"All the family or family tree I've got ! " cried the Scarecrow, running toward it with emotion

"What's that ? " window farmhouse was thrown up, and sleepy Munchkin thrust out his head " you doing ? " crossly

"Thinking ! " said the Scarecrow, leaning heavily against the bean pole

"Well, don't out loud," snapped the farmer Then, catching better view Scarecrow, he cried in surprise: "Why, it's you ! -- Come right in, my dear fellow, and the latest news Emerald City I'll fetch candle ! "

The farmer was very proud Scarecrow He had made him by stuffing one old suits with straw, painting jolly face on sack, stuffing that, and fastening the two together Red boots, hat, and yellow gloves had finished his man -- and nothing jollier result Later on, Scarecrow had run off with Dorothy and got his brains Wizard of Oz and become ruler Emerald City, the little farmer had felt highly gratified

The Scarecrow, however, was not in humor for conversation in peace "Don't bother ! " up "I'm going the night here I'll see you morning "

"All right ! Take care of yourself," yawned the farmer, and drew head

the Scarecrow stood perfectly still beside the bean pole -- thinking Then he got spade shed and began clearing away the cornstalks and dried leaves from around the base pole slow work, fingers were clumsy, but he persevered Then wonderful idea came to him

"Perhaps if I dig down bit, discover --" He got no further, for word "discover," he pushed the spade down with all his might loud crash The bottom dropped out of things, Scarecrow fell through

"Gr-eat cornstalks ! " cried the Scarecrow, throwing up his arms surprise, they came in contact with stout pole, which he embraced lifesaver, for shooting down darkness at great rate

"Why ! " he gasped he regained his breath, for falling at terrific rate of speed, "Why, I believe I'm sliding down the bean pole ! "

CHAPTER 3

DOWN THE MAGIC BEAN POLE

Hugging the bean pole for dear life, the Scarecrow slid rapidly downward, Everything was dark, but at times confused roaring sounded ears

"Father, I hear something falling past ! " shouted gruff voice all at once

"Then reach out and pull it in," growled still deeper voice flash of light, door opened suddenly, and giant hand snatched the air just above the Scarecrow's head

"It's good thing I haven't heart to fail me," murmured the Scarecrow, glancing up fearfully and clinging more tightly pole "Though I fall, falter But where under the earth am I falling to ? " minute, door opened far below, and someone called up:

"Who ? Have out your toll and be ready to salute the Royal Ruler Middlings ! "

The Scarecrow had learned course many and strange adventures best to accede to every request that was reasonable or possible Realizing that unless he answered at once fall past his strange questioners, he shouted amiably:

" the Scarecrow of Oz, sliding down my family tree ! " The words echoed oddly narrow passageway, and he reached the word "tree" the Scarecrow could make out two large brown men leaning from door somewhere below Next minute to sharp stop board had shot out and closed off the passageway So sudden stop Scarecrow was tossed violently upward While he endeavored to regain his balance, the two Middlings eyed him curiously

"So kind of thing they grow on top," said one, holding lantern close Scarecrow's head

"Toll, Toll ! " droned the other, holding out horribly twisted hand

"One moment, your Royal Middleness ! " cried the Scarecrow, backing as far away lantern as , for with straw stuffing one too careful of fire pocket for an emerald he had picked up Emerald City before and handed it gingerly Muddy monarch

"Why call me Middleness ? " the King demanded angrily, taking the emerald

"Is your kingdom not middle earth, and not royalty ? What more proper than Royal Middleness ? " asked the Scarecrow, flecking the dust hat

Now that he had better view, two were entirely men of mud, and very roughly put together Dried grass hair stood erect upon each head, and their faces were large and lumpy and had disconcerting way of changing shape Indeed, King leaned over to examine the Scarecrow, his features were so soft they seemed to run into his cheek, which hung down alarmingly, while his nose turned sideways and lengthened an inch !

Muddle pushed the King's nose back and began spreading his cheek into place Instead of hands and feet, the Middlings had gnarled and twisted roots which curled up in perfectly terrifying manner Their teeth were gold, and their eyes shone like small electric lights They wore stiff coats of dried mud, buttoned clumsily with lumps of coal, King had tall mud crown Altogether, the Scarecrow thought he had never seen more disagreeable looking creatures

"What ," spluttered the King, fingering the jewel greedily, "is coat of mud ! Shall we pull him in, Muddle ? "

"He's very poorly made, your Mudjesty work, Carescrow ? " asked Muddle, thumping him rudely chest

"Scarecrow, please ! " The Scarecrow drew himself up and spoke with great difficulty " work with my head ! " he added proudly

"Your head ! " roared the King "Did you hear that, Muddle ? He works head What's the matter with your hands ? " Again the King lunged forward, and his face fell other side and had bulged enormously before Muddle could pat it into shape They began whispering excitedly together, but the Scarecrow made no reply, for looking over their shoulder he glimpsed dark, forbidding cavern lighted only flashing red eyes of thousands of Middlings They appeared digging, and above the rattle shovels and picks came the hoarse voice of singing the Middling National Air Or so the Scarecrow gathered words:

"Oh, chop the brown clods fall with thud ! Three croaks Middlings, who stick Mud Oh, mud, rich and wormy ! Oh, mud, sweet and squirmy ! Oh so lovely as Mud ! Oh so lovely as Mud ! Three croaks Middlings, who delve all the day In their beautiful Kingdom of soft mud and clay ! "

The croaks that came end song were so terrifying Scarecrow shivered of himself

"Ugh ! Hardly place for pleasant visit ! " he gasped, flattening himself against the wall passage Feeling that matters had gone far enough, he repeated in loud voice:

" the Scarecrow of Oz and desire my fall paid my toll and unless your Royal Middleness release me --"

"Might drop him -- useless creature ! " whispered Muddle, and King had time to object, he jerked the board back "Fall on ! " he screeched maliciously, Scarecrow shot down darkness, the hoarse screams two Middlings echoing after him gloom

No use trying ! The poor Scarecrow bumped and banged from side to side passage all do hold bean pole, so swiftly was he falling

"A good thing I'm not made of meat like little Dorothy," he wheezed breathlessly His gloves were getting worn through from friction pole, rush of air past his ears was so confusing that up all idea of thinking Even magic brains refuse to work under such conditions Down -- down -- down he plunged till all count Down -- down - down -- hours and hours ! Would he never stop ? Then suddenly it grew quite light, and he flashed through what appeared hole roof of huge silver palace, whirled down several stories and landed in heap floor of great hall In one hand he clutched small fan, and other parasol that had snapped off the beanstalk just before he reached the palace roof

Shaken and bent over double though , the Scarecrow that he had fallen into company of great magnificence He had confused glimpse of silken clad courtiers, embroidered screens, inlaid floors, and flashing silver lanterns, when thundering bang that hurled him halfway roof again Falling to sitting position and still clinging bean pole, two giant kettle drums nearby, still vibrating terrible blows they had received

The company were staring at him solemnly, and as he attempted to rise, they fell prostrate on their faces Up flew the poor flimsy Scarecrow again, such draught, and landed face beginning terribly annoyed, but before open his mouth or stand up, deep voice boomed:

"He ! "

"He ! " shrilled the rest company, thumping their heads stone floor The language seemed strange Scarecrow, but oddly enough, understand it perfectly Keeping tight grasp bean pole, he gazed prostrate assemblage, too astonished They looked exactly like the pictures of some Chinamen he had seen in one of Dorothy's picture books back in Oz, but instead of being yellow, their skin was curious gray, hair of old and young alike was silver and worn in long, stiff queues Before he had time to observe any more, an old, old courtier hobbled forward and beckoned imperiously to page door The page immediately unfurled huge silk umbrella and, running forward, held it over the Scarecrow's head

"Welcome home, sublime and noble Ancestor ! Welcome, honorable and exalted Sir " The old gentleman made several deep salaams