"Never mind," comforted Ozma, "I'll dry cleaned when we get back home, but now I'm trying , so please do be quiet "

Quiet ! Scarcely word out of her mouth, before such shivering slam overhead that all three girls jumped with terror and Scraps, for greater security leaped clear onto the table, touching as she did so hidden spring top blinding flash and while Ozma, Betsy and Trot clung desperately together and Scraps gave another jump that carried her clear chandelier, the center table rose up before their eyes, disclosing long silver casket

"Don't touch it ! " warned the Patch Work Girl, swinging dizzily 'round and 'round

"A goblin goblin will jump out and bite us, There's giant upstairs and he's coming to smite us ! "

Someone certainly was coming down the stairs Scarcely daring to look, they waited anxiously next happening

"What befell ? " Sir Hokus of Pokes and not giant who stuck his head doorway "Did'st call maidens ? " asked the Knight, looking up at Scraps in vague disapproval

Without stopping to explain what had frightened them, Ozma pointed trembling finger silver casket and before any could beg him not to, Sir Hokus strode forward and opened the mysterious chest Scraps hid her head in her arm Then, hearing no screams nor explosions, she finally screwed up enough courage to look down The Wizard of Oz Scarecrow had returned were all staring in amazement at green velvet robe which Sir Hokus had taken chest

"Royal robe Majesty, the King of Oz ! " boomed the Knight, reading from small tag ermine collar

"The King of Oz ? " choked Ozma, clasping her hands in excitement 'Why that's my father, and I remember now hunting lodge where we used to hide from Mombi when little girl ! "

"But Mombi destroyed your father when she turned you to boy," puffed Betsy Bobbin, her eyes sticking out with astonishment and surprise

"So did I," muttered the little Wizard He always felt uneasy and unhappy old witch was mentioned, for he, himself, had given Ozma into Mombi's keeping when possession Kingdom The old witch had already spirited away the little girl's father and Ozma herself was too young to rule But the Wizard, changed since those old days, realized now how wrong it and like to recall the part he had played affair at all

"Well, no wonder you remembered the castle," put in Trot

"But wait ! " cried Sir Hokus hoarsely " more " And turning over the tag he read: "This robe preserved Fairy Lurline, and if placed King's shoulders with Incantation No 986 Green Book of Magic, will restore him proper shape incantation is used without the robe great disaster will befall "

"Who's Lurline ? " asked Trot, her eyes winking very fast indeed

"Why Lurline is my Fairy Godmother Queen fairy band all descended from," explained Ozma breathlessly "Oh girls ! my father is really alive ! " The delighted little ruler hugged Betsy and Trot so hard had to squeal for mercy

" think you'd rather be Queen yourself," sniffed Scraps, dropping sulkily chandelier and coming over to stare King's robe "He'll want to boss you 'round and make you go to bed at eight, wear rubbers and all that other fatherish stuff Let's go home and not bother Who wants King anyway, I like you ! "

Betsy looked shocked Patch Work Girl's heartless speech, but Ozma, paying no heed to Scraps, began to confer excitedly Wizard

"Who sent the quill ? Where shall we look first ? What does it mean Green Book of Magic ? " she asked, one question following another so fast the Wizard blinked with discomfort

" take my advice," observed the Scarecrow, rubbing his nose wisely, "you'll return immediately Emerald City Once there but to look Magic Picture to discover the whereabouts of your royal parent "

many treasures in Ozma's palace Magic Picture, may see anyone you wish by merely expressing the desire them It also shows the country and exact situation in, so you how sensible the Scarecrow's suggestion really was

"But what made that terrible racket upstairs ? " demanded Scraps, suddenly remembering her scare

"Oh that ! " Sir Hokus shuffled his feet in embarrassment "I fell through trap door into closet full of tins," explained the Knight sheepishly

"It's good thing ," laughed Betsy Bobbin, "for hadn't frightened Scraps never have found the silver chest at all "

"Now that found it," shivered Trot, "let's go It's cold in here "

"And let's hurry ! " cried Ozma, seizing the Scarecrow affectionately arm "Oh, scarcely wait my father "

"Why didn't you bring along another wishing pill, Wizard ? " sighed Betsy "We're in Morrow, sure enough, but where is Morrow ? And how do we get back Emerald City, anyway ? " No one could answer Betsy's question, since Ozma old castle she remembered nothing location

"We'll have to walk, I s'pose," said the Scarecrow, detaching cobweb ear, " sooner we start, the sooner we'll arrive

"Right, as usual ! " approved the Knight, taking the Scarecrow arm "Forward King and for Oz ! "

So, after another short look about, the seven adventurers closed the castle doors and began their way cautiously deserted park

"If I only knew who sent the feather," murmured Ozma, holding up her lace skirts them from catching bushes and thorns

"I'll bet your Fairy Godmother," said Trot, skipping along excitedly

"Well, the goose had come feather," sighed Betsy Bobbin "I'm hungry Hungry Tiger ! "

" were stuffed with cotton,

you'd never have to eat

I'm glad I'm made of patch work

and not of bone and meat "

sang Scraps, dancing ahead in her ridiculous fashion

"There's house ! " called Betsy, tugging the Knight suddenly arm and pointing to small red building

"Oh ! " cried Ozma, clasping her hands, "Perhaps someone lives there tell us father ! "

" near and farther," giggled Scraps starting to run toward the little red house "Come on everybody ! "

Led Patch Work Girl, the little company hurried toward the little red house No one was seen windows, and when Sir Hokus pounded door no answer

" wasting time here," said the Scarecrow at last " be way " And so the homeward march was resumed

CHAPTER 10

Dorothy Dummy

same bright morning golden goose feather had come flashing down into Ozma's garden Emerald City, Dorothy had said goodbye to her old friends in Perhaps City and started gaily homeward

Her visit on Maybe Mountain, where old Peer Haps holds court Forgetful Poet makes verses from morning until night, so interesting and jolly that Dorothy still felt happy and she went skipping down the steep mountain path almost as fast little brook that rushed along at her side As she skipped along she sang this merry ditty:

" one day, the last of May,

foolish and absurd

Old yellow fellow calling 'Hello,

I'm banana bird ! '

"A banana bird ! My eyes grew blurred;

to my toes and heels,

Then away he flew with flap or two,

yellow banana peals "

" try to remember that for Scraps, Dorothy giggled softly to herself Her head was full Forgetful Poet's ridiculous rhymes, and she was so busy remembering them many bits of news she had for Ozma that she reached the bottom mountain in almost no time and, without noticing where she was going, turned into an inviting small lane sign swinging from yellow post head lane, but Dorothy never saw it She knew she was familiar Winkie Country, wind mills, flapping lazily morning breeze, were yellow, the houses were yellow and proof enough, the lane was full of daisies and buttercups and edged with golden peach and pear trees

"I don't believe," sighed Dorothy, hurrying happily along under the lovely branches, "I don't believe any place so interesting as Oz How pretty this road is ! "

Stooping down, she scooped up bit sand that made the bed lane sparkle like silver sunlight silver, perfectly truthful, and with little smile Dorothy slipped some into her pocket

"How surprised anyone in Kansas silver dust road," thought the little girl, recalling her old home with little chuckle of amusement "No, nothing like this ever happens in America at all, and yet-" Dorothy paused to pick an unusually large buttercup and twirl it absently under her chin, "and yet I sometimes wish I were in America again, just

Wheee-e ! Off flew her hat, up flew her heels and in whirl of silver dust and peach blossoms, off flew Dorothy herself Off, up, away and down again, so swiftly she even time to swallow

"Thirty miles to Hollywood," said the sign near the huge rock where she sat blinking with shock and astonishment

"Hollywood ! " panted Dorothy "Why that's in California and California's United States But how did I get here ? " no one to answer her question, and as she couldn't answer it herself she jumped up, smoothed out her dress and looked anxiously about smooth white road ran evenly ahead, one side sloped down into deep ravine, other side was long, uninteresting stretch of meadow trees bottom ravine, Dorothy caught glimpse of some houses

Feeling terribly puzzled and not entirely pleased, she left the road and started down trees Halfway down, she paused sure she was going toward the houses, furious clatter of hoofs road above made her glance up in dismay great company of horsemen, armed with pikes, staves, swords and pitch forks were galloping pell mell along the highway Giving scream of fright, Dorothy saw them turn and plunge down the ravine With smash and crash they came riding upon her Gasping in terror, Dorothy sprang behind big tree and in whirl of sticks, dust and color the horsemen pounded past They were dressed in green doublets and hose They wore wide feathered hats and at all the sort of folk Dorothy expected in America

With her hand pressed to her heart, Dorothy peered around the tree As she did so the wild riders reined up short and two most villainous looking snatched green-cloaked figure saddle and hurled him violently over the cliff Then swinging their horses round, they galloped off as suddenly had come, leaving Dorothy, as she afterwards explained to Sir Hokus of Pokes, perfectly petrified Not until the last green doublet flashed out of sight did she dare stir Then breathlessly she tiptoed edge cliff and looked over

"Oooh-they've killed him ! " gasped Dorothy, in horrified tones Now many another small girl run off at once, but Dorothy in too many strange adventures Instead she ran just as fast as down the steep, stony path bottom ravine There stones, head in shallow brook, lay the unfortunate rider Close beside him was great jewel-studded crown

"A king ! " marvelled Dorothy, who had met monarchs in Oz "But he doing here ? And why ? "