" the handsomest creature in Oz," insisted Crunch over and over, "and were only of stone more beautiful still "

"Very still," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, putting back his ears "Though I suppose," he added thoughtfully, "a stone lion is never afraid " the subject he began telling Crunch about his cowardice, and how he had started out originally himself some courage

"Would it make you happy afraid of nothing ? " asked the Stone Man grinding voice

"Perfectly happy," sighed the Cowardly Lion, "for though I fight when danger threatens; I suffer terribly from desire to run away "

"Then had no desire to run away perfectly happy ? " asked Crunch, with stamp that threw the Cowardly Lion off his feet "Why, easily fix that ! "

" courage ? " roared the Cowardly Lion, stopping perfectly still tracks

" trick to fix you never again be afraid," answered the Stone Man, rolling his eyes from side to side " do "

"Who taught you magic ? " rumbled the Cowardly Lion suspiciously

"No one," grated Crunch, "but this hard little secret was brains Wam wished into my block head Shall I change you now ? "

The Cowardly Lion sat down and scratched his ear hind leg He had lived long enough in magic country anything Possible, but somehow this huge, craggy giant filled him with misgivings

"I'd like little longer, don't mind," he answered cautiously "Tell me more , can't you ? "

Crunch shook his head solemnly "If you it wouldn't work Better let me change you, old fellow "

"No," wheezed the Cowardly Lion uneasily, " I'll wait bit I tell you," he added, brightening up, "let's not try it until this little Mudge affair is over It isn't quite right of ourselves when my good friend Notta is in danger Help me first and change me afterward "

"All right," agreed the Stone Man, starting stolidly forward, but the Cowardly Lion, glancing up unexpectedly, caught him moving his stiff lips and looking at him stony glare sent shiver of terror down his spine

"Now, see here," roared the lion, planting himself determinedly in Crunch's path " promise me not that trick till I'm ready I've been frightened all my life and I don't wish frightened into courageous lion without knowing it "

"Oh, all right," grumbled the Stone Man again, "but I don't see any sense in all this delay What if your friends do turn blue ? It won't hurt them, and why should you put yourself clutches wicked old Mudger ? "

" my affair," roared the Cowardly Lion, shocked at Crunch's unfeeling words "I suppose person entirely composed of stone cannot help being hard and unsympathetic," he reflected to himself Aloud , "Come along, let's hurry," and hurry as fast as their legs would carry them

Munchkin farmer, whose cottage they passed just at dusk, gave the Cowardly Lion hearty dinner, but he shook his head doubtfully at Crunch, who had propped himself up against barn while the lion ate

"He'll break something," whispered the farmer nervously "He's too heavy walking about What's he doing alive anyway ? Has Ozma seen him ? Or the Scarecrow ? Here, here ! " angrily, barn began to creak and lean to one side, "you'll have to lean against something else ! "

"I'll stand right here, and nothing will budge me," grumbled Crunch disagreeably the Cowardly Lion swallowed the rest dinner at one gulp and started to run down the road Stone Man would follow him and want the poor farmer's barn demolished

" you were going to help people," he roared reproachfully, as Crunch overtook him "No, I've changed my mind," announced Crunch with terrible grin, "I'm only going to " The Cowardly Lion started to lecture the Stone Man, but, as he paid not the slightest attention, he finally gave it up and trotted along in silence growing wearier , and finally edge of little wood he stopped altogether Night was coming on, and flights and excitement past two days the Cowardly Lion felt snatch little rest

"Crunch, old rock, keep watch while I get little sleep ? " he yawned The Stone Man nodded impassively He had watched men sleep stone age and, though he any use strange custom, he concluded another tiresome habit creatures not brought to life by magic

With long sigh, for he sadly missed his jolly companions, the Cowardly Lion stretched himself out under tree and almost instantly fell into heavy slumber For time the Stone Man stood perfectly still Then he began to mutter crossly to himself The idea of waiting until they reached Mudge his trick was not pleasing stony fellow, for change, though he careful not so, the Cowardly Lion absolutely power And, Cowardly Lion, he meant to return lonely mountain and stand happily ever afterward Already the thought of offering his services Queen and building city had begun to bore him This pounding about chipped his toes and jarred his granite Why had he ever made that ridiculous promise Cowardly Lion ? But made , and Stone Man can no sooner break his promise than his head Kicking the earth up fretfully, Crunch tried of way difficulty Just twentieth star came pricking out heavens, he had an idea Crunch, being of stone, never tired and could therefore travel indefinitely Mudge business had got through with, then the sooner they arrived in Mudge the better that go three times as quickly as an ordinary flesh and bone man, therefore he ought to reach Mustafa's Kingdom by morning

Snatching air startled Munchkin shepherd, who was strolling along hands pockets, he asked him the way to Mudge lad's teeth stopped chattering long enough him, he dropped him carelessly ground and picked up the Cowardly Lion The next instant running with all his might toward Mustafa's dreadful desert, trampling under his feet any fences or small buildings that got way, and jarring the whole country heavy strides The Cowardly Lion awakened almost immediately and tried to wriggle out grasp, but escape from those mighty arms was an impossibility

"Where going ? " he growled angrily, the words being fairly jolted out of him

"To Mudge ! " shouted Crunch without slackening his speed "I promised not you to courageous lion till we finished with Mustafa Well, now, going to finish Mustafa "

"Stop ! " implored the Cowardly Lion, but he might have argued wind, and the argument, when Crunch's every step deprived him breath, took the whole strength and determination But continue it , with roars, threats and rumblings the Stone Man paid not the slightest attention, and finally the Cowardly Lion was too exhausted and shaken to utter another roar

"There's no use reasoning with me," Crunch had insisted stubbornly, "for hard mass of mineral matter take you to Mudge because that I promised , but we reach Mudge mine forever ! "

The Cowardly Lion even strength to tremble awful words, so he closed his eyes and tried not about Mustafa nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions, nor Crunch terrible threat It impossible for Notta and Bob to reach Mudge to help him now, so the poor Cowardly Lion resolved to fight as long as , and then bravely resign himself to whatever fate had in Store for him At every step Stone Man, he more bitterly regretted the moment he had trusted himself company treacherous giant

Whether he fell asleep, or was shaken into unconsciousness, the Cowardly Lion never knew The next thing he remembered was leaning up against an iron encosure and hearing Crunch calling loudly for admittance into Mudge Stone Man had run, without turning as an inch way, directly land Mudgers

The sun was high Heavens, and winds from Mustafa's desert blew hotly in their faces The Mudger Guard, hearing the terrible clamor, came running who was hammering gates, and saw Crunch Cowardly Lion they turned and flew toward their master's striped tent

Mustafa, still gazing fixedly at his ring, hardly heard their terrified description stone giant All that he heard wonderful news that lion, undoubtedly the Cowardly Lion of Oz, had at last been delivered into his power Calling Panapee, and running so fast both sandals, Mustafa rushed out lion enclosure and with trembling hands unlocked the gates Fortunately the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine lions were in another part, and when he waved for Crunch Cowardly Lion to enter, so without disturbing Mustafa's ferocious pets The Cowardly Lion wobbled slightly, for still shaken by his terrible journey, but the Stone Man tramped defiantly toward the blue whiskered monarch of Mudge

"Welcome ! " wheezed Mustafa, waving his scimitar Panny, with an outraged glance Stone Man, climbed the nearest palm tree

"I understand you wished me captured," growled the Cowardly Lion, trembling slightly, but resolved through disagreeable business

"Don't say captured," cried Mustafa slyly " that I wished my court honored by your cowardly and perfect presence I understand terrible fighter," he added, tugging at his whiskers joyfully

"Shall I crush or crumble him ? " asked Crunch, interrupting Mustafa's further remarks and ramblings And then Mustafa first time became really aware Stone Man The more he exclaimed, the more horribly aware of him he became

"Panny ! " he shrilled, looking all around chief chamberlain, "Panny, call out the Guard ! "

"Call them out yourself," chattered the trembling chamberlain, frightened out usual submissiveness "I'll not stir tree " Crunch made snatch at Mustafa, but the Cowardly Lion hastily intervened Wicked though Mustafa , the kind-hearted lion was not going to stand by him crushed to crumble He motioned for Crunch him few steps aside and quite sulkily the Stone Man obeyed