Atmos was still talking " lecture, dinner," droned the airman sleepily, " take about seven years, say, though I've known sky banquets to last as long as ten "

"Ten ? " moaned Ozma, with little shudder, and steeled thought of ten-year banquet, she drew an emerald pin from her dress and thrust it quickly airman's side Then covering her face with both hands, she began to cry softly, tender-hearted little fairy had never hurt anyone in her whole gentle life and bear to even think of what she had done For several seconds the airman's calm conversation continued Then all at once great gulp

"Princess ! " gasped the airman in faint voice, "I losing my breath ! "

Ozma felt rush of cold air past her ears, and next instant they were tumbling earthward, over and over, and over, down through clouds and mists and great blue stretches of empty air How she managed, during that long, dizzy fall; hold airman's limp arm, she never knew, herself But hold on she did and after what seemed hours and hours, they landed together in feathery field of wheat The sudden plunge downward had kept all the air from escaping airman, but as Ozma rolled over and saw his pitiable condition, she began to weep anew His legs and body were perfectly limp air was issuing right arm with shrill whistling sound

"Save me ! " panted Atmos, rolling his eyes wildly from side to side "Save me ! Can't I'm expiring ? "

"But what can ? " sobbed Ozma, in panic

"Tie something round my neck," directed the airman desperately "Keep the air in my head "

Snatching the ribbon from her curls; Ozma hastened as he suggested, shivering little as she pulled the ribbon tight

"I'd like how this happened," moaned Atmos, little fairy tied the ribbon in neat bow under his poor, wrinkled chin

" my fault," confessed Ozma, covering her face so she him "I stuck you with pin You wouldn't let me go and I couldn't leave Oz for all those years Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! I'm so sorry ! " and remorseful tears began to trickle through her fingers and drop airman's nose

"Punctured-by-a-Princess ! " puffed Atmos, get the idea through his head at all "Well, thought it ? She looked so harmless, and sweet, too the one to cry," he observed presently, and little fairy's sobs grew more and more violent, he lifted his head and regarded her with positive alarm

"Don't cry like that," begged Atmos uncom-fortably "It didn't hurt, , and expired cause of high skyence That's great honor, besides I have carried you off Don't cry," he begged, trying frantically to rise But the more he coaxed and blamed himself, the harder Ozma wept, neither heard the approaching steps of stranger

"Hello ! " cried bluff voice suddenly "What's the matter here ? Did you bust your balloon, little girl, or what ? " Glancing up, Ozma saw tall red faced fellow in leather apron just behind her The head airman did look like great balloon, and while Ozma quickly dried her tears, Atmos simply stared newcomer, almost forgetting his misfortune curiosity

"What ? " he whispered huskily " earth was inhabited by Princesses like yourself Princess, too ? "

"Hah, hah, hah ! " roared the stranger, slap-ping his greath thigh "Do I look like Princess ? " Then, curiousness of balloon's conversing struck him, his eyes grew rounder and rounder mouth hung open with astonishment

"It's an airman," explained Ozma with dignity, "and the Princess of Oz "

"Airman ! " muttered the big fellow under his breath "Oz ? Well, I've heard of Oz, but you're long way from home, little lady, and where on earth did you pick up this fellow ? "

"He's sky," Ozma hastened to inform him

"And I've had serious accident," added Atmos, to save the little fairy from telling her part affair

"You look like an accident," observed the stranger, kneeling down beside the collapsed form airman " puncture or an explosion ? "

"A-a puncture," sighed Atmos, with sidelong glance at Ozma, "but what manner of earth creature ? "

"I'm an ornamental iron worker," announced the stranger proudly "There's my shack over yonder Rusty Ore is my name, and say ! " He rose and looked triumphantly little fairy "I believe blow this fellow up again I've bellows shop Shall I try ? "

"Oh, could you ? Would you ? " begged the little Princess, clasping her hands eagerly The more Rusty looked at lovely little Ozma, the surer he became that Everyone who saw Ozma had an immediate desire her, ornamental iron worker was no exception Rolling the airman into neat bundle, he slung him over his shoulder Then, taking Qzma's hand, strode briskly across the fields

" anything to eat in your house ? " asked the little Princess, skipping up with Rusty's long strides "I haven't had anything to eat for two days ! "

"Two days ! " bellowed the iron worker indig-nantly, and sweeping Ozma up into his arms, he broke into run, almost knew it, they had reached his queer little shop

CHAPTER 15

Rusty Ore Rescue

WHILE Ozma, perched on Rusty's rude bench, nibbled hungrily big sandwich he had brought her, Atmos looked around him with interest and frank curiosity The little shop was filled with iron deer, fire irons, iron dogs and weather cocks, too Rusty had placed the punctured airman on top of scrap heap, while he went to search bellows, that he might blow him up

" an earth castle ? " asked Atmos, as Rusty disappeared doorway "Are there many creatures like this bottom air ? "

"Rusty is man plenty of men, women, children, Kings, Queens and animals down here," answered Ozma, hardly knowing how an airman real and unreal countries earth "Everyone here live in castle," she went on seriously "Most people live in houses or on farms "

"What's farm ? " asked Atmos, with puzzled frown " , little Princess, I had better explore this country bit further before I'm blown up Think what lecture give wonders bottom sky' "

"Why don't you ? " asked Ozma, swallowing the last bite sandwich

"What ? " inquired Rusty, returning just then bellows

" just remarking Princess that I'd like more of your earth before I return sky," confided Atmos, blinking his round eyes iron worker "But I'm blown up and patched I'll fly straight upward "

"How did you manage before ? " questioned Rusty, sitting down bench beside Ozma

"Well," said Atmos, "a friend who lives Mountains Moon, made me pair of iron boots These enabled me to sink air and walk bottom sky which you call the earth out earth was inhabited Putting boots, I dove tip Moon and landed in strange and lovely garden, where the first object that met my eyes lovely little lady Delighted with my find, I picked this Princess garden, kicked off my boots and flew back sky, carrying her along as proof "

"Proof ? " blustered Rusty, jumping up indignantly "How dare you steal Princess for proof, you old rascal ! What shall to him ? " he puffed, turning angrily to Ozma

"Oh, nothing, please do nothing ! " begged the little fairy in alarm " really mean any harm and I'm down on earth again Besides-" (Ozma's voice sank to low whis-per), "besides, I punctured him with pin "

" ! " exclaimed Rusty admiringly "Well, good ! "

"Yes ! " sighed Atmos sorrowfully " good for her, but exceedingly bad Still, now wrong to carry her away, and 'll find some way to blow me up and keep me down, I'll take her safely back to her castle "

"Now you're talking like real man instead of wind bag," said Rusty approvingly "I'll tell you what I'll do I'll make you pair of iron shoes myself, blow you up, patch you up and start you right direction How would that be ? "

Ozma was so delighted iron worker's plan that she gave him hearty hug, and as Rusty started to work boots at once, not long were finished and standing doorway to cool

Blowing Atmos up was ticklish and dangerous operation Carrying the airman outside, Rusty placed him ground Then, placing the bellows side, he began to work it slowly and carefully, while Ozma watched that each arm and leg had the same amount of air started, Rusty had weighted Atmos down with an iron bucket and an iron stag, but body airman filled out, he grew so light and buoyant they had to add the anchor and couple of chains

"Not , now," warned Ozma, anx-iously untying the ribbon airman's throat "Not , or he'll burst ! "

But Atmos burst, and when Rusty saw he had exactly filled out his strange silken skin, he pulled out the bellows, clapped neat patch over the puncture and stood back to admire this curious citizen air Atmos, himself, began to bounce, swing his arms and sing aloud for pure joy "Excuse my singing," chuckled the airman, "but I'm full of fresh air and no idea how fine it feels "

"Well, don't put on airs ," muttered Rusty, who was really alarmed airman's size " he's safe ? " he whispered nervously to Ozma Ozma nodded enthusiastically and, somewhat reassured, Rusty went off to pack her lunch journey back home

, the boots had cooled and, with great difficulty, Rusty fitted them airman's puffy feet, released him iron weights and chains and helped him to rise

Ozma watched with great interest, for she was not at all sure the boots would keep Atmos earth But after few skips and flutters the airman began to walk soberly up and down, and with pleased smile declared himself ready to start

Rusty was sorry the little Princess go, but when she explained the strange disappearance of Betsy Bobbin and how return at once Emerald City and try to discover her whereabouts Magic Picture, he reluctantly bade her good-bye