"Bob," asked the clown, tilting his cap forward so scratch his ear, "do I look like lion hunter ? "

Bob Up shook his head slowly and almost laughed Something inside tickled tremendously, but he remembered, just , that laughing was against the rules orphan home, so he swallowed instead

"We're both lion hunters," observed the clown reflectively, " being the case we had better start hunting at once, would never do lions us first It's like game of hide-and-seek, Bob hunting him, this Cowardly Lion But stop hunting, then we're it In game of hide-and-seek with lion, it's your hide or his Being it, means being et, hide-and-seek and all ! "

Notta glanced slyly at Bob corner eye whether he were going to smile Bob was looking uncertainly forest, stretching so darkly ahead, and thinking just as soon not play this game of hide-and-seek at all But as Notta had already started toward the forest, nothing for him but follow The short, spring afternoon was drawing to close and round silver moon showed faintly over the tree tops

"Things lot better, and again lot worse," mused Notta, walked along under the trees "Why, were home, probably be eating corn meal mush for supper and-"

" we going for supper, Notta ? " asked Bob, looking up clown inquiringly "Well, hurrah ! " shouted the clown, turning rapid cartwheel "You're getting on, my lad; called me Notta as natural as brother supper, that depends on Mustafa Let's see what the old rascal us "

On flat stump that happened near, Notta opened packets and set out regular feast There were dozens of small meat sandwiches, there were ripe figs, jar of honey, and little jug full of blue tea, which they found most refreshing After they had feasted, Notta carefully packed up the rest and, feeling more cheerful, the two cowardly lion hunters stepped along forest

" 't make out where , at all," said the clown presently, "but in country where lions talk, and verses fling one about, it's safer to obey orders, don't so, Bob Up, my boy ? travel towards this Emerald City obeying orders safe from Mustafa's ring When we get time enough to worry Cowardly Lion Now take an Emerald City, Bob; did you ever hear place ? Why, it's as strange as blue whiskers and cowardly lions Everything's strange , we've fallen into fairy tales I always had kind of notion they were true ! "

"But the Cowardly Lion liked Dorothy," burst out Bob quite unexpectedly, "so maybe like us " He turning slowly over mind the few facts he had managed to read lion book

"Why, bless my heart ! " cried the clown, looking down at Bob admiringly, "so , and furthermore, didn't that book say Dorothy was from Kansas ? "

Bob Up nodded solemnly

"Well, then everything's clear as candy ! "

Notta turned somersault from pure relief "We'll go straight Emerald City and tell our troubles to Dorothy, and when she learns that United States, surely she will back, and take couple of talking lions along our fortune made Why, even Barnum and Bailey never showed talking lion "

Notta was so enthusiastic that he fairly bounced along But Bob was growing sleepy it harder and harder pace with Notta's long legs, and finally fell sprawling over the roots of large tree Notta had him up in minute

"Lights out ? " chuckled the clown, touching Bob's eyelids gently "Well, then, let's go to bed It's too dark on, anyway

"I don't see any beds," sighed Bob, leaning wearily against the clown's knee

"Neither do I," admitted the clown, "but we'll just pretend we're flowers, and sleep ground " In minute the clown had raked pile of leaves together under the tree and placed Bob carefully center

"Are there any bears wood ? " asked Bob, looking around doubtfully quite dark now, moonlight sifting leaves made queer shapes out of all the shadows "This isn't bear forest," said Notta positively " it's fairy forest, Bob, reminds me of song I used "

Reaching over, Notta pulled the little boy into his big, comfortable lap, and with twinkle eyes he put his back against the tree and began to sing:

"Oh the moon's balloon On silvery string, Sandman holds on tight ! 'Tis ticklish task-What would happen, I ask, If he let it fly off some fine night ?

"But Seven points to star, That might puncture the moon; and steeple Would finish it quite ! How we'd miss it at night, moon means to some people ! "

another verse song, and Bob, leaning drowsily against Notta's chest, thought he had never heard anything so perfectly beautiful He had never sat on real lap before, nor had song sung especially for him So the little boy snuggled down contentedly, his eyes straying moon, just visible above the tree tops Why, string , bright silver string, and little, old man was holding end, just as Notta had sung !

"Fast asleep," muttered the clown, holding Bob bit tighter And so fast asleep and dreaming sandman's balloon Notta meant awake, for not so sure there were no bears dark forest, but the day's experiences had so tired him that, in short time, sound asleep himself

No sooner had Notta's eyes closed, than little, bent fairyman came tiptoeing from behind the tree He held his lantern close to Notta's face

"Such beautiful voice," sighed the little fellow to himself "It shame it swallowed up by forest creatures And this child " He held his lantern close to Bob's red head He watched them for while in silence, then pulling his silvery beard thoughtfully, set the little red lantern beside them and pattered off darkness

Notta right fairy forest Every forest wonderful land of Oz is fairy forest, inhabited by strange creatures and peoples But the clown's song had so pleased the old fairyman that he determined to protect the two strangers from all harm, and though many bears and other beasts came snuffling past, they dared not approach, red lantern told them plainly "Claws off " So grumbling and growling, they went searching further for their dinners

The little lantern disappeared first ray of sunshine and, quite unconscious dangers they had slept through, Notta and Bob awoke almost same minute

"Well," yawned Notta, winking the only eye he had open, "we're still here, " He rolled over and over and turned dozen handsprings the kinks out back "I've often wondered what made flowers so stiff and now It's sleeping ground I'm glad I'm not flower, aren't you, Bob ? "

Bob nodded and hopped up quite briskly fine breeze blowing, day was so sunny and bright that ready for anything, and just to look at Notta made him feel happy

" we'll find the Emerald City today ? " he asked, skipping along beside the clown, who was making for little brook just ahead

"Well, according to Mustafa, it ought three days," answered Notta "But Mustafa was never in circus, and anyone who in circus can travel three times as fast as other folks, so I shouldn't be surprised at all were eating our supper Emerald City tonight If I had only wished old Billy along he carried us in style "

"The elephant ? " exclaimed Bob, with round eyes The clown nodded and, kneeling down edge brook, began to splash water face and hands Bob did the same, and had just taken off his shoes to paddle properly, when cry from Notta made him pause

"Now I've done it," wailed the clown dolefully, jumping up and down

"What ? " asked Bob curiously

"Washed my face " Notta pointed face, quite red and shiny cold water 'And I haven't any powder ! any powder, Bob ? Oh, my ! Cold pie ! It's hard enough funny with white face, but without one I simply joke at all Whatever's of us ? I'm no clown

Bob was terribly distressed, for if Notta couldn't be funny nothing would seem the same hastily pockets-not that he expected anything, but because he didn't know what else and last one his hand closed on bag of candy the old gentleman had bought for him circus squashed and sticky from being slept on, but mechanically Bob handed it over