"Great moguls ! I never thought ! " Shifting from one foot other, the oztrich looked nervously down at his child " carry my egg go away from here," he murmured in troubled voice "Might go Emerald City I've always wanted the capital Just wait though, till I get my bearings ! " Burying his head sand again, the oztrich stood perfectly motionless for nearly ten minutes Fidgeting with impatience and dodging trees and rocks as best , Peter companions waited anxiously head to reappear It came up so suddenly, when it did come, that Grumpy fell over backward

"Don't speak," warned Ozwold in tense voice "Don't speak or I'm lost Climb up and we'll start at once ! "

Scraps, taking running jump, landed safely oztrich's back Then Peter carefully handed up the egg and, boosted little bear, took his place behind Scraps Grumpy himself climbed aloft with no difficulty and were fairly settled the oztrich began pounding across the Bewilderness It missed all the trees and rocks very cleverly and, as it travelled nearly mile minute, conversation was Scraps, for greater security, wound her long arms about its neck, Peter had his arms 'round Scrap's waist, the egg balanced carefully lap and Grumpy, blinking and gasping, bounced up and down behind Peter

" it knows where it's going," thought Peter, wind whistled through his hair desert sand stung his cheeks and eyelids For almost half hour the oztrich rushed along like an express, then changing its gait began to travel more slowly They had come end Bewilderness by now and Peter was relieved again the yellow farms and fields Winkies

"I've thought of something ! " exclaimed Peter, leaning forward to whisper Patchwork Girl's ear "If Ruggedo is afraid of hen's eggs wouldn't an oztrich egg frighten him much more ? "

"Hurrah ! Hurray, well say ! " Squirming round, Scraps looked delightedly huge egg in Peter's lap " Ruggedo, throw it at his head," advised Scraps, in an excited whisper

"But I promised it safe oztrich," objected Peter uneasily, "and 't break my promise, can I ? "

"You'd be breaking the egg, not your promise," said Scraps earnestly "Besides, Ozma's more important than an oztrich egg "

"I'll threaten to throw it," decided Peter "Anyway, we'll wait till we come Emerald City Hello, what's this ? " Looming up ahead was high yellow wall With snort of displeasure, the oztrich came to halt

"Do any gate ? " he wheezed, curling his long neck around at Peter

" something over there right," answered the little boy, "But sure safe place through ? "

"No," admitted the Oztrich hoarsely, "but unless we go through, how are we on Emerald City ? "

"I'll open the gate," volunteered Scraps, slipping easily ground Running over right, Scraps soon found the hollowed out space Peter had noticed, but instead of gate, an upright piano was wedged opening Scraps tried over the top, but too tall Then she tried to shove it aside, but too heavy So shrugging her shoulders and tossing back her yarn, Scraps sat down piano and started to play the Grand March of Oz, which she practicing faithfully on Dorothy's piano back palace first chord, the piano, moved on an invisible hinge, fell backwards and Scraps, taken entirely by surprise, jumped over the top The oztrich was not slow and he had barely jumped over the fallen piano before it snapped back into its upright position, shutting them queerest city Peter had yet seen

CHAPTER 13

Tune Town Sings the Wanderers Onward

"NOW how did this happen ! " Sitting exactly where she had fallen, Scraps folded her arms dramatically

"Opening chords ! " boomed deep voice, and out from niche wall sprang handsome person in bandmaster's uniform "The gates of Tune Town are locked with piano keys," he explained graciously, "so struck the opening chords, you fell in "

" ," murmured Ozwold "But now that in, how do we get out ? "

"Out of tune ? " exclaimed the bandmaster in shocked voice "Don't get out of tune, I beg of you, besides it's against the law May I call your attention to our principle laws here ? "

Raising his baton he pointed to large poster wall and much astonishment, Peter read: "No talking allowed, sing ! No walking permitted, dance ! "

"But you're talking," said Peter, shifting the oztrich egg from one knee other

"Ah, but intermission In moment the music will begin and keep time, keep step and keep moving everything to music here Quick now, which would you rather do, sing and dance or play band ? That bear band, he has such bandy legs ! Would you care band, creature ? "

Grumpy slid down oztrich and shook his head bashfully "Let's stick together," he rumbled under his breath to Peter "Tell him we're quartet "

" very awk," sighed Ozwold, who always clipped off his words when annoyed " bird but sing single note "

"Then keep quiet and dance," advised the bandmaster

"But look here ! " put in Peter impatiently "We don't want to sing and dance, we just want through your town We're in an awful hurry and haven't time in show "

"Say 'Ah ! ' " commanded the bandmaster, giving no attention to Peter's remarks Striking tuning fork on railing before him, he waited expectantly Raising one eyebrow Peter looked at Scraps and as Scraps, jumping to her feet, winked her suspender button eyes, they both burst into loud "ah," Grumpy and Ozwold joining in so vigorously bandmaster's cap blew off

"That's fine," he approved, picking his cap up somewhat nervously "And now you're in tune music starts go where you wish, do what , but step and remember to sing, not , or arrested "

"Oompah ! Oompah ! these strangers ? " Dancing down the marble street came small bobbed-haired Queen, with very short skirt and tunic embroidered all over with fiddles and horns On her head for crown was hollowed out drum and by her side was tom-tom cat, clattering and clanging as he ran along

"Travellers, my dear Jazzma," answered the Bandmaster with bow Queen stared curiously travellers as curiously stared back, the loud roll of drum sounded distance Instantly from every dwelling marched men arrayed in gay uniforms like Oompahs and Tunesters in embroidered tunics like the Queen's, only instead of drums, on their heads they wore bright bandannas

"It's play ! " murmured Peter, as Oompah placed himself hastily head band and all the Tunesters stood waiting with toes stiffly pointed When Oompah raised his baton, the band burst into lively march whole population began dancing in every direction women and girls danced toward the markets, singing out their orders in rhyme, others began sweeping the pavements, carrying on long conversations in song swept Everybody was doing something and doing it to music It really was quite gay and, fluttering his plumes importantly, the oztrich began strutting along in perfect time music Grumpy watching the Queen, who was just ahead, slid and shuffled along skillfully As for Scraps, she simply outdid herself Peter, vantage point oztrich's back, watched the whole performance with great interest, feeling exactly he were in circus parade The inhabitants of Tune Town seemed all to live in flats walls dwellings were covered with lines, notes and scales, while all the streets were marked with musical signs The trees, instead of leaves, bore musical notes and wind swept through them played silvery tunes that mixed not unpleasantly music band Song birds fluttered branches and, quite forgetting the law against speaking, Peter called out to Grumpy to look at them " word , Sing it out in rhyme; wish to spoil our play And throw us out ? " warbled the Queen, waving drum stick at Peter Peter grew very red and while trying up rhymed reply the music started again and Scraps, capering Jazzma, chanted gaily: "You really are funny nation, And must we sing our conversation ? "

The Queen, taking three steps right and four left, nodded vigorously and, looking admiringly Patchwork Girl, sang: "Maiden stay, so gay, I'd like to look at you all day My maid in waiting you shall be And live in rag time harmonee ! "

Peter waited anxiously for Scraps to answer Tune Town was so jolly, almost afraid Scraps would forget their important mission But Scraps, for all her giddiness, was deeply attached to Ozma and extremely worried plans of Ruggedo for her downfall So kicking up her heels, she sang out saucily: " your Majesty would mean To dance attendance on Queen; maid of waiting, not , I'm the Patchwork Girl, But I won't work, wheee ! "

Turning cartwheel, Scraps walked few paces on her hands, then coming right side up, danced amiably along beside Jazzma Peter chuckled to himself and hoped remember all nonsense his grandfather Then, suddenly catching sight of small inn, set back tune trees, he reached over and touched Scraps shoulder terribly hungry, but not being quick at rhymes put his hunger into song Scraps, however, caught his meaning at once and again turned to address the Queen She had to sing quite loud for all the Tunesters were warbling till the confusion was terrible " stopped inn, would us rude ? Your Majesty, my friends crave food ! " bawled Scraps not untunefully

The Queen, who was dancing fox trot and purchasing bouquet from flower girl same time, nodded graciously and screamed back: "Eat , our Viol Inn Is kept famous Daddy Linn, But eat and use your feet, Be careful not to drop beat ! "

Scraps sang back to Queen Jazzma: "Using one's feet to eat's feat We've never tried, nor dropped beat "

"If anyone drops beat, I'll eat it," mumbled Grumpy under his breath Fortunately no one heard him, and in they reached the inn Pausing foot steps and still marking time music, they stared up with great interest so an old gentleman with fiddle body and bow legs came skipping out porch " eat, pay me In harmonee, sweet harmonee ! " sang the Inn Keeper, accompanying himself upon his fiddle body with one bow leg, while he stood other

"Does he mean to sing ? " whispered Peter, sliding off the oztrich and setting the egg down carefully under tree Scraps nodded and while Grumpy oztrich rolled their eyes at her pleadingly, she clasped her cotton hands and sang with great feeling song she had made up about Sir Hokus, the Good Knight of Oz