"All right," said the Champion, and he picked up the Patchwork Girl and threw her same manner he had the Scarecrow used more strength , however, for Scraps sailed far over the top fence and, without being able to grab the Scarecrow at all, tumbled ground Horner Country, where her stuffed body knocked over two men and woman and made crowd that had collected there run like rabbits away from her

Seeing the next moment that she was harmless, the people slowly returned and gathered around the Patchwork Girl, regarding her with astonishment wore jeweled star hair, just above his horn, and this seemed person of importance He spoke rest people, who treated him with great respect

"Who , Unknown Being ? " he asked

"Scraps," she said, rising to her feet and patting her cotton wadding smooth where it had bunched up

"And where did you come from ? " he continued

"Over the fence Don't be silly There's no other place come from," she replied

He looked at her thoughtfully

" Hopper," said he, "for two legs They're not shaped, but two in number strange creature on top the fence--why doesn't he stop kicking ? -- your brother, or father, or son, for he also has two legs "

" been to visit the Wise Donkey," said Scraps, laughing so merrily crowd smiled with her, in sympathy "But that reminds me, Captain--or King--"

" Chief Horners, and my name is Jak "

" ; Little Jack Horner; known it But the reason I volplaned over the fence was so talk Hoppers "

"What Hoppers ? " asked the Chief, frowning

"You've insulted them, and you'd better beg their pardon," said Scraps " don't, they'll probably hop over here and conquer you "

"We're not afraid--as long gate is locked," declared the Chief "And we didn't insult them at all One of us made joke stupid Hoppers couldn't see "

The Chief smiled as this smile made his face look quite jolly

" the joke ? " asked Scraps

"A Horner said less understanding than we, because they've leg Ha, ha ! the point, don't you ? stand legs, and your legs are under you, then--ha, ha, ha ! -- then your legs are your under-standing Hee, hee, hee ! Ho, ho ! My, but that's fine joke stupid Hoppers couldn't see it ! They couldn't see that with leg less under-standing than we two legs Ha, ha, ha ! Hee, hee ! Ho, ho ! " The Chief wiped the tears of laughter eyes bottom hem white robe, and all the other Horners wiped their eyes on their robes, for they had laughed just as heartily as their Chief absurd joke

"Then," said Scraps, "their understanding understanding you meant led misunderstanding "

"Exactly; and so there's no need to apologize," returned the Chief

"No need for an apology, perhaps, but much need for an explanation," said Scraps decidedly "You don't want war, ? "

"Not help it," admitted Jak Horner "The question is, who's going to explain the joke Horners ? it spoils any joke obliged to explain it, and best joke I ever heard "

" the joke ? " asked Scraps

"Diksey Horner working mines, just now, but he'll be home before long Suppose we wait and talk ? Maybe he'll be willing to explain his joke Hoppers "

"All right," said Scraps "I'll wait, if Diksey isn't too long "

"No, he's short; he's shorter than Ha, ha, ha ! Say ! that's better joke than Diksey's He won't be too long, because he's short Hee, hee, ho ! "

The other Horners who were standing by roared with laughter and seemed to like their Chief's joke as Scraps thought odd that be so easily amused, but decided there little harm in people who laughed so merrily

Chapter Twenty-Three

Peace Is Declared

"Come with me to my dwelling and I'll introduce you to my daughters," said the Chief "We're bringing them up according to book of rules that was written by leading old bachelors, and everyone says they're remarkable lot of girls "

So Scraps accompanied him along the street to house that seemed outside exceptionally grimy and dingy The streets city paved nor had any attempt been made to beautify the houses or their surroundings, and having noticed this condition Scraps was astonished Chief ushered her into his home

Here was nothing grimy or faded, indeed contrary, the room was of dazzling brilliance and beauty, for lined throughout with an exquisite metal that resembled translucent frosted silver The surface metal was highly ornamented in raised designs representing men, animals, flowers and trees, and metal itself was radiated the soft light which flooded the room All the furniture same glorious metal, and Scraps asked what

"That's radium," answered the Chief "We Horners spend all our time digging radium mines under this mountain, and we use it to decorate our homes and make them pretty and cosy medicine, too, and no one can ever be sick who lives near radium "

" plenty of it ? " asked the Patchwork Girl

"More than use All the houses city are decorated with it, just the same as mine is "

"Why don't you use it streets, then, outside of your houses, them as pretty within ? " she inquired

"Outside ? Who cares outside of anything ? " asked the Chief "We Horners don't live outside homes; we live inside Many people are like those stupid Hoppers, who love an outside show I suppose you strangers thought their city more beautiful than ours, because you judged from appearances and handsome marble houses and marble streets; but entered one stiff dwellings find it bare and uncomfortable, as all their show is outside an idea that not seen by others important, but the rooms we live in are our chief delight and care, and we pay no attention to outside show "

"Seems ," said Scraps, musingly, "it better it all pretty--inside and out "

"Seems ? Why, you're all seams, my girl ! " said the Chief; and then he laughed heartily at his latest joke and chorus of small voices echoed the chorus with "tee-hee-hee ! ha, ha ! "

Scraps turned around and found row of girls seated in radium chairs ranged along one wall room There were nineteen , by actual count, were of all sizes from tiny child to one almost grown woman All were neatly dressed in spotless white robes and had brown skins, horns on their foreheads and three-colored hair

"These," said the Chief, "are my sweet daughters My dears, I introduce Miss Scraps Patchwork, lady traveling in foreign parts to increase her store of wisdom "

The nineteen Horner girls all arose and made polite curtsey, after which they resumed their seats and rearranged their robes properly

"Why do they sit so still, and all in row ? " asked Scraps

"Because ladylike and proper," replied the Chief

"But some are just children, poor things ! Don't they ever run around and play and laugh, ? "

"No, indeed," said the Chief " he improper in young ladies, as in those sometime become young ladies My daughters are being brought up according rules and regulations laid down by leading bachelor who the subject much study himself man of taste and culture Politeness is his great hobby, and he claims that if child is allowed an impolite thing one cannot expect the grown person anything better "

" impolite to romp and shout and be jolly ? " asked Scraps

"Well, sometimes , and sometimes it isn't," replied the Horner, after considering the question "By curbing such inclinations in my daughters we keep safe side Once in while I make good joke, heard, and then I permit my daughters to laugh decorously; but never allowed joke themselves "

"That old bachelor the rules skinned alive ! " declared Scraps, and said more the door opened to admit little Horner man whom the Chief introduced as Diksey

"What's up, Chief ? " asked Diksey, winking nineteen times nineteen girls, who demurely cast down their eyes because their father was looking

The Chief told the man that his joke understood dull Hoppers, who had become so angry had declared war So the only way to avoid terrible battle was to explain the joke so understand it

"All right," replied Diksey, who seemed good- natured man; "I'll go at once fence and explain I don't want any war Hoppers, for wars between nations always cause hard feelings "

So the Chief and Diksey and Scraps left the house and went back marble picket fence The Scarecrow was still stuck top picket but had now ceased to struggle other side fence were Dorothy and Ojo, looking pickets; and there, also, were the Champion and Hoppers

Diksey went close fence and said:

"My good Hoppers, to explain that what about you was joke but one leg each, and two legs each Our legs are under us, whether , and we stand on them So, when you had less understanding than we, mean that you had less understanding, you understand, but that you had less standundering, so understand that ? "

The Hoppers thought it over carefully Then one said:

" clear enough; but where does the joke come in ? '"

Dorothy laughed, for she couldn't help it, although all the others were solemn enough