braided man had completed this strange tale Dorothy nearly laughed, because all so absurd; but the Wizard tapped his forehead significantly, to indicate that he thought the poor man was crazy So they politely bade him good day, and went back outer cavern to resume their journey

11 They Meet the Wooden Gargoyles

Another breathless climb brought our adventurers to third landing where rift mountain On peering out all see was rolling banks of clouds, so thick obscured all else

But the travellers were obliged to rest, and while they were sitting rocky floor the Wizard felt pocket and brought out the nine tiny piglets delight they were now plainly visible, which proved had passed beyond the influence magical Valley of Voe

"Why, again ! " cried one, joyfully

"Yes," sighed Eureka; "and I also you again, sight makes me dreadfully hungry Please, Mr Wizard, may I eat just fat little piglets ? You'd never miss , I'm sure ! "

"What horrid, savage beast ! " exclaimed piglet; "and after we've been such good friends, too, and played with one another ! "

"When I'm not hungry, I love to play all," said the kitten, demurely; "but when my stomach is empty it seems that nothing would fill it so nicely as fat piglet "

"And we trusted you so ! " said another nine, reproachfully

"And thought you were respectable ! " said another

"It seems we were mistaken," declared third, looking kitten timorously, "no one murderous desires should belong to our party, I'm sure "

" , Eureka," remarked Dorothy, reprovingly, " making yourself disliked certain things proper for kitten to eat; but I never heard of kitten eating pig, under ANY cir'stances "

"Did you ever see such little pigs before ? " asked the kitten " no bigger than mice, and I'm sure mice are proper to eat "

"It isn't the bigness, dear; its the variety," replied the girl "These are Mr Wizard's pets, just my pet, and it wouldn't be any more proper to eat them than it for Jim to eat you "

" 's just what do don't let those little balls of pork alone," said Jim, glaring kitten round, big eyes " injure I'll chew you up instantly "

The kitten looked horse thoughtfully, trying to decide whether he meant it or not

" case," she said, "I'll leave them alone You haven't many teeth left, Jim, but the few are sharp enough me shudder So the piglets perfectly safe, hereafter, as far as concerned "

" right, Eureka," remarked the Wizard, earnestly " all be happy family and love one another "

Eureka yawned and stretched herself

"I've always loved the piglets," she said; "but they don't love me "

"No one can love person he's afraid of," asserted Dorothy " behave, and don't scare the little pigs, I'm sure they'll grow very fond of you "

The Wizard now put the nine tiny ones back into his pocket journey was resumed

" pretty near the top, now," said the boy, climbed wearily up the dark, winding stairway

"The Country Gurgles can't be far top earth," remarked Dorothy "It isn't very nice down here I'd like home again, I'm sure "

No one replied , because they found they needed all their breath climb The stairs had become narrower and Zeb Wizard often had to help Jim pull the buggy from one step to another, or keep it from jamming against the rocky walls

At last, however, dim light appeared ahead , which grew clearer and stronger advanced

"Thank goodness we're nearly there ! " panted the little Wizard

Jim, who was in advance, saw the last stair before him and stuck his head above the rocky sides stairway Then he halted, ducked down and began to back up, he nearly fell buggy onto the others

"Let's go down again ! " , hoarse voice

"Nonsense ! " snapped the tired Wizard "What's the matter , old man ? "

"Everything," grumbled the horse "I've taken look place, and it's no fit country for real creatures to Everything's dead, up there--no flesh or blood or growing thing anywhere "

"Never mind; 't turn back," said Dorothy; "and we don't intend to stay there, anyhow "

"It's dangerous," growled Jim, in stubborn tone

"See here, my good steed," broke Wizard, "little Dorothy and in many queer countries travels, and always escaped without harm We've even been marvelous Land of Oz--haven't we, Dorothy ? --so we don't much care what the Country Gargoyles is like Go ahead, Jim, and whatever happens we'll best of it "

"All right," answered the horse; " your excursion, and not mine; so get into trouble don't blame me "

speech he bent forward and dragged the buggy up the remaining steps The others followed and soon they were all standing upon broad platform and gazing most curious and startling sight their eyes had ever beheld

"The Country Gargoyles is all wooden ! " exclaimed Zeb; and so The ground was sawdust pebbles scattered around were hard knots from trees, worn smooth in course There were odd wooden houses, with carved wooden flowers front yards The tree-trunks were of coarse wood, but the leaves trees were shavings The patches of grass were splinters of wood, and where neither grass nor sawdust showed was solid wooden flooring Wooden birds fluttered trees and wooden cows were browsing wooden grass; but the most amazing things of all were the wooden people--the creatures known as Gargoyles

These were very numerous, place was thickly inhabited, and large group queer people clustered near, gazing sharply strangers who had emerged long spiral stairway

The Gargoyles were of stature, being three feet in height Their bodies were round, their legs short and thick and their arms extraordinarily long and stout Their heads were too big for their bodies and their faces were decidedly ugly to look upon Some had long, curved noses and chins, small eyes and wide, grinning mouths Others had flat noses, protruding eyes, and ears that were shaped like those of an elephant There were many types, indeed, scarcely two being alike; but all were equally disagreeable in appearance The tops heads had no hair, but were carved into variety of fantastic shapes, some having row of points or balls around the top, others designs resembling flowers or vegetables, and still others having squares that looked like waffles cut criss-cross on their heads They all wore short wooden wings which were fastened wooden bodies of wooden hinges with wooden screws, and wings they flew swiftly and noiselessly here and there, their legs being of little use

This noiseless motion was peculiar things Gargoyles They made no sounds at all, either in flying or trying , conversed mainly of quick signals made with their wooden fingers or lips Neither was there any sound heard anywhere wooden country The birds sing, nor did the cows moo; yet more than ordinary activity everywhere

The group queer creatures discovered clustered near the stairs at first remained staring and motionless, glaring with evil eyes intruders who had so suddenly appeared in their land In turn the Wizard children, the horse kitten, examined the Gargoyles same silent attention

"There's going trouble, I'm sure," remarked the horse "Unhitch those tugs, Zeb, and set me free buggy, so fight comfortably "

"Jim's right," sighed the Wizard "There's going trouble, and my sword isn't stout enough to cut up those wooden bodies--so out my revolvers "

He got his satchel buggy and, opening it, took out two deadly looking revolvers that made the children shrink back in alarm just to look at

"What harm can the Gurgles do ? " asked Dorothy " no weapons to hurt us with "

"Each arms is wooden club," answered the little man, "and I'm sure the creatures mean mischief, looks eyes Even these revolvers can merely succeed in damaging few wooden bodies, and at their mercy "

"But why fight at all, case ? " asked the girl

"So die with clear conscience," returned the Wizard, gravely "It's every man's duty best how; and I'm going "

"Wish I had an axe," said Zeb, who by now had unhitched the horse

" had known we were coming brought along useful things," responded the Wizard "But we dropped adventure rather unexpectedly "

The Gargoyles had backed away distance heard the sound of talking, for although our friends had spoken in low tones their words seemed loud silence surrounding them But conversation ceased, the grinning, ugly creatures arose in flock and flew swiftly toward the strangers, their long arms stretched out before them like the bowsprits of fleet of sail-boats The horse had especially attracted their notice, because it biggest and strangest creature they had ever seen; so it became the center first attack

But Jim was ready , and when them coming he turned his heels toward them and began kicking out as hard as Crack ! crash ! bang ! went his iron-shod hoofs against the wooden bodies Gargoyles, were battered right and left force scattered like straws wind But the noise and clatter seemed as dreadful as Jim's heels, for all who were able swiftly turned and flew away to great distance The others picked themselves up ground one by one and quickly rejoined their fellows, so for moment the horse thought he had won the fight with ease

But the Wizard was not so confident

"Those wooden things are impossible to hurt," , "and all the damage Jim is to knock few splinters from their noses and ears That cannot make them look any uglier, I'm sure, and my opinion soon renew the attack "

"What made them fly away ? " asked Dorothy

"The noise, Don't you remember how the Champion escaped them by shouting his battle-cry ? "

"Suppose we escape down the stairs, too," suggested the boy " time, just now, and I'd rather face the invis'ble bears than those wooden imps "