"Uds trudgeons and bludgeons and maugre thy head ! " roared the Knight, shaking him off like fly

"Tappy, Tappy, my dear boy Caution ! What's all this ? " sound dear, familiar voice Dorothy's heart gave skip of joy, and without stopping to explain she rushed forward

"Dorothy ! " cried the Scarecrow, stepping kimona and falling off his silvery throne "Lights, Tappy ! More lights, at once ! " But Tappy was too busy backing away from Sir Hokus of Pokes

"Approach, vassal ! " thundered the Knight, who under-stood not word of Tappy's speech "Approach ! I've been insulted ! " He drew his sword and glared angrily darkness, and Tappy, having backed as far as possible, fell heels over pigtail silver fountain loud splash, Dorothy hastened rescue

"They're friends, and we've found the Scarecrow, we've found the Scarecrow ! " She seized Sir Hokus and shook him till his armor rattled

"Tappy ! Tappy ! " called the Scarecrow "Where did he pagota ? " That's exactly what , but to Dorothy it sounded like no language at all

"Why," she cried in dismay, "it's the Scarecrow, but 't understand word he's saying ! "

" talking Turkey," droned the Comfortable Camel, "or donkey ! donkey once, very uncomfortable party, I --"

" it's donkey," put Dromedary importantly, but no one paid any attention two beasts For Happy Toko had at last dragged himself fountain and set fifteen lanterns glowing

"Oh ! " gasped Dorothy magnificent silver throne room was flooded with light, "Where are we ? "

The Scarecrow had picked himself up, and with outstretched arms came running toward her talking perfect Niagara of Silver Islandish

" forgotten your Ozish so soon ? " rumbled the Cowardly Lion reproachfully as Dorothy flung her arms around the Scarecrow The Scarecrow, seeing the Cowardly Lion first time, fairly fell upon his neck Then he brushed his clumsy hand across his forehead

"Wasn't I talking Ozish ? " he asked in puzzled voice

"Oh, now ! " exclaimed Dorothy And sure enough, the Scarecrow was talking plain Ozish again (Which I don't mind telling you is also plain English )

The Knight watching this little reunion with hardly repressed emotion Advancing hastily, he dropped on one knee

"My good sword and lance are ever at thy service, my Lord Scarecrow ! " he exclaimed feelingly

"Who impulsive person ? " gulped the Scarecrow, staring in undisguised astonishment kneeling figure (yes, the "the" ) Sir Hokus of Pokes

"He's my Knight Errant, and he's taken such good care of me," explained Dorothy eagerly

"Splendid fellow," hissed the Cowardly Lion Scarecrow's other painted ear, "if talk odds and ends "

"Any friend of little Dorothy's is my friend," said the Scarecrow, shaking hands with Sir Hokus warmly "But what is how you all got here "

"First tell us where ," begged the little girl, Scarecrow's silver hat and queue filled her with alarm

" Silver Island," said the Scarecrow slowly "And the Emperor -- or his good-for-nothing spirit -- and tomorrow," the Scarecrow glared around wildly, "tomorrow I'll be eighty-five going on eighty-six " His voice broke and ended in barely controlled sob

"Doubt that," drawled the Doubtful Dromedary sleepily

"Eighty-five years old ! " gasped Dorothy "Why, no one in Oz grows any older ! "

" no longer in Oz " The Scarecrow shook his head sadly Then, fixing the group with puzzled stare, he exclaimed, "But how did you get here ? "

"On wish," said the Knight in hollow voice

"Yes," said Dorothy, "we've been hunting you all over Oz, and at last we came to Wish Way, and ' we were all Scarecrow,' just like that -- and next minute --"

"We fell and fell -- and fell -- and fell," wheezed the Comfortable Camel

"And fell -- and fell -- and fell -- and fell," droned the Dromedary, "And --"

"Here ," finished the Scarecrow hastily, Dromedary showed signs of going on forever

"Now tell us every single thing that has happened ," demanded Dorothy eagerly

Happy Toko had recognized Dorothy Cowardly Lion Scarecrow's description, and he now approached with an arm full of cushions These he set in circle floor, with one Scarecrow center, and with warning finger lips placed himself behind his Master

"Tappy is right ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow " as quiet as possible, for great danger hangs over me "

Without more ado, them amazing fall down the beanstalk; adventures on Silver Island; sons and grandsons Gheewizard's elixir which would turn him from lively Scarecrow into an old, old Emperor All that told you, Dorothy, very point where his eldest son had bound him bean pole and tied up poor, faithful Happy Toko Happy, it seems, had at last managed to free himself, were about their escape when Dorothy and her party had fallen throne room The Comfortable Camel and Doubtful Dromedary lis-tened politely at first, but worn out by their exciting adventures, fell asleep middle story

Nothing exceeded Dorothy's dismay to learn jolly Scarecrow of Oz, whom she had discovered herself, was in reality Chang Wang Woe, Emperor of Silver Island

"Oh, this spoils everything ! " wailed the little girl (The thought of Oz without the Scarecrow was unthinkable ) "It spoils everything ! We were going to adopt you and be your truly family Weren't we ? "

The Cowardly Lion nodded " going your cousin," he mumbled in choked voice, "but now that family of your own --" The lion miserably slunk down beside Dorothy

Sir Hokus looked fierce and rattled his sword, but think of nothing help them out trouble

"To-morrow there won't be any Scarecrow in Oz ! " wailed Dorothy "Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! " little girl began to cry her heart would break

"Stop ! Stop ! " begged the Scarecrow, while Sir Hokus awkwardly patted Dorothy back "I'd rather family any day I don't care Kinkajou for being Emperor, and as sons, unnatural villains who make my life miserable by telling me how old ! "

"Just like poem I once read," said Dorothy, brightening up:

" old, Father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white, And yet you incessantly stand head ! , at your age, right ? "

"That's it, that's it exactly ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow as Dorothy finished repeating the verse " ' old, Father Scarecrow ! ' That's all I hear stand on my head, too And Dorothy, 't seem used to being grandparent," added the Scarecrow in melancholy voice "It's turning my straws gray " He plucked several chest and held them out to her "Why, those little villains don't even believe in Oz ! 'It's not map, old Grandpapapapapah ! ' " he mumbled, imitating the tones little grandsons so cleverly that Dorothy laughed of herself

" what becomes of pride ! " The Scarecrow extended his hands expressively "Most people who hunt up their family trees are in for fall, and I've had mine "

"But who ? " asked the Knight gravely "A Scarecrow in Oz -- or the -- er -- Emperor that you were ? "

"I don't care who I were ! " excitement, the Scarecrow lost his grammar completely " who myself "

"But which one ? " asked the Cowardly Lion, who was still bit confused

"Why, my best self, ," said the Scarecrow with bright smile The sight old friends had quite restored his cheerfulness "I've been here long enough that better Scarecrow than an Emperor "

"Why, how simple ! " sighed Dorothy contentedly "Professor Wogglebug was all wrong It's not what you were, but what -- it's being yourself that counts "

"By my Halidom, the little maid is right ! " said Sir Hokus, slapping his knee in delight "Let your Gheewizard but try his transformations ! Out on him ! But what says yon honest henchman ? " Happy Toko, although he understood no word conversation, watching the discussion with great interest He trying to attract the Scarecrow's attention for , but the Knight who had noticed him

" it, Tappy ? " asked the Scarecrow, dropping easily back into Silver Islandish

"Honored Master, the dawn approaches and with it the Royal Princes Grand Gheewizard -- and your bride ! " Happy paused significantly The Scarecrow shuddered

"Let's go back to Oz ! " said the Cowardly Lion uneasily

The Scarecrow was feeling pocket old Munchkin suit which he always wore under his robes of state "Here ! " said he, giving little pill to Happy Toko "It's one of Professor Wogglebug's language pills," he exclaimed to Dorothy, "and will enable him and understand Ozish " Happy swallowed the pill gravely

"Greetings, honorable Ozites ! " politely pill was down Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, for so comfortable him speak their own language

" never have stood it here without Tappy Oko ! " The Scarecrow looked fondly at his Imperial Punster

"Queer name he has," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, looking at Happy Toko he had thoughts of eating him

"Methinks knighted," rumbled Sir Hokus, beaming little Silverman "Rise, Sir Pudding ! "

"The sun will in minute or more, and then, then all be thrown into prison ! " wailed Happy Toko dismally

"We were going to escape in small boat," explained the Scarecrow, "but --" not necessary for him to finish boat large enough to hold Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, Happy Toko, the camel dromedary be launched in secret

"Oh, dear ! " sighed Dorothy, "If I'd only wished you and all of us back Emerald City ! "

"You wished , Lady Dot," said the Knight "When of what going to wish for --"

"What were you going to wish, Hokus ? " asked the Cowardly Lion curiously

"For dragon ! " faltered the Knight, looking terribly ashamed

"A dragon ! " gasped Dorothy "Why, what good would that us ? "

"Wait ! " interrupted the Scarecrow " thought of something ! climb my family tree ? long, long way, but top lies Oz ! "

"Grammercy, pretty plan ! " exclaimed Sir Hokus, peering up bean pole

"Wouldn't that be social climbing ? " chuckled Happy Toko, recovering his spirits with bound The Cowardly Lion said nothing, but heaved mighty sigh which no one heard, for they were all running toward the bean pole good family tree to climb, sure enough, for there were handy little notches stalk

"You go first ! " Sir Hokus helped Dorothy up When she had gone few steps, the Scarecrow, holding his robes carefully, followed, then honest Happy Toko

"I'll go last," said Sir Hokus bravely, and had just set his foot first notch when hoarse scream rang hall

CHAPTER 19

PLANNING TO FLY SILVER ISLAND