"Disappeared ! " trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, sitting down with thud "Great Grump ! The thing's getting habit ! "

of Pompa now ? Would he never be King, nor he, Kabumpo, ever be known most Elegant Elephant in Oz ? Had they made the long journey in vain ?

"Where ? When ? " gasped Prince Pompadore

"Night before last," explained Glinda "I've been consulting my magic books but have only been able to discover one fact "

"What ? " asked Kabumpo faintly

" in Ev," said Glinda, " giant carried them off here early whether discover anything new Would you care where the castle stood ? "

"Did he carry the castle off, too ? " shuddered Pompa Glinda nodded gloomily and led them over great hole center gardens

For minute she stood watching them Then, glancing at golden sun dial set center of lovely flower bed, she murmured half to herself, " off ! " Next instant she clapped her hands and down swept shining chariot drawn by white swans

"Good-bye ! " called Glinda, springing in lightly "I'm off to Ev my magic against the giant's Wait here and when I've helped Ozma perhaps ! "

"Can't we help ? Can't we go ? " cried Pompa, running few steps chariot, but Glinda, already high air, hear him and wink of an eye the chariot and its lovely occupant had melted pink morning clouds

"Now what shall ? " groaned the Prince, letting his arms drop heavily at his sides

"Do ! " snorted Kabumpo "The thing is to act like Prince instead of Gooch ! other ways of getting to Ev than by chariot "

The thought of Kabumpo in Glinda's chariot made Pompa smile of himself

"There ! That's better," said the Elegant Elephant more pleasantly

"Now, what's to hinder us from going to Ev and rescuing Princess Ozma ? She couldn't help marrying you saved her from giant, could she ? "

"But could I save her-that's the question," muttered the Prince, looking uneasily yawning cavity where the castle had stood "This giant terrible fellow ! "

"Pooh ! " said Kabumpo airily "Who's afraid of giants ? I'll wind my trunk around his leg and pull him to earth Then dispatch the villain get you sword, though," he added softly

"All right ! I'll ! " cried the Prince, throwing out his chest The very thought of killing giant made him feel about ten feet high " the way to Ev, Kabumpo ? We'll have to hurry, because unless I marry Ozma seven days are up my poor old father and mother and all of Pumperdink will disappear forever "

, even Pompa had now got it into his head that Ozma Proper Princess mentioned scroll

"We'll start at once," sighed the Elegant Elephant bit ruefully "I've had no sleep and precious little to eat but King of Oz reward old Kabumpo as he deserves "

"Everything yours," cried the Prince, giving the elephant, or of him as grasp, sudden hug Then each took long drink from bubbling fountains and, munching the rolls Kabumpo had picked up Gilliken village, the two adventurers stole gardens

reached the gates, Kabumpo paused little eyes twinkled with delight There lay the Soldier Green Whiskers, snoring tremendously and beside him was long, sharp sword with an emerald handle "Just what ," chuckled Kabumpo, snatching it up trunk Then out gates and swiftly still sleeping city swept the Elegant Elephant Prince of Pumperdink, off to rescue Princess Ozma, prisoner in Ev !

CHAPTER 13

Road to Ev

In their journey to Ev, Peg and Wag had night's start of Kabumpo and Prince Pompadore, but towards morning Wag's ears began to droop with sleep

"Gotta natch sap, Peg," Wag muttered thickly, halted on little hill

"Natch sap ? What's that ? " asked the Wooden Doll anxiously Wag made no answer-just flopped side and in minute was asleep and snoring tremendously

"Oh ! " whispered Peg, pulling herself gently from beneath the sleeping rabbit "He meant snatch nap

She laughed softly and seated herself under small tree The birds were beginning to waken and their singing filled Peg Amy with delight "How wonderful it all is," she murmured, gazing up little ruffly pink clouds "How wonderful it alive ! "

"Hello ! Mr Robin ! " she called gaily, as bird flew to low bush beside her "Are your children quite well ? "

The robin swung backward and forward swaying branch; then burst into his best morning song

"Oh ! " cried Peg Amy, clasping her wooden hands "I've heard that before ! But how could I ? " she reasoned, "I'm only Wooden Doll and first morning alive But then, how did robin ? "

Peg rubbed her wooden forehead in perplexity, for all very puzzling indeed Below their little hill stretched the lovely land Winkies, with its great green forests and little yellow villages The wind sent the leaves dancing above Peg's head early sun-beams made lovely patterns grass

"I've seen it before ! " gasped the Wooden Doll breathlessly "The trees, the birds, the houses and everything ! " Springing to her feet she ran awkwardly from bush to tree, touching the leaves and bending over the flowers as were old friends Had it not been squeaking of her wooden joints, Peg would almost have forgotten she was Wooden Doll, for sight lovely green growing things something warm and sunny seemed to waken in her stiff wooden breast "I've been alive before," said Peg Amy over and over

Suddenly, still morning air, came loud, shrill laugh Peg, who standing with her cheek pressed closely against small tree, swung around quickly-so quickly that she fell over and lay in ridiculously bent double position new-comers

Kabumpo Prince of Pumper-dink Traveling same road Wag had chosen but much more rapidly, the Elegant Elephant had come at sunrise little hill He watching Peg for , and when her dance awkwardly over tree, no longer restrain himself

"Get out your mirror ! " roared Kabumpo, shaking all over with mirth " your Proper Princess, Pompa, my boy-as royal maiden country boasts Ho, ho ! Ker-umph ! "

"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Pompa, looking down curiously comical figure of Peg Amy

"But she's so funny ! " gasped Kabumpo, the tears rolling down his big cheeks

"Who's funny ? " demanded an angry voice and Wag, who awakened by Kabumpo's loud roars, hopped up, his ears quivering with rage

"I'll pull your long nose ! " cried Wag, advancing threateningly "Don't you dare make fun of Peg you, anyway ? "

"Great Grump ! " choked Kabumpo, without answering Wag's inquiry "What kind of rabbit ? "

"A clawing, chawing, scratching kind- 'll soon find out ! " Wag drew himself up into ball and prepared to launch himself at Kabumpo's head, when Peg straightened up and caught him ear

"Don't, Wag, please," she begged "He couldn't help laughing funny ! " she sighed bit ruefully

"You're not funny ," blustered Wag, still glaring at Kabumpo "Who does he think ? "

"I ? " sniffed Kabumpo, spreading out his ears complacently, " the Elegant Elephant of Pumperdink Notice my pearls; gaze upon my robe "

"You don't look very elegant ," snorted Wag "You look more like tramp Says he's lelegant nelephant from Dumperpink," he whispered scornfully to Peg

"And what's that you've got back ? " , with wave paw at Pompa "A dunce ? "

"Dunce ! " screamed Kabumpo furiously " Prince of Pumperdink, you good-for-nothing lettuce-eater ! What by laughing at royalty ? "

"Royalty ! Oh, ha, ha, ha ! " roared Wag, rolling over and over grass "But he's so funny ! " He paused another look Prince Kabumpo lunged forward, his eyes snapping angrily

"Stop ! " begged the Prince, tugging Kabumpo ear "You were rude friend that-er-doll, so expect him rude It's all your fault," he added reproachfully

" Prince ? " asked Peg Amy, staring up at Pompa with her round, painted eyes

" he's Prince Didn't so before ? Who hoppy creature ? "

"That's Wag-such dear fellow " Peg smiled confidently at Kabumpo and suddenly ashamed of himself for laughing at her

"Well, he needn't get waggish with me," grumbled the Elegant Elephant in lower voice

"Oh, don't quarrel ! " begged Peg "It's such lovely morning and you both look so interesting "

Kabumpo eyed the big Wooden Doll attentively smart of her him interesting He cleared his throat gruffly "You're not as funny look," he admitted grandly, the nearest to an apology he had ever come "But you doing here and why alive ? "

"I don't know," explained Peg apologetically "It just happened last night "

"It did ? Well, where going ? " Wag still looked cross nose was twitching violently, but Peg politely answered Kabumpo's question

"We're way to Ev to help Ozma," said the Wooden Doll, folding her hands quaintly

"Why so are we ! " cried Pompa, sliding down Kabumpo's trunk in hurry

"How expect to help her ? " grunted Kabumpo, looking at Wag and Peg contemptuously

"Don't mind him," begged Pompa, running Peg Amy "Tell me everything about Ozma Is she pretty ? "

"Beautiful," breathed Peg, looking up sky "Beautiful and lovely and good That's why to help her "

"Then I sha'n't mind marrying her at all," said Pompa, with great sigh of relief

"Gooch ! " roared Kabumpo angrily-"Telling everything ! "