surprise　it　slowly　swung　backward　and　showed
  behind　it　a　dark　hole　that　looked　like　the　mouth
  of　a　tunnel。
  〃Why；　here's　where　the　path　goes　to！〃　she
  exclaimed。
  〃So　it　is；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。　〃But　the
  question　is；　do　we　want　to　go　where　the　path
  does？〃
  〃It's　underground；　right　inside　the　mountain；〃
  said　Ojo；　peering　into　the　dark　hole。　〃perhaps
  there's　a　well　there；　and；　if　there　is；　it's　sure
  to　be　a　dark　one。〃
  〃Why；　that's　true　enough！〃　cried　Dorothy
  with　eagerness。　〃Let's　go　in；　Scarecrow；　'cause；
  if　others　have　gone；　we're　pretty　safe　to　go；　too。〃
  Toto　looked　in　and　barked；　but　he　did　not
  venture　to　enter　until　the　Scarecrow　had　bravely
  gone　first。　Scraps　followed　closely　after　the
  straw　man　and　then　Ojo　and　Dorothy　timidly　stepped
  inside　the　tunnel。　As　soon　as　all　of　them　had
  passed　the　big　rock；　it　slowly　turned　and　filled
  up　the　opening　again；　but　now　they　were　no　longer
  in　the　dark；　for　a　soft；　rosy　light　enabled　them
  to　see　around　them　quite　distinctly。
  It　was　only　a　passage；　wide　enough　for　two
  of　them　to　walk　abreastwith　Toto　in　between
  themand　it　had　a　high；　arched　roof。　They
  could　not　see　where　the　light　which　flooded　the
  place　so　pleasantly　came　from；　for　there　were
  no　lamps　anywhere　visible。　The　passage　ran
  straight　for　a　little　way　and　then　made　a　bend
  to　the　right　and　another　sharp　turn　to　the　left；
  after　which　it　went　straight　again。　But　there
  were　no　side　passages；　so　they　could　not　lose
  their　way。
  After　proceeding　some　distance；　Toto；　who
  had　gone　on　ahead；　began　to　bark　loudly。　They
  ran　around　a　bend　to　see　what　was　the　matter
  and　found　a　man　sitting　on　the　floor　of　the
  passage　and　leaning　his　back　against　the　wall。
  He　had　probably　been　asleep　before　Toto's　barks
  aroused　him；　for　he　was　now　rubbing　his　eyes
  and　staring　at　the　little　dog　with　all　his　might。
  There　was　something　about　this　man　that　Toto
  objected　to；　and　when　he　slowly　rose　to　his　foot
  they　saw　what　it　was。　He　had　but　one　leg；　set　just
  below　the　middle　of　his　round；　fat　body；　but　it
  was　a　stout　leg　and　had　a　broad；　flat　foot　at　the
  bottom　of　it；　on　which　the　man　seemed　to　stand
  very　well。　He　had　never　had　but　this　one　leg；
  which　looked　something　like　a　pedestal；　and　when
  Toto　ran　up　and　made　a　grab　at　the　man's　ankle　he
  hopped　first　one　way　and　then　another　in　a　very
  active　manner；　looking　so　frightened　that　Scraps
  laughed　aloud。
  Toto　was　usually　a　well　behaved　dog；　but　this
  time　he　was　angry　and　snapped　at　the　man's　leg
  again　and　again。　This　filled　the　poor　fellow　with
  fear；　and　in　hopping　out　of　Toto's　reach　he
  suddenly　lost　his　balance　and　tumbled　heel　over
  head　upon　the　floor。　When　he　sat　up　he　kicked　Toto
  on　the　nose　and　made　the　dog　howl　angrily；　but
  Dorothy　now　ran　forward　and　caught　Toto's　collar；
  holding　him　back。
  〃Do　you　surrender？〃　she　asked　the　man。
  〃Who？　Me？〃　asked　the　Hopper。
  〃Yes；　you；〃　said　the　little　girl。
  〃Am　I　captured？〃　he　inquired。
  〃Of　course。　My　dog　has　captured　you；〃　she　said。
  〃Well；〃　replied　the　man；　〃if　I'm　captured　I　must
  surrender；　for　it's　the　proper　thing　to　do。　I　like
  to　do　everything　proper；　for　it　saves　one　a　lot　of
  trouble。〃
  〃It　does；　indeed；〃　said　Dorothy。　〃Please　tell　us
  who　you　are。
  〃I'm　Hip　HopperHip　Hopper；　the　Champion。〃
  〃Champion　what？〃　she　asked　in　surprise。
  〃Champion　wrestler。　I'm　a　very　strong　man；
  and　that　ferocious　animal　which　you　are　so
  kindly　holding　is　the　first　living　thing　that　has
  ever　conquered　me。〃
  〃And　you　are　a　Hopper？〃　she　continued。
  〃Yes。　My　people　live　in　a　great　city　not　far
  from　here。　Would　you　like　to　visit　it？〃
  〃I'm　not　sure；〃　she　said　with　hesitation。　〃Have
  you　any　dark　wells　in　your　city？〃
  〃I　think　not。　We　have　wells；　you　know；　hut
  they're　all　well　lighted；　and　a　well　lighted　well
  cannot　well　be　a　dark　well。　But　there　may　be
  such　a　thing　as　a　very　dark　well　in　the　Horner
  Country；　which　is　a　black　spot　on　the　face　of
  the　earth。〃
  〃Where　is　the　Horner　Country？〃　Ojo　inquired。
  〃The　other　side　of　the　mountain。　There's　a
  fence　between　the　Hopper　Country　and　the
  Horner　Country；　and　a　gate　in　the　fence；　but
  you　can't　pass　through　just　now；　because　we
  are　at　war　with　the　Horners。〃
  〃That's　too　bad；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　〃What
  seems　to　be　the　trouble？〃
  〃Why；　one　of　them　made　a　very　insulting　remark
  about　my　people。　He　said　we　were　lacking　in
  understanding；　because　we　had　only　one　leg　to　a
  person。　I　can't　see　that　legs　have　anything　to　do
  with　understanding　things。　The　Homers　each　have
  two　legs；　just　as　you　have。　That's　one　leg　too
  many；　it　seems　to　me。〃
  〃No；〃　declared　Dorothy；　〃it's　just　the　right
  number。〃
  〃You　don't　need　them；〃　argued　the　Hopper；
  obstinately。　〃You've　only　one　head；　and　one
  body；　and　one　nose　and　mouth。　Two　legs　are
  quite　unnecessary；　and　they　spoil　one's　shape。〃
  〃But　how　can　you　walk；　with　only　one　leg？〃　asked
  Ojo。
  〃Walk！　Who　wants　to　walk？〃　exclaimed　the　man。
  〃Walking　is　a　terribly　awkward　way　to　travel。　I
  hop；　and　so　do　all　my　people。　It's　so　much　more
  graceful　and　agreeable　than　walking。〃
  〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
  〃But　tell　me；　is　there　any　way　to　get　to　the
  Horner　Country　without　going　through　the　city　of
  the　Hoppers？〃
  〃Yes；　there　is　another　path　from　the　rocky
  lowlands；　outside　the　mountain；　that　leads
  straight　to　the　entrance　of　the　Horner　Country。
  But　it's　a　long　way　around；　so　you'd　better　come
  with　me。　Perhaps　they　will　allow　you　to　go
  through　the　gate；　but　we　expect　to　conquer
  them　this　afternoon；　if　we　get　time；　and　then
  you　may　go　and　come　as　you　please。〃
  They　thought　it　best　to　take　the　Hopper's
  advice；　and　asked　him　to　lead　the　way。　This　he
  did　in　a　series　of　hops；　and　he　moved　so　swiftly
  in　this　strange　manner　that　those　with　two　legs
  had　to　run　to　keep　up　with　him。
  Chapter　Twenty…Two
  The　Joking　Horners
  It　was　not　long　before　they　left　the　passage　and
  came　to　a　great　cave；　so　high　that　it　must　have
  reached　nearly　to　the　top　of　the　mountain　within
  which　it　lay。　It　was　a　magnificent　cave；　illumined
  by　the　soft；　invisible　light；　so　that　everything
  in　it　could　be　plainly　seen。　The　walls　were　of
  polished　marble；　white　with　veins　of　delicate
  colors　running　through　it；　and　the　roof　was　arched
  and　fantastic　and　beautiful。
  Built　beneath　this　vast　dome　was　a　pretty
  villagenot　very　large；　for　there　seemed　not　more
  than　fifty　houses　altogetherand　the　dwellings
  were　of　marble　and　artistically　designed。　No　grass
  nor　flowers　nor　trees　grew　in　this　cave；　so　the
  yards　surrounding　the　houses　carved　in　designs
  both　were　smooth　and　bare　and　had　low　walls　around
  them　to　mark　their　boundaries。
  In　the　streets　and　the　yards　of　the　houses
  were　many　people　all　having　one　leg　growing
  below　their　bodies　and　all　hopping　here　and
  there　whenever　they　moved。　Even　the　children
  stood　firmly　upon　their　single　legs　and　never
  lost　their　balance。
  〃All　hail；　Champion！〃　cried　a　man　in　the　first
  group　of　Hoppers　they　met；　〃whom　have　you
  captured？〃
  〃No　one；〃　replied　the　Champion　in　a　gloomy
  voice；　〃these　strangers　have　captured　me。〃
  〃Then；〃　said　another；　〃we　will　rescue　you；　and
  capture　them；　for　we　are　greater　in　number。〃
  〃No；〃　answered　the　Champion；　〃I　can't　allow　it。
  I've　surrendered；　and　it　isn't　polite　to　capture
  those　you've　surrendered　to。〃
  〃Never　mind　that；〃　said　Dorothy。　〃We　will　give
  you　your　liberty　and　set　you　free。〃
  〃Really？〃　asked　the　Champion　in　joyous　tones。
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　little　girl；　〃your　people　may
  need　you　to　help　conquer　the　Horners。〃
  At　this　all　the　Hoppers　looked　downcast　and　sad。
  Several　more　had　joined　the　group　by　this　time　and
  quite　a　crowd　of　curious　men；　women　and　children
  surrounded　the　strangers。
  〃This　war　with　our　neighbors　is　a　terrible
  thing；〃　remarked　one　of　the　women。　〃Some　one　is
  almost　s