Eureka；　or　something　worse　will　happen　to　you。〃
  She　placed　a　plate　of　food　upon　the　floor　and　the　kitten　ate　greedily。
  〃Give　me　that　nice…smelling　fruit　I　saw　on　the　table；〃　she　begged；
  when　she　had　cleaned　the　plate。
  〃Those　are　damas；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　you　must　never　even　taste　them；
  Eureka；　or　you'll　get　invis'ble；　and　then　we　can't　see　you　at　all。〃
  The　kitten　gazed　wistfully　at　the　forbidden　fruit。
  〃Does　it　hurt　to　be　invis'ble？〃　she　asked。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　Dorothy　answered；　〃but　it　would　hurt　me　dre'fully　to
  lose　you。〃
  〃Very　well；　I　won't　touch　it；〃　decided　the　kitten；　〃but　you　must　keep
  it　away　from　me；　for　the　smell　is　very　tempting。〃
  〃Can　you　tell　us；　sir　or　ma'am；〃　said　the　Wizard；　addressing　the　air
  because　he　did　not　quite　know　where　the　unseen　people　stood；　〃if　there
  is　any　way　we　can　get　out　of　your　beautiful　Valley；　and　on　top　of　the
  Earth　again。〃
  〃Oh；　one　can　leave　the　Valley　easily　enough；〃　answered　the　man's
  voice；　〃but　to　do　so　you　must　enter　a　far　less　pleasant　country。　　As
  for　reaching　the　top　of　the　earth；　I　have　never　heard　that　it　is
  possible　to　do　that；　and　if　you　succeeded　in　getting　there　you　would
  probably　fall　off。〃
  〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃we've　been　there；　and　we　know。〃
  〃The　Valley　of　Voe　is　certainly　a　charming　place；〃　resumed　the　Wizard；
  〃but　we　cannot　be　contented　in　any　other　land　than　our　own；　for　long。
  Even　if　we　should　come　to　unpleasant　places　on　our　way　it　is
  necessary；　in　order　to　reach　the　earth's　surface；　to　keep　moving　on
  toward　it。〃
  〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　man；　〃it　will　be　best　for　you　to　cross　our
  Valley　and　mount　the　spiral　staircase　inside　the　Pyramid　Mountain。
  The　top　of　that　mountain　is　lost　in　the　clouds；　and　when　you　reach　it
  you　will　be　in　the　awful　Land　of　Naught；　where　the　Gargoyles　live。〃
  〃What　are　Gargoyles？〃　asked　Zeb。
  〃I　do　not　know；　young　sir。　　Our　greatest　Champion；　Overman…Anu；　once
  climbed　the　spiral　stairway　and　fought　nine　days　with　the　Gargoyles
  before　he　could　escape　them　and　come　back；　but　he　could　never　be
  induced　to　describe　the　dreadful　creatures；　and　soon　afterward　a　bear
  caught　him　and　ate　him　up。〃
  The　wanders　were　rather　discouraged　by　this　gloomy　report；　but　Dorothy
  said　with　a　sigh：
  〃If　the　only　way　to　get　home　is　to　meet　the　Gurgles；　then　we've　got　to
  meet　'em。　　They　can't　be　worse　than　the　Wicked　Witch　or　the　Nome　King。〃
  〃But　you　must　remember　you　had　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　to
  help　you　conquer　those　enemies；〃　suggested　the　Wizard。　　〃Just　now；　my
  dear；　there　is　not　a　single　warrior　in　your　company。〃
  〃Oh；　I　guess　Zeb　could　fight　if　he　had　to。　　Couldn't　you；　Zeb？〃　asked
  the　little　girl。
  〃Perhaps；　if　I　had　to；〃　answered　Zeb；　doubtfully。
  〃And　you　have　the　jointed　sword　that　you　chopped　the　veg'table
  Sorcerer　in　two　with；〃　the　girl　said　to　the　little　man。
  〃True；〃　he　replied；　〃and　in　my　satchel　are　other　useful　things　to
  fight　with。〃
  〃What　the　Gargoyles　most　dread　is　a　noise；〃　said　the　man's　voice。
  〃Our　Champion　told　me　that　when　he　shouted　his　battle…cry　the　creatures
  shuddered　and　drew　back；　hesitating　to　continue　the　combat。　　But　they
  were　in　great　numbers；　and　the　Champion　could　not　shout　much　because
  he　had　to　save　his　breath　for　fighting。〃
  〃Very　good；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃we　can　all　yell　better　than　we　can
  fight；　so　we　ought　to　defeat　the　Gargoyles。〃
  〃But　tell　me；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃how　did　such　a　brave　Champion　happen　to
  let　the　bears　eat　him？　　And　if　he　was　invis'ble；　and　the　bears
  invis'ble；　who　knows　that　they　really　ate　him　up？〃
  〃The　Champion　had　killed　eleven　bears　in　his　time；〃　returned　the
  unseen　man；　〃and　we　know　this　is　true　because　when　any　creature　is
  dead　the　invisible　charm　of　the　dama…fruit　ceases　to　be　active；　and
  the　slain　one　can　be　plainly　seen　by　all　eyes。　　When　the　Champion
  killed　a　bear　everyone　could　see　it；　and　when　the　bears　killed　the
  Champion　we　all　saw　several　pieces　of　him　scattered　about；　which　of
  course　disappeared　again　when　the　bears　devoured　them。〃
  They　now　bade　farewell　to　the　kind　but　unseen　people　of　the　cottage；
  and　after　the　man　had　called　their　attention　to　a　high；　pyramid…shaped
  mountain　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Valley；　and　told　them　how　to
  travel　in　order　to　reach　it；　they　again　started　upon　their　journey。
  They　followed　the　course　of　a　broad　stream　and　passed　several　more
  pretty　cottages；　but　of　course　they　saw　no　one；　nor　did　any　one　speak
  to　them。　　Fruits　and　flowers　grew　plentifully　all　about；　and　there
  were　many　of　the　delicious　damas　that　the　people　of　Voe　were　so　fond　of。
  About　noon　they　stopped　to　allow　Jim　to　rest　in　the　shade　of　a　pretty
  orchard；　and　while　they　plucked　and　ate　some　of　the　cherries　and　plums
  that　grew　there　a　soft　voice　suddenly　said　to　them：
  〃There　are　bears　near　by。　　Be　careful。〃
  The　Wizard　got　out　his　sword　at　once；　and　Zeb　grabbed　the　horse…whip。
  Dorothy　climbed　into　the　buggy；　although　Jim　had　been　unharnessed
  from　it　and　was　grazing　some　distance　away。
  The　owner　of　the　unseen　voice　laughed　lightly　and　said：
  〃You　cannot　escape　the　bears　that　way。〃
  〃How　CAN　we　'scape？〃　asked　Dorothy；　nervously；　for　an　unseen　danger　is
  always　the　hardest　to　face。
  〃You　must　take　to　the　river；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　bears　will　not
  venture　upon　the　water。〃
  〃But　we　would　be　drowned！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。
  〃Oh；　there　is　no　need　of　that；〃　said　the　voice；　which　from　its　gentle　tones
  seemed　to　belong　to　a　young　girl。　　〃You　are　strangers　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；
  and　do　not　seem　to　know　our　ways；　so　I　will　try　to　save　you。〃
  The　next　moment　a　broad…leaved　plant　was　jerked　from　the　ground　where
  it　grew　and　held　suspended　in　the　air　before　the　Wizard。
  〃Sir；〃　said　the　voice；　〃you　must　rub　these　leaves　upon　the　soles　of
  all　your　feet；　and　then　you　will　be　able　to　walk　upon　the　water
  without　sinking　below　the　surface。　　It　is　a　secret　the　bears　do　not
  know；　and　we　people　of　Voe　usually　walk　upon　the　water　when　we　travel；
  and　so　escape　our　enemies。〃
  〃Thank　you！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　joyfully；　and　at　once　rubbed　a　leaf
  upon　the　soles　of　Dorothy's　shoes　and　then　upon　his　own。　　The　girl
  took　a　leaf　and　rubbed　it　upon　the　kitten's　paws；　and　the　rest　of　the
  plant　was　handed　to　Zeb；　who；　after　applying　it　to　his　own　feet；
  carefully　rubbed　it　upon　all　four　of　Jim's　hoofs　and　then　upon　the
  tires　of　the　buggy…wheels。　　He　had　nearly　finished　this　last　task　when
  a　low　growling　was　suddenly　heard　and　the　horse　began　to　jump　around
  and　kick　viciously　with　his　heels。
  〃Quick！　　To　the　water　or　you　are　lost！〃　cried　their　unseen　friend；　and
  without　hesitation　the　Wizard　drew　the　buggy　down　the　bank　and　out
  upon　the　broad　river；　for　Dorothy　was　still　seated　in　it　with　Eureka
  in　her　arms。　　They　did　not　sink　at　all；　owing　to　the　virtues　of　the
  strange　plant　they　had　used；　and　when　the　buggy　was　in　the　middle　of
  the　stream　the　Wizard　returned　to　the　bank　to　assist　Zeb　and　Jim。
  The　horse　was　plunging　madly　about；　and　two　or　three　deep　gashes
  appeared　upon　its　flanks；　from　which　the　blood　flowed　freely。
  〃Run　for　the　river！〃　shouted　the　Wizard；　and　Jim　quickly　freed　himself
  from　his　unseen　tormenters　by　a　few　vicious　kicks　and　then　obeyed。
  As　soon　as　he　trotted　out　upon　the　surface　of　the　river　he　found
  himself　safe　from　pursuit；　and　Zeb　was　already　running　across　the　water
  toward　Dorothy。
  As　the　little　Wizard　turned　to　follow　them　he　felt　a　hot　breath
  against　his　cheek　and　heard　a　low；　fierce　growl。　　At　once　he　began
  stabbing　at　the　air　with　his　sword；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　struck
  some　substance　because　when　he　drew　back　the　blade　it　was　dripping
  with　blood。　　The　third　time　that　he　thrust　out　the　weapon　there　was　a
  loud　roar　and　a　fall；　and　suddenly　at　his　feet　appeared　the　form　of　a
  great　red　bear；　which　was　nearly　as　big　as　the　horse　and　much　stronger
  and　fiercer。　　The　beast　was　quite　dead　from　the　sword　thrusts；　and
  after　a　glance　at　its　terrible　claws　and　sharp　teeth　the　little　man
  turned　in　a　panic　and　rushed　out　upon　the　water；　for　other　menacing
  growls　told　him　more　bears　were　near。
  On　the　river；　however；　the　adventurers　seemed　to　be　perfectly　safe。
  Dorothy　and　the　buggy　had　floated　slowly　down　stream　with　the　current
  of　the　water；　and　the　others　made　haste　to　join　her。　　The　Wizard
  opened　his　satchel　and　got　out　some　sticking…plaster　with　which　he
  mended　the　cuts　Jim　had　received　from　the　claws　of　the　bears。
  〃I　think　we'd　better　stick　to　the　river；　after　this；〃　said　Dorothy。
  〃If　our　unknown　friend　hadn't　warned　us；　and　told　us　what　to　do；　we
  would　all　be　dead　by　this　time。〃
  〃That　is　true；〃　agreed　the　Wizard；　〃and　as　the　river　seems　to　be
  flowing　in　the　direction　of　the　Pyramid　Mountain　it　will　be　the
  easiest　way　for　us　to　travel。〃
  Zeb　hitched　Jim　to　the　buggy　again；　and　the　horse　trotted　along　and
  drew　them　rapidly　over　the　smooth　wa