"Trot out your tale, little girl," invited High Boy, swallowing hard and removing his eyes Scarecrow with evident effort Philador added his entreaties to High Boy's Trot began at once to recount their amazing experiences in Quiberon's cave

"Why, it all fits together ! " exclaimed the little Prince, jumping up excitedly "Quiberon demands mortal maiden or threatens to destroy our Kingdom in three days Somehow or other someone or other flew off Emerald City , though imagine my father allowing such thing and no bird-men Ozure Isles "

" , child ? " asked High Boy, waving his hoof reprovingly at Phil "Let the young lady finish her story, Princeling " So Philador sat down, and Trot, after telling her name and explaining the strange coming to life of Benny, went on with their further adventures, their meeting with Orpah and their final escape by explosion mainland

"Orpah told us all about Mombi's wickedness," finished Trot, in an anxious voice, "and we were way Emerald City to ask Ozma to help your father when we bumped into you

"And carry you there," promised High Boy with little snort of pleasure "A girl named Trot can ride me any day fine, horsey sounding name ! care for riding, my dear ? " Trot nodded enthusiastically and smiled up most comical beast Then Philador, stepping out center ring, told everything that had happened to him blue gull left him good witch's hut Trot Scarecrow were both astonished and alarmed to learn of Tattypoo's disappearance, and as interested medicine man as Philador in Benny Benny himself listened gravely whole recital and conclusion began rubbing his chin in deep perplexity

"If Mombi stole Philador's mother when two years old," he muttered in puzzled voice, "and Mombi witch North for twenty years, how that Philador grown up ? " They all laughed heartily stone man's question

"Because we stay one age as long as , in Oz," answered the little Prince gaily "I like being ten, so I've been ten for ever "

"So have I," declared Trot "Nobody grows up here unless to, Benny Isn't that fine ? "

"Fine, but funny," acknowledged the stone man, looking from one other

"Everything in Oz is fine but funny," admitted the Scarecrow, turning an exuberant somersault "look at High Boy and look at me ! "

"You'd make fine lunch," observed High Boy, lifting his nose hungrily

"Don't we'd better start on ? " Trot, Scarecrow, with an indignant glance at High Boy, sprang behind tree "Even though Quiberon cannot get out destroy the Ozure Isles, Cheeriobed worried about Philador and Ozma ought good witch's disappearance right away

"Right ! " Pulling himself feet, High Boy capered and pranced, first stretching his telescope legs up till his body was out of sight and then decreasing their length till his stomach rested ground

" consider him safe ? " whispered Benny, observing High Boy's antics with worried frown "Had we not better walk ? "

"Far better," quavered the Scarecrow, from behind his tree

"Oh come, get on ! " coaxed High Boy " only teasing I wouldn't harm hay of your head," he promised merrily " as Trot likes you, I'll carry you anywhere "

"Better get on while he's down," advised the medicine man, making ready to mount

"He's very fast runner," added Philador, smiling at Trot

"And will save you breath, steps and time," whinnied High Boy, shaking his mane impatiently "Up my brave Kingdom savers ! " Realizing that reach the Emerald City much faster on High Boy, Trot spoke few words Scarecrow and after little coaxing he consented , climbing up after all the others so as far from High Boy's teeth as possible

Fortunately the high horse's back was long plenty of room all First came the little Prince Ozure Isles, then Herby, then Trot, then Benny, and last of all the Scarecrow

"Now hold tight," warned High Boy, rolling his eyes back gleefully, "and all ready ! " Slapping the reins neck, Philador ordered him up Whirling 'round direction indicated Scarecrow, High Boy got up but shot up so high see over the tree tops, and ran so fast clung breathlessly together

"How's that ? " inquired the King's steed, looking proudly around at Trot

"Fu-fine ! " stuttered the little girl, "but couldn't you trot little slower, High Boy ? " "I'll trot slower for Trot, Though I'd much rather not, pace, race And I canter, lot ! "

chortled High Boy, snapping up his umbrella tail as sample of each gait

"He's awfully smart," confided Philador in loud whisper "And we ought to reach the Emerald City tonight very latest " Trot nodded enthusiastically and as she became more accustomed jerky gait high horse she found it strangely exhilarating

Imagine being able to look over the tree tops gallop along the road ! Every once in while High Boy would drop down to lower level so his riders whether anyone was passing While jogging along about five feet ground, farmer turned lane driving huge herd of cattle and called loudly for High Boy way Instead, High Boy merely turned sideways and shot upward, allowing the whole procession under his body

Leaning over, Trot and Philador saw the farmer sitting middle road mopping his forehead, laughingly agreed that traveling on High Boy most interesting experience they had yet had The Scarecrow was still uneasy about his stuffing, but even enjoying the ride, pointing out all the sights to Benny medicine man, and explaining all the treats in store reached the Emerald City

" imagine who carried you Ozure Isles sure not the blue gull ? " questioned Philador, as High Boy jogged comfortably along the blue highway

"No, man with golden wings," insisted Trot positively, "and been terribly strong carried Benny all that way

As Philador still puzzled over the strange birdman, she called out suddenly: "Why, gone right by Jinjur's house ! "

"So ! " muttered the Scarecrow, looking back regretfully "She'd have given you some fine ginger-bread, too "

"Never mind," neighed High Boy "We'll be Emerald City for tea and there's village just ahead Maybe they'll have some fresh cake or buns " Stretching up his long legs, High Boy looked over the walls little town next turn road It seemed entirely deserted and all the houses had shuttered windows and tightly locked doors Dropping down to regular horse size, High Boy trotted wooden door wall and butted his head three times against the panels

For moment absolute silence, and then muffled voice called out crossly: "Can't you read ? "

"It says 'Keep Out ! ' "whispered Trot, leaning over so read the sign nailed door

"Can't you in ? " bellowed High Boy, beginning to stamp with impatience delay "We're in hurry town in, hear ? "

"I hear ! " shouted the voice defiantly, "But I'll not let you in I'm the Out Keeper "

"Hah, hah ! " roared the Scarecrow "I've often heard of an Inn Keeper but never an Out Keeper Come out, Keeper, and let's have look at you ! "

Almost instantly the top section door flew open upper half and head Out Keeper appeared

"Help ! " gasped Trot, clutching the medicine man And no wonder !

CHAPTER 15

The Shutter Faces

THE face Out Keeper was entirely hidden behind blue shutters They seemed to sprout out behind the ears on each side head and fasten securely in front with two bolts

"I suppose he hears slats," said Philador, leaning back to whisper this observation medicine man

"Perfectly ! " answered the Out Keeper " see slats, too ? " asked Herby, quite interested fellow's singular

"No ! ' snapped the Out Keeper crossly "But who wants ? Most people worth looking at Presently shut my shutters tight and then neither see you nor listen ," he finished triumphantly

"But we'll still be here ! " whinnied High Boy, with mischievous prance Leaning forward he thrust his head opening, seized the Out Keeper seat pantaloons and, withdrawing his head, stretched up his telescope legs and stepped calmly over the wall "That's the way to handle an O K ," snickered High Boy, dropping the Out Keeper carelessly in clump of pickle bushes

"I'm not an O K ! " shrieked the Out Keeper, springing furiously pickle bushes "I'm Shutter Face ! " Pulling back the bolts that fastened his shutters, he glared out travelers The face back blue shutters was pale, flat and disagreeable After long, horrified look at High Boy others, the Out Keeper jumped foot air and then ran screaming down the street, his shutters flapping and slamming against the sides head "Bandits ! Robbers ! Donkeys and thieves ! " he cried shrilly "Here ! Shut the shutters ! Bolt the windows and lock the doors Shut up ! Shut up ! Everybody shut up ! "

"Shut up your ownself ! " yelled the Scarecrow gleefully, as High Boy, letting himself down to lower level, cantered mischievously frightened little man Although the whole town was shut up with, gate keeper's loud cries the travelers could hear extra bolts being shot into place

"What's the matter, Tighty ? " called gruff voice Looking up in surprise, Trot saw huge Shutter Face, sitting cross legged on tall chimney

"Bandits, Your Majesty ! " Panting with exhaustion, the Out Keeper looked imploringly up chimney

"How did they get in ? " asked the chimney squatter, opening the slats on one side so hear

"Stepped over the wall," choked Tighty, looking apprehensively over his shoulder at High Boy

"Ridiculous and impossible," sniffed His Majesty, crossing his legs comfortably "I neither saw nor heard anyone come over the wall "

"How expect or hear, hid behind those blue blinkers ? " inquired the Scarecrow, as High Boy came to stop in front chimney

"Fall down the chimney ! Fall down the chimney ! " quavered the Out Keeper, dashing into doorway "And don't say I never warned you ! " For moment Trot thought His Majesty was going Tighty's advice, but thinking better of it, the King called pompously: "I refuse to hear, see or believe such nonsense ! " Shutting the slats shutters the King folded his arms and continued to sit defiantly chimney

"Shall I shove him down ? " whispered High Boy, looking around at Philador "If he or hear, perhaps feel "

"No ! " laughed the little Prince, "they've really done us no harm, so why should we hurt them ? Look ! Everything's shutting up, even the hedges ! " The hedges surounding the small, closely shuttered houses were real box hedges and as High Boy clattered streets they began slamming their lids as fast as Even the flowers growing stiff little gardens promptly shut up travelers passed and with real relief reached the other side town