expecting　every　minute　to　bump　against　the　iron
  bars。　The　Shaggy　Man　also　had　his　eyes　closed；　but
  marched　straight　ahead；　nevertheless；　and　after
  he　had　taken　one　hundred　steps；　by　actual　count；
  he　stopped　and　said：
  〃Now　you　may　open　your　eyes。〃
  They　did　so；　and　to　their　astonishment　found
  the　wall　and　the　gateway　far　behind　them；
  while　in　front　the　former　Blue　Country　of　the
  Munchkins　had　given　way　to　green　fields；　with
  pretty　farm…houses　scattered　among　them。
  〃That　wall；〃　explained　the　Shaggy　Man；　〃is
  what　is　called　an　optical　illusion。　It　is　quite　real
  while　you　have　your　eyes　open；　but　if　you　are
  not　looking　at　it　the　barrier　doesn't　exist　at　all。
  It's　the　same　way　with　many　other　evils　in　life；
  they　seem　to　exist；　and　yet　it's　all　seeming　and
  not　true。　You　will　notice　that　the　wallor　what
  we　thought　was　a　wallseparates　the　Munchkin
  Country　from　the　green　country　that　surrounds
  the　Emerald　City；　which　lies　exactly　in　the
  center　of　Oz。　There　are　two　roads　of　yellow
  bricks　through　the　Munchkin　Country；　but　the
  one　we　followed　is　the　best　of　the　two。　Dorothy
  once　traveled　the　other　way；　and　met　with　more
  dangers　than　we　did。　But　all　our　troubles　are
  over　for　the　present；　as　another　day's　journey
  will　bring　us　to　the　great　Emerald　City。〃
  They　were　delighted　to　know　this；　and　proceeded
  with　new　courage。　In　a　couple　of　hours　they
  stopped　at　a　farmhouse；　where　the　people　were　very
  hospitable　and　invited　them　to　dinner。　The　farm
  folk　regarded　Scraps　with　much　curiosity　but　no
  great　astonishment；　for　they　were　accustomed　to
  seeing　extraordinary　people　in　the　Land　of　Oz。
  The　woman　of　this　house　got　her　needle　and
  thread　and　sewed　up　the　holes　made　by　the
  porcupine　quills　in　the　Patchwork　Girl's　body；
  after　which　Scraps　was　assured　she　looked　as
  beautiful　as　ever。
  〃You　ought　to　have　a　hat　to　wear；〃　remarked
  the　woman；　〃for　that　would　keep　the　sun　from
  fading　the　colors　of　your　face。　I　have　some
  patches　and　scraps　put　away；　and　if　you　will
  wait　two　or　three　days　I'll　make　you　a　lovely
  hat　that　will　match　the　rest　of　you。〃
  〃Never　mind　the　hat；〃　said　Scraps；　shaking
  her　yarn　braids；　〃it's　a　kind　offer；　but　we　can't
  stop。　I　can't　see　that　my　colors　have　faded　a
  particle；　as　yet；　can　you？〃
  〃Not　much；〃　replied　the　woman。　〃You　are　still
  very　gorgeous；　in　spite　of　your　long　journey。〃
  The　children　of　the　house　wanted　to　keep　the
  Class　Cat　to　play　with；　so　Bungle　was　offered
  a　good　home　if　she　would　remain；　but　the　cat
  was　too　much　interested　in　Ojo's　adventures　and
  refused　to　stop。
  〃Children　are　rough　playmates；〃　she　remarked　to
  the　Shaggy　Man；　〃and　although　this　home　is　more
  pleasant　than　that　of　the　Crooked　Magician　I　fear
  I　would　soon　be　smashed　to　pieces　by　the　boys　and
  girls。〃
  After　they　had　rested　themselves　they　renewed
  their　journey；　finding　the　road　now　smooth　and
  pleasant　to　walk　upon　and　the　country　growing　more
  beautiful　the　nearer　they　drew　to　the　Emerald
  City。
  By　and　by　Ojo　began　to　walk　on　the　green
  grass；　looking　carefully　around　him。
  〃What　are　you　trying　to　find？〃　asked　Scraps。
  〃A　six…leaved　clover；〃　said　he。
  〃Don't　do　that！〃　exclaimed　the　Shaggy　Man；
  earnestly。　〃It's　against　the　Law　to　pick　a　six…
  leaved　clover。　You　must　wait　until　you　get　Ozma's
  consent。〃
  〃She　wouldn't　know　it；〃　declared　the　boy。
  〃Ozma　knows　many　things；〃　said　the　Shaggy　Man。
  〃In　her　room　is　a　Magic　Picture　that　shows　any
  scene　in　the　Land　of　Oz　where　strangers　or
  travelers　happen　to　be。　She　may　be　watching　the
  picture　of　us　even　now；　and　noticing　everything
  that　we　do。〃
  〃Does　she　always　watch　the　Magic　Picture？〃
  asked　Ojo。
  〃Not　always；　for　she　has　many　other　things
  to　do；　but；　as　I　said；　she　may　be　watching　us
  this　very　minute。〃
  〃I　don't　care；〃　said　Ojo；　in　an　obstinate　tone
  of　voice；　〃Ozma's　only　a　girl。〃
  The　Shaggy　Man　looked　at　him　in　surprise。
  〃You　ought　to　care　for　Ozma；〃　said　he；　〃if　you
  expect　to　save　your　uncle。　For；　if　you　displease
  our　powerful　Ruler；　your　journey　will　surely　prove
  a　failure；　whereas；　if　you　make　a　friend　of　Ozma；
  she　will　gladly　assist　you。　As　for　her　being　a
  girl；　that　is　another　reason　why　you　should　obey
  her　laws；　if　you　are　courteous　and　polite。
  Everyone　in　Oz　loves　Ozma　and　hates　her　enemies；
  for　she　is　as　just　as　she　is　powerful。〃
  Ojo　sulked　a　while；　but　finally　returned　to　the
  road　and　kept　away　from　the　green　clover。　The
  boy　was　moody　and　bad　tempered　for　an　hour
  or　two　afterward；　because　he　could　really　see
  no　harm　in　picking　a　six…leaved　clover；　if　he
  found　one；　and　in　spite　of　what　the　Shaggy
  Man　had　said　he　considered　Ozma's　law　to　be
  unjust。
  They　presently　came　to　a　beautiful　grove　of　tall
  and　stately　trees；　through　which　the　road　wound　in
  sharp　curvesfirst　one　way　and　then　another。　As
  they　were　walking　through　this　grove　they　heard
  some　one　in　the　distance　singing；　and　the　sounds
  grew　nearer　and　nearer　until　they　could
  distinguish　the　words；　although　the　bend　in　the
  road　still　hid　the　singer。　The　song　was　something
  like　this：
  〃Here's　to　the　hale　old　bale　of　straw
  That's　cut　from　the　waving　grain；
  The　sweetest　sight　man　ever　saw
  In　forest；　dell　or　plain。
  It　fills　me　with　a　crunkling　joy
  A　straw…stack　to　behold；
  For　then　I　pad　this　lucky　boy
  With　strands　of　yellow　gold。〃
  〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　Shaggy　Man；　〃here　comes　my
  friend　the　Scarecrow。
  〃What；　a　live　Scarecrow？〃　asked　Ojo。
  〃Yes；　the　one　I　told　you　of。　He's　a　splendid
  fellow；　and　very　intelligent。　You'll　like　him；
  I'm　sure。
  Just　then　the　famous　Scarecrow　of　Oz　came
  around　the　bend　in　the　road；　riding　astride　a
  wooden　Sawhorse　which　was　so　small　that　its
  rider's　legs　nearly　touched　the　ground。
  The　Scarecrow　wore　the　blue　dress　of　the
  Munchkins；　in　which　country　he　was　made；
  and　on　his　head　was　set　a　peaked　hat　with　a　flat
  brim　trimmed　with　tinkling　bells。　A　rope　was
  tied　around　his　waist　to　hold　him　in　shape。　for
  he　was　stuffed　with　straw　in　every　part　of　him
  except　the　top　of　his　head；　where　at　one　time
  the　Wizard　of　Oz　had　placed　sawdust；　mixed
  with　needles　and　pins；　to　sharpen　his　wits。　The
  head　itself　was　merely　a　bag　of　cloth；　fastened
  to　the　body　at　the　neck；　and　on　the　front　of　this
  bag　was　painted　the　faceears；　eyes；　nose　and
  mouth。
  The　Scarecrow's　face　was　very　interesting；　for
  it　bore　a　comical　and　yet　winning　expression；
  although　one　eye　was　a　bit　larger　than　the　other
  and　ears　were　not　mates。　The　Munchkin　farmer　who
  had　made　the　Scarecrow　had　neglected　to　sew　him
  together　with　close　stitches　and　therefore　some　of
  the　straw　with　which　he　was　stuffed　was　inclined
  to　stick　out　between　the　seams。　His　hands
  consisted　of　padded　white　gloves；　with　the　fingers
  long　and　rather　limp；　and　on　his　feet　he　wore
  Munchkin　boots　of　blue　leather　with　broad　turns　at
  the　tops　of　them。
  The　Sawhorse　was　almost　as　curious　as　its　rider。
  It　had　been　rudely　made；　in　the　beginning；　to　saw
  logs　upon；　so　that　its　body　was　a　short　length　of
  a　log；　and　its　legs　were　stout　branches　fitted
  into　four　holes　made　in　the　body。　The　tail　was
  formed　by　a　small　branch　that　had　been　left　on　the
  log；　while　the　head　was　a　gnarled　bump　on　one　end
  of　the　body。　Two　knots　of　wood　formed　the　eyes；
  and　the　mouth　was　a　gash　chopped　in　the　log。　When
  the　Sawhorse　first　came　to　life　it　had　no　ears　at
  all；　and　so　could　not　hear；　but　the　boy　who　then
  owned　him　had　whittled　two　ears　out　of　bark　and
  stuck　them　in　the　head；　after　which　the　Sawhorse
  heard　very　distinctly。
  This　queer　wooden　horse　was　a　great　favorite
  with　Princess　Ozma；　who　had　caused　the　bottoms　of
  its　legs　to　be　shod　with　plates　of　gold；　so　the
  wood　would　not　wear　away。　Its　saddle　was　made　of
  cloth…of…gold　richly　encrusted　with　precious　gems。
  It　had　never　worn　a　bridle。
  As　the　Scarecrow　came　in　sight　of　the　party　of
  travelers；　he　reined　in　his　wooden　steed　and
  dismounted；　greeting　the　Shaggy　Man　with　a　smiling
  nod。　Then