"No indeed," returned Polly, with shudder, "I hate cyclones, anyway "

"That's why out do any magic," said the little Kansas girl "I'm sure 't; and I'm sure Button-Bright can't; only magic the shaggy man has Love Magnet, which won't much "

"Don't be too sure , my dear," spoke the shaggy man, smile donkey face " not magic myself, but call powerful friend who loves me because I own the Love Magnet, and this friend surely to "

" your friend ? " asked Dorothy

"Johnny Dooit "

"What can Johnny do ? "

"Anything," answered the shaggy man, with confidence

"Ask him ," she exclaimed, eagerly

The shaggy man took the Love Magnet pocket and unwrapped the paper that surrounded it Holding the charm palm hand he looked at it steadily and said these words:

"Dear Johnny Dooit, come you bad as bad "

"Well, here ," said cheery little voice; "but you shouldn't say me bad, 'cause I'm always, ALWAYS, good "

they quickly whirled around funny little man sitting on big copper chest, puffing smoke from long pipe His hair was grey, his whiskers were grey; and these whiskers were that he had wound the ends around his waist and tied them in hard knot underneath the leather apron that reached chin nearly feet, and soiled and scratched it used His nose was broad, and stuck up little; but his eyes were twinkling and merry The little man's hands and arms were as hard and tough leather apron, and Dorothy thought Johnny Dooit looked he had done lot of hard work lifetime

"Good morning, Johnny," said the shaggy man " coming so quickly "

"I never waste time," said the newcomer, promptly "But what's happened ? Where did you get that donkey head ? Really, I wouldn't have known you at all, Shaggy Man, if I hadn't looked at your feet "

The shaggy man introduced Johnny Dooit to Dorothy and Toto and Button-Bright Rainbow's Daughter, and told him the story adventures, adding were anxious now to reach the Emerald City Land of Oz, where Dorothy had friends take care and safe home again

"But," said he, " that 't cross this desert, which turns all living flesh that touches it into dust; so asked you and "

Johnny Dooit puffed his pipe and looked carefully dreadful desert in front --stretching away see its end

" ride," , briskly

"What in ? " asked the shaggy man

"In sand-boat, runners like sled and sails like ship The wind will blow you swiftly across the desert sand cannot touch your flesh it into dust "

"Good ! " cried Dorothy, clapping her hands delightedly "That way the Magic Carpet took us across We didn't have to touch the horrid sand at all "

"But where sand-boat ? " asked the shaggy man, looking all around him

"I'll make you one," said Johnny Dooit

As he spoke, he knocked the ashes pipe and put it pocket Then he unlocked the copper chest and lifted the lid, and Dorothy saw full of shining tools of all sorts and shapes

Johnny Dooit moved quickly now--so quickly were astonished work able to accomplish He had chest tool for everything , and these must magic tools because their work so fast and

The man hummed little song as he worked, and Dorothy tried to listen She thought the words were something like these:

The only way thing Is can, And cheerfully, and sing And work and think and plan The only real unhappy one Is he who dares to shirk; The only really happy one Is he who cares to work

Whatever Johnny Dooit was singing certainly doing things, all stood by and watched him in amazement

He seized an axe and in couple of chops felled tree Next saw and sawed the tree-trunk into broad, long boards He then nailed the boards together shape of boat, about twelve feet long and four feet wide He cut from another tree long, slender pole which, when trimmed branches and fastened upright center boat, served as mast chest he drew coil of rope and big bundle of canvas, and --still humming his song--he rigged up sail, arranging it so it raised or lowered mast

Dorothy fairly gasped with wonder the thing grow so speedily before her eyes, and both Button-Bright and Polly looked on same absorbed interest

"It painted," said Johnny Dooit, tossing his tools back chest, "for make it look prettier But 'though paint it in three seconds it would take an hour to dry, 's waste "

"We don't care how it looks," said the shaggy man, "if only take us across the desert "

" ," declared Johnny Dooit "All worry about is tipping over Did you ever sail ship ? "

"I've seen one sailed," said the shaggy man

"Good Sail this boat the way you've seen ship sailed, and you'll be across the sands know it "

he slammed down the lid chest, noise made them all wink While they were winking the workman disappeared, tools and all

12 The Deadly Desert Crossed

"Oh, that's too bad ! " cried Dorothy; " to thank Johnny Dooit for all his kindness "

"He hasn't time to listen to thanks," replied the shaggy man; "but I'm sure grateful I suppose already at work in some other part world "

They now looked more carefully sand-boat, and saw bottom was modeled with two sharp runners which would glide sand The front sand-boat was pointed like the bow of ship, and rudder stern to steer by

It built just edge desert, all its length lay gray sand except the after part, which still rested strip of grass

"Get in, my dears," said the shaggy man; "I'm sure manage this boat as any sailor All do is sit still in your places "

Dorothy got in, Toto in her arms, and sat bottom boat just in front mast Button-Bright sat in front of Dorothy, while Polly leaned over the bow The shaggy man knelt behind the mast When all were ready he raised the sail half-way The wind caught it At once the sand-boat started forward--slowly at first, then with added speed The shaggy man pulled the sail way up, flew so fast over the Deadly Desert that held fast sides boat and scarcely dared to breathe

The sand lay in billows, and was in places very uneven, so boat rocked dangerously from side to side; but it never quite tipped over, speed was so great shaggy man himself became frightened and began to wonder how ship go slower

"It we're spilled sand, middle desert," Dorothy thought to herself, "we'll be nothing but dust , and the end of us "

But they spilled, and by-and-by Polychrome, who was clinging bow and looking straight ahead, saw dark line before them and wondered what It grew plainer every second, until she discovered it row of jagged rocks end desert, while high above these rocks she tableland of green grass and beautiful trees

"Look out ! " she screamed shaggy man "Go slowly, or smash rocks "

He heard her, and tried to pull down the sail; but the wind let go broad canvas ropes had become tangled

Nearer and nearer they drew great rocks, shaggy man was in despair because do nothing to stop the wild rush sand-boat