"Well ? " wheezed Pajuka inquiringly

" we waiting for ? " demanded Snip

" sea to jell, idiot ! " sniffed Mombi "In strongest gelatin in Oz It took me six years to refine and collect it Watch the sea and see

" jelling," marvelled Snip, hopping up and down "Look, Pajuka, the waves have stopped rolling ! " quite true The dancing blue waters, caught in their liveliest tumbling, had stiffened with their white frills still upon them whole sea was becoming smooth and glassy as bowl of gelatin, only no gelatin Snip ever had seen was half so beautiful, blue sea, tinged in spots with purple and green, sparkled sunshine like some large and lovely amethyst

"Well, do any tricks or not ? " shrilled Mombi, snapping her fingers under Pajuka's bill "Come on ! Let's cross ! " She rose stiffly and Snip, taking up the basket, set one foot experimentally jelly It shook little under his weight, but seemed firm and solid, so the three stepped out and were soon half way over

"How fish ? " asked Pajuka, looking down clear, jellied water

"They'll be jelly fish for while," snickered Mombi, who was in fine humor trick she had turned " the Wizard of Oz this I'll wager get magic out of cook book as out of whole library of sorcery "

"It certainly looks good enough to eat," admitted Snip "Wonder ? " He scooped up bit to taste, but so salty it choked him not good to eat surely fine to walk on and Snip, bouncing along beside Pajuka, was quite sorry reached the other side " traveling's pretty interesting," observed the little button boy, looking back over his shoulder "Don't you Pajuka ? "

The goose sighed "I used so, Snip, but I've traveled searching King, I'm homesick slippers, quiet old castle and my pipe Haven't had smoke since goose," mourned the poor prime minister, rolling his eyes sadly Snip couldn't help thinking how funny Pajuka would look with pipe and pair of slippers But he stifled this thought quickly

"Don't you care ! " he whispered comfortingly "You'll find the King and when we reach the Emerald City, I'll tell Ozma all about you," he promised, lowering his voice so Mombi hear " she'll

" you whispering about ? " snarled the witch, glaring back suspiciously

"About second," whistled Pajuka, soaring air "Hello, what's this ? "

"Why, it's the Corners," cried Snip, running ahead to read large sign suspended from pussy willow under the great gray walls

"Catty Corners," announced the sign, in black scratchy letters

"Catty Corners," hissed the goose "Well, no place fly at once ! "

"But I adore cats," declared Mombi and, before anyone could stop her, she thumped hard gates The walls surrounding Catty Corners formed huge triangle and were so high that even by bending backward Snip the top As he straightened up, door gray wall flew open and simply enormous Tabby Cat, dressed as guard, seized Pajuka wing and Mombi arm

"No boys allowed ! " bawled the guard, bristling his whiskers at Snip little button boy could even wink, the cat had dragged his two companions in and slammed the door Snip could hear Pajuka hissing and Mombi protesting in shrill voice and next instant the door flew open and he, himself, was seized by cat guard and jerked through

"He's my prisoner," cried Mombi defiantly, as Snip was lined up beside her She had no intention of letting Snip out of her clutches entirely

"Well, he's my prisoner now," snarled the guard, giving Snip shake Then, looking more closely at Mombi, his eyes began to sparkle with pleasure "Who , beauteous being ? " purred the cat, doffing his cap Pajuka, though badly scared by his predicament, restrain loud chuckle

"I'm witch ! " answered Mombi, drawing herself up proudly

"A witch ! " cried the second cat guard, releasing his hold on Mombi's arm "Oh cousin, how splendid ! The Queen must know "

Throwing back his head he began to yowl in hundred piercing and alarming cat cries

"What's he saying ? " gasped Snip

"Sounds like cat fish ," gurgled Pajuka, ducking his head under his wing

cat guard's call, hundreds of cats began to race toward the prisoners They were as large as Snip himself, and of every kind and color imaginable they saw Mombi, they began to purr with pleasure and delight, rubbing against her knees, knocking her hat sideways and pressing so close that Snip and Pajuka were almost suffocated Then, forming triumphant procession, they started center of Catty Corners Mombi, like all witches, was fonder of cats than of anything else and walked along fondling first one and then another, while Snip and Pajuka, still clutches guards, followed in huge disgust Several cats cast hungry looks goose, but most were too taken up with Mombi to even notice him

"Did you ever see such place ? " sniffed the little button boy scornfully "Why, it's all fences "

Even as he spoke, his cat guard sprang up on white fence, dragging him along so perfectly unexpected that Snip nearly fell nose but, glancing ahead, Mombi nimbly walking the fence between two black cats Pajuka had no trouble walking the fence either, though greatly inconvenienced guard who had hold wing

"If I just had pair of clothes props," sighed Snip, balancing himself precariously

"Take hold tail," advised the guard gruffly, "and fall I'll scratch you "

Another cat sprang up behind him and put one paw under his arm, so two Snip managed fairly well He had his eyes so closely fence that of Catty Corners as he otherwise But enough to interest him tremendously perfect network of fences divided this curious city into little enclosures Snip called them back yards In each yard was catnip bed, pussy willow tree, and lovely fountain of cream They passed many ponds well stocked with fish, and Snip shivered uncomfortably as Tabby Cats jumped down fence, snatched gold fish from pond, and began eating it it were cracker, salting it generously from shaker he carried around his neck

"Hateful things," thought the little button boy, looking anxiously ahead how Pajuka was faring " we don't have to stay here long " sudden yowling and waving of tails told him something was happening Stretching his neck, that Mombi had reached the Queen's garden

" prepared to meet The Imperial and Puissant Pussy ? " asked the guard, looking severely over his shoulder

"Another cat ? " groaned Snip

"Scratch him," hissed big grey Tom, but the Tabby Cat merely reached down, and clutching Snip front jacket, jumped down fence

Her Majesty lay luxuriously under catsup tree Ten small kittens fanned her with large leaves and Tabby Cat Guard in every corner garden not room for all the other cats, so they ranged themselves expectantly surrounding fences while Mombi, Pajuka and Snip were brought forward The Queen, sleek maltese, opened her eyes languidly approached, but at sight of Mombi she sprang up so impulsively, she bumped her head on catsup bottle

"Why, you dear, beautiful, dreadful old thing ! " purred the Queen, clasping her paws delightedly

"Dear, beautiful, dreadful old thing ! " purred all the other cats, waving their tails approvingly

"You shall stay and bewitch us forever," murmured her Highness, stroking Mombi's wrinkled cheek affectionately "But who let this boy in ? " she screamed furiously, catching glimpse of Snip

"Mean, horrid, naughty little wretch, puller of tails and thrower of stones ! " Her eyes flashed so threateningly Snip was really alarmed and began to look around for some way to escape

"He never pulled cat-tail life," blustered Pajuka indignantly, "except in swamp ! "

"In swamp ? " shrieked the Queen "What right has he to pull cat-tails in swamp Who ? "

"A Prime Minister when myself," answered Pajuka promptly, "but unfortunately just now not myself "

"A goose ! " purred the cat Queen, licking her lips hungrily "Ah, it's years since I've tasted goose How old ? weigh ? tender ? "

At each dreadful question, her Maltese Majesty drew nearer to Pajuka Snip looked appealingly at Mombi, but the old witch had forgotten them both and was seated blissfully under the catsup tree, her lap full of kittens

"As man in my prime, but I'm very old goose," panted Pajuka, edging nervously away greedy Queen

"I don't believe it," said her Majesty, giving Pajuka playful poke "What fun ! guest ! prisoner and dinner ! The witch shall stay, the boy shall be publicly chased and scratched goose, ah the goose shall be eaten ! kiss my paw ! " purred her Highness, advancing graciously toward Snip

"Mombi ! Mombi ! hear that ? " screamed Pajuka wildly "I'm served up for dinner ! "

"Serve you right," yawned the witch drowsily

"I'll not let them eat you ! " shouted Snip, brushing aside the Queen's paw and struggling to free himself cat guard

"Take them away ! " commanded the Queen, with wave of her tail "And keep tabs on them until wanted "

"You'll be sorry ! " honked Pajuka "I'm very bad for cats eat me I'll fits "

"Hush ! " hissed her Highness haughtily " now the dinner dinner supposed to converse "

"Come along, dinner ! " said the guard gruffly, and dragging Pajuka wing and Snip arm, he marched them sternly away, while all the inhabitants of Catty Corners howled with derision and delight

CHAPTER 7

The Magic Pudding

SNIP," wheezed Pajuka mournfully, "when cooked and eaten, save few feathers for Ozma ? And find the King tell him that old Pajuka was faithful to- last ? "

of himself the poor goose's voice broke and ended in great gulp

" get through with me there'll be just enough feathers left to stuff pillow," choked Pajuka