"Being alive is so strange," sighed the little flower girl, stepping along tremulously

"It's not always like this," whispered the Prince comfortingly terribly frightened himself, but resolved as brave as before this lovely little lady of flowers The dark tower seemed mainland queer underground country and, after short march over the rocks, they came to steep gray mountain door center and Cinders hammered with poker he carried under one arm The door opened immediately and hot red glare smote the travellers face

"John says to send these creatures up, grumbled Cinders, backing light

" medicine's still working ! " groaned Grampa " still feel cool ? "

"Pretty cool,"faltered the Prince of Ragbad "But-"

"Come in," roared the huge fireman, who had opened the door, " chill ? " Snatching Tatters by one hand and Urtha other, he jerked them door and Grampa, seeing that Cinders was about to slam it shut, sprang in quickly after them Blazes was about twice as tall men on Fire Island flaming face was cruel and ugly

"So you're sent up ? " he sneered, staring curiously bewildered little company "Well, you're not worth an eruption, but orders are orders, so up you go ! "

Grampa could find no words to answer, eyes were glued in horror boiling lake of lava, churning about few feet below Thick green smoke curled up toward them in clouds and just as about to order hasty retreat door the keeper volcano seized forty-foot poker and plunged it lake

Next instant it had risen top, caught the four fire-proof travellers in its sulphurous waves and hurled itself frothing and bubbling top earth Being erupted from volcano is such noisy, smothering, altogether terrifying experience that Grampa little army have told happening had they tried And had it not been for Gorba's medicine blown clear story, but, thanks medicine, the boiling lava injure them and having hurled them middle earth and some fifty feet higher earth, the liquid immediately surrounding them began to harden and form flying island

Grampa and Tatters were too dizzy this first indication they had eruption was over, was dreadful bounce and perfect shower of water The water brought them senses and-fearfully opening their eyes-they looked around Horrors ! The volcano was Kingdom of Ev, other side Deadly Desert, and had flung them clear Nonestic Ocean itself ! This great body of water lies far Northwest and mighty few Ozites have ever reached its shores

"Well," coughed Grampa, rubbing his game leg vigorously, " we were goners, but survivors all right ? all here ? "

Urtha shook her lovely fern hair out of her eyes and, strange as it may seem, the little flower girl had come eruption without crushing single posy

"Fair and cooler ! " wheezed Bill, hopping up on little ridge hardened lava

"But how did we get here ? " asked Tatters, rubbing his eyes

"You'll have to ask Blazes," puffed Grampa, "but say I prefer water to fire " Already the spirits old soldier were beginning to rise " far from home, but we're on top again and still moving " Grampa took few marching steps and waved his sword

"And those ? " asked Urtha, standing on tip-toe to point stars wizard's garden there no sky Tatters explained as best little flower girl clasped her hands and gazed up in delight "They're sky flowers," she confided to Bill, but the weather cock was too busy looking fortune to answer

"Seems we're shipwrecked," observed Tatters gloomily Their little island was bobbing up and down on top waves and no land of any kind in sight But Grampa, who investigating the contents knapsack, gave little chuckle The bread and butter they had picked wizard's garden-not being entirely fire proof-was nicely toasted and looked so crisp and inviting made Grampa's mouth water

"What you fussing about ? " said the old soldier, winking Prince " 'Tisn't every-body their supper cooked in volcano " He handed Tatters great pile toast and Prince of Ragbad had eaten dozen slices, he began more cheerful himself

"All is little sleep," yawned the old soldier, after they had finished off the toast, for neither Bill nor Urtha needed food "If Bill will keep watch, you and I had better turn in, for there's no knowing what may happen to-morrow

"I'll keep watch," promised Bill readily

"Hush ! " warned Grampa suddenly, for Urtha, wearied by her strange adventures, had fallen fast asleep middle of counting the stars and lay in fragrant heap, her lovely violet eyes closed tight and all the big and little posies that made up the wonderful little flower girl herself were asleep too

"If she hadn't been fairy," whispered Grampa, looking down at her affectionately, "she wilted take good care of her, my boy, for if there's as lovely little lady anywhere else in Oz "

"She's the only luck we've had," mused Tatters, "and -" The Prince looked up stars and finish his sentence but, rolling up the skin old thread bear, pillow for Urtha's head and he and Grampa went tip-toeing other side island and stretched themselves ground The motion little island, as it rode lightly over the waves, was very soothing and before long the old soldier young prince were sound asleep too, leaving only the weather cock on guard And Bill, in all the years he had spent barn near Chicago, had never felt so important Perched highest ridge island, he kept sharp look-out in all directions, scanning the tumbling waters Nonestic Ocean for signs of fortune and Princess and talking softly to himself starlight

Grampa was having fine dream being presented at court and was just about to shake hands with Princess Ozma herself, when wakened by ton of kitchen tins falling down mountainside Or that's what it sounded like to Grampa Leaping feet, the old soldier snatched up his gun Tatters and Urtha were both sitting bolt upright, rubbing their eyes

"It's Bill ! " yawned the Prince sleepily With an exclamation of disgust, the old soldier threw down his gun and covered his ears The weather cock was indulging morning crow and helping the sun to rise Just as Grampa thought stand it another minute, the frightful clamor ceased

"The sun has risen," announced Bill calmly, "and there's land ahead ! "

bit foggy but, crowding edge island, the little company saw were being carried straight toward land of ice and snow Tatters and Urtha had never seen snow before, for no snow in Oz, but Grampa had read all about such things in Fumbo's books and, while explaining, the little island bumped snowy shores strange ice-bound land

"All off ! " cried Grampa, seizing Urtha hand Tatters ran back umbrella skin old thread bear; then jumped after Grampa flower maiden

"Colder and colder ! " predicted Bill, flying Prince and settling branches of an ice-covered tree But Tatters was not thinking weather With round eyes, studying huge sign that stretched between two tall hemlocks

"The Illustrious Island of Isa Poso," announced the sign, and in smaller letters, "Beware dragon "

"Great Gollywockers ! " gasped the old soldier, reading over Tatters' shoulder "Can't they give feller rest ? "

"What's dragon ? " asked Urtha, touching Tatters arm

CHAPTER 12

The Island of Isa Poso

WHILE Tatters was still studying the sign and explaining dragon to Urtha, the old soldier stepped over to another tree where an even larger sign was displayed what it said:

REWARD ! One-half the kingdom hand Princess Poso slayer dragon Enorma Chin Chilly the Third, King of Isa Poso

"Hah," cried Grampa, with little skip, " more like it ! "

"Like what ? " asked Tatters, blowing stiff fingers

"Like olden times In my youth," said Grampa solemnly, "young lads served armies of strange kings, slew monsters and were rewarded with half the kingdom Princess' hand immediately slay this dragon, my boy, and win the reward Then all left your father's head "

"And I'll find the dragon," volunteered the weather cock, rising frosty air

"What shall ? " asked Urtha, running old soldier

"Just be your lovely little self," smiled Grampa, "and stay where you Why, just to look at you makes me feel like conquering army with banners flying "

Urtha was so happy at Grampa's neat little speech that she blew him kiss and began dancing in circles over the shimmery snow and wherever Urtha's foot rested the snow melted and flowers sprang up, until there were circles of posies pricked out against the snow Grampa and Tatters were so interested almost forgot the icy wind that was blowing over this white, frozen land But soon the Prince, who skin thread bear was thinly clad, began to shiver old soldier to shake in good earnest First he stood other because that was his game leg and not subject to frost bites

"A game leg's mighty fortunate thing," wheezed Grampa huskily, "but we were like Urtha-then we wouldn't feel this pesky wind Let's march on, for stay here we'll freeze stiff " Marching on an empty stomach through strange freezing land was not the pleasantest thing but both Gampa and Tatters stepped out bravely, the young Prince smiling over his shoulder every little flower maiden "It's lucky thing we're not being followed," whispered Grampa, and it certainly was-for after them, in tell-tale row, pansies, tulips, daffodils and forget-me-nots marked out the steps light footed little flower fairy

" we track down this dragon soon, groaned Tatters, pausing to stamp his foot and rub the end nose Icicles were forming on Grampa's whiskers sun, flashing snow, almost blinded the gallant old soldier almost ready to quit

"No wonder the king calls himself Chin Chilly," chattered Grampa dismally "My chin's chilly too; I'm chilly all over Urtha, my dear, do anything that looks like dragon ? "