The Cowardly Lion, back two fishermen, kept sharp lookout enemy, and all three tried But thinking 're hungry is hard work Besides, there were things to distract one's attention The sky, afternoon advanced, turned soft and dreamy pink, clouds drifting by were of every shape and color imaginable-green, purple, amber and gold-and marvelous form that each seemed lovelier last There were castles and tall masted ships, there were caravans and chariots, and once white and wonderful Princess waved little boy back of feathery swan So small wonder Notta and Bob forgot the Uns, and even their fishing lines, blowing gently to and fro soft pink air waves Then, all at once, Bob's line gave jerk and had he not been tied tree certainly pulled off the skyle

"Oh ! Oh ! " screamed the little boy in delight, "I've caught something ! "

Giving his rod Cowardly Lion, who was blinking dreamily at wonderful cloud city, the clown ran to help Bob, and hand over hand they pulled up the line What suppose was ? goose-a simply enormous goose smoking gently drew it over the edge

"Why, it's cooked ! " marveled Notta, unfastening the line which had caught bird's legs And so cooked in all its feathers with its head tucked under its wing

"Aha, so our goose is cooked, ? " observed the Cowardly Lion, sniffing the air hungrily

" flown too near the sun

"Well," chuckled Notta, "that I don't pretend Fishing for birds is strange enough, but catching cooked goose is almost too good true "

"But true," exulted Bob, clapping his hands, "and I caught it ! " While the Cowardly Lion watched the two rods, and Bob proudly picked his goose, Notta ran off in search of water running back with bucket full which he had drawn from small sky well The bucket, canvas collapsible kind used in circuses, the clown had fortunately stowed under his capacious belt As neither meat nor drink was now lacking, they sat down under small tree and dined quite merrily The Cowardly Lion ate one half the goose, bones and all, and Notta and Bob finished off the rest

"It looks," clown, rising drink of water bucket, which he hung on branch tree, "it looks as Uns had forgotten us

"Maybe," mused the lion, shaking his mane, "but we mustn't forget them thought of anything yet ? "

"Not thing," confessed the clown cheerfully He turned dozen cartwheels, walked few paces hands, and ended up with somersault over Bob "You're spry one," said the Cowardly Lion admiringly, clown sat down back against tree, as spry one as I've ever met "

" ," laughed Notta "If thinking came as easily as cartwheeling we'd be off this skyle in no time But now that we're fed and comfortable, suppose again "

"I'd rather fish," said Bob Up promptly

"Can't we fish little longer, Notta ? "

"Well, there's no harm ," replied the clown, winking Cowardly Lion, "and 'll probably have the night here catch something for breakfast "

"Try to catch me something uncooked , won't you ? " asked the Cowardly Lion, thumping his tail lazily ground " I prefer my food uncooked " Bob smiled little and, moving his rod gently to and fro, thought comical adventures having Notta, back tree, was fishing too, and everything was very quiet All around them the light was fading, clouds turned from pink to dull gray and rushed past with an angry sort of sighing Night was coming on, and soon the stars began to twinkle above and below the little skyland Bob had never seen stars so large nor so bright, but then Bob had never been so close before thinking rather solemnly fun to catch star, when Notta, oppressed silence, burst into merry song:

"A little chocolate cooky man Went calling on plate She said, 'Sir, ten o'clock ! Why come so late ? '

'Because I'm made that way,' said he, 'My little china girly, I'm always choco-late, , So how could I come early ?

"' it not, my darling, Better chocolate than never ? ' The wee plate cracked little smile 'Oh, sir,' said she, 'you're clever !

" 'And call to-morrow-Even though you're choco-late ! ' But pshaw ! He never came, because That cooky man was ate ! "

Bob laughed right out loud, and Notta, who trying Bob merry, tossed his cap triumphantly air

" ," murmured the Cowardly Lion, waving his tail gently, "except that last line 'Was ate 'Isn't that bit ungrammatical, even for Oz ? "

"There you go getting unish," teased Notta "I guess ungrammatical in Un "

"Notta ! Notta ! I've got another bite," screamed Bob, hopping about on one foot That finished the argument

"Hope it's bite ," said the Cowardly Lion Then little roar of surprise, for over the edge skyle came dog-as dear and shaggy little bow-wow as had ever barked at an ice man The hook had caught neatly in its collar and, though little out of breath, otherwise unhurt

"Well," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, rising haunches, "so breakfast ? Bob, what by catching dog breakfast ? "

"Oh, please," whimpered the dog, rolling its soft eyes in terror "You wouldn't eat little fellow who was only out for walk, would you ? " He sat up and begged so prettily Bob caught him up arms and hugged him "Oh, Notta, may I keep him ? I've never had dog ! "

"Well, now," said the clown, scratching his ear, "I don't see "

"Don't keep me," wailed the dog piteously, "for I belong to little boy on another star, and miss me "

"What kind of dog ? " gasped the clown, staring little creature "What by taking walk sky, and living on star ? "

" skye terrier," answered the little dog, looking anxiously from one other "You wouldn't hurt little fellow like me, would you ? "

"But how get home ? " asked Notta

"Just throw me back air," barked the dog, and licked Bob nose so coaxingly he couldn't bear to refuse, though his heart was heavy thought of losing him

"I guess that other little boy would miss you, sighed Bob So, kissing the shaggy little terrier right nose, he dropped him gently over the edge skyle, and watched he scampered hurriedly over cloud and then along sky, as easily he on land instead of air He paused once and looked over his shoulder, then with joyful bark and wave tail ran off, vanishing like speck distance Notta, seeing that Bob was downhearted at losing the little fellow, suggested start fishing again "Who knows what catch ? " exclaimed the clown, pushing back his cap, and snapping his line energetically

Almost at once both lines became taut, and were drawn up, two shiny silver packages fell slender hooks "Dreams for little boy," said small label on Bob's package "Dreams for big boy," said the label on Notta's package With trembling fingers they untied the silver ribbons, and had no sooner done so than Bob drooped gently against Notta, clown fell back against tree In another second both were fast asleep-dreaming the lovely stories they had caught sky It happened so quickly Cowardly Lion was completely taken by surprise He sniffed the silver papers "Dreams," read the Cowardly Lion light stars "Well, I guess they're regular sleeping powders It's good thing I didn't catch dream, for somebody must stay awake and keep guard " The big beast yawned and stretched, then carefully dragging Bob and Notta back edge skyle, set himself the watch while they slept terribly sleepy himself and keeping awake was hard fight, but the Cowardly Lion knew lives two mortals depended upon him so he walked up and down, and down and up the edge Skyland, and presently he heard sound that made him quake with terror Footsteps woods ! Hundreds coming nearer !

"The Uns," choked the Cowardly Lion, and hesitated between waking Notta and Bob, or advancing to meet the enemy Before make up his mind, whole party, their feathers gleaming strangely moonlight, burst trees

"Push 'em off ! Shove 'em off ! " screamed the leader, waving rest I-wish-I-was, and in little hops and springs they came tumbling toward him

With roar that sounded more terrible than anything imagine, because mostly made up of terror, the Cowardly Lion sprang straight at them Down went I-wish-I-was and dozen warriors Shaking and quaking with fear, the Cowardly Lion made quick springs and snatches, and Uns with little screams of rage, drew back, his mouth was full of feathers But they were far from giving up and after brief parley came on again Once more the Cowardly Lion struck out, left and right two dozen more were down, but the Cowardly Lion was slowly being forced toward Notta and Bob, treacherous edge Skyle