last foe had disappeared, Tip crawled from under the sofas and assisted the Woggle-Bug him

" saved ! " shouted the boy, delightedly

" , indeed ! " responded the Educated Insect, fairly hugging the stiff head Gump joy "and we owe it all flopping Thing, good axe Woodman ! "

221

"If saved, get me out of here ! " called Jack; whose head was still beneath the sofas; and Tip managed to roll the pumpkin out and place it upon its neck again He also set the Saw-Horse upright, and said :

"We owe you many thanks gallant fight "

"I really think escaped very nicely," remarked the Tin Woodman, in tone of pride

"Not so ! " exclaimed hollow voice

they all turned in surprise to look Scarecrow's head, which lay back nest

" completely ruined ! " declared the Scarecrow, as he noted their astonishment "For where straw that stuffs my body ? "

The awful question startled them all They gazed around the nest with horror, for not vestige of straw remained The

222 Jackdaws had stolen it last wisp and flung it all chasm that yawned for hundreds of feet beneath the nest

"My poor, poor friend ! " said the Tin Woodman, taking up the Scarecrow's head and caressing it tenderly; "whoever could imagine come untimely end ? "

" it to save my friends," returned the head; "and that I perished in so noble and unselfish manner "

"But why all so despondent ? " inquired the Woggle-Bug "The Scarecrow's clothing is still safe "

"Yes," answered the Tin Woodman; "but our friend's clothes are useless without stuffing "

" stuff him with money ? " asked Tip

"Money ! " they all cried, in an amazed chorus

" ," said the boy " bottom nest are thousands of dollar bills -- and two-dollar bills -- and five-dollar bills -- and tens, and twenties, and fifties enough to stuff dozen Scarecrows use the money ? "

The Tin Woodman began over the rubbish handle axe; and, sure enough, what they had first thought only worthless papers were found all bills of various denominations,

223 which the mischievous Jackdaws had for years been engaged in stealing villages and cities they visited

an immense fortune lying inaccessible nest; and Tip's suggestion was, Scarecrow's consent, quickly acted upon

They selected all the newest and cleanest bills and assorted them into various piles The Scarecrow's left leg and boot were stuffed with five- dollar bills; his right leg was stuffed with ten-dollar bills, body so closely filled with fifties, one-hundreds and one-thousands that scarcely button his jacket with comfort

" now" said the Woggle-Bug, impressively, task completed, "the most valuable member party; and

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224 are among faithful friends little danger of your being spent "

" ," returned the Scarecrow, gratefully " like new man; and although at first glance mistaken for Safety Deposit Vault, I beg you to remember that my Brains are still composed same old material And these are the possessions always made me person depended upon in an emergency "

"Well, the emergency is here," observed Tip; "and unless your brains out of it compelled the remainder lives nest "

"How about these wishing pills ? " enquired the Scarecrow, taking the box jacket pocket "Can't we use them to escape ? "

"Not unless count seventeen by twos," answered the Tin Woodman "But our friend the Woggle-Bug claims highly educated, so he ought easily to figure out how that "

"It isn't question of education," returned the Insect; "it's merely question of mathematics I've seen the professor work lots of sums blackboard, and he claimed anything with x's and y's and a's, and such things, by mixing them up with plenty of plusses and minuses and equals, and so forth But he never said anything, as

225 remember, about counting odd number of seventeen even numbers of twos "

"Stop ! stop ! " cried the Pumpkinhead "You're making my head ache "

"And mine," added the Scarecrow "Your mathematics seem very like bottle of mixed pickles the more you fish for what the less chance of getting it certain that thing accomplished at all, in very simple manner "

"Yes," said Tip "old Mombi couldn't use x's and minuses, for she never went to school "

" start counting at half of one ? " asked the Saw-Horse, abruptly "Then anyone can count seventeen by twos very easily "

They looked at in surprise, Saw-Horse was considered the most stupid entire party

"You make me quite ashamed of myself," said the Scarecrow, bowing low Saw-Horse

"Nevertheless, the creature is right," declared the Woggle-Bug; for twice one-half is one, and get to one easy to count from one seventeen by twos "

"I wonder I didn't think myself," said the Pumpkinhead

226

"I don't," returned the Scarecrow "You're no wiser rest of us, ? But wish at once swallow the first pill ? "

"Suppose it," suggested Tip

" 't," said the Scarecrow

" ? You've mouth, haven't you ? " asked the boy

"Yes; but my mouth is painted on, and there's no swallow connected with it,' answered the Scarecrow " ," he continued, looking from one to another critically, "I believe the boy Woggle-Bug are the only ones party able to swallow "

Observing the truth remark, Tip said:

"Then undertake to first wish Silver Pills "

This the Scarecrow tried ; but his padded gloves were too clumsy to clutch so small an object, and he held the box toward the boy while Tip selected pills and swallowed it

"Count ! " cried the Scarecrow

"One-half, one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, ! " counted Tip thirteen, fifteen, seventeen

"Now wish ! " said the Tin Woodman anxiously:

But Just then the boy began to suffer such fearful pains that he became alarmed

227

"The pill has poisoned me ! " he gasped; "O -- h ! O-o-o-o-o ! Ouch ! Murder ! Fire ! O-o-h ! " and here he rolled bottom nest contortions that he frightened them all

"What can Speak, I beg ! " entreated the Tin Woodman, tears of sympathy running down his nickel cheeks

"I -- I don't know ! " answered Tip "O -- h ! I'd never swallowed that pill ! "

Then at once the pain stopped, boy rose feet again and found the Scarecrow looking with amazement end pepper-box

"What's happened ? " asked the boy, little ashamed recent exhibition

"Why, the three pills are box again ! " said the Scarecrow

" ," the Woggle-Bug declared "Didn't Tip wish that he'd never swallowed ? Well, the wish came true, and he didn't swallow So all three box "

" ; but the pill dreadful pain, just the same," said the boy

"Impossible ! " declared the Woggle-

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228 Bug " never swallowed it, the pill can not have given you pain And wish, being granted, proves swallow the pill, also plain that you suffered no pain "

"Then splendid imitation of pain," retorted Tip, angrily "Suppose you try the next pill yourself We've wasted one wish already "

"Oh, no, we haven't ! " protested the Scarecrow "Here are still three pills box, and each pill is good for wish "

"Now you're making my head ache," said Tip " 't understand the thing at all But I won't take another pill, I promise you ! " and remark he retired sulkily back nest

"Well," said the Woggle-Bug, "it remains to save us in my most Highly Magnified and Thoroughly Educated manner; for I the able and willing wish Let me have pills "

He swallowed it without hesitation, all stood admiring his courage while the Insect counted seventeen by twos same way that Tip had done And for some reason -- perhaps because Woggle-Bugs have stronger stomachs than boys -- the silver pellet caused it no pain whatever

" the Gump's broken wings mended, and

229 as good as new ! " said the Woggle-Bug, in slow; impressive voice

All turned to look Thing, and so quickly had the wish been granted Gump lay before them in perfect repair, and able to fly air as when it had first been brought to life roof palace

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230 Full page line-art drawing

231 The Scarecrow Appeals to Glenda the Good

"Hooray ! " shouted the Scarecrow, gaily " now leave this miserable Jackdaws' nest whenever we please "

"But nearly dark," said the Tin Woodman; "and unless we wait until morning our flight get into more trouble I don't like these night trips, never knows happen "

So decided to wait until daylight, adventurers amused themselves twilight by searching the Jackdaws' nest for treasures