This amused him until the woman came in with large tray and spread cloth on tables Then she arranged his supper, which proved the most varied and delicious meal Ojo had ever eaten life

Tollydiggle sat near him while he ate, sewing on some fancy work she held in her lap When he had finished she cleared the table and then read to him story from books

" really prison ? " he asked, when she had finished reading

"Indeed ," she replied " only prison Land of Oz "

"And am I prisoner ? "

"Bless the child ! "

"Then why prison so fine, and why so kind ? " he earnestly asked

Tollydiggle seemed surprised question, but she presently answered:

"We consider prisoner unfortunate unfortunate in two ways--because he something wrong and because deprived liberty Therefore treat him kindly, because misfortune, for otherwise become hard and bitter and sorry he had done wrong Ozma thinks that one who has committed fault did so because not strong and brave; therefore she puts him in prison him strong and brave is accomplished no longer prisoner, but good and loyal citizen and everyone is glad that now strong enough to resist doing wrong , kindness that makes one strong and brave; and so kind to our prisoners "

Ojo thought this over very carefully "I had an idea," said he, "that prisoners were always treated harshly, to punish them "

" dreadful ! " cried Tollydiggle "Isn't one punished enough in knowing he wrong ? Don't you wish, Ojo, with all your heart, that you disobedient and broken Law of Oz ? "

"I--I hate different from other people," he admitted

"Yes; one likes respected as highly as his neighbors are," said the woman " tried and found guilty, obliged amends, in some way I don't know just what Ozma will do , because first time one of us has broken Law; but she just and merciful Here Emerald City people are too happy and contented ever wrong; but perhaps you came from some faraway corner land, and having no love for Ozma carelessly broke one of her Laws "

"Yes," said Ojo, "I've lived all my life heart of lonely forest, where no one but dear Unc Nunkie "

" so," said Tollydiggle "But now talked enough, so play game until bedtime "

Chapter Sixteen

Princess Dorothy

Dorothy Gale was sitting in one of her rooms royal palace, while curled up at her feet was little black dog with shaggy coat and very bright eyes She wore plain white frock, without any jewels or other ornaments except an emerald- green hair-ribbon, for Dorothy was simple little girl and least spoiled magnificence surrounding her Once the child had lived Kansas prairies, but she seemed marked for adventure, for she had made several trips Land of Oz before she came to live there for good Her very best friend beautiful Ozma of Oz, who loved Dorothy that she kept her in her own palace, so be near her The girl's Uncle Henry and Aunt Em--the only relatives she had --had also been brought here by Ozma and given pleasant home Dorothy knew almost everybody in Oz, and she who had discovered the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman Cowardly Lion, as Tik-Tok the Clockwork Man Her life was very pleasant now, and although she made Princess of Oz by her friend Ozma she care much Princess and remained as sweet as when she plain Dorothy Gale of Kansas

Dorothy was reading in book this evening when Jellia Jamb, the favorite servant-maid palace, came Shaggy Man wanted her

"All right," said Dorothy; "tell him right up "

"But he has some queer creatures -- queerest I've ever laid eyes on," reported Jellia

"Never mind; let 'em all come up," replied Dorothy

But door opened to admit the Shaggy Man, but Scraps, the Woozy Glass Cat, Dorothy jumped up and looked at her strange visitors in amazement The Patchwork Girl most curious of all and Dorothy was uncertain at first whether Scraps was really alive or only dream or nightmare Toto, her dog, slowly uncurled himself and going Patchwork Girl sniffed at her inquiringly; but soon he lay down again, he had no interest an irregular creation

"You're new one ," Dorothy said reflectively, addressing the Patchwork Girl " 't imagine where you've come from "

"Who, me ? " asked Scraps, looking around the pretty room instead of girl "Oh, from bed-quilt, I guess That's what they say, anyhow Some call it crazy-quilt and some patchwork quilt But my name is Scraps--and now all about me "

"Not quite all," returned Dorothy with smile " you'd tell me how you came alive "

"That's an easy job," said Scraps, sitting upon big upholstered chair and making the springs bounce her up and down "Margolotte wanted slave, so she made me out of an old bed-quilt she didn't use Cotton stuffing, suspender-button eyes, red velvet tongue, pearl beads for teeth The Crooked Magician made Powder of Life, sprinkled me with it and--here Perhaps you've noticed my different colors very refined and educated gentleman named the Scarecrow, whom I met, told me the most beautiful creature in all Oz, and I believe it "

"Oh ! met our Scarecrow, then ? " asked Dorothy, little puzzled to understand the brief history related

"Yes; isn't he jolly ? "

"The Scarecrow has many good qualities," replied Dorothy "But I'm sorry to hear all this 'bout the Crooked Magician Ozma'll be mad as hops when she hears he's been doing magic again She told him not to "

"He only practices magic benefit own family," explained Bungle, who was keeping at respectful distance little black dog

"Dear me," said Dorothy; "I hadn't noticed you before glass, or what ? "

"I'm glass, and transparent, too, more than said of some folks," answered the cat "Also some lovely pink brains; you 'em work "

"Oh; so ? Come over here and let me see "

The Glass Cat hesitated, eyeing the dog

"Send that beast away ," she said

"Beast ! Why, that's my dog Toto, an' he's the kindest dog in all the world Toto knows things, too; 'most as , I guess "

"Why doesn't he say anything ? " asked Bungle

" 't talk, not being fairy dog," explained Dorothy "He's just common United States dog; but that's ; and I understand him, and he understands me, just talk "

Toto, , got up and rubbed his head softly against Dorothy's hand, which she held out to him, and he looked up into her face he had understood every word she had said

"This cat, Toto," she said to him, "is made of glass, so you mustn't bother it, or chase it, any more than my Pink Kitten It's prob'ly brittle and might break bumped against anything "

"Woof ! " said Toto, meant he understood

The Glass Cat was so proud of her pink brains that she ventured close to Dorothy, the girl might "see 'em work " really interesting, but when Dorothy patted the cat she found the glass cold and hard and unresponsive, so she decided at once that Bungle would never do for pet

"What Crooked Magician who lives mountain ? " asked Dorothy

" me," replied the cat; "so all about him The Patchwork Girl is new--three or four days old--but I've lived with Dr Pipt for years; and, though I don't much care for him, say that he has always refused to work magic for any people who come house He thinks there's no harm in doing magic things own family, and me out of glass because the meat cats drink milk He also made Scraps come to life so housework wife Margolotte "

"Then why did you both leave him ? " asked Dorothy

" you'd better let me explain that," interrupted the Shaggy Man, and then Dorothy all of Ojo's story and how Unc Nunkie and Margolotte had accidentally been turned to marble Liquid of Petrifaction Then he related how the boy had started out in search things needed to magic charm, which would restore the unfortunates to life, and how he had found the Woozy and taken him along because pull the three hairs out tail Dorothy listened to all this with much interest, and thought that Ojo had acted But Shaggy Man told her Munchkin boy's arrest Soldier Green Whiskers, because accused of wilfully breaking Law of Oz, the little girl was greatly shocked

"What s'pose he's done ? " she asked

" he has picked six-leaved clover," answered the Shaggy Man, sadly " see him , and I warned him that was against the Law; but perhaps what , nevertheless "