"Hoot-ti-toot-ti-toot-ti-too ! " screeched the owl;

"Off you go ! fast or slow, Where you're going you don't know Patches, Bungle, Muchkin lad, Facing fortunes good and bad, Meeting dangers grave and sad, Sometimes worried, sometimes glad-- Where you're going you don't know, Nor do I, but off you go ! "

"Sounds like hint, ," said the Patchwork Girl

"Then let's take it and go," replied Ojo

They said good-bye Wise Donkey Foolish Owl and at once resumed their journey

Chapter Nine

They Meet the Woozy

"There very few houses around here, after all," remarked Ojo, after they had walked for time in silence

"Never mind," said Scraps; " looking for houses, but rather the road of yellow bricks Won't it be funny to run across something yellow dismal blue country ? "

" worse colors than yellow country," asserted the Glass Cat, in spiteful tone

"Oh; the pink pebbles you call your brains, and your red heart and green eyes ? " asked the Patchwork Girl

"No; I mean you, know it," growled the cat

"You're jealous ! " laughed Scraps "You'd give your whiskers for lovely variegated complexion like mine "

"I wouldn't ! " retorted the cat "I've the clearest complexion , and I don't employ beauty-doctor, either "

" you don't," said Scraps

"Please don't quarrel," begged Ojo " an important journey, and quarreling makes me discouraged brave, one cheerful, so be as good-tempered as possible "

They had traveled some distance when suddenly they faced high fence which barred any further progress straight ahead It ran directly across the road and enclosed small forest of tall trees, set close together group of adventurers peered bars fence they thought this forest looked more gloomy and forbidding than any they had ever seen before

They soon discovered path they following now made bend and passed around the enclosure, but what made Ojo stop and look thoughtful was sign painted fence which read:

"BEWARE WOOZY ! "

"That means," , "that there's Woozy inside that fence, Woozy dangerous animal or they wouldn't tell people to beware of it "

"Let's keep out, then," replied Scraps "That path is outside the fence, and Mr Woozy all his little forest to himself, for all we care "

"But errands is Woozy," Ojo explained "The Magician wants me three hairs end of Woozy's tail "

"Let's go on and find some other Woozy," suggested the cat " is ugly and dangerous, or they wouldn't cage him up Maybe find another tame and gentle "

"Perhaps there isn't , at all," answered Ojo "The sign doesn't say: 'Beware Woozy'; it says: 'Beware the Woozy,' mean there's in all the Land of Oz "

"Then," said Scraps, "suppose we go in and find him ? Very likely ask him politely to pull three hairs tip tail he won't hurt us "

"It would hurt him, I'm sure, and make him cross," said the cat

"You needn't worry, Bungle," remarked the Patchwork Girl; "for danger climb tree Ojo and I afraid; are we, Ojo ? "

" , little," the boy admitted; "but this danger faced, intend to save poor Unc Nunkie How shall we get over the fence ? "

"Climb," answered Scraps, and at once she began climbing up the rows of bars Ojo followed and found it more easy than he had expected got top fence they began down other side and soon were forest The Glass Cat, being small, crept lower bars and joined them

Here no path of any sort, so they entered the woods, the boy leading the way, and wandered trees until they were nearly center forest They now came upon clear space stood rocky cave

they had met no living creature, but when Ojo saw the cave it the den Woozy

hard any savage beast without sinking heart, but still more terrifying an unknown beast, which never seen even picture of So little wonder pulses Munchkin boy beat fast as he companions stood facing the cave The opening was perfectly square, and about big enough to admit goat

"I guess the Woozy is asleep," said Scraps "Shall I throw in stone, to waken him ? "

"No; please don't," answered Ojo, his voice trembling little "I'm in no hurry "

But he long to wait, Woozy heard the sound of voices and came trotting out cave As only Woozy that has ever lived, either Land of Oz or out of it, describe it

The creature was all squares and flat surfaces and edges Its head was an exact square, like building-blocks child plays with; therefore it had no ears, but heard sounds through two openings upper corners Its nose, being center of square surface, was flat, while the mouth was formed opening lower edge block The body Woozy was much larger than its head, but was likewise block-shaped--being twice as long as wide and high The tail was square and stubby and perfectly straight, four legs were made same way, each being four-sided The animal was covered with thick, smooth skin and had no hair at all except extreme end tail, where there grew exactly three stiff, stubby hairs The beast was dark blue in color face was not fierce nor ferocious in expression, but rather good-humored and droll

Seeing the strangers, the Woozy folded his hind legs as hinged and sat down to look his visitors over

"Well, well," he exclaimed; "what queer lot ! At first miserable Munchkin farmers had come to annoy me, but relieved you in their stead plain that remarkable group--as remarkable in your way as in mine--and so welcome to my domain Nice place, isn't it ? But lonesome--dreadfully lonesome "

"Why did they shut you up here ? " asked Scraps, who was regarding the queer, square creature with much curiosity

"Because I eat up all the honey-bees which the Munchkin farmers who live around here keep them honey "

" fond of eating honey-bees ? " inquired the boy

"Very really delicious But the farmers like to lose their bees and so they tried to destroy me they couldn't "

" ? "

"My skin is so thick and tough that nothing can get through it to hurt me So, finding destroy me, they drove me forest and built fence around me Unkind, wasn't it ? "

"But what eat now ? " asked Ojo

"Nothing at all I've tried the leaves trees mosses and creeping vines, but they don't seem to suit my taste So, there being no honey-bees here, I've eaten nothing for years

" awfully hungry," said the boy "I've got some bread and cheese in my basket Would you like that kind of food ? "

" nibble try it; then tell you better whether grateful to my appetite," returned the Woozy

So the boy opened his basket and broke piece off the loaf of bread He tossed it toward the Woozy, who cleverly caught it mouth and ate it in twinkling

"That's rather good," declared the animal "Any more ? "

"Try some cheese," said Ojo, and threw down piece

The Woozy ate that, too, and smacked its long, thin lips

"That's mighty good ! " it exclaimed "Any more ? "

"Plenty," replied Ojo So he sat down on Stump and fed the Woozy bread and cheese ; for, no matter the boy broke off, the loaf slice remained just as big

"That'll do," said the Woozy, at last; "I'm quite full the strange food won't indigestion "

" not," said Ojo "It's what I eat "

"Well, say I'm much obliged, and I'm glad you came," announced the beast " anything do in return for your kindness ? "

"Yes," said Ojo earnestly, " it in your power me great favor, "

" it ? " asked the Woozy "Name the favor grant it "

"I-- three hairs tip of your tail," said Ojo, with some hesitation

"Three hairs ! Why, that's all --on my tail or anywhere else," exclaimed the beast

" ; but them "

" my sole ornaments, my prettiest feature," said the Woozy, uneasily "If up those three hairs I--I'm just blockhead "

"Yet them," insisted the boy, firmly, and he then told the Woozy all accident to Unc Nunkie and Margolotte, and how the three hairs were part magic charm restore them to life The beast listened with attention and when Ojo had finished the recital it said, with sigh: