"I don't see how they know," remarked little Trot, "if no one there "

"Perhaps the birds who fly over that country brought the news," suggested Betsy

" escaped those dangers," continued the shepherd, " encounter others still more serious came next branch Winkie River true that beyond that river there lies fine country inhabited by good people, and reached there, no further trouble between here west branch Winkie River that all dangers lie, for unknown territory inhabited by terrible, lawless people "

"It , and it may not be," said the Wizard " know when we get there "

"Well," persisted the shepherd, "in fairy country such as ours, every undiscovered place is likely to harbor wicked creatures wicked, discover themselves and by coming among us submit to Ozma's rule and be good and considerate, as are all the Oz people whom "

"That argument," stated the little Wizard, "convinces me our duty straight unknown places, however dangerous , is surely some cruel and wicked person who has stolen our Ozma, and it folly to search among good people culprit Ozma may not be hidden secret places Winkie Country, true, but our duty to travel to every spot, however dangerous, where our beloved Ruler is likely imprisoned "

"You're right ," said Button-Bright approvingly "Dangers don't hurt us Only things that happen ever hurt anyone, and danger is thing that might happen and happen, and sometimes don't amount to shucks

I vote we go ahead and take our chances "

They were all same opinion, so they packed up and said goodbye friendly shepherd and proceeded on their way

CHAPTER 7

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND MOUNTAINS

The Rolling Prairie was not difficult to travel over, although all uphill and downhill, so for while they made good progress Not even shepherd was met with now, farther they advanced the more dreary the landscape became At noon they stopped for "picnic luncheon," as Betsy called it, and then they again resumed their journey All the animals were swift and tireless, and even the Cowardly Lion Mule found keep up pace Woozy Sawhorse

It middle afternoon when first they came in sight of cluster of low mountains These were cone-shaped, rising from broad bases to sharp peaks tops From distance the mountains appeared indistinct and seemed rather small--more like hills than mountains--but travelers drew nearer, they noted most unusual circumstance: the hills were all whirling around, some in one direction and some the opposite way

"I guess these are the Merry-Go-Round Mountains, all right," said Dorothy

" ," said the Wizard

"They go 'round, sure enough," agreed Trot, "but they don't seem very merry "

There were several rows mountains, extending both right and left for miles and miles rows none could tell, but first row of peaks seen other peaks, all steadily whirling around or another Continuing to ride nearer, our friends watched these hills attentively, until at last, coming close up, they discovered deep but narrow gulf around the edge of each mountain, and mountains were set so close together outer gulf was continuous and barred farther advance edge gulf they all dismounted and peered over into its depths no telling where the bottom was, if indeed any bottom at all From where they stood it seemed as mountains set in one great hole ground, just close enough together so not touch, each mountain was supported by rocky column beneath its base which extended far down black pit below land side it seemed impossible across the gulf or, succeeding , to gain foothold on any whirling mountains

"This ditch is too wide to jump across," remarked Button-Bright

"P'raps the Lion could ," suggested Dorothy

"What, jump from here whirling hill ? " cried the Lion indignantly " say not ! Even if I landed there and could hold on, what good would it do ? There's another spinning mountain beyond it, and perhaps still another beyond that I don't believe any living creature could jump from one mountain to another when both are whirling like tops and in different directions "

"I propose we turn back," said the Wooden Sawhorse with yawn chopped-out mouth as he stared knot eyes Merry-Go-Round Mountains

"I agree ," said the Woozy, wagging his square head

" taken the shepherd's advice," added Hank the Mule

The others party, however puzzled serious problem that confronted them, allow themselves to despair " once get over these mountains," said Button-Bright, " probably get along all right "

"True enough," agreed Dorothy "So find some way, , past these whirligig hills But how ? "

" the Ork was ," sighed Trot

"But the Ork isn't here," said the Wizard, "and depend upon ourselves to conquer this difficulty Unfortunately, all my magic stolen, otherwise easily get over the mountains "

"Unfortunately," observed the Woozy, "none of us has wings And we're in magic country without any magic "

"What around your waist, Dorothy ? " asked the Wizard

"That ? Oh, that's just the Magic Belt I once captured Nome King," she replied

"A Magic Belt ! Why, that's fine I'm sure Magic Belt would take you over these hills "

"It might if how to work it," said the little girl "Ozma knows lot magic, but I've never found out All while wearing it, nothing can hurt me "

"Try wishing yourself across obey you," suggested the Wizard

"But what good would ? " asked Dorothy "If I got across, it wouldn't help the rest of you, and I couldn't go alone among all those giants and dragons while you stayed here "

"True enough," agreed the Wizard sadly And then, after looking around the group, he inquired, "What finger, Trot ? "

"A ring The Mermaids gave it ," she explained, "and if ever I'm in trouble when I'm water, call the Mermaids 'll come and help me But the Mermaids can't help me land, , 'cause they swim, and--and--they haven't any legs "

"True enough," repeated the Wizard, more sadly

big, broad, spreading tree near the edge gulf, and sun was hot above them, they all gathered under the shade tree to study the problem of what next " had long rope," said Betsy, " fasten it tree and let the other end of it down gulf and all slide down it "

"Well, what then ? " asked the Wizard

"Then, manage to throw the rope up the other side," explained the girl, " all climb it and be other side gulf "

" too many 'if's' suggestion," remarked the little Wizard "And remember other side is nothing but spinning mountains, so we couldn't possibly fasten rope , even had one "

"That rope idea isn't half bad, though," said the Patchwork Girl, who dancing dangerously near edge gulf

"What ? " asked Dorothy

The Patchwork Girl suddenly stood still and cast her button eyes around the group "Ha, it ! " she exclaimed "Unharness the Sawhorse, somebody My fingers are too clumsy "

"Shall we ? " asked Button-Bright doubtfully, turning others

"Well, Scraps has lot of brains, even if stuffed with cotton," asserted the Wizard "If her brains can out trouble, we ought to use them "

So he began unharnessing the Sawhorse, and Button-Bright and Dorothy helped him had removed the harness, the Patchwork Girl told them it all apart and buckle the straps together, end to end And after they had done this, they found they had one very long strap that was stronger than any rope "It would reach across the gulf easily," said the Lion, who other animals had sat haunches and watched this proceeding "But I don't see how it fastened to one dizzy mountains "

Scraps had no such notion in her baggy head She told them to fasten one end strap to stout limb tree, pointing to one which extended quite edge gulf Button-Bright did that, climbing the tree and then crawling out limb until nearly over the gulf There he managed to fasten the strap, which reached ground below, and then he slid down it and was caught Wizard, who feared he might fall chasm Scraps was delighted She seized the lower end strap, and telling them all out of her way, she went back as far strap would reach and then made sudden run toward the gulf Over the edge she swung, clinging strap until it had gone as far as its length permitted, when she let go and sailed gracefully air until she alighted mountain just in front

Almost instantly, great cone continued to whirl, she was sent flying against the next mountain rear, one had only turned halfway around when Scraps was sent flying next mountain behind it Then her patchwork form disappeared from view entirely, amazed watchers under the tree wondered what had become of her "She's gone, and 't get back," said the Woozy

"My, how she bounded from one mountain to another ! " exclaimed the Lion

"That was because they whirl so fast," the Wizard explained "Scraps had nothing to hold on to, and so she was tossed from one hill to another I'm afraid never see the poor Patchwork Girl again "