"Now for breakfast," said the clown, licking the sugar off his lips great fun, Bob thought, washing in brook and having breakfast under the trees After finishing off some more of Mustafa's sandwiches, they started quite briskly forest

" the rules are going to work better today," chuckled the clown, " use disguise number three Number three's bear, Bob Up Now, here's our program, first disguise, then politeness, then joke and run get along famously " Notta sprang air and clicked his heels together for very light-heartedness

Bob was thinking to himself that Notta's last disguise helped them much, but too polite to mention such thing, and as there seemed no danger in sight he trotted along contentedly, stopping to pick the bright blue flowers that grew everywhere under the trees The forest was not so large as it had seemed night, and in an hour they had come end of it and started down narrow lane

"Well, we're still going north " Notta looked complacently at large sign post that stood beginning lane

"North Road to D," said the sign briefly

"Wonder what D stands for ? "

"Because it can't sit down " The sign snapped out the sentence so suddenly that Notta tripped and fell over stone, and Bob simply gasped with astonishment

"They didn't paint any line to sit on," explained the sign post patiently

"Where does this lane go to ? " gulped the clown, edging over and taking Bob's hand

"It doesn't go any place It stays where

"See here," puffed the clown in exasperation, "I never heard of talking sign post, but talk, few directions

"I only give one direction 's north take it, or leave it "

Notta tried the post with few more questions, but it just sniffed sulkily, and seeing no more was got out of it, the two hurried on

"Maybe D stands for Dorothy," said Bob, after little silence

"Maybe," mused the clown, looking uneasily over his shoulder, "but strange country, and we'll have it as it Hello, what's this ? "

sudden turn brought them up short, lane was closed off by gray wall, so high one possibly climb over and so wide would take days to walk 'round And wall were seven heavy oak doors

" Kingdom of Doorways," announced large sign, posted half way up the walls " to use the right door "

"But the right door ? " gasped the clown, half expecting the sign to answer him

" seven," exclaimed Bob, who counting them up fingers

"And only right," choked the clown anxiously The two stood perfectly still, gazing in fascination seven doors

" the right door ? " repeated Notta, scratching his ear doubtfully

CHAPTER 6 The Seven Doors

As Bob and Notta came closer, they noticed that each door had brass plate nailed center panel, engraved with various names and instructions "Keep out ! " directed one shortly

"Well, that surely the right one, exclaimed the clown, moving hastily next

"Don't waken the baby," advised the second door So Notta and Bob tiptoed carefully past,

" Dorms No admittance till February," said the third door

"And it's only May now possibly wait that long " Notta took off his hat and made the door polite bow "Besides," he explained to Bob, who was slowly spelling out the words fourth door, "dorms stands for dormitories and dormitories stand for sleep Who wants to sleep ? "

"King Theodore the Third," said the fourth door

"Whew ! " whistled Notta "Another King ! Come away, Bob Up, I don't trust these king chaps at all "

"The Queen," announced the plate fifth door proudly, "Adora the First No one without title need apply "

"Well ? not be earls, but we're early," chuckled Notta, winking at Bob They hurried curiously sixth door "Push ! " said the plate

"But would that be wise ? " ruminated Notta, rubbing his forehead anxiously "Let's try the last door, Bob "

"Don't try me or I'll fall head," wheezed disagreeable voice "Haven't you anything better than go trying poor hardworking doors ? "

After talking sign, Notta and Bob surprised But they were-simply astonished-and for moment could do nothing but stare

"This door answers itself," said the plate seventh and strangest of all the strange doorways

"No bread, no ice, no milk; and 're selling brushes go at once, continued the door sulkily "We don't need any

"We're not ! " interrupted Notta, in slightly choked voice "We just want in "

"What for ? " asked the door stubbornly " door matter ? cards of admission ? "

"We're hunting Dorothy Cowardly Lion," volunteered Bob timidly

"A likely story," sniffed the door, looking contemptuously from one other "But what could one expect of people with curly ears

" curly ears," cried Bob, stamping his foot indignantly

"Don't argue," said the door stiffly "How's your temper-long or short ? " It rolled its wooden knot eyes inquiringly at Notta

"What's that got getting in ? " asked the clown impatiently

"Short ! " muttered the door triumphantly to itself "No, you'd better stay out, Her highness is very slammish today, last time I let strangers in she nearly twisted my knob off That's the trouble around here-when anything goes wrong, everybody slams the door Sometimes I almost wish I were sofa cushion "

" you were, myself," frowned the clown, "for then I'd toss you way instead of wasting my breath here going to in or not ? "

"Not ! " snapped the door, rattling its knob vindictively "And I don't care slam what you wish "

"Bob," said Notta, turning his back door, "did you ever hear anything like that ? Let's try Number Two I'd rather risk wakening baby than trying to argue with door that answers itself "

"I'm not afraid of babies," said Bob following manfully The knob of Number Two turned easily door swung open rush that both Notta and Bob fell through first glimpse baby, Notta clapped his hand over Bob's mouth and, rising with quaking knees; pulled him toward the door see baby dragon-a snoring, roaring baby dragon as long and heavy as freight train It gave shrill whistle and snort door slammed shut and Notta and Bob sat down in weak heap

"Baby," choked the clown, rubbing his eyes, which were full of dragon smoke "Well, 's the baby, preserve me rest family ! "

"Will it come after us ? " shuddered Bob, in frightened whisper

"How did you like our little doorter ? " The seventh door looked sideways two and chuckled wickedly "Still want in ? "

"Certainly," said Notta, turning dozen cartwheels to relieve his nervousness, "but not that way " He winked reassuringly at Bob "Before anything else put on my disguise No wonder things are going so badly "

"Don't you look silly enough ? " wheezed the door rudely, clown drew out disguise number three Notta paid no attention remark but, turning his back, struggled hastily into number three Even Bob felt reassured, for Notta was disguised as bear-a huge and terrible-looking bear Grasping Bob's hand he rushed door marked "Push," ferocious growl that Number Seven shook like leaf

"Oh, my hinges," chattered the door, "that went through me like sword " But immediately afterward it broke into derisive laughter For no sooner had Notta and Bob pushed Number Six, than Number Six pushed back, and so hard two went flying into clump of blueberry bushes

"That's the door way to treat 'em, brother," roared Seven, and Notta picked himself up and straightened his bear skin

"Now some people," muttered the clown, helping Bobbie brushes and shaking his paw door, "some people discouraged But no more side shows, Bob Let's try the Queen's door, 're thrown out it might royally "

silver bell Queen's door and Notta rang it quickly, before either had time their minds For moment nothing at all happened Then the door knob disappeared But horrors ! Next instant it shot out, seized the two in terrible clutch, and dragged them keyhole Yes, it really did !

had they been pulled keyhole, but they felt as pulled keyhole Even Notta had nothing He just lay back and panted Whether the keyhole had stretched went through or whether they had shrunk, I I only know they went through somehow and were other side Queen's door "Cards, please ! " doorman in handsome blue satin uniform was leaning over them " deaf ? " he asked angrily " dumb ? " He thumped Notta head silver card plate

"Neither," groaned the clown "What ? "

"Your titles," snapped the doorman, looking nervously over his shoulder As so, vase, three books and pair of fire tongs struck the wall just above his head

"Oh, the Queen is in fury, whatever shall next," he mumbled to himself, dropping the silver plate and then picking it up again