"Pardon me; Mrs Squealina Swyne, wife of Professor Grunter Swyne, and our home," said the one window "What ? "

"What sort of Professor is your husband ? " inquired the Tin Woodman curiously

" Professor of Cabbage Culture and Corn Perfection very famous own family, and the wonder world if he went abroad," said Mrs Swyne in voice that was half proud and half irritable " also inform you intruders Professor is dangerous individual, for he files his teeth every morning until sharp as needles butchers, you'd better run away and avoid trouble "

" butchers," the Tin Woodman assured her

"Then you doing axe ? And why other tin man sword ? "

" the only weapons to defend our friends from their enemies," explained the Emperor Winkies, and Woot added:

" be afraid of us, Mrs Swyne, for harmless travelers The tin men Scarecrow never eat anything and Polychrome feasts only on dewdrops As , I'm rather hungry, but plenty of food in your garden to satisfy me "

Professor Swyne now joined his wife window, looking rather scared boy's assuring speech He wore blue Munchkin hat, with pointed crown and broad brim, and big spectacles covered his eyes He peeked around from behind his wife and after looking hard strangers, :

"My wisdom assures me that merely travelers, say, and not butchers Butchers have reason afraid of me, but safe invite you in, are too big house, but the boy who eats is welcome to all the carrots and turnips Make yourselves at home garden and stay all night, like; but morning go away, for quiet people and care for company "

"May some of your straw ? " asked the Scarecrow

"Help yourself," replied Professor Swyne

"For pigs, they're quite respectable," remarked Woot, all went toward the straw-stack

"I'm glad they didn't invite us in," said Captain Fyter " I'm not too particular associates, but I draw the line at pigs "

The Scarecrow was glad rid hay, for during the long walk it had sagged down and made him fat and squatty and more bumpy than at first

"I'm not specially proud," , "but I love manly figure, such as only straw stuffing can create I've not felt like myself since that hungry Hip-po ate my last straw "

Polychrome and Woot set to work removing the hay and then they selected the finest straw, crisp and golden, and with it stuffed the Scarecrow anew He certainly looked better operation, and so pleased at being reformed that he tried to dance little jig, and almost succeeded

" sleep under the straw-stack tonight," Woot decided, after he had eaten vegetables garden, and he slept , two tin men Scarecrow sitting silently beside him and Polychrome away somewhere moonlight dancing her fairy dances

At daybreak the Tin Woodman Tin Soldier took occasion to polish their bodies and oil their joints, for both were exceedingly careful personal appearance They had forgotten the quarrel due accidental bumping of one another invisible country, and being now good friends the Tin Woodman polished the Tin Soldier's back for him and then the Tin Soldier polished the Tin Woodman's back

For breakfast the Wanderer ate crisp lettuce and radishes, Rainbow's Daughter, who had now returned to her friends, sipped the dewdrops that had formed petals wild-flowers

passed the little house to renew their journey, Woot called out:

"Good-bye, Mr and Mrs Swyne ! "

The window opened two pigs looked out

"A pleasant journey," said the Professor

" any children ? " asked the Scarecrow, who was great friend of children

" nine," answered the Professor; "but live , for were tiny piglets the Wizard of Oz came here and offered to care and to educate them So we let him have our nine tiny piglets, for he's good Wizard and relied upon his promises "

" the Nine Tiny Piglets," said the Tin Woodman

"So do I," said the Scarecrow "They still live Emerald City, Wizard takes good care and teaches them all sorts of tricks "

"Did they ever grow up ? " inquired Mrs Squealina Swyne, in an anxious voice

"No," answered the Scarecrow; "like all other children Land of Oz, always remain children, and case tiny piglets good thing, because they nearly so cute and cunning were bigger "

"But are they happy ? " asked Mrs Swyne

"Everyone Emerald City is happy," said the Tin Woodman " 't help it "

Then the travelers said good-bye, and climbed the side basin that was toward Mount Munch

Chapter Twenty-One

Polychrome's Magic

On , which the last important journey, our friends started away as bright and cheery as , and Woot whistled merry tune Polychrome could dance music

On reaching the top hill, the plain spread out before them in all its beauty of blue grasses and wildflowers, and Mount Munch seemed much nearer than it had the previous evening They trudged on at brisk pace, and by noon the mountain was so close that admire its appearance Its slopes were partly clothed with pretty evergreens, and its foot-hills were tufted with slender waving bluegrass that had tassel end of every blade And, first time, they perceived, near the foot mountain, charming house, not of great size but neatly painted and with many flowers surrounding it and vines climbing over the doors and windows

toward this solitary house travelers now directed their steps, thinking to inquire people who lived there where Nimmie Amee found

There were no paths, but the way was quite open and clear, were drawing near dwelling when Woot the Wanderer, who was then lead little party, halted an abrupt jerk that he stumbled over backward and lay flat back meadow The Scarecrow stopped to look boy

"Why did you ? " he asked in surprise

Woot sat up and gazed around him in amazement

"I -- I don't know ! " he replied

The two tin men, arm in arm, started them when both halted and tumbled, with great clatter, into heap beside Woot Polychrome, laughing absurd sight, came dancing up and she, also, came to sudden stop, but managed to save herself from falling

Everyone was much astonished, Scarecrow said with puzzled look:

"I don't see anything "

"Nor I," said Woot; "but something hit me, just the same "

"Some invisible person struck me heavy blow," declared the Tin Woodman, struggling to separate himself Tin Soldier, whose legs and arms were mixed own

"I'm not sure person," said Polychrome, looking more grave than usual "It seems that I merely ran into some hard substance which barred my way sure , let me try another place "

She ran back way and then with much caution advanced in different place, but when she reached position on line others she halted, her arms outstretched before her

" feel something hard - something smooth as glass," she said, "but I'm sure glass "

"Let me try," suggested Woot, getting up; but when he tried forward, he discovered the same barrier that Polychrome had encountered

"No," , "it isn't glass But it ? "

"Air," replied small voice beside him "Solid air; that's all "

They all looked downward and found sky-blue rabbit had stuck his head out of burrow ground The rabbit's eyes were deeper blue than his fur, pretty creature seemed friendly and unafraid

"Air ! " exclaimed Woot, staring in astonishment rabbit's blue eyes; "whoever heard of air so solid that one cannot push it aside ? "

" 't push this air aside," declared the rabbit, " hard by powerful sorcery, and it forms wall intended people from getting house yonder "

"Oh; it's wall, ? " said the Tin Woodman

"Yes, really wall," answered the rabbit, "and fully six feet thick "

"How high ? " inquired Captain Fyter, the Tin Soldier

"Oh, ever so high; perhaps mile," said the rabbit

"Couldn't we go around it ? " asked Woot

" , wall is circle," explained the rabbit " center circle stands the house, so walk around the Wall of Solid Air, but 't get house "

"Who put the air wall around the house ? " Scarecrow's question

"Nimmie Amee did that "

"Nimmie Amee ! " they all exclaimed in surprise

"Yes," answered the rabbit "She used to live with an old Witch, who was suddenly destroyed, and when Nimmie Amee ran away Witch's house, she took with her just one magic formula --pure sorcery -- which enabled her to build this air wall around her house -- the house yonder quite clever idea, , doesn't mar the beauty landscape, solid air being invisible, and yet it keeps all strangers away house "

"Does Nimmie Amee live there now ? " asked the Tin Woodman anxiously

"Yes, indeed," said the rabbit

"And does she weep and wail from morning till night ? " continued the Emperor

"No; she seems quite happy," asserted the rabbit

The Tin Woodman seemed quite disappointed to hear this report old sweetheart, but the Scarecrow reassured his friend, saying:

"Never mind, your Majesty; however happy Nimmie Amee is now, I'm sure she much happier as Empress Winkies "

"Perhaps," said Captain Fyter, somewhat stiffly, "she still more happy the bride of Tin Soldier "

"She shall choose , as agreed," the Tin Woodman promised; "but how shall we get poor girl ? "

Polychrome, although dancing lightly back and forth, had listened to every word conversation Now she came forward and sat herself down just in front Blue Rabbit, her many-hued draperies giving her the appearance of some beautiful flower The rabbit didn't back away an inch Instead, he gazed Rainbow's Daughter admiringly

"Does your burrow go underneath this Wall of Air ? " asked Polychrome