" garden ! " cried Wag, twitching his nose hungrily "Come on, Prince, let's find some supper " With head down and dragging his feet, Pompa followed Wag Kabumpo began jerking snappishly at some tree tops and Peg Amy sat down

" ," thought the Wooden Doll, looking up bright star, " asked the box one little question " Peg Amy looked so solemn that Kabumpo stopped eating and regarded her anxiously

"What's the matter ? " asked the Elegant Elephant gruffly; for he quite counted on Peg's cheerfulness

" thinking again," admitted Peg apologetically "About being alive before I'm sure alive before doll, Kabumpo person, like Pompa," she continued softly

"You're much better ," said the Elegant Elephant uneasily, had just occurred to him Magic Mirror would tell Peg who she was Question Box But should he let her look ? That question Poor, tired old Kabumpo shifted from one foot other as he tried up his mind Two huge drops of perspiration ran down his trunk What good would it do ? he reasoned finally Suppose it told something awful ! It couldn't change her and it might make her unhappy No, let Peg look mirror

"How would you like this pearl bracelet ? " he asked in an embarrassed voice

"Why, Kabumpo, I'd just adore it ! " cried Peg, springing up in hurry "And I'm not going to worry about being alive any more, for everyone is so lovely I the happiest person in Oz "

" ," puffed Kabumpo, clumsily slipping the bracelet on Peg's wooden arm, "and ever get back to Pumperdink silk dresses as and-" The rest sentence was smothered in hug

Peg Amy was growing fonder and fonder of pompous old Kabumpo and he had recovered his breath Wag Prince came ambling back together They had found an orchard and kitchen garden and were no longer hungry, both were more cheerful

"Let's play scop hotch," suggested Wag amiably "I'm tired of hunting Princesses " smooth patch of sand under the trees and Wag hopped over and began marking out the squares paw

"Scop hotch ! " laughed Pompa, while Peg gave skip of delight

"Play to," wheezed Kabumpo, shaking himself wearily, " about as playful as stone lion Besides, hop scotch isn't an elephant game

Peg, Wag and Pompa began to hop scotch for dear life Peg often tumbled over, is hard your balance on wooden legs, but Peg who won end and Wag crowned her with daisies " go on just , gasped Pompa, mopping his face silk handkerchief "We're all good chums and, weren't for Pumperdink's disappearing, travel all over Oz no end of adventures together "

"Speaking of disappearing," said Kabumpo, opening one eye, for he had dozed off during the game, "I suppose we'd better be starting 're to save the Kingdom at all "

"Good-bye to pleasure," sighed Pompa, as Kabumpo lifted him back "Good-bye to everything ! "

"Oh, cheer up," begged Peg, settling herself on Wag's back

"Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! " large yellow bird rose suddenly from near-by bush and flapped its wings over Pompa's head "Hurrah ! Hurrah ! "

"Shoo ! Get away ! " grumbled Kabumpo crossly " you cheering about ? "

"She said to," cawed the bird, darting over Peg Amy's head "Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Let me teach you how cheerful in three chirps First, think of what you ; next, think of what ; then think of what going get it ? " The bird put its head on one side and regarded them anxiously

" King of Oz, instead only lost Prince, and he's going married to mountain top Princess Do anything cheerful ? " demanded Kabumpo angrily "Clear out ! We'll do our own cheering "

"Shall I go ? " asked the Hurrah Bird, looking very crestfallen and pointing its claw at Peg Amy

"Maybe tell us the way to Sun Top Mountain," said Peg politely

"You it other side hill," replied the Hurrah Bird "I'll few hurrahs for luck Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hur-rah ! "

"Oh, go away," grumbled Kabumpo

"Not till you look at my nest Did you ever see Hurrah Bird's nest ? " he chirped brightly

"Let's look at it," said Pompa, smiling of himself The Hurrah Bird preened itself proudly peered bushes Surely it had the gayest nest ever built, for woven of straw of many colors, and hung all over the near-by branches were small Oz flags nest three little yellow chicks were growing up into Hurrahs chirped faintly visitors

"Remember," called the Father Hurrah, bade him good-bye, " always be cheerful in three chirps of what you , what , and what going Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! "

"There's something in what you've said," chuckled Wag "Good-bye ! "

The moon had come up brightly and even Kabumpo began more like himself "There's lot learned by traveling, eh, Wag ? " He winked rabbit, who was just behind him "Let's see-somersaults for sums-never be gormish-and now, how cheerful in three chirps Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! " The Elegant Elephant began to plow swiftly daisy field, in almost no time they reached the top little hill and so Peg gave little scream of delight As others, they were simply speechless

purple mountain rose steeply ahead, and set like crown upon its summit was glittering gold castle, the loveliest, laciest gold castle imagine, with hundred fluttering pennants All down the mountain side spread its lovely gardens, its golden arbors and flower bordered paths

"I've seen it before ! " cried the Wooden Doll softly, but no one heard her Pompa drew deep breath, castle, shimmering moonlight, seemed almost too beautiful

"Whe-ew ! " whistled Wag, breaking the silence, "The Princess of Tun Sop Wountain wonderful "

"Shall we start up now ? " gasped Kabumpo, swinging his trunk nervously

"I don't believe she'll ever marry me Let's don't go at all," muttered the Prince of Pumperdink in shaky voice

"Oh, come on ! " called Wag, who was curious the owner of so grand castle

"But we mustn't go, Wag," gasped Peg Amy "How would it look shabby old doll tagging along when he's trying Princess ! " "

If Peg doesn't go, I'm not going," declared Pompa stubbornly

"You're just as good as any Princess," said Kabumpo, "and I'm not going without you, either "

Elegant Elephant refused to budge and there seemed no other way out of it, Peg Amy finally consented four adventurers started fearfully up the winding path, almost expecting the castle to disappear reached the top, so unreal did it seem moonlight no one garden but there were lights castle windows "Just as expected us," said the Elegant Elephant, reached the tall gates Pompa opened the gates and next instant they were standing great castle door

"Shall we knock ? " chattered Wag, his eyes sticking out with excitement

"No ! Wait minute," begged the Prince, who was becoming more agitated

"Here's the mirror door knob," quavered Kabumpo "Didn't the Question Box say to trust them ? Why, look here, Pompa, my boy, it fits ! " Clumsily, Kabumpo held up the glittering door knob he had brought all the way from Pumperdink; then he slipped it easily small gold bar projecting door

But instead of looking joyful Pompa groaned dismally He started to protest but Kabumpo had already turned the knob found themselves in glittering gold court room

"Now Princess," puffed Kabumpo, looking around twinkling little eyes "Here, mirror, Pompa " The room was empty, although brilliantly lighted, Prince stood uncertainly very center Suddenly, with determined little cry, Pompa rushed over to Peg Amy, who stood leaning against tall gold chair

"Peg," choked Pompa, dropping knees beside the Wooden Doll, "I'll have some other way to save Pumperdink I'm not going to marry this Princess and taken away from me You're proper enough Princess and we'll just go back to Pumperdink and be--

"The mirror ! Look mirror ! " screamed Wag, who was sitting beside Peg Amy

Unconsciously, Pompa had held out the gold mirror and Peg, leaning over to listen, had looked directly Above Peg's pleasant reflection mirror they read these startling and important words:

Peg Amy, Princess of Sun Top Mountain

While Pompa stared with round eyes the words faded out and this new legend formed glass:

The Proper Princess is Found ! Proper Princess

"I always knew you were Princess," cried Wag, turning somersault

The big rabbit had just come right-side-up, when still more amazing thing happened The wooden body of Peg melted before their eyes and in its place stood the loveliest little Princess And yet, with all her beauty, she was strangely like the old Peg Her eyes had the same merry twinkle and her mouth the same pleasant curve

"Oh ! " cried Princess Peg, holding her arms out to her friends "Now the happiest person in Oz ! "

CHAPTER 21

How It All Came About

Before Pompa had time to rise, tall, richly clad old nobleman rushed room

"Peg ! " cried the old gentleman, clasping the Princess arms " back ! At last the enchantment is broken ! "

For moment the two forgot all about Pompa others Then, gently disengaging herself, Peg seized the Prince's hands and drew him feet

"Uncle," she said breathlessly, holding to Pompa with one hand and waving other at Kabumpo and Wag, "here are the friends responsible release my Uncle Tozzyfog," she explained quickly, and impulsively Uncle Tozzyfog sprang feet and embraced each in turn-even Kabumpo

"Sit down," begged the old nobleman, sinking into golden chair and mopping his head with flowered silk kerchief

Pompa, take his eyes new and wonderful Peg Amy, dropped into another chair Kabumpo leaned limply against pillar and Wag sat where , his nose twitching faster than ever ears stuck out straight behind him