"Airships so bad, after all," declared Dorothy "Some day they'll fly all over the world, and perhaps bring people even Land of Oz "

" speak to Ozma ," said the Wizard, with slight frown "It wouldn't do at all, , Emerald City way-station on an airship line "

"No," said Dorothy, "I don't s'pose it would But what can it ? "

"I'm working out magic recipe to fuddle men's brains, so they'll never make an airship go where it ," the Wizard confided to her "That won't keep the things from flying, , but it'll keep them from flying Land of Oz "

Just then the Sawhorse drew the wagon forest and beautiful landscape lay spread travelers' eyes Moreover, right before them was good road that wound away hills and valleys

"Now," said the Wizard, with evident delight, " right track again, and nothing more to worry about "

"It's foolish thing chances in strange country," observed the Shaggy Man "Had we kept roads we never lost Roads always lead to some place, else they wouldn't be roads "

"This road," added the Wizard, "leads to Rigmarole Town I'm sure because I enchanted the wagon wheels "

Sure enough, after riding along the road for an hour or two they entered pretty valley where village was nestled hills The houses were Munchkin shaped, for they were all domes, with windows wider than they were high, and pretty balconies over the front doors

Aunt Em was greatly relieved this town "neither paper nor patch-work," only surprising thing was distant from all other towns

Sawhorse drew the wagon main street the travelers noticed place was filled with people, standing in groups and seeming engaged in earnest conversation So occupied with themselves were the inhabitants scarcely noticed the strangers at all So the Wizard stopped boy and asked:

" Rigmarole Town ? "

"Sir," replied the boy, " traveled noticed that every town differs from town in or another and so by observing the methods people way they live style dwelling places it ought not difficult thing up your mind without the trouble of asking questions whether the town bears the appearance one you intended to visit or whether perhaps having taken different road one taken you an error in your way and arrived at some point where--"

"Land sakes ! " cried Aunt Em, impatiently; "what's all this rigmarole about ? "

"That's it ! " said the Wizard, laughing merrily "It's rigmarole because the boy is Rigmarole and we've come to Rigmarole Town "

"Do they all talk like that ? " asked Dorothy, wonderingly

" said 'yes' or 'no' and settled the question," observed Uncle Henry

"Not here," said Omby Amby "I don't believe the Rigmaroles know what 'yes' or 'no' means "

While the boy talking people had approached the wagon and listened intently speech Then they began talking to one another in long, deliberate speeches, where many words were used but little was said But strangers criticized them so frankly women, who had no one else to, began an address , saying:

" easiest thing for person 'yes' or 'no' when question asked of gaining information or satisfying the curiosity one who expression inquiry has attracted the attention of an individual competent either from personal experience or the experience of others to answer it with more or less correctness or an attempt to satisfy the desire for information one who the inquiry by--"

"Dear me ! " exclaimed Dorothy, interrupting the speech "I've lost all track of what saying "

"Don't let her begin over again, for goodness sake ! " cried Aunt Em

But the woman begin again She even stop talking, but went right on as she had begun, the words flowing from her mouth in stream

"I'm that waited long enough and listened carefully, people able us something, ," said the Wizard

"Let's don't wait," returned Dorothy "I've heard Rigmaroles, and wondered what they were like; but now , and I'm ready to move on "

"So am I," declared Uncle Henry; "we're wasting time here "

"Why, we're all ready ," said the Shaggy Man, putting his fingers ears to shut out the monotonous babble around the wagon

So the Wizard spoke Sawhorse, who trotted nimbly village and soon gained the open country other side of it Dorothy looked back, rode away, and noticed woman yet finished her speech but was talking as glibly as ever, although no one was near to hear her

"If those people wrote books," Omby Amby remarked with smile, "it would take whole library the cow jumped over the moon "

"Perhaps some of 'em do write books," asserted the little Wizard "I've read few rigmaroles that come very town "

" college lecturers and ministers are certainly related people," observed the Shaggy Man; "and it seems the Land of Oz is little ahead United States in some laws For here, if one can't talk clearly, and straight point, they to Rigmarole Town; while Uncle Sam lets him roam around wild and free, to torture innocent people "

Dorothy was thoughtful The Rigmaroles had made strong impression upon her She decided that whenever she spoke, , use only enough words to express what she wanted

23 How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets

They were soon pretty hills and valleys again, Sawhorse sped up hill and down at fast and easy pace, the roads being hard and smooth Mile after mile was speedily covered, and ride had grown at all tiresome they sighted another village The place seemed even larger than Rigmarole Town, but was not so attractive in appearance

"This Flutterbudget Center," declared the Wizard " , it's no trouble at all places keep right road "

" the Flutterbudgets like ? " inquired Dorothy

" know, my dear But Ozma them town all their own, and I've heard that whenever people becomes Flutterbudget sent place to live "

" true," Omby Amby added; "Flutterbudget Center and Rigmarole Town are called 'the Defensive Settlements of Oz '"

The village they now approached was not built in valley, but on top of hill, road they followed wound around the hill, like corkscrew, ascending the hill easily until it came town

"Look out ! " screamed voice "Look out, or you'll run over my child ! "

They gazed around and saw woman standing sidewalk nervously wringing her hands as she gazed at them appealingly

"Where is your child ? " asked the Sawhorse

" house," said the woman, bursting into tears; "but should happen road, and you ran over it, those great wheels would crush my darling to jelly Oh dear ! oh dear ! Think darling child being crushed into jelly great wheels ! "

"Gid-dap ! " said the Wizard sharply, Sawhorse started on

They gone far before man ran out of house shouting wildly, "Help ! Help ! "

The Sawhorse stopped short Wizard and Uncle Henry Shaggy Man and Omby Amby jumped wagon and ran poor man's assistance Dorothy followed them as quickly as

"What's the matter ? " asked the Wizard

"Help ! help ! " screamed the man; "my wife has cut her finger off and she's bleeding to death ! "

Then he turned and rushed back house, and all the party went They found woman front dooryard moaning and groaning in great pain

"Be brave, madam ! " said the Wizard, consolingly "You won't die just because cut off finger, "

"But I haven't cut off finger ! " she sobbed

"Then what HAS happened ? " asked Dorothy

"I--I pricked my finger with needle while sewing, and-- blood came ! " she replied "And now I'll have blood-poisoning, doctors will cut off my finger, and fever and die ! "

"Pshaw ! " said Dorothy; "I've pricked my finger many time, and nothing happened "

"Really ? " asked the woman, brightening and wiping her eyes upon her apron

"Why, it's nothing at all," declared the girl "You're more scared than hurt "

"Ah, that's because she's Flutterbudget," said the Wizard, nodding wisely " now what these people are like "

"So do I," announced Dorothy

"Oh, boo-hoo-hoo ! " sobbed the woman, giving way to fresh burst of grief

"What's wrong now ? " asked the Shaggy Man

"Oh, suppose I had pricked my foot ! " she wailed "Then the doctors cut my foot off, and I'd be lamed for life ! "

"Surely, ma'am," replied the Wizard, "and 'd pricked your nose cut your head off But you didn't "

"But ! " she exclaimed, and began to cry again So they left her and drove away in their wagon And her husband came out and began calling "Help ! " as he had before; but no one seemed any attention to him

travelers turned into another street they found man walking excitedly up and down the pavement He appeared in very nervous condition Wizard stopped him to ask:

"Is anything wrong, sir ? "