Jinxland。〃
  〃Fine！〃　cried　the　little　girl；　clapping　her　hands
  together　gleefully。　〃But　how？〃
  〃Leave　the　how　to　me；〃　said　the　Scarecrow　proudly。
  As　a　conqueror　I'm　a　wonder。　We　will；　first　of　all；
  write　a　message　to　send　to　King　Krewl；　asking　him　to
  surrender。　If　he　refuses；　then　we　will　make　him
  surrender。〃
  〃Why　ask　him。　when　we　know　he'll　refuse？〃　inquired　Pon。
  〃Why；　we　must　be　polite；　whatever　we　do；〃　explained　the
  Scarecrow。　〃It　would　be　very　rude　to　conquer　a　King
  without　proper　notice。〃
  They　found　it　difficult　to　write　a　message　without
  paper；　pen　and　ink；　none　of　which　was　at　hand；　so　it　was
  decided　to　send　Pon　as　a　messenger；　with　instructions　to
  ask　the　King；　politely　but　firmly；　to　surrender。
  Pon　was　not　anxious　to　be　the　messenger。　Indeed；　he
  hinted　that　it　might　prove　a　dangerous　mission。　But　the
  Scarecrow　was　now　the　acknowledged　head　of　the　Army　of
  Conquest；　and　he　would　listen　to　no　refusal。　So　off　Pon
  started　for　the　King's　castle；　and　the　others　accompanied
  him　as　far　as　his　hut；　where　they　had　decided　to　await
  the　gardener's　boy's　return。
  I　think　it　was　because　Pon　had　known　the　Scarecrow　such
  a　short　time　that　he　lacked　confidence　in　the　straw　man's
  wisdom。　It　was　easy　to　say：　〃We　will　conquer　King　Krewl；〃
  but　when　Pon　drew　near　to　the　great　castle　he　began　to
  doubt　the　ability　of　a　straw…stuffed　man；　a　girl；　a
  grasshopper　and　a　frozen…hearted　Princess　to　do　it。　As
  for　himself；　he　had　never　thought　of　defying　the　King
  before。
  That　was　why　the　gardener's　boy　was　not　very　bold　when
  he　entered　the　castle　and　passed　through　to　the　enclosed
  court　where　the　King　was　just　then　seated；　with　his
  favorite　courtiers　around　him。　None　prevented　Pon's
  entrance；　because　he　was　known　to　be　the　gardener's　boy；
  but　when　the　King　saw　him　he　began　to　frown　fiercely。　He
  considered　Pon　to　be　to　blame　for　all　his　trouble　with
  Princess　Gloria；　who　since　her　heart　had　been　frozen　had
  escaped　to　some　unknown　place；　instead　of　returning　to
  the　castle　to　wed　Goqgly…Goo；　as　she　had　been　expected　to
  do。　So　the　King　bared　his　teeth　angrily　as　he　demanded：
  〃What　have　you　done　with　Princess　Gloria？〃
  〃Nothing；　your　Majesty！　I　have　done　nothing　at　all；〃
  answered　Pon　in　a　faltering　voice。　〃She　does　not　love　me
  any　more　and　even　refuses　to　speak　to　me。〃
  〃Then　why　are　you　here；　you　rascal？〃　roared　the　King。
  Pon　looked　first　one　way　and　then　another；　but　saw　no
  means　of　escape；　so　he　plucked　up　courage。
  〃I　am　here　to　summon　your　Majesty　to　surrender。〃
  〃What！〃　shouted　the　King。　〃Surrender？　　Surrender　to
  whom？〃
  Pon's　heart　sank　to　his　boots。
  〃To　the　Scarecrow；〃　he　replied。
  Some　of　the　courtiers　began　to　titter；　but　King　Krewl
  was　greatly　annoyed。　He　sprang　up　and　began　to　beat　poor
  Pon　with　the　golden　staff　he　carried。　Pon　howled　lustily
  and　would　have　run　away　had　not　two　of　the　soldiers　held
  him　until　his　Majesty　was　exhausted　with　punishing　the
  boy。　Then　they　let　him　go　and　he　left　the　castle　and
  returned　along　the　road；　sobbing　at　every　step　because
  his　body　was　so　sore　and　aching。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃did　the　King　surrender？〃
  〃No；　but　he　gave　me　a　good　drubbing！〃　sobbed　poor　Pon。
  Trot　was　very　sorry　for　Pon；　but　Gloria　did　not　seem
  affected　in　any　way　by　her　lover's　anguish。　The
  grasshopper　leaped　to　the　Scarecrow's　shoulder　and　asked
  him　what　he　was　going　to　do　next。
  〃Conquer；〃　was　the　reply。　〃But　I　will　go　alone；　this
  time；　for　beatings　cannot　hurt　me　at　all；　nor　can　lance
  thrusts　　or　sword　cuts　　or　arrow　pricks。〃
  〃Why　is　that？〃　inquired　Trot。
  〃Because　I　have　no　nerves；　such　as　you　meat　people
  possess。　Even　grasshoppers　have　nerves；　but　straw
  doesn't；　so　whatever　they　do　　except　just　one　thing
  they　cannot　injure　me。　Therefore　I　expect　to　conquer　King
  Krewl　with　ease。〃
  〃What　is　that　one　thing　you　excepted？〃　asked　Trot。
  〃They　will　never　think　of　it；　so　never　mind。　And　now；
  if　you　will　kindly　excuse　me　for　a　time；　I'll　go　over　to
  the　castle　and　do　my　conquering。〃
  〃You　have　no　weapons；〃　Pon　reminded　him。
  〃True；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　〃But　if　I　carried　weapons　I
  might　injure　someone　　perhaps　seriously　　and　that
  would　make　me　unhappy。　I　will　just　borrow　that　riding…
  whip；　which　I　see　in　the　corner　of　your　hut；　if　you　don't
  mind。　It　isn't　exactly　proper　to　walk　with　a　riding…whip；
  but　I　trust　you　will　excuse　the　inconsistency。〃
  Pon　handed　him　the　whip　and　the　Scarecrow　bowed　to　all
  the　party　and　left　the　hut；　proceeding　leisurely　along
  the　way　to　the　King's　castle。
  Chapter　Seventeen
  The　Ork　Rescues　Button…Bright
  I　must　now　tell　you　what　had　become　of　Button…Bright
  since　he　wandered　away　in　the　morning　and　got　lost。　This
  small　boy；　as　perhaps　you　have　discovered；　was　almost　as
  destitute　of　nerves　as　the　Scarecrow。　Nothing　ever
  astonished　him　much；　nothing　ever　worried　him　or　made　him
  unhappy。　Good　fortune　or　bad　fortune　he　accepted　with　a
  quiet　smile；　never　complaining；　whatever　happened。　This
  was　one　reason　why　Button…Bright　was　a　favorite　with　all
  who　knew　him　　and　perhaps　it　was　the　reason　why　he　so
  often　got　into　difficulties；　or　found　himself　lost。
  To…day；　as　he　wandered　here　and　there；　over　hill　and
  down　dale；　he　missed　Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill；　of　whom　he　was
  fond；　but　nevertheless　he　was　not　unhappy。　The　birds　sang
  merrily　and　the　wildflowers　were　beautiful　and　the　breeze
  had　a　fragrance　of　new…mown　hay
  〃The　only　bad　thing　about　this　country　is　its　King；〃　he
  reflected；　〃but　the　country　isn't　to　blame　for　that。〃
  A　prairie…dog　stuck　its　round　head　out　of　a　mound　of
  earth　and　looked　at　the　boy　with　bright　eyes。
  〃Walk　around　my　house；　please；〃　it　said；　〃and　then　you
  won't　harm　it　or　disturb　the　babies。〃
  〃All　right；〃　answered　Button…Bright；　and　took　care　not
  to　step　on　the　mound。　He　went　on；　whistling　merrily；
  until　a　petulant　voice　cried：
  〃Oh；　stop　it！　Please　stop　that　noise。　It　gets　on　my
  nerves。〃
  Button…Bright　saw　an　old　gray　owl　sitting　in　the　crotch
  of　a　tree；　and　he　replied　with　a　laugh：　〃All　right；　old
  Fussy；〃　and　stopped　whistling　until　he　had　passed　out　of
  the　owl's　hearing。　At　noon　he　came　to　a　farmhouse　where
  an　aged　couple　lived。　They　gave　him　a　good　dinner　and
  treated　him　kindly；　but　the　man　was　deaf　and　the　woman
  was　dumb；　so　they　could　answer　no　questions　to　guide　him
  on　the　way　to　Pon's　house。　When　he　left　them　he　was　just
  as　much　lost　as　he　had　been　before。
  Every　grove　of　trees　he　saw　from　a　distance　he　visited；
  for　he　remembered　that　the　King's　castle　was　near　a　grove
  of　trees　and　Pon's　hut　was　near　the　King's　castle；　but
  always　he　met　with　disappointment。　Finally；　passing
  through　one　of　these　groves；　he　came　out　into　the　open
  and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　Ork。
  〃Hello！〃　said　Button…Bright。　〃Where　did　you　come　from？〃
  〃From　Orkland；〃　was　the　reply。　〃I've　found　my　own
  country；　at　last；　and　it　is　not　far　from　here；　either。　I
  would　have　come　back　to　you　sooner；　to　see　how　you　are
  getting　along；　had　not　my　family　and　friends　welcomed　my
  return　so　royally　that　a　great　celebration　was　held　in　my
  honor。　So　I　couldn't　very　well　leave　Orkland　again　until
  the　excitement　was　over。〃
  〃Can　you　find　your　way　back　home　again？〃　asked　the　boy。
  〃Yes；　easily；　for　now　I　know　exactly　where　it　is。　But
  where　are　Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill？〃
  Button…Bright　related　to　the　Ork　their　adventures　since
  it　had　left　them　in　Jinxland；　telling　of　Trot's　fear　that
  the　King　had　done　something　wicked　to　Cap'n　Bill；　and　of
  Pon's　love　for　Gloria；　and　how　Trot　and　Button…Bright　had
  been　turned　out　of　the　King's　castle。　That　was　all　the
  news　that　the　boy　had；　but　it　made　the　Ork　anxious　for
  the　safety　of　his　friends。
  〃We　must　go　to　them　at　once；　for　they　may　need　us；〃　he
  said。
  〃I　don't　know　where　to　go；〃　confessed　Button…Bright。
  〃I'm　lost。〃
  〃Well；　I　can　take　you　back　to　the　hut　of　the　gardener's
  boy；〃　promised　the　Ork；　〃for　when　I　fly　high　in　the　air　I
  can　look　down　and　easily　spy　t