Toto kept an eye open, however, and uttered low, threatening growls whenever the racket made creatures outside became too boisterous; Scarecrow Patchwork Girl sat leaning against the wall and talked in whispers all night long No one disturbed the travelers until daylight, when in popped the Tottenhot who owned the place and invited them to vacate his premises

Chapter Twenty

The Captive Yoop

were preparing to leave, Dorothy asked: " tell us where dark well ? "

"Never heard thing," said the Tottenhot "We live our lives dark, mostly, and sleep daytime; but we've never seen dark well, or anything like one "

"Does anyone live on those mountains beyond here ? " asked the Scarecrow

"Lots of people But you'd better not visit them We never go there," reply

" the people like ? " Dorothy inquired

"Can't say We've been told away mountain paths, and so we obey This sandy desert is good enough , and we're not disturbed here," declared the Tottenhot

So they left the man snuggling down to sleep dusky dwelling, and went out sunshine, taking the path that led toward the rocky places They soon found it hard climbing, rocks were uneven and full of sharp points and edges, and now no path at all Clambering here and there boulders they kept steadily on, gradually rising higher and higher until finally they came to great rift in part mountain, where the rock seemed split in two and left high walls on either side

"S'pose we go ," suggested Dorothy; "it's much easier walking than to climb over the hills "

"How sign ? " asked Ojo

"What sign ? " she inquired

The Munchkin boy pointed to some words painted wall of rock beside them, which Dorothy noticed The words read:

"LOOK OUT FOR YOOP "

The girl eyed this sign moment and turned Scarecrow, asking:

" Yoop; or Yoop ? "

The straw man shook his head Then looked at Toto dog said "Woof ! "

"Only way out is on," said Scraps

This being quite true, they went on proceeded, the walls of rock on either side grew higher and higher Presently they came upon another sign which read:

"BEWARE THE CAPTIVE YOOP "

"Why, as ," remarked Dorothy, "if Yoop is captive there's no need to beware of him Whatever Yoop happens , I'd much rather have him captive than running around loose "

"So had I," agreed the Scarecrow, with nod painted head

"Still," said Scraps, reflectively:

"Yoop-te-hoop-te-loop-te-goop ! Who put noodles soup ? beware but we don't care, And dare go where we scare the Yoop "

"Dear me ! Aren't you feeling little queer, just now ? " Dorothy asked the Patchwork Girl

"Not queer, but crazy," said Ojo "When she says those things I'm sure her brains get mixed somehow and work the wrong way

"I don't see why told to beware the Yoop unless dangerous," observed the Scarecrow in puzzled tone

"Never mind; we'll find out all about him when we get to where ," replied the little girl

The narrow canyon turned and twisted , rift was so small were able to touch both walls same time by stretching out their arms Toto had run on ahead, frisking playfully, when suddenly he uttered sharp bark of fear and came running back tail between his legs, as dogs do are frightened

"Ah," said the Scarecrow, who was leading the way, " near Yoop "

Just then, as he rounded sharp turn, the Straw man stopped so suddenly that all the others bumped against him

" it ? " asked Dorothy, standing on tip-toes to look over his shoulder But then she saw what and cried "Oh ! " in tone of astonishment

In rock walls--that at their left-- was hollowed great cavern, in front of row of thick iron bars, the tops and bottoms being firmly fixed solid rock Over this cavern was big sign, which Dorothy read with much curiosity, speaking the words aloud that all might know what they said:

"MISTER YOOP--HIS CAVE

The Largest Untamed Giant in Captivity Height, 21 Feet --(And yet he has but 2 feet ) Weight, 1640 Pounds --(But he waits all the time ) Age, 400 Years 'and Up' ( say Department Store advertisements) Temper, Fierce and Ferocious --(Except when asleep ) Appetite, Ravenous --(Prefers Meat People and Orange Marmalade )

STRANGERS APPROACHING THIS CAVE AT THEIR OWN PERIL !

P S --Don't feed the Giant yourself "

" ," said Ojo, with sigh; "let's go back "

"It's long way back," declared Dorothy

"So ," remarked the Scarecrow, "and it means tedious climb over those sharp rocks 't use this passage best to run Giant's cave as fast go Mister Yoop asleep just now "

But the Giant wasn't asleep He suddenly appeared front cavern, seized the iron bars great hairy hands and shook them until they rattled in their sockets Yoop was so tall friends had to tip their heads way back to look into his face, noticed dressed all in pink velvet, with silver buttons and braid The Giant's boots were of pink leather and had tassels on them hat was decorated with an enormous pink ostrich feather, carefully curled

"Yo-ho ! " in deep bass voice; "I smell dinner "

" mistaken," replied the Scarecrow " no orange marmalade around here "

"Ah, but I eat other things," asserted Mister Yoop " , I eat them when get them But lonely place, and no good meat has passed by my cave for many years; so I'm hungry "

"Haven't you eaten anything in many years ? " asked Dorothy

"Nothing except six ants and monkey the monkey would taste like meat people, but the flavor was different taste better, seem plump and tender "

"Oh, I'm not going eaten," said Dorothy

" ? "

" keep out of your way," she answered

"How heartless ! " wailed the Giant, shaking the bars again "Consider years since I've eaten single plump little girl ! They tell me meat is going up, but if manage to catch you I'm sure soon be going down And I'll catch you if "

the Giant pushed his big arms, which looked like tree-trunks (except that tree- trunks don't wear pink velvet) iron bars, arms were touched the opposite wall rock passage Then he extended them as far as reach toward our travelers and found almost touch the Scarecrow--but not quite

"Come little nearer, please," begged the Giant

"I'm Scarecrow "

"A Scarecrow ? Ugh ! I don't care straw for scarecrow Who bright-colored delicacy behind you ? "

"Me ? " asked Scraps "I'm Patchwork Girl, and I'm stuffed with cotton "

"Dear me," sighed the Giant in disapointed tone; "that reduces my dinner from four to two-- dog I'll save the dog for dessert "

Toto growled, keeping good distance away

"Back up," said the Scarecrow behind him " go back little way and talk this over "

So they turned and went around the bend passage, where they were out of sight cave and Mister Yoop hear them

"My idea," began the Scarecrow, had halted, "is dash past the cave, going on run "

"He'd grab us," said Dorothy

"Well, 't grab but one , and I'll go first he grabs me the rest of slip past him, out reach, and soon let me go because not fit to eat "

They decided this plan and Dorothy took Toto in her arms, so protect him She followed just Scarecrow Then came Ojo, with Scraps the last four Their hearts beat little faster than usual again approached the Giant's cave, moving swiftly forward

It turned out way the Scarecrow had planned Mister Yoop was quite astonished them come flying toward him, and thrusting his arms bars he seized the Scarecrow in firm grip next instant he realized, way the straw crunched between his fingers, that he had captured the non-eatable man, but during that instant of delay Dorothy and Ojo had slipped Giant and were out of reach Uttering howl of rage the monster threw the Scarecrow after them with one hand and grabbed Scraps other

The poor Scarecrow went whirling air and so cleverly was he aimed that he struck Ojo's back and sent the boy tumbling head over heels, and he tripped Dorothy and sent her, also, sprawling ground Toto flew little girl's arms and landed some distance ahead, and all were so dazed moment could scramble feet again did so they turned to look toward the Giant's cave, and moment the ferocious Mister Yoop threw the Patchwork Girl at them

Down went all three again, in heap, with Scraps on top The Giant roared so terribly that for time they were afraid he had broken loose; but he hadn't So they sat road and looked at one another in rather bewildered way, and then began glad

" it ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow, with satisfaction "And now free way "

"Mister Yoop is very impolite," declared Scraps "He jarred me terribly It's lucky my stitches are so fine and strong, for otherwise such harsh treatment might rip me up the back "