The Royal Book of Oz .........................................................................................................................................1

Ruth Plumly Thompson...........................................................................................................................1

CHAPTER 1. PROFESSOR WOGGLEBUG'S GREAT IDEA.............................................................1

CHAPTER 2. THE SCARECROW'S FAMILY TREE..........................................................................6

CHAPTER 3. DOWN THE MAGIC BEAN POLE ................................................................................9

CHAPTER 4. DOROTHY'S LONELY BREAKFAST........................................................................12

CHAPTER 5. SIR HOKUS OF POKES...............................................................................................17

CHAPTER 6. SINGING THEIR WAY OUT OF POKES ....................................................................22

CHAPTER 7. THE SCARECROW IS HAILED AS EMPEROR! .......................................................25

CHAPTER 8. THE SCARECROW STUDIES THE SILVER ISLAND ..............................................29

CHAPTER 9. "SAVE US WITH YOUR MAGIC, EXALTED ONE!"...............................................34

CHAPTER 10. PRINCESS OZMA AND BETSY BOBBIN TALK IT OVER...................................38

CHAPTER 11. SIR HOKUS OVERCOMETH THE GIANT..............................................................39

CHAPTER 12. DOROTHY AND SIR HOKUS COME TO FIX CITY..............................................42

CHAPTER 13. DANCING BEDS AND THE ROADS THAT UNROLLED.....................................48

CHAPTER 14. SONS AND GRANDSONS GREET THE SCARECROW........................................53

CHAPTER 15. THE THREE PRINCES PLOT TO UNDO THE EMPEROR .....................................56

CHAPTER 16. DOROTHY AND HER GUARDIANS MEET NEW FRIENDS ................................58

CHAPTER 17. DOUBTY AND CAMY VANISH INTO SPACE .......................................................63

CHAPTER 18. DOROTHY FINDS THE SCARECROW!..................................................................64

CHAPTER 19. PLANNING TO FLY FROM THE SILVER ISLAND...............................................68

CHAPTER 20. DOROTHY UPSETS THE CEREMONY OF THE ISLAND .....................................70

CHAPTER 21. THE ESCAPE FROM THE SILVER ISLAND ...........................................................74

CHAPTER 22. THE FLIGHT OF THE PARASOL.............................................................................76

CHAPTER 23. SAFE AT LAST IN THE LAND OF OZ .....................................................................77

CHAPTER 24. HOMEWARD BOUND TO THE EMERALD CITY.................................................79

"The very thing!" exclaimed Professor Wogglebug, bounding into the air and upsetting his gold inkwell. "The

"Who me?" A roundfaced little Munchkin boy stuck his head in the door and regarded Professor

Wogglebug solemnly. He was working his way through the Professor's Athletic college, and one of his duties

"Certainly not!" snapped Professor Wogglebug. "You're a nobody or a nothing. Stop gaping and fetch me my

hat. I'm off to the Emerald City. And mind the pupils take their history pills regularly while I'm gone," he

"Don't hurry back, sir!" This last remark the Professor did not hear, for he was already half way down the

"Ozma will be delighted with the idea. How clever I am!" he murmured, twirling his antennae and walking

The Professor, whose College of Art and Athletic Perfection is in the southwestern part of the Munchkin

country, is the biggest bug in Oz, or in anyplace else, for that matter. He has made education painless by

substituting school pills for books. His students take Latin, history and spelling pills; they swallow

knowledge of every kind with ease and pleasure and spend the rest of their time in sport. No wonder he is so

Swinging his cane jauntily, the Professor hurried toward the yellow brick road that leads to the Emerald City,

Oz! that marvelous country where no one grows old where animals and birds talk as sensibly as

people, and adventures happen every day. Indeed, of all fairylands in the world, Oz is the most delightful, and

of all fairy cities, the Emerald City is the most beautiful. A soft green light shone for miles about, and the

gemmed turrets and spires of the palace flashed more brightly than the stars. But its loveliness was familiar to

Professor Wogglebug, and without a pause he proceeded to Ozma's palace and was at once admitted to the

A roar of merriment greeted his ears. Ozma, the lovely girl ruler of Oz, was having a party, and the room was

full of most surprising people surprising to some, that is, but old friends to most of us.

Jack, holding tightly to his pumpkin head, was running as fast as his wooden feet and wobbly legs would take

him from Dorothy. A game of blindman'sbuff was in full swing, and Scraps and TikTok, the Scarecrow

and Nick Chopper, the Glass Cat and the Cowardly Lion, the Wizard of Oz and the wooden Sawhorse, Cap'n

Bill and Betsy Bobbin, Billina and the Hungry Tiger were tumbling over each other in an effort to keep away

But Dorothy was too quick for them. With a sudden whirl, she spun 'round and grasped a coatsleeve.

"The Scarecrow!" she laughed triumphantly. "I can tell by the way he skwoshes and now he's it!"

"I'm always it!" chuckled the droll person. "But hah! Behold the learned Professor standing so aloofly in

"I don't like to interrupt the party," he began, approaching Ozma's throne apologetically, "but I've just had a

"Well, you said you'd had it, and had is the past tense, so " Jack's voice trailed off uncertainly, and Ozma,

"Your Highness!" began Professor Wogglebug, while the company settled down in a resigned circle on the

floor, "As Oz is the most interesting and delightful country on the Continent of Imagination and its people the

most unusual and talented, I am about to compile a Royal Book which will give the names and history of all

"And," the Professor frowned severely on the Scarecrow, "with your Majesty's permission, I shall start at

"Please do," said the Scarecrow with a wave toward the door, "and we will go on with the party!"

Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, who had been staring fixedly at the Professor with her silver suspenderbutton

"What is a genealogist? It's something no one here has missed; What puts such notions in your head? Turn

she shouted gaily, then, catching Ozma's disapproving glance, fell over backwards.

"I don't understand it at all," said Jack Pumpkinhead in a depressed voice. "I'm afraid my head's too ripe."

"Nor I," said TikTok, the copper clockwork man. "Please wind me up a little tighter Dorothy, I want to

Dorothy obligingly took a key suspended from a hook on his back and wound him up under his left arm.

Everybody began to talk at once, and what with the Cowardly Lion's deep growl and TikTok's squeaky

voice and all the rest of the tin and meat and wooden voices, the confusion was terrible.

Immediately the room grew so still that one could hear TikTok's machinery whirring 'round.

"Now!" said Ozma, "One at a time, please, and let us hear from the Scarecrow first."

The Scarecrow rose. "I think, your Highness," he said modestly, "that anyone who has studied his Geozify

"Who you are?" broke in the Wogglebug scornfully "Of course they do but I shall tell them who you

"Who I were?" gasped the Scarecrow in a dazed voice, raising his cotton glove to his forehead. "Who I were?

"That's just the point," said Professor Wogglebug. "Who were you? Who were your ancestors? Where is your

At each question, the Scarecrow looked more embarrassed. He repeated the last one several times.

"From what did I descend? From what did I descend? Why, from a bean pole!" he cried.

This was perfectly true, for Dorothy, a little girl blown by a Kansas cyclone to the Kingdom of Oz, had

discovered the Scarecrow in a farmer's cornfield and had lifted him down from his pole. Together they had

made the journey to the Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz had fitted him out with a fine set of brains. At

Before he could reply further, the Patchwork Girl, who was simply irrepressible, burst out:

"An exstrawordinary man is he! A bean pole for his family tree, A Cornishman, upon my soul, Descended

"Nonsense!" said Professor Wogglebug sharply, "Being stuffed with straw may make him extraordinary, but

it is quite plain that the Scarecrow was nobody before he was himself. He has no ancestors, no family; only a

bean pole for a family tree, and is therefore entitled to the merest mention in the Royal Book of Oz!"

"How about my brains?" asked the Scarecrow in a hurt voice. "Aren't they enough?"

"Brains have simply nothing to do with royalty!" Professor Wogglebug waved his fountain pen firmly. "Now

"A Ruler but never a royalty!" snapped out the Professor. "Now, if you will all answer my questions as I call

"Your Highness," he bowed to Ozma, "need not bother. I have already entered your name at the head of the

list. Being descended as you are from a long line of fairies, your family tree is the oldest and most illustrious

"I know you are from Kansas and were created a Princess of Oz by our gracious Ruler, but can you tell me

anything of your ancestors in America?" demanded the Professor, staring over the top of his thick glasses.

"You'll have to ask Uncle Henry and Aunt Em," said Dorothy rather sulkily. The Professor had hurt the

feelings of her best friend, the Scarecrow, and ancestors did not interest her one little bit.

"Very well," said the Professor, writing industriously in his book. "I'll just enter you as 'Dorothy, Princess of

Now up rose our old friend the Tin Woodman, who had also been discovered by Dorothy on her first trip to

"You were a man of meat at one time and a woodman by trade?" queried Professor Wogglebug, poising his

"I am a Tin Woodman, and you may enter me in your book under the name of Smith, for a tin Smith made

me, and as Royal Emperor of the Winkies, I do not care to go back to my meat connections," said the Tin

"Smith is a very good name. I can work up a whole chapter on that," smiled the Professor. The Tin Woodman

had once been a regular person, but a wicked witch enchanted his ax, and first it chopped off one leg, then the

other, and next both arms and his head. After each accident, Nick went to a tinsmith for repairs, and finally

was entirely made of tin. Nowhere but in Oz could such a thing happen. But no one can be killed in this

marvelous country, and Nick, with his tin body, went gaily on living and was considered so distinguished that

The Patchwork Girl pirouetted madly to the front. Putting one finger in her mouth, she sang:

"I'm made of patches, as you see. A clothes tree is my family tree But, pshaw! It's all the same to me!"

A clothes tree? Even Professor Wogglebug grinned. Who could help laughing at Scraps? Made of odd pieces

of goods and brought to life by the powder of life, the comical girl was the jolliest person imaginable.

"Put me down as a man of metal!" drawled TikTok the copper man as the laugh following Scraps' rhyme

had subsided. TikTok was still another of Dorothy's discoveries, and this marvelous machine man,

guaranteed to last a thousand years, could think, walk, and talk when properly wound.

The Cowardly Lion was entered as a King in his own right. One after the other, the celebrities of Oz came

forward to answer Professor Wogglebug's questions. The Professor wrote rapidly in his little book. Ozma

listened attentively to each one, and they all seemed interested except the Scarecrow. Slumped down beside

Dorothy, he stared morosely at the ceiling, his jolly face all wrinkled down on one side.

"Don't you mind." Dorothy patted his shoulder kindly. "Royalties are out of date, and I'll bet the Professor's

But the Scarecrow refused to be comforted, and long after the company had retired he sat hunched sadly in

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" he exclaimed at last, rising unsteadily to his feet. Jellia Jamb, Ozma's little waiting maid,

returning somewhat later to fetch a handkerchief her mistress had dropped, was surprised to see him running

"To find my family tree!" said the Scarecrow darkly, and drawing himself up to his full height, he fell

The moon shone brightly, but everyone in the Emerald City was fast asleep! Through the deserted streets

hurried the Scarecrow. For the first time since his discovery by little Dorothy, he was really unhappy. Living

as he did in a Fairyland, he had taken many things for granted and had rather prided himself on his unusual

appearance. Indeed, not until Professor Wogglebug's rude remarks concerning his family had he given his

"I am the only person in Oz without a family!" he reflected sorrowfully. "Even the Cowardly Lion has kingly

parents and a palm tree! But I must keep thinking. My brains have never failed me yet. Who was I? Who

Often he thought so hard that he forgot to look where he was going and ran headlong into fences, stumbled

down gutters, and over stiles. But fortunately, the dear fellow could not hurt himself, and he would struggle

up, pat his straw into shape, and walk straightway into something else. He made good time in between falls,

however, and was soon well on his way down the yellow brick road that ran through the Munchkin Country.

For he had determined to return to the Munchkin farm where Dorothy had first discovered him and try to find

Now being stuffed with straw had many advantages, for requiring neither food nor sleep the Scarecrow could

travel night and day without interruption. The stars winked out one by one, and by the time the cocks of the

The Scarecrow took off his hat and scratched his head thoughtfully. Crossing rivers is no easy matter in Oz,

for there isn't a ferry in the Kingdom, and unless one is a good swimmer or equipped with some of the

Wizard's magic it is mighty troublesome. Water does not agree with the Scarecrow at all, and as for

But he was too wise a person to give up merely because a thing appeared to be impossible. It was for just

"If Nick Chopper were here, he would build a raft in no time," murmured the Scarecrow, "but as he is not, I

Turning his back on the river, which distracted his mind, he began to think with all his might. Before he

could collect his thoughts, there was a tremendous crash, and next minute he was lying face down in the mud.

Several little crashes followed, and a shower of water. Then a wet voice called out with a cheerful chuckle:

"Come on out, my dear Rattles. Not a bad place at all, and here's breakfast already waiting!"

"Breakfast!" The Scarecrow turned over cautiously. A huge and curious creature was slashing through the

grass toward him. A smaller and still more curious one followed. Both were extremely damp and had

"Good morning!" quavered the Scarecrow, sitting up with a jerk and at the same time reaching for a stick that

"I won't eat it if it talks so there!" The smaller creature stopped and stared fixedly at the Scarecrow.

The Scarecrow, hearing this, tried to think of something else to say, but the appearance of the two was so

amazing that, as he told Dorothy afterwards, he was struck dumb. The larger was at least two hundred feet

long and made entirely of blocks of wood. On each block was a letter of the alphabet. The head was a huge

square block with a serpent's face and long, curling, tape measure tongue. The little one was very much

smaller and seemed to consist of hundreds of rattles, wood, celluloid, and rubber, fastened together with

wires. Every time it moved, the rattles tinkled. Its face, however, was not unpleasant, so the Scarecrow took

"And I'm not going to eat anything that squirms." This time it was the big serpent who spoke.

"Thank you!" said the Scarecrow, bowing several times more. "You relieve my mind. I've never been a

breakfast yet, and I'd rather not begin. But if I cannot be your breakfast, let me be your friend!" He extended

There was something so jolly about the Scarecrow's smile that the two creatures became friendly at once, and

"As you have doubtless noted," began the larger creature, "I am an ABSea Serpent. I am employed in the

nursery of the Mer children to teach them their letters. My friend, here, is a Rattlesnake, and it is his business

to amuse the Mer babies while the Mermaids are mermarketing. Once a year, we take a vacation, and

proceeding from the sea depths up a strange river, we came out upon this shore. Perhaps you, Sir, will be able

"You are in the Munchkin Country of the Land of Oz," explained the Scarecrow politely. "It is a charming

place for a vacation. I would show you about myself if I were not bound on an important mission." Here the

"Yes, indeed," replied the monster, snapping its tapemeasure tongue in and out, "I have five

greatgrandmothers, twentyone grandnieces, seven brothers, and six sistersinlaw!"

"Ah!" murmured the Scarecrow, clasping his hands tragically, "How I envy you. I have no one no aunts

no ancestors no family no family tree but a bean pole. I am, alas, a man without a past!" The

"Oh, cheer up!" it begged in a distressed voice. "Think of your presence here I give you permission to

shake me!" The Scarecrow was so affected by this kind offer that he cheered up immediately.

"No past but a presence I'll remember that!" He swelled out his straw chest complacently, and leaning

"Well," answered the Scarecrow judiciously, "I have very good brains, given me by the famous Wizard of

"Because it is made up of blocks!" he roared triumphantly. "That's easy; now it's my turn. Why is the

"Because his tongue is a tape measure, and he has to measure his words!" cried the Scarecrow, snapping his

clumsy fingers. "And that's a good one, if I did make it myself. I must remember to tell it to Dorothy!"

Then he sobered quite suddenly, for the thought of Dorothy brought back the purpose of his journey.

Interrupting the Rattlesnake in the midst of a new riddle, he explained how anxious he was to return to the

little farm where he had been discovered and try to find some traces of his family.

"And the real riddle," he sighed with a wave of his hand, "is how to cross this river."

"That's easy and no riddle at all," rumbled the ABSea Serpent, who had been listening attentively to the

Scarecrow's remarks. "I'll stretch across, and you can walk over." Suiting the action to the word, he began

backing very cautiously toward the river so as not to shake the Scarecrow off his feet.

"Mind your P's and Q's!" called the Rattlesnake warningly. It was well that he spoke, for the ABSea

Serpent had doubled the P and Q blocks under, and they were ready to snap off. Finally, however, he

managed to make a bridge of himself, and the Scarecrow stepped easily over the blocks, the huge serpent

holding himself rigid. Just as he reached Y, the unfortunate creature sneezed, and all the blocks rattled

together. Up flew the Scarecrow and escaped falling into the stream only by the narrowest margin.

"Blockhead!" shrilled the Rattlesnake, who had taken a great fancy to the Scarecrow.

"I'm all right," cried the Scarecrow rather breathlessly. "Thank you very much!" He sprang nimbly up the

"Can't, with a rattlepate like that." The ABSea Serpent nodded glumly in the Rattlesnake's direction.

"Now don't quarrel," begged the Scarecrow. "You are both charming and unusual, and if you follow that

Yellow Road, you will come to the Emerald City, and Ozma will be delighted to welcome you."

"The Emerald City! We must see that, my dear Rattles." Forgetting his momentary displeasure, the ABSea

Serpent pulled himself out of the river, and waving his X Y Z blocks in farewell to the Scarecrow, went

As for the Scarecrow, he continued his journey, and the day was so delightful and the country so pleasant that

he almost forgot he had no family. He was treated everywhere with the greatest courtesy and had

innumerable invitations from the hospitable Munchkins. He was anxious to reach his destination, however, so

he refused them all, and traveling night and day came without further mishap or adventure late on the second

evening to the little Munchkin farm where Dorothy had first discovered him. He was curious to know

whether the pole on which he had been hoisted to scare away the crows still stood in the cornfield and

whether the farmer who had made him could tell him anything further about his history.

"It is a shame to waken him," thought the kind Scarecrow. "I'll just take a look in the cornfield." The moon

shone so brightly that he had no trouble finding his way about. With a little cry of pleasure, he pushed his

way through the dry cornstalks. There in the center of the field stood a tall pole the very identical bean

"All the family or family tree I've got!" cried the Scarecrow, running toward it with emotion.

"What's that?" A window in the farmhouse was thrown up, and a sleepy Munchkin thrust out his head. "What

"Well, don't do it out loud," snapped the farmer. Then, catching a better view of the Scarecrow, he cried in

surprise: "Why, it's you! Come right in, my dear fellow, and give us the latest news from the Emerald

The farmer was very proud of the Scarecrow. He had made him long ago by stuffing one of his old suits with

straw, painting a jolly face on a sack, stuffing that, and fastening the two together. Red boots, a hat, and

yellow gloves had finished his man and nothing could have been jollier than the result. Later on, when the

Scarecrow had run off with Dorothy and got his brains from the Wizard of Oz and become ruler of the

The Scarecrow, however, was not in a humor for conversation. He wanted to think in peace. "Don't bother!"

For a long time the Scarecrow stood perfectly still beside the bean pole thinking. Then he got a spade

from the shed and began clearing away the cornstalks and dried leaves from around the base of the pole. It

was slow work, for his fingers were clumsy, but he persevered. Then a wonderful idea came to him.

"Perhaps if I dig down a bit, I may discover " He got no further, for at the word "discover," he pushed the

spade down with all his might. There was a loud crash. The bottom dropped out of things, and the Scarecrow

"Great cornstalks!" cried the Scarecrow, throwing up his arms. To his surprise, they came in contact with a

stout pole, which he embraced. It was a lifesaver, for he was shooting down into the darkness at a great rate.

"Why!" he gasped as soon as he regained his breath, for he was falling at a terrific rate of speed, "Why, I

Hugging the bean pole for dear life, the Scarecrow slid rapidly downward, Everything was dark, but at times

"Then reach out and pull it in," growled a still deeper voice. There was a flash of light, a door opened

"It's a good thing I haven't a heart to fail me," murmured the Scarecrow, glancing up fearfully and clinging

more tightly to the pole. "Though I fall, I shall not falter. But where under the earth am I falling to?" At that

"Who are you? Have out your toll and be ready to salute the Royal Ruler of the Middlings!"

The Scarecrow had learned in the course of his many and strange adventures that it was best to accede to

every request that was reasonable or possible. Realizing that unless he answered at once he would fall past his

"I am the Scarecrow of Oz, sliding down my family tree!" The words echoed oddly in the narrow

passageway, and by the time he reached the word "tree" the Scarecrow could make out two large brown men

leaning from a door somewhere below. Next minute he came to a sharp stop. A board had shot out and closed

off the passageway. So sudden was the stop that the Scarecrow was tossed violently upward. While he

"So this is the kind of thing they grow on top," said one, holding a lantern close to the Scarecrow's head.

"One moment, your Royal Middleness!" cried the Scarecrow, backing as far away from the lantern as he

could, for with a straw stuffing one cannot be too careful of fire. He felt in his pocket for an emerald he had

picked up in the Emerald City a few days before and handed it gingerly to the Muddy monarch.

"Is your kingdom not in the middle of the earth, and are you not royalty? What could be more proper than

Now that he had a better view, he saw that the two were entirely men of mud, and very roughly put together.

Dried grass hair stood erect upon each head, and their faces were large and lumpy and had a disconcerting

way of changing shape. Indeed, when the King leaned over to examine the Scarecrow, his features were so

soft they seemed to run into his cheek, which hung down alarmingly, while his nose turned sideways and

Muddle pushed the King's nose back and began spreading his cheek into place. Instead of hands and feet, the

Middlings had gnarled and twisted roots which curled up in a perfectly terrifying manner. Their teeth were

gold, and their eyes shone like small electric lights. They wore stiff coats of dried mud, buttoned clumsily

with lumps of coal, and the King had a tall mud crown. Altogether, the Scarecrow thought he had never seen

"What he needs," spluttered the King, fingering the jewel greedily, "is a coat of mud! Shall we pull him in,

"He's very poorly made, your Mudjesty. Can you work, Carescrow?" asked Muddle, thumping him rudely in

"Scarecrow, if you please!" The Scarecrow drew himself up and spoke with great difficulty. "I can work with

"Your head!" roared the King. "Did you hear that, Muddle? He works with his head. What's the matter with

your hands?" Again the King lunged forward, and this time his face fell on the other side and had bulged

enormously before Muddle could pat it into shape. They began whispering excitedly together, but the

Scarecrow made no reply, for looking over their shoulder he glimpsed a dark, forbidding cavern lighted only

by the flashing red eyes of thousands of Middlings. They appeared to be digging, and above the rattle of the

shovels and picks came the hoarse voice of one of them singing the Middling National Air. Or so the

"Oh, chop the brown clods as they fall with a thud! Three croaks for the Middlings, who stick in the Mud.

Oh, mud, rich and wormy! Oh, mud, sweet and squirmy! Oh what is so lovely as Mud! Oh what is so lovely

as Mud! Three croaks for the Middlings, who delve all the day In their beautiful Kingdom of soft mud and

The croaks that came at the end of the song were so terrifying that the Scarecrow shivered in spite of himself.

"Ugh! Hardly a place for a pleasant visit!" he gasped, flattening himself against the wall of the passage.

"I am the Scarecrow of Oz and desire to continue my fall. I have paid my toll and unless your Royal

"Might as well drop him a useless creature!" whispered Muddle, and before the King had time to object,

he jerked the board back. "Fall on!" he screeched maliciously, and the Scarecrow shot down into the

darkness, the hoarse screams of the two Middlings echoing after him through the gloom.

No use trying to think! The poor Scarecrow bumped and banged from side to side of the passage. It was all he

"A good thing I'm not made of meat like little Dorothy," he wheezed breathlessly. His gloves were getting

worn through from friction with the pole, and the rush of air past his ears was so confusing that he gave up all

idea of thinking. Even magic brains refuse to work under such conditions. Down down down he

plunged till he lost all count of time. Down down down hours and hours! Would he never stop?

Then suddenly it grew quite light, and he flashed through what appeared to be a hole in the roof of a huge

silver palace, whirled down several stories and landed in a heap on the floor of a great hall. In one hand he

clutched a small fan, and in the other a parasol that had snapped off the beanstalk just before he reached the

Shaken and bent over double though he was, the Scarecrow could see that he had fallen into a company of

great magnificence. He had a confused glimpse of silken clad courtiers, embroidered screens, inlaid floors,

and flashing silver lanterns, when there was a thundering bang that hurled him halfway to the roof again.

Falling to a sitting position and still clinging to the bean pole, he saw two giant kettle drums nearby, still

The company were staring at him solemnly, and as he attempted to rise, they fell prostrate on their faces. Up

flew the poor flimsy Scarecrow again, such was the draught, and this time landed on his face. He was

beginning to feel terribly annoyed, but before he could open his mouth or stand up, a deep voice boomed:

"He has come!" shrilled the rest of the company, thumping their heads on the stone floor. The language

seemed strange to the Scarecrow, but oddly enough, he could understand it perfectly. Keeping a tight grasp

on the bean pole, he gazed at the prostrate assemblage, too astonished to speak. They looked exactly like the

pictures of some Chinamen he had seen in one of Dorothy's picture books back in Oz, but instead of being

yellow, their skin was a curious gray, and the hair of old and young alike was silver and worn in long, stiff

queues. Before he had time to observe any more, an old, old courtier hobbled forward and beckoned

imperiously to a page at the door. The page immediately unfurled a huge silk umbrella and, running forward,

"Welcome home, sublime and noble Ancestor! Welcome, honorable and exalted Sir." The old gentleman

"Welcome, immortal and illustrious Ancestor! Welcome, ancient and serene Father!" cried the others,

banging their heads hard on the floor so hard that their queues flew into the air.

"Ancestor! Father!" mumbled the Scarecrow in a puzzled voice. Then, collecting himself somewhat, he made

a deep bow, and sweeping off his hat with a truly royal gesture began: "I am indeed honored " But he got

no farther. The silken clad courtiers sprang to their feet in a frenzy of joy. A dozen seized him bodily and

"The same beautiful voice!" cried the ancient gentleman, clasping his hands in an ecstasy of feeling.

"It is he! The Emperor! The Emperor has returned! Long live the Emperor!" shouted everyone at once. The

"Ancestor! Father! Emperor!" The Scarecrow could scarcely believe his ears. "For a fallen man, I am rising

like yeast!" he murmured to himself. Half a dozen courtiers had run outdoors to spread the wonderful news,

and soon silver gongs and bells began ringing all over the kingdom, and cries of "The Emperor! The

Emperor!" added to the general excitement. Holding fast to the sides of the throne and still grasping the little

"If they would just stop emperoring, I could ask them who I am," thought the poor Scarecrow. As if in answer

to his thoughts, the tottery old nobleman raised his long arm, and at once the hall became absolutely silent.

"Now!" sighed the Scarecrow, leaning forward. "Now I shall hear something of interest."

Dorothy, who occupied one of the coziest apartments in Ozma's palace, wakened the morning after the party

with a feeling of great uneasiness. At breakfast, the Scarecrow was missing. Although he, the Tin Woodman

and Scraps did not require food, they always livened up the table with their conversation. Ordinarily Dorothy

would have thought nothing of the Scarecrow's absence, but she could not forget his distressed expression

when Professor Wogglebug had so rudely remarked on his family tree. The Professor himself had left before

breakfast, and everybody but Dorothy had forgotten all about the Royal Book of Oz.

Already many of Ozma's guests who did not live in the palace were preparing to depart, but Dorothy could

not get over her feeling of uneasiness. The Scarecrow was her very best friend, and it was not like him to go

without saying goodbye. So she hunted through the gardens and in every room of the palace and questioned

all the servants. Unfortunately, Jellia Jamb, who was the only one who had seen the Scarecrow go, was with

her mistress. Ozma always breakfasted alone and spent the morning over state matters. Knowing how busy

she was, Dorothy did not like to disturb her. Betsy Bobbin and Trot, real little girls like Dorothy, also lived in

the Fairy palace, and Ozma was a great chum for them. But the Kingdom of Oz had to be governed in

between times, and they all knew that unless Ozma had the mornings to herself, she could not play with them

"Perhaps I didn't look hard enough," thought the little girl, and searched the palace all over again.

"Don't worry," advised the Tin Woodman, who was playing checkers with Scraps. "He's probably gone

chuckled Scraps with a careless wave of her hand, and Dorothy, laughing in spite of herself, ran out to have

"That is just what he has done, and if I hurry, I may overtake him. Anyway, I believe I'll go and pay him a

Trot and Betsy Bobbin were swinging in one of the royal hammocks, and when Dorothy invited them to go

along, they explained that they were going on a picnic with the Tin Woodman. So without waiting to ask

anyone else or even whistling for Toto, her little dog, Dorothy skipped out of the garden.

The Cowardly Lion, half asleep under a rose bush, caught a glimpse of her blue dress flashing by, and

"To visit the Scarecrow," explained Dorothy. "He looked so unhappy last night. I am afraid he is worrying

The Cowardly Lion stretched luxuriously. "I'll go too," he rumbled, giving himself a shake. "But it's the first

"But you see," Dorothy said gently, "Professor Wogglebug told him he had no family."

"Family! Family fiddlesticks! Hasn't he got us?" The Cowardly Lion stopped and waved his tail indignantly.

"Why, you dear old thing!" Dorothy threw her arms around his neck. "You've given me a lovely idea!" The

"Well, as long as I've given it to you, you might tell me what it is," he suggested mildly.

"Why," said Dorothy, skipping along happily, "we'll let him adopt us and be his really relations. I'll be his

"His cousin that is, if you think he wouldn't mind having a great coward like me for a cousin," finished the

"More so!" sighed the great beast, glancing apprehensively over his shoulder. This made Dorothy laugh, for

although the lion trembled like a cup custard at the approach of danger, he always managed to fight with

great valor, and the little girl felt safer with him than with the whole army of Oz, who never were frightened

Now anyone who is at all familiar with his geozify knows that the Fairyland of Oz is divided into four parts,

exactly like a parchesi board, with the Emerald City in the very center, the purple Gillikin Country to the

north, the red Quadling Country to the south, the blue Munchkin Country to the east, and the yellow Country

of the Winkies to the west. It was toward the west that Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion turned their steps, for

it was in the Winkie Country that the Scarecrow had built his gorgeous golden tower in exactly the shape of a

Dorothy ran along beside the Cowardly Lion, chatting over their many adventures in Oz, and stopping now

and then to pick buttercups and daisies that dotted the roadside. She tied a big bunch to the tip of her friend's

tail and twined some more in his mane, so that he presented a very festive appearance indeed. Then, when she

grew tired, she climbed on his big back, and swiftly they jogged through the pleasant land of the Winkies.

The people waved to them from windows and fields, for everyone loved little Dorothy and the big lion, and

as they passed a neat yellow cottage, a little Winkie Lady came running down the path with a cup of tea in

"I saw you coming and thought you might be thirsty," she called hospitably. Dorothy drank her cup without

"We're in an awful hurry; we're visiting the Scarecrow," she exclaimed apologetically. The lion drank his

"How I loathe tea! If I hadn't been such a coward, I'd have upset the bucket," groaned the lion as the little

Winkie Lady went back into her house. "But no, I was afraid of hurting her feelings. Ugh, what a terrible

"Nonsense!" said Dorothy, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "You're not a coward, you're just polite.

So like the wind away raced the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy holding fast to his mane, with her curls blowing

straight out behind, and in exactly two Oz hours and seventeen Winkie minutes they came to the dazzling

cornear residence of their old friend. Hurrying through the cornfields that surrounded his singular mansion,

"And I'm hungry enough to eat crow," rumbled the lion. Then both stopped in dismay, for the big reception

room was empty. From a room above came a shuffling of feet, and Blink, the Scarecrow's gentlemanly

"Here! Isn't he there? Isn't he in the Emerald City?" gasped the little Winkie, putting his specs on upside

"No at least, I don't think so. Oh, dear, I just felt that something had happened to him!" wailed Dorothy,

"Now don't be alarmed." The Cowardly Lion rushed to Dorothy's side and knocked three vases and a clock

off a little table, just to show how calm he was. "Think of his brains! The Scarecrow has never come to harm

yet, and all we have to do is to return to the Emerald City and look in Ozma's Magic Picture. Then, when we

know where he is, we can go and find him and tell him about our little adoption plan," he added, looking

"The Scarecrow himself couldn't have spoken more sensibly," observed Blink with a great sigh of relief, and

In Ozma's palace, as many of you know, there is a Magic Picture, and when Ozma or Dorothy want to see

any of their friends, they have merely to wish to see them, and instantly the picture shows the person wished

"Better have some lunch before you start back," suggested Blink, and bustling about had soon set out an

appetizing repast. Dorothy was too busy worrying about the Scarecrow to have much appetite, but the

"To give me courage!" he explained to Dorothy, licking his chops. "There's nothing that makes me so

It was quite late in the afternoon before they could get away. Blink insisted on putting up a lunch, and it took

some time to make enough sandwiches for the Cowardly Lion. But at last it was ready and packed into an old

hat box belonging to Mops, the Scarecrow's cook. Then Dorothy, balancing the box carefully on her lap,

climbed on the Cowardly Lion's back, and assuring Blink that they would return in a few days with his

master, they bade him farewell. Blink almost spoiled things by bursting into tears, but he managed to restrain

himself long enough to say goodbye, and Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion, feeling a little solemn themselves,

"My, but it's growing dark," said Dorothy after they had gone several miles. "I believe it's going to storm."

Scarcely had she finished speaking before there was a terrific crash of thunder. The Cowardly Lion promptly

sat down. Off of his back bounced the sandwich box and into the sandwich box rolled Dorothy, head first.

"I should say it was!" Dorothy crawled indignantly out of the hat box and began wiping the butter from her

"It was my heart," explained the Cowardly Lion sorrowfully. "It jumped so hard that it upset me, but climb on

"But where are you?" Dorothy asked in real alarm, for it had grown absolutely dark.

"Here," quavered the Cowardly Lion, and guided by his voice, Dorothy stumbled over to him and climbed

again on his back. One crash of thunder followed another, and at each crash the Cowardly Lion leapt forward

"It won't take us long to reach the Emerald City at this rate!" called Dorothy, but the wind tossed the words

far behind her, and seeing that conversation was impossible, she clung fast to the lion's mane and began

thinking about the Scarecrow. The thunder continued at frequent intervals, but there was no rain, and after

they had been running for what seemed to Dorothy hours and hours, a sudden terrific bump sent her flying

over the lion's head into a bush. Too breathless to speak, she felt herself carefully all over. Then, finding that

she was still in one piece, she called to the Cowardly Lion. She could hear him moaning and muttering about

"Only my head," groaned the lion dismally. Just then the darkness lifted as suddenly as it had fallen, and

Dorothy saw him leaning against a tree with his eyes closed. There was a big bump on his head. With a little

cry of sympathy, Dorothy hurried toward him, when all at once something strange about their surroundings

"Why, where are we?" cried the little girl, stopping short. The lion's eyes flew open, and forgetting all about

his bump, he looked around in dismay. No sign of the Emerald City anywhere. Indeed, they were in a great,

dim forest, and considering the number of trees, it is a wonder that they had not run into one long ago.

"I must have run the wrong way," faltered the Cowardly Lion in a distressed voice.

"You couldn't help that; anyone would lose his way in the dark," said Dorothy generously. "But I wish we

Dorothy did not answer, for just then she caught sight of a big sign nailed to one of the trees.

"Oh, come on!" cried Dorothy, cheering up immediately. "I believe we're going to have another adventure."

"I'd rather have some supper," sighed the Cowardly Lion wistfully, "but unless we want to spend the night

"Turn to the left," advised the next sign, and the two turned obediently and hurried on, trying to keep a

straight course through the trees. In a Fairyland like Oz, where there are no trains or trolleys or even horses

for traveling ('cepting Ozma's sawhorse), there are bound to be unexplored portions. And though Dorothy had

been at one time or another in almost every part of Oz, the country through which they were now passing was

totally unfamiliar to her. Night was coming on, and it was growing so dark that she could hardly read the

"We might as well keep to the left," said the Cowardly Lion in a resigned voice, and they walked along for

some time in silence. The trees were thinning out, and as they came to the edge of the forest, another sign

"Slow down," read Dorothy with great difficulty. "What nonsense! If we slow down, how shall we ever get

"Wait a minute," mused the Cowardly Lion, half closing his eyes. "Aren't there two roads just ahead, one

going up and one going down? We're to take the down road, I suppose. 'Slow down,' isn't that what it says?"

Slow down it surely was, for the road was so steep and full of stones that Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion had

to pick their way with utmost care. But even bad roads must end somewhere, and coming suddenly to the

edge of the woods, they saw a great city lying just below. A dim light burned over the main gate, and toward

this the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy hurried as fast as they could. This was not very fast, for an

Slowly and more slowly, the tired little girl and her great fourfooted companion advanced toward the dimly

lighted gate. They were so drowsy that they had ceased to talk. But they dragged on.

By the time they had reached the gate, they were yawning so hard that the Cowardly Lion had nearly

dislocated his jaw, and Dorothy was perfectly breathless. Holding to the lion's mane to steady herself,

"Um Great Grand and Mighty Slow Kingdom of Pokes! Uhhah Pokes! Do you hear? Hah, hoh,

The Cowardly Lion did not hear. He had fallen down and was fast asleep, and so in another minute was

Dorothy, her head pillowed against his kind, comfortable, cowardly heart. Fast asleep at the gates of a strange

It was long past sunup before Dorothy awoke. She rubbed her eyes, yawned once or twice, and then shook

the Cowardly Lion. The gates of the city were open, and although it looked even grayer in the daytime than it

looked at night, the travelers were too hungry to be particular. A large placard was posted just inside:

"Don't!" begged the Cowardly Lion with tears in his eyes. "If I yawn again, I'll swallow my tail, and if I don't

have something to eat soon, I'll do it anyway. Let's hurry! There's something queer about this place, Dorothy!

Stifling their yawns, the two started down the long, narrow street. The houses were of gray stone, tall and stiff

with tiny barred windows. It was absolutely quiet, and not a person was in sight. But when they turned the

corner, they saw a crowd of queerlooking people creeping toward them. These singular individuals stopped

between each step and stood perfectly still, and Dorothy was so surprised at their unusual appearance that she

In the first place, they never lifted their feet, but pushed them along like skates. The women were dressed in

gray polkadot dresses with huge poke bonnets that almost hid their fat, sleepy, widemouthed faces. Most

of them had pet snails on strings, and so slowly did they move that it looked as though the snails were

The men were dressed like a party of congressmen, but instead of high hats wore large red nightcaps, and

they were all as solemn as owls. It seemed impossible for them to keep both eyes open at the same time, and

at first Dorothy thought they were winking at her. But as the whole company continued to stare fixedly with

one open eye, she burst out laughing. At the unexpected sound (for no one had ever laughed in Pokes before),

the women picked up their snails in a great fright, and the men clapped their fingers to their ears or to the

"These must be the Slow Pokes," giggled Dorothy, nudging the Cowardly Lion. "Let's go to meet them, for

"There's something wrong with my feet," rumbled the Cowardly Lion without looking up. "Hah, hoh, hum!

What's the use of hurrying?" The fact of the matter was that they couldn't hurry if they tried. Indeed, they

"I wish the Scarecrow were with us," sighed the Cowardly Lion, shuffling along unhappily. "He never grows

By struggling hard, they just managed to keep moving, and by the time they came up with the Slow Pokes,

they were completely worn out. A crosslooking Poke held up his arm threateningly, and Dorothy and the

"You " said the Poke; then closed his mouth and stood staring vacantly for a whole minute.

"Are " He brought out the word with a perfectly enormous yawn, and Dorothy began fanning the

"Under " sighed the Poke after a long pause, and Dorothy, seeing that there was no hurrying him, began

counting to herself. Just as she reached sixty, the Poke pushed back his red nightcap and shouted:

"Arrest!" shouted all the other Pokes so loud that the Cowardly Lion roused himself with a start, and the pet

snails stuck out their heads. "A rest? A rest is not what we want! We want breakfast!" growled the lion

irritably and started to roar, but a yawn spoiled it. (One simply cannot look fierce by yawning.)

"You " began the Poke. But Dorothy could not stand hearing the same slow speech again. Putting her

The Pokes regarded her sternly. Some even opened both eyes. Then the one who had first addressed the,

covering a terrific gape with one hand, pointed with the other to a sign on a large post at the corner of the

"Did you say feeding?" asked the poor lion, waking up with a start. "If I go to sleep again before I'm fed, I'll

"Then keep awake," yawned Dorothy. By this time, the Pokes had surrounded them and were waving them

imperiously ahead. They looked so threatening that Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion began to creep in the

direction of a gloomy, gray castle. Of the journey neither of them remembered a thing, for with the gaping

and yawning Pokes it was almost impossible to keep awake. But they must have walked in their sleep, for the

Greatly alarmed, Dorothy opened her eyes. They were in a huge stone hall hung all over with rusty armor,

and seated on a great stone chair, snoring so loudly that all the steel helmets rattled, was a Knight. The tallest

and crossest of the Pokes rushed at him with a long poker, giving him such a shove that he sprawled to the

"Prisoners Sir Hokus!" shouted the Chief Poker, lifting the Knight's plume and speaking into the helmet as

The Knight arose with great dignity, and after straightening his armor, let down his visor, and Dorothy saw a

kind, timid face with melancholy blue eyes not at all Pokish, as she explained to Ozma later.

"What means this unwonted clamor?" asked Sir Hokus, peering curiously at the prisoners.

"We're sorry to waken you," said Dorothy politely, "but could you please give us some breakfast?"

"It's safer for me to sing," said the Knight mournfully, and throwing back his head, he roared in a high, hoarse

"If he weren't in a can, I'd eat him," he rumbled, "but I never could abide tinned meat."

"He's not in a can, he's in armor," explained Dorothy, too interested to pay much attention to the Cowardly

Lion, for at the first note of the Knight's song, the Pokes began scowling horribly, and by the time he had

finished they were backing out of the room faster than Dorothy ever imagined they could go.

"So that's why the sign said don't sing," thought Dorothy to herself. The air seemed clearer somehow, and she

When the last Poke had disappeared, the Knight sighed and climbed gravely back on his stone chair.

"My singing makes them very wroth. In faith, they cannot endure music; it wakens them," explained Sir

Hokus. "But hold, 'twas food you asked of me. Breakfast, I believe you called it." With an uneasy glance at

the Cowardly Lion, who was sniffing the air hungrily, the Knight banged on his steel armor with his sword,

"Pid, bring the stew," roared Sir Hokus as the Poke stood blinking at them dully.

"Stew, Pid!" he repeated loudly, and began to hum under his breath, at which Pid fairly ran out of the room,

returning in a few minutes with a large yellow bowl. This he handed ungraciously to Dorothy. Then he

brought a great copper tub of the stuff for the Cowardly Lion and retired sulkily.

Dorothy thought she had never tasted anything more delicious. The Cowardly Lion was gulping down his

share with closed eyes, and both, I am very sorry to say, forgot even to thank Sir Hokus.

Quite startled, Dorothy looked up from her bowl and saw the Knight regarding her wistfully.

"She's in Pokes, and that's the same thing," said the Cowardly Lion without opening his eyes.

There was something so quaint and gentle about the Knight, that she soon found herself talking to him like an

old friend. She told him all of their adventures since leaving the Emerald City and even told about the

"Passing strange, yet how refreshing," murmured Sir Hokus. "And if I seem a little behind times, you must

not blame me. For centuries, I have dozed in this gray castle, and it cometh over me that things have greatly

changed. This beast now, he talks quite manfully, and this Kingdom that you mention, this Oz? Never heard

"Never heard of Oz?" gasped the little girl. "Why, you're a subject of Oz, and Pokes is in Oz, though I don't

Here Dorothy gave him a short history of the Fairy country, and of the many adventures she had had since

"To think," he sighed mournfully, "that I was prisoner here while all that was happening!"

"Are you a prisoner?" asked Dorothy in surprise. "I thought you were King of the Pokes!"

"Uds daggers!" thundered Sir Hokus so suddenly that Dorothy jumped. "I am a knight!"

Seeing her startled expression, he controlled himself. "I was a knight," he continued brokenly. "Long

centuries ago, mounted on my goodly steed, I fared from my father's castle to offer my sword to a mighty

king. His name?" Sir Hokus tapped his forehead uncertainly. "Go to, I have forgot."

"Could it have been King Arthur?" exclaimed Dorothy, wideeyed with interest. "Why, just think of your

"That's just the point," choked the Knight. "I've been alive still, so still that I've forgotten everything.

"But how did you get here?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion, who did not like being left out of the conversation.

"I had barely left my father's castle before I met a stranger," said Sir Hokus, sitting up very straight, "who

challenged me to battle. I spurred my horse forward, our lances met, and the stranger was unseated. But by

my faith, 'twas no mortal Knight." Sir Hokus sighed deeply and lapsed into silence.

"What happened?" asked Dorothy curiously, for Sir Hokus seemed to have forgotten them.

"The Knight," said he with another mighty sigh, "struck the ground with his lance and cried, 'Live Wretch, for

centuries in the stupidest country out of the world,' and disappeared. And here here I am!" With a

"I feel that I am brave, very brave, but how am I to know until I have encountered danger? Ah, friends,

behold in me a Knight who has never had a real adventure, never killed a dragon, nor championed a Lady,

Dropping on his knees before the little girl, Sir Hokus took her hand. "Let me go with you on this Quest for

"Good night," coughed the Cowardly Lion, who, to tell the truth, was feeling a bit jealous. But Dorothy was

thrilled, and as Sir Hokus continued to look at her pleadingly, she took off her hair ribbon and bound it 'round

"You shall be my own true Knight, and I your Lady Fair!" she announced solemnly, and exactly as she had

At this interesting juncture the Cowardly Lion gave a tremendous yawn, and Sir Hokus with an exclamation

of alarm jumped to his feet. The Pokes had returned to the hall, and Dorothy felt herself falling asleep again.

Up, up, my lieges and away! We take the field again For Ladies fair we fight today And KING! Up, up,

shrilled the Knight as if he were leading an army to battle. The Pokes opened both eyes, but did not

immediately retire. Sir Hokus bravely swallowed a yawn and hastily clearing his throat shouted another song,

This time the Pokes left sullenly, but the effect of their presence had thrown Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, and

"If I fall asleep, nothing can save you," said Sir Hokus in an agitated voice. "Hah, hoh, hum! Hah !"

"Don't do it, don't do it!" begged Dorothy, shaking him violently. "Can't we run away?"

"I've been trying for five centuries," wailed the Knight in a discouraged voice, "but I always fall asleep before

I reach the gate, and they bring me back here. They're rather fond of me in their slow way," he added

"Couldn't you keep singing?" asked the Cowardly Lion anxiously, for the prospect of a fivecentury stay in

"Couldn't we all sing?" suggested Dorothy. "Surely all three of us won't fall asleep at once."

"I'm not much of a singer," groaned the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble, "but I'm willing to do my

"I like you," said Sir Hokus, going over and thumping the Cowardly Lion approvingly on the back. "You

The lion blinked his eyes, for Sir Hokus' iron fist bruised him severely, but knowing it was kindly meant, he

"I am henceforth a beknighted lion," he whispered to Dorothy while Sir Hokus was straightening his armor.

"To wake us up with," he explained. "And now, Lady Dorothy, if you are ready, we will start on the Quest for

Taking a deep breath, Sir Hokus, the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy burst out of the hall singing at the top of

The Pokes were so taken aback at the horrid sounds that they ran scurrying right and left. In another minute

the three were out of the castle and singing their way through the gloomy garden. Dorothy stuck to the Three

Blind Mice. Sir Hokus sang verse after verse of an old English ballad, and the Cowardly Lion roared and

gurgled a song of his own making, which, considering it was a first attempt, was not so bad:

I am the Cowardly Lion of Oz! Be good! Begone! Beware! Becoz When I am scared full fierce I be;

The Pokes stumbled this way and that, and all went well until they rushed into a company of Pokes who were

playing croquet. The slowness with which they raised their mallets fascinated Dorothy, and she stopped to

"Don't stop! Sing!" growled the Cowardly Lion in the middle of a line. To make up for lost time, Dorothy

closed her eyes and sang harder than ever, but alas! next instant she fell over a wicket, which so deprived her

of breath that she could barely scramble up, let alone sing. As soon as she stopped singing, the Pokes paused

in their flight, and as soon as they paused Dorothy began to gape. Singing for dear life, Sir Hokus jerked

Dorothy by the arm, and the Cowardly Lion roared so loud that the Pokes covered their ears and began

"There was a Knight! Come on, come on!" sang Sir Hokus, and Dorothy came, and in a few minutes was able

to take up the "Three Blind Mice" again. But running and singing at the same time is not an easy task. And

running through Pokes is like trying to run through water. (You know how hard that is?)

ree!" gasped poor Dorothy, stumbling along, while the Cowardly Lion was puffing like an engine. The

Pokes in the garden had recovered from their first alarm and were following at a safe distance. The gates of

the city were only a short distance off, but it seemed to Dorothy that she could not go another step.

A large group of Pokes had gathered at the gates, and unless they could sing their way through, they would

"Now!" wheezed Sir Hokus, "Remember, it is for the Scarecrow!" All of them swallowed, took a deep breath,

and put their last remaining strength into their voices. But a wily Poke who had stuffed some cotton in his

"Take !" he drawled, and before Dorothy realized what she was doing, she had accepted a cone from the

"Hah, hoh, hum! Why, it's hokey pokey!" spluttered Dorothy, and with a deep sigh of delight she took a large

bite of the pink ice cream. How cool it felt on her dry throat! She opened her mouth for a second taste,

"Dorothy!" wailed Sir Hokus, stopping short in his song and bending over the little girl. The poor Cowardly

Lion gave a gulp of despair and began running around the two, roaring and singing in a choked voice. The

Pokes nodded to each other in a pleased fashion, and the Chief Poker started cautiously toward them with a

long, thick rope. The Cowardly Lion redoubled his efforts. Then, seeing Sir Hokus about to fall, he jumped

on the Knight with all his strength. Down crashed Sir Hokus, his armor clanging against the stones that paved

"Sing!" roared the Cowardly Lion, glaring at him fiercely. The fall wakened the poor Knight, but he had not

the strength to rise. Sitting on the hard stones and looking reproachfully at the Cowardly Lion, he began his

ballad in a halfhearted fashion. The Cowardly Lion's heart was like to burst between lack of breath and fear,

but making one last tremendous effort and still roaring his song, he bounded at the Chief Poker, seized the

"Tie it around your waist; take Dorothy in your arms!" gasped the Cowardly Lion out of the corner of his

mouth. Sir Hokus, though completely dazed, had just enough presence of mind to obey, and the next minute

the Cowardly Lion, growling between his teeth like a good fellow, was dashing through the group of Pokes,

Bumpety bump bump bump! Bangetybangbang! went Sir Hokus over the cobbles, holding his

helmet with one hand and Dorothy fast in the other arm. The Pokes fell this way and that, and such was the

determination of the Cowardly Lion that he never stopped till he was out of the gate and halfway up the

rough road they had so recently traveled. Then with a mighty sigh, he dropped the rope, rolled over and over

The bumping over the cobbles had wakened Sir Hokus thoroughly. Indeed, the poor Knight was black and

Dorothy, considerably shaken, opened her eyes and began feebly singing "Three Blind Mice."

"They cannot live out of the kingdom," said the Knight, and Dorothy drew a big sigh of relief. Sir Hokus,

"I have failed on my first adventure. Had it not been for the Cowardly Lion, we would now be prisoners in

Pokes," he murmured sadly. Then he unfastened the plume from his helmet. "It beseemeth me not to wear it,"

sighed the Knight mournfully, and though Dorothy tried her best to comfort him, he refused to put it back.

Finally, she fastened the plume to her dress, and they went down to the Cowardly Lion.

There was a little spring nearby, and after they had poured six helmets of water over his head, the lion opened

his eyes. "Been in a good many fights," gasped the lion, "but I never fought one like this. Singing, bah!"

"Noble Sir, how can I ever repay you?" faltered the Knight. "Alas, that I have failed in the hour of trial!"

"Why, it wasn't a question of courage at all," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, greatly embarrassed. "I had the

loudest voice and the most breath, that's all! You got the rough end of it." Sir Hokus looked ruefully at his

"Never mind!" said the Knight bravely. "It is the front one presents to the foe."

"Now you're talking like a real Knight," said Dorothy. "A while ago you said, 'Yon' and 'beseemeth,' and first

thing you know the talk will all come back to you." Sir Hokus' honest face shone with pleasure.

"Odds bludgeons and truncheons! The little maid is right!" he exclaimed, striking an attitude. "And once it

"Don't say rest to me," begged the Cowardly Lion, getting slowly to his feet. "Hah, hoh, hum! Just to think of

"If you're rested," began Dorothy. The Cowardly Lion put his paw over his ear and looked so comical that

"If you're ready," amended Dorothy, and the three adventurers started up the steep road. "The first thing to

do," said the little girl, "is to get back to the Emerald City as quickly as we can."

At this very minute Glinda, the Good Sorceress of Oz, in her palace in the Quadling Country, was puzzling

over an entry in the Magic Record Book. This book tells everything that is happening in the world and out,

"Now who is the Emperor of the Silver Islands?" she asked herself. She puzzled about it for a long while, and

then, deciding that it had nothing to do with the Fairy Kingdom of Oz, she closed the book and went for a

Dorothy and Sir Hokus and the Cowardly Lion had meanwhile reached the first sign in the dim forest, the

sign directing travelers to Pokes. Two roads branched out through the forest, and after much debating they

Leaning forward on the great throne, the Scarecrow waited impatiently for the ancient gentleman to speak.

The grayskinned courtiers were eyeing him expectantly, and just as the suspense became almost

"The prophecy of the magic beanstalk has been fulfilled. In this radiant and sublime Scarecrowcus, the spirit

of Chang Wang Woe, the mighty, has returned. And I, the Grand Chew Chew of the realm, prostrate myself

before this wonderful Scarecrowcus, Emperor of the Silver Islands." So, likewise, did all the company

present, and the Scarecrow, taken unawares, flew up several feet and landed in a heap on the steps leading to

the throne. He climbed back hurriedly, picking up the fan and parasol that he had plucked from the beanstalk.

"I wish Professor Wogglebug could hear this," said the Scarecrow, settling himself complacently. "But I must

The Grand Chew Chew was the first to rise, and folding his arms, he asked solemnly:

"If you'd just omit the Cus," begged the Scarecrow in an embarrassed voice, "I believe I could think better.

"We are Silvermen," said the Grand Chew Chew impressively, "and a much older race than our Chinese

cousins. They are people of the sun. We are people of the stars. Has your Highness so soon forgotten?"

"I am afraid," said the Scarecrow, rubbing his chin reflectively, "that I have." He gazed slowly around the

great throne room. Ozma's palace itself was not more dazzling. The floor of dull silver blocks was covered

with rich blue rugs. Furniture, chairs, screens and everything were made of silver inlaid with precious stones.

Filigreed silver lanterns hung from the high ceilings, and tall silver vases filled with pink and blue blossoms

filled the rooms with their perfume. Blue flags embroidered with silver stars fluttered from the walls and the

tips of the pikebearers' spears, and silver seemed to be so plentiful that even shoes were fashioned of it.

Faintly through the windows came the sweet tones of a hundred silver chimes, and altogether the Scarecrow

was quite dazed by his apparent good fortune. Surely they had called him Emperor, but how could that be?

He turned to address the Grand Chew Chew; then as he saw out of the corner of his eye that the assemblage

"May I speak to you alone?" The Grand Chew Chew waved his hand imperiously, and the courtiers with a

"Very kind of them to bow, but I wish they wouldn't," sighed the Scarecrow, sinking back on the great throne.

"It blows one about so. I declare, if another person falls at my feet, I'll have nervous prostration."

Again he took a long survey of the hall, then turned to the Grand Chew Chew. "Would you mind," he asked

"Who and how? Who You are, illustrious Sir, the Emperor Chang Wang Woe, or to be more exact, his

"I have always been a spirited person," observed the Scarecrow dubiously, "but never a spirit without a

"How?" the Grand Chew Chew proceeded without noticing the Scarecrow's remarks. "Fifty years ago

after your Extreme Highness had defeated in battle the King of the Golden Islands a magician entered the

realm. This magician, in the employ of this wicked king, entered a room in the palace where your Highness

"And had it not been for the Empress, your faithful wife, you would have been lost forever to the Empire."

"If your Highness will permit me to finish," begged the Grand Chew Chew with great dignity. The Scarecrow

nodded. "Your wife, Tsing Tsing, the beautiful, took the crocus, which was fading rapidly, and planted it in a

silver bowl in the center of this very hall and for three days kept it fresh with her tears. Waking on the third

morning, the Empress was amazed to see in place of the crocus a giant bean pole that extended to the roof of

"Beside the bean pole lay a crumpled parchment." The Grand Chew Chew felt in the sleeve of his kimono

and brought out a bit of crumpled silver paper, and adjusting his horn spectacles, read slowly.

"Into the first being who touches this magic pole on the other side of the world the spirit of Emperor

Chang Wang Woe will enter. And fifty years from this day, he will return to save his people."

The Grand Chew Chew took off his specs and folded up the paper. "The day has come! You have come down

the bean pole, and are undoubtedly that being who has gone from Emperor to crocus to Scarecrowcus. I have

ruled the Islands these fifty years; have seen to the education of your sons and grandsons. And now, gracious

and exalted Master, as I am an old man I ask you to relieve me from the cares of state."

"Sons! Grandsons!" choked the Scarecrow, beginning to feel very much alarmed indeed. "How old am I?"

"Your Highness," said the Grand Chew Chew with a deep salaam, "is as old as I. In other words, you are in

the ripe and glorious eightyfifth year of your Majesty's illustrious and useful age."

"Eighty five!" gasped the Scarecrow, staring in dismay at the gray, wrinkled face of the old Silverman.

The Scarecrow could not help but be convinced of the truth of the Grand Chew Chew's story. The pole in the

Munchkin farmer's cornfield was none other than the magic beanstalk, and he, thrust on the pole by the

farmer to scare away the crows, had received the spirit of the Emperor Chang Wang Woe. "Which accounts

for my cleverness," he thought gloomily. Now, surely he should have been pleased, for he had come in search

of a family, but the acquisition of an empire, sons and grandsons, and old age, all in a trice, fairly took his

"Does the prophecy say anything about restoring my imperial person?" he asked anxiously, for the thought of

"Alas, no!" sighed the Grand Chew Chew sorrowfully. "But we have very clever wizards on the Island, and I

"Now don't be in such a rush," begged the Scarecrow, secretly determined to lock up the wizards at the first

opportunity. "I'm rather fond of this shape. You see, it requires no food and never grows tired or old!"

"The royal robes will in a measure conceal it," murmured the Grand Chew Chew politely, and clapped his

"A royal robe, Quick Silver, for his Radiant Highness," snapped the Grand Chew Chew. In a moment Quick

Silver had returned with a magnificent purple satin robe embroidered in silver threads and heavy with jewels,

and a hat of silver cloth with upturned brim. The Scarecrow wrapped himself in the purple robe, took off his

"Quite like your old Imperial Self, except " The old Prime Minister ran unsteadily out of the room. There

was a muffled scream from the hall, and the next instant he returned with a long, shiny, silver queue which he

had evidently clipped from the head of one of the servants. Removing the Scarecrow's hat, he pinned the

queue to the back, set it on the Scarecrow's head, and stood regarding him with great satisfaction. "Ah, if the

"Where where is she?" asked the Scarecrow, looking around nervously. His long, carefree life in Oz had

"Alas!" sighed the Grand Chew Chew, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his kimono, "She has returned to her

"Then show me her picture," commanded the Scarecrow, visibly affected. The Grand Chew Chew stepped to

a side wall, and pulling on a silken cord, disclosed the picture of a large, gray lady with curiously small eyes

"Beautiful er er, beautiful!" gulped the Scarecrow. He thought of lovely little Ozma and dear little

Dorothy, and all at once felt terribly upset and homesick. He had no recollection of the Silver Island or his

life here whatever. Who was he, anyway the Scarecrow of Oz or Emperor Chang Wang Woe? He couldn't

"Ah!" whispered the Grand Chew Chew, seeing his agitation. "You remember her?" The Scarecrow shook his

"Now show me myself, Chew," he asked curiously. Pulling the cord of a portrait beside the Empress, Chew

Chew revealed the picture of Chang Wang Woe as he had been fifty years ago. His face was bland and jolly,

and to be perfectly truthful, quite like the Scarecrow's in shape and expression. "I am beside myself,"

"You were er are a very royal and handsome person," stammered the Grand Chew Chew.

The Scarecrow, stepping off the throne to examine himself more closely, dropped the little fan and parasol.

He had really not had time to examine them since they snapped off the beanstalk, and now, looking at them

"Dorothy will like these," thought the Scarecrow, slipping them into a large inside pocket of his robe.

Already, in the back of his head, was a queer notion that he would at some time or other return to Oz. He

started to give the Grand Chew Chew a spirited description of that wonderful country, but the ancient

"I suppose I may as well!" With a deep sigh, the Scarecrow took the Grand Chew Chew's arm and, holding

up his royal kimono (which was rather long) with the other hand, walked unsteadily down the great salon.

They were about to pass into the garden when a little fat Silverman slid around the door, a huge silver

Chang Wang Woe, the Beautiful, The Beautiful has come! Sublime and silver Scarecrow, Let sound the royal

chanted the little man in a high, thin voice, and started to bring the drumstick down upon the huge head of his

"Then I shall have no work!" screamed the drummer, falling on his face. "Ah, Gracious Master, don't you

"Oh, don't you remember little Happy Toko?" wheezed the little man, the tears rolling down his cheeks. "I

"Why, of course, my dear Tappy," said the Scarecrow, not liking to hurt the little fellow's feelings. "But why

"It is customary to sound the drum at the approach of your Royal Highness," put in the Grand Chew Chew

"Was customary," said the Scarecrow firmly. "My dear Tappy Oko, never sound it in my presence again; it is

too upsetting." Which was true enough, for one blow of the drum sent the flimsy Scarecrow flying into the

"You're dismissed, Happy," snapped the Grand Chew Chew. At this, the little Silver Islander began weeping

"I can sing, stand on my head, and tell jokes," sniffed Happy Toko, shuffling from one foot to the other.

"Very good," said the Scarecrow. "You are henceforth Imperial Punster to my Person. Come along, we're

The Grand Chew Chew frowned so terribly that Happy Toko's knees shook with terror.

"It is not fitting for a slave to accompany the Grand Chew Chew and the Emperor," he hissed angrily.

The Scarecrow looked surprised, for the Kingdom of Oz is quite democratic, and no one is considered better

than another. But seeing this was not the time to argue, he winked broadly behind the Grand Chew Chew's

"I'll see you again, Tappy my boy," he called genially, and passed out into the garden, where a magnificent

Two days had passed since the Scarecrow had fallen into his Kingdom. He was not finding his royal duties as

pleasant as he had anticipated. The country was beautiful enough, but being Emperor of the Silver Islands

was not the simple affair that ruling Oz had been. The pigtail on the back of his hat was terribly distracting,

and he was always tripping over his kimono, to which he could not seem to accustom himself. His subjects

were extremely quarrelsome, always pulling one another's queues or stealing fruit, umbrellas, and silver

polish. His ministers, the Grand Chew Chew, the Chief Chow Chow, and General Mugwump, were no better,

In the daytime he tried culprits in the royal court, interviewed his seventeen secretaries, rode out in the royal

palanquin, and made speeches to visiting princes. At night he sat in the great silver salon and by the light of

the lanterns studied the Book of Ceremonies. His etiquette, the Grand Chew Chew informed him, was

shocking. He was always doing something wrong, dodging the Imperial Umbrella, speaking kindly to a

The royal palace itself was richly furnished, and the Scarecrow had more than five hundred robes of state.

The gardens, with their sparkling waterfalls, glowing orange trees, silver temples, towers and bridges, were

too lovely for words. Poppies, roses, lotus and other lilies perfumed the air, and at night a thousand silver

The grass and trees were green as in other lands, but the sky as always full of tiny silver clouds, the waters

surrounding the island were of a lovely liquid silver, and as all the houses and towers were of this gleaming

But the Silver Islanders themselves were too stupid to appreciate this beauty. "And what use is it all when I

In Oz no one thought it queer if Ozma, the little Queen, jumped rope with Dorothy or Betsy Bobbin, or had a

quiet game of croquet with the palace cook. But here, alas, everything was different. If the Scarecrow so

much as ventured a game of ball with the gardener's boy, the whole court was thrown into an uproar. At first,

the Scarecrow tried to please everybody, but finding that nothing pleased the people in the palace, he decided

"I don't care a kinkajou if I am the Emperor, I'm going to talk to whom I please!" he exclaimed on the second

night, and shaking his glove at a bronze statue, he threw the Book of Ceremonies into the fountain. The next

morning, therefore, he ascended the throne with great firmness. Immediately, the courtiers prostrated

"You are giving me nervous prostration. Chew, kindly issue an edict forbidding prostrations. Anyone caught

bowing in my presence again shall lose " the courtiers looked alarmed " his pigtail!" finished the

"And now, Chew, you will take my place, please. I am going for a walk with Tappy Oko."

The Grand Chew Chew's mouth fell open with surprise, but seeing the Scarecrow's determined expression, he

dared not disobey, and he immediately began making strange marks on a long, red parchment. Happy Toko

trembled as the Scarecrow Emperor took his arm, and the courtiers stared at one another in dismay as the two

Nothing happened, however, and Tappy, regaining his composure, took out a little silver flute and started a

"I had to take matters into my own hands, Tappy," said the Scarecrow, listening to the music with a pleased

Two spoons went down a PorceLane, To meet a China saucer, A 'talking China in a way To break a white

"Your Majesty used to be very fond of this song," spluttered Happy. (It is difficult to speak while upside

"Ah!" said the Scarecrow, beginning to feel more cheerful, "Tell me something about myself and my family,

"Happy Toko, if it pleases your Supreme Amiability," corrected the little silver man, somersaulting to a

"It does and it doesn't," murmured the Scarecrow. "There is something about you that reminds me of a

pudding, and you tapped the drum, didn't you? I believe I shall call you Tappy Oko, if you don't mind!"

The Scarecrow seated himself on a silver bench and motioned for the Imperial Punster to sit down beside

"Never mind about my Imperial Presence," chuckled the Scarecrow. "Tell me about my Imperial Past."

"Ah!" said Tappy Oko, rolling up his eyes, "You were one of the most magnificent and magnanimous of

"You distributed rice among the poor, and advice among the rich, and fought many glorious battles,"

continued the little man. "I composed a little song about you. Perhaps you would like to hear it?"

"In Oz," murmured the Scarecrow reflectively as Tappy finished, "I twisted the necks of a flock of wild

crows that was before I had my excellent brains, too. Oh, I'm a fighting man, there's no doubt about it. But

"Never!" The Scarecrow looked out over the harbor and then down at his lumpy figure.

"Your Majesty forgets you were then a man like me er not stuffed with straw, I mean," exclaimed

Happy, looking embarrassed. "She was fishing," continued the little Punster, "when a huge silver fish became

entangled in her line. She stood up, the fish gave a mighty leap and pulled her out of the boat. Your Majesty,

having seen the whole affair from the bank, plunged bravely into the water and, swimming out, rescued her,

freed the fish, and in due time made her your bride. I've made a song about that, also."

Tsing Tsing, a Silver Fisher's daughter, Was fishing in the silver water. The moon shone on her silver hair

Then came a mighty silver fish, It seized her line and with a swish Of silver fins upset her boat. Tsing Tsing

She raised her silver voice in fear And who her call of help should hear But Chang Wang Woe, the Emperor,

"Yes," said Happy positively, "and invited me to the wedding, though I was only a small boy."

"Was Chew Chew there?" The Scarecrow couldn't help wondering how the old Nobleman had taken his

Happy chuckled at the memory. "He had a Princess all picked out for you," he confided merrily:

"Hoh!" roared the Scarecrow, falling off the bench. "That's the Ozziest thing I've heard since I landed in the

Silver Islands. Tappy, my boy, I believe we are going to be friends! But let's forget the past and think of the

The Scarecrow embraced his Imperial Punster on the spot. "Let's find something jolly to do," he suggested.

"Would your Extreme Highness care for kites?" asked Happy. 'Tis a favorite sport here!"

"Would I! But wait, I will disguise myself." Hiding his royal hat under the bench, he put on Happy Toko's

broadrimmed (sic) peasant hat. It turned down all 'round and almost hid his face. Then he turned his robe

They passed through a small silver town before they reached the field where the kites were to be flown, and

the Scarecrow was delighted with its picturesque and quaint appearance. The streets were narrow and full of

queer shops. Silver lanterns and little pennants hung from each door, the merchants and maidens in their gay

"If I could just live here instead of in the palace," mused the Scarecrow, pausing before a modest rice shop. It

is dangerous to stop in the narrow streets, and Happy jerked his master aside just in time to prevent his being

trodden on by a huge camel. It sniffed at the Scarecrow suspiciously, and they were forced to flatten

themselves against a wall to let it pass. Happy anxiously hurried the Emperor through the town, and they

soon arrived at the kite flying field. A great throng had gathered to watch the exhibition, and there were more

kites than one would see in a lifetime here. Huge fish, silver paper dragons, birds every sort and shape of

kite was tugging at its string, and hundreds of Silver Islanders boys, girls and grownups were looking

"How interesting," said the Scarecrow, fascinated by a huge dragon that floated just over his head. "I wish

But the dragon kite seemed almost alive, and horrors! Just as it swooped down, a hook in the tail caught in

the Scarecrow's collar, and before Happy Toko could even wink, the Emperor of the Silver Islands was

sailing towards the clouds. The Scarecrow, as you must know, weighs almost nothing, and the people shouted

with glee, for they thought him a dummy man and part of the performance. But Happy Toko ran after the kite

"Alas, alas, I shall lose my position!" wailed Happy Toko, quite convinced that the Scarecrow would be

dashed to pieces on the rocks. "Oh, putty head that I am to set myself against the Grand Chew Chew!"

The Scarecrow, however, after recovering from the first shock, began to enjoy himself. Holding fast to the

dragon's tail, he looked down with great interest upon his dominions. Rocks, mountains, tall silver pagodas,

drooping willow trees, flashed beneath him. Truly a beautiful island! His gaze strayed over the silver waters

surrounding the island, and he was astonished to see a great fleet sailing into the harbor a great fleet of

"What's this?" thought the Scarecrow. But just then the dragon kite became suddenly possessed. It jerked him

up, it jerked him down, and shook him this way and that. His hat flew off, his arms and legs whirled wildly,

and pieces of straw began to float downward. Then the hook ripped and tore through his coat and, making a

terrible slit in his back, came out. Down, down, down flashed the Scarecrow and landed in a heap on the

"Oh radiant and immortal Scarecrowcus, what have they done to you?" he moaned, dropping on his knees

"Merely knocked out my honorable stuffing," mumbled the Scarecrow. "Now Tappy, my dear fellow, will

Happy Toko, at the sound of a voice from the rumpled heap of clothing, gave a great leap.

"Is there any straw about?" asked the Scarecrow anxiously. "Why don't you turn me over?"

"It's his ghost," moaned Happy Toko, and because he dared not disobey a royal ghost, he turned the

"Don't be alarmed," said the Scarecrow, smiling reassuringly. "I'm not breakable like you meat people. A

little straw will make me good as new. A little straw straw, do you hear?" For Happy's pigtail was still on

"I command you to fetch straw!" cried the Scarecrow at last, in an angry voice. Happy dashed away.

When he returned with an arm full of straw, the Scarecrow managed to convince him that he was quite alive.

"It is impossible to kill a person from Oz," he explained proudly, "and that is why my present figure is so

much more satisfactory than yours. I do not have to eat or sleep and can always be repaired. Have you some

safety pins?" Happy produced several and under the Scarecrow's direction stuffed out his chest and pinned up

"Let us return," said the Scarecrow. "I've had enough pleasure for one day, and can't you sing something,

Tappy?" Running and fright had somewhat affected Happy's voice, but he squeaked out a funny little song,

and the two, keeping time to the tune, came without further mishap to the Imperial gardens. Happy had just

set the royal hat upon the Scarecrow's head and brushed off his robes when a company of courtiers dashed

"Great Cornstarch!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, sitting heavily down on the silver bench. "What's the matter

now? Here are all the Pigheads on the Island, and look how old Chew Chew is puffing!"

"One would expect a Chew Chew to puff," observed Happy slyly. "One would " But he got no further, for

"Save us! Save us!" wailed the courtiers, forgetting the royal edict and falling on their faces.

"Ah yes!" murmured the Scarecrow, frowning thoughtfully. "Was that his fleet coming into the harbor?"

The Grand Chew Chew jumped up in astonishment. "How could your Highness see the fleet from here?" he

"Not from here there," said the Scarecrow, pointing upward and winking at Happy Toko. "My Highness

"Your Majesty does not seem to realize the seriousness of the matter," choked the Grand Chew Chew. "He

will set fire to the island and make us all slaves." At this, the courtiers began banging their heads distractedly

"Set fire to the island!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, jumping to his feet. "Then peace to my ashes! Tappy, will

"The prophecy of the beanstalk has promised that you would save us. You are the Emperor Chang Wang

"Woe is me," murmured the Scarecrow, clasping his yellow gloves. "But let me think."

For several minutes, the Scarecrow sat perfectly still while the company stood shaking in their shoes. Then he

"It has retired to the caves at the end of the Island," quavered the Grand Chew Chew.

"I thought as much," said the Scarecrow. "But never mind, there are quite a lot of us."

"No, very uncommon ones, but you have hard heads and long nails, and I dare say will manage somehow.

"Go!" shrieked the Grand Chew Chew. "Us?" The Courtiers began backing away in alarm. "Where er

"Why, just to conquer the King of the Golden Islands and send him back home," said the Scarecrow, smiling

"Oh, of course, if you prefer burning " The Scarecrow rose unsteadily and started for the garden gates. Not

a person stirred. The Scarecrow looked back, and his reproachful face was too much for Happy Toko.

"Bring a watering can, if you love me," called the Scarecrow over his shoulder, and Happy, snatching one

"If things get too hot, I'd like to know that you can put me out," said the Scarecrow, his voice quivering with

The harbor lay just below the Imperial Palace, and the Scarecrow and Happy hurried on through the crowds

of fleeing Silvermen, their household goods packed upon their heads. Some cheered faintly for Chang Wang

"Is this king old?" asked the Scarecrow, looking anxiously at the small boats full of warriors that were putting

"He is the son of the King whom your Majesty conquered fifty years ago," gulped Happy. "Ha has your

"Then, goodbye to Silver Island!" choked Happy Toko, dropping the watering can with a crash.

"Never mind," said the Scarecrow kindly. "If they shoot me and I catch fire, I'll jump in the water and you

Poor Happy Toko had nothing else to say, for he considered his day finished. The first of the invaders were

already landing on the beach, and standing up in a small boat, encased in glittering gold armor, was the King

of the Golden Islands, himself. The sun was quite hot, and there was a smell of gunpowder in the air.

Now the Scarecrow had encountered many dangers in Oz and had usually thought his way out of them, but as

they came nearer and nearer to the shore and no idea presented itself, he began to feel extremely nervous. A

bullet fired from the king's boat tore through his hat, and the smoke made him more anxious than ever about

his straw stuffing. He felt hurriedly in his pocket, and his clumsy fingers closed over the little fan he had

Partly from agitation and partly because he did not know what else to do, the Scarecrow flipped the fan open.

At that minute, a mighty roar went up from the enemy, for at the first motion of the fan they had been jerked

fifty feet into the air, and there they hung suspended over their ships, kicking and squealing for dear life. The

Scarecrow was as surprised as they, and as for Happy Toko, he fell straightway on his nose!

"Magic!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "Someone is helping us," and he began fanning himself gently with the

little fan, waiting to see what would happen next. At each wave of the fan, the King of the Golden Islands and

"The fan. The magic is in the fan!" gasped Happy Toko, jumping up and embracing the Scarecrow.

"Why, what do you mean?" asked the Scarecrow, closing the fan with a snap. Happy's answer was drowned

in a huge splash. As soon as the fan was closed, down whirled the king's army into the sea, and each man

struck the water with such force that the spray rose high as a skyscraper. And not till then did the Scarecrow

The Silver Islanders had paused in their flight at the queer noises coming from the harbor, and now all of

them, hearing Tappy Oko's cries, came crowding down to the shore and were soon cheering themselves

hoarse. No wonder! The drenched soldiers of the king were climbing swiftly back into their boats, and when

they were all aboard, the Scarecrow waved his fan sidewise (he did not want to blow them up again), and the

ships swept out of the harbor so fast that the water churned to silver suds behind them, and they soon were

"Ah!" cried the Grand Chew Chew, arriving breathlessly at this point, "We have won the day!"

"So we have!" chuckled the Scarecrow, putting his arm around Happy Toko. "Call the brave army and

"It shall be done," said the Grand Chew Chew, frowning at Happy. "There shall be a great celebration, a

"Fireworks," quavered the Scarecrow, clutching his Imperial Punster. By this time, the Silver Islanders were

crowding around the Emperor, shouting and squealing for joy, and before he could prevent it, they had placed

him on their shoulders and carried him in triumph to the palace. He managed to signal Happy, and Happy

nodded reassuringly and ran off as fast as his fat little legs could patter. He arrived at the palace almost as

soon as the Scarecrow, lugging a giant silver watering can, and, sitting calmly on the steps of the throne,

fanned himself with his hat. The Scarecrow eyed the watering can with satisfaction.

"Now let them have their old fireworks," he muttered under his breath, and settled himself comfortably. The

Grand Chew Chew was hopping about like a ditched kite, arranging for the celebration. The courtiers were

shaking hands with themselves and forming in a long line. A great table was being set in the hall.

"What a fuss they are making over nothing," said the Scarecrow to Happy Toko. "Now in Oz when we win a

victory, we all play some jolly game and sit down to dinner with Ozma. Why, they haven't even set a place

"I'd rather sit here, amiable Master," sighed Happy Toko happily. "Is the little fan safely closed?"

The Scarecrow felt in his pocket to make sure, then leaned forward in surprise. The Royal Silver Army were

marching stiffly into the hall, and the courtiers were bobbing and bowing and cheering like mad.

The General came straight to the great silver throne, clicked his silver heels, bowed, and stood at attention.

"Well," said the Scarecrow, surveying this splendid person curiously, "what is it?"

"They have come for their decorations," announced the Grand Chew Chew, stepping up with a large silver

"But I thought Tappy Oko and I saved the Island," chuckled the Scarecrow, nudging the Imperial Punster.

"Had the Imperial Army not retired and left the field to you, there would have been no victory," faltered the

General in a timid voice. "Therefore, in a way we are responsible for the victory. A great general always

"There's something in that," admitted the Scarecrow, scratching his head thoughtfully. "Go ahead and

This the Grand Chew Chew proceeded to do, making such a long speech to each soldier that half of the Court

"They remind me of the Army of Oz," he confided to Happy Toko, "but we never have long speeches in Oz. I

declare, I wish I could go to sleep, too, and that's something I have never seen any use in before."

"They've just begun," yawned Happy Toko, nearly rolling down the steps of the throne, and Happy was not

far wrong, for all afternoon one after the other of the courtiers arose and droned about the great victory, and

as they all addressed themselves to the Scarecrow, he was forced to listen politely. When the speeches were

over, there was still the grand banquet to be got through, and as the Silver Islanders ate much the same fare as

"Ugh!" shivered the Scarecrow as the strange dishes appeared, "I'm glad none of my friends are here. How

fortunate that I'm stuffed with straw!" The broiled mice, the stewed shark fins and the bird nest soup made

him stare. He had ordered Happy Toko to be placed at his side, and to watch him happily at work with his

silver chopsticks and porcelain spoon was the only satisfaction he got out of the feast.

"And what is that?" he asked, pointing to a steaming bowl that had just been placed before Happy.

"Minced cat, your Highness," replied Happy, sprinkling it generously with silver polish.

"Cat?" shrieked the Scarecrow, pouncing to his feet in horror. "Do you mean to tell me you are eating a poor,

"Not a poor one at all. A very rich one, I should say," replied Happy Toko with his mouth full. "Ah, had your

"Never!" shouted the Scarecrow so loudly that all of the Courtiers looked up in surprise. "How dare you eat

innocent cats?" Indignantly he thought of Dorothy's pet kitten back in Oz. Oz why had he ever left that

"Your Highness has eaten hundreds," announced the Grand Chew Chew calmly. "Hundreds!"

The Scarecrow dropped back into his chair, too shocked for speech. He, the Scarecrow of Oz, had eaten

hundreds of cats! What would Dorothy say to that? Ugh! This was his first experience with Silver Island fare.

He had always spent the dinner hours in the garden. He sighed, and looked wistfully at the bean pole in the

center of the hall. Every minute he was feeling less and less like the Emperor of the Silver Island and more

"Your Majesty seems out of spirits," said Happy Toko as he placed himself and the huge watering can beside

"I wish I were," said the Scarecrow. "To have an Emperor's spirit wished on you is no joke, my dear Tappy.

It's a blinking bore!" At that moment, the fireworks commenced. The garden, ablaze with many shaped silver

lanterns, looked more like Fairyland than ever. But each rocket made the Scarecrow wince. Showers of stars

and butterflies fell 'round his head, fiery dragons leaped over the trees, and in all the Fourth of July

celebrations you could imagine there were never such marvelous fireworks as these. No wonder Happy Toko,

Soon the Scarecrow's fears were realized, and his straw stuffing began to smoke.

"Put me out! Put me out!" cried the Scarecrow, as a shower of sparks settled in his lap. The royal band made

All of the Silver Islanders were intent on the display, and they forgot all about their unhappy and smoking

"Help! Water! Water! Fire!" screamed the Scarecrow, jumping off his throne and knocking Happy head over

heels. Thus brought to his senses, Happy hurriedly seized the watering can and sprinkled its contents on the

"Am I out?" gasped the Emperor anxiously. "A fine way to celebrate a victory, lighting me up like a Roman

"Yes, dear Master," said the repentant Happy, helping the dripping Scarecrow to his feet, "it only scorched

"Now that I am put out, let us by all means go in," said the Scarecrow gloomily, and the two slipped off

"I'm afraid I'll have to have some new stuffing tomorrow," observed the Scarecrow, sinking dejectedly on his

throne. "Tappy, my dear boy, after this never leave me alone, do you hear?" Happy Toko made no reply. He

The Scarecrow might have called his court, but he was in no mood for more of the Silver Islanders' idea of a

One by one the lights winked out in the gardens, and the noisy company dispersed, and soon no one in the

palace was awake but the Scarecrow. His straw was wet and soggy, and even his excellent brains felt damp

"If it weren't for Tappy Oko, how lonely I should be." He stared through the long, dim, empty hall with its

shimmering silver screens and vases. "I wonder what little Dorothy is doing," sighed the Scarecrow wistfully.

"Dorothy must be having a lovely time at the Scarecrow's," remarked Betsy Bobbin to Ozma one afternoon as

they sat reading in the Royal Gardens several days after Dorothy's departure from the Emerald City of Oz.

"One always has a jolly time at the Scarecrow's," laughed the little Queen of Oz. "I must look in my Magic

Picture and see what they are doing. Too bad she missed the ABSea Serpent and Rattlesnakes. Weren't

Both the little girls (for Ozma is really just a little girl) went off into a gale of laughter. The two queer

creatures had followed the Scarecrow's advice and had spent their vacation in the Emerald City, and partly

because they were so dazzled by their surroundings and partly because they have no sort of memories

whatever, they never mentioned the Scarecrow himself or said anything about his plan to hunt his family tree.

They talked incessantly of the Mer City and told innumerable ABSea stories to Scraps and the Tin

Woodman and the children of the Emerald City. When they were ready to go, the ABSea Serpent snapped

off its X block for Ozma. X, he said, meant almost everything, and pretty well expressed his gratitude to the

lovely little ruler of Oz. Ozma in turn gave each of the visitors an emerald collar, and that very morning they

had started back to the Munchkin River, and all the celebrities of Oz had gotten up to see them off.

"Maybe they'll come again some time," said Betsy Bobbin, swinging her feet. "But look, Ozma, here comes a

messenger." A messenger it surely was, dressed in the quaint red costume of the Quadlings. It was from

"Tell Jack Pumpkinhead to harness the Sawhorse to the red wagon," said Ozma after glancing hastily at the

little note. "The Horners and Hoppers are at war again. And tell the Wizard to make ready for a journey."

"May I come, too,?" asked Betsy. Ozma nodded with a troubled little frown, and Betsy bustled off

importantly. Not many little girls are called upon to help settle wars and rule a country as wonderful as Oz.

The Horners and Hoppers are a quarrelsome and curious folk living in the Quadling mountains, and soon

Ozma, Jack Pumpkinhead, Betsy and the Wizard of Oz were rattling off at the best speed the Sawhorse could

manage. This was pretty fast, for the little horse, being made of wood and magically brought to life, never

But the fact that interests us is that Ozma did not look in the Magic Picture or see what exciting adventures

As for Professor Wogglebug, who had caused all the trouble, he was busily at work on the twelfth chapter of

Cultured and Eminent Educator and also Great Grand and General Genealogist of Oz.

Dorothy stopped with a discouraged little sigh and leaned against a tree. They had followed the road for

several hours. First it had been fine and wide, but it had gradually dwindled to a crooked little path that

wound crazily in and out through the trees. Although it was almost noonday, not a ray of sun penetrated

"Methinks," said Sir Hokus, peering into the gloom ahead, "that a great adventure is at hand."

The Cowardly Lion put back his ears. "What makes you methink so?" he rumbled anxiously.

"Hark thee!" said Sir Hokus, holding up his finger warningly. From a great way off sounded a curious

"Perchance it is a dragon," exulted the Knight, drawing his short sword. "Ah, how it would refresh me to slay

"I don't relish dragons myself. Scorched my tongue on one once," said the Cowardly Lion huskily. "But I'll

As the thuds grew louder, the Knight fairly danced up and down with excitement. "Approach, villain!" he

"I'd let you ride on my back if it weren't for that hard tin suit," said the Cowardly Lion. "But cheer up, my

dear Hokus, your voice is a little hoarse." Dorothy giggled nervously, then seized hold of a small tree, for the

"How now!" gasped the Knight. There was a terrific quake that threw Sir Hokus on his face and sent every

hair in the lion's mane on end, and then a great foot came crashing down through the treetops not three paces

from the little party. Before they could even swallow, a giant hand flashed downward, jerked up a handful

of trees by the roots, and disappeared, while a voice from somewhere way above shouted:

What are little humans for? To feed the giant Bangladore. Broiled or toasted, baked or roasted, I smell three

"You hear that?" quavered the Cowardly Lion. Sir Hokus did not answer. His helmet had been jammed down

by his fall, and he was tugging it upward with both hands. Frightened though Dorothy was, she ran to the

"Have at you!" cried Sir Hokus as soon as the opening in his helmet was opposite his eyes. "Forward!"

"My heart is beating a retreat," gulped the Cowardly Lion, but he bounded boldly after Sir Hokus.

"Varlet!" hissed the Knight, and raising his sword gave a mighty slash at the giant's ankle, which was broad

as three tree trunks, while the Cowardly Lion gave a great spring and sank his teeth in the giant's huge leg.

"Ouch!" roared the giant in a voice that shook every leaf in the forest. "You stop, or I'll tell my father!" With

that, he gave a hop that sent Sir Hokus flying into the treetops, stumbled over a huge rock, and came crashing

to the earth, smashing trees like grass blades. At the giant's first scream, Dorothy shut her eyes and, putting

her hands over her ears, had run as far and as fast as she could. At the awful crash, she stopped short, opened

The giant was flat on his back, but as he was stretched as far as four city blocks, only half of him was visible.

The Cowardly Lion still clung to his leg, and he was gurgling and struggling in a way Dorothy could not

She looked around in a panic for the Knight. Just then, Sir Hokus dropped from the branch of a tree.

"Uds daggers!" he puffed, looking ruefully at his sword, which had snapped off at the handle, " 'Tis a pretty

"Don't you think we'd better run?" shiver Dorothy, thinking of the giant's song.

"Not while I wear these colors!" exclaimed Sir Hokus, proudly touching Dorothy's hair ribbon, which still

adorned his arm. "Come, my good Lion, let us dispatch this braggart and saucy monster."

"He seems to be frightened, himself," whispered Dorothy to the Knight. "But whatever is the matter with the

At that minute, the Cowardly Lion gave a great jerk and began backing with his four feet braced. The piece of

giant leg that he had hold of stretched and stretched, and while Sir Hokus and Dorothy stared in amazement,

"Taffy!" roared the Cowardly Lion, sitting up and trying to open his jaws, which were firmly stuck together.

"Taffy!" At this, Sir Hokus sprang nimbly on the giant's leg, ran up his chest, and perched bravely on his

"Surrender, Knave!" he demanded threateningly. Dorothy, seeing she could do nothing to help the Cowardly

Lion, followed. On her way up, she broke off a tiny piece of his coat and found it most delicious chocolate.

"Oh, hush!" sobbed the giant, rolling his great sourball eyes. "I'd be eaten in a minute if it were known."

"You were mighty anxious to eat us a while ago," said Dorothy, looking longingly at the giant's coat buttons.

"Go away!" screamed the giant, shaking so that Dorothy slid into his vest pocket. "No one under forty feet is

Dorothy climbed crossly out of the giant's pocket. "We didn't come because we wanted to," she assured him,

"Odds bodikins! I cannot fight a great baby like this," sighed Sir Hokus, dodging just in time a great, sugary

tear that had rolled down the giant's nose. "He's got to apologize for that song, though."

"Wait!" cried Dorothy suddenly. "I have an idea. If you set us down on the edge of the forest and give us all

your vest buttons for lunch, we won't tell anyone you're made of candy. We'll let you go," she called loudly,

"No, Sir," answered the giant meekly. "Did your dog chew much of my leg, Sir?" Then, before Dorothy or Sir

Hokus had time to way a word, they were snatched up in sticky fingers and next minute were dropped with a

"Oh!" spluttered Dorothy as the giant made off on his taffy legs. "Oh, we've forgotten the Cowardly Lion!"

"We got him to lift us out of the forest," explained Dorothy. "Have you swallowed the taffy?" The lion was

Sir Hokus sighed and sat heavily down on a large rock. "There is no sort of honor, methinks, in overcoming a

candy giant," he observed, looking wistfully at the plume still pinned to Dorothy's dress. "Ah, had it but been

"You didn't know he was candy. I think you were just splendid." Jumping up, Dorothy fastened the plume in

the Knight's helmet. "And you're talking just beautifully, more like a Knight every minute," she added with

"Give me a meat enemy! My teeth ache yet! First singing, then candyleg pulling! Grugh! What next?"

"Why, lunch, if you feel like eating," said Dorothy, beginning to give out the vest buttons which the giant had

obediently ripped off and left for them. They were marshmallows, the size of pie plates, and Dorothy and Sir

Hokus found them quite delicious. The Cowardly Lion, however, after a doubtful sniff and sneeze from the

"We had better take some of these along," said Dorothy when she and Sir Hokus had eaten several. "We may

"Everything is yellow, so we must be in the Winkie Country," announced the Cowardly Lion, who had just

"Mayhap it will take us to the jeweled city of your gracious Queen." Sir Hokus shaded his eyes and stared

"Well, anyway, we're out of the forest and Pokes, and maybe we'll meet someone who will tell us about the

Scarecrow. Come on!" cried Dorothy gaily. "I think we're on the right track this time."

The afternoon went pleasantly for the three travelers. The road was wide and shady and really seemed a bit

familiar. Dorothy rode comfortably on the Cowardly Lion's back and to pass the time told Sir Hokus all about

"Grammercy! He should be knighted!" he exclaimed, slapping his knee, as Dorothy told how the clever straw

man had helped outwit the Gnome King when that wicked little rascal had tried to keep them prisoners in his

"But, go to! Where is the gallant man now?" The Knight sobered quickly. "Mayhap in need of a strong arm!

"Oh, I hope not!" cried Dorothy, dismayed at so dark a picture. "Why, oh why, did he bother about his family

"Trust the Scarecrow to take care of himself," said the Cowardly Lion in a gruff voice. Nevertheless, he

quickened his steps. "The sooner we reach the Emerald City, the sooner we'll know where he is!"

The country through which they were passing was beautiful, but quite deserted. About five o'clock, they

came to a clear little stream, and after Dorothy and Sir Hokus had washed their faces and the Cowardly Lion

had taken a little plunge, they all felt refreshed. Later they came to a fine pear orchard, and as no one was

The more Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion saw of Sir Hokus, the fonder of him they grew. He was so

"He'll be great company for us back in the Emerald City," whispered the Cowardly Lion as the Knight went

off to get Dorothy a drink from a little spring. "That is, if he forgets this grammercy, bludgeon stuff."

"I think it sounds lovely," said Dorothy, "and he's remembering more of it all the time. But I wonder why

there are no people here. I do hope we meet some before night." But no person did they meet. As it grew

darker, Sir Hokus' armor began to creak in a quite frightful manner. Armor is not meant for walking, and the

"Need oiling, don't you?" asked the Cowardly Lion, peering anxiously at him through the gloom.

"Joints in my armor a bit rusty," puffed Sir Hokus, easing one foot and then the other. "Ah, had I my good

horse!" He expressively waved a piece of the giant's button at which he had been nibbling.

"Better climb up behind Dorothy," advised the Cowardly Lion, but Sir Hokus shook his head, for he knew the

"If I sleep beneath these trees, I may have a Knight mare," chuckled Sir Hokus triumphantly.

"Brrrr!" roared the Cowardly Lion while Dorothy clapped her hands. But they were not to sleep beneath the

trees after all, for a sudden turn in the road brought them right to the gates of another city. They knew it must

"Perchance we shall hear news of the valiant Scarecrow!" cried the Knight, and limping forward he thumped

on the gate with his mailed fist. Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion pressed close behind him and waited

A bell rang loud back in the town. The next instant, the gates flew open so suddenly that the three adventurers

"Out upon them!" blustered Sir Hokus, getting up stiffly and running to help Dorothy. "What way is this to

welcome strangers?" He pulled the little girl hastily to her feet, then they all ran forward, for the gates were

It was almost as light as day, for lanterns were everywhere, but strangely enough they seemed to dart about

like huge fireflies, and Dorothy ducked involuntarily as a red one bobbed down almost in her face. Then she

"Uds daggers!" wheezed the Knight. Two large bushes were running down the path, and right in front of

"That's what I'm doing," said the big bush savagely. "There won't be a leaf on when I get through with you."

"Unhand him, villain!" cried Sir Hokus, waving his sword at the large bush. The two bushes looked up in

surprise, and when they saw Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and Sir Hokus, they fell into each other's branches

"My dear Magnolia, this is rich! Oh, dear fellow, wait till Sit sees this; he will be convulsed!" Quite

forgetting their furious quarrel, the two went rollicking down the path together, stopping every few minutes

"I never heard of bushes talking or running around, but I confess I'm a few centuries behind times!"

"Neither did I!" exclaimed Dorothy. "But then almost anything's likely to happen in Oz."

"If these lanterns don't look out something will happen. I'll break 'em to bits," growled the Cowardly Lion,

"We never go out unless we're put out," cried another, but as the Cowardly Lion made a few springs, they

flew high into the air and began talking indignantly among themselves. By this time, the three had become

"I wonder where the people are," said Dorothy, peering down a wide avenue. "There don't seem to be any

Three tables set for dinner with the most appetizing viands were walking jauntily down the street, talking

"One dinner for each of us," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, licking his chops. "Come on!"

"Perchance they will invite us. If we follow the dinners, we'll come to the diners," said Sir Hokus mildly.

"Right as usual." The Cowardly Lion looked embarrassed, for he had intended pouncing on the tables

"Hush! Let's go quietly. If they hear us, they may run and upset the dishes," warned Dorothy. So the three

walked softly after the dinner tables, their curiosity about the people of Fix growing keener at every step.

Several chairs, a sofa and a clothes tree rushed past them, but as Dorothy said later to Ozma, after talking

bushes, nothing surprised them. The tables turned the corner at the end of the avenue three abreast, and the

sight that greeted Dorothy and her comrades was strange indeed. Down each side of a long street as far as

they could see stood rows and rows of people. Each one was in the exact center of a chalked circle, and they

But no sooner had the three tables made their appearance than bells began ringing furiously all up and down

the street, and dinner tables and chairs came running from every direction. All the inhabitants of Fix City

looked alike. They had large, round heads, broad placid faces, double chins, and no waists whatever. Their

feet were flat and about three times as long as the longest you have ever seen. The women wore plain Mother

While the three friends were observing all this, the tables had been taking their places. One stopped before

each Fix, and the chairs, after much bumping and quarreling, placed themselves properly. At a signal from

the Fix in the center, the whole company sat down without so much as moving their feet. Dorothy, Sir Hokus

and the Cowardly Lion had been too interested to speak, but at this minute a whole flock of the mischievous

lanterns clustered over their heads, and at the sudden blare of light the whole street stopped eating and stared.

"Oh!" cried the Fix nearest them, pointing with his fork, "Look at the runabouts!"

"This way, please! This way, please! Don't bark your shins. Don't take any more steps than you can help!"

boomed an important voice from the middle of the street. So down the center marched the three, feeling as

"Stop! Names, please!" The Fix next to the center put up his knife commandingly. Sir Hokus stepped forward

"And Sir Hokus of Pokes," roared the Lion as the Knight modestly stepped back without announcing himself.

"Sir Pokus of Hoax, Howardly Kion of Boz, and Little Girl Beginning with D," bellowed the Fix, "meet His

"Little Girl Beginning with D! That's too long," complained the King, who, with the exception of his crown,

looked like all the rest of them, "I'll leave out the middle. What do you want, Little With D?"

"My name is Dorothy, and if your Highness could give us some dinner and tell us something about the

"One thing at a time, please," said the King reprovingly. "What does Poker want, and Boz? Have they

"Only the night, an' it please your Gracious Highness," said Sir Hokus with his best bow.

"It doesn't please me especially," said the King, taking a sip of water. "And there! You've brought up another

He folded his hands helplessly on the table and looked appealingly at the Fix next to him. "How am I to settle

all these questions, Sticken? First they come running around like crazy chairs, and "

"You might ring for a settle," suggested Sticken, looking curiously at Sir Hokus. The King leaned back with a

sigh of relief, then touched a bell. There were at least twenty bells set on a high post at his right hand, and all

"He's talking perfect nonsense," said Dorothy angrily. The Cowardly Lion began to roll his eyes ominously.

"Let me handle this, my dear. I'm used to Kings," whispered Sir Hokus. "Most of 'em talk nonsense. But if he

grows wroth, we'll have all the furniture in the place around our ears. Now just "

Bump! Sir Hokus and Dorothy sat down quite suddenly. The settle had arrived and hit them smartly behind

the knees. The Cowardly Lion dodged just in time and lay down with a growl beside it.

"Now that you're settled," began the King in a resigned voice, "we might try again. What is your motto?"

This took even Sir Hokus by surprise, but before he could answer, the King snapped out:

"Next time, don't come at all," mumbled Sticken Plaster, his mouth full of biscuit.

"Now that's talking." The King looked admiringly at Sir Hokus. "This Little With D had matters all tangled

Leaning over, the King pressed another button. By this time, the Fixes had lost interest in the visitors and

went calmly on with their dinners. Three tables came pattering up, and the settle drew itself up of its own

accord. Dorothy placed the Cowardly Lion's dinner on the ground, and then she and Sir Hokus enjoyed the

first good meal they had had since they left Pokes. They were gradually becoming used to their strange

"You ask him about the Scarecrow," begged Dorothy. Everybody had finished, and the tables were

"Ahem," began the Knight, rising stiffly, "has your Majesty seen aught of a noble Scarecrow? And could

The King's eyes opened. "You're out of turn," he interrupted crossly. "We're only to the second question.

"I do," said the King solemnly. "That gets me out of entertaining. Early to bed and late to rise, that's my

motto. Next! It's your turn," he added irritably as Sir Hokus did not immediately answer.

"Have you seen aught of the noble Scarecrow?" asked Sir Hokus, and all of them waited anxiously for the

"I don't know about the Scarecrow. I've seen a Scarecrow, and a sensible chap he was, hanging still like a

"Would you mind telling me why you are all so still, and why all your furniture runs around?" asked Dorothy,

"You forget where you are, and you're out of turn. But I'll overlook it this once," said the King. "Have you

"Well, there you are!" King Fix Sit folded his hands and regarded her complacently. "Here we manage things

better. We stand still and let the furniture run around and wear itself out. How does it strike you?"

"It seem sensible," acknowledged Dorothy. "But don't you ever grow tired of standing still?"

"I've heard of growing hair and flowers and corn, but never of growing tired. What is it?" asked Sticken

Sir Hokus had been staring anxiously at the King for some time. Now he came close to the monarch's side,

"Never heard of 'em," said the King. The Cowardly Lion chuckled behind his whiskers, and Sir Hokus in

"What time is it?" demanded the King suddenly. He touched a bell, and next minute a whole company of

clocks came running down the street. The big ones pushed the little ones, and a grandfather clock ran so fast

that it tripped over a cobblestone and fell on its face, which cracked all the way across.

"You've plenty of time; why don't you take it?" called the King angrily, while two clothes trees helped the

"They're all different," giggled Dorothy, nudging the Cowardly Lion. Some pointed to eight o'clock, some to

"Why shouldn't they be different?" asked Sticken haughtily. "Some run faster than others!"

"The lazy lump!" growled the Cowardly Lion. But Dorothy picked up the nearest little clock and handed it to

"I thought so," yawned the King, pointing at the clock. At this, everybody began ringing bells till Dorothy

was obliged to cover her ears. In an instant, the whole street was filled with beds, "rolling up just as if they

were taxis," laughed Dorothy to Sir Hokus. The Knight smiled faintly, but as he had never seen a taxi, he

"Here come your beds," said the King shortly. "Tell them to take you around the corner. I can't abide

"I don't snore, thank you," said Dorothy angrily, but the King had stepped into his bed and drawn the curtains

The three beds were swaying restlessly in the middle of the street. They were tall, fourpost affairs with

heavy chintz hangings. Dorothy chose the blue one, and Sir Hokus lifted her up carefully and then went off to

catch his bed, which had gotten into an argument with a lamppost. When he spoke to it sharply, it left off and

came trotting over to him. The Cowardly Lion, contrary to his usual custom, leaped into his bed, and soon the

three fourposters were walking quietly down the street, evidently following the King's instructions.

Dorothy slipped off her shoes and dress and nestled comfortably down among the soft covers. "Just like

sleeping in a train," she thought drowsily. "What a lot I shall have to tell the Scarecrow and Ozma when I get

"Good night!" said Dorothy, too nearly asleep to even think it strange for a bed to talk. "Good night!"

"It must be a shipwreck," thought Dorothy, sitting up in alarm. She seemed to be tossing about wildly.

"Time for little girls to get up," grumbled a harsh voice that seemed to come from the pillows.

Dorothy rubbed her eyes. One of the bedposts was addressing her, and the big fourposter itself was dancing

"Well, I go off duty now, and you'll have to hurry," said the bed sulkily. "I'm due at the lecture at nine."

"What's so queer about that?" demanded the bed coldly. "I've got to keep well posted, haven't I? I belong to a

"I'm glad my bed doesn't talk to me in this impertinent fashion," thought Dorothy, slipping into her dress and

combing her hair with her side comb. "Imagine being ordered about by a bed! I wonder if Sir Hokus is up."

Parting the curtains, she jumped down, and the bed, without even saying goodbye, took itself off.

Sir Hokus was sitting on a stile, polishing his armor with a pillowslip he had taken from his bed, and the

Cowardly Lion was lying beside him lazily thumping his tail and making fun of the passing furniture.

"We were waiting for your Ladyship," chuckled the Cowardly Lion. "Would you mind ordering two for me,

Sir Hokus threw away the pillowslip, and talking cheerfully they walked toward King Fix Sit's circle. The

beds had been replaced by breakfast tables, and the whole street was eating busily.

The king rang a bell four times without looking up from his oatmeal. Seeing that he did not wish to be

"In some ways," said Dorothy, contentedly munching a hot roll, "in some ways this is a very comfortable

"In sooth 'tis that," mumbled Sir Hokus, his mouth full of baked apple. As for the Cowardly Lion, he finished

his two breakfasts in no time. "And now," said Sir Hokus as the tables walked off, "let us continue our quest.

"If you go, go away. And if you stay, stay away. That's my motto," answered King Fix shortly. "I can't have

people running around here like common furniture," he added in a grieved voice. All the Fix Its nodded

The King felt in his pocket and brought out three pieces of chalk. "Go to the end of the street. Choose a place

and draw your circle. In five minutes you will find it impossible to move out of the circle, and you will be

"No, by my good sword!" spluttered the Knight, glaring around nervously. Then, seeing the King looked

displeased, he made a low bow. "If your Highness could graciously direct us out of the city "

"I wonder what they do when it rains?" said Dorothy, looking curiously at the solemn rows of people.

"Call for roofs, silly!" snapped a Fix, staring at her rudely. "If you would spend your time thinking instead of

"Go to, and swallow a gooseberry!" roared the Knight, waving his sword at the Fix, and Dorothy, fearing an

encounter, begged him to come on, which he did though with many backward glances.

Fix City seemed to consist of one long street, and they had soon come to the very end.

As for Dorothy, she could do nothing but stare. The street ended surely enough, and beyond there was

"Glad you like it," said a wheezy voice. The three travelers turned in surprise. A huge Fix was regarding them

with interest. His circle, which was the last in the row, was about twenty times as large as the other circles,

"Don't you remember, the King said something about buying a road," said Dorothy in an excited undertone to

"Can'st direct us to a road, my good man?" asked Sir Hokus with a bow. The Fix jerked his thumb back at the

"Our roads go where they please, and you'll have to go where they take you. Do you want to go on or off?"

"On," shivered the Cowardly Lion, looking with a shudder over the precipice at the end of the street.

"What kind of roads have you?" asked Dorothy timidly. It was her first experience at buying roads, and she

"We wouldn't want a cross one," said Dorothy positively. "Have you any with trees at both sides and water at

"How many yards?" asked the Fix, taking a pair of shears as large as himself off a long counter beside him.

"Five miles," said Sir Hokus as Dorothy looked confused. "That ought to take us somewhere!"

The Fix rang one of the bells in the counter. The next minute, a big trap door in the ground opened, and a

"Get on," commanded the Fix in such a sharp tone that the three jumped to obey. Holding fast to Sir Hokus,

Dorothy stepped on the piece of road that had already unrolled. The Cowardly Lion, looking very anxious,

followed. No sooner had they done so than the road gave a terrific leap forward that stretched the three flat

upon their backs and started unwinding from its spool at a terri fying speed. As it unrolled, tall trees

snapped erect on each side and began laughing derisively at the three travelers huddled together in the

"Ggglad we only took five miles," stuttered Dorothy to the Knight, whose armor was rattling like a Ford.

The Cowardly Lion had wound his tail around a tree and dug his claws into the road, for he had no intention

of falling off into nothingness. As for the road, it snapped along at about a mile a minute, and before they had

time to grow accustomed to this singular mode of travel, it gave a final jump that sent them circling into the

Down, down, down whirled Dorothy, falling with a resounding splash into a broad stream of water. Then

"Help!" screamed Dorothy as her head rose above water, and she began striking out feebly. But the fall

"What do you want?" A thin, neat little man was watching her anxiously from the bank, making careful notes

"Help! Save me!" choked Dorothy, feeling herself going down in the muddy stream again.

"Wait! I'll look it up under the 'H's," called the little man, making a trumpet of his hands. "Are you an island?

An island is a body of land entirely surrounded by water, but this seems to be a somebody," Dorothy heard

him mutter as he whipped over several pages of his book. "Sorry," he called back, shaking his head slowly,

"Stand aside, Mem, you villain!" A second little man exactly like the first except that he was exceedingly

"It's no use," thought Dorothy, closing her eyes, for he had jumped in far below the spot where she had fallen

and was making no progress whatever. The waters rushed over her head the second time. Then she felt

When she opened her eyes, the Cowardly Lion was standing over her. "Are you all right?" he rumbled

"Oh, he'll drown," cried Dorothy, forgetting her own narrow escape. "He can't swim in that heavy armor!"

"Never fear, I'll get him," puffed the Cowardly Lion, and without waiting to catch his breath he plunged back

into the stream. The little man who only saved lives on Monday now approached timidly. "I'd like to get a

"You might have helped me in the present," said Dorothy, wringing out her dress. "You ought to be ashamed

"I'll make a note of that," said the little man earnestly. "But how did you feel when you went down?" He

"I'm not your dear young lady. Oh, dear, why doesn't the Cowardly Lion come back?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't swim faster," said the wet little man, approaching Dorothy apologetically.

"Well, thank you for trying," said Dorothy. "Is he your brother? And could you tell me where you are? You're

"Right in both cases," chuckled the little fellow. "My name is Ran and his name is Memo." He jerked his

"I think I do," said Dorothy, half closing her eyes. "Is that why he's always taking notes?"

"Exactly," said Ran. "I do everything at Random, and he does everything at memorandum."

"It must be rather confusing," said Dorothy. Then as she caught sight of the Cowardly Lion dragging Sir

Hokus, she jumped up excitedly. Ran, however, took one look at the huge beast and then fled, calling for

Mem at the top of his voice. And that is the last Dorothy saw of these singular twins.

The Lion dropped Sir Hokus in a limp heap. When Dorothy unfastened his armor, gallons of water rushed

"Save your breath, old fellow," said the Cowardly Lion, regarding him affectionately.

"Oh, why did I ask for water on the end of the road?" sighed Dorothy. "But, anyway, we're in some part of

Sir Hokus, though still spluttering, was beginning to revive. "Yon noble bheast shall be knighted. Uds

daggers! That's the shecond time he's shaved my life!" Rising unsteadily, he tottered over to the Lion and

struck him a sharp blow on the shoulder. "Rishe, Shir Cowardly Lion," he cried hoarsely, and fell headlong,

and before Dorothy or the lion had recovered from their surprise he was fast asleep, mumbling happily of

"We'll have to wait till he gets rested," said Dorothy. "And until I get dry." She began running up and down,

"And there's something else for Professor Wogglebug to put in his book, Sir Cowardly Lion."

"Oh, that!" mumbled the Cowardly Lion, looking terribly embarrassed. "Whoever heard of a Cowardly

"No, it isn't nonsense," said Dorothy stoutly. "You're a knight from now on. Won't the Scarecrow be

Although the Scarecrow had been on Silver Island only a few days, he had already instituted many reforms,

and thanks to his cleverness the people were more prosperous than ever before. Cheers greeted him wherever

he went, and even old Chew Chew was more agreeable and no longer made bitter remarks to Happy Toko.

The Scarecrow himself, however, had four new wrinkles and was exceedingly melancholy. He missed the

carefree life in Oz, and every minute that he was not ruling the island he was thinking about his old home and

"I almost hope they will look in the Magic Picture and wish me back again," he mused pensively. "But it is

my duty to stay here. I have a family to support." So he resolved to put the best face he could on the matter,

and Happy Toko did his utmost to cheer up his royal master. The second morning after the great victory, he

"The honorable Offspring have arriven!" (sic) announced Happy, turning a somersault. "Come, ancient and

amiable Sir, and gaze upon your sons and grandsons!" The Scarecrow sprang joyously from his silver throne,

upsetting a bowl of silver fish and three silver vases. At last a real family! Ever since his arrival, the three

Princes and their fifteen little sons had been cruising on the royal pleasure barge, so that the Scarecrow had

"This is the happiest moment of my life!" he exclaimed, clasping his yellow gloves and watching the door

intently. Happy looked a little uneasy, for he knew the three Princes to be exceedingly haughty and

overbearing, but he said nothing, and next minute the Scarecrow's family stepped solemnly into the royal

"Children!" cried the Scarecrow, and with his usual impetuousness rushed forward and flung his arms around

"Take care! Take care, ancient and honorable papa!" cried the young Silverman, backing away. "Such

excitement is not good for one of your advanced years." He drew himself away firmly and, adjusting a huge

pair of silver spectacles, regarded the Scarecrow attentively. "Ah, how you have changed!"

"He looks very feeble, Too Fang, but may he live long to rule this flowery island and our humble selves!"

"Do you not find the affairs of state fatiguing, darling papa?" inquired the third Prince, fingering a jeweled

"I, as your eldest son, shall be delighted to relieve you should you wish to retire. Get back ten paces, you!" he

The poor Scarecrow had been so taken aback by this cool reception that he just stared in disbelief.

"If the three honorable Princes will retire themselves, I will speak with my grandsons," he said dryly, bowing

in his most royal manner. The three Princes exchanged startled glances. Then, with three low salaams, they

"And now, my dears !" The Scarecrow looked wistfully at his fifteen silken clad little grandsons. Their

silver hair, plaited tightly into little queues, stood out stiffly on each side of their heads and gave them a very

curious appearance. At his first word, the fifteen fell dutifully on their noses. As soon as they were right side

up, the Scarecrow, beginning at the end of the row, addressed a joking question to each in his most approved

"Yes, gracious Grandpapapapah!" or "No honorable Grandpapapapah!" And the constant bobbing up and

down and papahing so confused the poor Scarecrow that he nearly gave up the conversation.

"It's no use trying to talk to these children," he wailed in disgust, "they're so solemn. Don't you ever laugh?"

he cried in exasperation, for he had told them stories that would have sent the Oz youngsters into hysterics.

"It is not permissible for a Prince to laugh at the remarks of his honorable grandparent," whispered Happy

Toko, while the fifteen little Princes banged their heads solemnly on the floor.

"Honorable fiddlesticks!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, slumping back on his throne. "Bring cushions." Happy

Toko ran off nimbly, and soon the fifteen little Princes were seated in a circle at the Scarecrow's feet. "To

"Yes, old Grandpapapapapah!" chorused the Princes, bending over as far as they could.

"Wait!" said the Scarecrow hastily, "I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time, to a beautiful country called Oz,

which is surrounded on all sides by a deadly desert, there came a little girl named Dorothy. A terrible gale

Well, what's the matter now?" The Scarecrow stopped short, for the oldest Prince had jerked a book out of his

"It is not on the map, great Grand papapapah," he announced solemnly, and all of the other little Princes

"Not on the map Oz? Of course it's not. Do you suppose we want all the humans in creation coming

there?" Calming down, the Scarecrow tried to continue his story, but every time he mentioned Oz, the little

Princes shook their heads stubbornly and whispered, "Not on the map," till the usually goodtempered

"Not on the map, you little villains!" he screamed, forgetting they were his grandsons. "What difference does

"We do not believe in Oz," announced the oldest Prince serenely. "There is no such place."

"No such place as Oz Happy, do you hear that?" The Scarecrow's voice fairly crackled with indignation.

"Perhaps your Highness can convince them later," suggested the Imperial Punster. "This way, offspring." His

Master, he felt, had had enough family for one day. So the fifteen little Princes, with fifteen stiff little bows,

took themselves back to the royal nursery. As for the Scarecrow, he paced disconsolately up and down his

"You're a good boy, Tappy," said the Scarecrow as Happy returned, "but I tell you being a grandparent is not

what I thought it would be. Did you hear them tell me right to my face they did not believe in Oz? And my

"Fault of their bringing up," said Happy Toko comfortingly. "If your serene Highness would just tell me more

of that illustrious country!" Happy knew that nothing cheered the Scarecrow like talking of Oz, and to tell the

truth Happy himself never tired of the Scarecrow's marvelous stories. So the two slipped quietly into the

palace gardens, and the Scarecrow related for the fourteenth time the story of his discovery by Dorothy and

"Your Highness knows the history of Oz by heart," said Happy admiringly as the Scarecrow paused.

"I couldn't do that," said the Scarecrow gently, "for you see, Happy, I have no heart."

"Then I wish we all had none!" exclaimed Happy Toko, rolling up his eyes. The Scarecrow looked

embarrassed, so the little Punster threw back his head and sang a song he had been making up while the

The Scarecrow was standing alone in a field, Inviting the crows to keep off, When the straw in his chest

The noise that was heard so surprised ev'ry bird, that the flock flew away in a fright, But the Scarecrow

"Ho!" roared the Scarecrow, "You're almost as good at making verses as Scraps, Write that down for me,

"Hush!" whispered Happy, holding up his finger warningly. The Scarecrow turned so suddenly that the silver

pigtail pinned to the back of his hat wound itself tightly around his neck. No wonder! On the other side of the

hedge the three Princes were walking up and down, conversing in indignant whispers.

"What a horrible shape our honorable Papa has reappeared in. I hear that it never wears out," muttered one.

"He may continue just as he is for years and years. How am I ever to succeed him, I'd like to know. Why, he

"No use," choked the third. "I was just talking to the Imperial Soothsayer, and he tells me that no one from

this miserable Kingdom of Oz can be destroyed. But I have a plan. Incline your Royal ears listen." The

voices dropped to such a low whisper that neither Happy nor the Scarecrow could hear one word.

"Treason!" spluttered Happy, making ready to spring through the hedge, but the Scarecrow seized him by the

"I don't believe they like their poor papa," exclaimed the Scarecrow when they were safely back in the throne

room. "I'm feeling older than a Kinkajou. Ah, Happy Oko, why did I ever slide down my family tree? It has

The three royal Princes, with every show of affection, were supporting the Scarecrow to the silver bench in

"Are you quite comfortable?" asked the elder. "Here, Happy, you rogue, fetch a scarf for his Imperial

Highness. You must be careful, dear Papa Scarecrow. At your age, drafts are dangerous." The rascally Prince

"What do you suppose they are up to?" asked the Scarecrow, staring after the three suspiciously. "Why this

"Trying to make you feel old," grumbled Happy. Several hours had passed since they had overheard the

conversation in the garden. The Scarecrow had decided to watch his sons closely and fall in with any plan

they suggested so they would suspect nothing. Then, when the time came, he would act. Just what he would

do he did not know, but his excellent brains would not, he felt sure, desert him. Happy Toko sat as close to

the Scarecrow as he could and scowled terribly whenever the Princes approached, which was every minute or

The Scarecrow, who had never thought of age in his whole straw life, became extremely nervous.

Was he really old? Did his head ache? When no one was looking, he felt himself carefully all over. Then

something of his old time Oz spirit returned. Seizing the cushion that his eldest son was placing at his back,

he hurled it over his head. Leaping from his throne, he began turning handsprings in a careless and sprightly

"Don't you worry about your honorable old papa," chuckled the Scarecrow, winking at Happy Toko. "He's

"Have none," laughed the Scarecrow. Snatching off the silver cord from around his waist, he began skipping

rope up and down the hall. The Princes, tapping their foreheads significantly, retired, and the Scarecrow,

throwing his arm around Happy Toko, began whispering in his ear. He had a plan himself. They would see!

Meanwhile, off in his dark cave in one of the silver mountains, the Grand Gheewizard of the Silver Island

was stirring a huge kettle of magic. Every few moments he paused to read out of a great yellow book that he

had propped up on the mantle. The fire in the huge grate leaped fiercely under the big, black pot, and the

sputtering candles on each side of the book sent creepy shadows into the dark cave. Dark chests, books,

bundles of herbs, and heaps of gold and silver were everywhere. Whenever the Gheewizard turned his back, a

rheumatic silverscaled old dragon would crawl toward the fire and swallow a mouthful of coals, until the

old Gheewizard caught him in the act and chained him to a ring in the corner of the cave.

"Be patient, little joy of my heart! Our fortune is about to be made," hissed the wizened little man, waving a

long iron spoon at the dragon. "You shall have a bucket of redhot coals every hour and I a silver cap with a

tassel. Have not the Royal Princes promised it?" The dragon shuffled about and finally went to sleep,

"Is it finished, son of a yellow dog?" Through the narrow opening of the cave, the youngest Prince stuck his

"I am working as fast as I can, Honorable Prince, but the elixir must boil yet one more night. Tomorrow,

when the sun shines on the first bar of your celestial window, come, and all will be ready."

"Are you sure you have found it?" asked the Prince, withdrawing his head, for the smoking dragon and steam

"Quite sure," wheezed the Grand Gheewizard, and fell to stirring the kettle with all his might.

The Scarecrow, although busy with trials in the great courtroom of the palace, felt that something unusual

was in the air. The Princes kept nodding to one another, and the Grand Chew Chew and General Mugwump

"Something's going to happen, Tappy. I feel it in my straw," whispered the Scarecrow as he finished trying

the last case. At that very minute, the Grand Chew Chew arose and held up his hand for silence. Everybody

"I have to announce," said the Grand Chew Chew in a solemn voice, "that the Great and Imperial Chang

Wang Woe will tomorrow be restored to his own rightful shape. The Grand Gheewizard of the realm has

discovered a magic formula to break the enchantment and free him from this distressing Scarecrow body.

Behold for the last the Scarecrow of Oz. Tomorrow he will be our old and glorious Emperor!"

"Tappy! I forgot to lock up the wizards. Great Cornstarch! Tomorrow I will be eightyfive years old."

Such cheers greeted the Grand Chew Chew's announcement that no one even noticed the Scarecrow's

"I, also, have an announcement!" cried the eldest Prince, standing up proudly. "To make the celebration of

my royal Papa's restoration complete, we have chosen the lovely and charming Orange Blossom for his

"Bride!" gulped the Scarecrow. "But I do not approve of second marriages. I refuse to "

"Hold my hand, Tappy," sighed the Scarecrow weakly. "It may be your last chance." Then he sat up and

stared in good earnest, for the Prince was leading forward a tall, richly clad lady.

"Orange Blossom!" muttered the Scarecrow under his breath. "He means Lemon Peel! Silver grandmother,

"She is a sister of the King of the Golden Islands," whispered General Mugwump. "Of a richness surpassing

"Fan me, Tappy! Fan me!" gasped the Scarecrow. Then he straightened himself suddenly. The time had come

for action. He would say nothing to anyone, but that night he would escape and try to find his way back to

Oz, family or no family! He bowed graciously to Princess Orange Blossom, to the Grand Chew Chew, and to

"Let everything be made ready for the ceremony, and may tomorrow indeed bring me to myself," he repeated

solemnly. Nothing was talked of that evening but the Emperor's impending marriage and the Grand

Gheewizard's discovery. The Scarecrow seemed the least excited person in the palace. Sitting on his throne,

he pretended to read the Royal Silver Journal, but he was really waiting impatiently for the courtiers to retire.

Finally, when the last one had bowed himself out and only Happy Toko remained in the throne room, the

"It's no use, Tappy," said he, tying up a few little trinkets for Dorothy in a silk handkerchief, "I'd rather be

straw than meat. I'd rather be a plain Scarecrow in Oz than Emperor of the Earth! They may be my sons, but

all they want is my death. I'm going back to my old friends. I'd rather ". He got no farther. A huge slave

seized him suddenly from behind, while another caught Happy Toko around his fat little waist.

"Tie them fast," said the eldest Prince, smiling wickedly at the Scarecrow. "Here, tie him to the beanstalk.

Merely a part of the Grand Gheewizard's formula," he exclaimed maliciously as the struggling Scarecrow was

bound securely to his family tree. "Good night, dear papa Scarecrow. Tomorrow you will be your old self

"This rather upsets our plans, eh Tappy?" wheezed the Scarecrow after a struggle with his bonds.

"Alas!" groaned the Scarecrow. "Tomorrow there will be no Scarecrow in Oz. What will Dorothy and Ozma

think? And once I am changed into my old Imperial self, I can never make the journey to the Emerald City.

"Has your Majesty forgotten the wonderful brains given to you by the Wizard of Oz?"

"I had for a moment," confessed the Scarecrow. "Be quiet, Tappy, while I think." Pressing his head

against the magic beanpole, the Scarecrow thought and thought, harder than he had ever done in the course of

his adventurous life, and in the great, silent hall Happy Toko struggled to set himself free.

While all these exciting things were happening to the poor Scarecrow, Dorothy, Sir Hokus and the Cowardly

Lion had been having adventures of their own. For three days, they had wandered through a deserted part of

the Winkie Country, subsisting largely on berries, sleeping under trees, and looking in vain for a road to lead

them back to the Emerald City. On the second day, they had encountered an ancient woodsman, too old and

deaf to give them any information. He did, however, invite them into his hut and give them a good dinner and

"But, oh, for a good old pasty!" sighed Sir Hokus late on the third afternoon as they finished the last of the

"Do you know," said Dorothy, looking through the straggly fields and woods ahead, "I believe we've been

"Again!" choked the Cowardly Lion. "You mean still. I've been in a good many parts of Oz, but this this

"Not even one little dragon!" Sir Hokus shook his head mournfully. Then, seeing that Dorothy was tired and

discouraged, he pretended to strum on a guitar and sang in his highpitched voice:

A rusty Knight in steel bedite And Lady Dot, so fair, Sir Lion bold, with mane of gold And might besides to

spahahare! And might beside to spare! The dauntless three, a company Of wit and bravery are, Who

seek the valiant Scarecrow man, Who seek him near and faharhar, Who seek him near and fahar!

"Oh, I like that!" cried Dorothy, jumping up and giving Sir Hokus a little squeeze. "Only you should have

The Cowardly Lion shook his golden mane. "Let's do a little reconnoitering, Hokus," he said carelessly. He

"I don't believe in signs anymore," laughed Dorothy, "but I'm coming too." Sir Hokus' song had cheered them

all, and it wasn't the first time the Knight had helped make the best of a tiresome journey.

"The air seemeth to grow very hot," observed Sir Hokus after they had walked along silently for a time. "Hast

"No, but I've swallowed some of it," coughed the Cowardly Lion, looking suspiciously through the trees.

"I'll just step forward and see what it is," said the Knight. As he disappeared, the truth dawned on Dorothy.

"Wait! Wait! Don't go! Please, please, Sir Hokus, come back, come back!" cried the little girl, running after

"What's the matter?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion, thudding behind her. Then both, coming suddenly out of

the woods, gave a terrible scream, which so startled Sir Hokus that he fell over backwards. Just in time, too,

for another step would have taken him straight on to the Deadly Desert, which destroys every living thing and

"What befell?" puffed Sir Hokus, getting to his feet. Naturally, he knew nothing of the poisonous sands.

"Sit down!" The Cowardly Lion mopped his brow with his tail. "One step on that desert and it would have

"I should say it would!" shuddered Dorothy, and explained to Sir Hokus the deadly nature of the sands. "And

do you know what this means?" Dorothy was nearer to tears than even I like to think about. "It means we've

come in exactly the wrong direction and are farther away from the Emerald City than we were when we

"And seek him near and fahahhar," mumbled Sir Hokus with a very troubled light in his kindly blue

"Fahharhar! I should say it was," said the Cowardly Lion bitterly. "But you needn't sing it."

"No, I s'pose not. Uds helmets and hauberks! I s'pose not!" The Knight lapsed into a discouraged silence, and

all three sat and stared drearily at the stretch of desert before them and thought gloomily of the rough country

"I doubt that, Camy, I doubt it very much." The shrill nasal voices so startled the three travelers that they

"Great dates and deserts!" burst out the Cowardly Lion, jumping up. And on the whole, this exclamation was

entirely suitable, for ambling toward them were a longlegged camel and a wobblynecked dromedary.

"The doubtful dromedary wept, As o'er the desert sands he stept, Association with the sphinx Has made him

"I doubt it, I doubt it very much," persisted the Dromedary, wagging his head sorrowfully.

"You seem to doubt everything!" Dorothy laughed in spite of herself, and the Dromedary regarded her

"He does," said the Camel. "It makes him very doubtful company. Now, I like to be comfortable and happy,

and you can't be if you're always doubting things and people and places. Eh, my dear?"

"Where did you comfortable and doubtful parties come from?" asked the Cowardly Lion. "Strangers here?"

"Well, yes," admitted the Camel, nibbling the branch of a tree. "There was a terrific sandstorm, and after

blowing and blowing and blowing, we found ourselves in this little wood. The odd part of it is that you talk in

"You're not talking Camelia, you're talking Ozish," laughed Dorothy. "All animals can talk here."

"Well, now, that's very comfortable, I must say," sighed the Camel, "and if you'd just tell me where to go, it

"Where do you want to go?" asked the Cowardly Lion, ignoring the Doubtful Dromedary.

"Anywhere, just so we keep moving. We're used to being told when to start and stop, and life is mighty

"Why, I didn't know you smoked!" exclaimed Dorothy in surprise. She thought the camel was referring to a

"He means his camel driver," whispered Sir Hokus, eyeing the soft, pillowed seat on the camel's back

longingly. Besides the seat, great sacks and bales of goods hung from its sides. The Doubtful Dromedary was

"Goodness!" exclaimed Dorothy. A sudden idea had struck her. "You haven't anything to eat in those sacks,

"Three cheers for the Comfortable Camel!" roared the Cowardly Lion, while Sir Hokus, following the camel's

directions, carefully unfastened a large, woven basket from one of the sacks on its side.

"You may be my Karwan Bashi," announced the Comfortable Camel judiciously as Sir Hokus paused for

"Hear that, Lady Dot?" Sir Hokus swept the camel a bow and fairly beamed with pleasure. Dorothy,

meanwhile, had set out an appetizing repast on a small, rocky ledge a regular feast, it appeared to the

hungry travelers. There were loaves of black bread, figs, dates, cheese, and a curious sort of dried meat which

"Isn't this cozy?" said Dorothy, forgetting the long, weary way ahead. "My, I'm glad we met you!"

"Very comforting to us, too, my dear," said the Camel, swaying complacently. "Isn't it, Doubty?"

"There are some silk cushions in my righthand saddle sack, but I doubt very much whether you'll like 'em,"

"Out with them!" cried Sir Hokus, pouncing on the Doubtful Dromedary, and in a minute each of the party

"Could anything have been more fortunate?" exulted the Knight. "We can now resume our journey properly

"I think I'll ride the Cowardly Lion," said Dorothy, looking uneasily at the high seat on the camel's back.

They had eaten to heart's content, and now, packing up the remainder of the feast, the little party made ready

Sir Hokus, using the Cowardly Lion as a footstool, mounted the camel, and then Dorothy climbed on her old

"There's a tent in my lefthand saddle sack, but I doubt very much whether you can put it up," said the

Doubtful Dromedary, falling in behind the Comfortable Camel. "I doubt it very much indeed."

"How now, what means this doubting?" called Sir Hokus from his perilous seat. "I'll pitch it when the time

"Mind you don't pitch out when the Camel goes!" called the Cowardly Lion, who would have his little joke.

Sir Hokus, to tell the truth, was feeling tossed about and dizzy, but he was too polite to mention the fact. As

they proceeded, Dorothy told the Comfortable Camel all about the Scarecrow and Oz.

An occasional word jolted down from above told her that the Knight was singing. They had gone possibly a

"We must have missed it before! Wait, I'll see what it's like." Jumping down from the Cowardly Lion's back,

"What of?" asked the Comfortable Camel, lurching forward eagerly and nearly unseating the Knight.

"Looks like a pretty good road," said the Comfortable Camel, squinting up its eyes.

"I doubt it, Camy, I doubt it very much," said the Doubtful Dromedary tremulously.

"What does my dear Karwan Bashi think?" asked the Comfortable Camel, looking adoringly back at the

"It is unwise to go back when the journey lieth forward," said the Knight, and immediately returned to his

song. So, single file, the little company turned in at the narrow path, the Comfortable Camel advancing with

For a short time, everything went well. Then Dorothy, turning to see how Sir Hokus was getting along,

"Why, where in the world?" exclaimed Dorothy. The Comfortable Camel craned his wobbly neck and, when

he saw that his friend was gone, burst into tears. His sobs heaved Sir Hokus clear out of his seat and flung

"Go to!" exploded the Knight, sitting up. "If I were a bird, riding in yon nest would be easier." The last of his

sentence ended in a hoarse croak. Sir Hokus vanished, and a great raven flopped down in the center of the

"Oh, where is my dear Karwan Bashi? Oh, where is Doubty?" screamed the Comfortable Camel, running

"Magic!" gasped Dorothy, clutching the Cowardly Lion's mane. The Comfortable Camel had melted into air

"I doubt it, I doubt it very much!" coughed a faint voice close to her ear. Dorothy ducked her head

"Our doubtful friend," whispered the lion weakly. "Oh, be careful, Dorothy dear. We may turn into frogs or

Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion had had experiences with magic transformations, and the little girl, pressing

her fingers to her eyes, tried to think of something to do. The raven was making awkward attempts to fly and

"Oh, I wish dear Sir Hokus were himself again," wailed Dorothy after trying in vain to recall some magic

sentences. Presto! The Knight stood before them, a bit breathless from flying, but hearty as ever.

"I see! I see!" said the Cowardly Lion with a little prance. "Every wish you make on this road comes true.

Remember the sign: 'Wish Way.' I wish the Comfortable Camel were back. I wish the Doubtful Dromedary

were himself again," muttered the Cowardly Lion rapidly, and in an instant the two creatures were standing in

"Uds bodikins! So I did wish myself a bird!" gasped the Knight, rubbing his gauntlets together excitedly.

"There you are! There you are!" cried the Comfortable Camel, stumbling toward him and resting his foolish

head on his shoulder. "Dear, dear Karwan Bashi! And Doubty, old fellow, there you are too! Ah, how

"Not two one," wheezed the Doubtful Dromedary. "And Camy, I doubt very much whether I'd care for

"Methinks a proper wish might serve us well," observed Sir Hokus. He had been pacing up and down in great

"Oh, stop!" begged Dorothy. "Wait till we've thought it all out. Wishing's awfully particular work!"

"One person better speak for the party," said the Cowardly Lion. "Now, I suggest "

"Oh, be careful!" screamed Dorothy again. "I wish you would all stop wishing!" Sir Hokus looked at her

reproachfully. No wonder. At Dorothy's words, they all found themselves unable to speak. The Doubtful

Dromedary's eyes grew rounder and rounder. For the first time in its life, it was unable to doubt anything.

"Now I'll have to do it all," thought Dorothy, and closing her eyes she tried to think of the very best wish for

everybody concerned. It was night and growing darker. The Cowardly Lion, the Camel and Dromedary and

Sir Hokus peered anxiously at the little girl, wondering what in the world was going to happen. Being wished

around is no joke. For five minutes Dorothy thought and thought. Then, standing in the middle of the road,

she made her wish in a clear, distinct voice. It was not a very long wish. To be exact, it had only eight words.

Eight short little words! But stars! No sooner were they out of Dorothy's mouth than the earth opened

The next thing Dorothy knew, she was sitting on the hard floor of a great, dark hall. One lantern burned

feebly, and in the dim, silvery light she could just make out the Comfortable Camel scrambling awkwardly to

"I doubt very much whether I am going to like this place." The voice of the Doubtful Dromedary came

"Thank goodness, they are!" said Dorothy. Wishing other people about is a risky and responsible business.

"They're all here, but I wonder where here is." She jumped up, but at a shuffle of feet drew back.

"Pigs! Weasels!" shrilled an angry voice, and a fat little man hurled himself at Sir Hokus, who happened to

"Uds trudgeons and bludgeons and maugre thy head!" roared the Knight, shaking him off like a fly.

"Tappy, Tappy, my dear boy. Caution! What's all this?" At the sound of that dear, familiar voice Dorothy's

"Dorothy!" cried the Scarecrow, stepping on his kimona and falling off his silvery throne. "Lights, Tappy!

More lights, at once!" But Tappy was too busy backing away from Sir Hokus of Pokes.

"Approach, vassal!" thundered the Knight, who understood not a word of Tappy's speech. "Approach! I

think I've been insulted!" He drew his sword and glared angrily through the darkness, and Tappy, having

backed as far as possible, fell heels over pigtail into the silver fountain. At the loud splash, Dorothy hastened

"They're friends, and we've found the Scarecrow, we've found the Scarecrow!" She seized Sir Hokus and

"Tappy! Tappy!" called the Scarecrow. "Where in the world did he pagota?" That's exactly what he said, but

"Why," she cried in dismay, "it's the Scarecrow, but I can't understand a word he's saying!"

"I think he must be talking Turkey," droned the Comfortable Camel, "or donkey! I knew a donkey once, a

"I doubt it's donkey," put in the Dromedary importantly, but no one paid any attention to the two beasts. For

Happy Toko had at last dragged himself out of the fountain and set fifteen lanterns glowing.

"Oh!" gasped Dorothy as the magnificent silver throne room was flooded with light, "Where are we?"

The Scarecrow had picked himself up, and with outstretched arms came running toward her talking a perfect

"Have you forgotten your Ozish so soon?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion reproachfully as Dorothy flung her

arms around the Scarecrow. The Scarecrow, seeing the Cowardly Lion for the first time, fairly fell upon his

"Oh, now you are!" exclaimed Dorothy. And sure enough, the Scarecrow was talking plain Ozish again.

The Knight had been watching this little reunion with hardly repressed emotion. Advancing hastily, he

"My good sword and lance are ever at thy service, my Lord Scarecrow!" he exclaimed feelingly.

"Who is this impulsive person?" gulped the Scarecrow, staring in undisguised astonishment at the kneeling

"He's my Knight Errant, and he's taken such good care of me," explained Dorothy eagerly.

"Splendid fellow," hissed the Cowardly Lion in the Scarecrow's other painted ear, "if he does talk odds and

"Any friend of little Dorothy's is my friend," said the Scarecrow, shaking hands with Sir Hokus warmly. "But

"First tell us where we are," begged the little girl, for the Scarecrow's silver hat and queue filled her with

"You are on the Silver Island," said the Scarecrow slowly. "And I am the Emperor or his

goodfornothing spirit and tomorrow," the Scarecrow glared around wildly, "tomorrow I'll be

eightyfive going on eightysix." His voice broke and ended in a barely controlled sob.

"We are no longer in Oz." The Scarecrow shook his head sadly. Then, fixing the group with a puzzled stare,

"Yes," said Dorothy, "we've been hunting you all over Oz, and at last we came to Wish Way, and I said 'I

"Here you are," finished the Scarecrow hastily, for the Dromedary showed signs of going on forever.

"Now tell us every single thing that has happened to you," demanded Dorothy eagerly.

Happy Toko had recognized Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion from the Scarecrow's description, and he now

approached with an arm full of cushions. These he set in a circle on the floor, with one for the Scarecrow in

the center, and with a warning finger on his lips placed himself behind his Master.

"Tappy is right!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "We must be as quiet as possible, for a great danger hangs over

Without more ado, he told them of his amazing fall down the beanstalk; of his adventures on Silver Island; of

his sons and grandsons and the Gheewizard's elixir which would turn him from a lively Scarecrow into an

old, old Emperor. All that I have told you, he told Dorothy, up to the very point where his eldest son had

bound him to the bean pole and tied up poor, faithful Happy Toko. Happy, it seems, had at last managed to

free himself, and they were about to make their escape when Dorothy and her party had fallen into the throne

room. The Comfortable Camel and Doubtful Dromedary listened politely at first, but worn out by their

Nothing could have exceeded Dorothy's dismay to learn that the jolly Scarecrow of Oz, whom she had

"Oh, this spoils everything!" wailed the little girl. (The thought of Oz without the Scarecrow was

unthinkable.) "It spoils everything! We were going to adopt you and be your truly family. Weren't we?"

The Cowardly Lion nodded. "I was going to be your cousin," he mumbled in a choked voice, "but now that

Sir Hokus looked fierce and rattled his sword, but he could think of nothing that would help them out of their

"Tomorrow there won't be any Scarecrow in Oz!" wailed Dorothy. "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" And the little girl

"Stop! Stop!" begged the Scarecrow, while Sir Hokus awkwardly patted Dorothy on the back. "I'd rather have

you for my family any day. I don't care a Kinkajou for being Emperor, and as for my sons, they are unnatural

"You are old, Father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white, And yet you

"That's it, that's it exactly!" exclaimed the Scarecrow as Dorothy finished repeating the verse. " 'You are old,

Father Scarecrow!' That's all I hear. I did stand on my head, too. And Dorothy, I can't seem to get used to

being a grandparent," added the Scarecrow in a melancholy voice. "It's turning my straws gray." He plucked

several from his chest and held them out to her. "Why, those little villains don't even believe in Oz! 'It's not

on the map, old Grandpapapapapah!' " he mumbled, imitating the tones of his little grandsons so cleverly that

"This is what becomes of pride!" The Scarecrow extended his hands expressively. "Most people who hunt up

"But who do you want to be?" asked the Knight gravely. "A Scarecrow in Oz or the er Emperor

"I don't care who I were!" In his excitement, the Scarecrow lost his grammar completely. "I want to be who I

"Why, my best self, of course," said the Scarecrow with a bright smile. The sight of his old friends had quite

restored his cheerfulness. "I've been here long enough to know that I am a better Scarecrow than an

"Why, how simple it is!" sighed Dorothy contentedly. "Professor Wogglebug was all wrong. It's not what you

"By my Halidom, the little maid is right!" said Sir Hokus, slapping his knee in delight. "Let your Gheewizard

but try his transformations! Out on him! But what says yon honest henchman?" Happy Toko, although he

understood no word of the conversation, had been watching the discussion with great interest. He had been

trying to attract the Scarecrow's attention for some time, but the Knight was the only one who had noticed

"What is it, Tappy?" asked the Scarecrow, dropping easily back into Silver Islandish.

"Honored Master, the dawn approaches and with it the Royal Princes and the Grand Gheewizard and your

The Scarecrow was feeling in the pocket of his old Munchkin suit which he always wore under his robes of

state. "Here!" said he, giving a little pill to Happy Toko. "It's one of Professor Wogglebug's language pills,"

he exclaimed to Dorothy, "and will enable him to speak and understand Ozish." Happy swallowed the pill

"Greetings, honorable Ozites!" he said politely as soon as the pill was down. Dorothy clapped her hands in

"I could never have stood it here without Tappy Oko!" The Scarecrow looked fondly at his Imperial Punster.

"Queer name he has," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, looking at Happy Toko as if he had thoughts of eating

"Methinks he should be knighted," rumbled Sir Hokus, beaming on the little Silverman. "Rise, Sir Pudding!"

"The sun will do that in a minute or more, and then, then we shall all be thrown into prison!" wailed Happy

"We were going to escape in a small boat," explained the Scarecrow, "but " It was not necessary for him to

finish. A boat large enough to hold Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, Happy Toko, the camel and

"Oh, dear!" sighed Dorothy, "If I'd only wished you and all of us back in the Emerald City!"

"You wished very well, Lady Dot," said the Knight. "When I think of what I was going to wish for "

"Wait!" interrupted the Scarecrow. "I have thought of something! Why not climb my family tree? It is a long,

"Wouldn't that be social climbing?" chuckled Happy Toko, recovering his spirits with a bound. The Cowardly

Lion said nothing, but heaved a mighty sigh which no one heard, for they were all running toward the bean

pole. It was a good family tree to climb, sure enough, for there were handy little notches in the stalk.

"You go first!" Sir Hokus helped Dorothy up. When she had gone a few steps, the Scarecrow, holding his

"I'll go last," said Sir Hokus bravely, and had just set his foot on the first notch when a hoarse scream rang

It was the Comfortable Camel. Waking suddenly, he found himself deserted. "Oh, where is my dear Karwan

"Hush up, can't you?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion. "Do you want Dorothy and everybody to be thrown into

prison on our account? We can't climb the bean pole and will have to wait here and face it out."

"But how uncomfortable," wailed the camel. He began to sob heavily. Dorothy, although highest up the bean

pole, heard all of this distinctly. "Oh," she cried remorsefully, "we can't desert the Cowardly Lion like this. I

"Spoken like the dear little Maid you are," said the Knight. "The good beast never reminded us of it, either.

"Let us descend at once, I'll not move a step without the Cowardly Lion!" In his agitation, the Scarecrow lost

his balance and fell headlong to the ground, knocking Sir Hokus's helmet terribly askew as he passed. The

others made haste to follow him and were soon gathered gravely at the foot of the beanstalk.

"I'll have to think of some other plan," said the Scarecrow, looking nervously at the sky, which showed,

through the long windows, the first streaks of dawn. The Comfortable Camel controlled its sobs with

difficulty and pressed as close to Sir Hokus as it could. The Doubtful Dromedary was still asleep.

"It would have been a terrible climb," mused the Scarecrow, thinking of his long, long fall down the pole.

"I wonder I did not think of it before. Ah, my brains are working better! I will abdicate," exclaimed the

Scarecrow triumphantly. "I will abdicate, make a farewell speech, and return with you to Oz!"

"What if they refuse to let your radiant Highness go?" put in Happy Toko tremulously. "What if the

"I'm with you," said the Cowardly Lion huskily, "but you needn't have come back for me."

"All right!" said the Scarecrow cheerfully. "And now that everything's settled so nicely, we might as well

enjoy the little time left. Put out the lights, Tappy. Dorothy and I will sit on the throne, and the rest of you

Sir Hokus wakened the Doubtful Dromedary and pulled and tugged it across the hall, where it immediately

fell down asleep again. The Comfortable Camel ambled about eating the flowers out of the vases. The

Cowardly Lion had placed himself at Dorothy's feet, and Sir Hokus and Happy Toko seated themselves upon

Then, while they waited for morning, Dorothy told the Scarecrow all about the Pokes and Fix City, and the

The Scarecrow smiled broadly, and feeling in a deep pocket brought out the little fan and also the parasol he

had plucked from the beanstalk. "Do you know," he said smiling, "so much has happened I haven't thought of

"For me!" exclaimed the little girl in delight. "Let me see them!" The Scarecrow handed them over

obligingly, but Happy Toko trembled so violently that he rolled down the steps of the throne.

"I beg of you!" He scrambled to his feet and held up his hands in terror. "I beg of you, don't open that fan!"

"Of course I am," said Dorothy with great dignity. "But this'll be mighty useful if anyone tries to conquer Oz

Dorothy pulled a hair from the Cowardly Lion's mane, and winding it around the little fan, put it carefully in

"Perhaps Ozma will look in the Magic Picture and wish us all back again," said the little girl after they had

"Singular beast, that!" ejaculated the Knight. "Doubting never gets one anywhere."

"Come here." Sir Hokus called hoarsely to the camel, who was eating a paper lantern at the other end of the

room. The beast ran awkwardly over to the throne, and swallowing the lantern with a convulsive gulp, settled

"Whatever happens, we must stick together," said the Knight emphatically. "Ah !"

Dorothy held fast to the Scarecrow with one hand and to the throne with the other. The sun had risen at last.

There was a loud crash of drums and trumpets, a rush of feet, and into the hall marched the most splendid

"I doubt that!" The dromedary's eyes flew open, and he stared sleepily at the magnificent procession of Silver

First came the musicians, playing their shining silver trumpets and flutes. The Grand Chew Chew and

General Mugwump followed, attired in brilliant silk robes of state. Then came the three Princes, glittering

with jeweled chains and medals, and the fifteen little Princes, like so many silver butterflies in their satin

kimonas. Next appeared a palanquin bearing the veiled Princess Orange Blossom, followed by a whole

company of splendid courtiers and after them as many of the everyday Silver Islanders as the hall would hold.

There was a moment of silence. Then the whole assemblage, contrary to the Scarecrow's edict, fell upon their

"My!" exclaimed Dorothy, impressed in spite of herself. "Are you sure you want to give up all this?"

"Great Emperor, beautiful as the sun, wise as the stars, and radiant as the clouds, the Ceremony of

Restoration is about to begin!" quavered the Grand Chew Chew, rising slowly. Then he paused, for he was

"Treachery!" hissed the eldest Prince to the others. "We left him tied to the bean pole. Ancient Papa

Scarecrow needs watching! Who are these curious objects he has gathered about him, pray?"

Now by some magic which even I cannot explain, the people from Oz found they could understand all that

was being said. When Dorothy heard herself called an object and saw the wicked faces of the three Princes

and the stupid little grandsons, she no longer wondered at the Scarecrow's decision.

The Scarecrow himself bowed calmly. "First," said he cheerfully, "let me introduce my friends and visitors

The Silver Islanders, who really loved the Scarecrow, bowed politely as he called out the names of Dorothy

and the others. But the three Silver Princes scowled and whispered indignantly among themselves.

"Let the ceremony proceed!" called the eldest Prince harshly, before the Scarecrow had finished his

introductions. "Let the proper body of his Serene Highness be immediately restored. Way for the Grand

"One moment," put in the Scarecrow in a dignified voice. "I have something to say." The Silver Islanders

clapped loudly at this, and Dorothy felt a bit reassured. Perhaps they would listen to reason after all and let

the Scarecrow depart peacefully. How they were ever to escape if they didn't, the little girl could not see.

"My dear children," began the Scarecrow in his jolly voice, "nothing could have been more wonderful than

my return to this lovely island, but in the years I have been away from you I have changed very much, and I

find I no longer care for being Emperor. So with your kind permission, I will keep the excellent body I now

have and will abdicate in favor of my eldest son and return with my friends to Oz. For in Oz I really belong."

"No! No! You are a good Emperor! We will not let you go!" shrieked the people. "You are our honorable

little Father. The Prince shall be Emperor after you have peacefully returned to your ancestors, but not now.

"It is not the Emperor, but the Scarecrow who speaks!" shrilled the Grand Chew Chew craftily. "He knows

The company calmed down at this. "Let the ceremony proceed! Way for the Grand Gheewizard!" they cried

"Chew Chew," wailed the Scarecrow, "you're off the track!" But it was too late. No one would listen.

"I'll have to think of something else," muttered the Scarecrow, sinking dejectedly back on his throne.

The crowd parted. Hobbling toward the throne came the ugly little Gheewizard of the Silver Island holding a

When Sir Hokus caught a glimpse of what came after, he leaped clean over the Comfortable Camel.

"Uds daggers!" roared the Knight. "At last!" He rushed forward violently. There was a sharp thrust of his

good sword, then an explosion like twenty giant firecrackers in one, and the room became quite black with

smoke. Before anyone realized what had happened, Sir Hokus was back, dragging something after him and

Everyone was coughing and spluttering from the smoke, but as it cleared Dorothy saw that it was indeed a

"Treason!" yelled the three Princes, while the Grand Gheewizard flung himself on the stone floor and began

"He has killed the little joy of my hearth!" screeched the old man. "I will turn him to a cat, a miserable yellow

The slaying of the dragon had thrown the whole hall into utmost confusion. Sir Hokus turned a little pale

"Oh, my dear Karwan Bashi, this is so uncomfortable!" wheezed the camel, glancing back of him with

"There's a shiny dagger in my lefthand saddlesack. I doubt very much whether they would like it," coughed

"On with the ceremony!" cried the eldest Prince, seeing that the excitement was giving the Scarecrow's

friends too much time to think. "The son of an iron pot shall be punished later!"

"I guess it's all over," gulped the Scarecrow. "Give my love to Ozma and tell her I tried to come back."

In helpless terror, the little company watched the Gheewizard approach. One could fight real enemies, but

"One move and you shall be so many prunes," shrilled the angry old man, fixing the people from Oz with his

wicked little eyes. The great room was so still you could have heard a pin drop. Even the Doubtful

Dromedary had not the heart to doubt the wizard's power, but stood rigid as a statue.

The wizard advanced slowly, holding the sealed vase carefully over his head. The poor Scarecrow regarded it

with gloomy fascination. One more moment and he would be an old, old Silverman. Better to be lost forever!

As for Dorothy herself, she was trembling with fright and grief. When the Grand Gheewizard raised the vase

higher and higher and made ready to hurl it at the Scarecrow, disregarding his dire threat she gave a shrill

"Great grandmothers!" gasped the Scarecrow, jumping to his feet. As Dorothy had thrown up her arms, the

little parasol swinging at her wrist had jerked open. Up, up, up, and out through the broken skylight in the

The Grand Gheewizard, startled as anyone, failed to throw the vase. Every neck was craned upward, and

The oldest Prince, as usual, was the first to recover. "Don't stand staring like an idiot! Now's your chance!" he

"I didn't come here to be harried and hurried by foreigners," sobbed the little man. "How is one to work

"Oh, come on now, just throw it. I'll get you another dragon," begged the Prince, his hands trembling with

In the face of this new disaster, the Scarecrow had forgotten all about the Gheewizard. He and the Cowardly

Lion and Sir Hokus were running distractedly around the great throne trying to think up a way to rescue

Dorothy. As for the Doubtful Dromedary, he was doubting everything in a loud, bitter voice, while the

"There! Now's your chance," whispered the Prince. The Scarecrow, with his back to the crowd, was gesturing

Taking a firm hold on the neck of the vase and with a long incantation which there is no use at all in

repeating, the Gheewizard flung the bottle straight at the Scarecrow's head. But scarcely had it left his hand

before there was a flash and a flutter and down came Dorothy and the magic parasol right on top of the vase.

Zip! The vase flew in quite another direction, and next minute had burst over the luckless heads of the three

Sir Hokus embraced the Scarecrow, and the Scarecrow hugged the Cowardly Lion, and I don't wonder at all.

For no sooner had the magic elixir touched the Princes, than two of them became silver pigs and the eldest a

weasel. They had been turned to their true shapes instead of the Scarecrow. And while the company hopped

about in alarm, they ran squealing from the hall and disappeared in the gardens.

"Seize the Gheewizard and take him to his cave," ordered the Scarecrow, asserting his authority for the first

time since the proceedings has started. He had noticed the old man making queer signs and passes toward Sir

Hokus. A dozen took hold of the struggling Gheewizard and hurried him out of the hall.

Sir Hokus, at the request of the Scarecrow, clapped his iron gauntlets for silence.

"You will agree with me, I'm sure," said the Scarecrow in a slightly unsteady voice, "that magic is a serious

matter to meddle with. If you will all return quietly to your homes, I will try to find a way out of our

The Silver Islanders listened respectfully and after a little arguing among themselves backed out of the throne

room. To tell the truth, they were anxious to spread abroad the tale of the morning's happenings.

Princess Orange Blossom, however, refused to depart. Magic or no magic, she had come to marry the

"But my dear old Lady, would you wish to marry a Scarecrow?" coaxed the Emperor.

"Then why marry at all?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion, making a playful leap at her palanquin. This was too

much. The Princess swooned on the spot, and the Scarecrow, taking advantage of her unconscious condition,

ordered her chair bearers to carry her away as far and as fast as they could run.

"Now," said the Scarecrow when the last of the company had disappeared, "let us talk this over."

"Well!" gasped Dorothy, fanning herself with her hat, "I never was so s'prised in my life!"

"Nor I," exclaimed the Scarecrow. "The Grand Gheewizard will be suing you for parassault and battery. But

"Well," began Dorothy, "as soon as the parasol opened, I flew up so fast that I could hardly breathe. Then,

after I'd gone ever so far, it came to me that if the parasol went up when it was up, it would come down when

"Came down!" finished the Scarecrow with a wave of his hand. "You always do the right thing in the right

"It was lucky I hit the vase, wasn't it?" sighed Dorothy. "But I'm rather sorry about the Princes."

"But who's to rule the island?" demanded Sir Hokus, turning his gaze reluctantly from the smoking

"I doubt that I can ever think again." The Doubtful Dromedary wagged his head from side to side in a dazed

"Just leave it to our dear Karwan Bashi." The Comfortable Camel nodded complacently at the Knight and

began plucking sly wisps from the Scarecrow's boot top. For a short time there was absolute silence.

Then Sir Hokus, who had been thinking tremendously with his elbows on his knees, burst out, "Why not Sir

Pudding, here? Why not this honest Punster? Who but Happy Toko deserves the throne?"

"The very person!" cried the Scarecrow, clasping his yellow gloves, and taking off his silver hat, he set it

"He'll make a lovely Emperor," said Dorothy. "He's so kindhearted and jolly. And now the Scarecrow can

They all looked triumphantly at the Imperial Punster, but Happy Toko, snatching off the royal hat, burst into

"Don't leave me behind, amiable Master!" he sobbed disconsolately. "Oh, how I shall miss you!"

"But don't you see," coaxed Dorothy, "the Scarecrow needs you here more than anyplace, and think of all the

"And Tappy, my dear boy," said the Scarecrow, putting his arm around Happy Toko, "you might not like Oz

any more than I like Silver Island. Then think if everything goes well, you can visit me just as one

"And you won't forget me?" sniffed Happy, beginning to like the idea of being Emperor.

"And if anything goes wrong, will you help me out?" questioned Happy uncertainly.

"We'll look in the Magic Picture of Oz every month," declared Dorothy, "and if you need us we'll surely find

"An' you ever require a trusty sword, Odds Bodikins!" exclaimed Sir Hokus, pressing Tappy's hand, "I'm

"All right, dear Master!" Happy slowly picked up the Imperial hat and set it sideways on his head. "I'll do my

"Three cheers for the Emperor! Long live the Emperor of the Silver Island," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, and

everybody from Oz, even the camel and dromedary, fell upon their knees before Happy Toko.

"You may have my bride, too, Tappy," chuckled the Scarecrow with a wink at Dorothy. "And Tappy," he

asked, sobering suddenly, "will you have my grandsons brought up like real children? Just as soon as I return,

"Now," said the Scarecrow, seizing Dorothy's hand, "I can return to Oz with an easy mind."

"You needn't!" announced Dorothy. "I've thought it all out." In a few short sentences she outlined her plan.

"Bravo!" roared the Cowardly Lion, and now the little party began in real earnest the preparation for the

First, Happy brought them a delicious luncheon, with plenty of twigs and hay for the camel and dromedary

and meat for the Cowardly Lion. The Scarecrow packed into the camel's sacks a few little souvenirs for the

people of Oz. Then they dressed Happy Toko in the Scarecrow's most splendid robe and ordered him to sit

upon the throne. Next, the Scarecrow rang for one of the palace servants and ordered the people of the Silver

Presently the Silvermen began to come trooping in, packing the great throne room until it could hold no

It was quite a different company that greeted them. The Scarecrow, cheerful and witty in his old Munchkin

suit, Dorothy and Sir Hokus smiling happily, and the three animal members of the party fairly blinking with

"This," said the Scarecrow pleasantly when everyone was quiet, "is your new Emperor, to whom I ask you to

pledge allegiance." He waved proudly in the direction of Happy Toko, who, to tell the truth, presented a truly

royal appearance. "It is not possible for me to remain with you, but I shall always watch over this delightful

island and with the magic fan vanquish all its enemies and punish all offenders."

The Silver Islanders exchanged startled glances, then, as the Scarecrow carelessly lifted the fan, they fell

"Ah!" said the Scarecrow with a broad wink at Happy. "This is delightful. You agree with me, I see. Now

The cheers were given with a will, and Happy in acknowledgement made a speech that has since been written

Having arranged affairs so satisfactorily, the Scarecrow embraced Happy Toko with deep emotion. Dorothy

and Sir Hokus shook hands with him and wished him every success and happiness. Then the little party from

The Silver Islanders were still a bit dazed by the turn affairs had taken and stared in astonishment as the

Scarecrow and Sir Hokus fastened thick ropes around the Cowardly Lion, the Doubtful Dromedary and the

Comfortable Camel. Similar ropes they tied around their own waists and Dorothy's, and the ends of all were

fastened securely to the handle of the magic parasol, which Dorothy held carefully.

Too stupefied for speech, the assemblage gaped with amazement as the party floated gently upward. Up

Holding the handle of the parasol, Dorothy steered it with all the skill of an aviator, and in several minutes

after their start the party had entered the deep, black passage down which the Scarecrow had fallen. Each one

of the adventurers was fastened to the parasol with ropes of different length so that none of them bumped

together, but even with all the care in the world it was not possible to keep them from bumping the sides of

the tube. The Comfortable Camel grunted plaintively from time to time, and Dorothy could hear the Doubtful

Dromedary complaining bitterly in the darkness. It was pitch dark, but by keeping one hand in touch with the

"How long will it take?" she called breathlessly to the Scarecrow, who was dangling just below.

"Hours!" wheezed the Scarecrow, holding fast to his hat. "I hope none of the parties on this line hear us," he

"What recks it?" blustered Sir Hokus. "Hast forgotten my trusty sword?" But his words were completely

"Hush!" warned the Scarecrow, "Or we'll be pulled in." So for almost an hour, they flew up the dark,

chimneylike tube with only an occasional groan as one or another scraped against the rough sides of the

passage. Then, before they knew what was happening, the parasol crashed into something, half closed, and

"O!" gasped Dorothy, turning a complete somersault, "catch hold of the bean pole, somebody!"

"Put up the parasol!" shrieked the Scarecrow. Just then Dorothy, finding herself right side up, grasped the

pole herself and snapped the parasol wide open. Up, up, up they soared again, faster than ever!

"We're flying up much faster than I fell down. We must be at the top!" called the Scarecrow hoarsely, "and

"No, by my hilts!" roared Sir Hokus, and setting his foot in a notch of the beanstalk, he cut with his sword the

rope that bound him to the parasol. "Put the parasol down half way, and I'll climb ahead and cut an opening."

With great difficulty Dorothy partially lowered the parasol, and instantly their speed diminished. Indeed, they

barely moved at all, and the Knight had soon passed them on his climb to the top.

"Are you there?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion anxiously. A great clod of earth landed on his head, filling his

"It's getting light! It's getting light!" screamed Dorothy, and in her excitement snapped the parasol up.

Sir Hokus, having cut with his sword a large circular hole in the thin crust of earth covering the tube, was

about to step out when the parasol, hurling up from below, caught him neatly on its top, and out burst the

"Welcome to Oz!" cried Dorothy, looking down happily on the dear familiar Munchkin landscape.

"Let's get down to earth before we knock the sun into a cocked hat," gasped the Cowardly Lion, for Dorothy,

Now the little girl lowered the parasol carefully at first, then faster and faster and finally shut it altogether.

Sir Hokus took a high dive from the top. Down tumbled the others, over and over. But fortunately for all,

there was a great haystack below, and upon this they landed in a jumbled heap close to the magic bean pole.

As it happened, there was no one in sight. Up they jumped in a trice, and while the Comfortable Camel and

Doubtful Dromedary munched contentedly at the hay, Sir Hokus and the Scarecrow placed some loose

boards over the opening around the bean pole and covered them with dirt and cornstalks.

"I will get Ozma to close it properly with the Magic Belt," said the Scarecrow gravely. "It wouldn't do to have

people sliding down my family tree and scaring poor Tappy. As for me, I shall never leave Oz again!"

"But if you hadn't, I'd never have had such lovely adventures or found Sir Hokus and the Comfortable Camel

and Doubtful Dromedary," said Dorothy. "And what a lot I have to tell Ozma! Let's go straight to the

"It's quite a journey," explained the Scarecrow to Sir Hokus, who was cleaning off his armor with a handful

"I go where Lady Dot goes," replied the Knight, smiling affectionately at the little girl and straightening the

"Don't forget me, dear Karwan Bashi," wheezed the Comfortable Camel, putting his head on the Knight's

"You're a sentimental dunce, Camy. I doubt whether they'll take us at all!" The Doubtful Dromedary looked

"Go to, now!" cried Sir Hokus, putting an arm around each neck. "You're just like two of the family!"

"We're all a big, jolly family here," said the Scarecrow, smiling brightly, "and Oz is the friendliest country in

"Right," said the Cowardly Lion, "but let's get started!" He stretched his tired muscles and began limping

Sir Hokus, with folded arms, was gazing regretfully at the bean pole. "It has been a brave quest," he sighed,

"but now, I take it, our adventures are over!" Absently, the Knight felt in his boottop and drawing out a

small red bean popped it into his mouth. Just before reaching the top of the tube, he had pulled a handful of

them from the beanstalk, but the others had fallen out when he dove into the hay.

"Shall we use the parasol again, Lady Dot?" he asked, still staring pensively at the bean pole. "Shall?"

He got no farther, nor did Dorothy answer his question. Instead, she gave a loud scream and clutched the

Scarecrow's arm. The Scarecrow, taken by surprise, fell over backward, and the Comfortable Camel, raising

his head inquiringly, gave a bellow of terror. From the Knight's shoulders a green branch had sprung, and

while the company gazed in roundeyed amazement it stretched toward the bean pole, attached itself firmly,

and then shot straight up into the air, the Knight kicking and struggling on the end. In another second, he was

"Come back! Come back!" screamed the Comfortable Camel, running around distractedly.

"I doubt we'll ever see him again!" groaned the Doubtful Dromedary, craning his neck upward.

"Do something! Do something!" begged Dorothy. At which the Scarecrow jumped up and dashed toward the

"No, don't do that!" roared the Cowardly Lion, starting after him. "Do you want to break him to pieces?"

"Oh! Oh! Can't you think of something else?" cried Dorothy. "And hurry, or he'll be up to the moon!"

The Scarecrow put both hands to his head and stared around wildly. Then, with a triumphant wave of his hat,

"The parasol!" cried the late Emperor of Silver Island. "Quick, Dorothy, put up the parasol!"

Snatching the parasol, which lay at the foot of the bean pole, Dorothy snapped it open, and the Scarecrow just

had time to make a flying leap and seize the handle before it soared upward, and in a trice they, too, had

"Doubty! Doubty!" wailed the Comfortable Camel, crowding up to his humpbacked friend, "we're having a

"Now don't you worry," advised the Cowardly Lion, sitting down resignedly. "I'm frightened myself, but

that's because I'm so cowardly. Queer things happen in Oz, but they usually turn out all right. Why, Hokus is

just growing up with the country, that's all, just growing up with the country."

"Doubt that," sniffed the Doubtful Dromedary faintly. "He was grown up in the beginning."

"But think of the Scarecrow's brains. You leave things to the Scarecrow." But it was no use. Both beasts

"I don't want a plant. I want my Karwan Bashi," sobbed the Comfortable Camel brokenheartedly.

"Well, don't drown me," begged the Cowardly Lion, moving out of the way of the camel's tears. "Say, what's

What indeed? In the trees overhead, a very cyclone whistled, and before the three had even time to catch their

breath, they were blown high into the air and the next instant were hurtling toward the Emerald City like

Dorothy and the Scarecrow, clinging fast to the magic parasol, had followed the Knight almost to the clouds.

At first, it looked as if they would never catch up with him, so swiftly was the branch growing, but it was not

long before the little umbrella began to gain, and in several minutes more they were beside Sir Hokus

"Beshrew me, now!" gasped the Knight, stretching out his hand toward Dorothy. "Can'st stop this reckless

Dorothy, with great difficulty, kept the parasol close to the Knight while the Scarecrow reached for the

'Tis part of me, an' you cut it off, I will be cut off, too. 'Tis rooted in my back," he puffed.

"What shall we do?" cried Dorothy in distress. "Maybe if we take hold of his hands we can keep him from

The Scarecrow, jamming down his hat so it wouldn't blow off, nodded approvingly, and each holding the

parasol with one hand gave the other to the Knight. And when Dorothy pointed the parasol down, to her great

delight Sir Hokus came also, the thin green branch growing just about as fast as they moved.

Just then the little fan, which had been rolling around merrily in Dorothy's pocket, slipped out and fell

But Dorothy never missed it, and quite unconscious of such a calamity anxiously talked over the Knight's

predicament with the Scarecrow. They both decided that the best plan was to fly straight to the Emerald City

"I'm sorry you got tangled up in my family tree, old fellow," said the Scarecrow after they had flown some

time in silence, "but this makes us relations, doesn't it?" He winked broadly at the Knight.

"So it does," said Sir Hokus jovially. "I'm a branch of your family now. Yet methinks I should not have

"Bean?" questioned Dorothy. "What bean?" The Knight carefully explained how he had plucked a handful of

red beans from the beanstalk just before reaching the top of the tube and how he had eaten one.

"Alas, yes!" admitted the Knight. "I've never felt more grownup in my life," he finished solemnly. "An

"I should say it was," chuckled the Scarecrow. "But isn't it almost time we were reaching the Emerald City,

"I think I'm going in the right direction," answered the little girl, "but I'll fly a little lower to be sure."

"Not too fast! Not too fast!" warned Sir Hokus, looking nervously over his shoulder at his long, wriggling

"And there's Ozma!" screamed Dorothy, peering down delightedly. "And Scraps and TikTok and

She pointed the parasol straight down, when a sharp tug from Sir Hokus jerked them all back. They were

going faster than the poor Knight was growing, so Dorothy lowered the parasol half way, and slowly they

floated toward the earth, landing gently in one of the flower beds of Ozma's lovely garden.

"Come along and meet the folks," said the Scarecrow as Dorothy closed the parasol. But Sir Hokus clutched

"Hold! Hold!" gasped the Knight. "I've stopped growing, but if you leave me I'll shoot up into the air again."

The Scarecrow and Dorothy looked at each other in dismay. Sure enough, the Knight had stopped growing,

and it was all they could do to hold him down to earth, for the stubborn branch of beanstalk was trying to

straighten up. They had fallen quite a distance from the palace itself, and all the people of Oz had their backs

"Hello!" called the Scarecrow loudly. Then "Help! Help!" as the Knight jerked him twice into the air. But

Ozma, Trot, Jack Pumpkinhead and all the rest were staring upward and talking so busily among themselves

that they did not hear either Dorothy's or the Scarecrow's cries. First one, then the other was snatched off his

feet, and although Sir Hokus, with tears in his eyes, begged them to leave him to his fate, they held on with

all their might. Just as it looked as if they all three would fly into the air again, the little Wizard of Oz

"Help! Help!" screamed the Scarecrow, waving one arm wildly. Without waiting another second, all the

"Somebody heavy come take hold!" puffed Dorothy, out of breath with her efforts to keep Sir Hokus on the

"I'm heavy," said TikTok solemnly, clasping the Knight's arm. The Tin Woodman seized his other hand, and

"What does it all mean? Where did you come from?" asked the little Queen of Oz, staring in amazement at

"And who is this medieval person?" asked Professor Wogglebug, pushing forward importantly. (He had

"He doesn't look evil to me," giggled Scraps, dancing up to Sir Hokus, her suspender button eyes snapping

"He isn't," said Dorothy indignantly, for Sir Hokus was too shaken about to answer. "He's my Knight Errant."

"Ah, I see," replied Professor Wogglebug. "A case of 'When Knighthood was in flower.'" And would you

believe it the beanstalk at that minute burst into a perfect shower of red blossoms that came tumbling

down over everyone. Before they had recovered from their surprise, the branch snapped off close to the

Knight's armor, and TikTok, the Tin Woodman and Sir Hokus rolled over in a heap. The branch itself

"Good as ever!" announced Sir Hokus, and indeed all traces of the magic stalk had disappeared from his

"Merely that I slid down my family tree and that Dorothy and this Knight rescued me," said the Scarecrow

"And he's a real Royalty so there!" cried Dorothy with a wave at the Scarecrow and making a little face at

Professor Wogglebug. "Meet his Supreme Highness, Chang Wang Woe of Silver Island, who had abdicated

Then, as the eminent Educator of Oz stood gaping at the Scarecrow, "Oh, Ozma, I've so much to tell you!"

"Begin! Begin!" cried the little Wizard. "For everything's mighty mysterious. First, the Cowardly Lion and

two unknown beasts shoot through the air and stop just outside the thirdstory windows, and there they hang

although I've tried all my magic to get them down. Then you and the Scarecrow drop in with a strange

"Oh, the poor Cowardly Lion!" gasped Dorothy as the Wizard finished speaking. "The magic fan!" She felt

"It must have slipped out of your pocket and blown them here, and they'll never come down till that fan is

All of this was Greek to Ozma and the others, but when Dorothy begged the little Queen to send for her

Magic Belt, she did it without question. This belt Dorothy had captured from the Gnome King, and it enabled

"I wish the magic fan to close and to come safely back to me," said Dorothy as soon as she had clasped the

belt around her waist. No sooner were the words out before there was a loud crash and a series of roars and

groans. Everybody started on a run for the palace, Sir Hokus ahead of all the rest. The fan had mysteriously

The three animals had fallen into a huge cluster of rose bushes and, though badly scratched and frightened,

"I doubt that I'll like Oz," quavered the Doubtful Dromedary, lurching toward Sir Hokus.

"You might have been more careful of that fan," growled the Cowardly Lion reproachfully, plucking thorns

from his hide. The Comfortable Camel was so overjoyed to see the Knight that he rested his head on Sir

And now that their adventures seemed really over, what explanations were to be made! Sitting on the top step

of the palace with all of them around her, Dorothy told the whole wonderful story of the Scarecrow's family

tree. When her breath gave out, the Scarecrow took up the tale himself, and as they all realized how nearly

they had lost their jolly comrade, many of the party shed real tears. Indeed, Nick Chopper hugged the

"Never leave us again," begged Ozma, and the Scarecrow, crossing Nick Chopper's heart (he had none of his

And what a welcome they gave Sir Hokus, the Doubtful Dromedary and the Comfortable Camel! Only

Professor Wogglebug seemed disturbed. During the strange recital, he had grown quieter and quieter and

finally, with an embarrassed cough, had excused himself and hurried into the palace.

He went directly to the study, and seating himself at a desk opened a large book, none other than The Royal

Book of Oz. Dipping an emerald pen in the ink, he began a new chapter headed thus:

Then, flipping over several pages to a chapter headed "Princess Dorothy!", he wrote carefully at the end,

Meanwhile, below stairs, the Scarecrow was distributing his gifts. There were silver chains for everyone in

the palace and shining silver slippers for Ozma, Betsy Bobbin, Trot and Dorothy, and a bottle of silver polish

Dorothy presented Ozma with the magic fan and parasol, and they were safely put away by Jellia Jamb with

Next, because they were all curious to see the Scarecrow's wonderful Kingdom, they hurried upstairs to look

"Show us the Emperor of Silver Island," commanded Ozma. Immediately the beautiful silver throne room

appeared. Happy Toko had removed his imperial hat and was standing on his head to the great delight of the

whole court, and a host of little Silver Islander boys were peeking in at the windows.

"Now doesn't that look cheerful?" asked the Scarecrow delightedly. "I knew he'd make a good Emperor."

"I wish we would hear what he's saying," said Dorothy. "Oh, do look at Chew Chew!" The Grand Chew

"I think I can arrange for you to hear," muttered the Wizard of Oz, and taking a queer magic instrument from

Oh shine his shoes of silver, And brush his silver queue, For I am but an Emperor And he's the Grand Chew

Ozma laughed heartily as the picture faded away, and so did the others. Indeed, there was so much to ask and

"Let's have a party an oldfashioned Oz party," proposed Ozma when the excitement had calmed down a

bit. And an oldfashioned party it was, with places for everybody and a special table for the Cowardly Lion,

the Hungry Tiger, Toto, the Glass Cat, the Comfortable Camel, the Doubtful Dromedary and all the other

Sir Hokus insisted upon stirring up a huge pasty for the occasion, and there were songs, speeches and cheers

At the cheering he rose with an embarrassed jerk of his long neck. "In my lefthand saddlesack," he said

gruffly, "there is a quantity of silken shawls and jewels. I doubt whether they are good enough, but I would

"Hear! Hear!" cried the Scarecrow, pounding on the table with his knife. Then everything grew quiet as

Ozma told how she, with the help of Glinda, the Good Sorceress, had stopped the war between the Horners

When she had finished, Sir Hokus sprang up impulsively. "I prithee, lovely Lady, never trouble your royal

head about wars again. From now on, I will do battle for you and little Dorothy and Oz, and I will be your

Ye good Knight of Oz, full of courage and vim, Will do battle for us, and we'll take care of him!

"I'll lend you some of my polish for your armor, old fellow," said Nick Chopper as the Knight sat down,

"Well," said Ozma with a smile when everyone had feasted and talked to heart's content, "is everybody

"I am!" cried Dorothy, putting her arm around the Scarecrow, who sat next to her. "For I have found my old

"I'm happy!" cried the Scarecrow, waving his glass, "because there is no age in Oz, and I am still my old

"As for me," said the Knight, "I am happy, for I have served a Lady, gone on a Quest, and Slain a Dragon!