"Where ? " roared the Cowardly Lion

"Tied to tree near the palace But we'll have to wait till the Uns go to wish," replied Nick, rubbing his head against Notta's knee And while the three listened in amazement Snorer told them bit about life Isle of Un No one on Un, explained Nick gravely, ever worked, but they went regularly to wish, and nothing was allowed to interrupt their wishing For three hours they shouted their wishes as loudly as , and I-wish-I-was, because wish faster and shout louder than any rest, made king

"You'll hear them at it soon," said Snorer, adjusting his nose, " 's the best time to leave Afternoons they fish and evenings they fight Wish, fish and fight-that's the program here "

"But how do they get anything done ? " asked Notta, standing head to settle his feathers

"They don't," replied Snorer calmly "Everything is undone; and feathers," he pointed his claw Cowardly Lion's mane, "every time anything unish happens you'll grow another First you were unwise here That accounts ; then you were uncomfortable and unsafe "

"Unlucky, unhappy and unfed ! " spluttered the clown, turning somersault with each word "Lead us Flyaboutabus, old fellow, or we'll soon be as feathered as geese

"All right," chirped Nickadoodle obligingly, "but step softly and do just as I tell you

"Aren't there any good Uns ? " asked Bob with little sigh

"Well, one," Nick paused to adjust his nose, continually falling off its hook, "but I've forgotten his name, others treated him so unkindly that he's hidden himself in some cave somewhere skyle But say if he ever becomes king, the Uns will all have to reform "

Bob was hungry and far from rested, but as he stumbled along the rocky beach he fell to thinking good Un and wishing he might see him left the skyland But Notta was so cheered thought of leaving Un that every few seconds he sprang air or somersaulted over the Cowardly Lion The Cowardly Lion was dreadfully down-hearted The feathers preyed mind, his ears dropped tail dragged and nothing Notta made him feel any better

"It's all and Bob wear hats and hide your feathers, but lion in hat would look as ridiculous as lion with feathers the laughing stock of Oz," groaned the poor beast

"Well, it's not so bad people laugh," comforted Notta " my business, and Come with me to America and your fortune made " But the Cowardly Lion only shook his head and padded sadly over the rough stones

" punishment," thought the poor lion, "a punishment wickedness in planning to devour brave man " And perhaps right

they were so near the palace that Nick held up his claw for silence Hiding behind huge rock, they watched the Uns climb down from their tree houses and hurry off to wish, just as sensible folk hurry off to work "Too bad I didn't send I-wish-I-was to Mudge," whispered Notta "Hush," said Nickadoodle " you hear an earfull of noise run third juniper tree " He pointed out the tree claw three watchers waited anxiously signal Soon not an Un in sight and second later perfect explosion of screeches rent the air , as Notta explained afterward, an elephant earfull of noise, for every Un skyle was wishing top lungs

they had recovered first shock, Notta, Bob Cowardly Lion rushed toward the juniper tree Nick had flown ahead and was already calling down directions reached it

top branch juniper tree the king's feathery Flyaboutabus was tugging merrily at its rope Following Nick's instructions, Notta climbed top tree and, hanging on rope, managed to bring it down bit Nick, bidding Bob catch him around the neck, flew up next, and their weight brought it down still further still terribly high Cowardly Lion, climb the tree

"Hurry ! Hurry ! " croaked Nick, flapping his wings warningly "There's an Un " And sure enough, tardy Featherhead was staring at them in astonishment door tree house With an ear splitting squall, he fell down the ladder and rushed off wishing place the others Prickling with terror, the Cowardly Lion made spring after spring, but he just missed the Flyaboutabus And every time an unsuccessful leap, another feather sprouted gaily mane "Better cut loose and leave him," whispered Nick anxiously, but Notta and Bob hushed him up indignantly and by jumping tried to bring the bus lower

"Go on and save yourselves," coughed the lion tenth attempt He mopped his forehead dejectedly tail, and growled terribly as each feather pricked through shout clown made him turn Rushing toward them in tumbling waves of fury were the Uns, led by I-wish-I-was In last despairing frenzy, the Cowardly Lion hurled himself air, and his front paws caught the feather wheels bus, and Bob and Notta, pulling together, helped him aboard not minute to lose, Uns were already surrounding the tree Just as I-wish-I-was sprang lower branches, Snorer cut the rope knifelike beak and up sailed the Flyaboutabus like balloon released from its string Up, up, up they went, till the wild screams Uns could no longer be heard Up, up, and 'round and 'round, plunging now and now that, till Notta, Bob Cowardly Lion were too shaken and dizzy or care happening

But Snorer, more used to flying others, kept his head and, waiting his opportunity, seized long lever that swung loosely to and fro front bus He had never been Flyaboutabus before, but something told him lever must guide the movements strange vehicle Sure enough, hold of it, the darting about stopped and it flew quite steadily

"Are we still going up ? " quavered Notta, without opening his eyes The clown lay flat back bottom bus with Bob sprawled on top of him The Cowardly Lion had become wedged under seat and was heaving and puffing unhappily

"Yes, but there's some way to bring it down," chirped Nick "Come have look how to fly myself, but I don't know how to fly Flyaboutabus "

CHAPTER 13 Mustafa's Blue Magic

NOTTA rose unsteadily and lifted Bob into side seats Then he staggered over front bus and, holding his head with one hand, peered down gear and machinery row of buttons under the steering wheel first button said "Slower " Notta hastily pushed great feather wheels on each side immediately slackened their frantic whirling, and while Nick held the lever Notta investigated their strange flying machine still further shaped like an immense hollowed-out goose, with seats on each side and high seat near the head The head turned steering wheel and honked loudly pushed the button marked "Blow " The tail goose moved from side to side, four powerful wheels whirled around continuously, so noise, bus flew swiftly, was terrific Now, however, running more quietly, and Bob, no longer feeling giddy, began to look around with keen interest

Notta had pressed another button marked "Middle Air-Down," were slanting gently toward the earth, floating almost without movement great feather wheels

"Isn't this fun ? " cried Bob, giving the clown little hug as he sat down seat ahead "Well," chuckled Notta, "I don't usually fly before breakfast, but I'd fly from Un " Snorer, who still held the lever, beamed over his shoulder clown

"Didn't I manage well ? " he chirped happily " , when anything's just leave it to old Nickadoodle "

" never enough," declared Notta "But how get back ? fly ? " "I'm not going back," exulted Snorer, flapping his wings "I'd be unusual anywhere and never going to leave you, you beautiful creature "

"Then our fortune is made," said the clown, with wink at Bob, "for in circus you'd be more than half the show "

"I'll show them how to snore," chuckled Nick "I better than anything else But I'd do anything , for I love you with all my heart," continued Snorer calmly, " boy, too And I love-"

"Don't you dare love me," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, wrathfully jerking his head from beneath the seat "I won't allow it ! "

"All right," sighed Nick, adjusting his nose "I'll try not to love you, but it's going hard work, you're so handsome "

"There ! There ! " interrupted the Cowardly Lion gruffly, but he couldn't help looking pleased " like me ," he added mildly "Any land in sight ? "

Notta leaned far over the edge bus " village of some kind far down below Here, Bob, you come help steer " So, while Nick grasped the lever to hold the bus steady, Bob sat high seat and turned the great goose head as Notta directed, now left and now right, and in an hour, they were floating slowly over quaint blue city

"We're still Munchkin country," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, standing hind legs and looking over the side

"Well, we'll just fly over this town and land in one fields," puffed Notta uneasily not sure he wouldn't impale the Flyaboutabus on steeple, or run over inhabitants, if he attempted to land city itself As they flew quite distance before he located all the buttons necessary landing The Flyaboutabus came to earth bounce all flew up like rubber balls, while the bus continued to fly and bump around the field until Notta ran after it and tied it to tree

"And now what ? " asked Nick, carefully putting his troublesome nose on its hook

"Breakfast ! " wheezed the Cowardly Lion, rolling out of huge bramble bush "Aren't you hungry, Bob ? "

Bob nodded "But where are we going it ? " he asked, looking rather puzzled

"One never knows in Oz, but look carefully, we'll something," answered the lion easily