Cap'n Bill knew kill the Kalidah, for no living thing in Oz killed, so he stood back and watched the beast wriggle and growl and paw the earth with its sharp claws, and then, satisfied it escape, Trot water again and dry her wet shoes and stockings sun

" sure 't get away ? " she asked

"I'd bet cookie ," said Cap'n Bill, so Trot came ashore and took off her shoes and stockings and laid them log to dry, while the sailor-man resumed his work raft

The Kalidah, realizing after many struggles escape, now became quiet, but it said in harsh, snarling voice:

"I suppose you're clever, to pin me ground manner But when my friends, the other Kalidahs, come here, they'll tear you to pieces for treating me "

"P'raps," remarked Cap'n Bill, coolly, as he chopped logs, "an' p'raps not When are your folks comin' here ? "

"I don't know," admitted the Kalidah "But DO come, 't escape them "

" hold off long enough, I'll have my raft ready," said Cap'n Bill

" you going with raft ? " inquired the beast

"We're goin' over island, the Magic Flower "

The huge beast looked at him in surprise moment, and then it began to laugh The laugh was like roar, and it had cruel and derisive sound, but laugh nevertheless

"Good ! " said the Kalidah "Good ! ! I'm glad you're going the Magic Flower But with it ? "

"We're going it to Ozma, as present on her birthday "

The Kalidah laughed again; then it became sober " get land raft before my people can catch you," it said, " safe swim like ducks, so the girl couldn't have escaped me by getting water; but Kalidahs don't go island over there "

" ? " asked Trot

The beast was silent

"Tell us the reason," urged Cap'n Bill

"Well, it's the Isle Magic Flower," answered the Kalidah, "and we don't care much for magic hadn't had magic leg, instead of meat one, you couldn't have knocked me over so easily and stuck this wooden pin through me "

"I've been Magic Isle," said the Glass Cat, "and I've watched the Magic Flower bloom, and I'm sure it's too pretty left lonely place where only beasts prowl around it and no else sees it So we're going it away Emerald City "

"I don't care," the beast replied in surly tone "We Kalidahs just as contented if there wasn't flower forest What good are the things anyhow ? "

"Don't you like pretty things ? " asked Trot

"No "

"You ought to admire my pink brains, anyhow," declared the Glass Cat "They're beautiful and you 'em work "

The beast only growled in reply, and Cap'n Bill, having now cut all his logs to proper size, began to roll them water's edge and fasten them together

10 Stuck Fast

The day was nearly gone when, at last, the raft was ready

"It ain't so very big," said the old sailor, "but I don't weigh much, an' you, Trot, don't weigh half as , an' the glass pussy don't count "

"But it's safe, isn't it ? " inquired the girl

"Yes; it's good enough to carry us island an' back again, an' that's about all expect of it "

Saying this, Cap'n Bill pushed the raft water, and when afloat, stepped upon it and held out his hand to Trot, who quickly followed him The Glass Cat boarded the raft last of all

The sailor had cut long pole, and had also whittled flat paddle, and he easily propelled the raft across the river approached the island, the Wonderful Flower became more plainly visible, quickly decided Glass Cat praised it too highly The colors flowers that bloomed in quick succession were strikingly bright and beautiful, shapes blossoms were varied and curious Indeed, resemble ordinary flowers at all

So intently did Trot and Cap'n Bill gaze Golden Flower-pot that held the Magic Flower scarcely noticed the island itself until the raft beached upon its sands But then the girl exclaimed: "How funny , Cap'n Bill, that nothing else grows here excep' the Magic Flower "

Then the sailor glanced island and saw all bare ground, without weed, stone or blade of grass Trot, eager to examine the Flower closer, sprang raft and ran up the bank until she reached the Golden Flower-pot Then she stood beside it motionless and filled with wonder Cap'n Bill joined her, coming more leisurely, and he, too, stood in silent admiration for time

"Ozma will like this," remarked the Glass Cat, sitting down to watch the shifting hues flowers "I'm sure she won't have as fine birthday present from anyone else "

" 'spose it's very heavy, Cap'n ? And can we get it home without breaking it ? " asked Trot anxiously

"Well, I've lifted many bigger things than that," he replied; "but let's see what it weighs "

He tried step forward, but lift his meat foot ground His wooden leg seemed free enough, but the other budge

"I seem stuck, Trot," , with perplexed look at his foot "It ain't mud, an' it ain't glue, but somethin's holdin' me down "

The girl attempted to lift her own feet, nearer to her friend, but the ground held them as fast as it held Cap'n Bill's foot She tried to slide them, or to twist them around, but no use; move either foot hair's breadth

" funny ! " she exclaimed "What 'spose has happened , Cap'n Bill ? "

"I'm tryin' out," he answered "Take off your shoes, Trot P'raps it's the leather soles that's stuck ground "

She leaned down and unlaced her shoes, but found pull her feet The Glass Cat, walking around as naturally as ever, now said:

"Your foot has got roots , Cap'n, and the roots going ground, where they spread out in all directions It's the same way with Trot That's why 't move The roots hold you fast "

Cap'n Bill was rather fat and couldn't see his own feet , but he squatted down and examined Trot's feet and decided Glass Cat was right

" hard luck," he declared, in voice that showed uneasy discovery "We're pris'ners, Trot, funny island, an' I'd like how we're ever goin' loose, so's get home again "

"Now why the Kalidah laughed at us," said the girl, "and why beasts ever came island The horrid creature knew we'd be caught, and wouldn't warn us "

meantime, the Kalidah, although pinned fast earth by Cap'n Bill's stake, was facing the island, and now the ugly expression which passed over its face when it defied and sneered at Cap'n Bill and Trot, had changed to one of amusement and curiosity When it saw the adventurers had actually reached the island and were standing beside the Magic Flower, it heaved breath of satisfaction--a long, deep breath that swelled its deep chest until the beast could feel the stake that held him move little, withdrawing itself ground

"Ah ha ! " murmured the Kalidah, "a little more of set me free and allow me to escape ! "

So he began breathing as hard as , puffing out his chest as possible with each indrawing breath, and by doing this he managed to raise the stake with each powerful breath, until at last the Kalidah--using the muscles four legs as his deep breaths--found itself free sandy soil The stake was sticking right through him, however, so rock deeply set bank and pressed the sharp point stake surface rock until he had driven it clear through his body Then, by getting the stake tangled among some thorny bushes, and wiggling his body, he managed to draw it out altogether

"There ! " he exclaimed, "except two holes in me, I'm as good as ever; but admit that that old wooden-legged fellow saved both himself girl by making me prisoner "

Now the Kalidahs, although the most disagreeable creatures Land of Oz, were nevertheless magical inhabitants of magical Fairyland, and in their natures certain amount of good was mingled evil was not very revengeful, and now that his late foes were in danger of perishing, his anger against them faded away

"Our own Kalidah King," he reflected, "has certain magical powers own Perhaps how up these two holes in my body "

So without paying any more attention to Trot and Cap'n Bill than they were paying to him, he entered the forest and trotted along secret path that led hidden lair of all the Kalidahs

While the Kalidah was making good its escape Cap'n Bill took his pipe pocket and filled it with tobacco and lighted it Then, as he puffed out the smoke, he tried what

"The Glass Cat seems all right," , "an' my wooden leg didn't take roots and grow, either So it's only flesh that gets caught "

"It's magic that does it, Cap'n ! "

" , Trot, 's what sticks me We're livin' in magic country, but neither of us knows any magic an' so 't help ourselves "

"Couldn't the Wizard of Oz --or Glinda the Good ? " asked the little girl

"Ah, now we're beginnin' to reason," he answered "I'd probably thought o' that, myself, in minute more By good luck the Glass Cat is free, an' so it can run back Emerald City an' tell the Wizard about our fix, an' ask him an' get loose "

" go ? " Trot asked the cat, speaking very earnestly

"I'm no messenger, sent here and there," asserted the curious animal in sulky tone of voice

"Well," said Cap'n Bill, "you've got home, anyhow, 'cause you don't want to stay here, I take it And, get home, it wouldn't worry you much the Wizard what's happened "

"That's true," said the cat, sitting on its haunches and lazily washing its face with one glass paw "I don't mind telling the Wizard--when I get home "

"Won't you go now ? " pleaded Trot "We don't want to stay here any longer than help, and everybody in Oz interested in you, and call you hero, and say nice things about you because you helped your friends out of trouble "

That best way to manage the Glass Cat, so vain loved praised