" part," said the Tin Woodman, " at all, but allow my velvet heart to guide me at all times "

"The tinsmith filled my hollow head with scraps and clippings of tin," said the Soldier, "and me do nicely for brains, but when I begin , the tin scraps rattle around and get so mixed that I'm soon bewildered So I try not My tin heart is almost as useless , is hard and cold, so I'm sure the red velvet heart friend Nick Chopper is better guide "

"Thoughtless people unusual," observed the Scarecrow, "but I consider them more fortunate than those useless or wicked thoughts and try to curb them Your oil can, friend Woodman, is filled with oil, but you only apply the oil to your joints, drop by drop, as it, and keep spilling it where do no good Thoughts restrained same way oil, and only applied when necessary, and for good purpose If used carefully, thoughts are good things "

Polychrome laughed at him, Rainbow's Daughter knew more about thoughts Scarecrow did But the others were solemn, feeling they rebuked, and tramped on in silence

Suddenly Woot, who was lead, looked around and found that all his comrades had mysteriously disappeared But where could they to ? The broad plain was all about him and there were neither trees nor bushes that could hide even rabbit, nor any hole into Yet there he stood, alone

Surprise had caused him to halt, and with thoughtful and puzzled expression face he looked down at his feet It startled him anew to discover that he had no feet He reached out his hands, but he them feel his hands and arms and body; he stamped his feet grass and knew they were there, but in some strange way they had become invisible

While Woot stood, wondering, crash of metal sounded ears and he heard two heavy bodies tumble earth just beside him

"Good gracious ! " exclaimed the voice Tin Woodman

"Mercy me ! " cried the voice Tin Soldier

"Why didn't you look where you were going ? " asked the Tin Woodman reproachfully

" , but I couldn't see you," said the Tin Soldier "Something has happened to my tin eyes 't see you, even now, nor can anyone else ! "

"It's the same way with me," admitted the Tin Woodman

Woot couldn't see either , although he heard them plainly, and just then something smashed against him unexpectedly and knocked him over; but only the straw-stuffed body Scarecrow that fell upon him and while he the Scarecrow he managed to push him off and rose feet just as Polychrome whirled against him and made him tumble again

Sitting ground, the boy asked:

" see us, Poly ? "

"No, indeed," answered the Rainbow's Daughter; "we've all become invisible "

"How did it happen, suppose ? " inquired the Scarecrow, lying where he had fallen

" met with no enemy," answered Poly-chrome, "so it part country magic quality of making people invisible --even fairies falling under the charm the grass, flowers, stretch of plain , and still see Mount Munch distance; but we ourselves or one another "

"Well, we ? " demanded Woot

" this magic affects only small part plain," replied Polychrome; "perhaps only streak country where an enchantment makes people become invisible So, get together and hold hands, travel toward Mount Munch until the enchanted streak is passed "

"All right," said Woot, jumping up, " your hand, Polychrome Where ? "

"Here," she answered "Whistle, Woot, and keep whistling until I come "

So Woot whistled, and presently Polychrome found him and grasped his hand

"Someone must help me up," said the Scarecrow, lying near them; so they found the straw man and sat him upon his feet, after which he held fast to Polychrome's other hand

Nick Chopper Tin Soldier had managed to scramble up without assistance, but awkward Tin Woodman said:

"I don't seem to stand straight, somehow But my joints all work, so I guess walk "

Guided by his voice, they reached his side, where Woot grasped his tin fingers so keep together

The Tin Soldier was standing near by Scarecrow soon touched him and took hold arm

" you're not wobbly," said the straw man, "for if two of us walk unsteadily sure "

"I'm not wobbly," the Tin Soldier assured him, "but I'm certain that one legs is shorter other 't see it, what's gone wrong, but I'll limp on rest of you until out enchanted territory "

They now formed line, holding hands, and turning their faces toward Mount Munch resumed their journey They gone far, however, when terrible growl saluted their ears The sound seemed from place just in front , so they halted abruptly and remained silent, listening with all their ears

"I smell straw ! " cried hoarse, harsh voice, with more growls and snarls "I smell straw, and I'm Hip-po-gy-raf who loves straw and eats all find to eat this straw ! Where ? Where ? "

The Scarecrow, hearing this, trembled but kept silent All the others were silent, too, hoping invisible beast unable them But the creature sniffed the odor straw and drew nearer and nearer until he reached the Tin Woodman, on one end line big beast and it smelled Tin Woodman and grated two rows of enormous teeth against the Emperor's tin body

"Bah ! that's not straw," said the harsh voice, beast advanced along the line to Woot

"Meat ! Pooh, you're no good ! 't eat meat," grumbled the beast, and passed on to Polychrome

"Sweetmeats and perfume -- cobwebs and dew ! Nothing to eat in fairy like you," said the creature

Now, the Scarecrow was next to Polychrome line, and he realized beast devoured his straw helpless , because the last farmhouse was far behind them and only grass covered the vast expanse of plain So fright he let go of Polychrome's hand and put the hand Tin Soldier Rainbow's Daughter Then he slipped back line and went other end, where he silently seized the Tin Woodman's hand

Meantime, the beast had smelled the Tin Soldier and found he last line

"That's funny ! " growled the Hip-po-gy-raf; " smell straw, but 't find it Well, it's here, somewhere, and hunt around until find it, for I'm hungry "

His voice was now left , so they started on, hoping to avoid him, and traveled as fast as direction of Mount Munch

"I don't like this invisible country," said Woot with shudder " 't tell dreadful, invisible beasts are roaming around us, or what danger we'll come to next "

"Quit thinking about danger, please," said the Scarecrow, warningly

"Why ? " asked the boy

" of some dreadful thing, it's liable to happen, but don't think of it, and no one else thinks of it, it just can't happen Do ? "

"No," answered Woot "I won't much of anything until we escape enchantment "

But they got invisible strip of country as suddenly had entered it, instant they got out they stopped short, for just before them was deep ditch, running at right angles as far as their eyes and stopping all further progress toward Mount Munch

"It's not so very wide," said Woot, "but I'm sure none of us can jump across it "

Polychrome began to laugh, Scarecrow said: "What's the matter ? "

"Look tin men ! " she said, with another burst of merry laughter

Woot Scarecrow looked, tin men looked at themselves

"It collision," said the Tin Woodman regretfully " something was wrong with me, and now that my side is dented in I lean over toward the left It Soldier's fault; he shouldn't so careless "

" your fault that my right leg is bent, making it shorter other, I limp badly," retorted the Soldier "You shouldn't have stood where walking "

"You shouldn't have walked where standing," replied the Tin Woodman

almost quarrel, so Polychrome said soothingly:

"Never mind, friends; time straighten the Soldier's leg and get the dent Woodman's body The Scarecrow needs patting into shape, too, for he had bad tumble, but our first task is over this ditch "

"Yes, the ditch most important thing, just now," added Woot

They were standing in row, looking hard unexpected barrier, when fierce growl from behind them made them all turn quickly invisible country marched huge beast with thick, leathery skin and surprisingly long neck The head top neck was broad and flat eyes and mouth were very big nose and ears head was drawn down toward the beast's shoulders, the neck was all wrinkles, but the head could shoot up very high indeed, creature wished it to

"Dear me ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow, "this the Hip-po-gy-raf "

"Quite right," said the beast; "and you're the straw which I'm to eat dinner Oh, how I love straw ! you don't resent my affectionate appetite ? "

With its four great legs it advanced straight toward the Scarecrow, but the Tin Woodman Tin Soldier both sprang in front friend and flourished their weapons

"Keep off ! " said the Tin Woodman, warningly, or I'll chop you with my axe "

"Keep off ! " said the Tin Soldier, "or I'll cut you with my sword "

"Would you really ? " asked the Hip-po-gy-raf, in disappointed voice