"What ? " asked Rosa in surprise

"Nuthin' " gulped the General dolefully "The dinner's not going, it's GONE ! Our goose is hooked, tooked, crooked," finished Whiffen-puff, forgetting his grammar entirely ( , known this all along, but great shock King )

"Gone ! " gasped Kinda Jolly "But where is Mombi ? "

"Gone too ! "

"To where ? "

Whiffenpuff shook his head glumly and immediately Rosa Merry, Kinda Jolly and all the rest rushed kitchen for themselves how gone everything was Naturally enough they found neither Mombi nor Pajuka and, whole, most fortunate, for otherwise they eaten the Prime Minister of Oz and swallowed the whole story

"Our dinner began with G and now it's gone ! Gone begins with G Our dinner is gone with G ! Shall I laugh ? " asked Hah Hoh, beginning to tickle himself ribs

" say not Why, no laughing matter No cook ! No goose ! No dinner ! Oh ! I'm so disappointed cry ! " choked Kinda Jolly, puffing out his cheeks

"Don't ! Don't ! " begged Rosa Merry, and tumbling off her high stool she sent page flying Town Crier I never told you one, but Kimbaloo has Town Crier as Town Laugher, for no one merry Kingdom ever thinks of shedding tears

So before one could wink the Town Crier came running in with page, and when Whiffenpuff told him lost dinner, the lost goose lost cook, he simply burst into tears

"How long shall I cry ? " he sobbed, looking around his handkerchief at Kinda Jolly

"Seven minutes goose and th-three for Mombi," sniffed the King, biting his lip from crying himself So the Town Crier jerked out another hanky, and while all the rest stood around and looked solemn and Kinda held his watch, he wept eye after eye full of tears

" feel better ? " asked Rosa Merry presently, patting Kinda's plump hand

"A little, little," acknowledged the King, "but s'pose Mombi's gone for good ? "

"Well, I trust so," sniffed the Town Laugher, shrugging his shoulders, "but I'm afraid she has gone for bad, your Majesty more evil appearing old wretch I've never seen in Oz, and perhaps well rid of her Only week ago I had letter from sixteenth cousin Emerald City telling of famous invisible cook who lived near her send invisible cook your Highness ? "

"That's what we've got now, isn't it ? " put in General Whiffenpuff, gloomily, but Kinda's eyes began to snap Town Laugher's suggestion

"Why an invisible cook simply out of sight ! " cried the King, motioning Town Crier to cease his lamentations " send for her at once ! "

"And meanwhile I'll be cook," smiled Rosa Merry, happy that everything was turning out "Guess what we're going for dinner ? "

"Omelet ! " gulped the Town Crier, wringing out his handkerchiefs in business-like fashion and immediately the rest began to guess this and then that till they were all as jolly as possible But right midst merriment, in came ten little button boys to report the disappearance of Snip

"Snip gone," groaned Kinda Jolly, clapping his hand head and falling back against the flour barrel "Oh ! worst of all Why he's the brightest boy in Kimbaloo best button picker I've got Cry ! Cry some more, cry lot ! " wailed the poor King, shaking the Town Crier arm So , Town Laugher had to blow his nose hard, from crying himself, for Snip was great favorite palace

news got about, all the rest Kimbles came tumbling kitchen, two hundred and forty nine little button boys began to hug Kinda Jolly, two hundred and fifty little flower girls began to hug Rosa Merry Trippsy, the pet foot stool, who loved Snip almost as Kinda Jolly, was so upset he dashed here and there till everyone else way, too, especially General Whiffenpuff Altogether the confusion was terrific

"Wait ! " grunted the General, picking himself up fifth time "Wait ! I them all ! " Seizing his gun, and with never thought of dinner, he plunged boldly out night Mombi, the goose, Snip and an invisible cook things grew calmer, King had great confidence in Whiffenpuff The boys and girls trooped back cottages rest sat down to picnic supper ice box

"Whiffenpuff 'em, no fear," whispered Hah Hoh, squeezing Kinda Jolly's hand comfortingly, "and if he doesn't just remember that I also have something up my sleeve ! "

" it ? " asked the King mournfully, and as clearly as , for he had half chicken sandwich other cheek

"A funny bone," confided the Town Laugher, with so comical and important an expression that Kinda had thumped back from choking

"A funny bone ! " gasped the King, as he recovered his breath "Let me see it, you rascal "

So the Town Laugher showed Kinda Jolly his left elbow both roared joke

CHAPTER 4

Purple Forest

SNIP thought of things Mombi as being dragged along forest, but she ran and so fast that she stopped too bumped about and breathless any

"Now what ? " puffed Pajuka, settling lowest branch of purple pine

"Well, expect the King under the first tree we come to ? " panted the old witch, dropping down on stump and mopping her forehead with her apron "Hand over that basket, you " Before comply, Mombi had snatched the basket from Snip and, loosening her hold upon his arm, began rummaging among its contents till she found small purple scroll "Keep your eye boy," ordered Mombi, snapping the scroll open, "and if he tries to escape nip off his nose, d'ye hear ? "

"Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't ," said Pajuka, fluttering his wings "He'd much rather come the King and share the reward, wouldn't you lad ? "

Snip glanced fearfully around him The shadows were growing longer and longer, and dim purple twilight the forest looked so grim and forbidding that he decided even bad company was better than none So he shook his head and swallowing the lump throat resolved to best of things, and same time find out all mysterious affair

"What did I tell you," clucked Pajuka, preening his feathers "I shouldn't be surprised if he'd be great help , Mombi ! "

"Then let him begin by gathering some wood," grunted Mombi, "and none of your tricks Snip my boy, or I'll turn you to muffin and eat you for breakfast "

"Is Snip ? " asked Pajuka, waddling little button boy Snip nodded and began slowly picking up twigs and putting them in heap

"A heartless old wretch," wheezed the goose, were out of ear shot "Don't mind her no more turn you to muffin than , but the help me find the King so humor her Stick by me Snip and I'll stick bargain ? " strange, silent forest, the white goose looked so big and friendly that Snip dropped his twigs and flung both arms around his neck

"I like you Pajuka," said the little button boy, giving him quick hug

"And I like you, Snip," replied the goose, snuggling close to him Then, as Mombi glanced up suspiciously, they both fell to gathering twigs and in had enough for fine fire Mombi was still poring over the scroll Looking over her shoulder, Snip saw map of Oz-such map as he had often seen geoziphy books at home Mombi held the map close to her nose, for failing light hard anything

"If only remember ! If only remember ! " muttered Mombi, rocking backward and forward stump "What did King ? Where did I put him ? What did I use-green magic or blue, word magic or number magic, fire magic or smoke magic ? Can't you remember anything ? " She whirled in great exasperation upon Pajuka

"Well, not much," sighed the goose, rubbing his head wing " so remember we were in small greenwood near where the Emerald City stands today changed me to goose But drove me away immediately, I never knew what became King "

"Then green magic ! " cried Mombi, springing up exultantly " go Emerald City and find that wood, for King was transformed by green magic restored by green magic, only place where green magic takes effect is in and around the Emerald City Once there doubtless remember everything," chuckled Mombi "If I don't, I'll just steal some of Ozma's magic I'll steal the magic belt, restore the King throne my revenge for all these weary years I'll turn Ozma to piano and thump her every day," continued Mombi, rubbing her hands gleefully together "I'll turn everyone else palace to one object and then destroy that object

"I object ! " spluttered Pajuka, treading old witch's toes excitement

"So will they," grinned Mombi, showing her yellow tusks, "but do them no good Don't stand staring at me, simpleton Light the fire " Whirling upon Snip, Mombi raised her stick threateningly, and Snip, who staring with open mouth (for he had never heard badness whole life) made haste as told

Mombi, still muttering and chuckling, began to lay out the chicken and cheese tree stump Though the fire snapped merrily enough, supper was not very cheerful for Snip, but he ate the chicken wing and small bit of cheese that Mombi grudgingly gave him and broke up some bread for Pajuka

"Where've you been all these years ? " asked the old witch, looking curiously goose over her mug of coffee

"Everywhere, everywhere in Oz, searching King," puffed Pajuka "I've lived with miserable barnyard fowls, eating farmer's scraps, and in constant danger ax You made me wild goose, then had some fun I shudder when how near I've been to roasting "

"Well, didn't they roast you old days ? " replied Mombi unfeelingly "Prime ministers are as often roasted as geese ! "

"Yes, but not same way " Pajuka rolled his eyes sadly at Snip

"Why didn't you tell Ozma or Glinda on her," asked the little button boy boldly

"Aha ! Because if he'd disappear entirely That was part trick," shrilled Mombi "Wasn't it, old feather head ? "

"Yes, it's better goose than nothing at all," admitted Pajuka mournfully "But never mind, when the King, restore Mombi's powers and she will restore my elegant figure and

"Oh, hold your bill," snapped Mombi crossly