"Well ? " asked Agnes, pulling herself laboriously up sill "What do ? " Instead of answering Tattypoo gave terrible scream and jumped right out the window Yes, she did

"Stop ! Help ! you doing ! " shrieked the poor dragon, falling half way out herself But the good witch had disappeared, staff, cap, spectacles and all And in her desperate concern for her unfortunate mistress, Agnes lost her balance and, falling out the witch's window, disappeared as quickly and completely as Tattypoo So , no one to answer the door

"Rap ! Rap ! Rap ! " The knocker rose and fell Then the latch was lifted cautiously and in stepped small boy It Prince Ozure Isles, blue gull had brought him straight good witch's door

"Tattypoo ! " called Philador softly "Where , Tattypoo ? " But no reply-only the rush of black shape cat with two tails scampered across the cottage floor and jumped low window

CHAPTER 8

The Man Bottle

THE firelight lit up the little cottage quite cheerfully and after looking all over and even taking candle end attic, Philador curled up in big easy chair to await the return good witch "She's probably out visiting neighbor," decided the little Prince sleepily The chair was so comfortable, and Philador so drowsy long fly night air, he soon fell fast asleep and dreamed he had found his royal mother and saved his father's kingdom soft thud lap wakened him next morning and starting up in alarm he looked straight green eyes cat with two tails

"Well," sniffed the cat, transferring herself arm chair, "since still here fetch me my breakfast "

"But where's Tattypoo ? " cried Philador, rubbing his eyes and trying not to show his astonishment at two tailed cat

"Gone ! " announced the cat calmly washing her face

"Gone ! " exclaimed the little Prince jumping feet in great distress "Why, where has she gone ? "

"Oh, she probably fell down the well," muttered the cat, walking unconcernedly toward the kitchen

"You don't really mean that she fell down the well ? " begged Philador, running distractedly unfeeling creature "Not really ? "

"How should ? " yawned the cat "The milk is chest, boy Just pour me full saucer, ? " Her eyes glittered so cruelly and she sharpened her claws so suggestively rug, Philador hastily opened the chest, took out jug of milk and poured her full saucer Then dropping into kitchen chair he wondered what in Oz next He had counted so entirely on Tattypoo's help that without her utterly lost and bewildered The witch's cat looked at him curiously and after she had finished her milk, deigned " message slate stove," she announced stepping daintily open door forest Immediately Philador rushed over stove Sure enough, slate hanging wall, but nothing written With sigh the little boy was turning away, pencil hanging on cord beside the slate moved upward and began to write smooth black surface Philador's scalp prickled uncomfortably odd occurrence, but recovering himself quickly, he leaned forward to read the message

"The good witch North will never return ! " stated the pencil mournfully, and falling the full length cord swung excitedly to and fro Such message was almost worse than none and Philador stared in horror gloomy announcement If Tattypoo never was coming back, how could she help him save the Kingdom, and without Tattypoo to help him how was he to save the Ozure Isles all by himself ? The slate must of magic sort, for while the little Prince stood dismally wondering what , the pencil began scribbling second message

"Go Emerald City, Ozma of Oz will ," wrote the pencil in firm, decided hand Philador waited whether any more advice was coming but the pencil dropped beside the slate and refused to write another word With only two days left before Quiberon would destroy his father's Kingdom, the little boy see how ever to reach the Emerald City , especially as even know direction it lay Going over little window he drew aside the checked curtain and looked out Deep and impenetrable, the purple forest loomed up on all sides, and with long sigh Philador let the curtain drop and went back chair But not long before his natural courage and cheerfulness began to reassert itself Surely the good witch's slate advise him Emerald City journey were impossible and, jumping up resolutely, Philador began his preparations

First he cooked himself some breakfast There were bread and coffee cupboard, and eggs and milk chest and after he had eaten, Philador's spirits rose considerably Putting loaf of bread, square of butter, some cheese and jar of honey into small basket, about to step out forest, when really splendid idea occurred to him Perhaps some magic contrivance good witch's hut to help him journey Setting down the basket, Philador searched carefully whole cottage and in small shed back found Tattypoo's witch workshop huge cauldron hanging on crane was set large fire place The walls were lined with shelves shelves covered with curious boxes and bottles With both hands pockets crown back head, the little Prince tried to decide which The labels were mostly in magic, language Philador had unfortunately never studied Taking down blue box he started to open it Now this box had an eyelid and it winked at Philador so knowingly that jump and knocked simply enormous bottle shelf over his head The bottle fell floor with loud crash, breaking into three separate pieces and thick brown liquid began to ooze out floor As Philador, dropping the blue box, looked down in fright and dismay, the liquid began to run shape of man Backing into corner the little Prince watched the queer figure forming floor It grew more and more distinct, thickening middle and finally as Philador, with both hands before his face, backed as far corner as , the man bottle curled upward and made him deep bow

" ," he began in husky voice "I've been shut up bottle for thirty years and thought shelved for life "

"Wh~ you ? " stuttered Philador in an unsteady voice "And how did you get bottle ? " He half expected the man to melt and run away, but the liquid formed seemed hardened perfectly and, except strange eyes and powdered hair, the old fellow looked almost natural He sighed deeply little Prince's question and seating himself on low bench, motioned Prince to sit beside him Rather nervously Philador seated himself other end bench

" medicine man, and Gilliken," began the old gentleman solemnly

! thought Philador with little chuckle Who but medicine man would come out of bottle !

"I spent my whole life studying cures and remedies, but though I hung out my sign, and had office hours every day, no one ever came to consult me," said the medicine man sorrowfully "But not strange stop to consider that no one in Oz is ever ill; however, very dull

The little Prince nodded sympathetically and gave slight start as he noticed first time medicine man's eyes were cough drops so interested discovery he missed whole sentence old fellow's story "So I decided to travel," the medicine man was now hurrying on to explain, "and discover cures for trouble Oz people really did suffer from, such as impatience, bad tempers, rudeness and so on forests hereabout grow many powerful roots and herbs and while searching for an herb talkativeness that I met the wicked witch North "

"Mombi ! " gasped Philador, edging closer, and thinking mischief this old sorceress was responsible for

"Yes, Mombi ! " sighed the medicine man mournfully "I had great cauldron of cough mixture, which I always use basis for all my cures, boiling over the fire, and Mombi, declaring I had stolen her rarest herbs, threw me pot " Philador shuddered fairly see the furious witch pouncing helpless little gentleman

"Didn't you fight ? " he asked, medicine man stared sadly at his boots

"Oh, yes ! " the little fellow assured him earnestly, "but Mombi had the strength of ten men and tumbled me cauldron before even call for help Being native of Oz, I utterly destroyed I remember quite distinctly melting cough mixture and later being poured into bottle I recall nothing till you knocked me shelf How do I look ? " he asked

"You look all right ," answered Philador kindly "How feel ? "

"Well," answered the medicine man, clearing his throat experimentally, " little hoarse, but I suppose that's the cough mixture " Jumping briskly feet he walked over to large mirror that hung wall shed, and leaning forward stared long and earnestly at his reflection