Attacked by the Fighting Trees
The m Dorothy kissed the pretty green girl good-bye, and they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers, who had walked with them as far as the gate.
When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wreatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into rouble. But he at onlocked their spectacles, which he put bato the green box, and gave them many good wishes to carry with them.
"You are now our ruler," he said to the Scarecrow; "so you must e back to us as soon as possible.」
"I certainly shall if I am able," the Scarecrow replied; "but I must help Dorothy to get home, first.」
As Dorothy bade the good-natured Guardian a last farewell she said:
"I have been very kindly treated in your lovely City, and everyone has been good to me. I ot tell you how grateful I am.」
"Dont try, my dear," he answered. "We should like to keep you with us, but if it is your wish to return to Kansas, I hope you will find a way." He then opehe gate of the outer wall, and they walked forth and started upon their journey.
The sun shone brightly as our friends turheir faces to- ward the Land of the South. They were all in the best of spir- its, and laughed and chatted together. Dorothy was once more filled with the hope of getting home, and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were glad to be of use to her. As for the Lion, he she fresh air with delight and whisked his tail from side to side in pure joy at being in the try again, while Toto ran around them and chased the moths and butter- flies, barking merrily all the time.
"City life does not agree with me at all," remarked the Lion, as they walked along at a brisk pace. "I have lost much flesh since I lived there, and now I am anxious for a ce to show the other beasts how ceous I have grown.」
They now turned and took a last look at the Emerald City.
All they could see was a mass of towers and steeples behind the green walls, and high up above everything the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz.
"Oz was not such a bad Wizard, after all," said the Tin Woodman, as he felt his heart rattling around in his breast.
"He knew how to give me brains, and very good brains, too," said the Scarecrow.
"If Oz had taken a dose of the same ce he gave me,」
added the Lion, "he would have been a brave man.」
Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not kept the promise he made her, but he had done his best, so she fave him. As he said, he was a good man, even if he was a bad Wizard.
The first days journey was through the green fields and bright flowers that stretched about the Emerald City on every side. They slept that night on the grass, with nothing but the stars over them; and they rested very well indeed.
In the m they traveled on until they came to a thick wood. There was no way of going around it, for it seemed to extend to the right a as far as they could see; and, be- sides, they did not dare ge the dire of their journey for fear of getting lost. So they looked for the place where it would be easiest to get into the forest.
The Scarecroas in the lead, finally discovered a big tree with such wide-spreading brahat there was room for the party to pass underh. So he walked forward to the tree, but just as he came uhe first brahey bent down and twined around him, and the minute he was raised from the ground and flung headlong among his fel- low travelers.
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