"I don't like this," choked Wag "My wocks and hoop soons ! What pleerful chase ! "

"It isn't very cheerful," shivered Peg "Oh, look, Wag ! That big tree has eyes ! " At Peg's remark the tree doubled up its branches into fists and stepped right out in front same instant all the other trees and bushes moved closer, with dry crackling steps

"Now we ! " snapped the tallest tree in dreadful voice

"Now we ! " crackled all the other skitter-witchy creatures, crowding closer

"Pigs, pigs, we're the twigs; We'll tweak your ears and snatch your wigs ! "

they shouted all together One taller rest leaned over and seized Wag ear with its twisted fingers

"Help ! " screamed Wag, kicking out hind legs Immediately Kabumpo began laying about trunk

"Stand back ! " he trumpeted angrily, "or I'll trample you to splinters "

Pompa stood up on Kabumpo's back and began to wave his sword threateningly the ugly creatures grew simply furious They snatched Prince with their long, claw-like branches, tearing at his sadly scorched hair and almost upsetting him

"Stop ! Stop ! " cried Peg Amy, waving her wooden arms frantically "Don't hit him He's going married Hit me, I'm only made of wood ! "

"Don't you dare hit her ! " shrilled Pompa, slicing off the branch head nearest Twig " Prince and under my protection Don't touch her ! "

Kabumpo had cleared himself space ahead and Wag space behind Every time Kabumpo's trunk flew out, dozen queer crackly Bushmen tumbled over forward and every time Wag's heels flew out dozen crumpled over backward Pompa kept his sword whirling and, after several had lost top branches, the whole crowd fell back and began grumbling together

"Now then ! " puffed Kabumpo angrily, "let's make dash , Wag Come on; we'll smash them to kindling wood ! "

"What's all this commotion ? " cried loud voice The Twigs fell back immediately and bent and twisted old tree hobbled forward

"Strangers, your Woodjesty," whispered tall Twig, waving branch at Kabumpo

"Well, pinched them ? " asked the King in bored voice

"A little," admitted the tall Twig nervously, "but they object , your Woodjesty "

"Well, what do ? " rasped the King tartly "Don't be gormish Faggots I detest gormishness It seems allow my people little innocent diversion," he grumbled, turning to Pompa, "they don't get much pleasure ! "

"Pleasure ! " gasped the Prince, while Kabumpo and Wag were so astonished forgot to fight

"What does he mean by gormish ? " whispered Peg uneasily to Wag Before answer, the Twigs, who evidently had decided not gormish, made rush travelers But Kabumpo was ready with uplifted trunk With furious trumpet he charged straight middle, Wag at his heels, result Twigs went crackling and snapping ground in heaps

"All is match," grunted Kabumpo, pounding along unmindful scratching and clawing "They're good for nothing but kindling wood "

"Don't be gormish," he screeched scornfully, as he flung the last Twig out way and Wag and he never stopped till they had put good mile between themselves disagreeable pinchers

" hurt ? " asked Kabumpo, stopping at last and looking around at Pompa " keep on you won't be fit seen-much less to marry Let's have look at you " He lifted the Prince down carefully and eyed him with consternation The Prince had seven long scratches cheek velvet cloak was torn to ribbons

"I declare," spluttered the Elegant Elephant explosively, "you're perfect fright I declare, it's grumpy shame ! "

"Well, don't be gormish," said the Prince, smiling faintly and wiping his cheek handkerchief

"Let me help," begged Peg Amy, falling off Wag's back "Ozma won't mind few scratches and what do clothes matter ? Anyone would know Prince," she added, taking Pompa's cloak and regarding it ruefully

Pompa smiled at Peg's earnestness and made her his best bow but Kabumpo still looked anxious "Everyone's not so smart , Peg," he sighed gloomily "But come along The main thing is to rescue Ozma and perhaps she won't notice your scratches and torn cloak She'll think you got them fighting the giant," he finished more hopefully

With few more of Kabumpo's jeweled pins Peg repaired Pompa's cloak Then, after tying up Wag's ear, badly torn, they started off again

"What worries me," said Wag, twitching his nose very fast, "what worries me is crossing the Deadly Desert We're almost , "

"Never cross deserts till you come to 'em," grunted Kabumpo, with wink at Peg Amy

"Oh, all right," sniffed Wag, "but don't be gormish how I detest gormishness ! "

While Pompa and Peg were laughing over these last remarks most terrible rumble sounded behind them

"Now what ? " trumpeted Kabumpo, turning about

"Sheverything's mixed hup ! " gulped Wag, putting back his ears "Hold on , Peg ! "

CHAPTER 17

Meeting the Runaway Country

Everything was mixed up, indeed Moving toward the little party of rescuers was huge jagged piece of land, running along on ten tremendous feet and feeling its way with its long wiggly peninsula The feet raised it several yards above the ground

" crouch down maybe run over us," panted Pompa, sliding down Kabumpo's trunk

"I don't want run over," shrilled Wag, beginning to hop in frenzied circle

"Stop ! " cried the Land in loud voice, as Wag and Kabumpo started to run

"Better stop," puffed Kabumpo, his eyes rolling wildly, "or it'll probably fall on us " Trembling of themselves, they stood still and waited Land to approach

"I've often heard of sailors hailing land with joy," gulped Wag, "but this-well, how did it get ? "

Runaway Country drew nearer, its peninsula fairly quivered with excitement and as it reached them it pulled up its front feet and tilted forward better view Its eyes were two small blue lakes and its mouth broad bubbling river

"I claim you by right of discovery," cried the Land in its loud, river voice and could make any objection it scooped them up neatly and tossed them on little hill

" outrageous," spluttered the Elegant Elephant, picking Peg out of some bushes "We've been kidnapped ! "

"Let's jump off ! " cried Wag, beginning to hop toward the edge

"I wouldn't ," said the Land calmly, "because I'd only run after you again settle down and grow up with me I'm not such bad little Country," it added quietly, "just bit rough and uncultivated "

"Well, what's that got ," demanded Kabumpo, staring the Country right in its lake-eyes "We're on an important mission and we haven't time sort of thing at all "

"It's matter of saving Princess," cried Pompa impulsively "Couldn't you, please-"

"Let someone else save her," said the Country indifferently, beginning to move off sideways like crab "You're the first savages I've found and I'm going you Not that you're what I'd pick out," it continued ungraciously "That wooden girl looks uncommonly odd and you two beasts are even queerer But I'm liberal, , boy looks all right as

"But, look here," panted Wag, twitching his nose very fast, " all wrong Land is supposed to stand still, isn't it ? You've no right to discover us We don't want discovered Put us off at once- hear ? "

"Yes, I hear," said the Runaway country gruffly "And I've heard about enough Don't anger me," it shrilled warningly "Remember, I'm wild, rough Country "

"You're the wildest Country I ever saw, groaned the Elegant Elephant, falling up against tree "And of all ridiculous happenings worst ! "

"Never mind," whispered Peg Amy, standing on her tip toes to whisper in Kabumpo's huge ear, it's taking us right direction, and maybe, were very polite-- ? "

"Go ahead and try it," wheezed Kabumpo, rolling his eyes "I'm too upset " He hugged the tree again

So Peg climbed top little hill and, waving her wooden arms to attract the Country's attention, called cheerfully:

"Yoho, Mr Land ! Where going ? "

At first the Land only blinked his blue lake-eyes sulkily but, as Peg paid no attention ill temper and began making him pretty compliments mountains and trees, he gradually cheered up

"I'm going an island," he announced finally "That's where I'm going I'm tired of being hot, dry old undiscovered plateau and I don't intend to stop till I come Nonestic Ocean "

"Oh ! " groaned Wag, falling over backwards "We're going cast away on desert island "

Peg held up warning finger "What made to run away and be an island ? " she asked faintly for, even to Peg, things looked serious

"Well," began the Land, giving itself hitch, "I lay patiently for years and years waiting discovered Nobody came-not even one little missionary I kept getting lonelier and lonelier how broken up ! "

"Yes, that, all right," sniffed Kabumpo

"And I'm ambitious," continued the Country huskily " cultivated and built up like other Kingdoms So, one day up my mind I wouldn't wait any longer but would run off myself and discover some settlers As ten mountains and each has foot there seemed no reason why I shouldn't run away, so -and ! "

The Country rolled its lakes triumphantly little party hill " found some settlers and I'm looking to develop me into good, modern, up-to-Oz Kingdom I'm progressive Country and I expect you to improve and make something out of me," it continued earnestly "There's gold dug out mountains, plenty of good farm land planted and cities built, and-"

"What ? " exploded Kabumpo indignantly "Slaves ? "

"He'll get used ," said the Runaway Country, paying no attention to Kabumpo, "and he'll be useful for drawing logs Now you," he turned his watery eyes full on Peg Amy, "you the most sensible one party, so bestow myself upon you you're not at all handsome nor regular, but from now on consider yourself Princess and me Kingdom "

" ! ! " said Peg Amy, hardly knowing what else cried Wag, standing head "I always knew you were Princess, Peg my dear "

"Oh, hush ! " whispered Pompa "Can't it's getting more reasonable ? Maybe Peg can persuade it to stop "

" doesn't stop soon I'll tear all its trees out roots," grumbled Kabumpo under his breath "Logging, indeed ! Great Grump ! Here's the Deadly Desert ! "

The air was now so hot and choking that Pompa flung himself face down cool grass The Runaway Country seem to notice the burning sands and pattered smoothly along on its ten mountain feet