"It's good enough place for picnic," puffed the old soldier, dusting his game leg, "but then we're not on picnic ! "

"No," sighed Tatters, sinking down on bench, "we're not on picnic, for there's nothing to eat "

" were made of iron like never be hungry," crowed the weather cock, proudly " cast in iron, but what shall now, Mr Grampa ? "

"Fly up how high the hedge is," directed the old soldier, "while Tatters and I try to cut an opening " Pleased of some service, Bill hurled himself upward, and Grampa sword and Tatters rusty pen knife began hacking hedge But as fast cut away the twigs, others grew and after ten minutes hard work they gave up in despair Then down came Bill discouraging news that he had flown as high as , top hedge was still nowhere in sight "But the wind is blowing north," finished the weather cock calmly

"Bother the wind ! " sputtered Grampa

"Must we stay here till we starve," groaned Tatters, "and never find my father's head or the fortune at all ? "

"Fortune," repeated Bill, putting his head on one side as word brought something mind "Don't worry , for already found the fortune " And while Grampa Prince stared at him in amazement, he touched claw tiny golden key suspended on thin chain round his neck and neither had noticed it before

"Why, where did you get that ? " asked Tatters

"I picked it robber chief's pocket," explained Bill, rolling his eyes from one other

"You'd make fine bandit," chuckled Grampa, "but that's not fortune, old fellow ! "

"Then fortune ? " asked Bill, looking terribly disappointed

Grampa pulled his whiskers thoughtfully, for fortune, come right down , is hard to explain

"Well," he began slowly, "it gold, or jewels, or land Anything precious and rare," he finished hastily

"Isn't this gold ? " demanded Bill, holding up the key

"Oh, Grandpa, maybe it's the key bandit's treasure chest," interrupted Tatters excitedly "Let's go back and hunt "

"And how going ? " inquired the old soldier sarcastically "Falling down trees is easy enough, but 't fall up trees like fall up steps However," he added quickly, seeing Tatters' downcast face, " some way out Let's look again "

"I'm going this key," mused Tatters in more cheerful voice, "for I believe " Bill little pat head as the chain off his neck, and somewhat comforted, but still mightily puzzled, the iron weather cock hopped after Grampa they circled the hedge more slowly, the old soldier taking one side and Tatters and Bill the other Bill the discovery-for shining leaves left side the weather cock caught the gleam of gold !

"The fortune ! " he crowed loudly "The fortune ! "

not fortune, but golden gate, and pushing aside the leaves and twigs Grampa and Tatters stared bars loveliest garden they had ever seen The gate was unlocked, and when Grampa pressed upon it shoulder it swung noiselessly inward Fairly holding his breath, Tatters stepped in old soldier, and Bill had just time to hop thorugh gate swung shut again Grampa gave low whistle and Tatters an involuntary cry of admiration Flowering vines and bushes filled the air with delicate fragrance; paths of silvery sand wound in and out trees and arbors; crystal fountains splashed flower beds; and bordering each path and grass grown lane were trees glowing with magic lanterns, lanterns that bloomed as gayly blossoms themselves and lighted up the garden with hundred rainbow sheens all so strange and beautiful that Tatters and Grampa scarcely dared breath but Bill, having been alive only two days, seemed magic gardens quite usual affairs

"Come on," excitedly, "let's find the fortune ! " But golden sign nearest magic tree had caught Tatters' eye and, paying no attention to Bill, he tiptoed over

" Garden of Gorba," announced the sign "Mystery and magic in all its branches "

Grampa had come up behind Tatters "Gorba," muttered the old soldier softly "Now where ? " He pulled the bottle of patent medicine pocket and squinted first sign and then bottle "The same ! " puffed Grampa, for written in gold letters end list of ailments name Gorba

"This the garden wizard that rascally bandit was telling us about," muttered Grampa uneasily " been way here held him up Maybe he's here now ! Hush ! Be careful ! Watch out now ! I wouldn't trust wizard as far as swing chimney smoke ! "

CHAPTER 6

The Wizard's Garden

"MAYBE tell me where my father's head," whispered Tatters excitedly

"Well," admitted Grampa, starting cautiously down silver paths, " good turn, but wizard's more likely us to good gate posts or caterpillars "

"I refuse caterpillar," rasped the weather cock He had flown down and was hopping close to Grampa's heels "I'll give him peck eye ! " Rattling his iron wings, Bill looked around anxiously

"Well, don't forget you're under orders," snapped Grampa severely "No forward falling, crowing or pecking till the word, understand ? "

"I don't believe he's bad wizard," observed the Prince quietly, "his garden is too pretty "

"Pretty is as pretty does," sniffed Grampa "He's practising magic, against the law, and 't get around that, besides-" Just here Grampa trod upon small flagstone path that led across broad stretch of lawn and never finished his sentence at all, stone rose foot air and started bouncing across the green at such rate the old soldier teetered backward and forward and did regular toe dance his balance

"Wait ! " shouted Tatters in alarm, and running after Grampa, himself stepped upon lively flag stones Up rose the stone next thing the Prince of Ragbad was bouncing old soldier, waving his red umbrella and calling frantically for Bill But Bill was already aboard the third stone, and before any had sense enough to jump, the stones bounced straight under silver fountain, dumped off their three startled passengers and went skipping back places walk

"Variable winds and heavy showers," crowed Bill dismally

"Scaps and scribbage ! " sputtered the old soldier " you that wizard was villain Company fall out ! " he commanded gruffly This the company lost no time in doing

"Oh, well," laughed Tatters, rolling from under the drenching spray, "it saves us the trouble of washing our faces But what made them Grampa ? "

Grampa gave himself an angry shake and marched stiffly over flagstone path Carved neatly last stone were these words:

Gorba's Stepping Stones, Guaranteed for seven centuries Stand right foot East, left West Stand on both feet South North stand head

"Well, North's the way cried Tatters eagerly as Grampa finished reading "Maybe they'll carry us all the way to Emerald City "

"Not me ! " snorted the old soldier, taking pinch of snuff "Stand head like, but I'm going to travel right side up or not at all to break your neck ? " he demanded indignantly

"It little rough," admitted Tatters, remembering the way the stones had bumped, "but it's pretty good magic just the same Grampa grunted contemptuously and tightened the fastenings game leg, but even the old soldier stay cross long enchanting garden, and when moment later they happened upon cluster of peach trees he grew quite cheerful again

"Always did like peaches for breakfast," he sighed, impaling one sword Twirling the sword and taking little bites all round, he looked with half closed eyes down the long vistas of lantern lanes " Mrs Sew-and-Sew this," sighed the old soldier pensively Tatters nodded, but impatient more wizard's garden, so filling his pocket with peaches, he ran down the narrowest lanes after Bill, who had already flown ahead another look fortune Opening out lane was smaller and enclosed garden filled strangest bushes Tatters ever had seen grew shape of an animal There were bears, tigers, lions, elephants and deer eyes, noses and mouths were marked by blossoms proper size and shape, that grew cunningly just where they were needed They looked so life-like that for moment the Prince was frightened, but after he had prodded lion bush umbrella and it neither roared nor lashed its green tail he proceeded from one other quite he were in museum And certainly Gorba's animals were queer enough to grace any museum

"Wonder how he makes 'em grow ? " murmured Tatters, finishing his last peach

"Might wonder how he happens wizard," chuckled Grampa, who had come up quietly behind him "Why, better than zoo, it's whole blooming menagerie, and if the secret of it travel all over Oz growing deer and rabbit bushes castle gardens and your fortune made in no time But don't know the secret of it," concluded Grampa, squinting at his old silver watch, "we'd better forward march find way out of here " With many backward glances, Tatters followed him down another lantern lanes, but they had scarcely gone half way hoarse voice weather cock came screeching overhead

"The Princess ! The Princess ! found the Princess ! " crowed Bill, falling with an iron clang path before them

"Be quiet," warned the old soldier anxiously, " the wizard you ? Now then, what's all this nonsense about Princess ? " Grampa winked at Tatters and Tatters winked back, for neither had much faith in Bill's discoveries But the weather cock was too excited to mind Hopping stiffly ahead and pausing every few seconds to urge them forward with wave wing, he led them very center enchanted garden There, on bed of softest moss, surrounded by rose blown hedge, lay the loveliest little maiden ever imagine !

"The Princess," repeated Bill huskily "The Princess ! "