All night they floated, and storm had worn itself out and passed away with few distant growls, waves had grown smaller and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out wet raft and fell asleep

Hank sleep wink Perhaps it his duty to guard Betsy Anyhow, he crouched raft beside the tired sleeping girl and watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over the sea

The light wakened Betsy Bobbin She sat up, rubbed her eyes and stared across the water

"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead ! " she exclaimed

"Hee-haw ! " answered Hank plaintive voice

The raft was floating swiftly toward very beautiful country and drew near Betsy banks of lovely flowers showing brightly between leafy trees But no people were seen at all

Chapter Five

The Roses Repulse the Refugees

Gently the raft grated sandy beach Then Betsy easily waded ashore, the mule following closely behind her The sun was now shining air was warm and laden fragrance of roses

"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling more cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but 't eat the flowers, although smell mighty good "

"Hee-haw ! " replied Hank and trotted up little pathway top bank

Betsy followed and eminence looked around her little way off stood splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of crystal panes glittering sunlight

"There people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody Let's go , Hank I'm getting hungrier ev'ry minute "

So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its entrance without meeting with anyone at all door stood ajar, so Hank went in first, thinking if any danger back out and warn his companion But Betsy was close at his heels moment she entered was lost in amazement wonderful sight she saw

The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all growing in big pots central stem of each bush bloomed splendid Rose, gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and center of each Rose face of lovely girl

As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads Roses were drooping and their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that he uttered loud "Hee-haw ! " and sound harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised their heads and hundred startled eyes were instantly fixed intruders

"I--I beg your pardon ! " stammered Betsy, blushing and confused

"O-o-o-h ! " cried the Roses, in sort of sighing chorus; and added: "What horrid noise ! "

"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and the truth of her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw ! "

all the Roses turned on their stems as far were able and trembled some one were shaking their bushes dainty Moss Rose gasped: "Dear me ! How dreadfully dreadful ! "

"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant " get used to Hank's voice put you to sleep "

The Roses now looked mule less fearfully and asked:

" savage beast named Hank ? "

"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," answered the girl, twining her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him tight "Aren't you, Hank ? "

Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw ! " and at his bray the Roses shivered again

"Please go away ! " begged one "Can't you're frightening us out of week's growth ? "

"Go away ! " echoed Betsy "Why, we've no place We've just been wrecked "

"Wrecked ? " asked the Roses in surprised chorus

"Yes; we were on big ship storm came and wrecked it," explained the girl "But Hank and I caught hold of raft and floated ashore place, and--we're tired and hungry What country , please ? "

" Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, "and devoted culture rarest and fairest Roses grown "

"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms

"But only Roses are allowed here," continued delicate Tea Rose, bending her brows in frown; "therefore go away Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back sea "

"Oh ! Royal Gardener, then ? " inquired Betsy

" "

" he Rose, also ? "

" not; he's man--a wonderful man," reply

"Well, I'm not afraid of man," declared the girl, much relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped greenhouse--a spading fork in one hand and watering pot other

funny little man, dressed in rose- colored costume, with ribbons at his knees and elbows, and bunch of ribbons hair His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp face puckered and deeply lined

"O-ho ! " he exclaimed, astonished strangers greenhouse, and when Hank gave loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over the mule's head and danced around fork, agitation that presently he fell over the handle implement and sprawled at full length ground

Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's head The little mule was angry treatment he had received and backed toward the Gardener threateningly

"Look out heels ! " called Betsy warningly Gardener scrambled feet and hastily hid behind the Roses

" breaking the Law ! " he shouted, sticking out his head to glare girl mule

"What Law ? " asked Betsy

"The Law Rose Kingdom No strangers are allowed domains "

"Not 're shipwrecked ? " she inquired

"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal Gardener, and about more when suddenly crash of glass and man came tumbling roof greenhouse and fell plump ground

Chapter Six

Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother

This sudden arrival was queer looking man, dressed all in garments so shaggy that Betsy at first thought some animal But the stranger ended his fall in sitting position and then the girl saw really man He held an apple hand, which he had evidently been eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred or flustered accident that he continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked around him

"Good gracious ! " exclaimed Betsy, approaching him "Who , and where did you come from ? "

"Me ? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite apple "Just dropped in for short call Excuse my seeming haste "

"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy

"No I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way and--here "

As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to Hank--who ate it greedily --and then stood bow politely to Betsy Roses

The Royal Gardener frightened nearly into fits crash of glass fall shaggy stranger bower of Roses, but now he peeped out from behind bush and cried squeaky voice:

"You're breaking the Law ! You're breaking the Law ! "

Shaggy stared at him solemnly

" glass the Law country ? " he asked

"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the Gardener, angrily "Also, to intrude in any part Rose Kingdom is breaking the Law "

"How ? " asked Shaggy

"Why, it's printed in book," said the Gardener, coming forward and taking small book pocket "Page thirteen Here : 'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at once be condemned Ruler and put to death ' So , strangers," he continued triumphantly, "it's death all and your time ! "

But just here Hank interposed He stealthily backing toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's heels shot out and struck the little man middle He doubled up like the letter "U" and flew door so swiftly--never touching the ground --that gone before Betsy had time to wink

But the mule's attack frightened the girl

"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his hand; "let's go somewhere else They'll surely kill us stay here ! "

"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's head "I'm not afraid of anything, as the Love Magnet "

"The Love Magnet ! Why, what ? " asked Betsy

"It's charming little enchantment that wins the heart of everyone who looks upon it," reply "The Love Magnet used to hang over the gateway Emerald City, Land of Oz; but when I started journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me it with me "

"Oh ! " cried Betsy, staring hard at him; " really wonderful Land of Oz ? "

"Yes Ever been there, my dear ? "

"No; but I've heard And Princess Ozma ? "

" indeed "

"And--and Princess Dorothy ? "

"Dorothy's an old chum ," declared Shaggy

"Dear me ! " exclaimed Betsy "And why did you ever leave such beautiful land as Oz ? "

"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn "I'm trying my dear little brother "

"Oh ! Is ? " questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry poor man

"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, taking out handkerchief and wiping tear eye "I didn't know it until lately, when it recorded magic Record Book Sorceress Glinda, Land of Oz So now I'm trying him "

"Where was ? " asked the girl sympathetically

"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz Brother was miner, and dug gold out of mine One day he went into his mine and never came out They searched for him, but not there Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably

"For goodness sake ! What s'pose became of him ? " she asked

" explanation," replied Shaggy, taking another apple pocket and eating it to relieve his misery "The Nome King probably got him "