"Help ! Help ! " screamed Notta, but no one to help them little dash left, but the line that tied him tree caught him with jerk little dash right, spun around and clasped his stomach in despair Just then the Cowardly Lion; growling like whole menagerie, shook off the mass of Uns and bounded side Feathers were strewn in every direction, and hundred Uns lay where they had fallen

The poor Cowardly Lion was shaking with exhaustion and fright, but never thought of giving up, and Uns made another rush, he met them as valiantly as ever Wild screams Featherheads rear made him pause and look over in alarm at Notta The clown, with staring eyes, was mumbling continuously under his breath, and touching first one and then another crowd swarming around him, and he touched an Un, the Un disappeared

The Cowardly Lion stopped fighting and sat down with thud The Uns stopped fighting, and those in front began to tread toes ones in back, in their anxiety away When twenty had vanished in seconds, the rest ran howling woods

"Well," panted the Cowardly Lion, rolling his eyes wildly at Notta

"You saved my life, old fellow," cried the clown, giving him an impulsive hug

"And you saved mine," gasped the lion, he had breath enough to gasp "But how did it and where are they ? "

"In Mudge," explained the clown, drawing his knees up chin and winking Cowardly Lion, "in Mudge and scaring the life out of Mustafa, I'll wager Remember the magic verse that brought us here ? Well, every time an Un came near :

"Udge ! Budge ! Go to Mudge ! Udger budger, You're Mudger ! "

"Marvelous ! " sighed the Cowardly Lion "But how did of it so quick ? "

"I had to," replied Notta modestly " , when there's nothing else , and not thinking very often makes me rather well But suppose the other Uns will come back ? "

The Cowardly Lion shook his head "Not in an 'undred years," he yawned "And now good and frightened let's all get some sleep "

The Cowardly Lion was bruised and ruffled, and so tired keep his eyes open another minute Stretching himself beside Bob, who even heard the battle, he fell instantly into heavy slumber Notta, lying other side little boy, was soon enjoying the rest dreams silver package

Towards morning faint cries aroused the Cowardly Lion Though only half awake he sprang up blinking his eyes nervously Then howl of dismay, for Notta and Bob were nowhere seen !

CHAPTER 12 Saved by Flyaboutabus

GROANING because he foolish enough to trust the Uns, the Cowardly Lion ran up and down the edge skyle , Bob and Notta pushed off while asleep Then tree, jutting far over the edge, attracted his attention swaying and trembling in most unusual fashion same time the faint cries that had awakened him were repeated With frightened gulp, the lion saw the two fishing lines tied tree and, winding his tail firmly around the slim trunk, began pulling up the first lines hard work and times almost drawn over the edge, but he never hesitated, and presently he had dragged Notta safely back to land The clown waved his hands feebly, then lay stomach and panted like fish Without waiting to restore him, the Cowardly Lion began to pull up the other line, and presently Bob, also breathless and panting, lay beside the clown They only breathless, but quite wet-having fallen into cloud The lion, puffing little himself, watched anxiously Notta, with long and final gasp, sat up and gave little sigh of relief

"That makes the second time you've saved my life," said Notta faintly

"What happened ? " asked the Cowardly Lion

"Well, first," said the clown, talking in little jerks and pausing every to pat Bob back, "first, I fell asleep, then, I fell awake And hadn't been disguises I cut in two "

"The Uns ? " asked the lion, opening his eyes very wide

"Yes," said Notta, and told how the Featherheads had pushed both Bob and himself skyle and, without stopping to notice were tied or to touch the Cowardly Lion, had run off without making sound " mighty good thing we were anchored, eh, Bob, my boy ? Feel better ? "

Bob shook his head uncertainly, for still frightened and dizzy from swinging air

The stars had faded out sun yet risen and cold gray mist of early morning the three huddled together and tried what

"First, let's get away edge," shuddered the Cowardly Lion Cutting the fishing lines that had saved their lives, Notta set Bob Cowardly Lion's back moved slowly half darkness toward the center skyle The Uns evidently had gone off homes, and with some matches Notta had tucked under his wonderful belt they kindled little fire and soon were dry and much more cheerful Bob immediately went to sleep, but Notta Cowardly Lion kept watch

For an hour not sound Then the noise of someone sawing wood came distinctly still air Leaving the Cowardly Lion on guard, Notta went to investigate He tiptoed along quietly, resolved were an Un to wish him away to Mudge As he advanced the sawing grew louder and louder and, peering around large tree, huge and ridiculous bird flopped over against rock, snoring at great rate

As Notta looked the bird opened one eye, stamped its big claws fretfully, and immediately fell to snoring again The clown took off his cap, scratched his ear and then burst into loud peal of laughter, which have helped had he died the next minute The bird stopped snoring instantly, and opened both eyes

"What by waking me when sound asleep, " it chirped crossly "A sounds of sleep," corrected Notta, winking singular creature " someone was sawing down tree "

"Did you ? " The bird looked rather proud and began to puff out its feathers "I'm the loudest snorer sky," it announced, strutting about self-consciously "That's why my beak curls convenient fashion "

It bird's beak that had made Notta laugh first place long and blue, and curved so could fit over the comical creature's ear like personal telephone connection "But why does it curl ? " asked Notta, sitting down and staring bird intently

"So hear myself snore, replied the bird " I snore in my own ear I wake up and stop snoring " With its claw the Snorer adjusted its beak, much as one would adjust pair of spectacles, and looked blandly at Notta "I'm unusual don't ? "

"Unusual," whistled the Clown "I'll say ! And never have I seen such country Why, if take along few freaks, I'd have the finest show on earth " He rubbed his forehead thoughtfully as he thought Mudgers, the Half-Lion, and now this bewildering bird

Snorer was size of small child, with enormous feet, short legs and pink feathers His head was somewhat like that of large crane, eyes were as blue as his beak

"Why Isle of Un ? " asked Notta, creature continued to look solemnly at him "Because I'm unusual," said the bird with triumphant little hop "But why here ? "

"Because I'm unlucky, I guess," sighed the clown ruefully "Won't you come along and meet my friends ? "

"Yes, I'll come ," said the bird calmly It put its head on one side and looked at Notta "You're beautiful," it sighed tremulously, "beautifully beautiful I love you ! "

Notta had all do from laughing, but seeing that Snorer was really in earnest, he patted it awkwardly head, and started back, the bird hopping happily beside him

"What's this you've caught ? " asked the Cowardly Lion, blinking suspiciously at Notta's odd companion As for Bob, who had wakened moment before, little shout of laughter "It's because I'm so unusual," whispered Snorer, putting up claw and winking at Notta "Tell them my name's Nickadoodle "

So Notta gravely introduced Nick to Bob Cowardly Lion and, after Nick carefully explained his queer telephone nose, the four regarded one another with deep interest "Maybe tell us the way to escape from Un," suggested the Cowardly Lion in rather choked voice, for every time he looked at Nick, like roaring Before Snorer could answer, Bob, who staring fixedly Cowardly Lion, burst out laughing

"What's the matter ? " demanded the Cowardly Lion gruffly

"What's the matter ? " asked Notta Then he too clapped his hand mouth and began to rock backward and forward "Feathers ! " gasped the clown, "You've big bunch of blue feathers in your mane ! "

"What ? " roared the Cowardly Lion, angrily putting his paw head

"Oh, everyone grows feathers in Un," chirped Nick cheerily, hopping toward Bob "Take off your cap "

Snatching off his hat Bob ran his fingers hastily through his hair Horrors ! Right crown head were ten stiff red feathers Notta had green ones, but his hung down over his right eye when off his cap The desire to laugh at Snorer suddenly left them To laugh at someone who was funny was , but funny yourself-well, that was different ! head on one side " they're quite becoming ! "

"Becoming ! " screamed the Cowardly Lion "Well, they'll be coming out roots It's bad enough chicken hearted, but being feathered headed, I simply will not stand ! " the bunch of feathers furious tweak, but he might have tried to pull off his ears

"We've got off this skyland," blustered the poor lion, stamping around in fury "I'll jump off before I grow another feather " Bob was thinking that his would come in mighty handy for playing Indian

"I suppose we'll soon grow enough to fly off," said Notta, blowing the green feathers out eye and pushing them back under his cap " , Nickadoodle, can't you tell us way out ? "

"I'll tell you ," murmured the great bird, nestling close to Notta "You're beautiful, beauti-ful ! " He rolled his eyes rapturously

"Well, don't want my beauty broken to pieces tell us way to escape, begged the clown, looking nervously toward the edge skyland

"There's way to leave," said Snorer, " is royal Flyaboutabus "