"You'll have guide, Snip," sighed the tailor, gazing around with bewildered expression "I've lived Blanks that nothing parts at all As Emerald City, 't remember even hearing of it "

"Well, I've never been there," admitted Snip, "but very center of Oz and we were going south when Mombi threw me down the well So find out which direction is south we ought to reach the Emerald City by night time ? "

The tailor squinted doubtfully up sun and, after few more useless guesses, they determined chance and started diagonally across the field

"I wonder what shape Mombi did turn the King into," muttered Snip, hurried along wheat "And I wonder whether Ozma can change Pajuka back own self again He's so tired of being goose ! "

"It pretty tiresome," observed Tora, pushing his specs up forehead, "though no worse than tailoring from morning till night for city full of invisible and ungrateful rascals Not that I mind the tailoring," he explained hastily, looking down sideways at Snip "I love that, and say, I'd like you little suit sometime when I've set up my shop No, it wasn't the tailoring, but the imprisonment that I minded "

" 'spose they've missed you yet ? find you're gone ? " chuckled the little button boy He looked up expectantly, but the old man was staring thoughtfully over an olive tree and seem to hear Snip's question

"Oh bother ! " exclaimed Snip "His ears off again How awfully inconvenient ! "

"I always let them off after breakfast," explained the tailor apologetically and just he had read Snip's thoughts "It rests them, "

"But we've had no breakfast," began Snip impatiently Then, realizing that Tora hear one word, he walked along in resigned silence, thinking how annoying it butterfly ears "And yet," mused Snip slowly, "it rather fun, too One could send one's ears to places one didn't care to school and to lectures and all that sort of thing, and take them off when folks scolded or the conversation grew dull " He had thought up quite number of uses for butterfly ears, tailor, himself, broke the silence

"Perhaps it would amuse you to hear little Blanks," began Tora pleasant voice "They always invisible as now, but they were always vain and haughty and trying to outshine one another in appearance ," sighed the old man, with grave nod, "they thought of nothing but dress and all their time and money was spent for new and splendid apparel As inhabitants were handsomer than others always an argument who really looked the best

"Shortly after I, myself, came to Blankenburg, Vanette, the Queen, walking in small woods behind the palace, discovered hidden pool Looking water to admire her reflection, she accidentally dropped her handkerchief Before snatch it out the handkerchief had disappeared and, when she reached pond to search , her hand and arm suddenly became invisible "

Tora looked down how Snip was taking the story and, finding him interested, continued dreamily: "For time the Queen was exceedingly frightened, but all at once wicked plan popped into her head Hurrying back palace, she ordered her servants to carry bucket magic water to everyone city She then commanded them to bathe enchanted water and since then they perfectly invisible Vanetta, herself, old and fat and exceedingly jealous young girls bathed water too and now as invisible rest of her subjects So now, dress up in their fine clothes, faces don't count at all, Queen always wins all the beauty prizes That's why it's against the law face in Blankenburg," continued Tora solemnly "I'm glad we escaped got yours

Snip was glad, too, but wanted to ask how Tora had managed to save his own face, tailor, guessing little boy's mind, finished up quickly: "For some reason or other the magic water had no effect upon me and as old and ugly and quite useful in my own way, they finally stopped bothering me

Picking up long, crooked stick and evidently thinking he had talked enough, Tora began to whistle an old Oz tune Walking along solemnly beside him Snip help wondering how the old tailor had ever come prisoner in Blankenburg and whether he had always had butterfly ears

"I'll ask him back," decided Snip, but meantime growing hungrier and hungrier, for drink of cream in Catty Corners he had had nothing at all to eat He kept sharp lookout for fruit and nut trees and presently, in small grove right, he caught glimpse of perfectly enormous breakfast bush

Motioning for Tora to wait for him, Snip darted off The tailor looked slightly puzzled but, making no objection, sat down on rock and went on whistling Hastening back with two steaming breakfast dishes hands, Snip was surprised to hear loud, plaintive voice mingling with Tora's tune Quickening his steps the little boy saw tall, kingly figure waving indignant arms tailor

" crazy ? " he shouted angrily "I once again, may I borrow breakfast or bite of lunch ? It's for Princess Can't you answer me ? " But Tora, fixing his eye on fluffy cloud skimming across the sky, went calmly on tune " deaf to my pleas," puffed the stranger, whirling round unsteadily and almost bumping into Snip "Deaf and dumb ! "

"He isn't deaf," explained the little boy breathlessly "He has just mislaid his ears I mean he's let them off for awhile "

"Let them off ? Dorothy ! Dorothy ! Come at once ! man with mislaid ears ! " shrilled the stranger, hobbling off Snip stared after him, open mouthed, as he wobbled wildly down the road

CHAPTER 15

Kabumpo Rescue

guessed our old friend Humpy who had begged breakfast of Tora, the tailor the Elegant Elephant, travelling like the wind itself, had carried Dorothy dummy almost exact spot where Snip and Tora had fallen Fare-well Then, exceedingly fatigued by his unaccustomed exertion, Kabumpo had gone off in search of some lunch

Snip had scarcely recovered shock of Humpy's sudden disappearance when back , holding Dorothy tightly hand Now the little button boy had often seen pictures of Dorothy history books of Kimbaloo, but she had always been dressed as Princess, so blame him for failing to recognize the shabby little girl who stood staring so earnestly tired tailor of Oz

"Why he has no ears at all," cried Dorothy Then, catching sight of Snip, she stopped short "We were wondering whether lend us some lunch," faltered Dorothy, talking very fast her embarrassment "Kabumpo can eat tree-tops and Humpy eat at all, but I've had nothing but tomato since breakfast and I'm very hungry "

"There's breakfast bush over yonder," answered Snip, waving sulkily toward the grove Tora had saved his face and not going him laughed at Dorothy turned for herself and, as she did, Tora arose and moved quickly over dummy

"You remind me of someone I used ," sighed the tailor, fingering Humpy's green velvet robe dreamily "Who ? real ? "

"Well, not quite ," began Dorothy, "he's moving picture dummy " Suddenly remembering tailor hear her, she turned back to Snip "Where are his ears ? " asked the little girl nervously

"Here now ! " cried Snip, forgetting his vexation and, setting down the two breakfast dishes, he waved his cap excitedly air As Snip waved and pointed, Dorothy saw the tailor's ears whizz giddily over lilac bush and then settle softly, one on each side head

"Who did you say you were ? " asked Tora calmly, continuing his conversation with Humpy and paying no more attention ears than pay to couple of flies

"A dummy ! " whispered Humpy, blinking his painted eyes, while his voice grew fainter and fainter with astonishment " dummy, but what in Oz ? "

"A tailor," answered Tora with wink at Snip "Well, that's splendid cloak you're wearing, and crown too king, dummy ? "

"No, he's dummy king," explained Dorothy, looking longingly hot breakfasts " just sit down something to eat tell you all about him Then, maybe, tell me little ---Dorothy was going ears but, fearing this quite polite, she changed it quickly to selves The little girl cast curious sidelong glance at Snip, but the button boy was gazing intently dummy

"Why we're looking for king," exploded Snip excitedly "Oh Tora, suppose this he ? "

" do little lady suggests ? " interrupted Tora, for he that Dorothy was weary as hungry "Let's have breakfast together and then talk things over "Well, don't start until I come back," called the little boy, as Dorothy settled comfortably down beside the tailor In moment Snip had returned with another breakfast and, while Humpy looked on curiously, they opened the silver dishes Snip had picked breakfast bush What cozier ? Bacon, eggs, toast and small sealed cup of coffee grew neatly in , but it never occurred to Dorothy, Snip or the tailor surprised , for breakfast bushes are quite common in Oz Humpy, however, had seen nothing like this movies and kept up low muttering to himself, as he watched them eat one and then another dainty dishes

"Now then," smiled the tailor, after he had taken long sip of coffee, "suppose you begin " He looked expectantly at Dorothy " the little girl my ears were telling me of while back, but where elephant ? "

"Mercy ! " spluttered Dorothy, nearly choking on her coffee "Do your ears tell you everything ? "

"Oh no, just odds and ends of things," answered Tora, reaching touch them affectionately

"Well, did they tell you about me ? " inquired Humpy, straightening his crown importantly

"No," smiled the old man "That's just what we're waiting to hear, though I declare you somewhere before ever seen me ? "

Humpy shook his head very positively and Dorothy, settling back against tree, proceeded with her story Introducing herself modestly and beginning with Wish Way, she related every single thing that had happened since her fall into California

Snip was especially interested in Dorothy's sudden change in size " what tore your dress ? " he asked curiously

The little girl nodded and Tora, ruffling up his silver locks and looking first at Dorothy and then at Humpy, murmured over and' over: "Well, hardly believe my ears, hardly believe my ears ! "