At once she sprang up and grabbed him around his neck with both her arms , she grabbed him where his neck , Frogman had no neck at all Then he squatted down, as frogs do leap, and powerful rear legs tremendous jump Over the gulf they sailed, Cookie Cook back, and he had leaped so hard-- sure of not falling in--that he sailed over lot of bramble bushes that grew other side and landed in clear space beyond the gulf that looked back see it at all

Cayke now got off the Frogman's back and he stood erect again and carefully brushed the dust velvet coat and rearranged his white satin necktie

"I had no idea leap ," wonderingly "Leaping is one more accomplishment now add long list of deeds able to perform "

" certainly fine at leap-frog," said the Cookie Cook admiringly, "but, say, wonderful in many ways meet with any people down here, consider you the greatest and grandest of all living creatures "

"Yes," he replied, " probably astonish strangers, because never before had the pleasure of seeing me Also, marvel at my great learning Every time I open my mouth, Cayke, liable something important "

" true," she agreed, "and fortunate your mouth is so very wide and opens , for otherwise all the wisdom out of it " "Perhaps nature made it wide very reason," said the Frogman "But come, now go on, is getting late and find some sort of shelter before night overtakes us "

CHAPTER 4

WINKIES

The settled parts Winkie Country are full of happy and contented people ruled by tin Emperor named Nick Chopper, who in turn is subject beautiful girl Ruler, Ozma of Oz But not all Winkie Country is fully settled east, which part lies nearest the Emerald City, beautiful farmhouses and roads, but travel west, you first come to branch Winkie River, beyond which rough country where few people live, and are quite unknown rest world After passing rude section of territory, which no one ever visits, come to still another branch Winkie River, after crossing which find another well-settled part Winkie Country extending westward quite Deadly Desert that surrounds all the Land of Oz and separates that favored fairyland more common outside world The Winkies who live west section have many tin mines, metal they make great deal of rich jewelry and other articles, all are highly esteemed Land of Oz because tin is so bright and pretty and not of it as of gold and silver

Not all the Winkies are miners, however, for some till the fields and grow grains for food, and at far-west Winkie farms Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook first arrived after they had descended mountain Yips "Goodness me ! " cried Nellary the Winkie wife when she saw the strange couple approaching her house " many queer creatures Land of Oz, but none more queer than this giant frog who dresses like man and walks hind legs Come here, Wiljon," she called to her husband, who was eating his breakfast, "and take look astonishing freak "

Wiljon the Winkie came door and looked out still standing doorway Frogman approached and said with haughty croak, "Tell me, my good man, seen diamond-studded gold dishpan ? "

"No, nor have I seen copper-plated lobster," replied Wiljon in an equally haughty tone

The Frogman stared at him and said, " be insolent, fellow ! "

"No," added Cayke the Cookie Cook hastily, " very polite great Frogman, for he wisest creature in all the world "

"Who says that ? " inquired Wiljon

" so himself," replied Cayke, Frogman nodded and strutted up and down, twirling his gold-headed cane very gracefully

"Does the Scarecrow admit overgrown frog wisest creature ? " asked Wiljon

" know who the Scarecrow is," answered Cayke the Cookie Cook

"Well, he lives Emerald City, and supposed the finest brains in all Oz The Wizard gave them to him, "

"Mine grew in my head," said the Frogman pompously, "so better than any wizard brains so wise that sometimes my wisdom makes my head ache that often to forget part of it, since no one creature, however great, is able to contain knowledge "

"It dreadful stuffed full of wisdom," remarked Wiljon reflectively and eyeing the Frogman with doubtful look " my good fortune very little "

" , however, where my jeweled dishpan is," said the Cookie Cook anxiously

" know even that," returned the Winkie " trouble enough in keeping track own dishpans without meddling dishpans of strangers "

Finding him so ignorant, the Frogman proposed walk on and seek Cayke's dishpan elsewhere Wiljon the Winkie seem greatly impressed great Frogman, which seemed personage as strange as disappointing But others unknown land might prove more respectful

"I'd like to meet that Wizard of Oz," remarked Cayke walked along path "If give Scarecrow brains, able my dishpan "

"Poof ! " grunted the Frogman scornfully " greater than any wizard Depend on ME If your dishpan is anywhere , it "

" , my heart broken," declared the Cookie Cook in sorrowful voice

For while the Frogman walked on in silence Then he asked, "Why attach importance to dishpan ? "

" greatest treasure I possess," replied the woman "It belonged to my mother and to all my grandmothers beginning , I believe, the very oldest thing in all the Yip Country--or was while there--and," she added, dropping her voice to an awed whisper, "it has magic powers ! "

"In what way ? " inquired the Frogman, seeming surprised statement

"Whoever has owned that dishpan good cook, No one else is able such good cookies as cooked, and all the Yips know Yet the very morning after my dishpan was stolen, I tried batch of cookies burned up oven ! another batch that proved too tough to eat, and so ashamed that I buried them ground Even the third batch of cookies, which I brought with me in my basket, were pretty poor stuff and no better than any woman could make who own my diamond-studded gold dishpan , my good Frogman, Cayke the Cookie Cook will never to cook good cookies again until her magic dishpan is restored to her "

" case," said the Frogman with sigh, "I suppose manage it "

CHAPTER 5

OZMA'S FRIENDS ARE PERPLEXED

"Really," said Dorothy, looking solemn, " very s'prising 't even find shadow of Ozma anywhere Em'rald City, and wherever she's gone, she's taken her Magic Picture with her " She was standing courtyard palace with Betsy and Trot, while Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, danced around the group, her hair flying wind

"P'raps," said Scraps, still dancing, "someone has stolen Ozma "

"Oh, they'd never dare ! " exclaimed tiny Trot

"And stolen the Magic Picture, too, so the thing can't tell where ," added the Patchwork Girl

"That's nonsense," said Dorothy "Why, ev'ryone loves Ozma There isn't person Land of Oz steal single thing she owns "

"Huh ! " replied the Patchwork Girl "You don't know ev'ry person Land of Oz "

"Why don't I ? "

"It's big country," said Scraps " cracks and corners that even Ozma doesn't know of "

"The Patchwork Girl's just daffy," declared Betsy

"No, she's right ," replied Dorothy thoughtfully " lots of queer people fairyland who never come near Ozma or the Em'rald City I've seen some of 'em myself, girls But I haven't seen all, , and some wicked persons left in Oz yet, though the wicked witches have all been destroyed "

Just then the Wooden Sawhorse dashed courtyard Wizard of Oz back " found Ozma ? "cried the Wizard Sawhorse stopped beside them

"Not yet," said Dorothy "Doesn't Glinda the Good know where ? "