"Now don't tell me real," grunted the dummy, sitting down with thud "I wouldn't believe them, even in picture "

"But they're not in picture," wailed Dorothy "They're here, whether you believe them or not Why sails ! Oh Humpy, get up quick Aren't you going to help me ? " With mighty effort Humpy pulled himself together and arose

"Teg tuo ! Teg tuo ! " shrilled the dummy, lapsing fright and excitement terrible language of Back "Og yawa ! Og yawa ! Kcab Sdoow ! " And snatching off his crown, he hurled it violently heads approaching rivermen

CHAPTER 12

The Playful Scooters

THE first rivermen caught the dummy's crown neatly and tossed it back " game ? " hoarsely Dorothy had no time to dodge, so she quickly caught the crown, which came force that she sat down with jolt

The dummy danced up and down and waved his arms threateningly

"Come on, Flub Blub It's game," called the first riverman man just behind him "Two Scoots playing game ! Here," he croaked deep, frog-like voice, "throw it ! " He raised his sails coaxingly at Dorothy and, partly because she was afraid him come nearer and partly because she didn't know what else , the little girl pitched back the crown with all her might The one called Flub Blub caught it immediately The next throw was to Humpy and backward and forward puzzled travellers bank and curious creatures water flew the dummy's crown, and breathlessly between catches Dorothy examined these strange playfellows

They were tall and angular and so sunburned almost appeared Indians They were clad in shiny water proof hats and slickers On their long, thin feet, shaped somewhat like skis and somewhat like narrow boats, they slid over the water as surely and carelessly skate about on ice Extending ankle finger tips, and part wearer as wings are part of bird, were bright yellow sails When their arms were down at their sides, the sails were folded in and almost unnoticeable, but with arms outstretched the rivermen had two wide-spread sails to help them scoot over the water By lowering the right arm or the left, turn, tack and get about faster than any sailing boat ever seen Their faces, under the broad souwesters, were child-like and pleasant and, finding them more interesting than dangerous, Dorothy motioned for Humpy to hold the crown, which had landed for tenth time with resounding thwack against his chest

"But just getting good," objected the dummy, placing the crown regretfully head "What now ? " Humpy had become so engrossed in catching the crown that he had quite forgotten his fright and, leader came in close shore, he looked at him with frank curiosity

"Well, Scoots," bubbled the one called Flub Blub, rocking gently backward and forward water, "who won ? "

" tie," answered Dorothy politely, "but why call us Scoots ? "

"Because your sails haven't grown, gurgled the riverman, taking white bubble pipe mouth and smiling broadly little girl "But don't mind, my dear all be Scoots before we're Scooters Just stick mud little longer and your sails will grow as large as mine "

"Dorothy's not Scoot, she's star," protested Humpy, "and I'm her double and do all the hard falling Don't ' star see one ? "

The Scooter turned his pale blue eyes curiously on Humpy "You look about like her as pumpkin looks like peach," he observed mildly "Why call yourself her double ? And if she's star what's she doing out now ? It's only ten o'clock " all the other Scooters removed their pipes and nodded gravely

"Is she an out-and-out star, or down-and-out star ? " inquired Flub Biub, blowing whole flock of soap bubbles pipe and watching them float lazily up the river

"I'm Princess," put in Dorothy, seeing that everything was becoming hopelessly confused, "and we're way Emerald City "

"A Princess ! " exclaimed the Scooter in amazement off his souwester and scratched his head in puzzled way Dorothy was so astonished that his hair was moss that she said nothing at all for whole minute

" 're Princess, why so shabby ? " choked Scooter named Mouldy

"Don't mind him, he has bad cold," apologized Flub, putting his hat on again " go picking daisies shore yesterday and got his feet dry Now look at him ! "

The Scooter coughed miserably "That's right," he wheezed, dabbing at his eyes right sail "Never get your feet dry little Scoot, it's turrible ! "

Dorothy giggled of herself Then seeing the poor fellow was offended she asked quickly, " cross this river, Mr Mouldy ? "

"There's bridge bit further on," sniffed the Scooter, waving his sail sulkily Following the direction, Dorothy saw what at first looked like silver bridge But on closer inspection it proved great torrent of water spouting across the river like the stream from giant hose

"But it's water ! " gasped the little girl in dismay

" it's water What should bridge be but water ? " demanded the leader Scooters impatiently "Just stand on one side and shoot you across

"How dreadfully wet," sighed the dummy dolefully, "but I'll cross Dorothy "

"That's right," said Flub Blub approvingly, "and here's the way " Followed others, the Scooter sailed up the river and leaped lightly gleaming arch of water Dorothy, watching them shoot across with sails outspread, thought she had never seen more interesting sight Just reached the opposite bank, they jumped water and in minute they all were back

"See," smiled the leader cheerfully, "it's as easy as sailing, Miss Star or Princess or whatever else you call yourself "

"Just little girl, ," smiled Dorothy, looking very doubtfully water bridge

"Is he little girl too ? " asked the riverman, eyeing Humpy attentively the poor dummy looked so indignant that Dorothy quickly told about her fall into America, her meeting with Humpy strange manner he wished to life But Scooters had never heard of America, nor of moving picture dummy, her story was not at all clear And when she went on to explain that crossing the river water bridge and getting her feet wet would give her cold, they were more astonished than ever

"Couldn't you carry her across ? " asked Humpy, stood arguing excitedly together "I don't mind the water myself and am quite used to floating and falling, but Dorothy

"Ever try water fall ? " interrupted Mouldy inquisitively

"Let's take her across, boys ! " called Flub Blub before Humpy had chance to answer "Come along Princess Little Girl and Mr Dummy ! " With hoarse shouts the Scooters stretched their long arms dozen seized upon Humpy and, holding him awkwardly , started scooting across the river Dorothy, standing precariously on Flub Blub's right foot and balanced by Mouldy's left arm, fairly raced over the waters two rivermen Their sails flapped merrily wind spray from their long ski-like feet spread out like white wings behind

"Won't Ozma and Betsy be surprised when I tell them ! " thought Dorothy neared the opposite bank Little did Dorothy guess strange happenings Ozma others would soon have to relate to her !

"Better stay and learn to scoot," advised Flub Blub, seeing the smile on Dorothy's face

"Ah more brave

than life wave !

No care and no trouble,

life goes like bubble ! "

The Scooter waved his arm jovially, as he recited the couplet

"But what eat ? " inquired Dorothy She puzzling over this for

"Water cress, water melons and fish," answered Flub Blub, without slackening his speed

"Raw fish ? " asked Dorothy, with little gasp

"Well, rawther," giggled another Scooter just behind them "Raw fish sails grow Stay water little girl and you'll soon have fine pair of sails "

"That's right," added Flub Blub approvingly Removing his bubble pipe he continued earnestly, "Fish will make your feet grow too Eat fish, my dear, and grow beautiful pair like mine ! "

Dorothy looked down Scooter's long feet and shuddered "That settles it," she whispered, with little shiver "I'll never eat fish ! "

They had now reached the opposite side river Thanking the Scooters for their kindness and bidding them an affectionate farewell, the little girl scampered quickly up the bank Humpy and already been tossed ashore

"Good-bye ! " shouted the Scooters, cheerfully waving their sails They were in mid-stream

"Good-bye ! " called Dorothy and Humpy, picking himself up clumsily, waved his crown

"Ah, still the same size ," smiled Humpy, looking amiably at Dorothy "Any more adventures coming ? "

"Well, I liked that one," chuckled Dorothy, pulling up her stockings and straightening her hat "Didn't you ? "

Humpy nodded, his eyes wandering over the fields and hills, spreading out invitingly before them " the way to your palace ? " he demanded, throwing his cloak back over one shoulder and waving his stick ahead

"It's not my palace," explained Dorothy, taking his arm, "it's Ozma's the Queen of Oz, , but the dearest little apartment there, with hundred fairy tale books, hundred games, hundred dresses, dog named Toto and little white kitten "

"Well, your dog won't chew me," said Humpy uneasily " in picture with dog once supposed to knock me down Well, and, could pull him away he had chewed off my ear and eaten up my wig I hate dogs "

"But Toto's only little dog, you'll just love Toto," Dorothy assured him quickly

Humpy still looked doubtful and, seeing that dogs made him unhappy, Dorothy began telling him all Scarecrow and Scraps Chatting pleasantly, they walked along for more than an hour, when Humpy, ever lookout for adventures, gave Dorothy's arm quick jerk Moving slowly behind thin fringe of trees right was great gray shadow stopped, the shadow stopped too and out trees something that looked like long grey snake came curiously curling

"Run ! " puffed the valiant dummy "Run, Dorothy ! my part show can't bite me ! "

Raising his stick, Humpy brought it down sharply thick gray body an enraged snort and snuffle bushes Then, before Dorothy could run or Humpy could use his stick again, perfectly enormous elephant came charging out trees His sides were heaving with rage tusks were trembling with temper