〃We　can　see　you；〃　said　another　of　the　piglets。
  The　Wizard　stooped　down　and　put　out　his　hand；　and　at　once　felt　the
  small　fat　body　of　one　of　his　pets。　　He　picked　it　up；　but　could　not　see
  what　he　held。
  〃It　is　very　strange；〃　said　he；　soberly。　　〃The　piglets　have　become
  invisible；　in　some　curious　way。〃
  〃I'll　bet　it's　because　they　ate　that　peach！〃　cried　the　kitten。
  〃It　wasn't　a　peach；　Eureka；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃I　only　hope　it　wasn't　poison。〃
  〃It　was　fine；　Dorothy；〃　called　one　of　the　piglets。
  〃We'll　eat　all　we　can　find　of　them；〃　said　another。
  〃But　WE　mus'n't　eat　them；〃　the　Wizard　warned　the　children；　〃or　we　too
  may　become　invisible；　and　lose　each　other。　If　we　come　across　another
  of　the　strange　fruit　we　must　avoid　it。〃
  Calling　the　piglets　to　him　he　picked　them　all　up；　one　by　one；　and　put
  them　away　in　his　pocket；　for　although　he　could　not　see　them　he　could
  feel　them；　and　when　he　had　buttoned　his　coat　he　knew　they　were　safe
  for　the　present。
  The　travellers　now　resumed　their　walk　toward　the　cottage；　which　they
  presently　reached。　　It　was　a　pretty　place；　with　vines　growing　thickly
  over　the　broad　front　porch。　　The　door　stood　open　and　a　table　was　set
  in　the　front　room；　with　four　chairs　drawn　up　to　it。　　On　the　table
  were　plates；　knives　and　forks；　and　dishes　of　bread；　meat　and　fruits。
  The　meat　was　smoking　hot　and　the　knives　and　forks　were　performing
  strange　antics　and　jumping　here　and　there　in　quite　a　puzzling　way。
  But　not　a　single　person　appeared　to　be　in　the　room。
  〃How　funny！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　who　with　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　now　stood
  in　the　doorway。
  A　peal　of　merry　laughter　answered　her；　and　the　knives　and　forks　fell
  to　the　plates　with　a　clatter。　　One　of　the　chairs　pushed　back　from　the
  table；　and　this　was　so　astonishing　and　mysterious　that　Dorothy　was
  almost　tempted　to　run　away　in　fright。
  〃Here　are　strangers；　mama！〃　cried　the　shrill　and　childish　voice　of
  some　unseen　person。
  〃So　I　see；　my　dear；〃　answered　another　voice；　soft　and　womanly。
  〃What　do　you　want？〃　demanded　a　third　voice；　in　a　stern；　gruff　accent。
  〃Well；　well！〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃are　there　really　people　in　this　room？〃
  〃Of　course；〃　replied　the　man's　voice。
  〃Andpardon　me　for　the　foolish　questionbut；　are　you　all　invisible？〃
  〃Surely；〃　the　woman　answered；　repeating　her　low；　rippling　laughter。
  〃Are　you　surprised　that　you　are　unable　to　see　the　people　of　Voe？〃
  〃Why；　yes；〃　stammered　the　Wizard。　　〃All　the　people　I　have　ever　met
  before　were　very　plain　to　see。〃
  〃Where　do　you　come　from；　then？〃　asked　the　woman；　in　a　curious　tone。
  〃We　belong　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　explained　the　Wizard；　〃but
  recently；　during　an　earthquake；　we　fell　down　a　crack　and　landed　in　the
  Country　of　the　Mangaboos。〃
  〃Dreadful　creatures！〃　exclaimed　the　woman's　voice。　　〃I've　heard　of　them。〃
  〃They　walled　us　up　in　a　mountain；〃　continued　the　Wizard；　〃but　we　found
  there　was　a　tunnel　through　to　this　side；　so　we　came　here。　　It　is　a
  beautiful　place。　　What　do　you　call　it？〃
  〃It　is　the　Valley　of　Voe。〃
  〃Thank　you。　　We　have　seen　no　people　since　we　arrived；　so　we　came　to
  this　house　to　enquire　our　way。〃
  〃Are　you　hungry？〃　asked　the　woman's　voice。
  〃I　could　eat　something；〃　said　Dorothy。
  〃So　could　I；〃　added　Zeb。
  〃But　we　do　not　wish　to　intrude；　I　assure　you；〃　the　Wizard　hastened　to　say。
  〃That's　all　right；〃　returned　the　man's　voice；　more　pleasantly　than
  before。　　〃You　are　welcome　to　what　we　have。〃
  As　he　spoke　the　voice　came　so　near　to　Zeb　that　he　jumped　back　in
  alarm。　　Two　childish　voices　laughed　merrily　at　this　action；　and
  Dorothy　was　sure　they　were　in　no　danger　among　such　light…hearted
  folks；　even　if　those　folks　couldn't　be　seen。
  〃What　curious　animal　is　that　which　is　eating　the　grass　on　my　lawn？〃
  enquired　the　man's　voice。
  〃That's　Jim；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃He's　a　horse。〃
  〃What　is　he　good　for？〃　was　the　next　question。
  〃He　draws　the　buggy　you　see　fastened　to　him；　and　we　ride　in　the　buggy
  instead　of　walking；〃　she　explained。
  〃Can　he　fight？〃　asked　the　man's　voice。
  〃No！　he　can　kick　pretty　hard　with　his　heels；　and　bite　a　little；　but
  Jim　can't　'zactly　fight；〃　she　replied。
  〃Then　the　bears　will　get　him；〃　said　one　of　the　children's　voices。
  〃Bears！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　　〃Are　these　bears　here？〃
  〃That　is　the　one　evil　of　our　country；〃　answered　the　invisible　man。
  〃Many　large　and　fierce　bears　roam　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；　and　when　they
  can　catch　any　of　us　they　eat　us　up；　but　as　they　cannot　see　us；　we
  seldom　get　caught。〃
  〃Are　the　bears　invis'ble；　too？〃　asked　the　girl。
  〃Yes；　for　they　eat　of　the　dama…fruit；　as　we　all　do；　and　that　keeps
  them　from　being　seen　by　any　eye；　whether　human　or　animal。〃
  〃Does　the　dama…fruit　grow　on　a　low　bush；　and　look　something　like　a
  peach？〃　asked　the　Wizard。
  〃Yes；〃　was　the　reply。
  〃If　it　makes　you　invis'ble；　why　do　you　eat　it？〃　Dorothy　enquired。
  〃For　two　reasons；　my　dear；〃　the　woman's　voice　answered。　　〃The
  dama…fruit　is　the　most　delicious　thing　that　grows；　and　when　it　makes
  us　invisible　the　bears　cannot　find　us　to　eat　us　up。　　But　now；　good
  wanderers；　your　luncheon　is　on　the　table；　so　please　sit　down　and　eat
  as　much　as　you　like。〃
  9。　　They　Fight　the　Invisible　Bears
  The　strangers　took　their　seats　at　the　table　willingly　enough；　for　they
  were　all　hungry　and　the　platters　were　now　heaped　with　good　things　to
  eat。　　In　front　of　each　place　was　a　plate　bearing　one　of　the　delicious
  dama…fruit；　and　the　perfume　that　rose　from　these　was　so　enticing　and
  sweet　that　they　were　sorely　tempted　to　eat　of　them　and　become　invisible。
  But　Dorothy　satisfied　her　hunger　with　other　things；　and　her　companions
  did　likewise；　resisting　the　temptation。
  〃Why　do　you　not　eat　the　damas？〃　asked　the　woman's　voice。
  〃We　don't　want　to　get　invis'ble；〃　answered　the　girl。
  〃But　if　you　remain　visible　the　bears　will　see　you　and　devour　you；〃
  said　a　girlish　young　voice；　that　belonged　to　one　of　the　children。　　〃We
  who　live　here　much　prefer　to　be　invisible；　for　we　can　still　hug　and
  kiss　one　another；　and　are　quite　safe　from　the　bears。〃
  〃And　we　do　not　have　to　be　so　particular　about　our　dress；〃
  remarked　the　man。
  〃And　mama　can't　tell　whether　my　face　is　dirty　or　not！〃　added　the　other
  childish　voice；　gleefully。
  〃But　I　make　you　wash　it；　every　time　I　think　of　it；〃　said　the　mother；
  〃for　it　stands　to　reason　your　face　is　dirty；　Ianu；　whether　I　can　see
  it　or　not。〃
  Dorothy　laughed　and　stretched　out　her　hands。
  〃Come　here；　pleaseIanu　and　your　sisterand　let　me　feel　of　you；〃
  she　requested。
  They　came　to　her　willingly；　and　Dorothy　passed　her　hands　over　their
  faces　and　forms　and　decided　one　was　a　girl　of　about　her　own　age　and
  the　other　a　boy　somewhat　smaller。　　The　girl's　hair　was　soft　and　fluffy
  and　her　skin　as　smooth　as　satin。　　When　Dorothy　gently　touched　her　nose
  and　ears　and　lips　they　seemed　to　be　well　and　delicately　formed。
  〃If　I　could　see　you　I　am　sure　you　would　be　beautiful；〃　she　declared。
  The　girl　laughed；　and　her　mother　said：
  〃We　are　not　vain　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；　because　we　can　not　display　our
  beauty；　and　good　actions　and　pleasant　ways　are　what　make　us　lovely　to
  our　companions。　　Yet　we　can　see　and　appreciate　the　beauties　of　nature；
  the　dainty　flowers　and　trees；　the　green　fields　and　the　clear　blue　of
  the　sky。〃
  〃How　about　the　birds　and　beasts　and　fishes？〃　asked　Zeb。
  〃The　birds　we　cannot　see；　because　they　love　to　eat　of　the　damas　as
  much　as　we　do；　yet　we　hear　their　sweet　songs　and　enjoy　them。　　Neither
  can　we　see　the　cruel　bears；　for　they　also　eat　the　fruit。　　But　the　fishes
  that　swim　in　our　brooks　we　can　see；　and　often　we　catch　them　to　eat。〃
  〃It　occurs　to　me　you　have　a　great　deal　to　make　you　happy；　even　while
  invisible；〃　remarked　the　Wizard。　　〃Nevertheless；　we　prefer　to　remain
  visible　while　we　are　in　your　valley。〃
  Just　then　Eureka　came　in；　for　she　had　been　until　now　wandering　outside
  with　Jim；　and　when　the　kitten　saw　the　table　set　with　food　she　cried　out：
  〃Now　you　must　feed　me；　Dorothy；　for　I'm　half　starved。〃
  The　children　were　inclined　to　be　frightened　by　the　sight　of　the　small
  animal；　which　reminded　them　of　the　bears；　but　Dorothy　reassured　them
  by　explaining　that　Eureka　was　a　pet　and　could　do　no　harm　even　if　she
  wished　to。　　Then；　as　the　others　had　by　this　time　moved　away　from　the
  table；　the　kitten　sprang　upon　the　chair　and　put　her　paws　upon　the
  cloth　to　see　what　there　was　to　eat。　　To　her　surprise　an　unseen　hand
  clutched　her　and　held　her　suspended　in　the　air。　　Eureka　was　frantic
  with　terror；　and　tried　to　scratch　and　bite；　so　the　next　moment　she　was
  dropped　to　the　floor；
  〃Did　you　see　that；　Dorothy？〃　she　gasped。
  〃Yes；　dear；〃　her　mistress　replied；　〃there　are　people　living　in　this
  house；　although　we　cannot　see　them。　　And　you　must　have　better　manners；
  Eureka；　or　something　worse　will　happen　to　you。〃
  She　placed