The Scarecrow of Oz

t is Lost an

I tell you winter was coming? I could hear it coming with my l

her blanket. "Where I live, in California, I have never s

returned the bumpy one, "and for that reas

he air was filled with falling white flakes, so larg

in this is sno

ovel and turn out to shovel a path

Man out when he opened the door. Then sh

ld last night, before the snowstorm; but sno

red a hand

popcorn?"

is popcorn. What did

not snow in

"I'm not responsible for the absurd things that happen in your country, and when you're in Mo you must do as the Momen do. E

banks on either side of the trail that led to the mountain-top from the plains below. While he worked, Trot ate popcorn and fou

this?" h

sn't real snow, although it fa

t. The Ork came out and pecked away with its bill as fast as it co

he air. The Bumpy Man was now shoveling quite a distance down the mountain-side, while the p

ie and pancakes!-here is s

unching it underneath their feet. The Mo snow was pretty deep where the Bumpy Man

storm," said Cap'n Bill. "I hope he is

ket and knickerbockers, with brown stockings, buckled shoes and a blue shirt-waist that had frills down its front. When drawn from the heap the boy was chewing a mouthful of pop

stuffed more popco

e boy's cap, Trot was laughing joyfully and Cap'n Bill had a broa

this s

nds a lost boy, he can make up his mind it's Button-Bright. But how he

e belong?" in

a, I think; but I'm quite sure Butt

y, nodding his head as he s

gs somewhere,"

Magic Umbrella, that used to carry me anywhere. Stands to reason that if I can't get back I haven'

ured the boy's cap and was listening

is poor, snow-covered

made a journey together to Sky Isl

d I saved his life,

d anything except some popcorn that I might have eaten had you not disturbed me. It was nice and warm in that

ide, "I was born with them and I suspect they were a gift from the f

ton-Bright and began

-side, eating the popcorn with much eagerness and scarcely noticing the people at all. Th

k scornfully. "Aren't they dreadful c

and this made the Ork so indignant tha

and it was so strong that it nearly carried the little boy with it. He let go the leg in a hurry

of the biggest ones and tied cords around their legs, thus making them prisoners. The birds were so intent on their eating that they did not notice what had happened to th

the old sailor's actio

said, "but then they will want to fly away to their homes. Tell me

Bill, "but they're not going to be hurt i

l very much. The boy was not so old as Trot, and small as she was he was half a head shorter in height. The most remarkable thing about Button-Bright was that he was always quiet and composed, whatever happened, and nothing was

Trot sniffed the air and a

e are glad to have them blow in our direction. The south breeze always has a violet odor; the north breeze has the fragrance of wild roses; the east breeze is perfumed with lilies-o

regarded the strange, birdlike creature with curious in

does your t

ay," said

out his hand and

hat!" excla

" inquire

l, and I reserve the right to wh

," proposed Button-Bright. "I w

n me, which I fully deserve; but I only fly when I am

ill, "to ask you, friend Ork, how w

n. "Why don't you stay here? You w

een anywher

at I have," admitte

p'n Bill. "But you haven't answered my question, fri

ed a while befo

ee big people are more than I can manage, although I have carried two of you f

e a mistake," Cap'n

vender berries with us, instead of so many

e did not fully agree with the little girl; but he fell in

ow bigger, whether it'd eaten the lavender ones

d sailor as if expecting him to explain what he meant. B

seemed to say. "Why are we insulted in t

the window a

, Cap'n," she said. "I did

said the Bumpy Man. Then he looked at Cap'n Bill un

where the birds were fluttering and complaining be

birds to carry us there. We know we are asking a great favor, but it's the only way we can think of-excep' walkin', an' I'm not much good at that because I've a w

one of them replied: "You must be crazy, old man. Not one of

three of you will agree to carry us, I'll make you big a

try, they had no doubt but that the strange one-legged ma

big, would we

," replied

lves and then the bird that had fir

r; and after a pause a t

ll longed to be bigger than they were; but three were enough for Cap'n Bill's

uestioned them she found they were quite young, having only abandoned their nests a few weeks before. They were strong young birds

x with the sliding cover and removed the three pu

In a few seconds they began to grow in size and grew so fast that Trot feared they would never stop. But they fi

much pleased

us now, all r

with pride, highly pleas

ubtfully, "how we're going to ride

cks," answered Cap'n Bill. "I'm goin

cut the cloth into strips and twisted it so that it was almost as strong as rope. With this material he attached to each bird a swing that dangled below its

ou wish us

r leader, and wherever the Ork flies you are to fly, and wh

ite satisfactory, so Cap'n B

ure, "I noticed a broad, sandy desert at th

eep away from it,"

over this desert and discover what lies beyond it. For in the direction we came from lies the ocean, as we well know, and beyond here is this strange Land of Mo, which

y, Trot?" inqui

same to me,"

bade good-bye to the Bumpy Man and thanked him for his kindness and hospitality. Then they seated

a short distance they rose in the air, carrying their passengers easily, and fl