" An isle is small body of land entirely surrounded by water," cried Bob, delighted that geography was of some use after all

"Well," said the Featherhead uneasily, "then I guess you'll understand when I tell you that skyle is small body of land entirely surrounded by air "

"Air ! " spluttered Notta " , how does one get off skyle ? "

"You'll soon find that out ! " muttered the Featherhead, and all the others began nodding and clucking for all the world like company of hens

"What call yourselves ? " asked the Cowardly Lion Now that how to frighten them, he no longer felt afraid

"We're Uns, , and nobody but Uns are allowed skyle We'll have you along palace royal Skyness will decide what's "

"Another king," groaned the clown

"Isn't it time to run ? " asked Bob, tugging at Notta's pantaloon, Uns were drawing closer , paying no attention roars Cowardly Lion

"No use running, Bob fall off Perhaps this King is better fellow than his subjects

"Take us to your King ! " cried the clown, settling his cap determinedly Hopping and muttering, the Uns formed two crooked lines, and three travelers center marched away palace There were many tall trees skyle of Un and, more remarkable still, every tree had rough boxlike structure built in its branches, like enormous bird houses They were reached by rough ladders Uns seemed at home branches as ground

women standing on lower branches were hanging clothes on upper ones as calmly as ordinary folk string the washing up yard But, as Notta whispered to Bob, what could one expect of Featherheads ?

The skyle itself was rocky and barren and there seemed no farms, buildings nor industries of any kind "What do here for living ? " asked Notta, turning Un beside him

"Fish, mostly," said the Un

"What for ? " asked the Cowardly Lion, treading on Notta's heels eagerness to hear

"Birds," sniffed the Un, looking over his shoulder scornfully "What did we'd fish for ? "

"Oh, but you couldn't fish for birds," objected Bob Up, stopping short, while Notta burst into loud roar of laughter The Un glared at all three

"The air's full of 'em," he announced sharply, and then, clown continued to laugh immoderately, his feathers began to ruffle with rage

"You're idiots ! " he screamed, thrusting his sharp beak almost in Notta's face "Idiots ! " echoed all the other Uns immediately Several trod clown's toes and, seeing that Bob was rather pale, Notta hastily changed the subject Not long they came palace To Bob it looked like huge barn stuck between four trees about ten feet ground and top of each tree fluttered bright yellow flag bearing the word, UN

The Cowardly Lion trembled went up the rickety green ladder, but with little help from Notta he managed it, and next instant they were presence King "Two creatures and beast, your Skyness ! " announced the leader delegation Then stepping close to Notta he shouted top voice, "His Majesty, I-wish-I-was, King of Un ! " Notta's cap fell off and he clapped his hand ear The Cowardly Lion made little spring Un and had the pleasure of seeing the King's feathers rise erect upon his head and wave to and fro

"Approach, creatures and beast," commanded I-wish-I-was in slightly shaky voice sitting on high wooden perch, swinging his feet Grouped about him were number of Uns in bright green uniforms that exactly matched their feather hair Notta made deep bow and Bob Cowardly Lion moved forward together

"How did you come here ? " asked I-wish-I-was, adjusting pair of spectacles terrible beak

"We didn't come at all," said Notta hastily "We were standing under tree, watching it knit-a very strange sight, your Skyness will agree "

"Why shouldn't it knit ? " snapped the King impatiently "There's no law against it, ? , tree, we'd be in pretty state for fishing nets "

"Well, we were caught tree's net, the net flew up and here ," finished Notta, determined not to quarrel if help it

"A mighty poor catch, I call you," muttered the King complainingly He turned guard whether they agreed all nodded so hard it made Bob dizzy

" willing Uns ? " he asked gloomily

"I'll not grow feathers for anybody," growled the Cowardly Lion, shaking his paw at I-wish-I-was

"Wait till you've tried," answered the King loftily "But what I mean : Each of do something unish, for all Uns here I'm unfair any Un will tell you that Bill, there," he pointed proudly commander Guard, "Bill, he's ungrateful " Then he waved Un beside him "And Tom's unkind See what I mean ? We're all Uns together " The King rubbed his clawlike hands gleefully

"But I never heard place ! " gasped Notta

" not ! Un's positively unheard of," confided the King, smoothing back his feathers complacently Bob's eyes grew rounder and rounder, Notta swallowed, Cowardly Lion tilted one ear forward hearing aright

"Why, you're Uns already," said I-wish-I-was, with mean little chuckle

"You," he pointed his long thin finger at Notta, "are unnatural You," he pointed Cowardly Lion, "are unpleasant And you," he wiggled his finger teasingly at Bob, "you're uninteresting ! "

"Thanks ! " said the clown, taking off his cap "And besides that," cried I-wish-I-was, his voice rising to shrill squeak, "you're all uninvited "

"And bound unlucky," gurgled Bill Guard

"And terribly unhappy," squealed another, dancing up and down

"And terrifically uncomfortable," added third Hereupon the Uns began hopping frantically about, each shouting something unish, till Bob covered his ears Cowardly Lion began to lash his tail with fury

"Stop ! Stop ! " shouted the clown, stamping his foot "I believe unpleasantest island I've ever been on " Loud cheers Uns interrupted him here "And tell us the way off we'll go at once

I-wish-I-was raised his claw for silence, pulled pad pocket, long feather quill head and, dipping it in ink, wrote something in great hurry This he handed Commander Guard and Notta looking over his shoulder read, "Push them off first opportunity " The Guard, not knowing clown had read the message, bowed and began whispering comrades, while Notta scratched his ear and wondered what do

"Could your Skyness bite to eat ? " he asked presently That, he reflected, would give him time

"Certainly not," answered the King, snapping his birdlike eyes " 're hungry, go fish, the same rest of us do Bill, give them some rods " He winked wickedly green guardsman Notta saw him make little push air Bill with chuckle winked back; then brought three rods and reels and handed them clown

"Oh ! " cried Bob Up, "I'd love fishing "

"Where fish around here ? " asked Notta, wrinkling up his forehead

"Just go edge skyle and drop your line over," said the King, and nudged the Un nearest him all the Uns began nudging and winking first one eye and then the other "Come on," whispered Notta and, tucking the rods under his arm, ran toward the door The Cowardly Lion, haste , fell all the way down the ladder, but at quick word from Notta jumped up, and as Bob joined them they all started on run for little clump of trees "I tell you," puffed the clown, pausing to mop his brow, " bad Uns, sure enough They mean to push us off the skyle That's why they sent us fishing "

"Just let 'em try it ! " roared the Cowardly Lion, shaking his mane He had skinned his knees fall down the ladder and was feeling quite ready for battle

"But shall we go fishing or not ? " asked the clown uncertainly Bob Up said nothing, but he looked wistfully fishing rods Bob had never been fishing life, and even the thought of being pushed off the skyle seem as dreadful as being deprived pleasure Notta saw the look

"I'm hungry as lion," said the clown suddenly, "and we've lost Mustafa's packets somewhere between Oz and Un "

"Well, you're not as hungry lion," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, with wink at Bob "It long past noon Let's risk it You fish and I'll watch, and if any Uns start pushing us- " The Cowardly Lion gave roar and shook his paws threateningly palace of I-wish-I-was

CHAPTER 11 Strange Fishing Party

surprise, Uns followed them, and in about an hour they had come edge skyle The Cowardly Lion shuddered as he looked down clear blue air, and even Notta had queer feeling pit stomach white clouds went rolling and tumbling past them

" we'll catch any birds, Notta ? " asked Bob Up, venturing so near the edge Cowardly Lion gave roar of terror "Remember you're not bird," he warned