" wisdom to suppose ! " sniffed Pudge "Hush ! thinking and presently speak again " He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers forehead and after short silence, during which Mrs Sew-and-Sew took quick swallow of coffee and Grampa hasty pinch of snuff, he spoke again " rainy day," announced Pudge most solemn voice, "the rainy day long predicted King has lost his head ourselves see what he has saved up Come ! "

Marching King's best bed chamber, Pudge flung open the cupboard and there beside Fumbo's worn cloak hung he had saved up for rainy day-a huge red umbrella

"And must Tatters go out into Oz with only this to protect him from danger ? " wailed Mrs Sew-and-Sew, beginning to sneeze again

"No ! " declared Grampa, stamping his good foot "I myself will accompany him ! "

"Oh, Grampa ! " cried the Prince, who was too young to realize the dangers of head hunting or the hardship of fortune finding, "may we start at once ? "

"Hush ! " mumbled Pudge, holding up his finger, " thinking " Blowing out his cheeks, he stood perfectly quiet for about as long as it would take to count ten

"To-morrow morning the time to start," said the old Wise Man " return King " Sobering bit thought unfortunate father, Prince Tatters followed them down stairs, but every little hop, idea of setting out an adventure thrilled him tremendously reached the throne room, Fumbo was leaning quietly against the post He had evidently become more used loss head and was busily twiddling his thumbs

" just get him false head till his own," sighed Granpa, thumping the King affectionately back, " look more natural Ah, it ! " Plunging out wet garden, the old soldier plucked huge cabbage and hurrying back set it King's shoulders But no sooner had he done so than Fumbo broke the cord tying him pillar, rushed kitchen and tried to climb soup pot ! Indeed, Mrs Sew-and-Sew snatched off his cabbage head just to save him further calamity

Panting little exertion and surprise they all sat down again But the news had spread village, twenty-four rustic laborers, the Miller, Baker Redsmith came hurrying castle to offer their services They were subjects proud of, let me tell you, though little odd looking in their patched and many colored garments They listened in respectful silence while Grampa told all strange plight of King Fumbo

" King an iron head," volunteered the Redsmith eagerly He had forge next mill and did all the iron work in Ragbad

"No, no ! " protested Grampa "Iron is too hard Mrs Sew-and-Sew to break her knuckles ? " he finished indignantly, then dodged behind pillar, because not generally known that Mrs Sew-and-Sew boxed the King's ears every morning

" King new bun -er-head," puffed the Baker, stepping forward importantly, "a head as good as his own ! "

"You mean doughnut ? " asked Grampa in astonishment "Why, splendid ! " Fortunately no one heard him and as Mrs Sew-and-Sew was pleased idea the Baker hurried kitchen and with several raisins, some flour, spices, milk and butter, kneaded up and baked head that image of Fumbo's own It had melancholy prune eyes, red icing for hair and cinnamon whiskers Once it glued King's shoulders everyone drew deep sigh of relief and Fumbo himself walked calmly throne and sat down Promising to bake new heads were needed, the Baker said good-night, and as growing late the others said good-night too and marched back village to repair the damage done storm

But castle itself, little sleep that night King Fumbo never closed his prune eyes, Baker had given him no eyelids Prince Tatters, though packed off early to bed, could do nothing but twist and turn and think wonderful adventures seeking his fortune Mrs Sew-and-Sew sat up till the morning star rose over Red Mountain, mending and piecing the few poor garments the Prince possessed, and thinking up good advice him breakfast

Grampa, too, had much to occupy him, oiling his gun, packing his knapsack and polishing his sword and game leg Many old soldiers do lot of talking about game legs, but Grampa had the real genuine article It buckled on knee and was an oblong red and white ivory box that opened out like checker board when one wanted to play Jointed neatly end of another red box that Grampa used for foot, contained the little red figures one used for playing The game itself was known as scrum and was great favorite in Ragbad, being bit like checkers, bit like parchesi and bit like chess

Grampa was very proud game leg, served him in place one he had lost in battle, but whiled away many dull hours, and being hollow was splendid place to store his pipe and tobacco The old soldier had seventy-five pipes and deciding which to carry took longer than all his other preparations At last even this important matter was settled and he lay down to snatch few hours' sleep before morning And morning came in almost no time, the sun rising so bright and cheerily that even Mrs Sew-and-Sew took heart, and when Grampa stuck his head kitchen door how breakfast was coming she told him how she intended to refurnish the entire castle when he returned King's head fortune

"Fine ! " cried the old soldier, who was in excellent spirits himself "And just sew button shirt I'll be ready to start at once ! " So while Grampa went on breakfast Mrs Sew-and-Sew, who was frightfully clever with her needle, sewed button shirt That was all Grampa needed to complete his outfit, so he hurried up stairs to waken the Prince, and at eight o'clock precisely the old soldier and Tatters issued forth palace gates

Grampa wore the red uniform Ragbad Guards, with its scarlet coat and checkered trousers and carried his knapsack, gun and sword, but his trusty drum Prince Tatters, over his many colored rag suit, had flung the shaggy skin of thread bear, and big umbrella grasped firmly in one hand and box of lunch other, presented so brave and determined an appearance twenty-seven good men of Ragbad, drawn bid them farewell, burst into loud cheers The children waved their hats and handkerchiefs and strewed the path two heroes bunches of posies and ragweed they had risen at dawn to gather Mrs Sew-and-Sew King stood balcony waving their arms-she waving both hers -for poor Fumbo, dough head, had no way of knowing what the excitement was all about and stood there without as blinking prune

"Good-bye ! " choked Mrs Sew-and-Sew, steadying Fumbo with one hand and fluttering her apron other "Don't forget your father's head ! "

"Good-bye ! " shouted Pudge, leaning far out window tower to wave his red night cap Pudge never rose till ten

Grampa touched his cap, Prince Tatters waved his umbrella, and having taken the patched flag of Ragbad from Scroggles, who had accompanied them thus far, they wheeled sharply left and marched down the broad red highway that led straight out into other and dangerous lands of Oz !

CHAPTER 3

The Blue Forest of Oz

GRAMPA," said Prince Tatters, two adventurers had marched along for time in silence, "Pudge tell us where to look father's head, nor where the Princess fortune "

"Trust wise man ," replied the old soldier, striking match game leg and lighting his pipe

"Then where are we going Grampa ? " asked the Prince, shifting his umbrella other arm and adjusting his stride old soldier

"That," puffed Grampa, "depends four-pence " Stopping short, small coin pocket On one side head of King Fumbo and other the coat of arms of Ragbad " not be wise man," explained Grampa, tossing the coin palm, "but your father's head can only be restored by magic but two people left in Oz permitted to practice magic One is Glinda, the good sorceress and Queen own Quadling country other Wizard of Oz, who lives palace of Princess Ozma, ruler of all Oz "

Tatters nodded impatiently, for he had learned all this history book

"So," continued Grampa, " march either East-for Glinda's castle is direction or North Emerald City palace of Ozma of Oz Which shall it be ? Heads for Ozma, arms for Glinda ! "

Up flew the four-pence and Prince Tatters, dropping knee, gave little cry of delight-for Fumbo's head was uppermost

"The King has decided himself," chuckled Grampa, pocketing the coin, "so North we go Emerald City We'll be way, my lad, and who knows but way pick up fortune or Princess-and couple of new pipes and some rare old Oz tobacco," finished the old soldier, half closing his eyes These last two items interest Prince Tatters, but the thought of visiting the Capitol of Oz, of seeing Princess Ozma, the little fairy ruler, and being presented at court, sent the Prince, who had spent his whole life shabby little kingdom of Ragbad, marching along the red highway so fast that Grampa had double time up

Tatters began rehearsing all Mrs Sew-and-Sew had taught him of court manners and speech and wondering whether he had better speak to Grampa about his bad habits The old soldier had but two One was eating sword other was taking snuff, but after sidelong glance at Grampa, trudging happily at his side, the Prince decided to wait until they reached the Emerald City before offering any advice on etiquette Even Tatters realize how long journey in general way that Oz is great oblong kingdom, divided into four large countries and many small ones, and Emerald City is exact center

maps of Oz Prince's geography the southern Quadling country was marked in red; the country West, settled Munchkins, was marked in blue; the northern Gilliken country in purple; land Winkies, which lay East, was colored yellow- were the national colors countries represented