Feeling quite refreshed, Snip went to search for Pajuka Just beyond thin fringe of trees ran shallow stream, and Pajuka, strange manner of geese, was standing head, eating his- lunch off the bottom He looked so comical that Snip nearly burst out laughing, but remembering just that Pajuka King's prime minister he cleared his throat instead With great bounce, Pajuka came right side tip and after few dives and splashes waded ashore

"What did you find to eat ? " asked Snip curiously

"Oh some water roots and er other things," answered Pajuka Seeing embarrassed Snip politely changed the subject

"Tell me King," said the little button boy, "and about Oz before Ozma was Queen "

"Well, never kindlier king anywhere," began Pajuka, shaking the water feathers

"What kind ? " asked Snip, biting into plum "How did he look ? "

"Pleasant," explained Pajuka, putting one foot other and waddling from side to side queer goosey fashion " tall and gentle and very absent-minded, and so kind that he never punished anyone at all "

"Then that's why there were witches," cried Snip triumphantly

"Yes, 's why so easy for Mombi him into her power," sighed Pajuka mournfully " believe evil of no one-not even of witch "

"Seems Ozma makes better ruler," observed Snip, throwing his plum over tree and standing tip toes how far it had gone "She doesn't allow anyone to pratice magic, excepting herself, Glinda Wiz ard " perfectly true and Oz has enjoyed under the littlest Princess in history an era of great peace and prosperity

"Ozma is pretender," insisted Pajuka stiffly "But she doesn't even know her father's alive," protested Snip Though he had never seen Ozma, he had great affection little Queen " become of Ozma when the King ? " he asked doubtfully

"Oh, go back and play with her dolls She's only little girl anyway," answered the goose carelessly Snip quite approve either, so he changed the subject again

"There wasn't any Emerald City then, was there Pajuka ? "

"No, but we had splendid castle where the Emerald City now stands and hunting parks in every country of Oz Ah, those were the good old days," sighed Pajuka sorrowfully "If but see my dear master again I'd be content to remain goose rest life "

"I s'pose miss him," said Snip sympathetically

"Miss him ! " Pajuka gave great gulp and turned his head to wipe his tears feathers "Why, I miss him even more than my pockets," groaned the poor goose in smothered voice

Snip liked to hear more King, but loud screech from Mombi interrupted the story "Where've you been ? " croaked the witch, emerging from little patch of trees and blinking at them crossly "I've been ready for hours C'mon ! picnic ? "

"Don't sass me woman," wheezed Pajuka with great dignity, "or I'll not mite Who got us ridiculous mess, may I ask ? "

Mombi paid no attention to Pajuka's remarks, but began hobbling down the road and Snip, hardly wait to reach the Emerald City, hurried after her, still mumbling crossly to herself The goose sulkily brought up the rear The road was fairly good, and zigzagged pleasantly enough through meadows and fields

"But aren't there any houses ? " asked Snip, passed through deserted stretch of woodland "Aren't there any people or villages or towns ? "

"There ," honked Pajuka, who was resting his feet air (That's one advantage of having wings, when your feet are tired fly )

" ! " snapped Mombi gruffly, and Mombi was right, for just then the wood came to an end found themselves facing large, pleasant park, with dazzling white paths running in every direction Snip was looking around with deep interest, when six strangest beings he had ever seen rose up from bench little distance off and stood examining them critically They were certainly ten feet high and so thin and flat that Snip could scarcely believe they were people at all But had heads, arms, legs usual number of eyes, ears and noses, he concluded people little button boy stared at them, the first creatures leaned down, caught hold toes and came hurtling travelers like hurricane

"Whoop ! " shrieked the second one, bending over first had done and turning itself into sure enough hoop "Whoop, whoop ! "

"Honk ! " screamed Pajuka defiantly, but before Snip and Mombi had time to recover from their surprise the six Hoopers had rolled upon them full-speed, knocking them flat upon their backs Pajuka just saved himself by quick flop air Then, without unrolling, the six whizzed off backwards and Snip and Mombi had scrambled up were ready for another dash

"Get the pepper ! Get the pepper ! " squawked the goose wildly, but Mombi, furious at her fall, did nothing but hop and howl with rage and Snip, seeing that something , snatched up her crooked stick first Hooper came pelting upon them, it sharp crack that sent it whirling down the walk The second and third he served same fashion The fourth he missed, Mombi again was rolled dust, but the fifth and sixth he caught fairly and, beginning to enjoy the fun, started rolling them like hoops as fast as , whacking first one and then another and screaming with laughter comical expressions on their faces, when their faces came uppermost

"Go it, Snip ! Go it ! " exulted Pajuka, flapping his wings delightedly But Snip needed no encouragement and only stopped at last for lack of breath Immediately the Hoopers unrolled and, groaning and whooping and holding their sides, limped off bushes Hundreds creatures had gathered and, as Snip sank down on bench to rest, the very tallest Hooper came rolling toward them

"What by beating my subjects heartless fashion ? " demanded the great fellow, unrolling full height and glaring sternly down little button boy

"Well, they started it," replied Snip, keeping firm hold on Mombi's stick "Didn't they Pajuka ? "

"They certainly did," asserted the goose, settling down bench beside Snip " usual to knock down innocent travelers without reason or ceremony ? " - " usual to sit presence of king ? " retorted the Hooper stiffly all his subjects began whooping faintly, "Bow down to Rollo the Royal, bow down to King Rollo the Worst ! "

"Oh, roll up ! " said Snip scornfully "You're only lot of live hoops anyway Why should we bow ? "

"Leave the park instantly ! " roared Rollo, bouncing up and down with rage

"Let's," said Snip, grinning over at Pajuka

"I'm ready," agreed the goose, "but where's Mombi ? "

"Here ! " spluttered the witch, rolling out of bonnet bush "Any more nonsense creatures and I'll turn them to breakfast rolls and eat them for supper "

"A witch ! " whooped the King

"A witch ! " coughed all the others and, seizing their toes, the whole company whirled off together and disappeared in cloud of dust So without further excitement, the three adventurers reached the other side Hoopers' park and, opening small gate fence that surrounded it, found themselves again zig-zag pathway large sign posted on trees immediately attracted Snip's attention

"Fifty leaps Corners," announced the sign curiously enough

"Leaps ! " gasped Snip, while Mombi pushed back her hat and stood on tip-toe to examine the crooked letters "Must we leap all the way ? "

"Better look before ," chuckled Pajuka, scratching his head third toe left foot "I've been in some pretty tight corners in , and prefer around the rest "

"We'll go straight on Who's afraid ? " sneered Mombi Snip, thinking way she had hidden bonnet bush while he beat off the Hoopers, winked at Pajuka and Pajuka, with little flutter wings, winked back Then all three started along the narrow path together

CHAPTER 6

In Catty Corners

SUPPOSE the King were goat, still remember him ? " asked Snip, zig-zagged along the strange pathway

"Certainly ! " honked Pajuka, fluttering down "I'd know him in any shape But why ask ? What makes the King is goat ? Are there any goats around here ? " Shooting out his neck,- Pajuka began peering

"I don't know," admitted Snip frankly " just wondering "

"You talk ," snapped Mombi, stopping to pull up her stocking "If remember my magic I'd turn you to parrot ! "

several trees that edged the -pathway burst into loud roars of laughter, shaking all over and clasping theinselves trunk with their branches Snip was so astonished that he jumped backward and Pajuka, stepping own toes, fell forward head

"Oh, my dear Will, these are funny ones, chortled the first tree "Look ridiculous bird squidgety old skumpus, and would you count the buttons boy's suit Oh ! Oh ! die laughing ! "

Now Snip's suit, like all the suits button wood boys, was generously trimmed with buttons He had always considered it quite handsome, but now, trees continued to rock and roar with merriment, he began uncomfortable and little provoked

"Quit your laughing ! " puffed Pajuka indignantly "What right have trees to laugh at people ? "

"Every right in Oz," chuckled the second tree, leaning down to tickle Mombi under the chin with one twigs "We're laughing willows, , always looking for good joke, Hah ! Hah ! laugh is on us, Ho ! Ho ! Isn't that funny, Tree He ? "

"Well, we're not jokes," said Snip stiffly "Come on, Pajuka ! " This set the willows to laughing so heartily that their leaves fell in perfect showers Mombi, in rage, clapped her hands to her ears and hobbled off and Snip, after few more remarks which only made the trees laugh harder, ran after her

" say I prefer weeping willows," wheezed Pajuka, catching up with Snip and smoothing out his feathers bill willows had actually had the temerity to tweak him tail

"When the King, I'll chopped down and up ! " screamed Mombi, turning to shake her stick offending trees, but neither Snip nor Pajuka bothered to listen to her They were staring ahead in great astonishment, zig road had brought them quite suddenly edges of sparkling inland sea

"Water ! " exulted the goose, instantly restored to good humor "Oh, let's go swimming ! "

"Swimming ! " shuddered Mombi, whirling around in hurry "Don't water is death and destruction to witches ? "

" ? " asked Snip in pleased surprise, and secretly wondered whether he hadn't better push Mombi in at once But Pajuka, half guessing mind, shook his head reprovingly

"But how are we across ? " demanded the goose "I don't see any boats or ferries and

"It's pretty wide to swim," ventured Snip, shading his eyes hands and looking anxiously over the tumbling waves Snip's only experience with swimming in small pool button wood and not at all sure ever reach the other side

" tug you across, ' said Pajuka, "but what about Mombi ? "

"Hold your bill ! " snapped the witch in her usual pleasant fashion, and sitting on stone she scowled down sandy beach Then all at once she hopped up and, hobbling over to Snip, took the basket again