Tik-Tok of Oz

ks his Str

ger ended his fall in a sitting position and then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an apple in his hand, which he had evidently been ea

y, approaching him. "Who are yo

nother bite of the apple. "Just dropped in

couldn't help the

tree, outside; branch

ave the core to Hank-who ate it greedily-and the

f glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, b

the Law! You're b

red at him

e Law in this co

ed the Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude in a

u know?" a

thirteen. Here it is: 'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at once be condemned by the Ruler and pu

nd now the mule's heels shot out and struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up like the letter "U"

attack fright

Man and taking his hand; "let's go somewhere

ting the child's head. "I'm not afraid of a

! Why, what is t

reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz;

rd at him; "are you really fr

been ther

about it. And do you

well i

Princess

d chum of mine,"

"And why did you ever leave

king sad and solemn. "I'm trying

oned Betsy, feeling very

ar from his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic R

t?" asked the gir

nd dug gold out of a mine. One day he went into his mine and never came out. They s

hat do you s'pose bec

ing another apple from his pocket and eating it to r

King! Wh

e is Ruggedo. Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to

hy

earth, and my private opinion is that he captured brother and carried him off to his unde

ou will never find your lost

t finding him, but that only proves he is not where I've been looking. What I seek

that if you ever manage to get there the Met

y, carelessly. "You mustn'

ut it?" s

es the Love Magnet, he will love

derful," said B

ssured her. "Shall

in his shaggy pocket and drew out a smal

better than before. Hank also saw the Magnet and crept up

al Gardener, who stuck his head into

th! Your only chance to escap

e Magnet toward the Gardener, who, seeing it, rushed forward a

d bobtail that decorates you is dear to me-all I have is yours!

to die," decl

al tears. "It breaks my heart to tell you this bad news, but the Law s

condemned us y

y. "We haven't even seen the

see, all our Rulers grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we had got mildewed and withered before his

u know?" a

are all green. Until one ripens, I am supposed to rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see

tsy. "I'd like to see those

Shaggy Man. "Take

haggy again showed him the Love Magnet and after on

use and carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this

the Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom-men, women and children in all stages of maturity. They all seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or not fully developed, their flesh and cl

ush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise and pleasure. For there, bloom

ushing aside some of the broad le

ho had come to the girl's side; "but she's a

und Betsy discovered that all the Roses had followed them f

the subjects of Rose Kingdom don't w

King!" repeated t

quired Shaggy, admiri

named Ozga, as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, w

with his Roses and Betsy whispered to

to rule this Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surel

t her free of the branch upon which she grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from the bush to the g

red that the Princess had been picked, and was now alive. Over every face fla

rtals! What h

you, that's all," rep

aimed a Jacque Rose, and another added with a

ther of her rebellious subjects in astonishment.

ts?" she asked gently. "Have I not com

consent," replied the Moss Rose, coldly

ner, with the others

net from his pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Pri

poised before the eyes of her subjects; bu

ed Shaggy in surprise. "The Magn

ding her head wisely. "Th

tty, and sweet, and alive; but still they are

and handed the Magne

do?" she ask

mmanded the Roses. "We will have no Ruler unt

r Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, includ

?" asked Shaggy, careless

y; "but no true man will neglect his duty for the sake

order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not afraid of the fork and w

k's heels. Neither Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those thorns and when they pressed away from them they found themselves slowly driven through the gard

indignant and angry; Hank uttered defiant "Hee-h

ner let down until the outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up again and returned with his Roses to the gr

r the stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-

away from home now that I don't s'pose I'll ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, it's

k, and the Shaggy M

sigh, "I must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, to

unless I can find the underground cavern of Ruggedo,

fter he drank of the "Waters of Oblivion" he

know where it is

e not the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going

, without any help," sugg

aid Shaggy. "But we won't find anything-not even supper-unless we