"Don't ! " shouted the sailor in alarm "Don't ! Those roots are all flesh roots, bodies are feeding 'em while they're growing ground "

"To cut off the roots," said Trot, " like cutting off our fingers and toes "

The Wizard put the little axe back black bag and took out pair of silver pincers

"Grow--grow--grow ! " pincers, and at once they grew and extended until they reached raft prisoners

" you going now ? " demanded Cap'n Bill, fearfully eyeing the pincers

"This magic tool will pull you up, roots and all, and land you raft," declared the Wizard

"Don't ! " pleaded the sailor, with shudder "It would hurt us awfully "

"It just like pulling teeth to pull us up roots," explained Trot

"Grow small ! " said the Wizard pincers, and at once they became small and he threw them black bag

"I guess, friends, it's all up , ," remarked Cap'n Bill, with dismal sigh

"Please tell Ozma, Dorothy," said Trot, "that we got into trouble trying her nice birthday present Then she'll forgive us The Magic Flower is lovely and wonderful, but it's just lure to catch folks dreadful island and then destroy them You'll have nice birthday party, without us, I'm sure; and , Dorothy, that none of you Emerald City will forget me--or dear ol' Cap'n Bill "

19 Dorothy Bumble Bees

Dorothy was greatly distressed and had hard work the tears from her eyes

" all do, Wizard ? " she asked the little man

"It's all think of just now," he replied sadly "But I intend on thinking as long--as long--well, as long as thinking will do any good "

They were all silent for time, Dorothy Wizard sitting thoughtfully raft, and Trot and Cap'n Bill sitting thoughtfully toadstools and growing gradually smaller and smaller in size

Suddenly Dorothy said: "Wizard, I've thought of something ! "

"What thought of ? " he asked, looking little girl with interest

" remember the Magic Word that transforms people ? " she asked

" ," said he

"Then transform Trot and Cap'n Bill into birds or bumblebees, and fly away other shore 're there, transform 'em into their reg'lar shapes again ! "

" , Wizard ? " asked Cap'n Bill, eagerly

" so "

"Roots an' all ? " inquired Trot

"Why, the roots are now part of you, and were transformed to bumblebee the whole of transformed, , and you'd be free awful island "

"All right; ! " cried the sailor-man

So the Wizard said slowly and distinctly:

" Trot and Cap'n Bill bumblebees--Pyrzqxgl ! "

Fortunately, he pronounced the Magic Word right way, and instantly Trot and Cap'n Bill vanished from view, and up places where they flew two bumblebees

"Hooray ! " shouted Dorothy in delight; "they're saved ! "

"I guess ," agreed the Wizard, equally delighted

The bees hovered over the raft an instant and then flew across the river to where the Lion Tiger waited The Wizard picked up the paddle and paddled the raft across as fast as When it reached the river bank, both Dorothy Wizard leaped ashore little man asked excitedly:

"Where are the bees ? "

"The bees ? " inquired the Lion, who was half asleep and know what had happened Magic Isle

"Yes; there were two "

"Two bees ? " said the Hungry Tiger, yawning "Why, I ate Cowardly Lion ate the other "

"Goodness gracious ! " cried Dorothy horrified

" little enough lunch," remarked the Tiger, "but the bees were the only things find "

"How dreadful ! " wailed Dorothy, wringing her hands in despair "You've eaten Trot and Cap'n Bill "

But just then she heard buzzing overhead and two bees alighted on her shoulder

"Here ," said small voice in her ear "I'm Trot, Dorothy "

"And I'm Cap'n Bill," said the other bee

Dorothy almost fainted, with relief, Wizard, who was close by and had heard the tiny voices, gave laugh and said:

" the only two bees forest, it seems, but I advise you away Lion Tiger until you regain your proper forms "

" now, Wizard ! " advised Dorothy "They're so small that you never can tell what might happen to 'em "

So the Wizard gave the command and pronounced the Magic Word, and instant Trot and Cap'n Bill stood beside them as natural as had met their fearful adventure For they were no longer small in size, because the Wizard had transformed them from bumblebees shapes and sizes that nature had formerly given them The ugly roots on their feet had disappeared transformation

While Dorothy was hugging Trot, and Trot was softly crying because she was so happy, the Wizard shook hands with Cap'n Bill and congratulated him escape The old sailor-man was so pleased that he also shook the Lion's paw and took off his hat and bowed politely cage of monkeys

Then Cap'n Bill did curious thing He went to big tree and, taking out his knife, cut away big, broad piece of thick bark Then he sat down ground and after taking roll of stout cord pocket--which seemed full of all sorts of things--he proceeded to bind the flat piece of bark bottom good foot, over the leather sole

"What's that for ? " inquired the Wizard

"I hate stumped," replied the sailor-man; "so I'm goin' back island "

"And get enchanted again ? " exclaimed Trot, with evident disapproval

"No; I'll dodge the magic island I noticed that my wooden leg didn't get stuck, or take root, an' neither did the glass feet Glass Cat It's only thing that's made of meat--like man an' beasts-- magic can hold an' root ground Our shoes are leather, an' leather comes from beast's hide Our stockin's are wool, an' wool comes from sheep's back So, when we walked Magic Isle, our feet took root there an' held us fast But not my wooden leg So now I'll put wooden bottom on my other foot an' the magic can't stop me "

"But why wish back island ? " asked Dorothy

"Didn't the Magic Flower gold flower-pot ? " returned Cap'n Bill

" it, and it's lovely and wonderful "

"Well, Trot an' I set out the magic plant for present to Ozma on her birthday, and I mean it an' take it back Emerald City "

" fine," cried Trot eagerly, " , and it safe ! "

"I'm pretty sure safe, the way I've fixed my foot," said the sailor, "an' if happen caught, I s'pose the Wizard could save me again "

"I suppose ," agreed the Wizard "Anyhow, it, Cap'n Bill, go ahead and we'll stand by and watch what happens "

So the sailor-man got raft again and paddled over Magic Isle, landing as close golden flower-pot as They watched him walk across the land, put both arms around the flower-pot and lift it easily from its place Then he carried it raft and set it down very gently The removal seem to affect the Magic Flower in , for growing daffodils when Cap'n Bill picked it up and way raft it grew tulips and gladioli During the time the sailor was paddling across the river to where his friends awaited him, seven different varieties of flowers bloomed in succession plant

"I guess the Magician who put it island never thought that would carry it off," said Dorothy

"He figured that only men would want the plant, and any man who went island it caught enchantment," added the Wizard

" ," remarked Trot, "no one will care island, so it won't be trap any more "

"There," exclaimed Cap'n Bill, setting down the Magic Plant in triumph river bank, "if Ozma gets better birthday present than that, I'd like what it ! "

"It'll s'prise her, all right," declared Dorothy, standing in awed wonder gorgeous blossoms and watching them change from yellow roses to violets

"It'll s'prise ev'rybody Em'rald City," Trot asserted in glee, "and it'll be Ozma's present from Cap'n Bill and me "

" I little credit," objected the Glass Cat "I discovered the thing, and led you , and brought the Wizard here to save you got caught "

"That's true," admitted Trot, "and I'll tell Ozma the whole story, so she'll know how good you've been "

20 The Monkeys Have Trouble

"Now," said the Wizard, " start for home But how are we going to carry that big gold flower-pot ? Cap'n Bill can't lug it all the way, that's certain "

"No," acknowledged the sailor-man; "it's pretty heavy carry it for little while, but I'd have to stop to rest every "

"Couldn't we put it back ? " Dorothy asked the Cowardly Lion, with good-natured yawn

"I don't object to carrying it, fasten it on," answered the Lion

" falls off," said Trot, "it might get smashed an' be ruined "

"I'll fix it," promised Cap'n Bill "I'll make flat board out of tree trunks, an' tie the board lion's back, an' set the flower-pot board " He set to work at once to , but as he only had his big knife for tool his progress was slow

So the Wizard took black bag tiny saw that shone like silver and said :

"Saw, Little Saw, come show your power; Make us board Magic Flower "

And at once the Little Saw began to move and it sawed the log so fast who watched it work were astonished It seemed to understand, too, just what the board was used for, for when completed flat on top and hollowed beneath exactly fitted the Lion's back

"That beats whittlin' ! " exclaimed Cap'n Bill, admiringly "You don't happen TWO o' them saws; , Wizard ? "