" Urtha," explained Tatters proudly " her in an enchanted garden 's Bill him blue forest, and - oh, father, we've had such strange adven-tures "

"Tell me all ! " sighed Fumbo, closing his eyes and smacking his lips with anticipation

"Not unless you come back ," said Grampa craftily

"We were in an island of fire," began Tatters, while Urtha, who was pressed close at his side, nodded excitedly

"What ! " exclaimed Fumbo, opening his eyes as far as go "I'll come ! " he decided hastily, "and tell me every single bit story "

Grampa smiled slyly, Tatters promised and before change his mind, the old soldier thrust the King's head pink bag Maribella had used for her knitting Then, accompanied little sky shepherdess, Grampa army prepared to leave the sky The other heads looked very sulky passed by but, paying no attention mutterings, Grampa marched edge great pink cloud

"Now what ? " mused the old soldier, staring down anxiously "Are there any steps or air ships about, my dear ? "

Maribella shook her head "But there's rainbow," she cried suddenly "Could you use that ? " Arching edge cloud and down as far as see, curved wide glittering rainbow- storm was over sun was shining clouds Dancing down the rainbow came fairy almost as lovely as Urtha herself Polychrome, the Rain King's daughter, and when Maribella explained that Grampa company were from Oz, she insisted upon kissing them allfor Polychrome had visited in Oz and had met with some fine adventures there

"Come on," cried Polychrome gaily, "I'll show you how to travel on rainbow " Seizing Urtha hand, she began running down the bow and run down steps Calling good bye to Maribella, Grampa and Tatters quickly followed, the Prince carrying his father's head red umbrella and Grampa balancing Bill upon his shoulder

"Now all Princess fortune, and couple of new pipes," sighed Grampa

"Ah, let's go home without them," begged Tatters eagerly " to show Urtha the castle pigeons We don't need fortune happy, Grampa "

"Now don't give up yet," advised Grampa, turning to wag his finger Prince "There's always fortune end rainbow Look ! I believe we're coming down Winkie country, and when ," Grampa pulled his whiskers determinedly, "I'm going myself an anchor I'm tired flying and falling about "

"Use me," crowed Bill, but as he spoke the bow grew suddenly so very slant that instead of running they began to slid - faster and faster and faster

"Good-bye," called Polychrome mischievously "I'd come , but it's my Daddy's birthday and we're having party sky "

Just as Polly came to "party," Grampa army came end rainbow and tumbled off in fine style was hurt tumble, and all scrambled feet as quickly as

"Good-bye, Polychrome," called Urtha She who had breath enough

"Good gracious," puffed the old soldier, " we've not broken your father's head "

"Well, 's not broken it's badly cracked," raged the King stuffily, inside bag " 're going to fling me about like this I'll not stick , hear ? "

The adventurers smiled and silently put their fingers lips, and King Fumbo decided that further protest was useless

CHAPTER 16

Princess Dorothy Escapes

THE TWO DAYS that Grampa little army adventuring wizard's garden, on Fire Island and Isa Poso, Dorothy, Toto Forgetful Poet had spent as prisoners on Monday Mountain Only the friendship of Princess Pearl Borax had saved them from actual harm, Queen Tubbies had nearly carried out her threat of wringing their necks But the Queen finally had sentenced them wash tubs, and from morning till night Dorothy and Percy Vere forced to bend over the wash boards rest wild wash women tribe

during the first day Percy Vere had almost agreed to marry the dreadful daughter old wash woman, for bear dear little Dorothy working like slave The Forgetful Poet himself had never done any hard work, and in an hour he had rubbed all the skin knuckles and all the buttons clothes But Dorothy hear marrying Pearl Borax, so, hiding his own discomfort, Percy did the best her cheerful, reciting his ridiculous rhymes and waving the shirts, stockings and pantaloons around his head whenever the Queen's back was turned Even so, keeping cheerful was hard work and often both grew downhearted

"And Ozma thinks I'm having fine visit Tin Woodman," sighed Dorothy wearily, toward the end second day

"And Peer Haps thinks I'm rescuing his daughter," groaned Percy Vere, letting the Queen's red table cloth slip back into his tub and staring mournfully down Monday Mountain Then seeing that Dorothy was actually near to tears, he tilted his cap over one eye and whispered this verse into her right ear:

"It's wash, splosh, rub

And hang 'em up for dryin',

If sumpin doesn't happen soon

I'll simply burst out- ? "

"C ryin' ! " Dorothy smiled and dashed the tears out of her eyes "Here comes the old lady ! " she finished hurriedly

"Isn't she simply sinoobious," sniffed Percy, dousing the red table cloth up and down water

"What did you say ? " roared the Queen Tubbies

" ," grinned Percy mischievously:

"Her Highness is so beautiful

Her brightness dims the eye,

I'll work here and be dutiful

Until the day I, I- ? "

"Die ! " spluttered Dorothy, clumsy Queen lumbered on with pleased smirk

"Better make up your mind to marry Pearl," she called over her shoulder and Pearl Borax blew Percy wet kiss over her tub of clothes Toto, who was tied to Dorothy's tub, growled fiercely-for he loathed the whole tribe of sloppy, messy wash women

" think of way out," gasped the poor poet unhappily, for life on Monday Mountain, where every day is washday, and every dinner is of potatoes and cabbage, was not endured They over the matter hundred times before and there really seemed no chance of escape at all The tubs tribe were ranged in circle around the mountain top, Dorothy Forgetful Poet were always under guard white fence ran around the mountain, few feet below heard of fence running around before, but the first fence Dorothy every had seen that actually did run tall and spiked and flashed 'round and 'round, till just watching it gave one the headache too high to jump gate only came opposite Dorothy Forgetful Poet once day

dragged up the mountain, the Queen had addressed low word fence Immediately it had stopped had all come gate But the word ? his capture Percy Vere trying to puzzle it out and now, leaning his elbows wash hoard, he began trying again Indeed he thought until he had twelve wrinkles forehead and all at once, like flash of lightning, it came to him such short, sensible word that triumphant skip Next instant splashing the clothes tub so vigorously that wild wash women heard him give Dorothy few quick instructions In five minutes the gate opposite and one minute five were up, the three prisoners dashed down the mountain

"Stop ! " shouted Percy Vere, imperiously hammering fence with rock Oh, joy ! It did stop and, gate was now exactly in front , Percy Vere opened it boldly and pulled Dorothy and Toto through No sooner were they out fence began to spin around as fast as ever, wild wash women, who saw them escape, could follow the gate was half way around the mountain With howls of rage and fright- Tubbies knew Queen furious-the dreadful creatures overturned their wash tubs, and perfect torrent of hot soapy water came cascading down the mountain side, upsetting Dorothy Forgetful Poet and making the path so slippery never stopped sliding till they reached the bottom Breathless, drenched and shaken, but otherwise unhurt, they picked themselves up and, without pausing to rest, all three began running as fast as ever away from Monday Mountain

"How-did-you ever-think-of-telling the fence to stop ? " puffed Dorothy, stopping under broad tulip tree

"Had to ! " gasped Percy, dropping heavily ground and leaning over to pat Toto, who sat, with closed eyes and tongue out, trying to catch up breath Then Percy delivered this gem:

"Far Tubbies, little Princess, And wouldn't they starch and blue and rinse us-"

"Did you say Princess ? " interrupted voice Dorothy and Percy both jumped and Toto gave frightened bark-for sitting on lower branch tulip tree was our old friend Bill

"Did you say Princess ? " crowed the weather cock Percy was too surprised anything but nod iron bird rattled air screaming: "The Princess ! The Princess ! " and flew over the tree tops

CHAPTER 17

The Adventurers Meet

"I DON'T SEE any Princess," sniffed the old soldier, coming to an abrupt halt and eying the two travellers critically Grampa army had barely recovered from their tumble off the rainbow before Bill's cries, announcing the Princess, brought them hurrying tulip tree, where Dorothy and Percy Vere were resting

"Am I dreaming ? " gulped the Forgetful Poet, clutching Dorothy's hand "Am I dreaming or what ? " His eye roved from Grampa's game leg to Tatters' many-hued suit and finally came to rest lovely little flower fairy

" the Princess," insisted Bill, pointing his claw at Dorothy

"Snuff and nonsense ! " snapped the old soldier scornfully "You're regular false alarm, Bill, always going off wrong time Why, that's only dusty little country girl and no proper match Prince at all ! "

Grampa's lofty speech brought Percy quickly out dream

"Don't you be so migh and highty," muttered the Forgetful Poet, drawing himself up proudly "You don't know what you're talking about, you-"No offense ! No offense ! " observed Grampa coolly "It's not the child's fault that she's not Princess I dare say she's very nice little girl, but we're looking for Princess ! "

"Why, so are we ! " cried Dorothy in surprise "But you needn't be so impolite "

" Princess, too, and to stand there and tell me that that young ragbag is Prince ? " Percy Vere stared at Tatters long and earnestly and then, rolling up his eyes murmured feelingly:

"A Prince of rags and scraps and patches, And then they talk of matches ! The Prince of what ? The Prince of where ? He has bird's nest er -"

"Hair," giggled Dorothy Poor Tatters blushed ears and hurriedly tried to smooth out his hair fingers

"Come on ? " cried Grampa indignantly "They're crazy ! "

" 'll believe he's Prince, I'll believe she's Princess," put in soft voice and Urtha, who listening anxiously sharp speeches on both sides, danced Forgetful Poet