They now tied the board Lion's back, flat side up, and Cap'n Bill carefully placed the Magic Flower board

"For fear o' accidents," , "I'll walk beside the Lion and hold onto the flower-pot "

Trot and Dorothy could both ride back Hungry Tiger, and they carried the cage of monkeys But this arrangement left the Wizard, sailor, to journey on foot, and so the procession moved slowly Glass Cat grumbled because it would take Emerald City

The Cat was sour-tempered and grumpy, at first, but had journeyed far, the crystal creature had discovered fine amusement The long tails monkeys were constantly sticking bars cage, and did, the Glass Cat would slyly seize the tails in her paws and pull them That made the monkeys scream, and their screams pleased the Glass Cat immensely Trot and Dorothy tried to stop this naughty amusement, but looking the Cat would pull the tails again, creature was so sly and quick monkeys could seldom escape They scolded the Cat angrily and shook the bars cage, but get out Cat only laughed at them

party had left the forest and were plains Munchkin Country, it grew dark, were obliged camp night, choosing pretty place beside brook magic the Wizard created three tents, pitched in row grass and nicely fitted with all that was needful comfort comrades The middle tent was for Dorothy and Trot, and had two cosy white beds and two chairs Another tent, also with beds and chairs, was Wizard and Cap'n Bill, while the third tent was Hungry Tiger, the Cowardly Lion, the cage of Monkeys Glass Cat Outside the tents the Wizard made fire and placed over it magic kettle he presently drew all sorts of nice things for their supper, smoking hot

After they had eaten and talked together for while under the twinkling stars, they all went to bed people were soon asleep The Lion Tiger had almost fallen asleep, too, were roused screams monkeys, Glass Cat was pulling their tails again Annoyed uproar, the Hungry Tiger cried: "Stop that racket ! " and getting sight Glass Cat, he raised his big paw and struck creature The cat was quick enough to dodge the blow, but the claws Hungry Tiger scraped the monkey's cage and bent two bars

Then the Tiger lay down again to sleep, but the monkeys soon discovered bending bars would allow them to squeeze through leave the cage, however, but after whispering together they let their tails stick out and all remained quiet Presently the Glass Cat stole near the cage again and gave yank to tails Instantly the monkeys leaped bars, one after another, and although they were so small the entire dozen surrounded the Glass Cat and clung to her claws and tail and ears and made her prisoner Then they forced her tent and down banks stream The monkeys had noticed banks were covered with thick, slimy mud of dark blue color, and had taken the Cat stream, they smeared this mud all over the glass body cat, filling the creature's ears and eyes with it, neither see nor hear She was no longer transparent and so thick mud upon her that no one her pink brains or her ruby heart

condition they led the pussy back tent and then got inside their cage again

By morning the mud had dried hard Glass Cat and dull blue color throughout Dorothy and Trot were horrified, but the Wizard shook his head and said it served the Glass Cat right for teasing the monkeys

Cap'n Bill, strong hands, soon bent the golden wires monkeys' cage proper position and then he asked the Wizard if wash the Glass Cat water brook

"Not just yet," answered the Wizard "The Cat deserves punished, so I'll leave that blue mud-- as bad as paint--upon her body until she gets Emerald City The silly creature is so vain that she greatly shamed Oz people see her condition, and perhaps she'll lesson to heart and leave the monkeys alone hereafter "

However, the Glass Cat or hear, and to avoid carrying her journey the Wizard picked the mud out of her eyes and ears and Dorothy dampened her handkerchief and washed both the eyes and ears clean

speak the Glass Cat asked indignantly: "Aren't you going to punish those monkeys for playing such trick on me ? "

"No," answered the Wizard "You played trick on them by pulling their tails, so only tit-for-tat, and I'm glad the monkeys had their revenge "

He wouldn't allow the Glass Cat near the water, to wash herself, but made her follow them resumed their journey toward the Emerald City

" only part of your punishment," said the Wizard, severely "Ozma will laugh at you, when we get to her palace, and so will the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Tik-Tok, Shaggy Man, and Button-Bright, Patchwork Girl, and--"

" Pink Kitten," added Dorothy

That suggestion hurt the Glass Cat more than anything else The Pink Kitten always quarreled Glass Cat and insisted that flesh was superior to glass, while the Glass Cat would jeer Pink Kitten, because it had no pink brains But the pink brains were all daubed with blue mud, just now, and Pink Kitten the Glass Cat condition, it dreadfully humiliating

For several hours the Glass Cat walked along very meekly, but toward noon it seized an opportunity when no one was looking and darted away long grass It remembered that tiny lake of pure water near by, and lake the Cat sped as fast as it could go

The others never missed her until they stopped for lunch, and then too late to hunt for her

"I s'pect she's gone somewhere to clean herself," said Dorothy

"Never mind," replied the Wizard "Perhaps this glass creature punished enough, and not forget she saved both Trot and Cap'n Bill "

"After first leading 'em onto an enchanted island," added Dorothy "But , , Glass Cat is punished enough, and p'raps she won't try to pull the monkeys' tails again "

The Glass Cat rejoin the party of travelers She was still resentful, moved too slowly to suit her, besides arrived Royal Palace, first things they saw Glass Cat curled up on bench as bright and clean and transparent as ever But she pretended not to notice them, passed her by without remark

21 The College of Athletic Arts

Dorothy and her friends arrived Royal Palace at an opportune time, for Ozma was holding high court in her Throne Room, where Professor H M Wogglebug, T E , was appealing to her to punish students Royal Athletic College, he Principal

This College is located Munchkin Country, but not far Emerald City To enable the students to devote their entire time to athletic exercises, such as boating, foot-ball, like, Professor Wogglebug had invented an assortment of Tablets of Learning tablets, eaten by scholar after breakfast, would instantly enable him to understand arithmetic or algebra or branch of mathematics Another tablet eaten after lunch gave student complete knowledge of geography Another tablet made it possible eater to spell the most difficult words, and still another enabled him to write beautiful hand There were tablets for history, mechanics, home cooking and agriculture, and it mattered not whether boy or girl was stupid or bright, tablets taught them everything twinkling of an eye

This method, patented Land of Oz by Professor Wogglebug, saves paper and books, tedious hours devoted to study in less favored schools, and it also allows the students to devote all their time to racing, base-ball, tennis and other manly and womanly sports, which are greatly interfered with by study in those Temples of Learning where Tablets of Learning are unknown

But it so happened that Professor Wogglebug (who had invented that he had acquired the habit) carelessly invented Square-Meal Tablet, no bigger than your little finger-nail but contained, in condensed form, the equal of bowl of soup, portion of fried fish, roast, salad and dessert, all gave the same nourishment as square meal

The Professor was so proud Square-Meal Tablets that he began to feed them students at his college, instead of other food, but the boys and girls objected because they wanted food that enjoy the taste of no fun at all to swallow tablet, with glass of water, and call it dinner; so they refused to eat the Square-Meal Tablets Professor Wogglebug insisted, result the Senior Class seized the learned Professor one day and threw him river--clothes and all Everyone knows that wogglebug cannot swim, and so the inventor wonderful Square-Meal Tablets lay helpless bottom river for three days before fisherman caught one legs on fishhook and dragged him out bank

The learned Professor was naturally indignant at such treatment, and so he brought the entire Senior Class Emerald City and appealed to Ozma of Oz to punish them for their rebellion

suppose the girl Ruler was very severe rebellious boys and girls, because she had herself refused to eat the Square-Meal Tablets in place of food, but while she was listening interesting case in her Throne Room, Cap'n Bill managed to carry the golden flower-pot containing the Magic Flower Trot's room without it being seen by anyone except Jellia Jamb, Ozma's chief Maid of Honor, and Jellia promised not

Also the Wizard was able to carry the cage of monkeys top towers palace, where he had room own, no one came unless invited So Trot and Dorothy and Cap'n Bill Wizard were all delighted successful end adventure The Cowardly Lion Hungry Tiger went marble stables behind the Royal Palace, where they lived while at home, too kept the secret, even refusing the Wooden Sawhorse, and Hank the Mule, Yellow Hen, Pink Kitten where they

Trot watered the Magic Flower every day and allowed no one in her room the beautiful blossoms except her friends, Betsy Bobbin and Dorothy The wonderful plant seem to lose any magic by being removed from its island, and Trot was sure that Ozma would prize it as one of her most delightful treasures

Up tower the little Wizard of Oz began training his twelve tiny monkeys, little creatures were so intelligent learned every trick the Wizard tried to teach them The Wizard treated them with great kindness and gentleness and gave them the food that monkeys love best, so they promised their best great occasion of Ozma's birthday

22 Ozma's Birthday Party