Why should I understand that, or anything
+else?" asked the girl. "Don't bother my head by
+asking conundrums, I beg of you. Just let me
+discover myself in my own way."
+
+With this she began amusing herself by leaping
+across the brook and hack again.
+
+"Be careful, or you'll fall in the water,"
+warned Ojo.
+
+"Never mind."
+
+"You'd better. If you get wet you'll be soggy
+and can't walk. Your colors might run, too,"
+he said.
+
+"Don't my colors run whenever I run?" she asked.
+
+"Not in the way I mean. If they get wet, the
+reds and greens and yellows and purples of your
+patches might run into each other and become
+just a blur--no color at all, you know."
+
+"Then," said the Patchwork Girl, "I'll be
+careful, for if I spoiled my splendid colors I
+would cease to be beautiful."
+
+"Pah!" sneered the Glass Cat, "such colors are
+not beautiful; they're ugly, and in bad taste.
+Please notice that my body has no color at all.
+I'm transparent, except for my exquisite red heart
+and my lovely pink brains--you can see 'em work."
+
+"Shoo-shoo-shoo!" cried Scraps, dancing
+around and laughing. "And your horrid green eyes,
+Miss Bungle! You can't see your eyes, but we can,
+and I notice you're very proud of what little
+color you have. Shoo, Miss Bungle, shoo-shoo-shoo!
+If you were all colors and many colors, as I am,
+you'd be too stuck up for anything." She leaped
+over the cat and back again, and the startled
+Bungle crept close to a tree to escape her. This
+made Scraps laugh more heartily than ever, and she
+said:
+
+
+"Whoop-tedoodle-doo!
+The cat has lost her shoe.
+Her tootsie's bare, but she don't care,
+So what's the odds to you?"
+
+
+
+"Dear me, Ojo," said the cat; "don't you think
+the creature is a little bit crazy?"
+
+"It may be," he answered, with a puzzled look.
+
+"If she continues her insults I'll scratch off
+her suspender-button eyes," declared the cat.
+
+"Don't quarrel, please," pleaded the boy, rising
+to resume the journey. "Let us be good comrades
+and as happy and cheerful as possible, for we are
+likely to meet with plenty of trouble on our way."
+
+It was nearly sundown when they came to the edge
+of the forest and saw spread out before them a
+delightful landscape. There were broad blue fields
+stretching for miles over the valley, which was
+dotted everywhere with pretty, blue domed houses,
+none of which, however, was very near to the place
+where they stood. Just at the point where the path
+left the forest stood a tiny house covered with
+leaves from the trees, and before this stood a
+Munchkin man with an axe in his hand. He seemed
+very much surprised when Ojo and Scraps and the
+Glass Cat came out of the woods, but as the
+Patchwork Girl approached nearer he sat down upon
+a bench and laughed so hard that he could not
+speak for a long time.
+
+This man was a woodchopper and lived all alone
+in the little house. He had bushy blue whiskers
+and merry blue eyes and his blue clothes were quite
+old and worn.
+
+"Mercy me!" exclaimed the woodchopper, when at
+last he could stop laughing. "Who would think such
+a funny harlequin lived in the Land of Oz? Where
+did you come from, Crazy-quilt?"
+
+"Do you mean me?" asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Of course," he replied.
+
+"You misjudge my ancestry. I'm not a crazy-
+quilt; I'm patchwork," she said.
+
+"There's no difference," he replied, beginning
+to laugh again. "When my old grandmother sews such
+things together she calls it a crazy-quilt; but I
+never thought such a jumble could come to life."
+
+"It was the Magic Powder that did it," explained
+Ojo.
+
+"Oh, then you have come from the Crooked
+Magician on the mountain. I might have known it,
+for--Well, I declare! here's a glass cat. But the
+Magician will get in trouble for this; it's
+against the law for anyone to work magic except
+Glinda the Good and the royal Wizard of Oz. If you
+people--or things--or glass spectacles--or crazy-
+quilts--or whatever you are, go near the Emerald
+City, you'll be arrested."
+
+"We're  going  there,  anyhow,"  declared
+Scraps, sitting upon the bench and swinging her
+stuffed legs.
+
+
+"If any of us takes a rest,
+We'll be arrested sure,
+And get no restitution
+'Cause the rest we must endure."
+
+
+"I see," said the woodchopper, nodding; "you're
+as crazy as the crazy-quilt you're made of."
+
+"She really is crazy," remarked the Glass Cat.
+"But that isn't to he wondered at when you
+remember how many different things she's made of.
+For my part, I'm made of pure glass--except my
+jewel heart and my pretty pink brains. Did you
+notice my brains, stranger? You can see em work."
+
+"So I can," replied the woodchopper; "but I
+can't see that they accomplish much. A glass cat
+is a useless sort of thing, but a Patchwork Girl
+is really useful. She makes me laugh, and laughter
+is the best thing in life. There was once a
+woodchopper, a friend of mine, who was made all of
+tin, and I used to laugh every time I saw him."
+
+"A tin woodchopper?" said Ojo. "That is
+strange."
+
+"My friend wasn't always tin," said the man,
+"but he was careless with his axe, and used to
+chop himself very badly. Whenever he lost an arm
+or a leg he had it replaced with tin; so after a
+while he was all tin."
+
+"And could he chop wood then?" asked the boy.
+
+"He could if he didn't rust his tin joints. But
+one day he met Dorothy in the forest and went with
+her to the Emerald City, where he made his
+fortune. He is now one of the favorites of
+Princess Ozma, and she has made him the Emperor of
+the Winkies--the Country where all is yellow."
+
+"Who is Dorothy?" inquired the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"A little maid who used to live in Kansas, but
+is now a Princess of Oz. She's Ozma's best
+friend, they say, and lives with her in the royal
+palace."
+
+"Is Dorothy made of tin?" inquired Ojo.
+
+"Is she patchwork, like me?" inquired Scraps.
+
+"No," said the man; "Dorothy is flesh, just as I
+am. I know of only one tin person, and that is
+Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman; and there will
+never be but one Patchwork Girl, for any magician
+that sees you will refuse to make another one like
+you."
+
+"I suppose we shall see the Tin Woodman, for we
+are going to the Country of the Winkies," said the
+boy.
+
+"What for?" asked the woodchopper.
+
+"To get the left wing of a yellow butterfly."
+
+"It is a long journey," declared the man, "and
+you will go through lonely parts of Oz and cross
+rivers and traverse dark forests before you get
+there."
+
+"Suits me all right," said Scraps. "I'll get a
+chance to see the country."
+
+"You're crazy, girl. Better crawl into a rag-bag
+and hide there; or give yourself to some little
+girl to play with. Those who travel are likely to
+meet trouble; that's why I stay at home."
+
+The woodchopper then invited them all to
+stay the night at his little hut, but they were
+anxious to get on and so left him and continued
+along the path, which was broader, now, and
+more distinct.
+
+They expected to reach some other house before
+it grew dark, but the twilight was brief and Ojo
+soon began to fear they had made a mistake in
+leaving the woodchopper.
+
+"I can scarcely see the path," he said at last.
+"Can you see it, Scraps?"
+
+"No," replied the Patchwork Girl, who was
+holding fast to the boy's arm so he could
+guide her.
+
+"I can see," declared the Glass Cat. "My eyes
+are better than yours, and my pink brains--"
+
+"Never mind your pink brains, please," said
+Ojo hastily; "just run ahead and show us the
+way. Wait a minute and I'll tie a string to you;
+for then you can lead us."
+
+He got a string from his pocket and tied it
+around the cat's neck, and after that the creature
+guided them along the path. They had proceeded in
+this way for about an hour when a twinkling blue
+light appeared ahead of them.
+
+"Good! there's a house at last," cried Ojo.
+"When we reach it the good people will surely
+welcome us and give us a night's lodging." But
+however far they walked the light seemed to get
+no nearer, so by and by the cat stopped short,
+saying:
+
+"I think the light is traveling, too, and we
+shall never be able to catch up with it. But here
+is a house by the roadside, so why go farther?"
+
+"Where is the house, Bungle?"
+
+"Just here beside us, Scraps."
+
+Ojo was now able to see a small house near
+the pathway. It was dark and silent, but the boy
+was tired and wanted to rest, so he went up to
+the door and knocked.
+
+"Who is there?" cried a voice from within.
+
+"I am Ojo the Unlucky, and with me are
+Miss Scraps Patchwork and the Glass Cat," he
+replied.
+
+"What do you want?" asked the Voice.
+
+"A place to sleep," said Ojo.
+
+"Come in, then; but don't make any noise,
+and you must go directly to bed," returned the
+Voice.
+
+Ojo unlatched the door and entered. It was
+very dark inside and he could see nothing at all.
+But the cat exclaimed: "Why, there's no one
+here!"
+
+"There must be," said the boy. "Some one
+spoke to me."
+
+"I can see everything in the room," replied the
+cat, "and no one is present but ourselves. But
+here are three beds, all made up, so we may as
+well go to sleep."
+
+"What is sleep?" inquired the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"It's what you do when you go to bed," said Ojo.
+
+"But why do you go to bed?" persisted the
+Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Here, here! You are making altogether too
+much noise," cried the Voice they had heard
+before. "Keep quiet, strangers, and go to bed."
+
+The cat, which could see in the dark, looked
+sharply around for the owner of the Voice, hut
+could discover no one, although the Voice had
+seemed close beside them. She arched her back
+a little and seemed afraid. Then she whispered
+to Ojo: "Come!" and led him to a bed.
+
+With his hands the boy felt of the bed and
+found it was big and soft, with feather pillows
+and plenty of blankets. So he took off his shoes
+and hat and crept into the bed. Then the cat
+led Scraps to another bed and the Patchwork
+Girl was puzzled to know what to do with it.
+
+"Lie down and keep quiet," whispered the
+cat, warningly.
+
+"Can't I sing?" asked Scraps.
+
+"Can't I whistle?" asked Scraps.
+
+"Can't I dance till morning, if I want to?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"You must keep quiet," said the cat, in a soft
+voice.
+
+"I don't want to," replied the Patchwork Girl,
+speaking as loudly as usual. "What right have you
+to order me around? If I want to talk, or yell, or
+whistle--"
+
+Before she could say anything more an unseen
+hand seized her firmly and threw her out of the
+door, which closed behind her with a sharp
+slam. She found herself bumping and rolling in
+the road and when she got up and tried to open
+the door of the house again she found it locked.
+
+"What has happened to Scraps?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Never mind. Let's go to sleep, or something
+will happen to us," answered the Glass Cat.
+
+So Ojo snuggled down in his bed and fell
+asleep, and he was so tired that he never
+wakened until broad daylight.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Seven
+
+The Troublesome Phonograph
+
+
+
+When the boy opened his eyes next morning he
+looked carefully around the room. These small
+Munchkin houses seldom had more than one room in
+them. That in which Ojo now found himself had
+three beds, set all in a row on one side of it.
+The Glass Cat lay asleep on one bed, Ojo was in
+the second, and the third was neatly made up and
+smoothed for the day. On the other side of the
+room was a round table on which breakfast was
+already placed, smoking hot. Only one chair was
+drawn up to the table, where a place was set for
+one person. No one seemed to be in the room except
+the boy and Bungle.
+
+Ojo got up and put on his shoes. Finding a
+toilet stand at the head of his bed he washed his
+face and hands and brushed his hair. Then he
+went to the table and said:
+
+"I wonder if this is my breakfast?"
+
+"Eat it!" commanded a Voice at his side, so
+near that Ojo jumped; But no person could he
+see.
+
+He was hungry, and the breakfast looked
+good; so he sat down and ate all he wanted.
+Then, rising, he took his hat and wakened the
+Glass Cat.
+
+"Come on, Bungle," said he; "we must go.
+
+He cast another glance about the room and,
+speaking to the air, he said: "Whoever lives here
+has been kind to me, and I'm much obliged."
+
+There was no answer, so he took his basket
+and went out the door, the cat following him.
+In the middle of the path sat the Patchwork
+Girl, playing with pebbles she had picked up.
+
+"Oh, there you are!" she exclaimed cheerfully.
+"I thought you were never coming out. It has been
+daylight a long time."
+
+"What did you do all night?" asked the boy.
+
+"Sat here and watched the stars and the
+moon," she replied. "They're interesting. I never
+saw them before, you know."
+
+"Of course not," said Ojo.
+
+"You were crazy to act so badly and get
+thrown outdoors," remarked Bungle, as they
+renewed their journey.
+
+"That's all right," said Scraps. "If I hadn't
+been thrown out I wouldn't have seen the stars,
+nor the big gray wolf."
+
+"What wolf?" inquired Ojo.
+
+"The one that came to the door of the house
+three times during the night."
+
+"I don't see why that should be," said the
+boy, thoughtfully; "there was plenty to eat in
+that house, for I had a fine breakfast, and I
+slept in a nice bed."
+
+"Don't you feel tired?" asked the Patchwork
+Girl, noticing that the boy yawned.
+
+"Why, yes; I'm as tired as I was last night;
+and yet I slept very well."
+
+"And aren't you hungry?"
+
+"It's strange," replied Ojo. "I had a good
+breakfast, and yet I think I'll now eat some of
+my crackers and cheese."
+
+Scraps danced up and down the path. Then
+she sang:
+
+
+"Kizzle-kazzle-kore;
+The wolf is at the door,
+There's nothing to eat but a bone without meat,
+And a bill from the grocery store."
+
+
+
+"What does that mean?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Don't ask me," replied Scraps. "I say what
+comes into my head, but of course I know nothing
+of a grocery store or bones without meat or
+very much else."
+
+"No," said the cat; "she's stark, staring,
+raving crazy, and her brains can't be pink, for
+they don't work properly."
+
+"Bother the brains!" cried Scraps. "Who cares
+for 'em, anyhow? Have you noticed how beautiful my
+patches are in this sunlight?"
+
+Just then they heard a sound as of footsteps
+pattering along the path behind them and all three
+turned to see what was coming. To their
+astonishment they beheld a small round table
+running as fast as its four spindle legs could
+carry it, and to the top was screwed fast a
+phonograph with a big gold horn.
+
+"Hold on!" shouted the phonograph. "Wait for
+me!"
+
+"Goodness me; it's that music thing which the
+Crooked Magician scattered the Powder of Life
+over," said Ojo.
+
+"So it is," returned Bungle, in a grumpy tone of
+voice; and then, as the phonograph overtook them,
+the Glass Cat added sternly: "What are you doing
+here, anyhow?"
+
+"I've run away," said the music thing. "After
+you left, old Dr. Pipt and I had a dreadful
+quarrel and he threatened to smash me to pieces if
+I didn't keep quiet. Of course I wouldn't do that,
+because a talking-machine is supposed to talk and
+make a noise--and sometimes music. So I slipped out
+of the house while the Magician was stirring his
+four kettles and I've been running after you all
+night. Now that I've found such pleasant company,
+I can talk and play tunes all I want to."
+
+Ojo was greatly annoyed by this unwelcome
+addition to their party. At first he did not know
+what to say to the newcomer, but a little thought
+decided him not to make friends.
+
+"We are traveling on important business," he
+declared, "and you'll excuse me if I say we can't
+be bothered."
+
+"How very impolite!" exclaimed the phonograph.
+
+"I'm sorry; but it's true," said the boy. "You'll
+have to go somewhere else."
+
+"This is very unkind treatment, I must say,
+whined the phonograph, in an injured tone.
+"Everyone seems to hate me, and yet I was intended
+to amuse people."
+
+"It isn't you we hate, especially," observed
+the Glass Cat; "it's your dreadful music. When
+I lived in the same room with you I was much
+annoyed by your squeaky horn. It growls and
+grumbles and clicks and scratches so it spoils
+the music, and your machinery rumbles so that
+the racket drowns every tune you attempt."
+
+"That isn't my fault; it's the fault of my
+records. I must admit that I haven't a clear
+record," answered the machine.
+
+"Just the same, you'll have to go away," said
+Ojo.
+
+"Wait a minute," cried Scraps. "This music
+thing interests me. I remember to have heard
+music when I first came to life, and I would like
+to hear it again. What is your name, my poor
+abused phonograph?"
+
+"Victor Columbia Edison," it answered.
+
+"Well, I shall call you 'Vic' for short," said
+the Patchwork Girl. "Go ahead and play something."
+
+"It'll drive you crazy," warned the cat.
+
+"I'm crazy now, according to your statement.
+Loosen up and reel out the music, Vic."
+
+"The only record I have with me," explained
+the phonograph, "is one the Magician attached
+just before we had our quarrel. It's a highly
+classical composition."
+
+"A what?" inquired Scraps.
+
+"It is classical music, and is considered the
+best and most puzzling ever manufactured.
+You're supposed to like it, whether you do or
+not, and if you don't, the proper thing is to look
+as if you did. Understand?"
+
+"Not in the least," said Scraps.
+
+"Then, listen!"
+
+At once the machine began to play and in a
+few minutes Ojo put his hands to his ears to
+shut out the sounds and the cat snarled and
+Scraps began to Jaugh.
+
+"Cut it out, Vic," she said. "That's enough."
+
+But the phonograph continued playing the dreary
+tune, so Ojo seized the crank, jerked it free and
+threw it into the road. However, the moment the
+crank struck the ground it hounded back to the
+machine again and began winding it up. And still
+the music played.
+
+"Let's run!" cried Scraps, and they all started
+and ran down the path as fast as they could go.
+But the phonograph was right behind them
+and could run and play at the same time. It
+called out, reproachfully:
+
+"What's the matter? Don't you love classical
+music?"
+
+"No, Vic," said Scraps, halting. "We will
+passical the classical and preserve what joy we
+have left. I haven't any nerves, thank goodness,
+but your music makes my cotton shrink."
+
+"Then turn over my record. There's a rag-time
+tune on the other side," said the machine.
+
+"What's rag-time?"
+
+"The opposite of classical."
+
+"All right," said Scraps, and turned over the
+record.
+
+The phonograph now began to play a jerky jumble
+of sounds which proved so bewildering that after a
+moment Scraps stuffed her patchwork apron into the
+gold horn and cried: "Stop--stop! That's the other
+extreme. It's extremely bad!"
+
+Muffled as it was, the phonograph played on.
+
+"If you don't shut off that music I'll smash
+your record," threatened Ojo.
+
+The music stopped, at that, and the machine
+turned its horn from one to another and said
+with great indignation:  "What's the matter
+now? Is it possible you can't appreciate rag-
+time?"
+
+"Scraps ought to, being rags herself," said
+the cat; "but I simply can't stand it; it makes
+my whiskers curl."
+
+"It is, indeed, dreadful!" exclaimed Ojo, with
+a shudder.
+
+"It's enough to drive a crazy lady mad,"
+murmured the Patchwork Girl. "I'll tell you what,
+Vic," she added as she smoothed out her apron and
+put it on again, "for some reason or other you've
+missed your guess. You're not a concert; you're a
+nuisance. "
+
+"Music hath charms to soothe the savage
+breast," asserted the phonograph sadly.
+
+"Then we're not savages. I advise you to go
+home and beg the Magician's pardon."
+
+"Never! He'd smash me."
+
+"That's what we shall do, if you stay here,"
+Ojo declared.
+
+"Run along, Vic, and bother some one else,"
+advised Scraps. "Find some one who is real
+wicked, and stay with him till he repents. In
+that way you can do some good in the world."
+
+The music thing turned silently away and
+trotted down a side path, toward a distant
+Munchkin village.
+
+"Is that the way we go?" asked Bungle anxiously.
+
+"No," said Ojo; "I think we shall keep straight
+ahead, for this path is the widest and best.
+When we come to some house we will inquire
+the way to the Emerald City."
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Eight
+
+The foolish Owl and the Wise Donkey
+
+
+On they went, and half an hour's steady walking
+brought them to a house somewhat better than the
+two they had already passed. It stood close to the
+roadside and over the door was a sign that read:
+"Miss Foolish Owl and Mr. Wise Donkey:  Public
+Advisers."
+
+When Ojo read this sign aloud Scraps said
+laughingly: "Well, here is a place to get all the
+advice we want, maybe more than we need. Let's go
+in."
+
+The boy knocked at the door.
+
+"Come in!" called a deep bass voice.
+
+So they opened the door and entered the house,
+where a little light-brown donkey, dressed in a
+blue apron and a blue cap, was engaged in dusting
+the furniture with a blue cloth. On a shelf over
+the window sat a great blue owl with a blue
+sunbonnet on her head, blinking her big round
+eyes at the visitors.
+
+"Good morning," said the donkey, in his deep
+voice, which seemed bigger than he was. "Did
+you come to us for advice?"
+
+"Why, we came, anyhow," replied Scraps, "and now
+we are here we may as well have some advice. It's
+free, isn't it?"
+
+"Certainly," said the donkey. "Advice doesn't
+cost anything--unless you follow it. Permit me to
+say, by the way, that you are the queerest lot of
+travelers that ever came to my shop. Judging you
+merely by appearances, I think you'd better talk
+to the Foolish Owl yonder."
+
+They turned to look at the bird, which fluttered
+its wings and stared back at them with its big
+eyes.
+
+"Hoot-ti-toot-ti-toot!" cried the owl.
+
+
+"Fiddle-cum-foo,
+Howdy-do?
+Riddle-cum, tiddle-cum,
+Too-ra-la-loo!"
+
+
+"That beats your poetry, Scraps," said Ojo.
+
+"It's just nonsense!" declared the Glass Cat.
+
+"But it's good advice for the foolish," said
+the donkey, admiringly. "Listen to my partner,
+and you can't go wrong.
+
+Said the owl in a grumbling voice:
+
+
+"Patchwork Girl has come to life;
+No one's sweetheart, no one's wife;
+Lacking sense and loving fun,
+She'll be snubbed by everyone."
+
+
+"Quite a compliment! Quite a compliment, I
+declare," exclaimed the donkey, turning to look at
+Scraps. "You are certainly a wonder, my dear, and
+I fancy you'd make a splendid pincushion. If you
+belonged to me, I'd wear smoked glasses when I
+looked at you."
+
+"Why?" asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Because you are so gay and gaudy."
+
+"It is my beauty that dazzles you," she
+asserted. "You Munchkin people all strut around in
+your stupid blue color, while I--"
+
+"You are wrong in calling me a Munchkin,"
+interrupted the donkey, "for I was born in the
+Land of Mo and came to visit the Land of Oz
+on the day it was shut off from all the rest of
+the world. So here I am obliged to stay, and I
+confess it is a very pleasant country to live in."
+
+"Hoot-ti-toot!" cried the owl;
+
+"Ojo's searching for a charm,
+'Cause Unc Nunkie's come to harm.
+Charms are scarce; they're hard to get;
+Ojo's got a job, you bet!"
+
+
+"Is the owl so very foolish?" asked the boy.
+
+"Extremely so," replied the donkey. "Notice what
+vulgar expressions she uses. But I admire the owl
+for the reason that she is positively foolish.
+Owls are supposed to be so very wise, generally,
+that a foolish one is unusual, and you perhaps
+know that anything or anyone unusual is sure to be
+interesting to the wise."
+
+The owl flapped its wings again, muttering
+these words:
+
+
+"It's hard to be a glassy cat--
+No cat can be more hard than that;
+She's so transparent, every act
+Is clear to us, and that's a fact."
+
+
+"Have you noticed my pink brains?" inquired
+Bungle, proudly. "You can see 'em work."
+
+"Not in the daytime," said the donkey. "She
+can't see very well by day, poor thing. But her
+advice is excellent. I advise you all to follow it."
+
+"The owl hasn't given us any advice, as yet,"
+the boy declared.
+
+"No? Then what do you call all those sweet
+poems?"
+
+"Just foolishness," replied Ojo. "Scraps does
+the same thing."
+
+"Foolishness! Of course! To be sure! The Foolish
+Owl must be foolish or she wouldn't be the Foolish
+Owl. You are very complimentary to my partner,
+indeed," asserted the donkey, rubbing his front
+hoofs together as if highly pleased.
+
+"The sign says that you are wise," remarked
+Scraps to the donkey. "I wish you would prove it."
+
+"With great pleasure," returned the beast.
+"Put me to the test, my dear Patches, and I'll
+prove my wisdom in the wink of an eye.
+
+"What is the best way to get to the Emerald
+City?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Walk," said the donkey.
+
+"I know; but what road shall I take?" was the
+boy's next question.
+
+"The road of yellow bricks, of course. It leads
+directly to the Emerald City."
+
+"And how shall we find the road of yellow
+bricks?"
+
+"By keeping along the path you have been
+following. You'll come to the yellow bricks pretty
+soon, and you'll know them when you see them
+because they're the only yellow things in the
+blue country."
+
+"Thank you," said the boy. "At last you have
+told me something."
+
+"Is that the extent of your wisdom?" asked
+Scraps.
+
+"No," replied the donkey; "I know many
+other things, but they wouldn't interest you.
+So I'll give you a last word of advice: move on,
+for the sooner you do that the sooner you'll
+get to the Emerald City of Oz."
+
+"Hoot-ti-toot-ti-toot-ti-too!" screeched the owl;
+
+
+"Off you go! fast or slow,
+Where you're going you don't know.
+Patches, Bungle, Muchkin lad,
+Facing fortunes good and bad,
+Meeting dangers grave and sad,
+Sometimes worried, sometimes glad--
+Where you're going you don't know,
+Nor do I, but off you go!"
+
+
+"Sounds like a hint, to me," said the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Then let's take it and go," replied Ojo.
+
+They said good-bye to the Wise Donkey and the
+Foolish Owl and at once resumed their journey.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Nine
+
+They Meet the Woozy
+
+
+
+"There seem to be very few houses around here,
+after all," remarked Ojo, after they had walked
+for a time in silence.
+
+"Never mind," said Scraps; "we are not looking
+for houses, but rather the road of yellow bricks.
+Won't it be funny to run across something yellow
+in this dismal blue country?"
+
+"There are worse colors than yellow in this
+country," asserted the Glass Cat, in a spiteful
+tone.
+
+"Oh; do you mean the pink pebbles you call
+your brains, and your red heart and green eyes?"
+asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"No; I mean you, if you must know it," growled
+the cat.
+
+"You're jealous!" laughed Scraps. "You'd give
+your whiskers for a lovely variegated complexion
+like mine."
+
+"I wouldn't!" retorted the cat. "I've the
+clearest complexion in the world, and I don't
+employ a beauty-doctor, either."
+
+"I see you don't," said Scraps.
+
+"Please don't quarrel," begged Ojo. "This is an
+important journey, and quarreling makes me
+discouraged. To be brave, one must be cheerful, so
+I hope you will be as good-tempered as possible."
+
+They had traveled some distance when suddenly
+they faced a high fence which barred any further
+progress straight ahead. It ran directly across
+the road and enclosed a small forest of tall
+trees, set close together. When the group of
+adventurers peered through the bars of the fence
+they thought this forest looked more gloomy and
+forbidding than any they had ever seen before.
+
+They soon discovered that the path they had
+been following now made a bend and passed
+around the enclosure, but what made Ojo stop
+and look thoughtful was a sign painted on the
+fence which read:
+
+
+"BEWARE OF THE WOOZY!"
+
+
+"That means," he said, "that there's a Woozy
+inside that fence, and the Woozy must be a
+dangerous animal or they wouldn't tell people
+to beware of it."
+
+"Let's keep out, then," replied Scraps. "That
+path is outside the fence, and Mr. Woozy may have
+all his little forest to himself, for all we care."
+
+"But one of our errands is to find a Woozy,"
+Ojo explained. "The Magician wants me to get
+three hairs from the end of a Woozy's tail."
+
+"Let's go on and find some other Woozy,"
+suggested the cat. "This one is ugly and
+dangerous, or they wouldn't cage him up. Maybe
+we shall find another that is tame and gentle."
+
+"Perhaps there isn't any other, at all,"
+answered Ojo. "The sign doesn't say: 'Beware a
+Woozy'; it says: 'Beware the Woozy,' which may,
+mean there's only one in all the Land of Oz.
+
+"Then," said Scraps, "suppose we go in and
+find him? Very likely if we ask him politely to
+let us pull three hairs out of the tip of his tail
+he won't hurt us."
+
+"It would hurt him, I'm sure, and that would
+make him cross," said the cat.
+
+"You needn't worry, Bungle," remarked the
+Patchwork Girl; "for if there is danger you can
+climb a tree. Ojo and I are not afraid; are we,
+Ojo?"
+
+"I am, a little," the boy admitted; "but this
+danger must be faced, if we intend to save poor
+
+Unc Nunkie. How shall we get over the fence?"
+
+"Climb," answered Scraps, and at once she began
+climbing up the rows of bars. Ojo followed and
+found it more easy than he had expected. When they
+got to the top of the fence they began to get down
+on the other side and soon were in the forest. The
+Glass Cat, being small, crept between the lower
+bars and joined them.
+
+Here there was no path of any sort, so they
+entered the woods, the boy leading the way,
+and wandered through the trees until they were
+nearly in the center of the forest. They now
+came upon a clear space in which stood a rocky
+cave.
+
+So far they had met no living creature, but
+when Ojo saw the cave he knew it must be the
+den of the Woozy.
+
+It is hard to face any savage beast without
+a sinking of the heart, but still more terrifying
+is it to face an unknown beast, which you have
+never seen even a picture of. So there is little
+wonder that the pulses of the Munchkin boy
+beat fast as he and his companions stood facing
+the cave. The opening was perfectly square,
+and about big enough to admit a goat.
+
+"I guess the Woozy is asleep," said Scraps.
+"Shall I throw in a stone, to waken him?"
+
+"No; please don't," answered Ojo, his voice
+trembling a little. "I'm in no hurry."
+
+But he had not long to wait, for the Woozy
+heard the sound of voices and came trotting out
+of his cave. As this is the only Woozy that has
+ever lived, either in the Land of Oz or out of
+it, I must describe it to you.
+
+The creature was all squares and flat surfaces
+and edges. Its head was an exact square, like
+one of the building-blocks a child plays with;
+therefore it had no ears, but heard sounds
+through two openings in the upper corners. Its
+nose, being in the center of a square surface,
+was flat, while the mouth was formed by the
+opening of the lower edge of the block. The
+body of the Woozy was much larger than its
+head, but was likewise block-shaped--being
+twice as long as it was wide and high. The tail
+was square and stubby and perfectly straight,
+and the four legs were made in the same way,
+each being four-sided. The animal was covered
+with a thick, smooth skin and had no hair at all
+except at the extreme end of its tail, where there
+grew exactly three stiff, stubby hairs. The beast
+was dark blue in color and his face was not
+fierce nor ferocious in expression, but rather
+good-humored and droll.
+
+Seeing the strangers, the Woozy folded his
+hind legs as if they Lad been hinged and sat
+down to look his visitors over.
+
+"Well, well," he exclaimed; "what a queer lot
+you are! at first I thought some of those
+miserable Munchkin farmers had come to annoy me,
+but I am relieved to find you in their stead. It
+is plain to me that you are a remarkable group--as
+remarkable in your way as I am in mine--and so you
+are welcome to my domain. Nice place, isn't it?
+But lonesome-dreadfully lonesome."
+
+"Why did they shut you up here?" asked
+Scraps, who was regarding the queer, square
+creature with much curiosity.
+
+"Because I eat up all the honey-bees which
+the Munchkin farmers who live around here
+keep to make them honey."
+
+"Are you fond of eating honey-bees?" inquired
+the boy.
+
+"Very. They are really delicious. But the
+farmers did not like to lose their bees and so
+they tried to destroy me. Of course they couldn't
+do that."
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"My skin is so thick and tough that nothing can
+get through it to hurt me. So, finding they could
+not destroy me, they drove me into this forest and
+built a fence around me. Unkind, wasn't it?"
+
+"But what do you eat now?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Nothing at all. I've tried the leaves from the
+trees and the mosses and creeping vines, but they
+don't seem to suit my taste. So, there being no
+honey-bees here, I've eaten nothing for years.
+
+"You must be awfully hungry," said the boy.
+"I've got some bread and cheese in my basket.
+Would you like that kind of food?"
+
+"Give me a nibble and I will try it; then I
+can tell you better whether it is grateful to my
+appetite," returned the Woozy.
+
+So the boy opened his basket and broke a
+piece off the loaf of bread. He tossed it toward
+the Woozy, who cleverly caught it in his mouth
+and ate it in a twinkling.
+
+"That's rather good," declared the animal.
+"Any more?"
+
+"Try some cheese," said Ojo, and threw down a
+piece.
+
+The Woozy ate that, too, and smacked its long,
+thin lips.
+
+"That's mighty good!" it exclaimed. "Any more?"
+
+"Plenty," replied Ojo. So he sat down on a Stump
+and fed the Woozy bread and cheese for a long
+time; for, no matter how much the boy broke off,
+the loaf and the slice remained just as big.
+
+"That'll do," said the Woozy, at last; "I'm
+quite full. I hope the strange food won't give
+me indigestion.
+
+"I hope not," said Ojo. "It's what I eat."
+
+"Well, I must say I'm much obliged, and
+I'm glad you came," announced the beast. "Is
+there anything I can do in return for your
+kindness?"
+
+"Yes," said Ojo earnestly, "you have it in
+your power to do me a great favor, if you will."
+
+"What is it?" asked the Woozy. "Name the
+favor and I will grant it."
+
+"I--I want three hairs from the tip of your
+tail," said Ojo, with some hesitation.
+
+"Three hairs! Why, that's all I have--on my
+tail or anywhere else," exclaimed the beast.
+
+"I know; but I want them very much."
+
+"They are my sole ornaments, my prettiest
+feature," said the Woozy, uneasily. "If I give
+up those three hairs I--I'm just a blockhead."
+
+"Yet I must have them," insisted the boy,
+firmly, and he then told the Woozy all about the
+accident to Unc Nunkie and Margolotte, and how the
+three hairs were to be a part of the magic charm
+that would restore them to life. The beast
+listened with attention and when Ojo had finished
+the recital it said, with a sigh.
+
+"I always keep my word, for I pride myself on
+being square. So you may have the three hairs, and
+welcome. I think, under such circumstances, it
+would be selfish in me to refuse you."
+
+"Thank you! Thank you very much," cried
+the boy, joyfully. "May I pull out the hairs
+now?"
+
+"Any time you like," answered the Woozy.
+
+So Ojo went up to the queer creature and
+taking hold of one of the hairs began to pull.
+He pulled harder. He pulled with all his might;
+but the hair remained fast.
+
+"What's the trouble?" asked the Woozy,
+which Ojo had dragged here and there all
+around the clearing in his endeavor to pull out
+the hair.
+
+"It won't come," said the boy, panting.
+
+"I was afraid of that," declared the beast.
+"You'll have to pull harder."
+
+"I'll help you," exclaimed Scraps, coming to
+the boy's side. "You pull the hair, and I'll pull
+you, and together we ought to get it out easily."
+
+"Wait a jiffy," called the Woozy, and then
+it went to a tree and hugged it with its front
+paws, so that its body couldn't be dragged
+around by the pull. "All ready, now. Go ahead!"
+
+Ojo grasped the hair with both hands and
+pulled with all his strength, while Scraps seized
+the boy around his waist and added her strength
+to his. But the hair wouldn't budge. Instead, it
+slipped out of Ojo's hands and he and Scraps
+both rolled upon the ground in a heap and never
+stopped until they bumped against the rocky
+cave.
+
+"Give it up," advised the Glass Cat, as the
+boy arose and assisted the Patchwork Girl to her
+feet. "A dozen strong men couldn't pull out
+those Hairs. I believe they're clinched on the
+under side of the Woozy's thick skin."
+
+"Then what shall I do?" asked the boy,
+despairingly. "If on our return I fail to take
+these three hairs to the Crooked Magician, the
+other things I have come to seek will be of no
+use at all, and we cannot restore Unc Nunkie
+and Margolotte to life."
+
+"They're goners, I guess," said the Patchwork
+Girl.
+
+"Never mind," added the cat. "I can't see that
+old Unc and Margolotte are worth all this trouble,
+anyhow."
+
+But Ojo did not feel that way. He was so
+disheartened that he sat down upon a stump and
+began to cry.
+
+The Woozy looked at the boy thoughtfully.
+
+"Why don't you take me with you?" asked the
+beast. "Then, when at last you get to the
+Magician's house, he can surely find some way to
+pull out those three hairs."
+
+Ojo was overjoyed at this suggestion.
+
+"That's it!" he cried, wiping away the tears
+and springing to his feet with a smile. "If I take
+the three hairs to the Magician, it won't matter
+if they are still in your body."
+
+"It can't matter in the least," agreed the
+Woozy.
+
+"Come on, then," said the boy, picking up his
+basket; "let us start at once. I have several other
+things to find, you know."
+
+But the Class Cat gave a little laugh and
+inquired in her scornful way:
+
+"How do you intend to get the beast out of this
+forest?"
+
+That puzzled them all for a time.
+
+"Let us go to the fence, and then we may find a
+way," suggested Scraps. So they walked through the
+forest to the fence, reaching it at a point
+exactly opposite that where they had entered the
+enclosure.
+
+"How did you get in?" asked the Woozy.
+
+"We climbed over," answered Ojo.
+
+"I can't do that," said the beast. "I'm a very
+swift runner, for I can overtake a honey-bee as
+it flies; and I can jump very high, which is the
+reason they made such a tall fence to keep me
+in. But I can't climb at all, and I'm too big to
+squeeze between the bars of the fence."
+
+Ojo tried to think what to do.
+
+"Can you dig?" he asked.
+
+"No," answered the Woozy, "for I have no
+claws. My feet are quite flat on the bottom of
+them. Nor can I gnaw away the boards, as I
+have no teeth."
+
+"You're not such a terrible creature, after all,"
+remarked Scraps.
+
+"You haven't heard me growl, or you wouldn't say
+that," declared the Woozy. "When I growl, the
+sound echoes like thunder all through the valleys
+and woodlands, and children tremble with fear, and
+women cover their heads with their aprons, and big
+men run and hide. I suppose there is nothing in
+the world so terrible to listen to as the growl of
+a Woosy."
+
+"Please don't growl, then," begged Ojo,
+earnestly.
+
+"There is no danger of my growling, for
+I am not angry. Only when angry do I utter
+my fearful, ear-splitting, soul-shuddering growl.
+Also, when I am angry, my eyes flash fire,
+whether I growl or not."
+
+"Real fire?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Of course, real fire. Do you suppose they'd
+flash imitation fire?" inquired the Woozy, in an
+injured tone.
+
+"In that case, I've solved the riddle," cried
+Scraps, dancing with glee. "Those fence-boards
+are made of wood, and if the Woozy stands
+close to the fence and lets his eyes flash fire,
+they might set fire to the fence and burn it up.
+Then he could walk away with us easily, being
+free."
+
+"Ah, I have never thought of that plan, or I
+would have been free long ago," said the Woozy.
+"But I cannot flash fire from my eyes unless I am
+very angry."
+
+"Can't you get angry 'bout something, please?"
+asked Ojo.
+
+"I'll try. You just say 'Krizzle-Kroo' to me."
+
+"Will that make you angry?" inquired the boy~.
+
+"Terribly angry."
+
+"What does it mean?" asked Scraps.
+
+"I don't know; that's what makes me so angry,"
+re-plied the Woozy.
+
+He then stood close to the fence, with his
+head near one of the boards, and Scraps called out
+"Krizzle-Kroo!" Then Ojo said "Krizzle-Kroo!"
+and the Glass Cat said "Krizzle-Kroo!" The Woozy
+began  to tremble with anger and small sparks
+darted from his eyes. Seeing this, they all cried
+"Krizzle-Kroo!" together, and that made the
+beast's eyes flash fire so fiercely that the
+fence-board caught the sparks and began to smoke.
+Then it burst into flame, and the Woozy stepped
+back and said triumphantly:
+
+"Aha! That did the business, all right. It was
+a happy thought for you to yell all together, for
+that made me as angry as I have ever been.
+Fine sparks, weren't they?"
+
+"Reg'lar fireworks," replied Scraps, admiringly.
+
+In a few moments the board had burned to a
+distance of several feet, leaving an opening big
+enough for them all to pass through. Ojo broke
+some branches from a tree and with them
+whipped the fire until it was extinguished.
+
+"We don't want to burn the whole fence
+down," said he, "for the flames would attract
+the attention of the Munchkin farmers, who
+would then come and capture the Woozy again.
+I guess they'll be rather surprised when they
+find he's escaped."
+
+"So they will," declared the Woozy, chuckling
+gleefully. "When they find I'm gone the farmers
+will be badly scared, for they'll expect me to eat
+up their honey-bees, as I did before."
+
+"That reminds me," said the boy, "that you must
+promise not to eat honey-bees while you are in our
+company."
+
+"None at all?"
+
+"Not a bee. You would get us all into trouble,
+and we can't afford to have any more trouble than
+is necessary. I'll feed you all the bread and
+cheese you want, and that must satisfy you."
+
+"All right; I'll promise," said the Woozy,
+cheerfully. "And when I promise anything you
+can depend on it, 'cause I'm square."
+
+"I don't see what difference that makes,"
+observed the Patchwork Girl, as they found the
+path and continued their journey. "The shape
+doesn't make a thing honest, does it?"
+
+"Of course it does," returned the Woozy, very
+decidedly. "No one could trust that Crooked
+Magician, for instance, just because he is
+crooked; but a square Woozy couldn't do anything
+crooked if he wanted to."
+
+"I am neither square nor crooked," said
+Scraps, looking down at her plump body.
+
+"No; you're round, so you're liable to do
+anything," asserted the Woozy. "Do not blame me,
+Miss Gorgeous, if I regard you with suspicion.
+Many a satin ribbon has a cotton back."
+
+Scraps didn't understand this, but she had an
+uneasy misgiving that she had a cotton back
+herself. It would settle down, at times, and make
+her squat and dumpy, and then she had to roll
+herself in the road until her body stretched out again.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Ten
+
+Shaggy Man to the Rescue
+
+
+They had not gone very far before Bungle, who had
+run on ahead, came bounding back to say that the
+road of yellow bricks was just before them. At
+once they hurried forward to see what this famous
+road looked like.
+
+It was a broad road, but not straight, for it
+wandered over hill and dale and picked out the
+easiest places to go. All its length and breadth
+was paved with smooth bricks of a bright yellow
+color, so it was smooth and level except in a few
+places where the bricks had crumbled or been
+removed, leaving holes that might cause the unwary
+to stumble.
+
+"I wonder," said Ojo, looking up and down the
+road, "which way to go."
+
+"Where are you bound for?" asked the Woozy.
+
+"The Emerald City," he replied.
+
+"Then go west," said the Woozy. "I know this
+road pretty well, for I've chased many a honey-bee
+over it."
+
+"Have you ever been to the Emerald City?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"No. I am very shy by nature, as you may have
+noticed, so I haven't mingled much in society."
+
+"Are you afraid of men?" inquired the Patchwork
+Girl.
+
+"Me? With my heart-rending growl-my horrible,
+shudderful growl? I should say not. I am not
+afraid of anything," declared the Woozy.
+
+"I wish I could say the same," sighed Ojo. "I
+don't think we need be afraid when we get to the
+Emerald City, for Unc Nunkie has told me that
+Ozma, our girl Ruler, is very lovely and kind, and
+tries to help everyone who is in trouble. But they
+say there are many dangers lurking on the road to
+the great Fairy City, and so we must be very
+careful."
+
+"I hope nothing will break me," said the
+Glass Cat, in a nervous voice. "I'm a little brittle,
+you know, and can't stand many hard knocks."
+
+"If anything should fade the colors of my lovely
+patches it would break my heart," said the
+Patchwork Girl.
+
+"I'm not sure you have a heart," Ojo reminded
+her.
+
+"Then it would break my cotton," persisted
+Scraps. "Do you think they are all fast colors,
+Ojo?" she asked anxiously.
+
+"They seem fast enough when you run," he
+replied; and then, looking ahead of them, he
+exclaimed: "Oh, what lovely trees!"
+
+They were certainly pretty to look upon and
+the travelers hurried forward to observe them
+more closely.
+
+"Why, they are not trees at all," said Scraps;
+"they are just monstrous plants."
+
+That is what they really were: masses of great
+broad leaves which rose from the ground far into
+the air, until they towered twice as high as the
+top of the Patchwork Girl's head, who was a little
+taller than Ojo. The plants formed rows on both
+sides of the road and from each plant rose a dozen
+or more of the big broad leaves, which swayed
+continually from side to side, although no wind
+was blowing. But the most curious thing about the
+swaying leaves was their color. They seemed to
+have a general groundwork of blue, but here and
+there other colors glinted at times through the
+blue--gorgeous yellows, turning to pink, purple,
+orange and scarlet, mingled with more sober browns
+and grays--each appearing as a blotch or stripe
+anywhere on a leaf and then disappearing, to be
+replaced by some other color of a different shape.
+The changeful coloring of the great leaves was
+very beautiful, but it was bewildering, as well,
+and the novelty of the scene drew our travelers
+close to the line of plants, where they stood
+watching them with rapt interest.
+
+Suddenly a leaf bent lower than usual and
+touched the Patchwork Girl. Swiftly it enveloped
+her in its embrace, covering her completely in
+its thick folds, and then it swayed back upon its
+stem.
+
+"Why, she's gone!" gasped Ojo, in amazement, and
+listening carefully he thought he could hear the
+muffled screams of Scraps coming from the center
+of the folded leaf. But, before he could think
+what he ought to do to save her, another leaf bent
+down and captured the Glass Cat, rolling around
+the little creature until she was completely
+hidden, and then straightening up again upon its
+stem.
+
+"Look out," cried the Woozy. "Run! Run
+fast, or you are lost."
+
+Ojo turned and saw the Woozy running
+swiftly up the road. But the last leaf of the row
+of plants seized the beast even as he ran and
+instantly he disappeared from sight.
+
+The boy had no chance to escape. Half a dozen of
+the great leaves were bending toward him from
+different directions and as he stood hesitating
+one of them clutched him in its embrace. In a
+flash he was in the dark. Then he felt himself
+gently lifted until he was swaying in the air,
+with the folds of the leaf hugging him on all
+sides.
+
+At first he struggled hard to escape, crying
+out in anger: "Let me go! Let me go!" But
+neither struggles nor protests had any effect
+whatever. The leaf held him firmly and he was
+a prisoner."
+
+Then Ojo quieted himself and tried to think.
+Despair fell upon him when he remembered that all
+his little party had been captured, even as he
+was, and there was none to save them.
+
+"I might have expected it," he sobbed,
+miserably. "I'm Ojo the Unlucky, and something
+dreadful was sure to happen to me."
+
+He pushed against the leaf that held him and
+found it to be soft, but thick and firm. It was
+like a great bandage all around him and he
+found it difficult to move his body or limbs in
+order to change their position.
+
+The minutes passed and became hours. Ojo
+wondered how long one could live in such a
+condition and if the leaf would gradually sap
+his strength and even his life, in order to feed
+itself. The little Munchkin boy had never heard
+of any person dying in the Land of Oz, but he
+knew one could suffer a great deal of pain. His
+greatest fear at this time was that he would
+always remain imprisoned in the beautiful leaf
+and never see the light of day again.
+
+No sound came to him through the leaf; all
+around was intense silence. Ojo wondered if Scraps
+had stopped screaming, or if the folds of the leaf
+prevented his hearing her. By and by he thought he
+heard a whistle, as of some one whistling a tune.
+Yes; it really must be some one whistling, he
+decided, for he could follow the strains of a
+pretty Munchkin melody that Unc Nunkie used to
+sing to him. The sounds were low and sweet and,
+although they reached Ojo's ears very faintly,
+they were clear and harmonious.
+
+Could the leaf whistle, Ojo wondered? Nearer and
+nearer came the sounds and then they seemed to be
+just the other side of the leaf that was hugging
+him.
+
+Suddenly the whole leaf toppled and fell,
+carrying the boy with it, and while he sprawled at
+full length the folds slowly relaxed and set him
+free. He scrambled quickly to his feet and found
+that a strange man was standing before him--a man
+so curious in appearance that the boy stared with
+round eyes.
+
+He was a big man, with shaggy whiskers, shaggy
+eyebrows, shaggy hair--but kindly blue eyes that
+were gentle as those of a cow. On his head was a
+green velvet hat with a jeweled band, which was
+all shaggy around the brim. Rich but shaggy laces
+were at his throat; a coat with shaggy edges was
+decorated with diamond buttons; the velvet
+breeches had jeweled buckles at the knees and
+shags all around the bottoms. On his breast hung a
+medallion bearing a picture of Princess Dorothy of
+Oz, and in his hand, as he stood looking at Ojo,
+was a sharp knife shaped like a dagger.
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Ojo, greatly astonished at the
+sight of this stranger; and then he added: "Who
+has saved me, sir?"
+
+"Can't you see?" replied the other, with a
+smile; "I'm the Shaggy Man."
+
+"Yes; I can see that," said the boy, nodding.
+"Was it you who rescued me from the leaf?"
+
+"None other, you may be sure. But take care,
+or I shall have to rescue you again."
+
+Ojo gave a jump, for he saw several broad
+leaves leaning toward him; but the Shaggy Man
+began to whistle again, and at the sound the
+leaves all straightened up on their stems and
+kept still.
+
+The man now took Ojo's arm and led him
+up the road, past the last of the great plants,
+and not till he was safely beyond their reach did
+he cease his whistling.
+
+"You see, the music charms 'em," said he.
+"Singing or whistling--it doesn't matter which--
+makes 'em behave, and nothing else will. I always
+whistle as I go by 'em and so they always let me
+alone. Today as I went by, whistling, I saw a leaf
+curled and knew there must be something inside it.
+I cut down the leaf with my knife and--out you
+popped. Lucky I passed by, wasn't it?"
+
+"You were very kind," said Ojo, "and I thank
+you. Will you please rescue my companions, also?"
+
+"What companions?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"The leaves grabbed them all," said the boy.
+"There's a Patchwork Girl and--"
+
+"A what?"
+
+"A girl made of patchwork, you know. She's
+alive and her name is Scraps. And there's a
+Glass Cat--"
+
+"Glass?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"All glass."
+
+"And alive?"
+
+"Yes," said Ojo; "she has pink brains. And
+there's a Woozy--"
+
+"What's a Woozy?" inquired the Shaggy Man.
+
+"Why, I--I--can't describe it," answered the
+boy, greatly perplexed. "But it's a queer animal
+with three hairs on the tip of its tail that won't
+come out and--"
+
+"What won't come out?" asked the Shaggy Man;
+"the tail?"
+
+"The hairs won't come out. But you'll see the
+Woozy, if you'll please rescue it, and then you'll
+know just what it is."
+
+"Of course," said the Shaggy Man, nodding his
+shaggy head. And then he walked back among the
+plants, still whistling, and found the three
+leaves which were curled around Ojo's traveling
+companions. The first leaf he cut down released
+Scraps, and on seeing her the Shaggy Man threw
+back his shaggy head, opened wide his mouth and
+laughed so shaggily and yet so merrily that Scraps
+liked him at once. Then he took off his hat and
+made her a low bow, saying:
+
+"My dear, you're a wonder. I must introduce
+you to my friend the Scarecrow."
+
+When he cut down the second leaf he rescued the
+Glass Cat, and Bungle was so frightened that she
+scampered away like a streak and soon had joined
+Ojo, when she sat beside him panting and
+trembling. The last plant of all the row had
+captured the Woozy, and a big bunch in the center
+of the curled leaf showed plainly where he was.
+With his sharp knife the Shaggy Man sliced off the
+stem of the leaf and as it fell and unfolded out
+trotted the Woozy and escaped beyond the reach of
+any more of the dangerous plants.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Eleven
+
+A Good Friend
+
+
+Soon the entire party was gathered on the road of
+yellow bricks, quite beyond the reach of the
+beautiful but treacherous plants. The Shaggy Man,
+staring first at one and then at the other, seemed
+greatly pleased and interested.
+
+"I've seen queer things since I came to the Land
+of Oz," said he, "but never anything queerer than
+this band of adventurers. Let us sit down a while,
+and have a talk and get acquainted."
+
+"Haven't you always lived in the Land of Oz?"
+asked the Munchkin boy.
+
+"No; I used to live in the big, outside world.
+But I came here once with Dorothy, and Ozma
+let me stay."
+
+"How do you like Oz?" asked Scraps. "Isn't
+the country and the climate grand?"
+
+"It's the finest country in all the world, even
+if it is a fairyland. and I'm happy every minute I
+live in it," said the Shaggy Man. "But tell me
+something about yourselves."
+
+So Ojo related the story of his visit to the
+house of the Crooked Magician, and how he met
+there the Class Cat, and how the Patchwork Girl
+was brought to life and of the terrible accident
+to Unc Nunkie and Margdotte. Then he told how he
+had set out to find the five different things
+which the Magician needed to make a charm that
+would restore the marble figures to life, one
+requirement being three hairs from a Woozy's tail.
+
+"We found the Woozy," explained the boy,
+"and he agreed to give us the three hairs; but
+we couldn't pull them out. So we had to bring
+the Woozy along with us."
+
+"I see," returned the Shaggy Man, who had
+listened with interest to the story. "But perhaps
+I, who am big and strong, can pull those three
+hairs from the Woozy's tail."
+
+"Try it, if you like," said the Woozy.
+
+So the Shaggy Man tried it, but pull as hard
+as he could he failed to get the hairs out of the
+Woozy's tail. So he sat down again and wiped
+his shaggy face with a shaggy silk handkerchief
+and said:
+
+"It doesn't matter. If you can keep the Woozy
+until you get the rest of the things you need,
+you can take the beast and his three hairs to
+the Crooked Magician and let him find a way
+to extract 'em. What are the other things you are
+to find?"
+
+"One," said Ojo, "is a six-leaved clover."
+
+"You ought to find that in the fields around
+the Emerald City," said the Shaggy Man.
+"There is a Law against picking six-leaved
+clovers, but I think I can get Ozma to let you
+have one."
+
+"Thank you," replied Ojo. "The next thing
+is the left wing of a yellow butterfly."
+
+"For that you must go to the Winkle Country,"
+the Shaggy Man declared. "I've never noticed any
+butterflies there, but that is the yellow country
+of Oz and it's ruled, by a good friend of mine,
+the Tin Woodman."
+
+"Oh, I've heard of him!" exclaimed Ojo. "He
+must be a wonderful man."
+
+"So he is, and his heart is wonderfully kind.
+I'm sure the Tin Woodman will do all in his
+power to help you to save your Unc Nunkie
+and poor Margolotte."
+
+"The next thing I must find," said the
+Munchkin boy, "is a gill of water from a dark
+well."
+
+"Indeed! Well, that is more difficult," said
+the Shaggy Man, scratching his left ear in a
+puzzled way. "I've never heard of a dark well;
+have you?"
+
+"No," said Ojo.
+
+"Do you know where one may be found?" inquired
+the Shaggy Man.
+
+"I can't imagine," said Ojo.
+
+"Then we must ask the Scarecrow."
+
+"The Scarecrow! But surely, sir, a scarecrow
+can't know anything."
+
+"Most scarecrows don't, I admit," answered
+the Shaggy Man. "But this Scarecrow of whom
+I speak is very intelligent. He claims to possess
+the best brains in all Oz."
+
+"Better than mine?" asked Scraps.
+
+"Better than mine?" echoed the Glass Cat.
+"Mine are pink, and you can see 'em work."
+
+"Well, you can't see the Scarecrow's brains
+work, but they do a lot of clever thinking,"
+asserted the Shaggy Man. "If anyone knows where a
+dark well is, it's my friend the Scarecrow."
+
+"Where does he live?" inquired Ojo.
+
+"He has a splendid castle in the Winkle
+Country, near to the palace of his friend the
+Tin Woodman, and he is often to be found in
+the Emerald City, where he visits Dorothy at
+the royal palace."
+
+"Then we will ask him about the dark well,"
+said Ojo.
+
+"But what else does this Crooked Magician
+want?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"A drop of oil from a live man's body."
+
+"Oh; but there isn't such a thing."
+
+"That is what I thought," replied Ojo; "but
+the Crooked Magician said it wouldn't be called
+for by the recipe if it couldn't be found, and
+therefore I must search until I find it."
+
+"I wish you good luck," said the Shaggy Man,
+shaking his head doubtfully; "but I imagine
+you'll have a hard job getting a drop of oil from
+a live man's body. There's blood in a body, but
+no oil."
+
+"There's cotton in mine," said Scraps, dancing
+a little jig.
+
+"I don't doubt it," returned the Shaggy Man
+admiringly. "You're a regular comforter and as
+sweet as patchwork can be. All you lack is
+dignity."
+
+"I hate dignity," cried Scraps, kicking a pebble
+high in the air and then trying to catch it as it
+fell. "Half the fools and all the wise folks are
+dignified, and I'm neither the one nor the other."
+
+"She's just crazy," explained the Glass Cat.
+
+The Shaggy Man laughed.
+
+"She's delightful, in her way," he said. "I'm
+sure Dorothy will be pleased with her, and the
+Scarecrow will dote on her. Did you say you
+were traveling toward the Emerald City?"
+
+"Yes," replied Ojo. "I thought that the best
+place to go, at first, because the six-leaved clover
+may be found there."
+
+"I'll go with you," said the Shaggy Man, "and
+show you the way."
+
+"Thank you," exclaimed Ojo. "I hope it won't
+put you out any."
+
+"No," said the other, "I wasn't going anywhere
+in particular. I've been a rover all my life, and
+although Ozma has given me a suite of beautiful
+rooms in her palace I still get the wandering
+fever once in a while and start out to roam the
+country over. I've been away from the Emerald City
+several weeks, this time, and now that I've met
+you and your friends I'm sure it will interest me
+to accompany you to the great city of Oz and
+introduce you to my friends."
+
+"That will be very nice," said the boy,
+gratefully.
+
+"I hope your friends are not dignified,"
+observed Scraps.
+
+"Some are, and some are not," he answered;
+"but I never criticise my friends. If they are
+really true friends; they may be anything they
+like, for all of me."
+
+"There's some sense in that," said Scraps,
+nodding her queer head in approval. "Come on, and
+let's get to the Emerald City as soon as
+possible." With this she ran up the path, skipping
+and dancing, and then turned to await them.
+
+"It is quite a distance from here to the Emerald
+City," remarked the Shaggy Man, "so we shall not
+get there to-day, nor to-morrow. Therefore let us
+take the jaunt in an easy manner. I'm an old
+traveler and have found that I never gain anything
+by being in a hurry. 'Take it easy' is my motto.
+If you can't take it easy, take it as easy as you
+can."
+
+After walking some distance over the road of
+yellow bricks Ojo said he was hungry and would
+stop to eat some bread and cheese. He offered a
+portion of the food to the Shaggy Man, who thanked
+him but refused it.
+
+"When I start out on my travels," said he,
+"I carry along enough square meals to last me
+several weeks. Think I'll indulge in one now,
+as long as we're stopping anyway."
+
+Saying this, he took a bottle from his pocket
+and shook from it a tablet about the size of one
+of Ojo's finger-nails.
+
+"That," announced the Shaggy Man, "is a square
+meal, in condensed form. Invention of the great
+Professor Woggle-Bug, of the Royal College of
+Athletics. It contains soup, fish, roast meat,
+salad, apple-dumplings, ice cream and chocolate-
+drops, all boiled down to this small size, so it
+can be conveniently carried and swallowed when you
+are hungry and need a square meal."
+
+"I'm square," said the Woozy. "Give me one,
+please."
+
+So the Shaggy Man gave the Woozy a tablet from
+his bottle and the beast ate it in a twinkling.
+
+"You have now had a six course dinner,"
+declared the Shaggy Man.
+
+"Pshaw!" said the Woozy, ungratefully, "I
+want to taste something. There's no fun in that
+sort of eating."
+
+"One should only eat to sustain life," replied
+the Shaggy Man, "and that tablet is equal to a
+peck of other food."
+
+"I don't care for it. I want something I can
+chew and taste," grumbled the Woozy.
+
+"You are quite wrong, my poor beast," said
+the Shaggy Man in a tone of pity. "Think how
+tired your jaws would get chewing a square
+meal like this, if it were not condensed to the
+size of a small tablet--which you can swallow
+in a jiffy."
+
+"Chewing isn't tiresome; it's fun,  maintained
+the Woozy. "I always chew the honey-bees when I
+catch them. Give me some bread and cheese, Ojo."
+
+"No, no! You've already eaten a big dinner!"
+protested the Shaggy Man.
+
+"May be," answered the Woozy; "but I guess
+I'll fool myself by munching some bread and
+cheese. I may not be hungry, having eaten all
+those things you gave me, but I consider this
+eating business a matter of taste, and I like to
+realize what's going into me."
+
+Ojo gave the beast what he wanted, but the
+Shaggy Man shook his shaggy head reproachfully and
+said there was no animal so obstinate or hard to
+convince as a Woozy.
+
+At this moment a patter of footsteps was heard,
+and looking up they saw the live phonograph
+standing before them. It seemed to have passed
+through many adventures since Ojo and his comrades
+last saw the machine, for the varnish of its
+wooden case was all marred and dented and
+scratched in a way that gave it an aged and
+disreputable appearance.
+
+"Dear me!" exclaimed  Ojo, staring hard.
+"What has happened to you?"
+
+"Nothing much," replied the phonograph in
+a sad and depressed voice. "I've had enough
+things thrown at me, since I left you, to stock
+a department store and furnish half a dozen
+bargain-counters."
+
+"Are you so broken up that you can't play?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"No; I still am able to grind out delicious
+music. Just now I've a record on tap that is
+really superb," said the phonograph, growing more
+cheerful.
+
+"That is too bad," remarked Ojo. "We've no
+objection to you as a machine, you know; but
+as a music-maker we hate you."
+
+"Then why was I ever invented?" demanded
+the machine, in a tone of indignant protest.
+
+They looked at one another inquiringly, but
+no one could answer such a puzzling question.
+Finally the Shaggy Man said:
+
+"I'd like to hear the phonograph play."
+
+Ojo sighed. "We've been very happy since we
+met you, sir," he said.
+
+"I know. But a little misery, at times, makes
+one appreciate happiness more. Tell me, Phony,
+what is this record like, which you say you have
+on tap?"
+
+"It's a popular song, sir. In all civilized lands
+the common people have gone wild over it."
+
+"Makes civilized folks wild folks, eh? Then
+it's dangerous."
+
+"Wild with joy, I mean," explained the
+phonograph. "Listen. This song will prove a
+rare treat to you, I know. It made the author
+rich--for an author. It is called 'My Lulu.'"
+
+Then the phonograph began to play. A strain
+of odd, jerky sounds was followed by these
+words, sung by a man through his nose with
+great vigor of expression:
+
+
+"Ah wants mah Lulu, mah coal-black Lulu;
+Ah wants mah loo-loo, loo-loo, loo-loo, Lu!
+Ah loves mah Lulu, mah coal-black Lulu,
+There ain't nobody else loves loo-loo, Lu!"
+
+
+"Here-shut that off!" cried the Shaggy Man,
+springing to his feet. "What do you mean by
+such impertinence?"
+
+"It's the latest popular song," declared the
+phonograph, speaking in a sulky tone of voice.
+
+"A popular song?"
+
+"Yes. One that the feeble-minded can remember
+the words of and those ignorant of music can
+whistle or sing. That makes a popular song
+popular, and the time is coming when it will take
+the place of all other songs."
+
+"That time won't come to us, just yet," said
+the Shaggy Man, sternly: "I'm something of a
+singer myself, and I don't intend to be throttled
+by any Lulus like your coal-black one. I shall
+take you all apart, Mr. Phony, and scatter your
+pieces far and wide over the country, as a matter
+of kindness to the people you might meet if
+allowed to run around loose. Having performed
+this painful duty I shall--"
+
+But before he could say more the phonograph
+turned and dashed up the road as fast as its four
+table-legs could carry it, and soon it had entirely
+disappeared from their view.
+
+The Shaggy Man sat down again and seemed
+well pleased. "Some one else will save me the
+trouble of scattering that phonograph," said he;
+"for it is not possible that such a music-maker
+can last long in the Land of Oz. When you are
+rested, friends, let us go on our way."
+
+During the afternoon the travelers found
+themselves in a lonely and uninhabited part of the
+country. Even the fields were no longer cultivated
+and the country began to resemble a wilderness.
+The road of yellow bricks seemed to have been
+neglected and became uneven and more difficult to
+walk upon. Scrubby under-brush grew on either side
+of the way. while huge rocks were scattered around
+in abundance.
+
+But this did not deter Ojo and his friends from
+trudging on, and they beguiled the journey with
+jokes and cheerful conversation. Toward evening
+they reached a crystal spring which gushed from a
+tall rock by the roadside and near this spring
+stood a deserted cabin. Said the Shaggy Man,
+halting here:
+
+"We may as well pass the night here, where
+there is shelter for our heads and good water to
+drink. Road beyond here is pretty bad; worst
+we shall have to travel; so let's wait until
+morning before we tackle it."
+
+They agreed to this and Ojo found some brushwood
+in the cabin and made a fire on the hearth. The
+fire delighted Scraps, who danced before it until
+Ojo warned her she might set fire to herself and
+burn up. After that the Patchwork Girl kept at a
+respectful distance from the darting flames, but
+the Woozy lay down before the fire like a big dog
+and seemed to enjoy its warmth.
+
+For supper the Shaggy Man ate one of his
+tablets, but Ojo stuck to his bread and cheese as
+the most satisfying food. He also gave a portion
+to the Woozy.
+
+When darkness came on and they sat in a circle
+on the cabin floor, facing the firelight--there
+being no furniture of any sort in the place--Ojo
+said to the Shaggy Man:
+
+"Won't you tell us a story?"
+
+"I'm not good at stories," was the reply; "but
+I sing like a bird."
+
+"Raven, or crow?" asked the Glass Cat.
+
+"Like a song bird. I'll prove it. I'll sing a song
+I composed myself. Don't tell anyone I'm a poet;
+they might want me to write a book. Don't tell
+'em I can sing, or they'd want me to make
+records for that awful phonograph. Haven't
+time to be a public benefactor, so I'll just sing
+you this little song for your own amusement."
+
+They were glad enough to be entertained,
+and listened with interest while the Shaggy Man
+chanted the following verses to a tune that was
+not unpleasant:
+
+
+"I'll sing a song of Ozland, where wondrous creatures dwell
+And fruits and flowers and shady bowers abound in every dell,
+Where magic is a science and where no one shows surprise
+If some amazing thing takes place before his very eyes.
+
+Our Ruler's a bewitching girl whom fairies love to please;
+She's always kept her magic sceptre to enforce decrees
+To make her people happy, for her heart is kind and true
+And to aid the needy and distressed is what she longs to do.
+
+And then there's Princess Dorothy, as sweet as any rose,
+A lass from Kansas, where they don't grow fairies, I Suppose;
+And there's the brainy Scarecrow, with a body stuffed with straw,
+Who utters words of wisdom rare that fill us all with awe.
+
+I'll not forget Nick Chopper, the Woodman made of Tin,
+Whose tender heart thinks killing time is quite a dreadful sin,
+Nor old Professor Woggle-Bug, who's highly magnified
+And looks so big to everyone that he is filled with pride.
+
+Jack Pumpkinhead's a dear old chum who might be called a chump,
+But won renown by riding round upon a magic Gump;
+The Sawhorse is a splendid steed and though he's made of wood
+He does as many thrilling stunts as any meat horse could.
+
+And now I'll introduce a beast that ev'ryone adores--
+The Cowardly Lion shakes with fear 'most ev'ry time he roars,
+And yet he does the bravest things that any lion might,
+Because he knows that cowardice is not considered right.
+
+There's Tik-tok-he's a clockwork man and quite a funny sight--
+He talks and walks mechanically, when he's wound up tight;
+And we've a Hungry Tiger who would babies love to eat
+But never does because we feed him other kinds of meat.
+
+It's hard to name all of the freaks this noble Land's acquired;
+'Twould make my song so very long that you would soon be tired;
+But give attention while I mention one wise Yellow Hen
+And Nine fine Tiny Piglets living in a golden pen.
+
+Just search the whole world over--sail the seas from coast to coast--
+No other nation in creation queerer folk can boast;
+And now our rare museum will include a Cat of Glass,
+A Woozy, and--last but not least--a crazy Patchwork Lass."
+
+
+
+Ojo was so pleased with this song that he
+applauded the singer by clapping his hands, and
+Scraps followed suit by clapping her padded
+fingers together. although they made no noise.
+The cat pounded on the floor with her glass
+paws--gently, so as not to break them--and the
+Woozy. which had been asleep, woke up to ask
+what the row was about.
+
+"I seldom sing in public, for fear they might
+want me to start an opera company," remarked
+the Shaggy Man, who was pleased to know his
+effort was appreciated. "Voice, just now is a
+little out of training; rusty, perhaps."
+
+"Tell me," said the Patchwork Girl earnestly,
+"do all those queer people you mention really
+live in the Land of Oz?"
+
+"Every one of 'em. I even forgot one thing:
+Dorothy's Pink Kitten."
+
+"For goodness sake!" exclaimed Bungle, sitting
+up and looking interested. "A Pink Kitten? How
+absurd! Is it glass?"
+
+"No; just ordinary kitten."
+
+"Then it can't amount to much. I have pink
+brains, and you can see 'em work."
+
+"Dorothy's kitten is all pink--brains and all--
+except blue eyes. Name's Eureka. Great favorite at
+the royal palace," said the Shaggy Man, yawning.
+
+The Glass Cat seemed annoyed.
+
+"Do you think a pink kitten--common meat--is as
+pretty as I am?" she asked.
+
+"Can't say. Tastes differ, you know," replied
+the Shaggy Man, yawning again. "But here's a
+pointer that may be of service to you: make
+friends with Eureka and you'll be solid at the
+palace."
+
+"I'm solid now; solid glass."
+
+"You don't understand," rejoined the Shaggy
+Man, sleepily. "Anyhow, make friends with the
+Pink Kitten and you'll be all right. If the Pink
+Kitten despises you, look out for breakers."
+
+"Would anyone at the royal palace break a
+Glass Cat?"
+
+"Might. You never can tell. Advise you to purr
+soft and look humble--if you can. And now I'm
+going to bed."
+
+Bungle considered the Shaggy Man's advice
+so carefully that her pink brains were busy long
+after the others of the party were fast asleep.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twelve
+
+The Giant Porcupine
+
+
+Next morning they started out bright and early to
+follow the road of yellow bricks toward the
+Emerald City. The little Munchkin boy was
+beginning to feel tired from the long walk, and he
+had a great many things to think of and consider
+besides the events of the journey. At the
+wonderful Emerald City, which he would presently
+reach, were so many strange and curious people
+that he was half afraid of meeting them and
+wondered if they would prove friendly and kind.
+Above all else, he could not drive from his mind
+the important errand on which he had come, and he
+was determined to devote every energy to finding
+the things that were necessary to prepare
+the magic recipe. He believed that until dear
+Unc Nunkie was restored to life he could feel
+no joy in anything, and often he wished that
+Unc could be with him, to see all the astonishing
+things Ojo was seeing. But alas Unc Nunkie was now
+a marble statue in the house of the Crooked
+Magician and Ojo must not falter in his efforts to
+save him.
+
+The country through which they were passing was
+still rocky and deserted, with here and there a
+bush or a tree to break the dreary landscape. Ojo
+noticed one tree, especially, because it had such
+long, silky leaves and was so beautiful in shape.
+As he approached it he studied the tree earnestly,
+wondering if any fruit grew on it or if it bore
+pretty flowers.
+
+Suddenly he became aware that he had been
+looking at that tree a long time--at least for
+five minutes--and it had remained in the same
+position, although the boy had continued to
+walk steadily on. So he stopped short. and when
+he stopped, the tree and all the landscape, as
+well as his companions, moved on before him
+and left him far behind.
+
+Ojo uttered such a cry of astonishment that
+it aroused the Shaggy Man, who also halted.
+The others then stopped, too, and walked back
+to the boy.
+
+"What's wrong?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"Why, we're not moving forward a bit, no
+matter how fast we walk," declared Ojo. "Now
+that we have stopped, we are moving backward!
+Can't you see? Just notice that rock."
+
+Scraps looked down at her feet and said:
+"The yellow bricks are not moving."
+
+"But the whole road is," answered Ojo.
+
+"True; quite true," agreed the Shaggy Man.
+"I know all about the tricks of this road, but I
+have been thinking of something else and didn't
+realize where we were."
+
+"It will carry us back to where we started
+from," predicted Ojo, beginning to be nervous.
+
+"No," replied the Shaggy Man; "it won't do
+that, for I know a trick to beat this tricky road.
+I've traveled this way before, you know. Turn
+around, all of you, and walk backward."
+
+"What good will that do?" asked the cat.
+
+"You'll find out, if you obey me," said the
+Shaggy Man.
+
+So they all turned their backs to the direction
+in which they wished to go and began walking
+backward. In an instant Ojo noticed they were
+gaining ground and as they proceeded in this
+curious way they soon passed the tree which had
+first attracted his attention to their difficulty.
+
+"How long must we keep this up, Shags?"
+asked Scraps, who was constantly tripping and
+tumbling down, only to get up again with a
+laugh at her mishap.
+
+"Just a little way farther," replied the Shaggy
+Man.
+
+A few minutes later he called to them to turn
+about quickly and step forward, and as they
+obeyed the order they found themselves treading
+solid ground.
+
+"That task is well over," observed the Shaggy
+Man. "It's a little tiresome to walk backward, but
+that is the only way to pass this part of the
+road, which has a trick of sliding back and
+carrying with it anyone who is walking upon it."
+
+With new courage and energy they now
+trudged forward and after a time came to a
+place where the road cut through a low hill,
+leaving high banks on either side of it. They
+were traveling along this cut, talking together,
+when the Shaggy Man seized Scraps with one
+arm and Ojo with another and shouted: "Stop!"
+
+"What's wrong now?" asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"See there!" answered the Shaggy Man, pointing
+with his finger.
+
+Directly in the center of the road lay a
+motionless object that bristled all over with
+sharp quills, which resembled arrows. The body was
+as big as a ten-bushel basket, but the projecting
+quills made it appear to be four times bigger.
+
+"Well, what of it?" asked Scraps.
+
+"That is Chiss, who causes a lot of trouble
+along this road," was the reply.
+
+"Chiss! What is Chiss?
+
+"I think it is merely an overgrown porcupine,
+but here in Oz they consider Chiss an evil spirit.
+He's different from a reg'lar porcupine, because
+he can throw his quills in any direction, which
+an American porcupine cannot do. That's what
+makes old Chiss so dangerous. If we get too
+near, he'll fire those quills at us and hurt us
+badly."
+
+"Then we will be foolish to get too near,
+said Scraps.
+
+"I'm not afraid," declared the Woozy. "The Chiss
+is cowardly, I'm sure, and if it ever heard my
+awful, terrible, frightful growl, it would be
+scared stiff."
+
+"Oh; can you growl?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"That is the only ferocious thing about me,"
+asserted the Woozy with evident pride. "My growl
+makes an earthquake blush and the thunder ashamed
+of itself. If I growled at that creature you call
+Chiss, it would immediately think the world had
+cracked in two and bumped against the sun and
+moon, and that would cause the monster to run as
+far and as fast as its legs could carry it."
+
+"In that case," said the Shaggy Man, "you are
+now able to do us all a great favor. Please
+growl."
+
+"But you forget," returned the Woozy; "my
+tremendous growl would also frighten you, and
+if you happen to have heart disease you might
+expire."
+
+"True; but we must take that risk," decided
+the Shaggy Man, bravely. "Being warned of
+what is to occur we must try to bear the terrific
+noise of your growl; but Chiss won't expect it,
+and it will scare him away."
+
+The Woozy hesitated.
+
+"I'm fond of you all, and I hate to shock you,"
+it said.
+
+"Never mind," said Ojo.
+
+"You may be made deaf."
+
+"If so, we will forgive you.
+
+"Very well, then," said the Woozy in a
+determined voice, and advanced a few steps toward
+the giant porcupine. Pausing to look back, it
+asked: "All ready?"
+
+"All ready!" they answered.
+
+"Then cover up your ears and brace yourselves
+firmly. Now, then--look out!"
+
+The Woozy turned toward Chiss, opened wide its
+mouth and said:
+
+"Quee-ee-ee-eek."
+
+"Go ahead and growl," said Scraps.
+
+"Why, I--I did growl!" retorted the Woozy,
+who seemed much astonished.
+
+"What, that little squeak?" she cried.
+
+"It is the most awful growl that ever was heard,
+on land or sea, in caverns or in the sky,"
+protested the Woozy. "I wonder you stood the shock
+so well. Didn't you feel the ground tremble? I
+suppose Chiss is now quite dead with fright."
+
+The Shaggy Man laughed merrily.
+
+"Poor Wooz!" said he; "your growl wouldn't
+scare a fly."
+
+The Woozy seemed to be humiliated and surprised.
+It hung its head a moment, as if in shame or
+sorrow, but then it said with renewed confidence:
+"Anyhow, my eyes can flash fire; and good fire,
+too; good enough to set fire to a fence!"
+
+"That is true," declared Scraps; "I saw it
+done myself. But your ferocious growl isn't as
+loud as the tick of a beetle--or one of Ojo's
+snores when he's fast asleep."
+
+"Perhaps," said the Woozy, humbly, "I have
+been mistaken about my growl. It has always
+sounded very fearful to me, but that may, have
+been because it was so close to my ears."
+
+"Never mind," Ojo said soothingly; "it is a
+great talent to be able to flash fire from your
+eyes. No one else can do that."
+
+As they stood hesitating what to do Chiss
+stirred and suddenly a shower of quills came
+flying toward them, almost filling the air, they
+were so many. Scraps realized in an instant that
+they had gone too near to Chiss for safety, so
+she sprang in front of Ojo and shielded him
+from the darts, which stuck their points into her
+own body until she resembled one of those
+targets they shoot arrows at in archery games.
+The Shaggy Man dropped flat on his face to
+avoid the shower, but one quill struck him in
+the leg and went far in. As for the Glass Cat,
+the quills rattled off her body without making
+even a scratch, and the skin of the Woozy was
+so thick and tough that he was not hurt at all.
+
+When the attack was over they all ran to the
+Shaggy Man, who was moaning and groaning, and
+Scraps promptly pulled the quill out of his leg.
+Then up he jumped and ran over to Chiss, putting
+his foot on the monster's neck and holding it a
+prisoner. The body of the great porcupine was now
+as smooth as leather, except for the holes where
+the quills had been, for it had shot every single
+quill in that one wicked shower.
+
+"Let me go!" it shouted angrily. "How dare
+you put your foot on Chiss?"
+
+"I'm going to do worse than that, old boy,"
+replied the Shaggy Man. "You have annoyed
+travelers on this road long enough, and now
+I shall put an end to you."
+
+"You can't!" returned Chiss. "Nothing can
+kill me, as you know perfectly well."
+
+"Perhaps that is true," said the Shaggy Man
+in a tone of disappointment. "Seems to me I've
+been told before that you can't be killed. But if
+I let you go, what will you do?"
+
+"Pick up my quills again," said Chiss in a
+sulky voice.
+
+"And then shoot them at more travelers? No;
+that won't do. You must promise me to stop
+throwing quills at people."
+
+"I won't promise anything of the sort," declared
+Chiss.
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"Because it is my nature to throw quills, and
+every animal must do what Nature intends it
+to do. It isn't fair for you to blame me. If it were
+wrong for me to throw quills, then I wouldn't
+be made with quills to throw. The proper thing
+for you to do is to keep out of my way.
+
+"Why, there's some sense in that argument,
+admitted the Shaggy Man, thoughtfully; "but
+people who are strangers, and don't know you
+are here, won't be able to keep out of your way."
+
+"Tell you what," said Scraps, who was trying
+to pull the quills out of her own body, "let's
+gather up all the quills and take them away with
+us; then old Chiss won't have any left to throw
+at people."
+
+"Ah, that's a clever idea. You and Ojo must
+gather up the quills while I hold Chiss a
+prisoner; for, if I let him go he will get some of
+his quills and be able to throw them again."
+
+So Scraps and Ojo picked up all the quills
+and tied them in a bundle so they might easily
+be carried. After this the Shaggy Man released
+Chiss and let him go, knowing that he was
+harmless to injure anyone.
+
+"It's the meanest trick I ever heard of,"
+muttered the porcupine gloomily. "How would you
+like it, Shaggy Man, if I took all your shags away
+from you?"
+
+"If I threw my shags and hurt people, you would
+be welcome to capture them," was the reply.
+
+Then they walked on and left Chiss standing in
+the road sullen and disconsolate. The Shaggy Man
+limped as he walked, for his wound still hurt him,
+and Scraps was much annoyed be cause the quills
+had left a number of small holes in her patches.
+
+When they came to a flat stone by the roadside
+the Shaggy Man sat down to rest, and then Ojo
+opened his basket and took out the bundle of
+charms the Crooked Magician had given him.
+
+"I am Ojo the Unlucky," he said, "or we would
+never have met that dreadful porcupine. But I will
+see if I can find anything among these charms
+which will cure your leg."
+
+Soon he discovered that one of the charms
+was labelled: "For flesh wounds," and this the
+boy separated from the others. It was only a bit
+of dried root, taken from some unknown shrub,
+but the boy rubbed it upon the wound made by
+the quill and in a few moments the place was
+healed entirely and the Shaggy Man's leg was
+as good as ever.
+
+"Rub it on the holes in my patches," suggested
+Scraps, and Ojo tried it, but without any effect.
+
+"The charm you need is a needle and thread,"
+said the Shaggy Man. "But do not worry, my
+dear; those holes do not look badly, at all."
+
+"They'll let in the air, and I don't want people
+to think I'm airy, or that I've been stuck
+up," said the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"You were certainly stuck up until we pulled
+Out those quills," observed Ojo, with a laugh.
+
+So now they went on again and coming presently
+to a pond of muddy water they tied a heavy stone
+to the bundle of quills and sunk it to the bottom
+of the pond, to avoid carrying it farther.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Thirteen
+
+Scraps and the Scarecrow
+
+
+From here on the country improved and the desert
+places began to give way to fertile spots; still
+no houses were yet to be seen near the road. There
+were some hills, with valleys between them, and on
+reaching the top of one of these hills the
+travelers found before them a high wall, running
+to the right and the left as far as their eyes
+could reach. Immediately in front of them, where
+the wall crossed the roadway, stood a gate having
+stout iron bars that extended from top to bottom.
+They found, on coming nearer, that this gate was
+locked with a great padlock, rusty through lack of
+use.
+
+"Well," said Scraps, "I guess we'll stop here."
+
+"It's a good guess," replied Ojo. "Our way is
+barred by this great wall and gate. It looks as if
+no one had passed through in many years.
+
+"Looks are deceiving," declared the Shaggy Man,
+laughing at their disappointed faces, "and this
+barrier is the most deceiving thing in all Oz."
+
+"It prevents our going any farther, anyhow,"
+said Scraps. "There is no one to mind the gate
+and let people through, and we've no key to
+the padlock."
+
+"True," replied Ojo, going a little nearer to
+peep through the bars of the gate. "What shall we
+do, Shaggy Man? If we had wings we might fly over
+the wall, but we cannot climb it and unless we get
+to the Emerald City I won't be able to find the
+things to restore Unc Nunkie to life."
+
+"All very true," answered the Shaggy Man,
+quietly; "but I know this gate, having passed
+through it many times."
+
+"How?" they all eagerly inquired.
+
+"I'll show you how," said he. He stood Ojo
+in the middle of the road and placed Scraps
+just behind him, with her padded hands on his
+shoulders. After the Patchwork Girl came the
+Woozy, who held a part of her skirt in his
+mouth. Then, last of all, was the Glass Cat,
+holding fast to the Woozy's tail with her glass
+jaws.
+
+"Now," said the Shaggy Man, "you must all
+shut your eyes tight, and keep them shut until
+I tell you to open them."
+
+"I can't," objected Scraps. "My eyes are but-
+tons, and they won't shut."
+
+So the Shaggy Man tied his red handkerchief over
+the Patchwork Girl's eyes and examined all the
+others to make sure they had their eyes fast shut
+and could see nothing.
+
+"What's the game,  anyhow--blind-man's-buff?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"Keep quiet!" commanded the Shaggy Man,
+sternly. "All ready? Then follow me."
+
+He took Ojo's hand and led him forward over the
+road of yellow bricks, toward the gate. Holding
+fast to one another they all followed in a row,
+expecting every minute to bump against the iron
+bars. The Shaggy Man also had his eyes closed, but
+marched straight ahead, nevertheless, and after
+he had taken one hundred steps, by actual count,
+he stopped and said:
+
+"Now you may open your eyes."
+
+They did so, and to their astonishment found
+the wall and the gateway far behind them,
+while in front the former Blue Country of the
+Munchkins had given way to green fields, with
+pretty farm-houses scattered among them.
+
+"That wall," explained the Shaggy Man, "is
+what is called an optical illusion. It is quite real
+while you have your eyes open, but if you are
+not looking at it the barrier doesn't exist at all.
+It's the same way with many other evils in life;
+they seem to exist, and yet it's all seeming and
+not true. You will notice that the wall--or what
+we thought was a wall--separates the Munchkin
+Country from the green country that surrounds
+the Emerald City, which lies exactly in the
+center of Oz. There are two roads of yellow
+bricks through the Munchkin Country, but the
+one we followed is the best of the two. Dorothy
+once traveled the other way, and met with more
+dangers than we did. But all our troubles are
+over for the present, as another day's journey
+will bring us to the great Emerald City."
+
+They were delighted to know this, and proceeded
+with new courage. In a couple of hours they
+stopped at a farmhouse, where the people were very
+hospitable and invited them to dinner. The farm
+folk regarded Scraps with much curiosity but no
+great astonishment, for they were accustomed to
+seeing extraordinary people in the Land of Oz.
+
+The woman of this house got her needle and
+thread and sewed up the holes made by the
+porcupine quills in the Patchwork Girl's body,
+after which Scraps was assured she looked as
+beautiful as ever.
+
+"You ought to have a hat to wear," remarked
+the woman, "for that would keep the sun from
+fading the colors of your face. I have some
+patches and scraps put away, and if you will
+wait two or three days I'll make you a lovely
+hat that will match the rest of you."
+
+"Never mind the hat," said Scraps, shaking
+her yarn braids; "it's a kind offer, but we can't
+stop. I can't see that my colors have faded a
+particle, as yet; can you?"
+
+"Not much," replied the woman. "You are still
+very gorgeous, in spite of your long journey."
+
+The children of the house wanted to keep the
+Class Cat to play with, so Bungle was offered
+a good home if she would remain; but the cat
+was too much interested in Ojo's adventures and
+refused to stop.
+
+"Children are rough playmates," she remarked to
+the Shaggy Man, "and although this home is more
+pleasant than that of the Crooked Magician I fear
+I would soon be smashed to pieces by the boys and
+girls."
+
+After they had rested themselves they renewed
+their journey, finding the road now smooth and
+pleasant to walk upon and the country growing more
+beautiful the nearer they drew to the Emerald
+City.
+
+By and by Ojo began to walk on the green
+grass, looking carefully around him.
+
+"What are you trying to find?" asked Scraps.
+
+"A six-leaved clover," said he.
+
+"Don't do that!" exclaimed the Shaggy Man,
+earnestly. "It's against the Law to pick a six-
+leaved clover. You must wait until you get Ozma's
+consent."
+
+"She wouldn't know it," declared the boy.
+
+"Ozma knows many things," said the Shaggy Man.
+"In her room is a Magic Picture that shows any
+scene in the Land of Oz where strangers or
+travelers happen to be. She may be watching the
+picture of us even now, and noticing everything
+that we do."
+
+"Does she always watch the Magic Picture?"
+asked Ojo.
+
+"Not always, for she has many other things
+to do; but, as I said, she may be watching us
+this very minute."
+
+"I don't care," said Ojo, in an obstinate tone
+of voice; "Ozma's only a girl."
+
+The Shaggy Man looked at him in surprise.
+
+"You ought to care for Ozma," said he, "if you
+expect to save your uncle. For, if you displease
+our powerful Ruler, your journey will surely prove
+a failure; whereas, if you make a friend of Ozma,
+she will gladly assist you. As for her being a
+girl, that is another reason why you should obey
+her laws, if you are courteous and polite.
+Everyone in Oz loves Ozma and hates her enemies,
+for she is as just as she is powerful."
+
+Ojo sulked a while, but finally returned to the
+road and kept away from the green clover. The
+boy was moody and bad tempered for an hour
+or two afterward, because he could really see
+no harm in picking a six-leaved clover, if he
+found one, and in spite of what the Shaggy
+Man had said he considered Ozma's law to be
+unjust.
+
+They presently came to a beautiful grove of tall
+and stately trees, through which the road wound in
+sharp curves--first one way and then another. As
+they were walking through this grove they heard
+some one in the distance singing, and the sounds
+grew nearer and nearer until they could
+distinguish the words, although the bend in the
+road still hid the singer. The song was something
+like this:
+
+
+"Here's to the hale old bale of straw
+That's cut from the waving grain,
+The sweetest sight man ever saw
+In forest, dell or plain.
+It fills me with a crunkling joy
+A straw-stack to behold,
+For then I pad this lucky boy
+With strands of yellow gold."
+
+
+"Ah!" exclaimed the Shaggy Man; "here comes my
+friend the Scarecrow.
+
+"What, a live Scarecrow?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Yes; the one I told you of. He's a splendid
+fellow, and very intelligent. You'll like him,
+I'm sure.
+
+Just then the famous Scarecrow of Oz came
+around the bend in the road, riding astride a
+wooden Sawhorse which was so small that its
+rider's legs nearly touched the ground.
+
+The Scarecrow wore the blue dress of the
+Munchkins, in which country he was made,
+and on his head was set a peaked hat with a flat
+brim trimmed with tinkling bells. A rope was
+tied around his waist to hold him in shape. for
+he was stuffed with straw in every part of him
+except the top of his head, where at one time
+the Wizard of Oz had placed sawdust, mixed
+with needles and pins, to sharpen his wits. The
+head itself was merely a bag of cloth, fastened
+to the body at the neck, and on the front of this
+bag was painted the face--ears, eyes, nose and
+mouth.
+
+The Scarecrow's face was very interesting, for
+it bore a comical and yet winning expression,
+although one eye was a bit larger than the other
+and ears were not mates. The Munchkin farmer who
+had made the Scarecrow had neglected to sew him
+together with close stitches and therefore some of
+the straw with which he was stuffed was inclined
+to stick out between the seams. His hands
+consisted of padded white gloves, with the fingers
+long and rather limp, and on his feet he wore
+Munchkin boots of blue leather with broad turns at
+the tops of them.
+
+The Sawhorse was almost as curious as its rider.
+It had been rudely made, in the beginning, to saw
+logs upon, so that its body was a short length of
+a log, and its legs were stout branches fitted
+into four holes made in the body. The tail was
+formed by a small branch that had been left on the
+log, while the head was a gnarled bump on one end
+of the body. Two knots of wood formed the eyes,
+and the mouth was a gash chopped in the log. When
+the Sawhorse first came to life it had no ears at
+all, and so could not hear; but the boy who then
+owned him had whittled two ears out of bark and
+stuck them in the head, after which the Sawhorse
+heard very distinctly.
+
+This queer wooden horse was a great favorite
+with Princess Ozma, who had caused the bottoms of
+its legs to be shod with plates of gold, so the
+wood would not wear away. Its saddle was made of
+cloth-of-gold richly encrusted with precious gems.
+It had never worn a bridle.
+
+As the Scarecrow came in sight of the party of
+travelers, he reined in his wooden steed and
+dismounted, greeting the Shaggy Man with a smiling
+nod. Then he turned to stare at the Patchwork Girl
+in wonder, while she in turn stared at him.
+
+"Shags," he whispered, drawing the Shaggy Man
+aside, "pat me into shape, there's a good fellow!"
+
+While his friend punched and patted the
+Scarecrow's body, to smooth out the humps, Scraps
+turned to Ojo and whispered: "Roll me out, please;
+I've sagged down dreadfully from walking so much
+and men like to see a stately figure."
+
+She then fell upon the ground and the boy rolled
+her back and forth like a rolling-pin, until the
+cotton had filled all the spaces in her patchwork
+covering and the body had lengthened to its
+fullest extent. Scraps and the Scarecrow both
+finished their hasty toilets at the same time, and
+again they faced each other.
+
+"Allow me, Miss Patchwork," said the Shaggy Man,
+"to present my friend, the Right Royal Scarecrow
+of Oz. Scarecrow, this is Miss Scraps Patches;
+Scraps, this is the Scarecrow. Scarecrow--Scraps;
+Scraps--Scarecrow."
+
+They both bowed with much dignity.
+
+"Forgive me for staring so rudely," said the
+Scarecrow, "but you are the most beautiful sight
+my eyes have ever beheld."
+
+"That is a high compliment from one who is
+himself so beautiful," murmured Scraps, casting
+down her suspender-button eyes by lowering her
+head. "But, tell me, good sir, are you not a
+trifle lumpy?"
+
+"Yes, of course; that's my straw, you know.
+It bunches up, sometimes, in spite of all my
+efforts to keep it even. Doesn't your straw ever
+bunch?"
+
+"Oh, I'm stuffed with cotton," said Scraps.
+"It never bunches, but it's inclined to pack down
+and make me sag."
+
+"But cotton is a high-grade stuffing. I may say
+it is even more stylish, not to say aristocratic,
+than straw," said the Scarecrow politely. "Still,
+it is but proper that one so entrancingly lovely
+should have the best stuffing there is going. I--
+er--I'm so glad I've met you, Miss Scraps!
+Introduce us again, Shaggy."
+
+"Once is enough," replied the Shaggy Man,
+laughing at his friend's enthusiasm.
+
+"Then tell me where you found her, and--Dear me,
+what a queer cat! What are you made of--gelatine?"
+
+"Pure glass," answered the cat, proud to have
+attracted the Scarecrow's attention. "I am much
+more beautiful than the Patchwork Girl. I'm
+transparent, and Scraps isn't; I've pink brains--
+you can see 'em work; and I've a ruby heart,
+finely polished, while Scraps hasn't any heart at
+all."
+
+"No more have I," said the Scarecrow, shaking
+hands with Scraps, as if to congratulate her on
+the fact. "I've a friend, the Tin Woodman, who has
+a heart, but I find I get along pretty well
+without one. And so--Well, well! here's a little
+Munchkin boy, too. Shake hands, my little man. How
+are you?"
+
+Ojo placed his hand in the flabby stuffed glove
+that served the Scarecrow for a hand, and the
+Scarecrow pressed it so cordially that the straw
+in his glove crackled.
+
+Meantime, the Woozy had approached the Sawhorse
+and begun to sniff at it. The Sawhorse resented
+this familiarity and with a sudden kick pounded
+the Woozy squarely on its Lead with one gold-shod
+foot.
+
+"Take that, you monster!" it cried angrily.
+
+The Woozy never even winked.
+
+"To be sure," he said; "I'll take anything I
+have to. But don't make me angry, you wooden
+beast, or my eyes will flash fire and burn you
+up."
+
+The Sawhorse rolled its knot eyes wickedly
+and kicked again, but the Woozy trotted away
+and said to the Scarecrow:
+
+"What a sweet disposition that creature has!
+I advise you to chop it up for kindling-wood
+and use me to ride upon. My back is flat and
+you can't fall off."
+
+"I think the trouble is that you haven't been
+properly introduced," said the Scarecrow,
+regarding the Woozy with much wonder, for he had
+never seen such a queer animal before.
+
+"The Sawhorse is the favorite steed of Princess
+Ozma, the Ruler of the Land of Oz, and he lives in
+a stable decorated with pearls and emeralds, at
+the rear of the royal palace. He is swift as the
+wind, untiring, and is kind to his friends. All
+the people of Oz respect the Sawhorse highly, and
+when I visit Ozma she sometimes allows me to ride
+him--as I am doing to-day. Now you know what an
+important personage the Sawhorse is, and if some
+one--perhaps your-self--will tell me your name,
+your rank and station, and your history, it will
+give me pleasure to relate them to the Sawhorse.
+This will lead to mutual respect and friendship."
+
+The Woozy was somewhat abashed by this speech
+and did not know how to reply. But Ojo said:
+
+"This square beast is called the Woozy, and he
+isn't of much importance except that he has three
+hairs growing on the tip of his tail."
+
+The Scarecrow looked and saw that this was true.
+
+"But," said he, in a puzzled way, "what makes
+those three hairs important? The Shaggy Man has
+thousands of hairs, but no one has ever accused
+him of being important."
+
+So Ojo related the sad story of Unc Nunkie's
+transformation into a marble statue, and told how
+he had set out to find the things the Crooked
+Magician wanted, in order to make a charm that
+would restore his uncle to life. One of the
+requirements was three hairs from a Woozy's tail,
+but not being able to pull out the hairs they had
+been obliged to take the Woozy with them.
+
+The Scarecrow looked grave as he listened and he
+shook his head several times, as if in
+disapproval.
+
+"We must see Ozma about this matter," he
+said. "That Crooked Magician is breaking the
+Law by practicing magic without a license, and
+I'm not sure Ozma will allow him to restore your
+uncle to life."
+
+"Already I have warned the boy of that,"
+declared the Shaggy Man.
+
+At this Ojo began to cry. "I want my Unc
+Nunkie!" he exclaimed. "I know how he can be
+restored to life, and I'm going to do it--Ozma or
+no Ozma! What right has this girl Ruler to keep my
+Unc Nunkie a statue forever?"
+
+"Don't worry about that just now," advised
+the Scarecrow. "Go on to the Emerald City,
+and when you reach it have the Shaggy Man
+take you to see Dorothy. Tell her your story and
+I'm sure she will help you. Dorothy is Ozma's
+best friend, and if you can win her to your side
+your uncle is pretty safe to live again." Then he
+turned to the Woozy and said: "I'm afraid you
+are not important enough to be introduced to
+the Sawhorse, after all."
+
+"I'm a better beast than he is," retorted the
+Woozy, indignantly. "My eyes can flash fire, and
+his can't."
+
+"Is this true?" inquired the Scarecrow, turning
+to the Munchkin boy.
+
+"Yes," said Ojo, and told how the Woozy had
+set fire to the fence.
+
+"Have you any other accomplishments?"
+asked the Scarecrow.
+
+"I have a most terrible growl--that is,
+sometimes," said the Woozy, as Scraps laughed
+merrily and the Shaggy Man smiled. But the Patch-
+work Girl's laugh made the Scarecrow forget all
+about the Woozy. He said to her:
+
+"What an admirable young lady you are, and
+what jolly good company! We must be better
+acquainted, for never before have I met a girl
+with such exquisite coloring or such natural,
+artless manners."
+
+"No wonder they call you the Wise Scarecrow,"
+replied Scraps.
+
+"When you arrive at the Emerald City I will see
+you again," continued the Scarecrow. "Just now I
+am going to call upon an old friend--an ordinary
+young lady named Jinjur--who has Promised to
+repaint my left ear for me. You may have noticed
+that the paint on my left ear has peeled off and
+faded, which affects my hearing on that side.
+Jinjur always fixes me up when I get weather-
+worn."
+
+"When do you expect to return to the Emerald
+City?" asked the Shaggy Man.
+
+"I'll be there this evening, for I'm anxious
+to have a long talk with Miss Scraps. How is it,
+Sawhorse; are you equal to a swift run?"
+
+"Anything that suits you suits me," returned
+the wooden horse.
+
+So the Scarecrow mounted to the jeweled
+saddle and waved his hat, when the Sawhorse
+darted away so swiftly that they were out of
+sight in an instant.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Fourteen
+
+Ojo Breaks the Law
+
+
+"What a queer man," remarked the Munchkin boy,
+when the party had resumed its journey.
+
+"And so nice and polite," added Scraps, bobbing
+her Lead. "I think he is the handsomest man I've
+seen since I came to life."
+
+"Handsome is as handsome does," quoted the
+Shaggy Man; "but we must admit that no living
+scarecrow is handsomer. The chief merit of my
+friend is that he is a great thinker, and in Oz it
+is considered good policy to follow his advice."
+
+"I didn't notice any brains in his head,"
+observed the Glass Cat.
+
+"You can't see 'em work, but they're there, all
+right," declared the Shaggy Man. "I hadn't much
+confidence in his brains myself, when first I came
+to Oz, for a humbug Wizard gave them to him; but I
+was soon convinced that the Scarecrow is really
+wise; and, unless his brains make him so, such
+wisdom is unaccountable."
+
+"Is the Wizard of Oz a humbug?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Not now. He was once, but he has reformed
+and now assists Glinda the Good, who is the
+Royal Sorceress of Oz and the only one licensed
+to practice magic or sorcery. Glinda has taught
+our old Wizard a good many clever things, so
+he is no longer a humbug."
+
+They walked a little while in silence and
+then Ojo said:
+
+"If Ozma forbids the Crooked Magician to
+restore Unc Nunkie to life, what shall I do?"
+
+The Shaggy Man shook his head.
+
+"In that case you can't do anything," he said.
+"But don't be discouraged yet. We will go to
+Princess Dorothy and tell her your troubles, and
+then we will let her talk to Ozma. Dorothy has the
+kindest little heart in the world, and she has
+been through so many troubles herself that she is
+sure to sympathize with you."
+
+"Is Dorothy the little girl who came here from
+Kansas?" asked the boy.
+
+"Yes. In Kansas she was Dorothy Gale. I used to
+know her there, and she brought me to the Land of
+Oz. But now Ozma has made her a Princess, and
+Dorothy's Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are here, too."
+Here the Shaggy Man uttered a long sigh, and then
+he continued: "It's a queer country, this Land of
+Oz; but I like it, nevertheless."
+
+"What is queer about it?" asked Scraps.
+
+"You, for instance," said he.
+
+"Did you see no girls as beautiful as I am in
+your own country?" she inquired.
+
+"None with the same gorgeous, variegated
+beauty," he confessed. "In America a girl stuffed
+with cotton wouldn't be alive, nor would anyone
+think of making a girl out of a patchwork quilt."
+
+"What a queer country America must be!" she
+exclaimed in great surprise. "The Scarecrow, whom
+you say is wise, told me I am the most beautiful
+creature he has ever seen."
+
+"I know; and perhaps you are-from a scarecrow
+point of view," replied the Shaggy Man; but why he
+smiled as he said it Scraps could not imagine.
+
+As they drew nearer to the Emerald City the
+travelers were filled with admiration for the
+splendid scenery they beheld. Handsome houses
+stood on both sides of the road and each had a
+green lawn before it as well as a pretty flower
+garden.
+
+"In another hour," said the Shaggy Man, "we
+shall come in sight of the walls of the Royal
+City."
+
+He was walking ahead, with Scraps, and behind
+them came the Woozy and the Glass Cat. Ojo had
+lagged behind, for in spite of the warnings he
+had received the boy's eyes were fastened on the
+clover that bordered the road of yellow bricks and
+he was eager to discover if such a thing as a
+six-leaved clover really existed.
+
+Suddenly he stopped short and bent over to
+examine the ground more closely. Yes; here at last
+was a clover with six spreading leaves. He counted
+them carefully, to make sure. In an instant his
+heart leaped with joy, for this was one of the
+important things he had come for--one of the
+things that would restore dear Unc Nunkie to life.
+
+He glanced ahead and saw that none of his
+companions was looking back. Neither were any
+other people about, for it was midway between
+two houses. The temptation was too strong to
+be resisted.
+
+"I might search for weeks and weeks, and
+never find another six-leaved clover," he told
+himself, and quickly plucking the stem from the
+plant he placed the prized clover in his basket,
+covering it with the other things he carried
+there. Then, trying to look as if nothing had
+happened, he hurried forward and overtook his
+comrades.
+
+The Emerald City, which is the most splendid as
+well as the most beautiful city in any fairyland,
+is surrounded by a high, thick wall of green
+marble, polished smooth and set with glistening
+emeralds. There are four gates, one facing the
+Munchkin Country, one facing the Country of the
+Winkies, one facing the Country of the Quadlings
+and one facing the Country of the Gillikins. The
+Emerald City lies directly in the center of these
+four important countries of Oz. The gates had bars
+of pure gold, and on either side of each gateway
+were built high towers, from which floated gay
+banners. Other towers were set at distances along
+the walls, which were broad enough for four people
+to walk abreast upon.
+
+This enclosure, all green and gold and
+glittering with precious gems, was indeed a
+wonderful sight to greet our travelers, who first
+observed it from the top of a little hill; but
+beyond the wall was the vast city it surrounded,
+and hundreds of jeweled spires, domes and
+minarets, flaunting flags and banners, reared
+their crests far above the towers of the gateways.
+In the center of the city our friends could see
+the tops of many magnificent trees, some nearly as
+tall as the spires of the buildings, and the
+Shaggy Man told them that these trees were in the
+royal gardens of Princess Ozma.
+
+They stood a long time on the hilltop, feasting
+their eyes on the splendor of the Emerald City.
+
+"Whee!" exclaimed Scraps, clasping her padded
+hands in ecstacy, "that'll do for me to live in,
+all right. No more of the Munchkin Country for
+these patches--and no more of the Crooked
+Magician!"
+
+"Why, you belong to Dr. Pipt," replied Ojo,
+looking at her in amazement. "You were made for a
+servant, Scraps, so you are personal property and
+not your own mistress."
+
+"Bother Dr. Pipt! If he wants me, let him
+come here and get me. I'll not go back to his
+den of my own accord; that's certain. Only one
+place in the Land of Oz is fit to live in, and
+that's the Emerald City. It's lovely! It's almost
+as beautiful as I am, Ojo."
+
+"In this country," remarked the Shaggy Man,
+"people live wherever our Ruler tells them to. It
+wouldn't do to have everyone live in the Emerald
+City, you know, for some must plow the land and
+raise grains and fruits and vegetables, while
+others chop wood in the forests, or fish in the
+rivers, or herd the sheep and the cattle."
+
+"Poor things!" said Scraps.
+
+"I'm not sure they are not happier than the city
+people," replied the Shaggy Man. "There's a
+freedom and independence in country life that not
+even the Emerald City can give one. I know that
+lots of the city people would like to get back to
+the land. The Scarecrow lives in the country, and
+so do the Tin Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead; yet
+all three would be welcome to live in Ozma's
+palace if they cared to. Too much splendor becomes
+tiresome, you know. But, if we're to reach the
+Emerald City before sundown, we must hurry, for it
+is yet a long way off."
+
+The entrancing sight of the city had put new
+energy into them all and they hurried forward
+with lighter steps than before. There was much
+to interest them along the roadway, for the
+houses were now set more closely together and
+they met a good many people who were coming
+or going from one place or another. All these
+seemed  happy-faced,  pleasant  people,  who
+nodded graciously to the strangers as they
+Passed, and exchanged words of greeting.
+
+At last they reached the great gateway, just
+as the sun was setting and adding its red glow
+to the glitter of the emeralds on the green walls
+and spires. Somewhere inside the city a band
+could be heard playing sweet music; a soft,
+subdued hum, as of many voices, reached their
+ears; from the neighboring yards came the low
+mooing of cows waiting to be milked.
+
+They were almost at the gate when the golden
+bars slid back and a tall soldier stepped out and
+faced them. Ojo thought he had never seen so
+tall a man before. The soldier wore a handsome
+green and gold uniform, with a tall hat in which
+was a waving plume, and he had a belt thickly
+encrusted with jewels. But the most peculiar
+thing about him was his long green beard,
+which fell far below his waist and perhaps
+made him seem taller than he really was.
+
+"Halt!" said the Soldier with the Green
+Whiskers, not in a stern voice but rather in a
+friendly tone.
+
+They halted before he spoke and stood looking at
+him.
+
+"Good evening, Colonel," said the Shaggy
+Man. "What's the news since I left? Anything
+important?"
+
+"Billina has hatched out thirteen new chickens,"
+replied the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, "and
+they're the cutest little fluffy yellow balls you
+ever saw. The Yellow Hen is mighty proud of those
+children, I can tell you."
+
+"She has a right to be," agreed the Shaggy
+Man. "Let me see; that's about seven thousand
+chicks she has hatched out; isn't it, General?"
+
+"That, at least," was the reply. "You will have
+to visit Billina and congratulate her."
+
+"It will give me pleasure to do that," said the
+Shaggy Man. "But you will observe that I have
+brought some strangers home with me. I am
+going to take them to see Dorothy."
+
+"One moment, please," said the soldier, barring
+their way as they started to enter the gate. "I am
+on duty, and I have orders to execute. Is anyone
+in your party named Ojo the Unlucky?"
+
+"Why, that's me!" cried Ojo, astonished at
+hearing his name on the lips of a stranger.
+
+The Soldier with the Green Whiskers nodded. "I
+thought so," said he, "and I am sorry to announce
+that it is my painful duty to arrest you."
+
+"Arrest me!" exclaimed the boy. "What for?"
+
+"I haven't looked to see," answered the soldier.
+Then he drew a paper from his breast pocket and
+glanced at it. "Oh, yes; you are to be arrested
+for willfully breaking one of the Laws of Oz."
+
+"Breaking a law!" said Scraps. "Nonsense,
+Soldier; you're joking."
+
+"Not this time," returned the soldier, with a
+sigh. "My dear child what are you, a rummage sale
+or a guess-me quick?--in me you be hold the Body
+Guard of our gracious Ruler, Princess Ozma, as
+well as the Royal Army of Oz and the Police Force
+of the Emerald City."
+
+"And only one man!" exclaimed the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Only one, and plenty enough. In my official
+positions I've had nothing to do for a good many
+years--so long that I began to fear I was
+absolutely useless--until today. An hour ago I was
+called to the presence of her Highness, Ozma of
+Oz, and told to arrest a boy named Ojo the
+Unlucky, who was journeying from the Munchkin
+Country to the Emerald City and would arrive in a
+short time. This command so astonished me that I
+nearly fainted, for it is the first time anyone
+has merited arrest since I can remember. You are
+rightly named Ojo the Unlucky. my poor boy, since
+you have broken a Law of Oz.
+
+"But you are wrong," said Scraps. "Ozma is
+wrong--you are all wrong--for Ojo has broken no
+Law."
+
+"Then he will soon be free again," replied the
+Soldier with the Green Whiskers. "Anyone accused
+of crime is given a fair trial by our Ruler and
+has every chance to prove his innocence. But just
+now Ozma's orders must be obeyed."
+
+With this he took from his pocket a pair of
+handcuffs made of gold and set with rubies and
+diamonds, and these he snapped over Ojo's wrists.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Fifteen
+
+Ozma's Prisoner
+
+
+The boy was so bewildered by this calamity that he
+made no resistance at all. He knew very well he
+was guilty, but it surprised him that Ozma also
+knew it. He wondered how she had found out so soon
+that he had picked the six-leaved clover. He
+handed his basket to Scraps and said:
+
+"Keep that, until I get out of prison. If I
+never get out, take it to the Crooked Magician, to
+whom it belongs."
+
+The Shaggy Man had been gazing earnestly in the
+boy's face, uncertain whether to defend him or
+not; but something he read in Ojo's expression
+made him draw back and refuse to interfere to save
+him. The Shaggy Man was greatly surprised and
+grieved, but he knew that Ozma never made mistakes
+and so Ojo must really have broken the Law of Oz.
+
+The Soldier with the Green Whiskers now led them
+all through the gate and into a little room built
+in the wall. Here sat a jolly little man, richly
+dressed in green and having around his neck a
+heavy gold chain to which a number of great golden
+keys were attached. This was the Guardian of the
+Gate and at the moment they entered his room he
+was playing a tune upon a mouth-organ.
+
+"Listen!" he said, holding up his hand for
+silence. "I've just composed a tune called 'The
+Speckled Alligator.' It's in patch-time, which is
+much superior to rag-time, and I've composed it in
+honor of the Patchwork Girl, who has just
+arrived."
+
+"How did you know I had arrived?" asked Scraps,
+much interested.
+
+"It's my business to know who's coming, for I'm
+the Guardian of the Gate. Keep quiet while I play
+you 'The Speckled Alligator.'"
+
+It wasn't a very bad tune, nor a very good one,
+but all listened respectfully while he shut his
+eyes and swayed his head from side to side and
+blew the notes from the little instrument. When it
+was all over the Soldier with the Green Whiskers
+said:
+
+"Guardian, I have here a prisoner."
+
+"Good gracious! A prisoner?" cried the little
+man, jumping up from his chair. "Which one? Not
+the Shaggy Man?"
+
+"No; this boy."
+
+"Ah; I hope his fault is as small as himself,"
+said the Guardian of the Gate. "But what can he
+have done, and what made him do it?"
+
+"Can't say," replied the soldier. "All I know
+is that he has broken the Law."
+
+"But no one ever does that!"
+
+"Then he must be innocent, and soon will be
+released. I hope you are right, Guardian. Just now
+I am ordered to take him to prison. Get me a
+prisoner's robe from your Official Wardrobe."
+
+The Guardian unlocked a closet and took
+from it a white robe, which the soldier threw
+over Ojo. It covered him from head to foot, but
+had two holes just in front of his eyes, so he
+could see where to go. In this attire the boy
+presented a very quaint appearance.
+
+As the Guardian unlocked a gate leading
+from his room into the streets of the Emerald
+City, the Shaggy Man said to Scraps:
+
+"I think I shall take you directly to Dorothy,
+as the Scarecrow advised, and the Glass Cat
+and the Woozy may come with us. Ojo must
+go to prison with the Soldier with the Green
+Whiskers, but he will he well treated and you
+need not worry about him."
+
+"What will they do with him?" asked Scraps.
+
+"That I cannot tell. Since I came to the Land of
+Oz no one has ever been arrested or imprisoned--
+until Ojo broke the Law."
+
+"Seems to me that girl Ruler of yours is making
+a big fuss over nothing," remarked Scraps, tossing
+her yarn hair out of her eyes with a jerk of her
+patched head. "I don't know what Ojo has done, but
+it couldn't be anything very, bad, for you and I
+were with him all the time."
+
+The Shaggy Man made no reply to this speech and
+presently the Patchwork Girl forgot all about Ojo
+in her admiration of the wonderful city she had
+entered.
+
+They soon separated from the Munchkin boy, who
+was led by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers
+down a side street toward the prison. Ojo felt
+very miserable and greatly ashamed of himself, but
+he was beginning to grow angry because he was
+treated in such a disgraceful manner. Instead of
+entering the splendid Emerald City as a
+respectable traveler who was entitled to a
+welcome and to hospitality, he was being brought
+in as a criminal, handcuffed and in a robe that
+told all he met of his deep disgrace.
+
+Ojo was by nature gentle and affectionate and if
+he had disobeyed the Law of Oz it was to restore
+his dear Unc Nunkie to life. His fault was more
+thoughtless than wicked, but that did not alter
+the fact that he had committed a fault. At first
+he had felt sorrow and remorse, but the more he
+thought about the unjust treatment he had
+received--unjust merely because he considered it
+so--the more he resented his arrest, blaming Ozma
+for making foolish laws and then punishing folks
+who broke them. Only a six-leaved clover! A tiny
+green plant growing neglected and trampled under
+foot. What harm could there be in picking it? Ojo
+began to think Ozma must be a very bad and
+oppressive Ruler for such a lovely fairyland as
+Oz. The Shaggy Man said the people loved her; but
+how could they?
+
+The little Munchkin boy was so busy thinking
+these things--which many guilty prisoners have
+thought before him--that he scarcely noticed all
+the splendor of the city streets through which
+they passed. Whenever they met any of the happy,
+smiling people, the boy turned his head away in
+shame, although none knew who was beneath the
+robe.
+
+By and by they reached a house built just beside
+the great city wall, but in a quiet, retired
+place. It was a pretty house, neatly painted and
+with many windows. Before it was a garden filled
+with blooming flowers. The Soldier with the Green
+Whiskers led Ojo up the gravel path to the front
+door, on which he knocked.
+
+A woman opened the door and, seeing Ojo
+in his white robe, exclaimed:
+
+"Goodness me! A prisoner at last. But what a
+small one, Soldier."
+
+"The size doesn't matter, Tollydiggle, my
+dear. The fact remains that he is a prisoner,"
+said the soldier. "And, this being the prison,
+and you the jailer, it is my duty to place the
+prisoner in your charge."
+
+"True. Come in, then, and I'll give you a
+receipt for him."
+
+They entered the house and passed through a hall
+to a large circular room, where the woman pulled
+the robe off from Ojo and looked at him with
+kindly interest. The boy, on his part, was gazing
+around him in amazement, for never had he dreamed
+of such a magnificent apartment as this in which
+he stood. The roof of the dome was of colored
+glass, worked into beautiful designs. The walls
+were paneled with plates of
+
+gold decorated with gems of great size and many
+colors, and upon the tiled floor were soft rags
+delightful to walk upon. The furniture was framed
+in gold and upholstered in satin brocade and it
+consisted of easy chairs, divans and stools in
+great variety. Also there were several tables with
+mirror tops and cabinets filled with rare and
+curious things. In one place a case filled with
+books stood against the wall, and elsewhere Ojo
+saw a cupboard containing all sorts of games.
+
+"May I stay here a little while before I go to
+prison?" asked the boy, pleadingly.
+
+"Why, this is your prison," replied Tollydiggle,
+"and in me behold your jailor. Take off those
+handcuffs, Soldier, for it is impossible for
+anyone to escape from this house."
+
+"I know that very well," replied the soldier and
+at once unlocked the handcuffs and released the
+prisoner.
+
+The woman touched a button on the wall and
+lighted a big chandelier that hung suspended from
+the ceiling, for it was growing dark outside. Then
+she seated herself at a desk and asked:
+
+"What name?"
+
+"Ojo the Unlucky," answered the Soldier
+with the Green Whiskers.
+
+"Unlucky? Ah, that accounts for it," said she.
+"What crime?"
+
+"Breaking a Law of Oz."
+
+"All right. There's your receipt, Soldier; and
+now I'm responsible for the prisoner. I'm glad
+of it, for this is the first time I've ever had
+anything to do, in my official capacity," remarked
+the jailer, in a pleased tone.
+
+"It's the same with me, Tollydiggle," laughed
+the soldier. "But my task is finished and I must
+go and report to Ozma that I've done my duty
+like a faithful Police Force, a loyal Army and
+an honest Body-Guard--as I hope I am."
+
+Saying this, be nodded farewell to Tollydiggle
+and Ojo and went away.
+
+"Now, then," said the woman briskly, "I must get
+you some supper, for you are doubtless hungry.
+What would you prefer: planked whitefish, omelet
+with jelly or mutton-chops with gravy?"
+
+Ojo thought about it. Then he said: "I'll take
+the chops, if you please."
+
+"Very well; amuse yourself while I'm gone;
+I won't be long," and then she went out by a
+door and left the prisoner alone.
+
+Ojo was much astonished, for not only was this
+unlike any prison he had ever heard of, but he was
+being treated more as a guest than a criminal.
+There were many windows and they bad no locks.
+There were three doors to the room and none were
+bolted. He cautiously opened one of the doors and
+found it led into a hallway. But he had no
+intention of trying to escape. If his jailor was
+willing to trust him in this way he would not
+betray her trust, and moreover a hot supper was
+being prepared for him and his prison was very
+pleasant and comfortable. So he took a book from
+the case and sat down in a big chair to look at
+the pictures.
+
+This amused him until the woman came in with a
+large tray and spread a cloth on one of the
+tables. Then she arranged his supper, which proved
+the most varied and delicious meal Ojo had ever
+eaten in his life.
+
+Tollydiggle sat near him while he ate, sewing
+on some fancy work she held in her lap. When
+he had finished she cleared the table and then
+read to him a story from one of the books.
+
+"Is this really a prison?" he asked, when she
+had finished reading.
+
+"Indeed it is," she replied. "It is the only
+prison in the Land of Oz."
+
+"And am I a prisoner?"
+
+"Bless the child! Of course."
+
+"Then why is the prison so fine, and why
+are you so kind to me?" he earnestly asked.
+
+Tollydiggle seemed surprised by the question,
+but she presently answered:
+
+"We consider a prisoner unfortunate. He is
+unfortunate in two ways--because he has done
+something wrong and because he is deprived of his
+liberty. Therefore we should treat him kindly,
+because of his misfortune, for otherwise he would
+become hard and bitter and would not be sorry he
+had done wrong. Ozma thinks that one who has
+committed a fault did so because he was not strong
+and brave; therefore she puts him in prison to
+make him strong and brave. When that is
+accomplished he is no longer a prisoner, but a
+good and loyal citizen and everyone is glad that
+he is now strong enough to resist doing wrong. You
+see, it is kindness that makes one strong and
+brave; and so we are kind to our prisoners."
+
+Ojo thought this over very carefully. "I had
+an idea," said he, "that prisoners were always
+treated harshly, to punish them."
+
+"That would be dreadful!" cried Tollydiggle.
+"Isn't one punished enough in knowing he has
+done wrong? Don't you wish, Ojo, with all your
+heart, that you had not been disobedient and
+broken a Law of Oz?"
+
+"I--I hate to be different from other people,"
+he admitted.
+
+"Yes; one likes to be respected as highly as his
+neighbors are," said the woman. "When you are
+tried and found guilty, you will be obliged to
+make amends, in some way. I don't know just
+what Ozma will do to you, because this is the
+first time one of us has broken a Law; but you
+may be sure she will be just and merciful. Here
+in the Emerald City people are too happy and
+contented ever to do wrong; but perhaps you
+came from some faraway corner of our land, and
+having no love for Ozma carelessly broke one
+of her Laws."
+
+"Yes," said Ojo, "I've lived all my life in the
+heart of a lonely forest, where I saw no one but
+dear Unc Nunkie."
+
+"I thought so," said Tollydiggle. "But now
+we have talked enough, so let us play a game
+until bedtime."
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Sixteen
+
+Princess Dorothy
+
+
+Dorothy Gale was sitting in one of her rooms in
+the royal palace, while curled up at her feet was
+a little black dog with a shaggy coat and very
+bright eyes. She wore a plain white frock, without
+any jewels or other ornaments except an emerald-
+green hair-ribbon, for Dorothy was a simple
+little girl and had not been in the least spoiled
+by the magnificence surrounding her. Once the
+child had lived on the Kansas prairies, but she
+seemed marked for adventure for she had made
+seven trips to the Land of Oz before she came to
+live there for good. Her very best friend was the
+beautiful Ozma of Oz, who loved Dorothy so well
+that she kept her in her own palace, so as to be
+near her. The girl's Uncle Henry and Aunt Em--the
+only relatives she had in the world--had also been
+brought here by Ozma and given a pleasant home.
+Dorothy knew almost everybody in Oz, and it was
+she who had discovered the Scarecrow, the Tin
+Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, as well as Tik-tok
+the Clockwork Man. Her life was very pleasant now,
+and although she had been made a Princess of Oz by
+her friend Ozma she did not care much to be a
+Princess and remained as sweet as when she had
+been plain Dorothy Gale of Kansas.
+
+Dorothy was reading in a book this evening
+when Jellia Jamb, the favorite servant-maid of
+the palace, came to say that the Shaggy Man
+wanted to see her.
+
+"All right," said Dorothy; "tell him to come
+right up."
+
+"But he has some queer creatures with him--some
+of the queerest I've ever laid eyes on," reported
+Jellia.
+
+"Never mind; let 'em all come up," replied
+Dorothy.
+
+But when the door opened to admit not only the
+Shaggy Man, but Scraps, the Woozy and the Glass
+Cat, Dorothy jumped up and looked at her strange
+visitors in amazement. The Patchwork Girl was the
+most curious of all and Dorothy was uncertain at
+first whether Scraps was really alive or only a
+dream or a nightmare. Toto, her dog, slowly
+uncurled himself and going to the Patchwork Girl
+sniffed at her inquiringly; but soon he lay down
+again, as if to say he had no interest in such an
+irregular creation.
+
+"You're a new one to me," Dorothy said
+reflectively, addressing the Patchwork Girl. "I
+can't imagine where you've come from."
+
+"Who, me?" asked Scraps, looking around the
+pretty room instead of at the girl. "Oh, I came
+from a bed-quilt, I guess. That's what they say,
+anyhow. Some call it a crazy-quilt and some a
+patchwork quilt. But my name is Scraps--and now
+you know all about me."
+
+"Not quite all," returned Dorothy with a smile.
+"I wish you'd tell me how you came to be alive."
+
+"That's an easy job," said Scraps, sitting upon
+a big upholstered chair and making the springs
+bounce her up and down. "Margolotte wanted a
+slave, so she made me out of an old bed-quilt she
+didn't use. Cotton stuffing, suspender-button
+eyes, red velvet tongue, pearl beads for teeth.
+The Crooked Magician made a Powder of Life,
+sprinkled me with it and--here I am. Perhaps
+you've noticed my different colors. A very refined
+and educated gentleman named the Scarecrow, whom I
+met, told me I am the most beautiful creature in
+all Oz, and I believe it."
+
+"Oh! Have you met our Scarecrow, then?" asked
+Dorothy, a little puzzled to understand the brief
+history related.
+
+"Yes; isn't he jolly?"
+
+"The Scarecrow has many good qualities," replied
+Dorothy. "But I'm sorry to hear all this 'bout the
+Crooked Magician. Ozma'll be mad as hops when she
+hears he's been doing magic again. She told him
+not to."
+
+"He only practices magic for the benefit of his
+own family," explained Bungle, who was keeping at
+a respectful distance from the little black dog.
+
+"Dear me," said Dorothy; "I hadn't noticed
+you before. Are you glass, or what?"
+
+"I'm glass, and transparent, too, which is more
+than can be said of some folks," answered the
+cat. "Also I have some lovely pink brains; you
+can see 'em work."
+
+"Oh; is that so? Come over here and let me see."
+
+The Class Cat hesitated, eyeing the dog.
+
+"Send that beast away and I will," she said.
+
+"Beast! Why, that's my dog Toto, an' he's the
+kindest dog in all the world. Toto knows a good
+many things, too; 'most as much as I do, I
+guess."
+
+"Why doesn't he say anything?"  asked Bungle.
+
+"He can't talk, not being a fairy dog,"
+explained Dorothy. "He's just a common United
+States dog; but that's a good deal; and I
+understand him, and he understands me, just as
+well as if he could talk."
+
+Toto, at this, got up and rubbed his head
+softly against Dorothy's hand, which she held
+out to him, and he looked up into her face as if
+he had understood every word she had said.
+
+"This cat, Toto," she said to him, "is made
+of glass, so you mustn't bother it, or chase it,
+any more than you do my Pink Kitten. It's
+prob'ly brittle and might break if it bumped
+against anything."
+
+"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant he understood.
+
+The Glass Cat was so proud of her pink brains
+that she ventured to come close to Dorothy, in
+order that the girl might "see 'em work." This was
+really interesting, but when Dorothy patted the
+cat she found the glass cold and hard and
+unresponsive, so she decided at once that Bungle
+would never do for a pet.
+
+"What do you know about the Crooked Magician who
+lives on the mountain?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"He made me," replied the cat; "so I know all
+about him. The Patchwork Girl is new--three or
+four days old--but I've lived with Dr. Pipt for
+years; and, though I don't much care for him, I
+will say that he has always refused to work magic
+for any of the people who come to his house. He
+thinks there's no harm in doing magic things for
+his own family, and he made me out of glass
+because the meat cats drink too much milk. He also
+made Scraps come to life so she could do the
+housework for his wife Margolotte."
+
+"Then why did you both leave him?" asked
+Dorothy.
+
+"I think you'd better let me explain that,"
+interrupted the Shaggy Man, and then he told
+Dorothy all of Ojo's story and how Unc Nunkie and
+Margolotte had accidentally been turned to marble
+by the Liquid of Petrifaction. Then he related how
+the boy had started out in search of the things
+needed to make the magic charm, which would
+restore the unfortunates to life, and how he had
+found the Woozy and taken him along because he
+could not pull the three hairs out of its tail.
+Dorothy listened to all this with much interest,
+and thought that so far Ojo had acted very well.
+But when the Shaggy Man told her of the Munchkin
+boy's arrest by the Soldier with the Green
+Whiskers, because he was accused of wilfully
+breaking a Law of Oz, the little girl was greatly
+shocked.
+
+"What do you s'pose he's done?" she asked.
+
+"I fear he has picked a six-leaved clover,"
+answered the Shaggy Man, sadly. "I did not see him
+do it, and I warned him that to do so was against
+the Law; but perhaps that is what he did,
+nevertheless."
+
+"I'm sorry 'bout that," said Dorothy gravely,
+"for now there will be no one to help his poor
+uncle and Margolotte 'cept this Patchwork Girl,
+the Woozy and the Glass Cat."
+
+"Don't mention it," said Scraps. "That's no
+affair of mine. Margolotte and Unc Nunkie are
+perfect strangers to me, for the moment I came
+to life they came to marble."
+
+"I see," remarked Dorothy with a sigh of
+regret; "the woman forgot to give you a heart."
+
+"I'm glad she did," retorted the Patchwork Girl.
+"A heart must be a great annoyance to one. It
+makes a person feel sad or sorry or devoted or
+sympathetic--all of which sensations interfere with
+one's happiness."
+
+"I have a heart," murmured the Glass Cat.
+"It's made of a ruby; but I don't imagine I shall
+let it bother me about helping Unc Nunkie and
+Margolotte."
+
+"That's a pretty hard heart of yours," said
+Dorothy. "And the Woozy, of course--"
+
+"Why, as for me," observed the Woozy, who was
+reclining on the floor with his legs doubled under
+him, so that he looked much like a square box, "I
+have never seen those unfortunate people you are
+speaking of, and yet I am sorry for them, having
+at times been unfortunate myself. When I was shut
+up in that forest I longed for some one to help
+me, and by and by Ojo came and did help me. So I'm
+willing to help his uncle. I'm only a stupid
+beast, Dorothy, but I can't help that, and if
+you'll tell me what to do to help Ojo and his
+uncle, I'll gladly do it."
+
+Dorothy walked over and patted the Woozy on his
+square head.
+
+"You're not pretty," she said, "but I like you.
+What are you able to do; anything 'special?"
+
+"I can make my eyes flash fire--real fire--when
+I'm angry. When anyone says: 'Krizzle-Kroo' to me
+I get angry, and then my eyes flash fire."
+
+"I don't see as fireworks could help Ojo's
+uncle," remarked Dorothy. "Can you do anything
+else?"
+
+"I--I thought I bad a very terrifying growl,"
+said the Woozy, with hesitation; "but perhaps
+I was mistaken."
+
+"Yes," said the Shaggy Man, "you were certainly
+wrong about that." Then he turned to Dorothy and
+added: "What will become of the Munchkin boy?"
+
+"I don't know," she said, shaking her head
+thoughtfully. "Ozma will see him 'bout it, of
+course, and then she'll punish him. But how,
+I don't know, 'cause no one ever has been
+punished in Oz since I knew anything about
+the place. Too bad, Shaggy Man, isn't it?"
+
+While they were talking Scraps had been
+roaming around the room and looking at all
+the pretty things it contained. She had carried
+Ojo's basket in her hand, until now, when she
+decided to see what was inside it. She found
+the bread and cheese, which she had no use for,
+and the bundle of charms, which were curious
+but quite a mystery to her. Then, turning these
+over, she came upon the six-leaved clover which
+the boy had plucked.
+
+Scraps was quick-witted, and although she had no
+heart she recognized the fact that Ojo was her
+first friend. She knew at once that because the
+boy had taken the clover he bad been imprisoned,
+and she understood that Ojo had given her the
+basket so they would not find the clover in his
+possession and have proof of his crime. So,
+turning her head to see that no one noticed her,
+she took the clover from the basket and dropped it
+into a golden vase that stood on Dorothy's table.
+Then she came forward and said to Dorothy:
+
+"I wouldn't care to help Ojo's uncle, but I
+will help Ojo. He did not break the Law--no
+one can prove he did--and that green-whiskered
+soldier had no right to arrest him."
+
+"Ozma ordered the boy's arrest," said Dorothy,
+"and of course she knew what she was doing. But if
+you can prove Ojo is innocent they will set him
+free at once.
+
+"They'll have to prove him guilty, won't
+they?'' asked Scraps.
+
+"I s'pose so."
+
+"Well, they can't do that," declared the
+Patchwork Girl.
+
+As it was nearly time for Dorothy to dine with
+Ozma, which she did every evening, she rang for a
+servant and ordered the Woozy taken to a nice room
+and given plenty of such food as he liked best.
+
+"That's honey-bees," said the Woozy.
+
+"You can't eat honey-bees, but you'll be given
+something just as nice," Dorothy told him. Then
+she had the Glass Cat taken to another room for
+the night and the Patchwork Girl she kept in one
+of her own rooms, for she was much interested in
+the strange creature and wanted to talk with her
+again and try to understand her better.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Seventeen
+
+Ozma and Her Friends
+
+
+The Shaggy Man had a room of his own in the royal
+palace, so there he went to change his shaggy suit
+of clothes for another just as shaggy but not so
+dusty from travel. He selected a costume of
+peagreen and pink satin and velvet, with
+embroidered shags on all the edges and iridescent
+pearls for ornaments. Then he bathed in an
+alabaster pool and brushed his shaggy hair and
+whiskers the wrong way to make them still more
+shaggy. This accomplished, and arrayed in his
+splendid shaggy garments, he went to Ozma's
+banquet hall and found the Scarecrow, the Wizard
+and Dorothy already assembled there. The Scarecrow
+had made a quick trip and returned to the Emerald
+City with his left ear freshly painted.
+
+A moment later, while they all stood in waiting,
+a servant threw open a door, the orchestra struck
+up a tune and Ozma of Oz entered.
+
+Much has been told and written concerning the
+beauty of person and character of this sweet girl
+Ruler of the Land of Oz--the richest, the happiest
+and most delightful fairyland of which we have any
+knowledge. Yet with all her queenly qualities Ozma
+was a real girl and enjoyed the things in life
+that other real girls enjoy. When she sat on her
+splendid emerald throne in the great Throne Room
+of her palace and made laws and settled disputes
+and tried to keep all her subjects happy and
+contented, she was as dignified and demure as any
+queen might be; but when she had thrown aside her
+jeweled robe of state and her sceptre, and had
+retired to her private apartments, the girl--
+joyous, light-hearted and free--replaced the
+sedate Ruler.
+
+In the banquet hall to-night were gathered
+only old and trusted friends, so here Ozma was
+herself--a mere girl. She greeted Dorothy with
+a kiss, the Shaggy Man with a smile, the little
+old Wizard with a friendly handshake and then
+she pressed the Scarecrow's stuffed arm and
+cried merrily:
+
+"What a lovely left ear! Why, it's a hundred
+times better than the old one."
+
+"I'm glad you like it," replied the Scarecrow,
+well pleased. "Jinjur did a neat job, didn't she?
+And my hearing is now perfect. Isn't it wonderful
+what a little paint will do, if it's properly
+applied?"
+
+"It really is wonderful," she agreed, as they
+all took their seats; "but the Sawhorse must
+have his legs twinkle to have carried you so far
+in one day. I didn't expect you back before
+tomorrow, at the earliest."
+
+"Well," said the Scarecrow, "I met a charming
+girl on the road and wanted to see more of her, so
+I hurried back."
+
+Ozma laughed.
+
+"I know," she returned; "it's the Patchwork
+Girl. She is certainly bewildering, if not strictly
+beautiful."
+
+"Have you seen her, then?" the straw man eagerly
+asked.
+
+"Only in my Magic Picture, which shows me all
+scenes of interest in the Land of Oz."
+
+"I fear the picture didn't do her justice," said
+the Scarecrow.
+
+"It seemed to me that nothing could be more
+gorgeous," declared Ozma. "Whoever made that
+patchwork quilt, from which Scraps was formed,
+must have selected the gayest and brightest bits
+of cloth that ever were woven.
+
+"I am glad you like her," said the Scarecrow
+in a satisfied tone. Although the straw man did
+not eat, not being made so he could, he often
+dined with Ozma and her companions, merely
+for the pleasure of talking with them. He sat at
+the table and had a napkin and plate, but the
+servants knew better than to offer him food.
+After a little while he asked: "Where is the
+Patchwork Girl now?"
+
+"In my room," replied Dorothy. "I've taken a
+fancy to her; she's so queer and-and-uncommon."
+
+"She's half crazy, I think," added the Shaggy
+Man.
+
+"But she is so beautiful!"  exclaimed the
+Scarecrow, as if that fact disarmed all criticism.
+They  all laughed at his enthusiasm, but the
+Scarecrow  was quite serious. Seeing that he was
+interested in Scraps they forbore to say anything
+against her. The little band of friends Ozma had
+gathered around her was so quaintly assorted that
+much care must be exercised to avoid hurting their
+feelings or making any one of them unhappy. It was
+this considerate kindness that held them close
+friends and enabled them to enjoy one another's
+society.
+
+Another thing they avoided was conversing
+on unpleasant subjects, and for that reason Ojo
+and his troubles were not mentioned during the
+dinner. The Shaggy Man, however, related his
+adventures with the monstrous plants which
+had seized and enfolded the travelers, and told
+how he had robbed Chiss, the giant porcupine,
+of the quills which it was accustomed to throw
+at people. Both Dorothy and Ozma were pleased
+with this exploit and thought it served Chiss
+right.
+
+Then they talked of the Woozy, which was the
+most remarkable animal any of them had ever before
+seen--except, perhaps, the live Sawhorse. Ozma had
+never known that her dominions contained such a
+thing as a Woozy, there being but one in existence
+and this being confined in his forest for many
+years. Dorothy said she believed the Woozy was a
+good beast, honest and faithful; hut she added
+that she did not care much for the Glass Cat.
+
+"Still," said the Shaggy Man, "the Glass Cat
+is very pretty and if she were not so conceited
+over her pink brains no one would object to her
+as a companion.
+
+The Wizard had been eating silently until
+now, when he looked up and remarked:
+
+"That Powder of Life which is made by the
+Crooked Magician is really a wonderful thing.
+But Dr. Pipt does not know its true value and
+he uses it in the most foolish ways."
+
+"I must see about that," said Ozma, gravely.
+Then she smiled again and continued in a
+lighter tone: "It was Dr. Pipt's famous Powder
+of Life that enabled me to become the Ruler
+of Oz."
+
+"I've never heard that story," said the Shaggy
+Man, looking at Ozma questioningly.
+
+"Well, when I was a baby girl I was stolen by an
+old Witch named Mombi and transformed into a boy,"
+began the girl Ruler. "I did not know who I was
+and when I grew big enough to work, the Witch made
+me wait upon her and carry wood for the fire and
+hoe in the garden. One day she came back from a
+journey bringing some of the Powder of Life, which
+Dr. Pipt had given her. I had made a pumpkin-
+headed man and set it up in her path to frighten
+her, for I was fond of fun and hated the Witch.
+But she knew what the figure was and to test her
+Powder of Life she sprinkled some of it on the man
+I had made. It came to life and is now our dear
+friend Jack Pumpkinhead. That night I ran away
+with Jack to escape punishment, and I took old
+Mombi's Powder of Life with me. During our journey
+we came upon a wooden Sawhorse standing by the
+road and I used the magic powder to bring it to
+life. The Sawhorse has been with me ever since.
+When I got to the Emerald City the good Sorceress,
+Glinda, knew who I was and restored me to my
+proper person, when I became the rightful Ruler of
+this land. So you see had not old Mombi brought
+home the Powder of Life I might never have run
+away from her and become Ozma of Oz, nor would we
+have had Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse to
+comfort and amuse us."
+
+That story interested the Shaggy Man very much,
+as well as the others, who had often heard it
+before. The dinner being now concluded, they all
+went to Ozma's drawing-room, where they passed a
+pleasant evening before it came time to retire.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Eighteen
+
+Ojo is Forgiven
+
+
+The next morning the Soldier with the Green
+Whiskers went to the prison and took Ojo away to
+the royal palace, where he was summoned to appear
+before the girl Ruler for judgment. Again the
+soldier put upon the boy the jeweled handcuffs and
+white prisoner's robe with the peaked top and
+holes for the eyes. Ojo was so ashamed, both of
+his disgrace and the fault he had committed, that
+he was glad to be covered up in this way, so that
+people could not see him or know who he was. He
+followed the Soldier with the Green Whiskers very
+willingly, anxious that his fate might be decided
+as soon as possible.
+
+The inhabitants of the Emerald City were polite
+people and never jeered at the unfortunate; but it
+was so long since they bad seen a prisoner that
+they cast many curious looks toward the boy and
+many of them hurried away to the royal palace to
+be present during the trial.
+
+When Ojo was escorted into the great Throne
+Room of the palace he found hundreds of people
+assembled there. In the magnificent emerald
+throne, which sparkled with countless jewels, sat
+Ozma of Oz in her Robe of State, which was
+embroidered with emeralds and pearls. On her
+right, but a little lower, was Dorothy, and on her
+left the Scarecrow. Still lower, but nearly in
+front of Ozma, sat the wonderful Wizard of Oz and
+on a small table beside him was the golden vase
+from Dorothy's room, into which Scraps had dropped
+the stolen clover.
+
+At Ozma's feet crouched two enormous beasts,
+each the largest and most powerful of its kind.
+Although these beasts were quite free, no one
+present was alarmed by them; for the Cowardly Lion
+and the Hungry Tiger were well known and respected
+in the Emerald City and they always guarded the
+Ruler when she held high court in the Throne Room.
+There was still another beast present, but this
+one Dorothy held in her arms, for it was her
+constant companion, the little dog Toto. Toto knew
+the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger and often
+played and romped with them, for they were good
+friends.
+
+Seated on ivory chairs before Ozma, with a clear
+space between them and the throne, were many of
+the nobility of the Emerald City, lords and ladies
+in beautiful costumes, and officials of the
+kingdom in the royal uniforms of Oz. Behind these
+courtiers were others of less importance, filling
+the great hall to the very doors.
+
+At the same moment that the Soldier with the
+Green Whiskers arrived with Ojo, the Shaggy Man
+entered from a side door, escorting the Patchwork
+Girl, the Woozy and the Glass Cat. All these came
+to the vacant space before the throne and stood
+facing the Ruler.
+
+"Hullo, Ojo," said Scraps; "how are you?"
+
+"All right," he replied; but the scene awed the
+boy and his voice trembled a little with fear.
+Nothing could awe the Patchwork Girl, and although
+the Woozy was somewhat uneasy in these splendid
+surroundings the Glass Cat was delighted with the
+sumptuousness of the court and the impressiveness
+of the occasion--pretty big words but quite
+expressive.
+
+At a sign from Ozma the soldier removed Ojo's
+white robe and the boy stood face to face with the
+girl who was to decide his punishment. He saw at a
+glance how lovely and sweet she was, and his heart
+gave a bound of joy, for he hoped she would be
+merciful.
+
+Ozma sat looking at the prisoner a long time.
+Then she said gently:
+
+"One of the Laws of Oz forbids anyone to
+pick a six-leaved clover. You are accused of
+having broken this Law, even after you had
+been warned not to do so.
+
+Ojo hung his head and while he hesitated how to
+reply the Patchwork Girl stepped forward and spoke
+for him.
+
+"All this fuss is about nothing at all," she
+said, facing Ozma unabashed. "You can't prove he
+picked the six-leaved clover, so you've no right
+to accuse him of it. Search him, if you like, but
+you won't find the clover; look in his basket and
+you'll find it's not there. He hasn't got it, so I
+demand that you set this poor Munchkin boy free."
+
+The people of Oz listened to this defiance in
+amazement and wondered at the queer Patchwork Girl
+who dared talk so boldly to their Ruler. But Ozma
+sat silent and motionless and it was the little
+Wizard who answered Scraps.
+
+"So the clover hasn't been picked, eh?" he said.
+"I think it has. I think the boy hid it in his
+basket, and then gave the basket to you. I also
+think you dropped the clover into this vase, which
+stood in Princess Dorothy's room, hoping to get
+rid of it so it would not prove the boy guilty.
+You're a stranger here, Miss Patches, and so you
+don't know that nothing can be hidden from our
+powerful Ruler's Magic Picture--nor from the
+watchful eyes of the humble Wizard of Oz. Look,
+all of you!" With these words he waved his hands
+toward the vase on the table, which Scraps now
+noticed for the first time.
+
+From the mouth of the vase a plant sprouted,
+slowly growing before their eyes until it became a
+beautiful bush, and on the topmost branch appeared
+the six-leaved clover which Ojo had unfortunately
+picked.
+
+The Patchwork Girl looked at the clover and
+said: "Oh, so you've found it. Very well; prove
+he picked it, if you can."
+
+Ozma turned to Ojo.
+
+"Did you pick the six-leaved clover?" she asked.
+
+"Yes," he replied. "I knew it was against the
+Law, but I wanted to save Unc Nunkie and I was
+afraid if I asked your consent to pick it you
+would refuse me."
+
+"What caused you to think that?" asked the
+Ruler.
+
+"Why, it seemed to me a foolish law, unjust and
+unreasonable. Even now I can see no harm in
+picking a six-leaved clover. And I--I had not seen
+the Emerald City, then, nor you, and I thought a
+girl who would make such a silly Law would not be
+likely to help anyone in trouble."
+
+Ozma regarded him musingly, her chin resting
+upon her hand; but she was not angry. On the
+contrary she smiled a little at her thoughts and
+then grew sober again.
+
+"I suppose a good many laws seem foolish to
+those people who do not understand them," she
+said; "but no law is ever made without some
+purpose, and that purpose is usually to protect
+all the people and guard their welfare. As you are
+a stranger, I will explain this Law which to you
+seems so foolish. Years ago there were many
+Witches and Magicians in the Land of Oz, and one
+of the things they often used in making their
+magic charms and transformations was a six-leaved
+clover. These Witches and Magicians caused so much
+trouble among my people, often using their powers
+for evil rather than good, that I decided to
+forbid anyone to practice magic or sorcery except
+Glinda the Good and her assistant, the Wizard of
+Oz, both of whom I can trust to use their arts
+only to benefit my people and to make them
+happier. Since I issued that Law the Land of Oz
+has been far more peaceful and quiet; but I
+learned that some of the Witches and Magicians
+were still practicing magic on the sly and using
+the six-leaved clovers to make their potions and
+charms. Therefore I made another Law forbidding
+anyone from plucking a six-leaved clover or from
+gathering other plants and herbs which the Witches
+boil in their kettles to work magic with. That has
+almost put an end to wicked sorcery in our land,
+so you see the Law was not a foolish one, but wise
+and just; and, in any event, it is wrong to
+disobey a Law."
+
+Ojo knew she was right and felt greatly
+mortified to realize he had acted and spoken so
+ridiculously. But he raised his head and looked
+Ozma in the face, saying:
+
+"I am sorry I have acted wrongly and broken
+your Law. I did it to save Unc Nunkie, and
+thought I would not be found out. But I am
+guilty of this act and whatever punishment you
+think I deserve I will suffer willingly."
+
+Ozma smiled more brightly, then, and nodded
+graciously.
+
+"You are forgiven," she said. "For, although
+you have committed a serious fault, you are now
+penitent and I think you have been punished
+enough. Soldier, release Ojo the Lucky and--"
+
+"I beg your pardon; I'm Ojo the Unlucky,"
+said the boy.
+
+"At this moment you are lucky," said she.
+"Release him, Soldier, and let him go free."
+
+The people were glad to hear Ozma's decree and
+murmured their approval. As the royal audience was
+now over, they began to leave the Throne Room and
+soon there were none remaining except Ojo and his
+friends and Ozma and her favorites.
+
+The girl Ruler now asked Ojo to sit down and
+tell her all his story, which he did, beginning
+at the time he had left his home in the forest
+and ending with his arrival at the Emerald City
+and his arrest. Ozma listened attentively and
+was thoughtful for some moments after the boy
+had finished speaking. Then she said:
+
+"The Crooked Magician was wrong to make the
+Glass Cat and the Patchwork Girl, for it was
+against the Law. And if he had not unlawfully kept
+the bottle of Liquid of Petrifaction standing on
+his shelf, the accident to his wife Margolotte and
+to Unc Nunkie could not have occurred. I can
+understand, however, that Ojo, who loves his
+uncle, will be unhappy unless he can save him.
+Also I feel it is wrong to leave those two victims
+standing as marble statues, when they ought to be
+alive. So I propose we allow Dr. Pipt to make the
+magic charm which will save them, and that we
+assist Ojo to find the things he is seeking. What
+do you think, Wizard?"
+
+"That is perhaps the best thing to do," replied
+the Wizard. "But after the Crooked Magician
+has restored those poor people to life you must
+take away his magic powers."
+
+"I will," promised Ozma.
+
+"Now tell me, please, what magic things must you
+find?" continued the Wizard, addressing Ojo.
+
+"The three hairs from the Woozy's tail I
+have," said the boy. "That is, I have the Woozy,
+and the hairs are in his tail. The six-leaved
+clover I--I--"
+
+"You may take it and keep it," said Ozma. "That
+will not be breaking the Law, for it is already
+picked, and the crime of picking it is forgiven."
+
+"Thank you!" cried Ojo gratefully. Then he
+continued: "The next thing, I must find is a gill
+of water from a dark well.'
+
+The Wizard shook his head. "That," said he,
+"will be a hard task, but if you travel far enough
+you may discover it."
+
+"I am willing to travel for years, if it will
+save Unc Nunkie," declared Ojo, earnestly.
+
+"Then you'd better begin your journey at
+once," advised the Wizard.
+
+Dorothy bad been listening with interest to
+this conversation. Now she turned to Ozma and
+asked: "May I go with Ojo, to help him?"
+
+"Would you like to?" returned Ozma.
+
+"Yes. I know Oz pretty well, but Ojo doesn't
+know it at all. I'm sorry for his uncle and poor
+Margolotte and I'd like to help save them. May
+I go?"
+
+"If you wish to," replied Ozma.
+
+"If Dorothy goes, then I must go to take care of
+her," said the Scarecrow, decidedly. "A dark well
+can only be discovered in some out-of-the-way
+place, and there may be dangers there."
+
+"You have my permission  to accompany Dorothy,"
+said Ozma. "And while you are gone I will take
+care of the Patchwork Girl."
+
+"I'll take care of myself," announced Scraps,
+"for I'm going with the Scarecrow and Dorothy.
+I promised Ojo to help him find the things he
+wants and I'll stick to my promise."
+
+"Very well," replied Ozma. "But I see no need
+for Ojo to take the Glass Cat and the Woozy."
+
+"I prefer to remain here," said the cat. "I've
+nearly been nicked half a dozen times, already,
+and if they're going into dangers it's best for me
+to keep away from them."
+
+"Let Jellia Jamb keep her till Ojo returns,"
+suggested Dorothy. "We won't need to take the
+Woozy, either, but he ought to be saved because
+of the three hairs in his tail."
+
+"Better take me along," said the Woozy. "My eyes
+can flash fire, you know, and I can growl--a
+little."
+
+"I'm sure you'll be safer here," Ozma decided,
+and the Woozy made no further objection to the
+plan.
+
+After consulting together they decided that Ojo
+and his party should leave the very next day to
+search for the gill of water from a dark well, so
+they now separated to make preparations for the
+journey.
+
+Ozma gave the Munchkin boy a room in the palace
+for that night and the afternoon he passed with
+Dorothy--getting acquainted, as she said--and
+receiving advice from the Shaggy Man as to where
+they must go. The Shaggy Man had wandered in many
+parts of Oz, and so had Dorothy, for that matter,
+yet neither of them knew where a dark well was to
+be found.
+
+"If such a thing is anywhere in the settled
+parts of Oz," said Dorothy, "we'd prob'ly have
+heard of it long ago. If it's in the wild parts of
+the country, no one there would need a dark
+well. P'raps there isn't such a thing."
+
+"Oh, there must he!" returned Ojo, positively;
+"or else the recipe of Dr. Pipt wouldn't call
+for it."
+
+"That's true," agreed Dorothy; "and, if it's
+anywhere in the Land of Oz, we're bound to find
+it."
+
+"Well, we're bound to search for it, anyhow,"
+said the Scarecrow. "As for finding it, we must
+trust to luck."
+
+"Don't do that," begged Ojo, earnestly. "I'm
+called Ojo the Unlucky, you know."
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Nineteen
+
+Trouble with the Tottenhots
+
+
+A day's journey from the Emerald City brought the
+little band of adventurers to the home of Jack
+Pumpkinhead, which was a house formed from the
+shell of an immense pumpkin. Jack had made it
+himself and was very proud of it. There was a
+door, and several windows, and through the top was
+stuck a stovepipe that led from a small stove
+inside. The door was reached by a flight of three
+steps and there was a good floor on which was
+arranged some furniture that was quite
+comfortable.
+
+It is certain that Jack Pumpkinhead might
+have had a much finer house to live in bad he
+wanted it, for Ozma loved the stupid fellow,
+who had been her earliest companion; but Jack
+preferred his pumpkin house, as it matched
+himself very well, and in this he was not so
+stupid, after all.
+
+The body of this remarkable person was made of
+wood, branches of trees of various sizes having
+been used for the purpose. This wooden framework
+was covered by a red shirt--with white spots in
+it--blue trousers, a yellow vest, a jacket of
+green-and-gold and stout leather shoes. The neck
+was a sharpened stick on which the pumpkin head
+was set, and the eyes, ears, nose and mouth were
+carved on the skin of the pumpkin, very like a
+child's jack-o'-lantern.
+
+The house of this interesting creation stood
+in the center of a vast pumpkin-field, where the
+vines grew in profusion and bore pumpkins of
+extraordinary size as well as those which were
+smaller. Some of the pumpkins now ripening
+on the vines were almost as large as Jack's house,
+and he told Dorothy he intended to add another
+pumpkin to his mansion.
+
+The travelers were cordially welcomed to this
+quaint domicile and invited to pass the night
+there, which they had planned to do. The
+Patchwork Girl was greatly interested in Jack
+and examined him admiringly.
+
+"You are quite handsome," she said; "but not
+as really beautiful as the Scarecrow."
+
+Jack turned, at this, to examine the Scarecrow
+critically, and his old friend slyly winked one
+painted eye at him.
+
+"There is no accounting for tastes," remarked
+the Pumpkinhead, with a sigh. "An old crow
+once told me I was very fascinating, but of
+course the bird might have been mistaken. Yet
+I have noticed that the crows usually avoid the
+Scarecrow, who is a very honest fellow, in his
+way, but stuffed. I am not stuffed, you will
+observe; my body is good solid hickory."
+
+"I adore stuffing," said the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Well, as for that, my head is stuffed with
+pumpkin-seeds," declared Jack. "I use them for
+brains, and when they are fresh I am intellectual.
+Just now, I regret to say, my seeds are rattling a
+bit, so I must soon get another head."
+
+"Oh; do you change your head?" asked Ojo.
+
+"To be sure. Pumpkins are not permanent, more's
+the pity, and in time they spoil. That is why I
+grow such a great field of pumpkins--that I may
+select a new head whenever necessary."
+
+"Who carves the faces on them?" inquired the
+boy.
+
+"I do that myself. I lift off my old head, place
+it on a table before me, and use the face for a
+pattern to go by. Sometimes the faces I carve are
+better than others--more expressive and cheerful,
+you know--but I think they average very well."
+
+Before she had started on the journey Dorothy
+had packed a knapsack with the things she might
+need, and this knapsack the Scarecrow carried
+strapped to his back. The little girl wore a plain
+gingham dress and a checked sunbonnet, as she knew
+they were best fitted for travel. Ojo also had
+brought along his basket, to which Ozma had added
+a bottle of "Square Meal Tablets" and some fruit.
+But Jack Pumpkinhead grew a lot of things in his
+garden besides pumpkins, so he cooked for them a
+fine vegetable soup and gave Dorothy, Ojo and
+Toto, the only ones who found it necessary to eat,
+a pumpkin pie and some green cheese. For beds they
+must use the sweet dried grasses which Jack had
+strewn along one side of the room, but that
+satisfied Dorothy and Ojo very well. Toto, of
+course, slept beside his little mistress.
+
+The Scarecrow, Scraps and the Pumpkinhead
+were tireless and had no need to sleep, so they
+sat up and talked together all night; but they
+stayed outside the house, under the bright stars,
+and talked in low tones so as not to disturb the
+sleepers. During the conversation the Scarecrow
+explained their quest for a dark well, and asked
+Jack's advice where to find it.
+
+The Pumpkinhead considered the matter gravely.
+
+"That is going to be a difficult task," said he,
+"and if I were you I'd take any ordinary well
+and enclose it, so as to make it dark."
+
+"I fear that wouldn't do," replied the
+Scarecrow. "The well must be naturally dark, and
+the water must never have seen the light of day,
+for otherwise the magic charm might not work at
+all."
+
+"How much of the water do you need?" asked Jack.
+
+"A gill."
+
+"How much is a gill?"
+
+"Why--a gill is a gill, of course," answered
+the Scarecrow, who did not wish to display his
+ignorance.
+
+"I know!" cried Scraps. "Jack and Jill went up
+the hill to fetch--"
+
+"No, no; that's wrong," interrupted the
+Scarecrow. "There are two kinds of gills, I think;
+one is a girl, and the other is--"
+
+"A gillyflower," said Jack.
+
+"No; a measure."
+
+"How big a measure?"
+
+"Well, I'll ask Dorothy."
+
+So next morning they asked Dorothy, and she
+said:
+
+"I don't just know how much a gill is, but I've
+brought along a gold flask that holds a pint.
+That's more than a gill, I'm sure, and the Crooked
+Magician may measure it to suit himself. But the
+thing that's bothering us most, Jack, is to find
+the well."
+
+Jack gazed around the landscape, for he was
+standing in the doorway of his house.
+
+"This is a flat country, so you won t find any
+dark wells here," said he. "You must go into the
+mountains, where rocks and caverns are.
+
+"And where is that?" asked Ojo.
+
+"In the Quadling Country, which lies south
+of here," replied the Scarecrow. "I've known all
+along that we must go to the mountains."
+
+"So have I," said Dorothy.
+
+"But--goodness me!--the Quadling Country is full
+of dangers," declared Jack. "I've never been there
+myself, but--"
+
+"I have," said the Scarecrow. "I've faced the
+dreadful Hammerheads, which have no arms and butt
+you like a goat; and I've faced the Fighting
+Trees, which bend down their branches to pound and
+whip you, and had many other adventures there."
+
+"It's a wild country," remarked Dorothy,
+soberly, "and if we go there we're sure to have
+troubles of our own. But I guess we'll have to go,
+if we want that gill of water from the dark well."
+
+So they said good-bye to the Pumpkinhead and
+resumed their travels, heading now directly toward
+the South Country, where mountains and rocks and
+caverns and forests of great trees abounded. This
+part of the Land of Oz, while it belonged to Ozma
+and owed her allegiance, was so wild and secluded
+that many queer peoples hid in its jungles and
+lived in their own way, without even a knowledge
+that they had a Ruler in the Emerald City. If they
+were left alone, these creatures never troubled
+the inhabitants of the rest of Oz, but those who
+invaded their domains encountered many dangers
+from them.
+
+It was a two days journey from Jack Pumkinhead's
+house to the edge of the Quadling Country, for
+neither Dorothy nor Ojo could walk very fast and
+they often stopped by the wayside to rest. The
+first night they slept on the broad fields, among
+the buttercups and daisies, and the Scarecrow
+covered the children with a gauze blanket taken
+from his knapsack, so they would not be chilled by
+the night air. Toward evening of the second day
+they reached a sandy plain where walking was
+difficult; but some distance before them they saw
+a group of palm trees, with many curious black
+dots under them; so they trudged bravely on to
+reach that place by dark and spend the night under
+the shelter of the trees.
+
+The black dots grew larger as they advanced and
+although the light was dim Dorothy thought they
+looked like big kettles turned upside down. Just
+beyond this place a jumble of huge, jagged rocks
+lay scattered, rising to the mountains behind
+them.
+
+Our travelers preferred to attempt to climb
+these rocks by daylight, and they realized that
+for a time this would be their last night on the
+plains.
+
+Twilight had fallen by the time they came to the
+trees, beneath which were the black, circular
+objects they had marked from a distance. Dozens of
+them were scattered around and Dorothy bent near
+to one, which was about as tall as she was, to
+examine it more closely. As she did so the top
+flew open and out popped a dusky creature, rising
+its length into the air and then plumping down
+upon the ground just beside the little girl.
+Another and another popped out of the circular,
+pot-like dwelling, while from all the other black
+objects came popping more creatures--very like
+jumping-jacks when their boxes are unhooked--until
+fully a hundred stood gathered around our little
+group of travelers.
+
+By this time Dorothy had discovered they
+were people, tiny and curiously formed, but still
+people. Their skins were dusky and their hair
+stood straight up, like wires, and was brilliant
+scarlet in color. Their bodies were bare except
+for skins fastened around their waists and they
+wore bracelets on their ankles and wrists, and
+necklaces, and great pendant earrings.
+
+Toto crouched beside his mistress and wailed
+as if he did not like these strange creatures a bit.
+Scraps began to mutter something about "hopity,
+poppity, jumpity, dump!" but no one paid any
+attention to her. Ojo kept close to the Scarecrow
+and the Scarecrow kept close to Dorothy; but the
+little girl turned to the queer creatures and
+asked:
+
+"Who are you?"
+
+They answered this question all together, in
+a sort of chanting chorus, the words being as follows:
+
+
+"We're the jolly Tottenhots;
+We do not like the day,
+But in the night 'tis our delight
+To gambol, skip and play.
+
+"We hate the sun and from it run,
+The moon is cool and clear,
+So on this spot each Tottenhot
+Waits for it to appear.
+
+"We're ev'ry one chock full of fun,
+And full of mischief, too;
+But if you're gay and with us play
+We'll do no harm to you.
+
+
+
+"Glad to meet you, Tottenhots," said the
+Scarecrow solemnly. "But you mustn't expect us
+to play with you all night, for we've traveled
+all day and some of us are tired."
+
+"And we never gamble," added the Patchwork Girl.
+"It's against the Law."
+
+These remarks were greeted with shouts of
+laughter by the impish creatures and one seized
+the Scarecrow's arm and was astonished to find the
+straw man whirl around so easily. So the Tottenhot
+raised the Scarecrow high in the air and tossed
+him over the heads of the crowd. Some one caught
+him and tossed him back, and so with shouts of
+glee they continued throwing the Scarecrow here
+and there, as if he had been a basket-ball.
+
+Presently another imp seized Scraps and began to
+throw her about, in the same way. They found her a
+little heavier than the Scarecrow but still light
+enough to be tossed like a sofa-cushion, and they
+were enjoying the sport immensely when Dorothy,
+angry and indignant at the treatment her friends
+were receiving, rushed among the Tottenhots and
+began slapping and pushing them until she had
+rescued the Scarecrow and the Patchwork Girl and
+held them close on either side of her. Perhaps she
+would not have accomplished this victory so easily
+had not Toto helped her, barking and snapping at
+the bare legs of the imps until they were glad to
+flee from his attack. As for Ojo, some of the
+creatures had attempted to toss him, also, but
+finding his body too heavy they threw him to the
+ground and a row of the imps sat on him and held
+him from assisting Dorothy in her battle.
+
+The little brown folks were much surprised
+at being attacked by the girl and the dog, and
+one or two who had been slapped hardest began
+to cry. Then suddenly they gave a shout, all
+together, and disappeared in a flash into their
+various houses, the tops of which closed with a
+series of pops that sounded like a bunch of
+firecrackers being exploded.
+
+The adventurers now found themselves alone,
+and Dorothy asked anxiously:
+
+"Is anybody hurt?"
+
+"Not me," answered the Scarecrow. "They have
+given my straw a good shaking up and taken all the
+lumps out of it. I am now in splendid condition
+and am really obliged to the Tottenhots for their
+kind treatment."
+
+"I feel much the same way," said Scraps.
+"My cotton stuffing had sagged a good deal with
+the day's walking and they've loosened it up
+until I feel as plump as a sausage. But the play
+was a little rough and I'd had quite enough of
+it when you interfered."
+
+"Six of them sat on me," said Ojo, "but as
+they are so little they didn't hurt me much."
+
+Just then the roof of the house in front of
+them opened and a Tottenhot stuck his head
+out, very cautiously, and looked at the strangers.
+
+"Can't you, take a joke?" he asked,
+reproachfully; "haven t you any fun in you at
+all?"
+
+"If I had such a quality," replied the
+Scarecrow, "your people would have knocked it out
+of me. But I don't bear grudges. I forgive you."
+
+"So do I," added Scraps. "That is, if you behave
+yourselves after this."
+
+"It was just a little rough-house, that's all,"
+said the Tottenhot. "But the question is not if
+we will behave, but if you will behave? We
+can't be shut up here all night, because this
+is our time to play; nor do we care to come out
+and be chewed up by a savage beast or slapped
+by an angry girl. That slapping hurts like sixty;
+some of my folks are crying about it. So here's
+the proposition: you let us alone and we'll let
+you alone."
+
+"You began it," declared Dorothy.
+
+"Well, you ended it, so we won't argue the
+matter. May we come out again? Or are you still
+cruel and slappy?"
+
+"Tell you what we'll do," said Dorothy. "We're
+all tired and want to sleep until morning. If
+you'll let us get into your house, and stay there
+until daylight, you can play outside all you want
+to."
+
+"That's a bargain!" cried the Tottenhot
+eagerly, and he gave a queer whistle that
+brought his people popping out of their houses
+on all sides. When the house before them was
+vacant, Dorothy and Ojo leaned over the hole
+and looked in, but could see nothing because
+it was so dark. But if the Tottenhots slept there
+all day the children thought they could sleep
+there at night, so Ojo lowered himself down
+and found it was not very deep."
+
+"There's a soft cushion all over," said he.
+"Come on in."
+
+Dorothy handed Toto to the boy and then climbed
+in herself. After her came Scraps and the
+Scarecrow, who did not wish to sleep but preferred
+to keep out of the way of the mischievous
+Tottenhots.
+
+There seemed no furniture in the round den, but
+soft cushions were strewn about the floor and
+these they found made very comfortable beds. They
+did not close the hole in the roof but left it
+open to admit air. It also admitted the shouts and
+ceaseless laughter of the impish Tottenhots as
+they played outside, but Dorothy and Ojo, being
+weary from their journey, were soon fast asleep.
+
+Toto kept an eye open, however, and uttered low,
+threatening growls whenever the racket made by the
+creatures outside became too boisterous; and the
+Scarecrow and the Patchwork Girl sat leaning
+against the wall and talked in whispers all night
+long. No one disturbed the travelers until
+daylight, when in popped the Tottenhot who owned
+the place and invited them to vacate his premises.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty
+
+The Captive Yoop
+
+
+As they were preparing to leave, Dorothy asked:
+"Can you tell us where there is a dark well?"
+
+"Never heard of such a thing," said the
+Tottenhot. "We live our lives in the dark, mostly,
+and sleep in the day-time; but we've never seen a
+dark well, or anything like one."
+
+"Does anyone live on those mountains beyond
+here?" asked the Scarecrow.
+
+"Lots of people. But you'd better not visit
+them. We never go there," was the reply.
+
+"What are the people like?" Dorothy inquired.
+
+"Can't say. We've been told to keep away
+from the mountain paths, and so we obey. This
+sandy desert is good enough for us, and we're
+not disturbed here," declared the Tottenhot.
+
+So they left the man snuggling down to sleep in
+his dusky dwelling, and went out into the
+sunshine, taking the path that led toward the
+rocky places. They soon found it hard climbing,
+for the rocks were uneven and full of sharp points
+and edges, and now there was no path at all.
+Clambering here and there among the boulders they
+kept steadily on, gradually rising higher and
+higher until finally they came to a great rift in
+a part of the mountain, where the rock seemed to
+have split in two and left high walls on either
+side.
+
+"S'pose we go this way," suggested Dorothy;
+it's much easier walking than to climb over
+the hills."
+
+"How about that sign?" asked Ojo.
+
+"What sign?" she inquired.
+
+The Munchkin boy pointed to some words
+painted on the wall of rock beside them, which
+Dorothy had not noticed. The words read:
+
+
+"LOOK OUT FOR YOOP."
+
+
+The girl eyed this sign a moment and turned to
+the Scarecrow, asking:
+
+"Who is Yoop; or what is Yoop?"
+
+The straw man shook his head. Then looked at
+Toto and the dog said "Woof!"
+
+"Only way to find out is to go on, Scraps."
+
+This being quite true, they went on. As they
+proceeded, the walls of rock on either side grew
+higher and higher. Presently they came upon
+another sign which read:
+
+
+"BEWARE THE CAPTIVE YOOP."
+
+
+"Why, as for that," remarked Dorothy, "if Yoop
+is a captive there's no need to beware of him.
+Whatever Yoop happens to be, I'd much rather have
+him a captive than running around loose."
+
+"So had I," agreed the Scarecrow, with a nod of
+his painted head.
+
+"Still," said Scraps, reflectively:
+
+
+"Yoop-te-hoop-te-loop-te-goop!
+Who put noodles in the soup?
+We may beware but we don't care,
+And dare go where we scare the Yoop."
+
+
+
+"Dear me! Aren't you feeling a little queer,
+just now?" Dorothy asked the Patchwork Girl.
+
+"Not queer, but crazy," said Ojo. "When she
+says those things I'm sure her brains get mixed
+somehow and work the wrong way.
+
+"I don't see why we are told to beware the Yoop
+unless he is dangerous," observed the Scarecrow in
+a puzzled tone.
+
+"Never mind; we'll find out all about him when
+we get to where he is," replied the little girl.
+
+The narrow canyon turned and twisted this way
+and that, and the rift was so small that they were
+able to touch both walls at the same time by
+stretching out their arms. Toto had run on ahead,
+frisking playfully, when suddenly he uttered a
+sharp bark of fear and came running back to them
+with his tail between his legs, as dogs do when
+they are frightened.
+
+"Ah," said the Scarecrow, who was leading
+the way, "we must be near Yoop."
+
+Just then, as he rounded a sharp turn, the
+Straw man stopped so suddenly that all the
+others bumped against him.
+
+"What is it?" asked Dorothy, standing on
+tip-toes to look over his shoulder. But then she
+saw what it was and cried "Oh!" in a tone of
+astonishment.
+
+In one of the rock walls--that at their left--
+was hollowed a great cavern, in front of which was
+a row of thick iron bars, the tops and bottoms
+being firmly fixed in the solid rock. Over this
+cavern was a big sign, which Dorothy read with
+much curiosity, speaking the words aloud that all
+might know what they said:
+
+
+"MISTER YOOP--HIS CAVE
+
+The Largest Untamed Giant in Captivity.
+Height, 21 Feet.--(And yet he has but 2 feet.)
+Weight, 1640 Pounds.--(But he waits all the time.)
+Age, 400 Years 'and Up' (as they say in the
+
+ Department Store advertisements).
+Temper, Fierce and Ferocious.--(Except when asleep.)
+Appetite, Ravenous.--(Prefers Meat People and Orange Marmalade.)
+
+
+P. S.--Don't feed the Giant yourself."
+
+
+
+"Very well," said Ojo, with a sigh; "let's go back."
+
+"It's a long way back," declared Dorothy.
+
+"So it is," remarked the Scarecrow, "and it
+means a tedious climb over those sharp rocks if
+we can t use this passage. I think it will be best
+to run by the Giant's cave as fast as we can go.
+Mister Yoop seems to be asleep just now."
+
+But the Giant wasn't asleep. He suddenly
+appeared at the front of his cavern, seized the
+iron bars in his great hairy hands and shook
+them until they rattled in their sockets. Yoop
+was so tall that our friends had to tip their heads
+way back to look into his face, and they noticed
+he was dressed all in pink velvet, with silver
+buttons and braid. The Giant's boots were of
+pink leather and had tassels on them and his
+hat was decorated with an enormous pink ostrich
+feather, carefully curled.
+
+"Yo--ho!" he said in a deep bass voice; "I smell
+dinner."
+
+"I think you are mistaken," replied the
+Scarecrow. "There is no orange marmalade around
+here."
+
+"Ah, but I eat other things," asserted Mister
+Yoop. "That is, I eat them when I can get them.
+But this is a lonely place, and no good meat has
+passed by my cave for many years; so I'm hungry."
+
+"Haven't you eaten anything in many years?"
+asked Dorothy.
+
+"Nothing except six ants and a monkey. I thought
+the monkey would taste like meat people, but the
+flavor was different. I hope you will taste
+better, for you seem plump and tender."
+
+"Oh, I'm not going to be eaten," said Dorothy.
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"I shall keep out of your way," she answered.
+
+"How heartless!" wailed the Giant, shaking the
+bars again. "Consider how many years it is since
+I've eaten a single plump little girl! They tell
+me meat is going up, but if I can manage to catch
+you I'm sure it will soon be going down. And I'll
+catch you if I can."
+
+With this the Giant pushed his big arms,
+which looked like tree-trunks (except that tree-
+trunks don't wear pink velvet) between the iron
+bars, and the arms were so long that they
+touched the opposite wall of the rock passage.
+Then he extended them as far as he could reach
+toward our travelers and found he could almost
+touch the Scarecrow--but not quite.
+
+"Come a little nearer, please," begged the
+Giant.
+
+"I'm a Scarecrow."
+
+"A Scarecrow? Ugh! I don't care a straw for
+a scarecrow. Who is that bright-colored delicacy
+behind you?"
+
+"Me?" asked Scraps. "I'm a Patchwork Girl,
+and I'm stuffed with cotton."
+
+"Dear me," sighed the Giant in a disapointed
+tone; "that reduces my dinner from four to two--
+and the dog. I'll save the dog for dessert."
+
+Toto growled, keeping a good distance away.
+
+"Back up," said the Scarecrow to those behind
+him. "Let us go back a little way and talk this
+over.
+
+So they turned and went around the bend in
+the passage, where they were out of sight of the
+cave and Mister Yoop could not hear them.
+
+"My idea," began the Scarecrow, when they
+had halted, "is to make a dash past the cave,
+going on a run.
+
+"He'd grab us," said Dorothy.
+
+"Well, he can't grab but one at a time, and
+I'll go first. As soon as he grabs me the rest of
+you can slip past him, out of his reach, and he
+will soon let me go because I am not fit to eat."
+
+They decided to try this plan and Dorothy
+took Toto in her arms, so as to protect him. She
+followed just after the Scarecrow. Then came
+Ojo, with Scarps the last of the four. Their
+hearts beat a little faster than usual as they again
+approached the Giant's cave, this time moving
+swiftly forward.
+
+It turned out about the way the Scarecrow had
+planned. Mister Yoop was quite astonished to see
+them come flying toward him, and thrusting his
+arms between the bars he seized the Scarecrow in a
+firm grip. In the next instant he realized, from
+the way the straw crunched between his fingers,
+that he had captured the non-eatable man, but
+during that instant of delay Dorothy and Ojo had
+slipped by the Giant and were out of reach.
+Uttering a howl of rage the monster threw the
+Scarecrow after them with one hand and grabbed
+Scraps with the other.
+
+The poor Scarecrow went whirling through the air
+and so cleverly was he aimed that he struck Ojo's
+back and sent the boy tumbling head over heels,
+and he tripped Dorothy and sent her, also,
+sprawling upon the ground. Toto flew out of the
+little girl's arms and landed some distance ahead,
+and all were so dazed that it was a moment before
+they could scramble to their feet again. When they
+did so they turned to look toward the Giant's
+cave, and at that moment the ferocious Mister Yoop
+threw the Patchwork Girl at them.
+
+Down went all three again, in a heap, with
+Scraps on top. The Giant roared so terribly that
+for a time they were afraid he had broken loose;
+but he hadn't. So they sat in the road and looked
+at one another in a rather bewildered way, and
+then began to feel glad.
+
+"We did it!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, with
+satisfaction. "And now we are free to go on
+our way.
+
+"Mister Yoop is very impolite," declared
+Scraps. "He jarred me terribly. It's lucky my
+stitches are so fine and strong, for otherwise such
+harsh treatment might rip me up the back."
+
+"Allow me to apologize for the Giant," said
+the Scarecrow, raising the Patchwork Girl to
+her feet and dusting her skirt with his stuffed
+hands. "Mister Yoop is a perfect stranger to me,
+but I fear, from the rude manner in which he
+has acted, that he is no gentleman."
+
+Dorothy and Ojo laughed at this statement
+and Toto barked as if he understood the joke,
+after which they all felt better and resumed the
+journey in high spirits.
+
+"Of course," said the little girl, when they had
+walked a way along the passage, "it was lucky for
+us the Giant was caged; for, if he had happened to
+be loose, he--he--"
+
+"Perhaps, in that case, he wouldn't be hungry
+any more," said Ojo gravely.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-One
+
+Hip Hopper the Champion
+
+
+They must have had good courage to climb all those
+rocks, for after getting out of the canyon they
+encountered more rock hills to he surmounted. Toto
+could jump from one rock to another quite easily,
+but the others had to creep and climb with care,
+so that after a whole day of such work Dorothy and
+Ojo found themselves very tired.
+
+As they gazed upward at the great mass of
+tumbled rocks that covered the steep incline,
+Dorothy gave a little groan and said:
+
+"That's going to be a ter'ble hard climb,
+Scarecrow. I wish we could find the dark well
+without so much trouble."
+
+"Suppose," said Ojo, "you wait here and let
+me do the climbing, for it's on my account
+we're searching for the dark well. Then, if I
+don't find anything, I'll come back and join
+you.
+
+"No," replied the little girl, shaking her head
+positively, "we'll all go together, for that way
+we can help each other. If you went alone,
+something might happen to you, Ojo."
+
+So they began the climb and found it indeed
+difficult, for a way. But presently, in creeping
+over the big crags, they found a path at their
+feet which wound in and out among the masses of
+rock and was quite smooth and easy to walk upon.
+As the path gradually ascended the mountain,
+although in a roundabout way, they decided to
+follow it.
+
+"This must be the road to the Country of
+the Hoppers," said the Scarecrow.
+
+"Who are the Hoppers?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"Some people Jack Pumpkinhead told me about," he
+replied.
+
+"I didn't hear him," replied the girl.
+
+"No; you were asleep," explained the Scarecrow.
+"But he told Scraps and me that the hoppers
+and the Horners live on this mountain."
+
+"He said in the mountain," declared Scraps;
+"but of course he meant on it."
+
+"Didn't he say what the Hoppers and Horners were
+like?" inquired Dorothy.
+
+"No; he only said they were two separate
+nations, and that the Horners were the most
+important."
+
+"Well, if we go to their country we'll find out
+all about 'em," said the girl. "But I've never
+heard Ozma mention those people, so they can't
+be very important."
+
+"Is this mountain in the Land of Oz?" asked
+Scraps.
+
+"Course it is," answered Dorothy. "It's in the
+South Country of the Quadlings. When one comes to
+the edge of Oz, in any direction, there is nothing
+more to be seen at all. Once you could see sandy
+desert all around Oz; but now it's diff'rent, and
+no other people can see us, any more than we can
+see them."
+
+"If the mountain is under Ozma's rule, why
+doesn't she know about the Hoppers and the
+Horners?" Ojo asked.
+
+"Why, it's a fairyland," explained Dorothy, "and
+lots of queer people live in places so tucked away
+that those in the Emerald City never even hear of
+'em. In the middle of the country it's diff'rent,
+but when you get around the edges you're sure to
+run into strange little corners that surprise you.
+I know, for I've traveled in Oz a good deal, and
+os has the Scarecrow."
+
+"Yes," admitted the straw man, "I've been
+considerable of a traveler, in my time, and I like
+to explore strange places. I find I learn much
+more by traveling than by staying at home."
+
+During this conversation they had been walking
+up the steep pathway and now found themselves well
+up on the mountain. They could see nothing around
+them, for the rocks beside their path were higher
+than their heads. Nor could they see far in front
+of them, because the path was so crooked. But
+suddenly they stopped, because the path ended and
+there was no place to go. Ahead was a big rock
+lying against the side of the mountain, and this
+blocked the way completely.
+
+"There wouldn't be a path, though, if it
+didn't go somewhere," said the Scarecrow,
+wrinkling his forehead in deep thought.
+
+"This is somewhere, isn't it?" asked the
+Patchwork Girl, laughing at the bewildered
+looks of the others.
+
+
+"The path is locked, the way is blocked,
+Yet here we've innocently flocked;
+And now we're here it's rather queer
+There's no front door that can be knocked."
+
+
+"Please don't, Scraps," said Ojo. "You make me nervous.
+
+"Well," said Dorothy, "I'm glad of a little
+rest, for that's a drea'ful steep path."
+
+As she spoke she leaned against the edge of
+the big rock that stood in their way. To her
+surprise it slowly swung backward and showed
+behind it a dark hole that looked like the mouth
+of a tunnel.
+
+"Why, here's where the path goes to!" she
+exclaimed.
+
+"So it is," answered the Scarecrow. "But the
+question is, do we want to go where the path
+does?"
+
+"It's underground; right inside the mountain,"
+said Ojo, peering into the dark hole. "perhaps
+there's a well there; and, if there is, it's sure
+to be a dark one."
+
+"Why, that's true enough!" cried Dorothy
+with eagerness. "Let's go in, Scarecrow; 'cause,
+if others have gone, we're pretty safe to go, too."
+
+Toto looked in and barked, but he did not
+venture to enter until the Scarecrow had bravely
+gone first. Scraps followed closely after the
+straw man and then Ojo and Dorothy timidly stepped
+inside the tunnel. As soon as all of them had
+passed the big rock, it slowly turned and filled
+up the opening again; but now they were no longer
+in the dark, for a soft, rosy light enabled them
+to see around them quite distinctly.
+
+It was only a passage, wide enough for two
+of them to walk abreast--with Toto in between
+them--and it had a high, arched roof. They
+could not see where the light which flooded the
+place so pleasantly came from, for there were
+no lamps anywhere visible. The passage ran
+straight for a little way and then made a bend
+to the right and another sharp turn to the left,
+after which it went straight again. But there
+were no side passages, so they could not lose
+their way.
+
+After proceeding some distance, Toto, who
+had gone on ahead, began to bark loudly. They
+ran around a bend to see what was the matter
+and found a man sitting on the floor of the
+passage and leaning his back against the wall.
+He had probably been asleep before Toto's barks
+aroused him, for he was now rubbing his eyes
+and staring at the little dog with all his might.
+
+There was something about this man that Toto
+objected to, and when he slowly rose to his foot
+they saw what it was. He had but one leg, set just
+below the middle of his round, fat body; but it
+was a stout leg and had a broad, flat foot at the
+bottom of it, on which the man seemed to stand
+very well. He had never had but this one leg,
+which looked something like a pedestal, and when
+Toto ran up and made a grab at the man's ankle he
+hopped first one way and then another in a very
+active manner, looking so frightened that Scraps
+laughed aloud.
+
+Toto was usually a well behaved dog, but this
+time he was angry and snapped at the man's leg
+again and again. This filled the poor fellow with
+fear, and in hopping out of Toto's reach he
+suddenly lost his balance and tumbled heel over
+head upon the floor. When he sat up he kicked Toto
+on the nose and made the dog howl angrily, but
+Dorothy now ran forward and caught Toto's collar,
+holding him back.
+
+"Do you surrender?" she asked the man.
+
+"Who? Me?" asked the Hopper.
+
+"Yes; you," said the little girl.
+
+"Am I captured?" he inquired.
+
+"Of course. My dog has captured you," she said.
+
+"Well," replied the man, "if I'm captured I must
+surrender, for it's the proper thing to do. I like
+to do everything proper, for it saves one a lot of
+trouble."
+
+"It does, indeed," said Dorothy. "Please tell us
+who you are.
+
+"I'm Hip Hopper--Hip Hopper, the Champion."
+
+"Champion what?" she asked in surprise.
+
+"Champion wrestler. I'm a very strong man,
+and that ferocious animal which you are so
+kindly holding is the first living thing that has
+ever conquered me."
+
+"And you are a Hopper?" she continued.
+
+"Yes. My people live in a great city not far
+from here. Would you like to visit it?"
+
+"I'm not sure," she said with hesitation. "Have
+you any dark wells in your city?"
+
+"I think not. We have wells, you know, hut
+they're all well lighted, and a well lighted well
+cannot well be a dark well. But there may be
+such a thing as a very dark well in the Horner
+Country, which is a black spot on the face of
+the earth."
+
+"Where is the Horner Country?" Ojo inquired.
+
+"The other side of the mountain. There's a
+fence between the Hopper Country and the
+Horner Country, and a gate in the fence; but
+you can't pass through just now, because we
+are at war with the Horners."
+
+"That's too bad," said the Scarecrow. "What
+seems to be the trouble?"
+
+"Why, one of them made a very insulting remark
+about my people. He said we were lacking in
+understanding, because we had only one leg to a
+person. I can't see that legs have anything to do
+with understanding things. The Homers each have
+two legs, just as you have. That's one leg too
+many, it seems to me."
+
+"No," declared Dorothy, "it's just the right
+number."
+
+"You don't need them," argued the Hopper,
+obstinately. "You've only one head, and one
+body, and one nose and mouth. Two legs are
+quite unnecessary, and they spoil one's shape."
+
+"But how can you walk, with only one leg?" asked
+Ojo.
+
+"Walk! Who wants to walk?" exclaimed the man.
+"Walking is a terribly awkward way to travel. I
+hop, and so do all my people. It's so much more
+graceful and agreeable than walking."
+
+"I don't agree with you," said the Scarecrow.
+"But tell me, is there any way to get to the
+Horner Country without going through the city of
+the Hoppers?"
+
+"Yes; there is another path from the rocky
+lowlands, outside the mountain, that leads
+straight to the entrance of the Horner Country.
+But it's a long way around, so you'd better come
+with me. Perhaps they will allow you to go
+through the gate; but we expect to conquer
+them this afternoon, if we get time, and then
+you may go and come as you please."
+
+They thought it best to take the Hopper's
+advice, and asked him to lead the way. This he
+did in a series of hops, and he moved so swiftly
+in this strange manner that those with two legs
+had to run to keep up with him.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Two
+
+The Joking Horners
+
+
+It was not long before they left the passage and
+came to a great cave, so high that it must have
+reached nearly to the top of the mountain within
+which it lay. It was a magnificent cave, illumined
+by the soft, invisible light, so that everything
+in it could be plainly seen. The walls were of
+polished marble, white with veins of delicate
+colors running through it, and the roof was arched
+and fantastic and beautiful.
+
+Built beneath this vast dome was a pretty
+village--not very large, for there seemed not more
+than fifty houses altogether--and the dwellings
+were of marble and artistically designed. No grass
+nor flowers nor trees grew in this cave, so the
+yards surrounding the houses carved in designs
+both were smooth and bare and had low walls around
+them to mark their boundaries.
+
+In the streets and the yards of the houses
+were many people all having one leg growing
+below their bodies and all hopping here and
+there whenever they moved. Even the children
+stood firmly upon their single legs and never
+lost their balance.
+
+"All hail, Champion!" cried a man in the first
+group of Hoppers they met; "whom have you
+captured?"
+
+"No one," replied the Champion in a gloomy
+voice; "these strangers have captured me."
+
+"Then," said another, "we will rescue you, and
+capture them, for we are greater in number."
+
+"No," answered the Champion, "I can't allow it.
+I've surrendered, and it isn't polite to capture
+those you've surrendered to."
+
+"Never mind that," said Dorothy. "We will give
+you your liberty and set you free."
+
+"Really?" asked the Champion in joyous tones.
+
+"Yes," said the little girl; "your people may
+need you to help conquer the Horners."
+
+At this all the Hoppers looked downcast and sad.
+Several more had joined the group by this time and
+quite a crowd of curious men, women and children
+surrounded the strangers.
+
+"This war with our neighbors is a terrible
+thing," remarked one of the women. "Some one is
+almost sure to get hurt."
+
+"Why do you say that, madam?" inquired the
+Scarecrow.
+
+"Because the horns of our enemies are sharp,
+and in battle they will try to stick those horns
+into our warriors," she replied.
+
+"How many horns do the Horners have?" asked
+Dorothy.
+
+"Each has one horn in the center of his fore
+head," was the answer.
+
+"Oh, then they're unicorns," declared the
+Scarecrow.
+
+"No; they're Horners. We never go to war with
+them if we can help it, on account of their
+dangerous horns; but this insult was so great and
+so unprovoked that our brave men decided to fight,
+in order to be revenged," said the woman.
+
+"What weapons do you fight with?" the Scarecrow
+asked.
+
+"We have no weapons," explained the Champion.
+"Whenever we fight the Horners, our plan is to
+push them back, for our arms are longer than
+theirs."
+
+"Then you are better armed," said Scraps.
+
+"Yes; but they have those terrible horns, and
+unless we are careful they prick us with the
+points," returned the Champion with a shudder.
+"That makes a war with them dangerous, and a
+dangerous war cannot be a pleasant one."
+
+"I see very clearly," remarked the Scarecrow,
+"that you are going to have trouble in conquering
+those Horners--unless we help you."
+
+"Oh!" cried the Hoppers in a chorus; "can
+you help us? Please do! We will be greatly
+obliged! It would please us very much!" and by
+these exclamations the Scarecrow knew that his
+speech had met with favor.
+
+"How far is it to the Horner Country?" he asked.
+
+"Why, it's just the other side of the fence,"
+they answered, and the Champion added:
+
+"Come with me, please, and I'll show you the
+Horners."
+
+So they followed the Champion and several
+others through the streets and just beyond the
+village came to a very high picket fence, built
+all of marble, which seemed to divide the great
+cave into two equal parts.
+
+But the part inhabited by the Horners was in no
+way as grand in appearance as that of the Hoppers.
+Instead of being marble, the walls and roof were
+of dull gray rock and the square houses were
+plainly made of the same material. But in extent
+the city was much larger than that of the Hoppers
+and the streets were thronged with numerous people
+who busied themselves in various ways.
+
+Looking through the open pickets of the fence
+our friends watched the Horners, who did not know
+they were being watched by strangers, and found
+them very unusual in appearance. They were little
+folks in size and had bodies round as balls and
+short legs and arms. Their heads were round, too,
+and they had long, pointed ears and a horn set in
+the center of the forehead. The horns did not seem
+very terrible, for they were not more than six
+inches long; but they were ivory white and sharp
+pointed, and no wonder the Hoppers feared them.
+
+The skins of the Horners were light brown, but
+they wore snow-white robes and were bare footed.
+Dorothy thought the most striking thing about them
+was their hair, which grew in three distinct
+colors on each and every head--red, yellow and
+green. The red was at the bottom and sometimes
+hung over their eyes; then came a broad circle of
+yellow and the green was at the top and formed a
+brush-shaped topknot.
+
+None of the Horners was yet aware of the
+presence of strangers, who watched the little
+brown people for a time and then went to the
+big gate in the center of the dividing fence. It
+was locked on both sides and over the latch was
+a sign reading:
+
+
+"WAR IS DECLARED"
+
+
+"Can't we go through?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"Not now," answered the Champion.
+
+"I think," said the Scarecrow, "that if I could
+talk with those Horners they would apologize to
+you, and then there would be no need to fight."
+
+"Can't you talk from this side?" asked the
+Champion.
+
+"Not so well," replied the Scarecrow. "Do you
+suppose you could throw me over that fence?
+It is high, but I am very light."
+
+"We can try it," said the Hopper. "I am perhaps
+the strongest man in my country, so I'll undertake
+to do the throwing. But I won't promise you will
+land on your feet."
+
+"No matter about that," returned the Scarecrow.
+"Just toss me over and I'll be satisfied."
+
+So the Champion picked up the Scarecrow
+and balanced him a moment, to see how much
+he weighed, and then with all his strength
+tossed him high into the air.
+
+Perhaps if the Scarecrow had been a trifle
+heavier he would have been easier to throw and
+would have gone a greater distance; but, as it
+was, instead of going over the fence he landed
+just on top of it, and one of the sharp pickets
+caught him in the middle of his back and held him
+fast prisoner. Had he been face downward the
+Scarecrow might have managed to free himself, but
+lying on his back on the picket his hands waved in
+the air of the Horner Country while his feet
+kicked the air of the Hopper Country; so there he
+was.
+
+"Are you hurt?" called the Patchwork Girl
+anxiously.
+
+"Course not," said Dorothy. "But if he wig-gles
+that way he may tear his clothes. How can we get
+him down, Mr. Champion?"
+
+The Champion shook his head.
+
+"I don't know," he confessed. "If he could
+scare Horners as well as he does crows, it might
+be a good idea to leave him there."
+
+"This is terrible," said Ojo, almost ready to
+cry. "I s'pose it's because I am Ojo the Unlucky
+that everyone who tries to help me gets into
+trouble."
+
+"You are lucky to have anyone to help you,"
+declared Dorothy. "But don't worry. We'll rescue
+the Scarecrow somehow."
+
+"I know how," announced Scraps. "Here, Mr.
+Champion; just throw me up to the Scarecrow. I'm
+nearly as light as he is, and when I'm on top the
+fence I'll pull our friend off the picket and toss
+him down to you."
+
+"All right," said the Champion, and he picked up
+the Patchwork Girl and threw her in the same
+manner he had the Scarecrow. He must have used
+more strength this time, however, for Scraps
+sailed far over the top of the fence and, without
+being able to grab the Scarecrow at all, tumbled
+to the ground in the Horner Country, where her
+stuffed body knocked over two men and a woman and
+made a crowd that had collected there run like
+rabbits to get away from her.
+
+Seeing the next moment that she was harmless,
+the people slowly returned and gathered around the
+Patchwork Girl, regarding her with astonishment.
+One of them wore a jeweled star in his hair, just
+above his horn, and this seemed a person of
+importance. He spoke for the rest of his people,
+who treated him with great respect.
+
+"Who are you, Unknown Being?" he asked.
+
+"Scraps," she said, rising to her feet and
+patting her cotton wadding smooth where it had
+bunched up.
+
+"And where did you come from?" he continued.
+
+"Over the fence. Don't be silly. There's no
+other place I could have come from," she replied.
+
+He looked at her thoughtfully.
+
+"You are not a Hopper," said he, "for you
+have two legs. They're not very well shaped,
+but they are two in number. And that strange
+creature on top the fence--why doesn't he stop
+kicking?--must be your brother, or father, or son,
+for he also has two legs."
+
+"You must have been to visit the Wise Donkey,"
+said Scraps, laughing so merrily that the crowd
+smiled with her, in sympathy. "But that reminds
+me, Captain--or King--"
+
+"I am Chief of the Horners, and my name is Jak."
+
+"Of course; Little Jack Horner; I might have
+known it. But the reason I volplaned over the
+fence was so I could have a talk with you about
+the Hoppers."
+
+"What about the Hoppers?" asked the Chief,
+frowning.
+
+"You've insulted them, and you'd better beg
+their pardon," said Scraps. "If you don't, they'll
+probably hop over here and conquer you.
+
+"We're not afraid--as long as the gate is
+locked," declared the Chief. "And we didn't insult
+them at all. One of us made a joke that the stupid
+Hoppers couldn't see."
+
+The Chief smiled as he said this and the smile
+made his face look quite jolly.
+
+"What was the joke?" asked Scraps.
+
+"A Horner said they have less understanding than
+we, because they've only one leg. Ha, ha! You see
+the point, don't you? If you stand on your legs,
+and your legs are under you, then--ha, ha, ha!--
+then your legs are your under-standing. Hee, bee,
+hee! Ho, ho! My, but that's a fine joke. And the
+stupid Hoppers couldn't see it! They couldn't see
+that with only one leg they must have less
+under-standing than we who have two legs. Ha, ha,
+ha! Hee, bee! Ho, ho!" The Chief wiped the tears
+of laughter from his eyes with the bottom hem of
+his white robe, and all the other Horners wiped
+their eyes on their robes, for they had laughed
+just as heartily as their Chief at the absurd
+joke.
+
+"Then," said Scraps, "their understanding of the
+understanding you meant led to the
+misunderstanding."
+
+"Exactly; and so there's no need for us to
+apologize," returned the Chief.
+
+"No need for an apology, perhaps, but much need
+for an explanation," said Scraps decidedly. "You
+don't want war, do you?"
+
+"Not if we can help it," admitted Jak Horner.
+"The question is, who's going to explain the joke
+to the Horners? You know it spoils any joke to be
+obliged to explain it, and this is the best joke I
+ever heard."
+
+"Who made the joke?" asked Scraps.
+
+"Diksey Horner. He is working in the mines, just
+now, but he'll be home before long. Suppose we
+wait and talk with him about it? Maybe he'll be
+willing to explain his joke to the Hoppers."
+
+"All right," said Scraps. "I'll wait, if Diksey
+isn't too long."
+
+"No, he's short; he's shorter than I am. Ha,
+ha, ha! Say! that's a better joke than Diksey's.
+He won't be too long, because he's short. Hee,
+hee, ho!"
+
+The other Horners who were standing by roared
+with laughter and seemed to like their Chief's
+joke as much as he did. Scraps thought it was odd
+that they could be so easily amused, but decided
+there could be little harm in people who laughed
+so merrily.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Three
+
+Peace Is Declared
+
+
+"Come with me to my dwelling and I'll introduce
+you to my daughters," said the Chief. "We're
+bringing them up according to a book of rules that
+was written by one of our leading old bachelors,
+and everyone says they're a remarkable lot of girls."
+
+So Scraps accompanied him along the street to a
+house that seemed on the outside exceptionally
+grimy and dingy. The streets of this city were not
+paved nor had any attempt been made to beautify
+the houses or their surroundings, and having
+noticed this condition Scraps was astonished when
+the Chief ushered her into his home.
+
+Here was nothing grimy or faded, indeed. On the
+contrary, the room was of dazzling brilliance and
+beauty, for it was lined throughout with an
+exquisite metal that resembled translucent frosted
+silver. The surface of this metal was highly
+ornamented in raised designs representing men,
+animals, flowers and trees, and from the metal
+itself was radiated the soft light which flooded
+the room. All the furniture was made of the same
+glorious metal, and Scraps asked what it was.
+
+"That's radium," answered the Chief. "We
+Horners spend all our time digging radium from
+the mines under this mountain, and we use it
+to decorate our homes and make them pretty and
+cosy. It is a medicine, too, and no one can ever
+be sick who lives near radium."
+
+"Have you plenty of it?" asked the Patchwork
+Girl.
+
+"More than we can use. All the houses in this
+city are decorated with it, just the same as mine
+is."
+
+don't you use it on your streets, then,
+and the outside of your houses, to make them as
+pretty as they are within?" she inquired.
+
+"Outside? Who cares for the outside of
+anything?" asked the Chief. "We Horners don't live
+on the outside of our homes; we live inside. Many
+people are like those stupid Hoppers, who love to
+make an outside show. I suppose you strangers
+thought their city more beautiful than ours,
+because you judged from appearances and they have
+handsome marble houses and marble streets; but if
+you entered one of their stiff dwellings you would
+find it bare and uncomfortable, as all their show
+is on the outside. They have an idea that what is
+not seen by others is not important, but with us
+the rooms we live in are our chief delight and
+care, and we pay no attention to outside show."
+
+"Seems to me," said Scraps, musingly, "it
+would be better to make it all pretty--inside
+and out."
+
+"Seems? Why, you're all seams, my girl!" said
+the Chief; and then he laughed heartily at his
+latest joke and a chorus of small voices echoed
+the chorus with "tee-hee-hee! ha, ha!"
+
+Scraps turned around and found a row of
+girls seated in radium chairs ranged along one
+wall of the room. There were nineteen of them,
+by actual count, and they were of all sizes from
+a tiny child to one almost a grown woman. All
+were neatly dressed in spotless white robes and
+had brown skins, horns on their foreheads and
+threecolored hair.
+
+"These," said the Chief, "are my sweet
+daughters. My dears, I introduce to you Miss
+Scraps Patchwork, a lady who is traveling in
+foreign parts to increase her store of wisdom."
+
+The nineteen Horner girls all arose and made
+a polite curtsey, after which they resumed their
+seats and rearranged their robes properly.
+
+"Why do they sit so still, and all in a row?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"Because it is ladylike and proper," replied the
+Chief.
+
+"But some are just children, poor things!
+Don't they ever run around and play and laugh,
+and have a good time?"
+
+"No, indeed," said the Chief. "That would he
+improper in young ladies, as well as in those who
+will sometime become young ladies. My daughters
+are being brought up according to the rules and
+regulations laid down by a leading bachelor who
+has given the subject much study and is himself a
+man of taste and culture. Politeness is his great
+hobby, and he claims that if a child is allowed to
+do an impolite thing one cannot expect the grown
+person to do anything better."
+
+"Is it impolite to romp and shout and be jolly?"
+asked Scraps.
+
+"Well, sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't,"
+replied the Horner, after considering the
+question. "By curbing such inclinations in my
+daughters we keep on the safe side. Once in a
+while I make a good joke, as you have heard, and
+then I permit my daughters to laugh decorously;
+but they are never allowed to make a joke
+themselves."
+
+"That old bachelor who made the rules ought
+to be skinned alive!" declared Scraps, and would
+have said more on the subject had not the door
+opened to admit a little Horner man whom the
+Chief introduced as Diksey.
+
+"What's up, Chief?" asked Diksey, winking
+nineteen times at the nineteen girls, who demurely
+cast down their eyes because their father was
+looking.
+
+The Chief told the man that his joke had not
+been understood by the dull Hoppers, who had
+become so angry that they had declared war. So the
+only way to avoid a terrible battle was to explain
+the joke so they could understand it.
+
+"All right," replied Diksey, who seemed a good-
+natured man; "I'll go at once to the fence and
+explain. I don't want any war with the Hoppers,
+for wars between nations always cause hard
+feelings."
+
+So the Chief and Diksey and Scraps left the
+house and went back to the marble picket fence.
+The Scarecrow was still stuck on the top of his
+picket but had now ceased to struggle. On the
+other side of the fence were Dorothy and Ojo,
+looking between the pickets; and there, also,
+were the Champion and many other Hoppers.
+
+Diksey went close to the fence and said:
+
+"My good Hoppers, I wish to explain that
+what I said about you was a joke. You have but
+one leg each, and we have two legs each. Our
+legs are under us, whether one or two, and we
+stand on them. So, when I said you had less
+understanding than we, I did not mean that you
+had less understanding, you understand, but
+that you had less standundering, so to speak.
+Do you understand that?"
+
+The Hoppers thought it over carefully. Then one
+said:
+
+"That is clear enough; but where does the joke
+come in?'"
+
+Dorothy laughed, for she couldn't help it,
+although all the others were solemn enough.
+
+"I'll tell you where the joke comes in," she
+said, and took the Hoppers away to a distance,
+where the Horners could not hear them. "You know,"
+she then explained, "those neighbors of yours are
+not very bright, poor things, and what they think
+is a joke isn't a joke at all--it's true, don't
+you see?"
+
+"True that we have less understanding?" asked
+the Champion.
+
+"Yes; it's true because you don't understand
+such a poor joke; if you did, you'd be no wiser
+than they are."
+
+"Ah, yes; of course," they answered, looking
+very wise.
+
+"So I'll tell you what to do," continued
+Dorothy. "Laugh at their poor joke and tell 'em
+it's pretty good for a Horner. Then they won't
+dare say you have less understanding, because you
+understand as much as they do."
+
+The Hoppers looked at one another questioningly
+and blinked their eyes and tried to think what it
+all meant; but they couldn't figure it out.
+
+"What do you think, Champion?" asked one of
+them.
+
+"I think it is dangerous to think of this thing
+any more than we can help," he replied. "Let us do
+as this girl says and laugh with the Horners, so
+as to make them believe we see the joke. Then
+there will be peace again and no need to fight."
+
+They readily agreed to this and returned to
+the fence laughing as loud and as hard as they
+could, although they didn't feel like laughing
+a bit. The Horners were much surprised.
+
+"That's a fine joke--for a Horner--and we are
+much pleased with it," said the Champion, speaking
+between the pickets. "But please don't do it
+again."
+
+"I won't," promised Diksey. "If I think of
+another such joke I'll try to forget it."
+
+"Good!" cried the Chief Horner. "The war is over
+and peace is declared."
+
+There was much joyful shouting on both sides of
+the fence and the gate was unlocked and thrown
+wide open, so that Scraps was able to rejoin her
+friends.
+
+"What about the Scarecrow?" she asked Dorothy.
+
+"We must get him down, somehow or other," was
+the reply.
+
+"Perhaps the Horners can find a way," suggested
+Ojo. So they all went through the gate and Dorothy
+asked the Chief Horner how they could get the
+Scarecrow off the fence. The Chief didn't know
+how, but Diksey said:
+
+"A ladder's the thing."
+
+"Have you one?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"To be sure. We use ladders in our mines,"
+said he. Then he ran away to get the ladder,
+and while he was gone the Horners gathered
+around and welcomed the strangers to their
+country, for through them a great war had been
+avoided.
+
+In a little while Diksey came back with a
+tall ladder which he placed against the fence. Ojo
+at once climbed to the top of the ladder and
+Dorothy went about halfway up and Scraps stood at
+the foot of it. Toto ran around it and barked.
+Then Ojo pulled the Scarecrow away from the picket
+and passed him down to Dorothy, who in turn
+lowered him to the Patchwork Girl.
+
+As soon as he was on his feet and standing
+on solid ground the Scarecrow said:
+
+"Much obliged. I feel much better. I'm not
+stuck on that picket any more."
+
+The Horners began to laugh, thinking this
+was a joke, but the Scarecrow shook himself and
+
+patted his straw a little and said to Dorothy:
+"Is there much of a hole in my back?"
+
+The little girl examined him carefully.
+
+"There's quite a hole," she said. "But I've got
+a needle and thread in the knapsack and I'll sew
+you up again."
+
+"Do so," he begged earnestly, and again the
+Hoppers laughed, to the Scarecrow's great
+annoyance.
+
+While Dorothy was sewing up the hole in
+the straw man's back Scraps examined the other
+parts of him.
+
+"One of his legs is ripped, too!" she exclaimed.
+
+"Oho!" cried little Diksey; "that's bad. Give
+him the needle and thread and let him mend
+his ways."
+
+"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Chief, and the
+other Homers at once roared with laughter.
+
+"What's funny?" inquired the Scarecrow sternly.
+
+"Don't you see?" asked Diksey, who had
+laughed even harder than the others. "That's a
+joke. It's by odds the best joke I ever made.
+You walk with your legs, and so that's the way
+you walk, and your legs are the ways. See? So,
+when you mend your legs, you mend your ways.
+Ho, ho, ho! hee, hee! I'd no idea I could make
+such a fine joke!"
+
+"Just wonderful!" echoed the Chief. "How do you
+manage to do it, Diksey?"
+
+"I don't know," said Diksey modestly. "Perhaps
+it's the radium, but I rather think it's my
+splendid intellect."
+
+If you don't quit it," the Scarecrow told him,
+"there'll be a worse war than the one you've
+escaped from."
+
+Ojo had been deep in thought, and now he
+asked the Chief: "Is there a dark well in any
+part of your country?"
+
+"A dark well? None that ever I heard of," was
+the answer.
+
+"Oh, yes," said Diksey, who overheard the
+boy's question. "There's a very dark well down
+in my radium mine."
+
+"Is there any water in it?" Ojo eagerly asked.
+
+"Can't say; I've never looked to see. But we
+can find out."
+
+So, as soon as the Scarecrow was mended,
+they decided to go with Diksey to the mine.
+When Dorothy had patted the straw man into
+shape again he declared he felt as good as new
+and equal to further adventures.
+
+"Still," said he, "I prefer not to do picket
+duty again. High life doesn't seem to agree with
+my constitution." And then they hurried away
+to escape the laughter of the Homers, who
+thought this was another joke.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Four
+
+Ojo Finds the Darkwell
+
+
+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 care fully 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 Homer, "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 re
+gained 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 Homer 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.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Five
+
+They Bribe the Lazy Quadling
+
+
+"Now," said Dorothy, as they stood on the mountain
+path, having left behind them the cave in which
+dwelt the Hoppers and the Horners, "I think we
+must find a road into the Country of the Winkies,
+for there is where Ojo wants to go next."
+
+"Is there such a road?" asked the Scarecrow.
+
+"I don't know," she replied. "I s'pose we can go
+back the way we came, to Jack Pumpkinhead's house,
+and then turn into the Winkie Country; but that
+seems like running 'round a haystack, doesn't it?"
+
+"Yes," said the Scarecrow. "What is the next
+thing Ojo must get?"
+
+"A yellow butterfly," answered the boy.
+
+"That means the Winkie Country, all right,
+for it's the yellow country of Oz," remarked
+Dorothy. "I think, Scarecrow, we ought to take
+him to the Tin Woodman, for he's the Emp'ror
+of the Winkies and will help us to find what
+Ojo wants."
+
+"Of course," replied the Scarecrow, brightening
+at the suggestion. "The Tin Woodman will do
+anything we ask him, for he's one of my dearest
+friends. I believe we can take a crosscut into his
+country and so get to his castle a day sooner
+than if we travel back the way we came."
+
+"I think so, too," said the girl; "and that means
+we must keep to the left."
+
+They were obliged to go down the mountain before
+they found any path that led in the direction they
+wanted to go, but among the tumbled rocks at the
+foot of the mountain was a faint trail which they
+decided to follow. Two or three hours walk along
+this trail brought them to a clear, level country,
+where there were a few farms and some scattered
+houses. But they knew they were still in the
+Country of the Quadlings, because everything had a
+bright red color. Not that the trees and grasses
+were red, but the fences and houses were painted
+that color and all the wild-flowers that bloomed
+by the wayside had red blossoms. This part of the
+Quadling Country seemed peaceful and prosperous,
+if rather lonely, and the road was more distinct
+and easier to follow.
+
+But just as they were congratulating themselves
+upon the progress they had made they came upon a
+broad river which swept along between high banks,
+and here the road ended and there was no bridge of
+any sort to allow them to cross.
+
+"This is queer," mused Dorothy, looking at
+the water reflectively. "Why should there be
+any road, if the river stops everyone walking
+along it?"
+
+"Wow!" said Toto, gazing earnestly into her
+face.
+
+"That's the best answer you'll get," declared
+the Scarecrow, with his comical smile, "for no
+one knows any more than Toto about this road."
+
+Said Scraps:
+
+
+"Ev'ry time I see a river,
+I have chills that make me shiver,
+For I never can forget
+All the water's very wet.
+If my patches get a soak
+It will be a sorry joke;
+So to swim I'll never try
+Till I find the water dry."
+
+
+"Try to control yourself, Scraps," said Ojo;
+you re getting crazy again. No one intends to swim
+that river."
+
+"No," decided Dorothy, "we couldn't swim it
+if we tried. It's too big a river, and the water
+moves awful fast."
+
+"There ought to be a ferryman with a boat,"
+said the Scarecrow; "but I don't see any."
+
+"Couldn't we make a raft?" suggested Ojo.
+
+"There's nothing to make one of," answered
+Dorothy.
+
+"Wow!" said Toto again, and Dorothy saw he
+was looking along the bank of the river.
+
+"Why, he sees a house over there!" cried the
+little girl. "I wonder we didn't notice it
+ourselves. Let's go and ask the people how to
+get 'cross the river."
+
+A quarter of a mile along the bank stood a
+small, round house, painted bright red, and as
+it was on their side of the river they hurried
+toward it. A chubby little man, dressed all in
+red, came out to greet them, and with him were
+two children, also in red costumes. The man's
+eyes were big and staring as he examined the
+Scarecrow and the Patchwork Girl, and the
+children shyly hid behind him and peeked
+timidly at Toto.
+
+"Do you live here, my good man?" asked the
+Scarecrow.
+
+"I think I do, Most Mighty Magician," replied
+the Quadling, bowing low; "but whether I'm awake
+or dreaming I can't be positive, so I'm not sure
+where I live. If you'll kindly pinch me I'll find
+out all about it!'
+
+"You're awake," said Dorothy, "and this is no
+magician, but just the Scarecrow."
+
+"But he's alive," protested the man, "and he
+oughtn't to be, you know. And that other dreadful
+person--the girl who is all patches--seems to be
+alive, too."
+
+"Very much so," declared Scraps, making a
+face at him. "But that isn't your affair, you
+know."
+
+"I've a right to be surprised, haven't I?" asked
+the man meekly.
+
+"I'm not sure; but anyhow you've no right to say
+I'm dreadful. The Scarecrow, who is a gentleman of
+great wisdom, thinks I'm beautiful," retorted
+Scraps.
+
+"Never mind all that," said Dorothy. "Tell us,
+good Quadling, how we can get across the river."
+
+"I don't know," replied the Quadling.
+
+"Don't you ever cross it?" asked the girl.
+
+"Never."
+
+"Don't travelers cross it?"
+
+"Not to my knowledge," said he.
+
+They were much surprised to hear this, and
+the man added: "It's a pretty big river, and the
+current is strong. I know a man who lives on
+the opposite bank, for I've seen him there a good
+many years; but we've never spoken because
+neither of us has ever crossed over."
+
+"That's queer," said the Scarecrow. "Don't you
+own a boat?"
+
+The man shook his head.
+
+"Nor a raft?"
+
+"Where does this river go to?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"That way," answered the man, pointing with
+one hand, "it goes into the Country of the
+Winkies, which is ruled by the Tin Emperor,
+who must be a mighty magician because he's
+all made of tin, and yet he's alive. And that
+way," pointing with the other hand, "the river
+runs between two mountains where dangerous
+people dwell."
+
+The Scarecrow looked at the water before them.
+
+"The current flows toward the Winkie Country"'
+said he; "and so, if we had a boat, or a raft, the
+river would float us there more quickly and more
+easily than we could walk."
+
+"That is true," agreed Dorothy; and then they
+all looked thoughtful and wondered what could
+be done.
+
+"Why can't the man make us a raft?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Will you?" inquired Dorothy, turning to the
+Quadling.
+
+The chubby man shook his head.
+
+"I'm too lazy," he said. "My wife says I'm the
+laziest man in all Oz, and she is a truthful
+woman. I hate work of any kind, and making a raft
+is hard work."
+
+"I'll give you my em'rald ring," promised the
+girl.
+
+"No; I don't care for emeralds. If it were a
+ruby, which is the color I like best, I might work
+a little while."
+
+"I've got some Square Meal Tablets," said the
+Scarecrow. "Each one is the same as a dish of
+soup, a fried fish, a mutton pot-pie, lobster
+salad, charlotte russe and lemon jelly--all made
+into one little tablet that you can swallow
+without trouble."
+
+"Without trouble!" exclaimed the Quadling,
+much interested; "then those tablets would be
+fine for a lazy man. It's such hard work to chew
+when you eat."
+
+"I'll give you six of those tablets if you'll
+help us make a raft," promised the Scarecrow.
+"They're a combination of food which people who
+eat are very fond of. I never eat, you know, being
+straw; but some of my friends eat regularly. What
+do you say to my offer, Quadling?"
+
+"I'll do it," decided the man. "I'll help, and
+you can do most of the work. But my wife has
+gone fishing for red eels to-day, so some of you
+will have to mind the children."
+
+Scraps promised to do that, and the children
+were not so shy when the Patchwork Girl sat
+down to play with them. They grew to like
+Toto, too, and the little dog allowed them to
+pat him on his head, which gave the little ones
+much joy.
+
+There were a number of fallen trees near the
+house and the Quadling got his axe and chopped
+them into logs of equal length. He took his wife's
+clothesline to bind these logs together, so that
+they would form a raft, and Ojo found some strips
+of wood and nailed them along the tops of the
+logs, to render them more firm. The Scarecrow and
+Dorothy helped roll the logs together and carry
+the strips of wood, but it took so long to make
+the raft that evening came just as it was
+finished, and with evening the Quadling's wife
+returned from her fishing.
+
+The woman proved to be cross and bad-tempered,
+perhaps because she had only caught one red eel
+during all the day. When she found that her
+husband had used her clothesline, and the logs she
+had wanted for firewood, and the boards she had
+intended to mend the shed with, and a lot of gold
+nails, she became very angry. Scraps wanted to
+shake the woman, to make her behave, but Dorothy
+talked to her in a gentle tone and told the
+Quadling's wife she was a Princess of Oz and a
+friend of Ozma and that when she got back to the
+Emerald City she would send them a lot of things
+to repay them for the raft, including a new
+clothesline. This promise pleased the woman and
+she soon became more pleasant, saying they could
+stay the night at her house and begin their voyage
+on the river next morning.
+
+This they did, spending a pleasant evening
+with the Quadling family and being entertained
+with such hospitality as the poor people were
+able to offer them. The man groaned a good
+deal and said he had overworked himself by
+chopping the logs, but the Scarecrow gave him
+two more tablets than he had promised, which
+seemed to comfort the lazy fellow.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Six
+
+The Trick River
+
+
+Next morning they pushed the raft into the water
+and all got aboard. The Quadling man had to hold
+the log craft fast while they took their places,
+and the flow of the river was so powerful that it
+nearly tore the raft from his hands. As soon as
+they were all seated upon the logs he let go and
+away it floated and the adventurers had begun
+their voyage toward the Winkie Country.
+
+The little house of the Quadlings was out of
+sight almost before they had cried their good-
+byes, and the Scarecrow said in a pleased voice:
+"It won't take us long to get to the Winkie
+Country, at this rate."
+
+They had floated several miles down the stream
+and were enjoying the ride when suddenly the raft
+slowed up, stopped short, and then began to float
+back the way it had come.
+
+"Why, what's wrong?" asked Dorothy, in
+astonishment; but they were all just as bewildered
+as she was and at first no one could answer the
+question. Soon, however, they realized the truth:
+that the current of the river had reversed and the
+water was now flowing in the opposite direction--
+toward the mountains.
+
+They began to recognize the scenes they had
+passed, and by and by they came in sight of the
+little house of the Quadlings again. The man
+was standing on the river bank and he called
+to them:
+
+"How do you do? Glad to see you again. I forgot
+to tell you that the river changes its direction
+every little while. Sometimes it flows one way,
+and sometimes the other."
+
+They had no time to answer him, for the raft
+was swept past the house and a long distance on
+the other side of it.
+
+"We're going just the way we don't want to
+go," said Dorothy, "and I guess the best thing
+we can do is to get to land before we're carried
+any farther."
+
+But they could not get to land. They had
+no oars, nor even a pole to guide the raft with.
+The logs which bore them floated in the middle
+of the stream and were held fast in that position
+by the strong current.
+
+So they sat still and waited and, even while
+they were wondering what could be done, the raft
+slowed down, stopped, and began drifting the other
+way--in the direction it had first followed. After
+a time they repassed the Quadling house and the
+man was still standing on the bank. He cried out
+to them:
+
+"Good day! Glad to see you again. I expect
+I shall see you a good many times, as you go
+by, unless you happen to swim ashore."
+
+By that time they had left him behind and
+were headed once more straight toward the
+Winkie Country.
+
+"This is pretty hard luck," said Ojo in a
+discouraged voice. "The Trick River keeps
+changing, it seems, and here we must float back
+and forward forever, unless we manage in some way
+to get ashore."
+
+"Can you swim?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"No; I'm Ojo the Unlucky."
+
+"Neither can I. Toto can swim a little, but
+that won't help us to get to shore."
+
+"I don't know whether I could swim, or not,"
+remarked Scraps; "but if I tried it I'd surely ruin
+my lovely patches."
+
+"My straw would get soggy in the water and
+I would sink," said the Scarecrow.
+
+So there seemed no way out of their dilemma
+and being helpless they simply sat still. Ojo,
+who was on the front of the raft, looked over
+into the water and thought he saw some large
+fishes swimming about. He found a loose end
+of the clothesline which fastened the logs
+together, and taking a gold nail from his pocket
+he bent it nearly double, to form a hook, and
+tied it to the end of the line. Having baited the
+hook with some bread which he broke from his
+loaf, he dropped the line into the water and
+almost instantly it was seized by a great fish.
+
+They knew it was a great fish, because it
+pulled so hard on the line that it dragged the
+raft forward even faster than the current of the
+river had carried it. The fish was frightened,
+and it was a strong swimmer. As the other end
+of the clothesline was bound around the logs
+he could not get it away, and as he had greedily
+swallowed the gold hook at the first bite he
+could not get rid of that, either.
+
+When they reached the place where the current
+had before changed, the fish was still swimming
+ahead in its wild attempt to escape. The raft
+slowed down, yet it did not stop, because the fish
+would not let it. It continued to move in the same
+direction it had been going. As the current
+reversed and rushed backward on its course it
+failed to drag the raft with it. Slowly, inch by
+inch, they floated on, and the fish tugged and
+tugged and kept them going.
+
+"I hope he won't give up," said Ojo anxiously.
+"If the fish can hold out until the current
+changes again, we'll be all right."
+
+The fish did not give up, but held the raft
+bravely on its course, till at last the water in
+the river shifted again and floated them the way
+they wanted to go. But now the captive fish
+found its strength failing. Seeking a refuge, it
+began to drag the raft toward the shore. As they
+did not wish to land in this place the boy cut
+the rope with his pocket-knife and set the fish
+free, just in time to prevent the raft from
+grounding.
+
+The next time the river backed up the Scarecrow
+managed to seize the branch of a tree that
+overhung the water and they all assisted him to
+hold fast and prevent the raft from being carried
+backward. While they waited here, Ojo spied a long
+broken branch lying upon the bank, so he leaped
+ashore and got it. When he had stripped off the
+side shoots he believed he could use the branch as
+a pole, to guide the raft in case of emergency.
+
+They clung to the tree until they found the
+water flowing the right way, when they let go
+and permitted the raft to resume its voyage. In
+spite of these pauses they were really making
+good progress toward the Winkie Country and
+having found a way to conquer the adverse
+current their spirits rose considerably. They
+could see little of the country through which
+they were passing, because of the high banks,
+and they met with no boats or other craft upon
+the surface of the river.
+
+Once more the trick river reversed its current,
+but this time the Scarecrow was on guard and
+used the pole to push the raft toward a big
+rock which lay in the water. He believed the
+rock would prevent their floating backward with
+the current, and so it did. They clung to this
+anchorage until the water resumed its proper
+direction, when they allowed the raft to drift on.
+
+Floating around a bend they saw ahead a high
+bank of water, extending across the entire river,
+and toward this they were being irresistibly
+carried. There being no way to arrest the progress
+of the raft they clung fast to the logs and let
+the river sweep them on. Swiftly the raft climbed
+the bank of water and slid down on the other side,
+plunging its edge deep into the water and
+drenching them all with spray.
+
+As again the raft righted and drifted on,
+Dorothy and Ojo laughed at the ducking they had
+received; but Scraps was much dismayed and the
+Scarecrow took out his handkerchief and wiped the
+water off the Patchwork Girl's patches as well as
+he was able to. The sun soon dried her and the
+colors of her patches proved good, for they did
+not run together nor did they fade.
+
+After passing the wall of water the current did
+not change or flow backward any more but continued
+to sweep them steadily forward. The banks of the
+river grew lower, too, permitting them to see more
+of the country, and presently they discovered
+yellow buttercups and dandelions growing amongst
+the grass, from which evidence they knew they had
+reached the Winkie Country.
+
+"Don't you think we ought to land?" Dorothy
+asked the Scarecrow.
+
+"Pretty soon," he replied. "The Tin Woodman's
+castle is in the southern part of the Winkie
+Country, and so it can't be a great way from
+here."
+
+Fearing they might drift too far, Dorothy and
+Ojo now stood up and raised the Scarecrow in
+their arms, as high as they could, thus allowing
+him a good view of the country. For a time he
+saw nothing he recognized, but finally he cried:
+
+"There it is! There it is!"
+
+"What?" asked Dorothy.
+
+"The Tin Woodman's tin castle. I can see
+its turrets glittering in the sun. It's quite a way
+off, but we'd better land as quickly as we can."
+
+They let him down and began to urge the raft
+toward the shore by means of the pole. It obeyed
+very well, for the current was more sluggish
+now, and soon they had reached the bank and
+landed safely.
+
+The Winkie Country was really beautiful,
+and across the fields they could see afar the
+silvery sheen of the tin castle. With light hearts
+they hurried toward it, being fully rested by
+their long ride on the river.
+
+By and by they began to cross an immense
+field of splendid yellow lilies, the delicate
+fragrance of which was very delightful.
+
+"How beautiful they are!" cried Dorothy,
+stopping to admire the perfection of these
+exquisite flowers.
+
+"Yes," said the Scarecrow, reflectively, "but
+we must be careful not to crush or injure any
+of these lilies."
+
+"Why not?" asked Ojo.
+
+"The Tin Woodman is very kind-hearted,"
+was the reply, "and he hates to see any living
+thing hurt in any way.
+
+"Are flowers alive?" asked Scraps.
+
+"Yes, of course. And these flowers belong to
+the Tin Woodman. So, in order not to offend
+him, we must not tread on a single blossom."
+
+"Once," said Dorothy, "the Tin Woodman
+stepped on a beetle and killed the little creature.
+That made him very unhappy and he cried until
+his tears rusted his joints, so he couldn't move
+'em."
+
+"What did he do then?" asked Ojo.
+
+"Put oil on them, until the joints worked
+smooth again.
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed the boy, as if a great discovery
+had flashed across his mind. But he did not tell
+anybody what the discovery was and kept the idea
+to himself.
+
+It was a long walk, but a pleasant one, and
+they did not mind it a bit. Late in the afternoon
+they drew near to the wonderful tin castle of
+the Emperor of the Winkies, and Ojo and
+Scraps, who had never seen it before, were
+filled with amazement.
+
+Tin abounded in the Winkie Country and
+the Winkies were said to be the most skillful
+tinsmiths in all the world. So the Tin Woodman
+had employed them in building his magnificent
+castle, which was all of tin, from the ground to
+the tallest turret, and so brightly polished that
+it glittered in the sun's rays more gorgeously
+than silver. Around the grounds of the castle
+ran a tin wall, with tin gates; but the gates stood
+wide open because the Emperor had no enemies
+to disturb him.
+
+When they entered the spacious grounds our
+travelers found more to admire. Tin fountains sent
+sprays of clear water far into the air and there
+were many beds of tin flowers, all as perfectly
+formed as any natural flowers might be. There
+were tin trees, too, and here and there shady
+bowers of tin, with tin benches and chairs to sit
+upon. Also, on the sides of the pathway leading up
+to the front door of the castle, were rows of tin
+statuary, very cleverly executed. Among these Ojo
+recognized statues of Dorothy, Toto, the
+Scarecrow, the Wizard, the Shaggy Man, Jack
+Pumpkinhead and Ozma, all standing upon neat
+pedestals of tin.
+
+Toto was well acquainted with the residence of
+the Tin Woodman and, being assured a joyful
+welcome, he ran ahead and barked so loudly at the
+front door that the Tin Woodman heard him and came
+out in person to see if it were really his old
+friend Toto. Next moment the tin man had clasped
+the Scarecrow in a warm embrace and then turned
+to hug Dorothy. But now his eye was arrested by
+the strange sight of the Patchwork Girl, and he
+gazed upon her in mingled wonder and admiration.
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Seven
+
+The Tin Woodman Objects
+
+
+The Tin Woodman was one of the most important
+personages in all Oz. Though Emperor of the
+Winkies, he owed allegiance to Ozma, who ruled all
+the land, and the girl and the tin man were warm
+personal friends. He was something of a dandy and
+kept his tin body brilliantly polished and his tin
+joints well oiled. Also he was very courteous in
+manner and so kind and gentle that everyone loved
+him. The Emperor greeted Ojo and Scraps with
+cordial hospitality and ushered the entire party
+into his handsome tin parlor, where all the
+furniture and pictures were made of tin. The walls
+were paneled with tin and from the tin ceiling
+hung tin chandeliers.
+
+The Tin Woodman wanted to know, first of
+all, where Dorothy had found the Patchwork
+Girl, so between them the visitors told the story
+of how Scraps was made, as well as the accident
+to Margolotte and Unc Nunkie and how Ojo
+had set out upon a journey to procure the things
+needed for the Crooked Magician's magic
+charm. Then Dorothy told of their adventures
+in the Quadling Country and how at last they
+succeeded in getting the water from a dark well.
+
+While the little girl was relating these
+adventures the Tin Woodman sat in an easy chair
+listening with intense interest, while the others
+sat grouped around him. Ojo, however, had kept his
+eyes fixed upon the body of the tin Emperor, and
+now he noticed that under the joint of his left
+knee a tiny drop of oil was forming. He watched
+this drop of oil with a fast-beating heart, and
+feeling in his pocket brought out a tiny vial of
+crystal, which he held secreted in his hand.
+
+Presently the Tin Woodman changed his
+position, and at once Ojo, to the astonishment
+of all, dropped to the floor and held his crystal
+vial under the Emperor's knee joint. Just then
+the drop of oil fell, and they boy caught it in
+his bottle and immediately corked it tight. Then,
+with a red face and embarrassed manner, he rose
+to confront the others.
+
+"What in the world were you doing?" asked
+the Tin Woodman.
+
+"I caught a drop of oil that fell from your
+knee-joint," confessed Ojo.
+
+"A drop of oil!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman.
+"Dear me, how careless my valet must have
+been in oiling me this morning. I'm afraid I
+shall have to scold the fellow, for I can't be
+dropping oil wherever I go."
+
+"Never mind," said Dorothy. Ojo seems glad
+to have the oil, for some reason."
+
+"Yes," declared the Munchkin boy, "I am
+glad. For one of the things the Crooked Magician
+sent me to get was a drop of oil from a live man's
+body. I had no idea, at first, that there was such
+a thing; but it's now safe in the little crystal
+vial."
+
+"You are very welcome to it, indeed," said
+the Tin Woodman. "Have you now secured all
+the things you were in search of?"
+
+"Not quite all," answered Ojo. "There were five
+things I had to get, and I have found four of
+them. I have the three hairs in the tip of a
+Woozy's tail, a six-leaved clover, a gill of water
+from a dark well and a drop of oil from a live
+man's body. The last thing is the easiest of all
+to get, and I'm sure that my dear Unc Nunkie--and
+good Margolotte, as well--will soon be restored to
+life."
+
+The Munchkin boy said this with much pride and
+pleasure.
+
+"Good!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman; "I
+congratulate you. But what is the fifth and last
+thing you need, in order to complete the magic
+charm?"
+
+"The left wing of a yellow butterfly," said
+Ojo. "In this yellow country, and with your
+kind assistance, that ought to be very easy to
+find."
+
+The Tin Woodman stared at him in amazement.
+
+"Surely you are joking!" he said.
+
+"No," replied Ojo, much surprised; "I am in
+earnest."
+
+"But do you think for a moment that I would
+permit you, or anyone else, to pull the left wing
+from a yellow butterfly?" demanded the Tin Woodman
+sternly.
+
+"Why not, sir?"
+
+"Why not? You ask me why not? It would be
+cruel--one of the most cruel and heartless deeds
+I ever heard of," asserted the Tin Woodman.
+"The butterflies are among the prettiest of all
+created things, and they are very sensitive to
+pain. To tear a wing from one would cause it
+exquisite torture and it would soon die in great
+agony. I would not permit such a wicked deed
+under any circumstances!"
+
+Ojo was astounded at hearing this. Dorothy, too,
+looked grave and disconcerted, but she knew in her
+heart that the Tin Woodman was right. The
+Scarecrow nodded his head in approval of his
+friend's speech, so it was evident that he agreed
+with the Emperor's decision. Scraps looked from
+one to another in perplexity.
+
+"Who cares for a butterfly?" she asked.
+
+"Don't you?" inquired the Tin Woodman.
+
+"Not the snap of a finger, for I have no heart,"
+said the Patchwork Girl. "But I want to help
+Ojo, who is my friend, to rescue the uncle whom
+he loves, and I'd kill a dozen useless butterflies
+to enable him to do that."
+
+The Tin Woodman sighed regretfully.
+
+"You have kind instincts," he said, "and with a
+heart you would indeed be a fine creature. I
+cannot blame you for your heartless remark, as you
+cannot understand the feelings of those who
+possess hearts. I, for instance, have a very neat
+and responsive heart which the wonderful Wizard
+of Oz once gave me, and so I shall never--never--
+never permit a poor yellow butterfly to be
+tortured by anyone."
+
+"The yellow country of the Winkies," said Ojo
+sadly, "is the only place in Oz where a yellow
+butterfly can be found."
+
+"I'm glad of that," said the Tin Woodman.
+"As I rule the Winkie Country, I can protect
+my butterflies."
+
+Unless I get the wing--just one left wing--"
+said Ojo miserably, "I can't save Unc Nunkie."
+
+"Then he must remain a marble statue forever,"
+declared the Tin Emperor, firmly.
+
+Ojo wiped his eyes, for he could not hold back
+the tears.
+
+"I'll tell you what to do," said Scraps. "We'll
+take a whole yellow butterfly, alive and well, to
+the Crooked Magician, and let him pull the left
+wing off."
+
+"No, you won't," said the Tin Woodman.
+"You can't have one of my dear little butterflies
+to treat in that way.
+
+"Then what in the world shall we do?" asked
+Dorothy.
+
+They all became silent and thoughtful. No
+one spoke for a long time. Then the Tin Woodman
+suddenly roused himself and said:
+
+"We must all go back to the Emerald City
+and ask Ozma's advice. She's a wise little girl,
+our Ruler, and she may find a way to help Ojo
+save his Unc Nunkie."
+
+So the following morning the party started
+on the journey to the Emerald City, which they
+reached in due time without any important
+adventure. It was a sad journey for Ojo, for
+without the wing of the yellow butterfly he saw
+no way to save Unc Nunkie--unless he waited
+six years for the Crooked Magician to make a
+new lot of the Powder of Life. The boy was
+utterly discouraged, and as he walked along he
+groaned aloud.
+
+"Is anything hurting you?" inquired the Tin
+Woodman in a kindly tone, for the Emperor
+was with the party.
+
+"I'm Ojo the Unlucky," replied the boy. "I
+might have known I would fail in anything
+I tried to do."
+
+"Why are you Ojo the Unlucky?" asked the tin
+man.
+
+"Because I was born on a Friday."
+
+"Friday is not unlucky," declared the Emperor.
+"It's just one of seven days. Do you suppose all
+the world becomes unlucky one-seventh of the
+time?"
+
+"It was the thirteenth day of the month," said
+Ojo.
+
+"Thirteen! Ah, that is indeed a lucky number,"
+replied the Tin Woodman. "All my good luck seems
+to happen on the thirteenth. I suppose most
+people never notice the good luck that comes to
+them with the number 13, and yet if the least bit
+of bad luck falls on that day, they blame it to
+the number, and not to the proper cause."
+
+"Thirteen's my lucky number, too," remarked the
+Scarecrow
+
+"And mine," said Scraps. "I've just thirteen
+patches on my head."
+
+"But," continued Ojo, "I'm left-handed."
+
+"Many of our greatest men are that way,"
+asserted the Emperor. "To be left-handed is
+usually to be two-handed; the right-handed people
+are usually one-handed."
+
+"And I've a wart under my right arm," said Ojo.
+
+"How lucky!" cried the Tin Woodman. "If
+it were on the end of your nose it might be
+unlucky, but under your arm it is luckily out
+of the way."
+
+"For all those reasons," said the Munchkin
+boy, "I have been called Ojo the Unlucky."
+
+"Then we must turn over a new leaf and call you
+henceforth Ojo the Lucky," declared the tin man.
+"Every reason you have given is absurd. But I have
+noticed that those who continually dread ill luck
+and fear it will overtake them, have no time to
+take advantage of any good fortune that comes
+their way. Make up your mind to be Ojo the
+Lucky."
+
+"How can I?" asked the boy, "when all my
+attempts to save my dear uncle have failed?"
+
+"Never give up, Ojo," advised Dorothy. "No
+one ever knows what's going to happen next."
+
+Ojo did not reply, but he was so dejected that
+even their arrival at the Emerald City failed to
+interest him.
+
+The people joyfully cheered the appearance of
+the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and Dorothy, who
+were all three general favorites, and on entering
+the royal palace word came to them from Ozma that
+she would at once grant them an audience.
+
+Dorothy told the girl Ruler how successful
+they had been in their quest until they came to
+the item of the yellow butterfly, which the Tin
+Woodman positively refused to sacrifice to the
+magic potion.
+
+"He is quite right," said Ozma, who did not seem
+a bit surprised. "Had Ojo told me that one of the
+things he sought was the wing of a yellow
+butterfly I would have informed him, before he
+started out, that he could never secure it. Then
+you would have been saved the troubles and
+annoyances of your long journey."
+
+"I didn't mind the journey at all," said
+Dorothy; "it was fun."
+
+"As it has turned out," remarked Ojo, "I can
+never get the things the Crooked Magician sent
+me for; and so, unless I wait the six years for
+him to make the Powder of Life, Unc Nunkie
+cannot be saved."
+
+Ozma smiled.
+
+"Dr. Pipt will make no more Powder of Life,
+I promise you," said she. "I have sent for him
+and had him brought to this palace, where he
+now is, and his four kettles have been destroyed
+and his book of recipes burned up. I have also
+had brought here the marble statues of your
+uncle and of Margolotte, which are standing in
+the next room.
+
+They were all greatly astonished at this
+announcement.
+
+"Oh, let me see Unc Nunkie! Let me see him
+at once, please!" cried Ojo eagerly.
+
+"Wait a moment," replied Ozma, "for I have
+something more to say. Nothing that happens
+in the Land of Oz escapes the notice of our wise
+Sorceress, Glinda the Good. She knew all about
+the magic-making of Dr. Pipt, and how he had
+brought the Glass Cat and the Patchwork Girl
+to life, and the accident to Unc Nunkie and
+Margolotte, and of Ojo's quest and his journey
+with Dorothy. Glinda also knew that Ojo would
+fail to find all the things he sought, so she sent
+for our Wizard and instructed him what to do.
+Something is going to happen in this palace,
+presently, and that 'something' will, I am sure,
+please you all. And now," continued the girl
+Ruler, rising from her chair, "you may follow
+me into the next room."
+
+
+
+
+Chapter Twenty-Eight
+
+The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
+
+
+When Ojo entered the room he ran quickly to
+the statue of Unc Nunkie and kissed the marble
+face affectionately.
+
+"I did my best, Unc," he said, with a sob, "but
+it was no use!"
+
+Then he drew back and looked around the room,
+and the sight of the assembled company quite
+amazed him.
+
+Aside from the marble statues of Unc Nunkie and
+Margolotte, the Glass Cat was there, curled up on
+a rug; and the Woozy was there, sitting on its
+square hind legs and looking on the scene with
+solemn interest; and there was the Shaggy Man, in
+a suit of shaggy pea-green satin, and at a table
+sat the little Wizard, looking quite important and
+as if he knew much more than he cared to tell.
+
+Last of all, Dr. Pipt was there, and the
+Crooked Magician sat humped up in a chair,
+seeming very dejected but keeping his eyes fixed
+on the lifeless form of his wife Margolotte,
+whom he fondly loved but whom he now feared
+was lost to him forever.
+
+Ozma took a chair which Jellia Jamb wheeled
+forward for the Ruler, and back of her stood the
+Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Dorothy, as
+well as the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry
+Tiger. The Wizard now arose and made a low
+bow to Ozma and another less deferent bow to
+the assembled company.
+
+"Ladies and gentlemen and beasts," he said,
+"I beg to announce that our Gracious Ruler has
+permitted me to obey the commands of the great
+Sorceress, Glinda the Good, whose humble Assistant
+I am proud to be. We have discovered that the
+Crooked Magician has been indulging in his magical
+arts contrary to Law, and therefore, by Royal
+Edict, I hereby deprive him of all power to work
+magic in the future. He is no longer a crooked
+magician, but a simple Munchkin; he is no longer
+even crooked, but a man like other men.
+
+As he pronounced these words the Wizard
+waved his hand toward Dr. Pipt and instantly
+every crooked limb straightened out and became
+perfect. The former magician, with a cry of joy,
+sprang to his feet, looked at himself in wonder,
+and then fell back in his chair and watched the
+Wizard with fascinated interest.
+
+"The Glass Cat, which Dr. Pipt lawlessly
+made," continued the Wizard, "is a pretty cat,
+but its pink brains made it so conceited that it
+was a disagreeable companion to everyone. So
+the other day I took away the pink brains and
+replaced them with transparent ones, and now
+the Glass Cat is so modest and well behaved
+that Ozma has decided to keep her in the palace
+as a pet."
+
+"I thank you," said the cat, in a soft voice.
+
+"The Woozy has proved himself a good Woozy and a
+faithful friend," the Wizard went on, "so we will
+send him to the Royal Menagerie, where he will
+have good care and plenty to eat all his life."
+
+"Much obliged," said the Woozy. "That beats
+being fenced up in a lonely forest and starved."
+
+"As for the Patchwork Girl," resumed the Wizard,
+"she is so remarkable in appearance, and so clever
+and good tempered, that our Gracious Ruler intends
+to preserve her carefully, as one of the
+curiosities of the curious Land of Oz. Scraps may
+live in the palace, or wherever she pleases, and
+be nobody's servant but her own."
+
+"That's all right," said Scraps.
+
+"We have all been interested in Ojo," the little
+Wizard continued, "because his love for his
+unfortunate uncle has led him bravely to face all
+sorts of dangers, in order that he might rescue
+him. The Munchkin boy has a loyal and generous
+heart and has done his best to restore Unc Nunkie
+to life. He has failed, but there are others more
+powerful than the Crooked Magician, and there are
+more ways than Dr. Pipt knew of to destroy the
+charm of the Liquid of Petrifaction. Glinda the
+Good has told me of one way, and you shall now
+learn how great is the knowledge and power of our
+peerless Sorceress."
+
+As he said this the Wizard advanced to the
+statue of Margolote and made a magic pass, at
+the same time muttering a magic word that
+none could hear distinctly. At once the woman
+moved, turned her head wonderingly this way
+and that, to note all who stood before her, and
+seeing Dr. Pipt, ran forward and threw herself
+into her husband's outstretched arms.
+
+Then the Wizard made the magic pass and
+spoke the magic word before the statue of Unc
+Nunkie. The old Munchkin immediately came
+to life and with a low bow to the Wizard said:
+"Thanks."
+
+But now Ojo rushed up and threw his arms
+joyfully about his uncle, and the old man
+hugged his little nephew tenderly and stroked
+his hair and wiped away the boy's tears with a
+handkerchief, for Ojo was crying from pure
+happiness.
+
+Ozma came forward to congratulate them.
+
+"I have given to you, my dear Ojo and Unc
+Nunkie, a nice house just outside the walls of
+the Emerald City," she said, "and there you
+shall make your future home and be under my
+protection."
+
+"Didn't I say you were Ojo the Lucky?"
+asked the Tin Woodman, as everyone crowded
+around to shake Ojo's hand.
+
+"Yes; and it is true!" replied Ojo, gratefully.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum
+
+THE WIZARD OF OZ
+THE LAND OF OZ
+OZMA OF OZ
+DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ
+THE ROAD TO OZ
+THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ
+THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ
+TIK-TOK OF OZ
+THE SCARECROW OF OZ
+RINKITINK IN OZ
+THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ
+THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ
+THE MAGIC OF OZ
+GLINDA OF OZ
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Baum
+