"Let's make it game," suggested Notta, patting his figure in various important places whether his disguises were still safe "Now then, all ready for breakfast hunt I'll take this field, Nick can air and Bob Cowardly Lion the woods " Bob smiled little to himself Hunting breakfast woods did seem ridiculous but, Cowardly Lion went poking his head in bushes and sniffing around trees in business-like manner, Bob began to look too There were plenty of flowers woods, and for time Bob found nothing else At last pushing through tangle of vines, the little boy found himself standing under stout little tree that rattled curiously wind passed branches sign tree Standing toes Bob spelled it out laboriously Then Notta in excited little shrieks

" it ? " panted the clown, breaking vines Cowardly Lion one leap behind him " hurt ? "

"No," cried Bob, "but I've won ! " He pointed gleefully tree

'Travelers' Tree,' " read Notta, " 'planted Wizard Wam year 1120 0 Z ' Well, hurrah for Wam ! " chortled the clown, and began walking all around the tree, while the Cowardly Lion sat down and panted little long run

The lower branches were gay with many pink cups and next, poised over the cups, were the sauciest little tea, cocoa and coffee pots imaginable Higher up grew clusters of covered dishes of every kind very top tree was large nest of some sort Snorer, who came flying back just then, declared full of eggs Instead of leaves, the tree flaunted many bright paper napkin blossoms

" to plant your dishes have finished eating," directed another sign quite sternly With happy little chuckle, Bob picked napkin for each, and three Cowardly Lion Then Notta broke coffee cup from its stem, and no sooner had he touched the cup coffee pot next branch tilted gently and filled the cup with fragrant hot coffee The clown was so startled that he accidentally brushed off another cup, at which cocoa pot poured cup full of cocoa over his head before he had time to duck Spluttering and coughing, Notta drew back, but that only accident, and clown said, it saved him from washing his face The Cowardly Lion drank dozen cups of coffee, one right other Bob had two cups of cocoa, and Snorer, holding tea cup in one claw, sipped the beverage suspiciously, then flew off something more taste Next, Notta picked five dishes of Ozish stew Cowardly Lion, plate full of meat hash for himself and chop and baked potato for Bob Up Nothing jollier than that breakfast The Cowardly Lion forgot to worry about his feathers, Bob forgot he had ever been an orphan, and Notta forgot that lost in strange magic country and power wicked monarch of Mudge When eat another bite, Snorer flew top of tree and brought down dozens of eggs nest Strangely enough, they were hard boiled and Bob filled his blouse , for as Notta said, no telling where by noon The Cowardly lion now dug deep hole buried all the dishes, lots less trouble than washing them, then back they went Flyaboutabus

Bob chattered quite gaily to Nickadoodle, but Notta Cowardly Lion walked along in silence Notta, valiant way the lion had defended them Uns, bear the idea of betraying this strange new friend Better thousand times turn blue than have the kind-hearted Cowardly Lion fall merciless hands of Mustafa

"Perhaps the old Mudger's ring will not work ," reflected Notta uncomfortably "Perhaps just threat to frighten us " If just reach this wonderful Emerald City and tell their story to Dorothy, everything would turn out happily , decided Notta, was what do

The Cowardly Lion, part, was thinking how terrible it had he eaten Notta first morning meeting guilty every time he looked jolly, companionable clown The more he thought Patchwork Girl's suggestion, the more ashamed of himself Why perfectly unish, this idea of devouring brave man No wonder he had grown larger bunch of feathers than Notta and Bob ! If no other way to acquire courage, stay coward forever end ! No sooner had the Cowardly Lion reached this conclusion, than he, too, felt lighthearted and happy again and began to roar with appreciation at Notta's funny antics and jokes

reached the Flyaboutabus, jerking at its rope as anxious off, and so were they all matter

" Emerald City from here ? " asked Notta, turning Cowardly Lion "I've lost my bearings " The Cowardly Lion looked first north, then south they were Munchkin Country, but their flight to Un had confused him terribly

" it's straight ahead," he roared uncertainly "Let's run along the ground for while till we're sure "

"All right," agreed the clown and, calling to Bob, started bus But half way he stopped in horror Bob, though perfectly unconscious of it, had turned as blue as washday same time Notta caught the Cowardly Lion staring at him fixedly

"What's the matter ? " choked Notta "Am I blue, too ? "

"Not very," faltered the lion, whose heart was throat awful change friends Notta looked down at his hands with shudder "I'm as blue Danube," he muttered unhappily "But that's all the better Why, blue clown the greatest curiosity yet Wait till I reach America with my new skin and feathers " Notta went on trying joke of it, but his voice shook little of himself, and when he tried light double somersault an even worse thing happened Halfway around himself unable to move, and there he stood head, powerless to straighten his arms or legs

, Mustafa had taken off his magic ring For when Bob tried to run to Notta's assistance caught with one foot air

"Help, help ! " croaked Snorer, flying frantically from one other His nose came off the hook and hung straight down, but he never even noticed it

"Fly up tree, can't you ! " roared the Cowardly Lion, as Snorer flapped into his face and almsot blinded him wings

With quick spring he reached Notta's side "Better lift me down," puffed the clown, for under the blue turning crimson from standing upside down The Cowardly Lion obeyed, and placed him gently ground, where he lay as stiff as statue "It's magic ! " growled the lion "Blue magic ! "

"It's Mustafa ! " groaned Notta, looking dismally at Bob "I guess I'll have you the whole story " In short jerks and gasps, for barely move his lips, how Mustafa had sent them to capture the Cowardly Lion and of how he had threatened them magic ring failed to obey him

"But disobey him," breathed the lion, lashing his tail "Even knew what would happen, no attempt to capture me ! " Tears of gratitude rolled down his nose "You're the bravest man in Oz," he choked miserably, "but look what it has brought you to ? "

"Weren't you looking bravest man in Oz ? " asked Notta, suddenly remembering their first conversation "That's how we happened to meet you, "

The Cowardly Lion nodded gloomily, for now his turn to confess With many apologies and sighs Notta quest for courage determination to devour brave man, the bravest man that he met

"But you didn't ! " shouted Notta triumphantly "And many chance you've had had cared it Cheer up, old fellow, there's some way out of it "

Snorer with suppressed gurgles and sobs had listened to both stories Now he held up his claw "As I understand," croaked the bird, pushing his curly nose back ear, "Mustafa's ring has turned black because captured the Cowardly Lion ? "

"That's ," admitted Notta, trying to wink at Bob, but finding it impossible to move his eyelid

"Well, then," sniffled Snorer with little hop, " capture him ? Wait, I'll get rope He flew off Flyaboutabus, first stopping to comfort Bob Up " meet magic with strategy," cawed Nick, flying back with long piece of rope bill

"I'll never urge him step," declared Notta firmly "Not if to stay blue and still rest life "

"You won't have to," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, who was beginning to look quite cheerful "I'll run all the way to Mudge and give myself up ridiculous Mustafa " little spring, but Snorer with screech barred the way

" no sense ? " shrilled Nick sharply " strategy " He tied the rope hastily around the Cowardly Lion's neck and placed the end in Notta's stiff hand And no sooner had he done so than Bob, with little shout, ran over to Notta clown also found himself able to move about once more While Nick Cowardly Lion watched anxiously, the offensive blue faded out, leaving Notta's face white and powdery and Bob's rosy and freckled