The multitude of evil Phanfasms eagerly applauded this plan, which they fully approved

told Erbs are the most powerful and merciless of all the evil spirits, Phanfasms of Phantastico belong race of Erbs

12 How they Matched the Fuddles

Dorothy and her fellow travelers rode away Cuttenclip village and followed the indistinct path as far sign-post Here they took the main road again and proceeded pleasantly pretty farming country When evening came they stopped at dwelling and were joyfully welcomed and given plenty to eat and good beds night

Early next morning, however, they were up and eager to start, and after good breakfast they bade their host good-bye and climbed red wagon, Sawhorse hitched all night Being made of wood, this horse never got tired nor cared to lie down Dorothy was not whether he ever slept or not, but certain that he never did when anybody was around

The weather is always beautiful in Oz, and the air was cool and refreshing sunshine brilliant and delightful

In about an hour they came to place where another road branched off sign-post here which read:

TO FUDDLECUMJIG

"Oh, where we turn," said Dorothy, observing the sign

"What ! Are we going to Fuddlecumjig ? " asked the Captain General

"Yes; Ozma thought enjoy the Fuddles said very interesting," she replied

"No one would suspect it from their name," said Aunt Em " they, anyhow ? More paper things ? "

" not," answered Dorothy, laughing; "but 't say 'zactly, Aunt Em, what We'll find out when we get there "

"Perhaps the Wizard knows," suggested Uncle Henry

"No; I've never been there before," said the Wizard "But I've often heard of Fuddlecumjig Fuddles, said the most peculiar people in all the Land of Oz "

"In what way ? " asked the Shaggy Man

"I don't know, I'm sure," said the Wizard

Just then, rode along the pretty green lane toward Fuddlecumjig, they espied kangaroo sitting roadside The poor animal had its face covered with both its front paws and was crying so bitterly tears coursed down its cheeks in two tiny streams and trickled across the road, where they formed pool in small hollow

The Sawhorse stopped short pitiful sight, and Dorothy cried out, with ready sympathy:

"What's the matter, Kangaroo ? "

"Boo-hoo ! Boo-hoo ! " wailed the Kangaroo; "I've lost my mi--mi--mi--Oh, boo-hoo ! Boo-hoo ! "--

"Poor thing," said the Wizard, "she's lost her mister It's probably her husband, and he's dead "

"No, no, no ! " sobbed the kangaroo "It--it isn't that I've lost my mi--mi--Oh, boo, boo-hoo ! "

" ," said the Shaggy Man; "she's lost her mirror "

"No; it's my mi--mi--mi--Boo-hoo ! My mi--Oh, Boo-hoo ! " kangaroo cried harder than ever

"It her mince-pie," suggested Aunt Em

"Or her milk-toast," proposed Uncle Henry

"I've lost my mi--mi--mittens ! " said the kangaroo, getting it out at last

"Oh ! " cried the Yellow Hen, with cackle of relief "Why didn't you say so before ? "

"Boo-hoo ! I--I--couldn't," answered the kangaroo

"But, see here," said Dorothy, "you don't need mittens warm weather "

"Yes, indeed ," replied the animal, stopping her sobs and removing her paws from her face to look little girl reproachfully "My hands will get all sunburned and tanned without my mittens, and I've worn them that I'll probably catch cold without them "

"Nonsense ! " said Dorothy "I never heard of any kangaroo wearing mittens "

"Didn't you ? " asked the animal, surprised

"Never ! " repeated the girl "And you'll probably make yourself sick don't stop crying Where live ? "

"About two miles beyond Fuddlecumjig," answer "Grandmother Gnit made me the mittens, and she's Fuddles "

"Well, you'd better go home now, and perhaps the old lady will make you another pair," suggested Dorothy "We're way to Fuddlecumjig, and hop along beside us "

So they rode on, kangaroo hopped beside the red wagon and seemed quickly forgotten her loss By and Wizard said animal:

"Are the Fuddles nice people ? "

"Oh, very nice," answered the kangaroo; " , 're properly put together But they get dreadfully scattered and mixed up, at times, and then 't do anything "

"What by their getting scattered ? " inquired Dorothy

"Why, they're made in small pieces," explained the kangaroo; "and whenever any stranger comes near them habit of falling apart and scattering themselves around That's get so dreadfully mixed, and it's hard puzzle them together again "

"Who usually puts them together ? " asked Omby Amby

" able to match the pieces I sometimes put Grandmother Gnit together myself, because her tell every piece that belongs to her Then, when she's all matched, she knits , 's how she made my mittens But it took days hard knitting, and I had Grandmother together good , because every time near, she'd scatter herself "

" think get used to your coming, and not be afraid," said Dorothy

"It isn't that," replied the kangaroo "They're not bit afraid, 're put together, and usually they're very jolly and pleasant It's just habit , to scatter themselves, and didn't they wouldn't be Fuddles "

The travelers thought quite seriously for time, while the Sawhorse continued to carry them rapidly forward Then Aunt Em remarked:

"I don't see much use our visitin' these Fuddles If them scattered, all do is to sweep 'em up, and then go about our business "

"Oh, I b'lieve we'd better go on," replied Dorothy "I'm getting hungry, and try some luncheon at Fuddlecumjig Perhaps the food won't be scattered as badly people "

"You'll find plenty to eat there," declared the kangaroo, hopping along in big bounds because the Sawhorse was going so fast; "and fine cook, too, manage him together There's the town now--just ahead of us ! "

They looked ahead and saw group of very pretty houses standing in green field little apart main road

"Some Munchkins came here and matched lot of people together," said the kangaroo " together yet, and go softly, without making any noise, perhaps they won't scatter "

"Let's try it," suggested the Wizard

So they stopped the Sawhorse and got wagon, and, after bidding good bye kangaroo, who hopped away home, they entered the field and very cautiously approached the group of houses

So silently did they move that soon they saw windows houses, people moving around, while others were passing to and fro yards buildings They seemed much like other people from distance, and apparently notice the little party so quietly approaching

They had almost reached the nearest house when Toto saw large beetle crossing the path and barked loudly at it Instantly wild clatter was heard houses and yards Dorothy thought it sounded like sudden hailstorm, visitors, knowing that caution was no longer necessary, hurried forward what had happened

clatter an intense stillness reigned town The strangers entered the first house they came to, also the largest, and found the floor strewn with pieces people who lived there They looked much like fragments of wood neatly painted, and were of all sorts of curious and fantastic shapes, no two pieces being in alike

They picked up pieces and looked at them carefully On one which Dorothy held was an eye, which looked at her pleasantly but with an interested expression, it wondered what she was going with it Quite near by she discovered and picked up nose, and by matching the two pieces together found were part of face

"If find the mouth," she said, "this Fuddle able , and tell us what next "

"Then find it," replied the Wizard, and so all got down on their hands and knees and began examining the scattered pieces

"I've found it ! " cried the Shaggy Man, and ran to Dorothy with queer-shaped piece that had mouth But tried to fit it eye and nose they found the parts wouldn't match together

"That mouth belongs to some other person," said Dorothy " curve here and point there, it fit the face "

"Well, it here some place," declared the Wizard; "so search long enough find it "

Dorothy fitted an ear on next, ear had little patch of red hair above it So while the others were searching mouth she hunted for pieces with red hair, and found several which, when matched other pieces, formed the top of man's head She had also found the other eye ear Omby Amby in far corner discovered the mouth face was thus completed, all the parts joined together with nicety that was astonishing

"Why, it's like picture puzzle ! " exclaimed the little girl "Let's find the rest of him, and get him all together "

"What's the rest of him like ? " asked the Wizard "Here are some pieces of blue legs and green arms, but I don't know whether his or not "

"Look for white shirt and white apron," said the head which put together, speaking in rather faint voice "I'm the cook "

"Oh, ," said Dorothy "It's lucky we started you first, for I'm hungry, and cooking something to eat while we match the other folks together "