Dorothy, just above him, could keep silent no longer

"Here ! " she shouted, as loudly as "Here's Dorothy ! "

"Dorothy who ? " asked the Scarecrow, tipping his head to look upward until he nearly lost his balance and tumbled over backward

"Dorothy Gale, Your friend from Kansas," she answered

"Why, hello, Dorothy ! " said the Scarecrow "What doing up there ? "

"Nothing," she called down, "because there's nothing Save me, my friend--save me ! "

"You quite safe now," replied the Scarecrow

"But I'm prisoner I'm locked in, 't get out," she pleaded

"That's all right," said the Scarecrow " worse off, little Dorothy Just consider the matter 't get drowned, or be run over by Wheeler, or fall out of an apple-tree Some folks would think they were lucky up there "

"Well, I don't," declared the girl, "and down immed'i'tly you Tin Woodman Cowardly Lion "

" ," said the Scarecrow, nodding "It shall be just say, little friend Who locked you up ? "

"The princess Langwidere, horrid creature," she answered

Ozma, who listening carefully conversation, called to Dorothy from her chariot, asking:

"Why did the Princess lock you up, my dear ? "

"Because," exclaimed Dorothy, "I wouldn't let her have my head for her collection, and take an old, cast-off head in exchange "

" blame you," exclaimed Ozma, promptly " the Princess at once, and oblige her to liberate you "

"Oh, very, ! " cried Dorothy, who she heard the sweet voice girlish Ruler of Oz knew that soon learn to love her dearly

Ozma now drove her chariot around third door wing, the Tin Woodman boldly proceeded to knock

maid opened the door Ozma, bearing in her hand her ivory wand, stepped hall and made her way at once drawing-room, followed by all her company, except the Lion Tiger twenty-seven soldiers made such noise and clatter little maid Nanda ran away screaming to her mistress, whereupon the Princess Langwidere, roused to great anger rude invasion of her palace, came running drawing-room without any assistance whatever

There she stood slight and delicate form little girl from Oz and cried out;--

"How dare you enter my palace unbidden ? Leave this room at once, or bind you and all your people in chains, and throw you into my darkest dungeons ! "

"What dangerous lady ! " murmured the Scarecrow, in soft voice

"She seems little nervous," replied the Tin Woodman

But Ozma only smiled angry Princess

"Sit down, please," she said, quietly " traveled long way you, and listen to what "

"Must ! " screamed the Princess, her black eyes flashing with fury--for she still wore her No 17 head "Must, ! "

" ," said Ozma " Ruler Land of Oz, and powerful enough to destroy all your kingdom, if I so wish Yet come here harm, but rather to free the royal family of Ev thrall Nome King, the news having reached me that holding the Queen and her children prisoners "

Hearing these words, Langwidere suddenly became quiet

" , indeed, free my aunt and her ten royal children," said she, eagerly "For were restored proper forms and station rule the Kingdom of Ev themselves, and save me lot of worry and trouble At present ten minutes every day that devote to affairs of state, and like my whole time in admiring my beautiful heads "

"Then presently discuss ," said Ozma, "and try way to liberate your aunt and cousins But first liberate another prisoner--the little girl locked up in your tower "

" ," said Langwidere, readily "I had forgotten all about her That was yesterday, , and Princess expected to remember today what she did yesterday Come with me, release the prisoner at once "

So Ozma followed her, passed up the stairs that led room tower

While they were gone Ozma's followers remained drawing-room, Scarecrow was leaning against form that he had mistaken for copper statue when harsh, metallic voice said suddenly ear:

"Get off my foot, please scratch-ing my pol-ish "

"Oh, excuse me ! " he replied, hastily drawing back " alive ? "

"No," said Tiktok, " on-ly ma-chine But think and speak and act, when pro-per-ly wound up Just now my ac-tion is run down, and Dor-o-thy key "

"That's all right," replied the Scarecrow "Dorothy will soon be free, and then she'll attend to your works But it great misfortune not alive I'm sorry "

"Why ? " asked Tiktok

"Because no brains, as ," said the Scarecrow

"Oh, yes, ," returned Tiktok " fit-ted with Smith & Tin-ker's Im-proved Com-bi-na-tion Steel Brains what make me think What sort of brains fit-ted with ? "

"I don't know," admitted the Scarecrow "They were given great Wizard of Oz, and I didn't get chance to examine them before he put them in But they work splendidly and my conscience is very active conscience ? "

"No," said Tiktok

"And no heart, I suppose ? " added the Tin Woodman, who listening with interest conversation

"No," said Tiktok

"Then," continued the Tin Woodman, " that greatly inferior to my friend the Scarecrow, and to myself For both alive, and he has brains which need wound up, while an excellent heart continually beating in my bosom "

"I con-grat-u-late you," replied Tiktok " -not help be-ing your in-fer-i-or for mere ma-chine When wound up my du-ty by go-ing just as my ma-chin-er-y is made no i-de-a how full of ma-chin-er-y "

" guess," said the Scarecrow, looking machine man curiously "Some day I'd like you apart just how made "

" , I beg of you," said Tiktok; "for put me to-geth-er a-gain, and my use-ful-ness de-stroyed "

"Oh ! useful ? " asked the Scarecrow, surprised

"Ve-ry," said Tiktok

" case," the Scarecrow kindly promised, "I won't fool with your interior at all For poor mechanic, and might mix you up "

" ," said Tiktok

Just then Ozma re-entered the room, leading Dorothy hand and followed closely Princess Langwidere

8 The Hungry Tiger

The first thing Dorothy did was to rush embrace Scarecrow, whose painted face beamed with delight as he pressed her form straw-padded bosom Then the Tin Woodman embraced her--very gently, for his tin arms might hurt her if he squeezed too roughly

These greetings having been exchanged, Dorothy took the key to Tiktok from her pocket and wound up the machine man's action, bow properly when introduced rest company While doing this she told them how useful Tiktok to her, and both the Scarecrow Tin Woodman shook hands machine once more and thanked him for protecting their friend

Then Dorothy asked: "Where is Billina ? "

"I don't know," said the Scarecrow " Billina ? "

"She's yellow hen another friend ," answered the girl, anxiously "I wonder what has become of her ? "

" chicken house, back yard," said the Princess "My drawing-room is no place for hens "

Without waiting to hear more Dorothy ran Billina, and just outside the door she came Cowardly Lion, still hitched chariot beside the great Tiger The Cowardly Lion had big bow of blue ribbon fastened long hair between his ears, Tiger wore bow of red ribbon tail, just in front bushy end

In an instant Dorothy was hugging the huge Lion joyfully

"I'm SO you again ! " she cried

" also you, Dorothy," said the Lion "We've had some fine adventures together, haven't we ? "

"Yes, indeed," she replied "How ? "

"As cowardly as ever," the beast answered in meek voice "Every little thing scares me and makes my heart beat fast But let me introduce new friend , the Hungry Tiger "

"Oh ! hungry ? " she asked, turning other beast, who was just then yawning so widely that he displayed two rows of terrible teeth and mouth big enough to startle anyone