that　the　path　down　the　mountainside　led　into　the
  open　Munchkin　Country；　where　large　numbers　of
  people　dwelt。　Scraps　was　quite　new　and　not
  supposed　to　know　anything　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　while
  the　Glass　Cat　admitted　she　had　never　wandered　very
  far　away　from　the　Magician's　house。　There　was　only
  one　path　before　them；　at　the　beginning；　so　they
  could　not　miss　their　way；　and　for　a　time　they
  walked　through　the　thick　forest　in　silent　thought；
  each　one　impressed　with　the　importance　of　the
  adventure　they　had　undertaken。
  Suddenly　the　Patchwork　Girl　laughed。　It　was
  funny　to　see　her　laugh；　because　her　cheeks
  wrinkled　up；　her　nose　tipped；　her　silver　button
  eyes　twinkled　and　her　mouth　curled　at　the
  corners　in　a　comical　way。
  〃Has　something　pleased　you？〃　asked　Ojo；　who　was
  feeling　solemn　and　joyless　through　thinking　upon
  his　uncle's　sad　fate。
  〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　〃Your　world　pleases　me；　for
  it's　a　queer　world；　and　life　in　it　is　queerer
  still。　Here　am　I；　made　from　an　old　bedquilt　and
  intended　to　be　a　slave　to　Margolotte；　rendered
  free　as　air　by　an　accident　that　none　of　you　could
  foresee。　I　am　enjoying　life　and　seeing　the　world；
  while　the　woman　who　made　me　is　standing　helpless
  as　a　block　of　wood。　If　that　isn't　funny　enough　to
  laugh　at；　I　don't　know　what　is。〃
  〃You're　not　seeing　much　of　the　world　yet；
  my　poor；　innocent　Scraps；〃　remarked　the　Cat。
  〃The　world　doesn't　consist　wholly　of　the　trees
  that　are　on　all　sides　of　us。〃
  〃But　they're　part　of　it；　and　aren't　they　pretty
  trees？〃　returned　Scraps；　bobbing　her　head　until
  her　brown　yarn　curls　fluttered　in　the　breeze。
  〃Growing　between　them　I　can　see　lovely　ferns
  and　wild…flowers；　and　soft　green　mosses。　If　the
  rest　of　your　world　is　half　as　beautiful　I　shall　be
  glad　I'm　alive。〃
  〃I　don't　know　what　the　rest　of　the　world　is
  like；　I'm　sure；〃　said　the　cat；　〃but　I　mean　to
  find　out。〃
  〃I　have　never　been　out　of　the　forest；〃　Ojo
  added；　〃but　to　me　the　trees　are　gloomy　and　sad
  and　the　wild…flowers　seem　lonesome。　It　must　be
  nicer　where　there　are　no　trees　and　there　is　room
  for　lots　of　people　to　live　together。〃
  〃I　wonder　if　any　of　the　people　we　shall　meet
  will　be　as　splendid　as　I　am；〃　said　the　Patchwork
  Girl。　〃All　I　have　seen；　so　far；　have　pale；
  colorless　skins　and　clothes　as　blue　as　the　country
  they　live　in；　while　I　am　of　many　gorgeous　colors
  face　and　body　and　clothes。　That　is　why　I　am　bright
  and　contented；　Ojo；　while　you　are　blue　and　sad。〃
  〃I　think　I　made　a　mistake　in　giving　you　so　many
  sorts　of　brains；〃　observed　the　boy。　〃Perhaps；　as
  the　Magician　said；　you　have　an　over…dose；　and　they
  may　not　agree　with　you。〃
  〃What　had　you　to　do　with　my　brains？〃　asked
  Scraps。
  〃A　lot；〃　replied　Ojo。　〃Old　Margolotte　meant
  to　give　you　only　a　fewjust　enough　to　keep
  you　goingbut　when　she　wasn't　looking　I　added
  a　good　many　more；　of　the　best　kinds　I　could
  find　in　the　Magician's　cupboard。〃
  〃Thanks；〃　said　the　girl；　dancing　along　the
  path　ahead　of　Ojo　and　then　dancing　back　to　his
  side。　〃If　a　few　brains　are　good；　many　brains
  must　be　better。〃
  〃But　they　ought　to　be　evenly　balanced；〃　said　the
  boy；　〃and　I　had　no　time　to　be　careful。　From　the
  way　you're　acting；　I　guess　the　dose　was　badly
  mixed。〃
  〃Scraps　hasn't　enough　brains　to　hurt　her；　so
  don't　worry；〃　remarked　the　cat；　which　was　trotting
  along　in　a　very　dainty　and　graceful　manner。　〃The
  only　brains　worth　considering　are　mine；　which　are
  pink。　You　can　see　'em　work。〃
  After　walking　a　long　time　they　came　to　a　little
  brook　that　trickled　across　the　path；　and　here　Ojo
  sat　down　to　rest　and　eat　something　from　his
  basket。　He　found　that　the　Magician　had　given　him
  part　of　a　loaf　of　bread　and　a　slice　of　cheese。　He
  broke　off　some　of　the　bread　and　was　surprised　to
  find　the　loaf　just　as　large　as　it　was　before。　It
  was　the　same　way　with　the　cheese：　however　much　he
  broke　off　from　the　slice；　it　remained　exactly　the
  same　size。
  〃Ah；〃　said　he；　nodding　wisely；　〃that's　magic。
  Dr。　Pipt　has　enchanted　the　bread　and　the　cheese；
  so　it　will　last　me　all　through　my　journey；　however
  much　I　eat。〃
  〃Why　do　you　put　those　things　into　your　mouth？〃
  asked　Scraps；　gazing　at　him　in　astonishment。　〃Do
  you　need　more　stuffing？　Then　why　don't　you　use
  cotton；　such　as　I　am　stuffed　with？〃
  〃I　don't　need　that　kind；〃　said　Ojo。
  〃But　a　mouth　is　to　talk　with；　isn't　it？〃
  〃It　is　also　to　eat　with；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃If　I
  didn't　put　food　into　my　mouth；　and　eat　it；　I　would
  get　hungry　and　starve。
  〃Ah；　I　didn't　know　that；〃　she　said。　〃Give　me
  some。〃
  Ojo　handed　her　a　bit　of　the　bread　and　she　put　it
  in　her　mouth。
  〃What　next？〃　she　asked；　scarcely　able　to　speak。
  〃Chew　it　and　swallow　it；〃　said　the　boy。
  Scraps　tried　that。　Her　pearl　teeth　were　unable
  to　chew　the　bread　and　beyond　her　mouth　there　was
  no　opening。　Being　unable　to　swallow　she　threw　away
  the　bread　and　laughed。
  〃I　must　get　hungry　and　starve；　for　I　can't　eat；〃
  she　said。
  〃Neither　can　I；〃　announced　the　cat；　〃but　I'm
  not　fool　enough　to　try。　Can't　you　understand
  that　you　and　I　are　superior　people　and　not　made
  like　these　poor　humans？〃
  〃Why　should　I　understand　that；　or　anything
  else？〃　asked　the　girl。　〃Don't　bother　my　head　by
  asking　conundrums；　I　beg　of　you。　Just　let　me
  discover　myself　in　my　own　way。〃
  With　this　she　began　amusing　herself　by　leaping
  across　the　brook　and　hack　again。
  〃Be　careful；　or　you'll　fall　in　the　water；〃
  warned　Ojo。
  〃Never　mind。〃
  〃You'd　better。　If　you　get　wet　you'll　be　soggy
  and　can't　walk。　Your　colors　might　run；　too；〃
  he　said。
  〃Don't　my　colors　run　whenever　I　run？〃　she　asked。
  〃Not　in　the　way　I　mean。　If　they　get　wet；　the
  reds　and　greens　and　yellows　and　purples　of　your
  patches　might　run　into　each　other　and　become
  just　a　blurno　color　at　all；　you　know。〃
  〃Then；〃　said　the　Patchwork　Girl；　〃I'll　be
  careful；　for　if　I　spoiled　my　splendid　colors　I
  would　cease　to　be　beautiful。〃
  〃Pah！〃　sneered　the　Glass　Cat；　〃such　colors　are
  not　beautiful；　they're　ugly；　and　in　bad　taste。
  Please　notice　that　my　body　has　no　color　at　all。
  I'm　transparent；　except　for　my　exquisite　red　heart
  and　my　lovely　pink　brainsyou　can　see　'em　work。〃
  〃Shoo…shoo…shoo！〃　cried　Scraps；　dancing
  around　and　laughing。　〃And　your　horrid　green　eyes；
  Miss　Bungle！　You　can't　see　your　eyes；　but　we　can；
  and　I　notice　you're　very　proud　of　what　little
  color　you　have。　Shoo；　Miss　Bungle；　shoo…shoo…shoo！
  If　you　were　all　colors　and　many　colors；　as　I　am；
  you'd　be　too　stuck　up　for　anything。〃　She　leaped
  over　the　cat　and　back　again；　and　the　startled
  Bungle　crept　close　to　a　tree　to　escape　her。　This
  made　Scraps　laugh　more　heartily　than　ever；　and　she
  said：
  〃Whoop…tedoodle…doo！
  The　cat　has　lost　her　shoe。
  Her　tootsie's　bare；　but　she　don't　care；
  So　what's　the　odds　to　you？〃
  〃Dear　me；　Ojo；〃　said　the　cat；　〃don't　you　think
  the　creature　is　a　little　bit　crazy？〃
  〃It　may　be；〃　he　answered；　with　a　puzzled　look。
  〃If　she　continues　her　insults　I'll　scratch　off
  her　suspender…button　eyes；〃　declared　the　cat。
  〃Don't　quarrel；　please；〃　pleaded　the　boy；　rising
  to　resume　the　journey。　〃Let　us　be　good　comrades
  and　as　happy　and　cheerful　as　possible；　for　we　are
  likely　to　meet　with　plenty　of　trouble　on　our　way。〃
  It　was　nearly　sundown　when　they　came　to　the　edge
  of　the　forest　and　saw　spread　out　before　them　a
  delightful　landscape。　There　were　broad　blue　fields
  stretching　for　miles　over　the　valley；　which　was
  dotted　everywhere　with　pretty；　blue　domed　houses；
  none　of　which；　however；　was　very　near　to　the　place
  where　they　stood。　Just　at　the　point　where　the　path
  left　the　forest　stood　a　tiny　house　covered　with
  leaves　from　the　trees；　and　before　this　stood　a
  Munchkin　man　with　an　axe　in　his　hand。　He　seemed
  very　much　surprised　when　Ojo　and　Scraps　and　the
  Glass　Cat　came　out　of　the　woods；　but　as　the
  Patchwork　Girl　approached　nearer　he　sat　down　upon
  a　bench　and　laughed　so　hard　that　he　could　not
  speak　for　a　long　time。
  This　man　w