"Anyhow," said Dorothy, "we've 'scaped those awful Gurgles, 's ONE comfort ! "

"Probably the Gargoyles are still busy trying out the fire," returned the Wizard "But even succeeded in doing very difficult to fly amongst these rocks; so fear them no longer "

Once in while come to deep crack floor, which made the way quite dangerous; but still enough oil lanterns them light, cracks so wide but were able to jump over them Sometimes they had to climb over heaps of loose rock, where Jim could scarcely drag the buggy At such times Dorothy, Zeb Wizard all pushed behind, and lifted the wheels over the roughest places; so they managed, by dint of hard work, going But the little party was both weary and discouraged when at last, on turning sharp corner, the wanderers found themselves in vast cave arching high over their heads and having smooth, level floor

The cave was circular in shape, and all around its edge, near ground, appeared groups of dull yellow lights, two being always side by side These were motionless at first, but soon began to flicker more brightly and to sway slowly from side to side and then up and down

"What sort of place ? " asked the boy, trying more clearly gloom

" imagine, I'm sure," answered the Wizard, also peering about

"Woogh ! " snarled Eureka, arching her back until her hair stood straight on end; "it's den of alligators, or crocodiles, or some other dreadful creatures ! Don't their terrible eyes ? "

"Eureka sees better dark than ," whispered Dorothy "Tell us, dear, what creatures look like ? " she asked, addressing her pet

"I simply can't describe 'em," answered the kitten, shuddering "Their eyes are like pie-plates and their mouths like coal-scuttles But their bodies don't seem very big "

"Where are they ? " enquired the girl

" in little pockets all around the edge cavern Oh, Dorothy-- 't imagine what horrid things ! They're uglier Gargoyles "

"Tut-tut ! be careful how you criticise your neighbors," spoke rasping voice near by "As matter of fact rather ugly-looking creatures yourselves, and I'm sure mother has often told us we were the loveliest and prettiest things in all the world "

Hearing these words our friends turned direction sound, Wizard held his lanterns their light would flood little pockets rock

"Why, it's dragon ! " he exclaimed

"No," answered the owner big yellow eyes which were blinking at them so steadily; " wrong to grow dragons some day, but just now we're only dragonettes "

"What's that ? " asked Dorothy, gazing fearfully great scaley head, the yawning mouth big eyes

"Young dragons, ; but allowed ourselves real dragons until we get our full growth," reply "The big dragons are very proud, and don't think children amount to much; but mother says that some day all be very powerful and important "

"Where is your mother ? " asked the Wizard, anxiously looking around

"She has gone top earth to hunt dinner If she has good luck she will bring us an elephant, or brace of rhinoceri, or perhaps few dozen people to stay our hunger "

"Oh; hungry ? " enquired Dorothy, drawing back

"Very," said the dragonette, snapping its jaws

"And--and-- eat people ? "

" , when get them But they've been very scarce for few years and we usually have content with elephants or buffaloes," answered the creature, in regretful tone

"How old ? " enquired Zeb, who stared yellow eyes fascinated

"Quite young, I grieve ; and all brothers and sisters that here are practically my own age If I remember rightly, we were sixty-six years old the day before yesterday "

"But that isn't young ! " cried Dorothy, in amazement

"No ? " drawled the dragonette; "it seems very babyish "

"How old is your mother ? " asked the girl

"Mother's about two thousand years old; but she carelessly lost track of her age few and skipped several hundreds She's little fussy, , and afraid of growing old, being widow and still in her prime "

" think be," agreed Dorothy Then, after moment's thought, she asked: "Are we friends or enemies ? I mean, be good , or intend to eat us ? "

"As , we dragonettes would love to eat you, my child; but unfortunately mother has tied all our tails around the rocks back individual caves, not crawl out you choose nearer make mouthful of you in wink; but unless remain quite safe "

regretful accent creature's voice, and words all the other dragonettes sighed dismally

Dorothy felt relieved Presently she asked:

"Why did your mother tie your tails ? "

"Oh, sometimes gone for several weeks on her hunting trips, and tied crawl all over the mountain and fight with and get into lot of mischief Mother usually knows what about, but she made mistake ; for to escape us unless you come too near, and you probably won't "

"No, indeed ! " said the little girl "We don't wish eaten by such awful beasts "

"Permit me ," returned the dragonette, "that rather impolite us names, knowing that resent your insults We consider ourselves very beautiful in appearance, for mother has told us so, and she knows And of an excellent family pedigree that I challenge any humans to equal, as it extends back about twenty thousand years, time famous Green Dragon of Atlantis, who lived in time when humans yet been created match that pedigree, little girl ? "

"Well," said Dorothy, " born on farm in Kansas, and I guess that's being just as 'spectable and haughty as living in cave with your tail tied to rock isn't I'll have to stand it, that's all "

"Tastes differ," murmured the dragonette, slowly drooping its scaley eyelids over its yellow eyes, until they looked like half-moons

Being reassured fact creatures crawl out rock-pockets, the children Wizard now took time to examine them more closely The heads dragonettes were as big as barrels and covered with hard, greenish scales that glittered brightly under the light lanterns Their front legs, which grew just back heads, were also strong and big; but their bodies were smaller around than their heads, and dwindled away in long line until their tails were slim as shoe-string Dorothy thought, had taken them sixty-six years to grow size, fully hundred years more could hope themselves dragons, seemed like good while to wait to grow up

"It occurs ," said the Wizard, "that we ought out place mother dragon comes back "

"Don't hurry," called dragonettes; "mother to meet you, I'm sure "

" right," replied the Wizard, "but we're little particular about associating with strangers kindly tell us your mother went on top the earth ? "

" fair question to ask us," declared another dragonette "For, told you truly, escape us altogether; and told you an untruth naughty and deserve punished "

"Then," decided Dorothy, " find our way out the best "

They circled all around the cavern, keeping good distance away blinking yellow eyes dragonettes, and presently discovered that there were two paths leading wall opposite place where they had entered They selected at venture and hurried along it as fast as go, for they had no idea mother dragon back and were very anxious not her acquaintance

14 Ozma Uses the Magic Belt

For considerable distance the way led straight upward in gentle incline, wanderers made such good progress grew hopeful and eager, thinking see sunshine at any minute But they came unexpectedly upon huge rock that shut off the passage and blocked them from proceeding single step farther

This rock was separate rest mountain and was in motion, turning slowly around and around upon pivot When first they came solid wall before them; but presently it revolved until exposed wide, smooth path across it other side This appeared so unexpectedly were unprepared advantage of it at first, and allowed the rocky wall to swing around again had decided over But they knew now that means of escape and so waited patiently until the path appeared second time