"The poor silly things look half starved ! " exclaimed Trot, glancing down and back at Shutter Town, as High Boy, without bothering to shorten his legs, stepped over the wall and briskly down the road other side

"They're worse Round-abouties," decided Benny, "and I suppose had stayed any longer insisted upon us growing shutters, too ! "

"Not bad idea, come of it," observed the Scarecrow "With shutters one need never be bored or shocked "

"Shutters extremely becoming ," chuckled High Boy, with vigorous shake umbrella tail

"Hush ! " whispered Trot, who like anyone fun of her old friend

"You mean shut up, I suppose ? " wheezed High Boy "But remember, I'm not Shutter Face, my girl "

"That's so," giggled Trot "If anyone tells them to shut up, they really can I'm going to bring Dorothy and Betsy back here some day what "

"Here's river," announced Philador, who was looking anxiously first signs Emerald City "And magic jumping rope to cross " Holding up the good witch's rope, the little Prince quickly explained how it worked High Boy listened in silence, and when Philador finished tossed his head impatiently

"I've never jumped rope in my life," declared High Boy stubbornly, "and I'm not going now Besides it's not necessary Stay where ! Keep quiet and hold tight ! "

Rather worried and undecided whether to stay on or tumble off, the little company looked uncertainly at one another But could dismount, High Boy shot up two hundred feet and then carefully stepped down river Trot gasped and expected herself under water But only the toes of her shoes touched the water and when High Boy, looking around, saw this, he raised himself higher still and, whole body water feet river bed, carried them safely and slowly across

"Why, you're better than bridge ! " exclaimed Philador, leaning forward him good hug " keep you always "

"Joe couldn't spare me, announced High Boy, self-consciously, "but I'll come you often, Phil, adventure is over Hold on now, I'm going to step out "

The great length of High Boy's legs made his body almost vertical, as he scrambled up the bank But so tightly did his riders hold onto the saddle and to one another, nobody fell off Bringing his legs down with few sharp clicks, High Boy put up his umbrella tail and was about to start on when series of splutters made him look back The high horse had closed his umbrella tail when he stepped river, but lot of water had got in Therefore, when he snapped it up, perfect deluge had come down luckless passengers

" third shower I've had today," coughed the Scarecrow dolefully Benny didn't mind the water at all and Herby, after peering into his medicine chest and discovering that contents were wet, merely gave himself good shake As for Philador and Trot-what could but laughingly accept High Boy's apologies ? late afternoon by now, sun sinking lower and lower behind the hills Since their meeting blue highway, High Boy had come many long mile, and everyone but Benny Scarecrow began tired as hungry

"I'd give my gold tooth for pail of yummy jummy," confessed High Boy, as he slowly mounted small hill "I'm hungry enough to eat a- finish his sentence, but glanced longingly over his shoulder Scarecrow, who immediately ducked behind Benny and began feverishly stuffing stray wisps of straw

"How about sandwich ? " suggested Philador, pulling out the lunch basket Queen Hyacinth had filled so generously

"A sandwich no more than cracker crumb ," exclaimed High Boy disdainfully

"Well, what's yummy jummy ? " asked Trot, accepting with smile the chicken sandwich the little Prince held out to her

"Oats, hay, bran, brown sugar and grape juice," explained High Boy, smacking his lips and closing his eyes " they'd mix me up pail when we reach this Emerald City of yours ? "

" ," promised Trot, "but couldn't you stop and eat little grass or tree leaves ? "

"Grass is too short, besides, I never eat grass or leaves at night," announced High Boy, turning up his nose "Gives me grasstreetus " For time the little company progressed in silence, Herby, Trot and Philador contentedly munching the dainty sandwiches and Benny enjoying the scenery As it grew darker, an overpowering drowsiness stole over Trot and Philador High Boy, too, began to yawn so terrifically that his passengers were nearly thrown saddle

"If that again, I'll fall off," quavered the Scarecrow, clasping his arms 'round Benny's waist

"Wait," whispered Herby, " remedy " Unbuckling Trot's belt, Herby opened his medicine chest and drew out box of pills "These are my famous 'Keep Awake' pills," he explained proudly, swallowing two, "and these others will prevent yawning "

"Whoa ! " gasped Philador as High Boy's last "hah, hoh, hum ! " lifted them foot air "Whoa ! " The high horse was glad enough to whoa and, looking around with half closed eyes, inquired the reason for their stop

"Take these," directed Philador, slipping two Keep Awake pills and three yawn lozenges 'down High Boy's throat Sleepily High Boy swallowed the dose The effect was startling and instantaneous His eyes opened wide, his teeth clicked together and next minute streaking down the road so fast that Trot's hair blew straight out behind little Prince's cloak snapped wind

"Better take some yourselves," advised Herby holding out the boxes to Trot "For fall asleep you'll fall off and then where'll you be ? "

little nervously, Trot swallowed the Keep Awake pills and yawn lozenges Philador then took two of each and immediately they both felt wide awake and full of energy

" real wizard, Herby" admitted the Scarecrow, noting admiringly the effect pills, "and ought great hit capital "

" so ? " puffed Herby breathlessly, as he bounced up and down "Are we almost there ? " hard , for night and only few stars twinkled sky But presently Trot gave little shout of relief and satisfaction

"See that green glow ? " cried the little girl with an excited wave "They're the tower lights castle Hurry up, High Boy We're almost there ! " At Trot's words, High Boy gathered his long legs together and fairly flew over hills and across fields, in an hour they reached the Emerald City itself still fairly early, lovely capital, of Oz shimmered as only jeweled city can

CHAPTER 16

The Lost Queen Returns

same evening that Trot and her companions were arriving Emerald City, Cheeriobed councilors sat talking great blue throne room palace All day the King had watched coming of Ozma return of Philador, and hours dragged on he had become more and more restless and uneasy Shortly after lunch, as pacing anxiously up and down garden paths, amazed Orpah hobbling rapidly toward him

nearly twenty years keeper King's sea horses carried off by Quiberon, and Cheeriobed had never expected his faithful servitor again Rubbing his eyes sure not dreaming, the astounded monarch rushed forward to greet the old mer-man After hearty embrace, which wet His Majesty considerably, Orpah having stepped directly water, they sat down on sapphire bench King begged Orpah him at once all that had happened

Brushing over his long weary imprisonment in Cave City, Orpah hurried on coming of Trot and her strange friends His lively description encounter Cave Men, the way they had outwitted and trapped Quiberon narrow passageway, filled Cheeriobed with wonder and relief And mer-man went on him explosion blue ray that had carried them across the bottom lake mainland, Cheeriobed smiled first time since Quiberon had threatened his kingdom

"Now," declared the good King, slapping his knee happily, " nothing to worry us Quiberon is prisoner, the mortal child has escaped injury and Akbad has saved my son and persuaded Ozma here, save the kingdom, and restore the Queen "

Here he stopped Orpah how the Court Soothsayer had picked the golden pear and flown with Philador capital, invoking Ozma's aid and carrying the mortal maid to Quiberon's cavern

"I expect Ozma any moment now," puffed Cheeriobed, shading his eyes and looking out over the lake words, Akbad, who was hiding behind the King's bench, covered his ears and slunk miserably away How could he ever explain the failure of Ozma to appear, or account strange disappearance little Prince ? Again and again he tried to fly away Ozure Isles, but the golden wings refused to carry him beyond the edge beach and when in despair he cast himself water, they kept him afloat, even drowning was denied the cowardly fellow Dragging his wings disconsolately behind him, he trailed palace, or perched forlornly tree tops, and when, late evening, Cheeriobed summoned all advisors throne room, the Soothsayer came slowly and unwillingly conference Orpah, tail in bucket of salt water, sat King's right and Toddledy, thumbing anxiously over an old book of maps, sat King's left Umtillio, nearby, strummed idly on golden harp and Akbad, after longing glance chair set out for him, flew up chandelier where plenty of space wings and where sit down with some comfort Ranged 'round the conference table were the officers Guard and members King's household, all listened attentively as Cheeriobed began his address

"Tomorrow day Quiberon has threatened to destroy us," began His Majesty gravely, "and as escape it were best to devise some means of defense "

"They all nodded approvingly words but said nothing "Has anyone suggestion ? " asked Cheeriobed, folding his hands stomach and looking inquiringly over his spectacles

"I we all go to bed," yawned the Captain Guard "Then we'll be rested and ready for battle, if battle ! "

"Why bother when Quiberon is stuck fast cavern ? " asked Akbad impatiently

"That's so," mused Toddledy " not before Ozma arrives When did Her Highness say come ? " he asked, squinting up Court Soothsayer

"Just Wizard of Oz returns blue forest," answered Akbad sulkily

"When Trot and her friends reach the Emerald city, persuade her right away," put in Orpah, " promised back with her astonished stone man," finished Orpah solemnly