basket；　and　then　gave　the　basket　to　you。　I　also
  think　you　dropped　the　clover　into　this　vase；　which
  stood　in　Princess　Dorothy's　room；　hoping　to　get
  rid　of　it　so　it　would　not　prove　the　boy　guilty。
  You're　a　stranger　here；　Miss　Patches；　and　so　you
  don't　know　that　nothing　can　be　hidden　from　our
  powerful　Ruler's　Magic　Picturenor　from　the
  watchful　eyes　of　the　humble　Wizard　of　Oz。　Look；
  all　of　you！〃　With　these　words　he　waved　his　hands
  toward　the　vase　on　the　table；　which　Scraps　now
  noticed　for　the　first　time。
  From　the　mouth　of　the　vase　a　plant　sprouted；
  slowly　growing　before　their　eyes　until　it　became　a
  beautiful　bush；　and　on　the　topmost　branch　appeared
  the　six…leaved　clover　which　Ojo　had　unfortunately
  picked。
  The　Patchwork　Girl　looked　at　the　clover　and
  said：　〃Oh；　so　you've　found　it。　Very　well；　prove
  he　picked　it；　if　you　can。〃
  Ozma　turned　to　Ojo。
  〃Did　you　pick　the　six…leaved　clover？〃　she　asked。
  〃Yes；〃　he　replied。　〃I　knew　it　was　against　the
  Law；　but　I　wanted　to　save　Unc　Nunkie　and　I　was
  afraid　if　I　asked　your　consent　to　pick　it　you
  would　refuse　me。〃
  〃What　caused　you　to　think　that？〃　asked　the
  Ruler。
  〃Why；　it　seemed　to　me　a　foolish　law；　unjust　and
  unreasonable。　Even　now　I　can　see　no　harm　in
  picking　a　six…leaved　clover。　And　II　had　not　seen
  the　Emerald　City；　then；　nor　you；　and　I　thought　a
  girl　who　would　make　such　a　silly　Law　would　not　be
  likely　to　help　anyone　in　trouble。〃
  Ozma　regarded　him　musingly；　her　chin　resting
  upon　her　hand；　but　she　was　not　angry。　On　the
  contrary　she　smiled　a　little　at　her　thoughts　and
  then　grew　sober　again。
  〃I　suppose　a　good　many　laws　seem　foolish　to
  those　people　who　do　not　understand　them；〃　she
  said；　〃but　no　law　is　ever　made　without　some
  purpose；　and　that　purpose　is　usually　to　protect
  all　the　people　and　guard　their　welfare。　As　you　are
  a　stranger；　I　will　explain　this　Law　which　to　you
  seems　so　foolish。　Years　ago　there　were　many
  Witches　and　Magicians　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　one
  of　the　things　they　often　used　in　making　their
  magic　charms　and　transformations　was　a　six…leaved
  clover。　These　Witches　and　Magicians　caused　so　much
  trouble　among　my　people；　often　using　their　powers
  for　evil　rather　than　good；　that　I　decided　to
  forbid　anyone　to　practice　magic　or　sorcery　except
  Glinda　the　Good　and　her　assistant；　the　Wizard　of
  Oz；　both　of　whom　I　can　trust　to　use　their　arts
  only　to　benefit　my　people　and　to　make　them
  happier。　Since　I　issued　that　Law　the　Land　of　Oz
  has　been　far　more　peaceful　and　quiet；　but　I
  learned　that　some　of　the　Witches　and　Magicians
  were　still　practicing　magic　on　the　sly　and　using
  the　six…leaved　clovers　to　make　their　potions　and
  charms。　Therefore　I　made　another　Law　forbidding
  anyone　from　plucking　a　six…leaved　clover　or　from
  gathering　other　plants　and　herbs　which　the　Witches
  boil　in　their　kettles　to　work　magic　with。　That　has
  almost　put　an　end　to　wicked　sorcery　in　our　land；
  so　you　see　the　Law　was　not　a　foolish　one；　but　wise
  and　just；　and；　in　any　event；　it　is　wrong　to
  disobey　a　Law。〃
  Ojo　knew　she　was　right　and　felt　greatly
  mortified　to　realize　he　had　acted　and　spoken　so
  ridiculously。　But　he　raised　his　head　and　looked
  Ozma　in　the　face；　saying：
  〃I　am　sorry　I　have　acted　wrongly　and　broken
  your　Law。　I　did　it　to　save　Unc　Nunkie；　and
  thought　I　would　not　be　found　out。　But　I　am
  guilty　of　this　act　and　whatever　punishment　you
  think　I　deserve　I　will　suffer　willingly。〃
  Ozma　smiled　more　brightly；　then；　and　nodded
  graciously。
  〃You　are　forgiven；〃　she　said。　〃For；　although
  you　have　committed　a　serious　fault；　you　are　now
  penitent　and　I　think　you　have　been　punished
  enough。　Soldier；　release　Ojo　the　Lucky　and〃
  〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　Ojo　the　Unlucky；〃
  said　the　boy。
  〃At　this　moment　you　are　lucky；〃　said　she。
  〃Release　him；　Soldier；　and　let　him　go　free。〃
  The　people　were　glad　to　hear　Ozma's　decree　and
  murmured　their　approval。　As　the　royal　audience　was
  now　over；　they　began　to　leave　the　Throne　Room　and
  soon　there　were　none　remaining　except　Ojo　and　his
  friends　and　Ozma　and　her　favorites。
  The　girl　Ruler　now　asked　Ojo　to　sit　down　and
  tell　her　all　his　story；　which　he　did；　beginning
  at　the　time　he　had　left　his　home　in　the　forest
  and　ending　with　his　arrival　at　the　Emerald　City
  and　his　arrest。　Ozma　listened　attentively　and
  was　thoughtful　for　some　moments　after　the　boy
  had　finished　speaking。　Then　she　said：
  〃The　Crooked　Magician　was　wrong　to　make　the
  Glass　Cat　and　the　Patchwork　Girl；　for　it　was
  against　the　Law。　And　if　he　had　not　unlawfully　kept
  the　bottle　of　Liquid　of　Petrifaction　standing　on
  his　shelf；　the　accident　to　his　wife　Margolotte　and
  to　Unc　Nunkie　could　not　have　occurred。　I　can
  understand；　however；　that　Ojo；　who　loves　his
  uncle；　will　be　unhappy　unless　he　can　save　him。
  Also　I　feel　it　is　wrong　to　leave　those　two　victims
  standing　as　marble　statues；　when　they　ought　to　be
  alive。　So　I　propose　we　allow　Dr。　Pipt　to　make　the
  magic　charm　which　will　save　them；　and　that　we
  assist　Ojo　to　find　the　things　he　is　seeking。　What
  do　you　think；　Wizard？〃
  〃That　is　perhaps　the　best　thing　to　do；〃　replied
  the　Wizard。　〃But　after　the　Crooked　Magician
  has　restored　those　poor　people　to　life　you　must
  take　away　his　magic　powers。〃
  〃I　will；〃　promised　Ozma。
  〃Now　tell　me；　please；　what　magic　things　must　you
  find？〃　continued　the　Wizard；　addressing　Ojo。
  〃The　three　hairs　from　the　Woozy's　tail　I
  have；〃　said　the　boy。　〃That　is；　I　have　the　Woozy；
  and　the　hairs　are　in　his　tail。　The　six…leaved
  clover　II〃
  〃You　may　take　it　and　keep　it；〃　said　Ozma。　〃That
  will　not　be　breaking　the　Law；　for　it　is　already
  picked；　and　the　crime　of　picking　it　is　forgiven。〃
  〃Thank　you！〃　cried　Ojo　gratefully。　Then　he
  continued：　〃The　next　thing；　I　must　find　is　a　gill
  of　water　from　a　dark　well。'
  The　Wizard　shook　his　head。　〃That；〃　said　he；
  〃will　be　a　hard　task；　but　if　you　travel　far　enough
  you　may　discover　it。〃
  〃I　am　willing　to　travel　for　years；　if　it　will
  save　Unc　Nunkie；〃　declared　Ojo；　earnestly。
  〃Then　you'd　better　begin　your　journey　at
  once；〃　advised　the　Wizard。
  Dorothy　bad　been　listening　with　interest　to
  this　conversation。　Now　she　turned　to　Ozma　and
  asked：　〃May　I　go　with　Ojo；　to　help　him？〃
  〃Would　you　like　to？〃　returned　Ozma。
  〃Yes。　I　know　Oz　pretty　well；　but　Ojo　doesn't
  know　it　at　all。　I'm　sorry　for　his　uncle　and　poor
  Margolotte　and　I'd　like　to　help　save　them。　May
  I　go？〃
  〃If　you　wish　to；〃　replied　Ozma。
  〃If　Dorothy　goes；　then　I　must　go　to　take　care　of
  her；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　decidedly。　〃A　dark　well
  can　only　be　discovered　in　some　out…of…the…way
  place；　and　there　may　be　dangers　there。〃
  〃You　have　my　permission　　to　accompany　Dorothy；〃
  said　Ozma。　〃And　while　you　are　gone　I　will　take
  care　of　the　Patchwork　Girl。〃
  〃I'll　take　care　of　myself；〃　announced　Scraps；
  〃for　I'm　going　with　the　Scarecrow　and　Dorothy。
  I　promised　Ojo　to　help　him　find　the　things　he
  wants　and　I'll　stick　to　my　promise。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　replied　Ozma。　〃But　I　see　no　need
  for　Ojo　to　take　the　Glass　Cat　and　the　Woozy。〃
  〃I　prefer　to　remain　here；〃　said　the　cat。　〃I've
  nearly　been　nicked　half　a　dozen　times；　already；
  and　if　they're　going　into　dangers　it's　best　for　me
  to　keep　away　from　them。〃
  〃Let　Jellia　Jamb　keep　her　till　Ojo　returns；〃
  suggested　Dorothy。　〃We　won't　need　to　take　the
  Woozy；　either；　but　he　ought　to　be　saved　because
  of　the　three　hairs　in　his　tail。〃
  〃Better　take　me　along；〃　said　the　Woozy。　〃My　eyes
  can　flash　fire；　you　know；　and　I　can　growla
  little。〃
  〃I'm　sure　you'll　be　safer　here；〃　Ozma　decided；
  and　the　Woozy　made　no　further　objection　to　the
  plan。
  After　consulting　together　they　decided　that　Ojo
  and　his　party　should　leave　the　very　next　day　to
  search　for　the　gill　of　water　from　a　dark　well；　so
  they　now　separated　to　make　preparations　for　the
  journey。
  Ozma　gave　the　Munchkin　boy　a　room　in　the　palace
  for　that　night　and　the　afternoon　he　passed　with
  Dorothygetting　acquainted；　as　she　saidand
  receiving　advice　from　the　Shaggy