Dorothy and Ojo laughed statement and Toto barked he understood the joke, after which they all felt better and resumed the journey in high spirits

" ," said the little girl, had walked way along the passage, " lucky the Giant was caged; for, if he had happened loose, he--he--"

"Perhaps, case, he wouldn't be hungry any more," said Ojo gravely

Chapter Twenty-One

Hip Hopper the Champion

had good courage to climb all those rocks, for after getting canyon they encountered more rock hills surmounted Toto could jump from one rock to another quite easily, but the others had to creep and climb with care, after whole day work Dorothy and Ojo found themselves very tired

gazed upward great mass of tumbled rocks that covered the steep incline, Dorothy gave little groan and said:

"That's going ter'ble hard climb, Scarecrow find the dark well without trouble "

"Suppose," said Ojo, "you wait here and let me climbing, 's on my account we're searching dark well Then, if I don't find anything, I'll come back and join you "

"No," replied the little girl, shaking her head positively, "we'll all go together, way help went alone, something might happen , Ojo "

So they began the climb and found it indeed difficult, for way But presently, in creeping over the big crags, they found path at their feet which wound in and out masses of rock and was quite smooth and easy to walk upon path gradually ascended the mountain, although in roundabout way, they decided it

"This the road Country Hoppers," said the Scarecrow

" the Hoppers ? " asked Dorothy

"Some people Jack Pumpkinhead told me about," he replied

"I didn't hear him," replied the girl

"No; you were asleep," explained the Scarecrow "But Scraps and me Hoppers Horners live mountain "

" mountain," declared Scraps; "but he meant "

"Didn't he say what the Hoppers and Horners were like ? " inquired Dorothy

"No; he only said they were two separate nations, and Horners were the most important "

"Well, go country we'll find out all about 'em," said the girl "But I've never heard Ozma mention those people, so 't be "

" mountain Land of Oz ? " asked Scraps

"Course ," answered Dorothy "It's South Country Quadlings When one comes edge of Oz, in any direction, nothing more seen at all Once sandy desert all around Oz; but now it's diff'rent, and no other people us, any more than them "

" mountain is under Ozma's rule, why doesn't she know Hoppers Horners ? " Ojo asked

"Why, it's fairyland," explained Dorothy, "and lots of queer people live in places so tucked away Emerald City never even hear of 'em middle country it's diff'rent, but get around the edges you're sure to run into strange little corners that surprise you , for I've traveled in Oz , and so Scarecrow "

"Yes," admitted the straw man, "I've been considerable of traveler, in , and I like to explore strange places I learn much more by traveling than by staying at home "

During this conversation they walking up the steep pathway and now found themselves well up mountain see nothing around them, rocks beside their path were higher than their heads Nor could they see far in front , because the path was so crooked But suddenly they stopped, because the path ended and no place Ahead was big rock lying against the side mountain, and this blocked the way completely

"There wouldn't be path, though, didn't go somewhere," said the Scarecrow, wrinkling his forehead in deep thought

" somewhere, isn't it ? " asked the Patchwork Girl, laughing bewildered looks others

"The path is locked, the way is blocked, Yet here we've innocently flocked; And now we're here it's rather queer There's no front door knocked "

"Please don't, Scraps," said Ojo "You make me nervous "

"Well," said Dorothy, "I'm glad of little rest, 's drea'ful steep path "

As she spoke she leaned against the edge big rock that stood in their way To her surprise it slowly swung backward and showed behind it dark hole that looked like the mouth of tunnel

"Why, here's where the path goes to ! " she exclaimed

"So ," answered the Scarecrow "But the question is, do where the path does ? "

"It's underground; right inside the mountain," said Ojo, peering dark hole "Perhaps there's well there; and, , it's sure dark one "

"Why, that's true enough ! " cried Dorothy with eagerness "Let's go in, Scarecrow; 'cause, if others , we're pretty safe , too "

Toto looked in and barked, but venture to enter until the Scarecrow had bravely gone first Scraps followed closely straw man and then Ojo and Dorothy timidly stepped inside the tunnel all had passed the big rock, it slowly turned and filled up the opening again; but now they were no longer dark, for soft, rosy light enabled them around them quite distinctly

only passage, wide enough for two to walk abreast--with Toto in --and it had high, arched roof see where the light which flooded the place so pleasantly came from, for there were no lamps anywhere visible The passage ran straight for little way and then made bend right and another sharp turn left, after which it went straight again But there were no side passages, so lose their way

After proceeding some distance, Toto, who had gone on ahead, began to bark loudly They ran around bend the matter and found man sitting floor passage and leaning his back against the wall He had probably been asleep before Toto's barks aroused him, for now rubbing his eyes and staring little dog with all his might

something man that Toto objected to, and when he slowly rose foot they saw what He had but one leg, set just below the middle round, fat body; but stout leg and had broad, flat foot bottom of it, the man seemed to stand He had never had but leg, which looked something like pedestal, and when Toto ran up and made grab man's ankle he hopped first and then another in very active manner, looking so frightened that Scraps laughed aloud

Toto was usually well behaved dog, but angry and snapped man's leg again and again This filled the poor fellow with fear, and in hopping out of Toto's reach he suddenly lost his balance and tumbled heel over head floor When he sat up he kicked Toto nose and made the dog howl angrily, but Dorothy now ran forward and caught Toto's collar, holding him back

" surrender ? " she asked the man

"Who ? Me ? " asked the Hopper

"Yes; you," said the little girl

"Am I captured ? " he inquired

" My dog has captured you," she said

"Well," replied the man, "if I'm captured surrender, 's the proper thing I like everything proper, saves one lot of trouble "

"It does, indeed," said Dorothy "Please tell us who "

"I'm Hip Hopper--Hip Hopper, the Champion "

"Champion what ? " she asked in surprise

"Champion wrestler I'm very strong man, ferocious animal which so kindly holding first living thing that has ever conquered me "

"And Hopper ? " she continued

"Yes My people live in great city not far from here Would you like to visit it ? "

"I'm not sure," she said with hesitation " any dark wells in your city ? "

" not wells, , but they're all well lighted, and well lighted well cannot well be dark well But such thing as very dark well Horner Country, black spot face earth "

"Where Horner Country ? " Ojo inquired