" ? " inquired Omby Amby

"If I go to sleep I'll have to shut my eyes," he explained; "and if I shut my eyes grow together, and then I'd be blind for life ! "

"Did you ever hear of 's eyes growing together ? " asked Dorothy

"No," said the man, "I never did But it dreadful thing, wouldn't it ? thought of it makes me so nervous I'm afraid to sleep "

"There's no help for ," declared the Wizard; went on

next street corner woman rushed up crying:

"Save my baby ! Oh, good, kind people, save my baby ! "

" in danger ? " asked Dorothy, noticing child was clasped in her arms and seemed sleeping peacefully

"Yes, indeed," said the woman, nervously "If go house and throw my child window, it would roll way down bottom hill; and then if there were lot of tigers and bears down there, tear my darling babe to pieces and eat it up ! "

"Are there any tigers and bears neighborhood ? " the Wizard asked

"I've never heard of any," admitted the woman, "but if there were--"

" any idea of throwing your baby window ? " questioned the little man

"None at all," she said; "but if--"

"All your troubles are due 'ifs'," declared the Wizard " Flutterbudget you wouldn't worry "

"There's another 'if'," replied the woman " Flutterbudget, too ? "

" , if I stay here long," exclaimed the Wizard, nervously

"Another 'if' ! " cried the woman

But the Wizard stop to argue with her the Sawhorse canter all the way down the hill, and only breathed easily were miles away village

After they had ridden in silence for while Dorothy turned little man and asked:

"Do 'ifs' really make Flutterbudgets ? "

" the 'ifs' help," he answered seriously "Foolish fears, and worries over nothing, with mixture of nerves and ifs, will soon make Flutterbudget of "

Then another long silence, for all the travelers were thinking over this statement, and nearly all decided it true

The country they were now passing through was everywhere tinted purple, the prevailing color Gillikin Country; but Sawhorse ascended hill they found that other side everything was of rich yellow hue

"Aha ! " cried the Captain General; " Country Winkies just crossing the boundary line "

"Then to lunch Tin Woodman," announced the Wizard, joyfully

"Must we lunch on tin ? " asked Aunt Em

"Oh, no;" replied Dorothy "Nick Chopper knows how to feed meat people, and plenty of good things to eat, never fear I've been castle before "

"Is Nick Chopper the Tin Woodman's name ? " asked Uncle Henry

"Yes; that's one names," answered the little girl; "and another names is 'Emp'ror Winkies ' He's the King country, , but Ozma rules over all the countries of Oz "

"Does the Tin Woodman keep any Flutterbudgets or Rigmaroles at his castle ? " inquired Aunt Em, uneasily

"No indeed," said Dorothy, positively "He lives in new tin castle, all full of lovely things "

" think it would rust," said Uncle Henry

"He has thousands of Winkies it polished for him," explained the Wizard "His people love anything in their power for their beloved Emperor, so there isn't particle of rust on all the big castle "

"I suppose they polish their Emperor, too," said Aunt Em

"Why, he had himself nickel-plated," the Wizard answered; "so he only needs rubbing up once in while He's the brightest man in all the world, is dear Nick Chopper; kindest-hearted "

"I helped find him," said Dorothy, reflectively "Once the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman woods, and just rusted still, , an' no mistake But we oiled his joints an' got 'em good and slippery, and he went to visit the Wizard Em'rald City "

" the time the Wizard scared you ? " asked Aunt Em

"He didn't treat us well, at first," acknowledged Dorothy; "for us go away and destroy the Wicked Witch But after out only humbug wizard we afraid of him "

The Wizard sighed and looked little ashamed

"When to deceive people we always make mistakes," "But I'm getting real wizard now, and Glinda the Good's magic, that trying to practice, can never harm "

"You were always good man," declared Dorothy, "even were bad wizard "

"He's good wizard now," asserted Aunt Em, looking little man admiringly "The way those tents grow out of handkerchiefs was just wonderful ! And didn't he enchant the wagon wheels so they'd find the road ? "

"All the people of Oz," said the Captain General, "are very proud Wizard He once made some soap-bubbles that astonished the world "

The Wizard blushed praise, yet it pleased him He no longer looked sad, but seemed recovered his usual good humor

The country through which they now rode was thickly dotted with farmhouses, and yellow grain waved in all the fields Winkies seen working on their farms wild and unsettled parts of Oz were left far behind

These Winkies appeared happy, light-hearted folk, and all removed their caps and bowed low red wagon with its load of travelers passed by

not long saw something glittering sunshine far ahead

"See ! " cried Dorothy; "that's the Tin Castle, Aunt Em ! "

Sawhorse, knowing his passengers were eager to arrive, broke into swift trot that soon brought them destination

24 How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News

The Tin Woodman received Princess Dorothy's party with much grace and cordiality, yet the little girl decided that something worrying with her old friend, because not so merry as usual

But at first she said nothing , for Uncle Henry and Aunt Em were fairly bubbling over with admiration beautiful tin castle and its polished tin owner So her suspicion that something unpleasant had happened was for time forgotten

"Where Scarecrow ? " she asked, had all been ushered big tin drawing-room castle, the Sawhorse being led around tin stable rear

"Why, our old friend has just moved into his new mansion," explained the Tin Woodman " in building, although my Winkies and people from all parts country busily working upon it At last, however, completed, Scarecrow took possession new home just two "

"I hadn't heard that home own," said Dorothy "Why doesn't he live with Ozma Emerald City ? He used to, ; and happy there "

"It seems," said the Tin Woodman, " dear Scarecrow contented with city life, however beautiful his surroundings Originally farmer, for he passed his early life in cornfield, where supposed to frighten away the crows "

" ," said Dorothy, nodding " him, and lifted him down pole "

"So now, after long residence Emerald City, his tastes have turned to farm life again," continued the Tin Man "He feels that happy without farm own, so Ozma gave him some land and helped him build his mansion, and now settled there for good "

"Who designed his house ? " asked the Shaggy Man

"I believe Jack Pumpkinhead, also farmer," reply

They were now invited to enter the tin dining room, where luncheon was served

Aunt Em found, to her satisfaction, that Dorothy's promise was more than fulfilled; for, although the Tin Woodman had no appetite own, he respected the appetites guests and saw were bountifully fed

They passed the afternoon in wandering beautiful gardens and grounds palace The walks were all paved with sheets of tin, brightly polished, and there were tin fountains and tin statues here and there trees The flowers were mostly natural flowers and grew regular way; but their host showed them one flower bed his especial pride

" , all common flowers fade and die ," he explained, "and so seasons pretty blooms are scarce Therefore I decided one tin flower bed all of tin flowers, and my workmen have created them with rare skill Here tin camelias, tin marigolds, tin carnations, tin poppies and tin hollyhocks growing as naturally as were real "

Indeed, they were pretty sight, and glistened under the sunlight like spun silver "Isn't this tin hollyhock going to seed ? " asked the Wizard, bending over the flowers

"Why, I believe ! " exclaimed the Tin Woodman, surprised "I hadn't noticed that before But plant the tin seeds and raise another bed of tin hollyhocks "

In one corner gardens Nick Chopper had established fish-pond they saw swimming and disporting themselves many pretty tin fishes

"Would they bite on hooks ? " asked Aunt Em, curiously

The Tin Woodman seemed hurt question

"Madam," said he, " suppose allow anyone to catch my beautiful fishes, even were foolish enough to bite on hooks ? No, indeed ! Every created thing is safe from harm in my domain, and as soon think of killing my little friend Dorothy as killing one tin fishes "

"The Emperor is very kind-hearted, ma'am," explained the Wizard "If fly happens to light upon his tin body he doesn't rudely brush it off, as some people might do; he asks it politely some other resting place "

"What does the fly do then ? " enquired Aunt Em

"Usually it begs his pardon and goes away," said the Wizard, gravely "Flies like treated politely as other creatures, and here in Oz they understand what we say , and behave very nicely "

"Well," said Aunt Em, "the flies in Kansas, where from, don't understand anything but swat to smash 'em 'em behave; and it's the same way with 'skeeters Do 'skeeters in Oz ? "