"Well, I don't know," said Dorothy doubtfully the truth the little girl had time at all, nor did she quite she was one age in Oz and another age in America "I'll have to Wizard when we get back Emerald City," she sighed, with very puzzled expression "It's all very funny, don't so, Humpy ? "

"Can't get it through my hair at all," puffed the dummy Sitting up stiffly he reached crown "Where are we now and when does the next reel begin ? "

Instead of answering Dorothy plumped down leaves and, with her elbows on her knees, stared thoughtfully dummy

" how you came alive, and how we got back to Oz," mused Dorothy slowly flash and flutter air and down at her feet dropped crisp white card Humpy promptly toppled over backward and Dorothy, herself, gave little gasp of surprise

"By wishing," said the card in pink letters, just it had heard her questions Below some smaller printing and picking up the card Dorothy quickly read on: "Wish Way is foot of Maybe Mountain you were on Wish Way You put silver wishing sand in your pocket You wished yourself in America "

"Mercy ! " cried Dorothy, dropping the card in her astonishment "Why so , and I wished you were alive, and I wished we were back and now I'm going to wish us both straight Emerald City on Wish Way once before and know all about wishing "

"Wait ! Wait minute," panted the dummy, clutching his crown "I'm used to being flung about, to dying and all that Sort of thing, but this wishing business makes me breathless Wait ! "

Dorothy had already made her wish and, closing her eyes, sat perfectly still After moment she opened them but nothing at all had happened She and Humpy still sitting pile of leaves white card had vanished Blinking rapidly, Dorothy felt in her pocket "No wonder it didn't work," muttered Dorothy "The wishing sand's all gone used the last grain when I wished we were back Oh dear, we'll have to walk ! "

"Where ? " Holding his crown with both hands, the dummy sat up and looked anxiously little girl

" Emerald City, where I live, in splendid palace with Ozma, the Queen," explained Dorothy patiently

"Well, I wouldn't mind living in palace at all I'm dressed part Let's go on," said the dummy cheerfully After few bends backwards and few bends forwards, he rose and started unsteadily down the road " the star picture," he added generously, "and I'll be your double and fall you say

"All right ! " agreed Dorothy, taking him cozily arm Having had great experience with stuffed persons, and having brought Humpy to life, she felt more or less responsible for him

walked along together, she told him little about herself and wonderful Land of Oz as she thought man with hair brains could understand marvelous things had happened to Humpy movies that he evinced no surprise at Dorothy's stories

dummy and Dorothy hurried on, great screaming and scolding made them stop short scraggy-looking woods cut off the road ahead and, advancing backward upon them, there came two crooked and curious woodsmen bearing flag flag fluttered and rippled wind, Dorothy tried out the strange words embroidered in white upon its purple background

"Eht Kcab Sdoow ! " said the flag mysteriously "Og yawa ! Og yawa ! " shouted the woodsmen rudely "Teg tuo ! Teg tuo ! Teg tuo ! "

" Oz talk," gasped Humpy, falling back in dismay, "or Arabic ? in an Arabian picture once and it sounded something like this Tuo teg, yourselves," he shouted defiantly, woodsmen drew nearer, "and none of your back talk either ! "

"Back talk ! " cried Dorothy, clutching him suddenly sleeve "Oh, that's just what talking, Humpy They're talking 'back talk ' Wait minute ! " Closing her eyes, Dorothy began writing imaginary letters air and, two woodsmen reached them, she burst out triumphantly, "It says 'The Back Woods' flag Oh dear, I wished we were back and now ! "

" awful fast," blinked the dummy admiringly "The mere look language makes me dizzy So they're talking back talk are they ? Well, what do they say ? Are they going to hit us ? "

"They're telling us away, muttered Dorothy, putting her fingers in her ears, two leaders joined by hundred more and all were screaming top or rather, say, the bottom voices They kept their backs travellers and shouted the dreadful back talk over their shoulders They all carried gleaming axes and, when Dorothy made an attempt to advance, they brandished them threateningly

"If only talk back," wailed the little girl, "I'd tell them Princess Then maybe they'd let me through "

"Couldn't you write it ? " suggested Humpy, looking angry horde with growing alarm

"Why, how did ? " Dorothy stared at him in honest amazement Then, feeling in her pocket, she brought out stub of pencil and crumpled piece of paper The woodsmen watched her curiously over their shoulders as she slowly wrote her message

"I ma Ssecnirp Yhtorod, dneirf fo Amzo fo Zo Yam ew ssap hguorht ruoy sdoow ? " printed Dorothy after pauses and erasures Rather timidly she handed it to flag bearers and after great scowling and head-shaking, the woodsmen raised their axes and shouted in chorus, "Sey ! Sey ! "

"That means 'yes'," breathed Dorothy, taking Humpy's arm "C'mon, let's hurry, change their minds " The woodsmen parted solemnly path, but reached the backwoods itself, Dorothy took one step and was immediately flung upon her nose

"Ah, your own falling," mumbled the dummy "Why didn't you wait ? " Humpy was several paces behind Dorothy and as he spoke, he also attempted to enter the woods But the same hidden force pushed him over backwards Immediately the inhabitants of Back began to roar with delight, and never heard anyone roaring backwards, no idea how horrid it sounds something between a, cough and choke Even the dummy knew that being insulted, and waved his arms about indignantly

"There's some trick ," panted Dorothy, sitting up quickly "Watch ! "

Several woodsmen began to move slowly toward her and, observing them closely, the little girl saw were, turned backward but really walking forward " backward forward ! " cried Dorothy "Hurry up, catch us "

" worse than dying," groaned Humpy "How go backwards and forwards same time ? "

"Watch me," said Dorothy, springing up determinedly Turning her back woods, she started to run away , and Humpy, goaded into action threatening appearance terrible woodsmen, did the same For every step they ran backward forward, they went forward backward two steps, bumping into trees, which had their roots waving muddily air and their leaves underground and crashing into bushes same curious character Without stopping to examine the back scenery at all, they ran for their lives, reaching the edge woods just woodsmen caught up The wicked fellows had really no intention of letting them go, and howled most awfully as Humpy and Dorothy made their escape Several leaders started in pursuit, but they set foot out forest they were flung down invisible back wind and finally gave it up Seeing were safe at last, Dorothy sank down under tomato tree and fanned herself vigorously with her hat

"Do we often ? " puffed the dummy, giving himself shake " going funny picture "

"It's not picture at all," answered the little girl bit crossly "It's real you lots of adventures in Oz Well, real adventure "

"Really ! " smiled the dummy, straightening his crown "Well, 're not in picture we I'll bet we looked ridiculous running forward backward , isn't funny reel it's real funny and you'll admit that, Miss Dorothy "

" sure there's nothing in your head but hair ? " asked the little girl suspiciously Humpy took off his crown and smoothed his silver wig solemnly "I don't think so," "Why ask ? "

"Well," Dorothy gave little chuckle of herself, "you just made joke and you thought about writing back You sound kinda smart

"You're wrong, sighed Humpy, gravely replacing his crown "I'm only hair-brained dummy, but I like being alive and I like having you star and -" Humpy shook his fist angrily still muttering woods-men-" I'll take all the knocks and hard falls Then maybe, tried hard, grow to like me little ? "

"Why, I like you already, you dear, generous old thing " Jumping up, Dorothy gave Humpy an impulsive hug Then, picking large tomato, she ate it hungrily It seemed since she had breakfasted Forgetful Poet in Perhaps City

"We'd better start on now," said the little girl, finishing off the tomato with long sigh of satisfaction "We're Gillikin Country and walk fast reach the Emerald City before night comes

"All right, Miss Star " Picking up crooked branch to balance himself, Humpy stepped out cheerfully and, talking of and another, they journeyed for more than an hour pleasant fields and lanes, causing no small wonder Gilliken farmers whom they passed way, for Dorothy in her torn stockings and frock dummy regal robes and crown made strange pair, even for Oz

Without explaining themselves at all, the two hurried on, never stopping until they came to broad purple river Humpy looked inquiringly at Dorothy and Dorothy with puzzled little sigh sat down river bank

"I'm sure we ought to cross this river," said Dorothy thoughtfully, "but how ? "

Humpy put one finger water " me in ? " asked the dummy obligingly

"Well, I don't see what good do," frowned Dorothy "Let me see ! " Dorothy looked reflectively at her toes, so she saw nothing but her boots, but Humpy looked off across the river, and so Humpy who saw them first

"Oh, look ! " stuttered the dummy, grasping Dorothy sleeve "Here comes another adventure, Miss Star ! "