to tell you. 'Whoa!' means to stop; 'Get-Up!' means to walk forward;
'Trot!' means to go as fast as you can. Understand?"
     "I believe I do," returned the horse.
     "Very good. We are all going on a journey to the Emerald City, to see
His Majesty, the Scarecrow; and Jack Pumpkinhead is going to ride on  your
back, so he won't wear out his joints."
     "I don't mind," said the Saw-Horse. "Anything that  suits  you  suits
me."
     Then Tip assisted Jack to get upon the horse.
     "Hold on tight," he cautioned, "or you may fall off  and  crack  your
pumpkin head."
     "That would be horrible!" said Jack, with a shudder.  "What  shall  I
hold on to?"
     "Why, hold on to his ears," replied Tip, after a moment's hesitation.
     "Don't do that!" remonstrated the Saw-Horse; "for then I can't hear."
     That seemed reasonable, so Tip tried to think of something else.
     "I'll fix it!" said he, at length. He went into the wood  and  cut  a
short length of limb from  a  young,  stout  tree.  One  end  of  this  he
sharpened to a point, and then he dug a hole in the back of the Saw-Horse,
just behind its head. Next he brought a piece of rock from  the  road  and
hammered the post firmly into the animal's back.
     "Stop! Stop!" shouted the horse; "you're jarring me terribly."
     "Does it hurt?" asked the boy.
     "Not exactly hurt," answered the  animal;  "but  it  makes  me  quite
nervous to be jarred."
     "Well, it's all over now" said Tip,  encouragingly.  "Now,  Jack,  be
sure to hold fast to this post  and  then  you  can't  fall  off  and  get
smashed."
     So Jack held on tight, and Tip said to the horse:
     "Get up."
     The obedient creature at once walked forward, rocking  from  side  to
side as he raised his feet from the ground.
     Tip walked beside the Saw-Horse, quite content with this addition  to
their party. Presently he began to whistle.
     "What does that sound mean?" asked the horse.
     "Don't pay any attention to it," said Tip. "I'm just  whistling,  and
that only means I'm pretty well satisfied."
     "I'd whistle myself, if I could  push  my  lips  together,"  remarked
Jack. "I fear, dear father, that in some respects I am sadly lacking."
     After journeying on for some  distance  the  narrow  path  they  were
following turned into a broad roadway, paved with  yellow  brick.  By  the
side of the road Tip noticed a sign-post that read:

             "NINE MILES TO THE EMERALD CITY."

     But it was now growing dark, so he decided to camp for the  night  by
the roadside and to resume the journey next morning by  daybreak.  He  led
the SawHorse to a grassy mound upon which grew several  bushy  trees,  and
carefully assisted the Pumpkinhead to alight.
     "I think I'll lay you upon the ground, overnight," said the boy. "You
will be safer that way."
     "How about me?" asked the Saw-Horse.
     "It won't hurt you to stand," replied Tip; "and, as you can't  sleep,
you may as well watch out and see that no one comes near to disturb us."
     Then the boy stretched himself upon the grass beside the Pumpkinhead,
and being greatly wearied by the journey was soon fast asleep.



        Jack Pumpkinhead's Ride to the Emerald City

     At daybreak Tip was awakened by the Pumpkinhead. He rubbed the  sleep
from his eyes, bathed in a little brook, and then ate  a  portion  of  his
bread and cheese. Having thus prepared for a new day the boy said:
     "Let us start at once. Nine miles is quite a distance, but  we  ought
to reach the Emerald  City  by  noon  if  no  accidents  happen."  So  the
Pumpkinhead was again perched upon the  back  of  the  Saw-Horse  and  the
journey was resumed.
     Tip noticed that the purple tint of the grass and trees had now faded
to a dull lavender, and before long this lavender appeared to  take  on  a
greenish tinge that gradually brightened as they drew nearer to the  great
City where the Scarecrow ruled.
     The little party had traveled but a short two miles  upon  their  way
when the road of yellow brick was parted by a broad and swift  river.  Tip
was puzzled how to cross over; but after a time he discovered a man  in  a
ferry-boat approaching from the other side of the stream.
     When the man reached the bank Tip asked:
     "Will you row us to the other side?"
     "Yes, if you have money," returned the ferryman,  whose  face  looked
cross and disagreeable.
     "But I have no money," said Tip.
     "None at all?" inquired the man.
     "None at all," answered the boy.
     "Then I'll not break my back rowing you  over,"  said  the  ferryman,
decidedly.
     "What a nice man!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, smilingly.
     The ferryman stared at him, but made no  reply.  Tip  was  trying  to
think, for it was a great disappointment to him to  find  his  journey  so
suddenly brought to an end.
     "I must certainly get to the Emerald City," he said to  the  boatman;
"but how can I cross the river if you do not take me?"
     The man laughed, and it was not a nice laugh.
     "That wooden horse will float,"  said  he;  "and  you  can  ride  him
across. As for the pumpkinheaded loon who accompanies you, let him sink or
swim it won't matter greatly which."
     "Don't worry about  me,"  said  Jack,  smiling  pleasantly  upon  the
crabbed ferryman; "I'm sure I ought to float beautifully."
     Tip thought the experiment was worth making, and the  Saw-Horse,  who
did not know what danger meant, offered no objections whatever. So the boy
led it down into the water and climbed upon its back. Jack also  waded  in
up to his knees and grasped the tail of the horse so that  he  might  keep
his pumpkin head above the water.
     "Now," said Tip, instructing the Saw-Horse, "if you wiggle your  legs
you will probably swim; and if you swim we shall probably reach the  other
side."
     The Saw-Horse at once began to wiggle its legs, which acted  as  oars
and moved the adventurers slowly across the river to the opposite side. So
successful was the  trip  that  presently  they  were  climbing,  wet  and
dripping, up the grassy bank.
     Tip's  trouser-legs  and  shoes  were  thoroughly  soaked;  but   the
Saw-Horse had floated so perfectly that from his  knees  up  the  boy  was
entirely dry. As  for  the  Pumpkinhead,  every  stitch  of  his  gorgeous
clothing dripped water.
     "The sun will soon dry us," said Tip "and, anyhow, we are now  safely
across, in spite of the ferryman, and can continue our journey.
     "I didn't mind swimming, at all," remarked the horse.
     "Nor did I," added Jack.
     They soon regained the road of yellow brick, which  proved  to  be  a
continuation of the road they had left on the other  side,  and  then  Tip
once more mounted the Pumpkinhead upon the back of the Saw-Horse.
     "If you ride fast,"  said  he,  "the  wind  will  help  to  dry  your
clothing. I will hold on to the horse's tail and run after  you.  In  this
way we all will become dry in a very short time."
     "Then the horse must step lively," said Jack.
     "I'll do my best," returned the Saw-Horse, cheerfully.
     Tip grasped the end  of  the  branch  that  served  as  tail  to  the
Saw-Horse, and called loudly: "Get-up!"
     The horse started at a good pace, and Tip followed  behind.  Then  he
decided they could go faster, so he shouted: "Trot!"
     Now, the Saw-Horse remembered that this word was the command to go as
fast as he could; so he began rocking along the road at a tremendous pace,
and Tip had hard work - running faster than he ever had before in his life
- to keep his feet.
     Soon he was out of breath, and although he wanted to call "Whoa!"  to
the horse, he found he could not get the word out of his throat. Then  the
end of the tail he was clutching, being nothing more than a  dead  branch,
suddenly broke away, and the next minute the boy was rolling in  the  dust
of the road, while the horse and its pumpkin-headed rider  dashed  on  and
quickly disappeared in the distance.
     By the time Tip had picked himself up and cleared the dust  from  his
throat so he could say "Whoa!" there was no further need of saying it, for
the horse was long since out of sight.
     So he did the only sensible thing he could do. He sat down and took a
good rest, and afterward began walking along the road.
     "Some time I will surely overtake them," he reflected; "for the  road
will end at the gates of the Emerald City, and they can go no further than
that."
     Meantime Jack was holding fast to the  post  and  the  Saw-Horse  was
tearing along the road like a racer. Neither of them  knew  Tip  was  left
behind, for  the  Pumpkinhead  did  not  look  around  and  the  Saw-Horse
couldn't.
     As he rode, Jack noticed that the grass and trees had become a bright
emerald-green in color, so he guessed they were nearing the  Emerald  City
even before the tall spires and domes came into sight.
     At length a high wall of green stone, studded  thick  with  emeralds,
loomed up before them; and fearing the Saw-Horse would not know enough  to
stop and so might smash them both against this wall, Jack ventured to  cry
"Whoa!" as loud as he could.
     So suddenly did the horse obey that had it not been for his post Jack
would have been pitched off head foremost, and his beautiful face ruined.
     "That was a fast ride, dear father!" he exclaimed; and then,  hearing
no reply, he turned around and discovered for the first time that Tip  was
not there.
     This apparent desertion puzzled the Pumpkinhead, and made him uneasy.
And while he was wondering what had become of the boy, and what  he  ought
to do next under such trying circumstances, the gateway in the green  wall
opened and a man came out.
     This man was short and round, with a fat face that seemed  remarkably
goodnatured. He was clothed all in green and wore a high, peaked green hat
upon his head and green  spectacles  over  his  eyes.  Bowing  before  the
Pumpkinhead he said:
     "I am the Guardian of the Gates of the Emerald City.  May  I  inquire
who you are, and what is your business?"
     "My name is Jack Pumpkinhead," returned the other, smilingly; "but as
to my business, I haven't the least idea in the world what it is."
     The Guardian of the Gates looked surprised, and shook his head as  if
dissatisfied with the reply.
     "What are you, a man or a pumpkin?" he asked, politely.
     "Both, if you please," answered Jack.
     "And this wooden horse - is it alive?" questioned the Guardian.
     The horse rolled one knotty eye upward and winked at  Jack.  Then  it
gave a prance and brought one leg down on the Guardian's toes.
     "Ouch!" cried the man; "I'm sorry I  asked  that  question.  But  the
answer is most convincing. Have you any errand, sir, in the Emerald City?"
     "It seems to me that I have,"  replied  the  Pumpkinhead,  seriously;
"but I cannot think what it is. My father knows all about it,  but  he  is
not here."
     "This is a strange affair very strange!" declared the Guardian.  "But
you seem harmless. Folks do not  smile  so  delightfully  when  they  mean
mischief."
     "As for that," said Jack, "I cannot help my smile, for it  is  carved
on my face with a jack-knife."
     "Well, come with me into my room," resumed the Guardian, "and I  will
see what can be done for you."
     So Jack rode the Saw-Horse through the gateway  into  a  little  room
built into the wall. The Guardian pulled a bell-cord, and presently a very
tall soldier - clothed in a green uniform  -  entered  from  the  opposite
door. This soldier carried a long green gun  over  his  shoulder  and  had
lovely green whiskers that fell quite to his knees. The Guardian  at  once
addressed him, saying:
     "Here is a strange gentleman who doesn't know why he has come to  the
Emerald City, or what he wants. Tell me, what shall we do with him?"
     The Soldier with the Green Whiskers looked at Jack with much care and
curiosity. Finally he shook his  head  so  positively  that  little  waves
rippled down his whiskers, and then he said:
     "I must take him to His Majesty, the Scarecrow."
     But what will His Majesty, the Scarecrow, do  with  him?"  asked  the
Guardian of the Gates.
     "That is His Majesty's  business,"  returned  the  soldier.  "I  have
troubles enough of my own. All outside troubles must be turned over to His
Majesty. So put the spectacles on this fellow, and I'll take  him  to  the
royal palace."
     So the Guardian opened a big box of spectacles and  tried  to  fit  a
pair to Jack's great round eyes.
     "I haven't a pair in stock that will really  cover  those  eyes  up,"
said the little man, with a sigh; "and your head is so big that I shall be
obliged to tie the spectacles on."
     "But why need I wear spectacles?" asked Jack.
     "It's the fashion here," said the Soldier, "and they  will  keep  you
from being blinded by the glitter and glare of the gorgeous Emerald City."
     "Oh!" exclaimed Jack. "Tie them on, by all means. I don't wish to  be
blinded."
     "Nor I!" broke in the Saw-Horse; so a pair of  green  spectacles  was
quickly fastened over the bulging knots that served it for eyes.
     Then the Soldier with the Green Whiskers led them through  the  inner
gate and they  at  once  found  themselves  in  the  main  street  of  the
magnificent Emerald City.
     Sparkling green gems ornamented the fronts of  the  beautiful  houses
and the towers and turrets were all faced with emeralds.  Even  the  green
marble pavement glittered with precious stones, and it was indeed a  grand
and marvelous sight to one who beheld it for the first time.
     However, the Pumpkinhead and the Saw-Horse, knowing nothing of wealth
and beauty, paid little attention to the wonderful sights they saw through
their green spectacles. They calmly followed after the green  soldier  and
scarcely noticed the  crowds  of  green  people  who  stared  at  them  in
surprise. When a green dog  ran  out  and  barked  at  them  the  SawHorse
promptly kicked at it with its wooden  leg  and  sent  the  little  animal
howling into one of  the  houses;  but  nothing  more  serious  than  this
happened to interrupt their progress to the royal palace.
     The Pumpkinhead wanted to ride up the green marble steps and straight
into the Scarecrow's presence; but the soldier would not permit  that.  So
Jack dismounted, with much difficulty, and a  servant  led  the  Saw-Horse
around to the rear while the Soldier with the Green Whiskers escorted  the
Pumpkinhead into the palace, by the front entrance.
     The stranger was left in a handsomely furnished  waiting  room  while
the soldier went to announce him. It so happened that  at  this  hour  His
Majesty was at leisure and greatly bored for want of something to  do,  so
he ordered his visitor to be shown at once into his throne room.
     Jack felt no fear or embarrassment  at  meeting  the  ruler  of  this
magnificent city, for he was entirely ignorant of all worldly customs. But
when he entered the room and saw  for  the  first  time  His  Majesty  the
Scarecrow  seated  upon  his  glittering  throne,  he  stopped  short   in
amazement.



        His Majesty the Scarecrow

     I suppose every reader of this book knows what a  scarecrow  is;  but
Jack Pumpkinhead, never having seen such a creation, was more surprised at
meeting the remarkable King of the Emerald City  than  by  any  other  one
experience of his brief life.
     His Majesty the Scarecrow  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  faded  blue
clothes, and his head was merely a small sack  stuffed  with  straw,  upon
which eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth had been rudely painted to  represent
a face. The clothes were also stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly  or
carelessly that his Majesty's legs and arms seemed  more  bumpy  than  was
necessary. Upon his hands were gloves with long fingers,  and  these  were
padded with cotton. Wisps of straw stuck out from the monarch's  coat  and
also from his neck and boot-tops. Upon his head he  wore  a  heavy  golden
crown set thick with sparkling jewels, and the weight of this crown caused
his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving a thoughtful expression to the painted
face. Indeed,  the  crown  alone  betokened  majesty;  in  all  else  the,
Scarecrow  King  was  but  a  simple  scarecrow  -  flimsy,  awkward,  and
unsubstantial.
     But if the strange appearance of his  Majesty  the  Scarecrow  seemed
startling to Jack, no less wonderful was the form of  the  Pumpkinhead  to
the Scarecrow. The purple trousers and pink waistcoat and red  shirt  hung
loosely over the wooden joints Tip had manufactured, and the  carved  face
on the pumpkin grinned perpetually, as if its wearer considered  life  the
jolliest thing imaginable.
     At first, indeed, His Majesty thought his queer visitor was  laughing
at him, and was inclined to resent such a liberty; but it was not  without
reason that the Scarecrow had attained the reputation of being the  wisest
personage in the Land of Oz. He made a more  careful  examination  of  his
visitor, and soon discovered that Jack's features were carved into a smile
and that he could not look grave if he wished to.
     The King was the first to speak. After regarding
     Jack for some minutes he said, in a tone of wonder:
     "Where on earth did you come from, and how do you happen to be alive?
"
     "I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned the Pumpkinhead;  "but  I  do
not understand you."
     "What don't you understand?" asked the Scarecrow.
     "Why, I don't understand your language. You  see,  I  came  from  the
Country of the Gillikins, so that I am a foreigner."
     "Ah, to be sure!"  exclaimed  the  Scarecrow.  "I  myself  speak  the
language of the Munchkins, which is also the language of the Emerald City.
But you, I suppose, speak the language of the Pumpkinheads?"
     "Exactly so, your Majesty" replied the other, bowing; "so it will  be
impossible for us to understand one another."
     "That is unfortunate, certainly," said the  Scarecrow,  thoughtfully.
"We must have an interpreter."
     "What is an interpreter?" asked Jack.
     "A person who understands both my language and your own. When  I  say
anything, the interpreter can tell you what  I  mean;  and  when  you  say
anything the interpreter can tell me what you mean.  For  the  interpreter
can speak both languages as well as understand them."
     "That is certainly clever," said Jack, greatly pleased at finding  so
simple a way out of the difficulty.
     So the Scarecrow commanded the Soldier with  the  Green  Whiskers  to
search among his people until he found one who understood the language  of
the Gillikins as well as the language of the Emerald City,  and  to  bring
that person to him at once.
     When the Soldier had departed the Scarecrow said:
     "Won't you take a chair while we are waiting?"
     "Your Majesty forgets that I  cannot  understand  you,"  replied  the
Pumpkinhead. "If you wish me to sit down you must make a sign for me to do
so." The Scarecrow came down from his throne and rolled an armchair  to  a
position behind the Pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden push that sent
him sprawling upon the cushions in so awkward a fashion that he doubled up
like a jackknife, and had hard work to untangle himself.
     "Did you understand that sign?" asked His Majesty, politely.
     "Perfectly," declared Jack, reaching up his arms to turn his head  to
the front, the pumpkin having twisted around upon the stick that supported
it.
     "You seem hastily made,"  remarked  the  Scarecrow,  watching  Jack's
efforts to straighten himself.
     "Not more so than your Majesty," was the frank reply.
     "There is this difference between  us,"  said  the  Scarecrow,  "that
whereas I will bend, but not break, you will break, but not bend."
     At this moment the soldier returned leading a young girl by the hand.
She seemed very sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful green
eyes and hair. A dainty green silk skirt reached  to  her  knees,  showing
silk stockings embroidered with pea-pods, and green  satin  slippers  with
bunches of lettuce for decorations instead of bows or  buckles.  Upon  her
silken waist clover leaves were embroidered, and she wore a jaunty  little
jacket trimmed with sparkling emeralds of a uniform size.
     "Why, it's little Jellia Jamb!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, as the green
maiden bowed her pretty head before him. "Do you understand  the  language
of the Gillikins, my dear?"
     "Yes, your Majesty, she answered,  "for  I  was  born  in  the  North
Country."
     "Then you shall be our interpreter," said the Scarecrow, "and explain
to this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to  me  all  that  he
says. Is this arrangement satisfactory?"  he  asked,  turning  toward  his
guest.
     "Very satisfactory indeed," was the reply.
     "Then ask him, to begin with,"  resumed  the  Scarecrow,  turning  to
Jellia, "what brought him to the Emerald City"
     But instead of this the girl, who had been staring at Jack,  said  to
him:
     "You are certainly a wonderful creature. Who made you?"
     "A boy named Tip," answered Jack.
     "What does he say?"  inquired  the  Scarecrow.  "My  ears  must  have
deceived me. What did he say?"
     "He says that your Majesty's brains seem to have come loose," replied
the girl, demurely.
     The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt  of  his  head
with his left hand.
     "What a fine thing it is to understand two different  languages,"  he
said, with a perplexed sigh. "Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to
being put in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City."
     "I didn't insult you!" protested Jack, indignantly.
     "Tut - tut!" cautioned the Scarecrow "wait, until  Jellia  translates
my speech. What have we got an interpreter for, if you break out  in  this
rash way?"
     "All right, I'll wait," replied the Pumpkinhead, in a  surly  tone  -
although his face smiled as genially as ever. "Translate the speech, young
woman."
     "His Majesty inquires if you are hungry, said Jellia.
     "Oh, not  at  all!"  answered  Jack,  more  pleasantly,  "for  it  is
impossible for me to eat."
     "It's the same way with me," remarked the  Scarecrow.  "What  did  he
say, Jellia, my dear?"
     "He asked if you were aware that one of your eyes is  painted  larger
than the other," said the girl, mischievously.
     "Don't you believe her, your Majesty, cried Jack.
     "Oh, I don't," answered the Scarecrow, calmly. Then, casting a  sharp
look at the girl, he asked:
     "Are you quite certain you  understand  the  languages  of  both  the
Gillikins and the Munchkins?"
     "Quite certain, your Majesty," said Jellia Jamb, trying hard  not  to
laugh in the face of royalty.
     "Then how is it that I seem to understand them myself?" inquired  the
Scarecrow.
     "Because they are one and the same!" declared the girl, now  laughing
merrily. "Does not your Majesty know that in all the land of  Oz  but  one
language is spoken?"
     "Is it indeed so?" cried the Scarecrow, much relieved to  hear  this;
"then I might easily have been my own interpreter!"
     "It was all my  fault,  your  Majesty,"  said  Jack,  looking  rather
foolish," I thought we must surely speak  different  languages,  since  we
came from different countries."
     "This should be a warning  to  you  never  to  think,"  returned  the
Scarecrow, severely. "For unless one can think  wisely  it  is  better  to
remain a dummy - which you most certainly are."
     "I am! - I surely am!" agreed the Pumpkinhead.
     "It seems to me," continued the Scarecrow, more  mildly,  "that  your
manufacturer spoiled some good pies to create an indifferent man."
     "I assure your Majesty that I did not ask to  be  created,"  answered
Jack.
     "Ah! It was the same in my case," said the King, pleasantly. And  so,
as we differ from all ordinary people, let us become friends."
     "With all my heart!" exclaimed Jack.
     "What! Have you a heart?" asked the Scarecrow, surprised.
     "No; that was only imaginative - I might say, a  figure  of  speech,"
said the other.
     "Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so  I
must beg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you  have
no right to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.
     "To be sure!" said Jack, without in the least comprehending.
     His Majesty then dismissed Jellia Jamb and the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers, and when they were gone he took his new friend by  the  arm  and
led him into the courtyard to play a game of quoits.



        Gen. Jinjur's Army of Revolt

     Tip was so anxious to rejoin his man Jack and the Saw-Horse  that  he
walked a full half the distance to the Emerald City  without  stopping  to
rest. Then he discovered that he was hungry and the crackers and cheese he
had provided for the Journey had all been eaten.
     While wondering what he should do in this emergency he  came  upon  a
girl sitting by the roadside. She wore a costume that struck  the  boy  as
being remarkably brilliant: her silken waist being of  emerald  green  and
her skirt of four distinct colors - blue in  front,  yellow  at  the  left
side, red at the back and purple at the right side. Fastening the waist in
front were four buttons - the top one blue, the next yellow, a  third  red
and the last purple.
     The splendor of this dress was almost  barbaric;  so  Tip  was  fully
justified in staring at the gown for some moments  before  his  eyes  were
attracted by the pretty face above it. Yes, the face was pretty enough, he
decided; but it wore an expression of discontent coupled  to  a  shade  of
defiance or audacity.
     While the boy stared the girl looked upon him calmly. A lunch  basket
stood beside her, and she held  a  dainty  sandwich  in  one  hand  and  a
hard-boiled egg in the other, eating with an evident appetite that aroused
Tip's sympathy.
     He was just about to ask a share of the luncheon when the girl  stood
up and brushed the crumbs from her lap.
     "There!" said she; "it is time for me to go. Carry that basket for me
and help yourself to its contents if you are hungry."
     Tip seized the basket eagerly and began to eat, following for a  time
the strange girl without bothering to  ask  questions.  She  walked  along
before him with swift strides, and there was about her an air of  decision
and importance that led him to suspect she was some great personage.
     Finally, when he had satisfied his hunger, he ran up beside  her  and
tried to keep pace with her swift footsteps - a very difficult  feat,  for
she was much taller than he, and evidently in a hurry.
     "Thank you very much for the sandwiches," said  Tip,  as  he  trotted
along. "May I ask your name?"
     "I am General Jinjur," was the brief reply.
     "Oh!" said the boy surprised. "What sort of a General?"
     "I command the Army of Revolt in this  war,"  answered  the  General,
with unnecessary sharpness.
     "Oh!" he again exclaimed. "I didn't know there was a war."
     "You were not supposed to know it," she returned, "for we  have  kept
it a secret; and considering that our army is composed entirely of girls,"
she added, with some pride, "it is surely  a  remarkable  thing  that  our
Revolt is not yet discovered."
     "It is, indeed," acknowledged Tip. "But where is your army?"
     "About a mile from here,"  said  General  Jinjur.  "The  forces  have
assembled from all parts of the Land of Oz, at  my  express  command.  For
this is the day we are to conquer His Majesty  the  Scarecrow,  and  wrest
from him the throne. The Army of Revolt only awaits  my  coming  to  march
upon the Emerald City."
     "Well!" declared Tip, drawing a long breath,  "this  is  certainly  a
surprising thing! May I ask why  you  wish  to  conquer  His  Majesty  the
Scarecrow?"
     "Because the Emerald City has been ruled by men long enough, for  one
reason," said the girl.
     "Moreover, the City glitters with beautiful  gems,  which  might  far
better be used for rings, bracelets and necklaces;  and  there  is  enough
money in the King's treasury to buy every girl in our  Army  a  dozen  new
gowns. So we intend to conquer the City and run  the  government  to  suit
ourselves."
     Jinjur spoke these words with an eagerness and decision  that  proved
she was in earnest.
     "But war is a terrible thing," said Tip, thoughtfully.
     "This war will be pleasant," replied the girl, cheerfully.
     "Many of you will be slain!" continued the boy, in an awed voice.
     "Oh, no", said Jinjur. "What man would oppose a girl, or dare to harm
her? And there is not an ugly face in my entire Army."
     Tip laughed.
     "Perhaps you are right," said he. "But the Guardian of  the  Gate  is
considered a faithful Guardian, and the King's Army will not let the  City
be conquered without a struggle."
     "The Army is old and feeble,"  replied  General  Jinjur,  scornfully.
"His strength has all been used to grow whiskers, and his wife has such  a
temper that she has already pulled more than  half  of  them  out  by  the
roots. When the Wonderful  Wizard  reigned  the  Soldier  with  the  Green
Whiskers was a very good Royal Army, for people feared the Wizard. But  no
one is afraid of the Scarecrow, so his Royal Army don't count for much  in
time of war."
     After this conversation they proceeded some distance in silence,  and
before long reached a large  clearing  in  the  forest  where  fully  four
hundred young women  were  assembled.  These  were  laughing  and  talking
together as gaily as if they had gathered for a picnic instead of a war of
conquest.
     They were divided into four companies, and Tip noticed that all  were
dressed in costumes similar to that worn by General Jinjur. The only  real
difference was that while those girls from the Munchkin  country  had  the
blue strip in front of  their  skirts,  those  from  the  country  of  the
Quadlings had the red strip in front; and those from the  country  of  the
Winkies had the yellow strip in front, and the  Gillikin  girls  wore  the
purple strip in front. All had green waists, representing the Emerald City
they intended to conquer, and the top button on each  waist  indicated  by
its color which country the wearer came from. The uniforms were Jaunty and
becoming, and quite effective when massed together.
     Tip thought this strange Army bore no weapons whatever; but  in  this
he was wrong. For each girl had stuck through the knot of  her  back  hair
two long, glittering knitting-needles.
     General Jinjur immediately mounted the stump of a tree and  addressed
her army.
     "Friends, fellow-citizens, and girls!" she said;  "we  are  about  to
begin our great Revolt against the men of Oz!  We  march  to  conquer  the
Emerald City - to dethrone the Scarecrow King - to  acquire  thousands  of
gorgeous gems - to rifle the royal treasury - and to obtain power over our
former oppressors!"
     "Hurrah!" said those who had listened; but Tip thought  most  of  the
Army was too much engaged in chattering to pay attention to the  words  of
the General.
     The command to march was now given, and the girls  formed  themselves
into four bands, or companies, and set off with eager strides  toward  the
Emerald City.
     The boy followed after them, carrying several baskets and  wraps  and
packages which various members of the Army of Revolt  had  placed  in  his
care. It was not long before they came to the green granite walls  of  the
City and halted before the gateway.
     The Guardian of the  Gate  at  once  came  out  and  looked  at  them
curiously, as if a circus had come to town. He carried  a  bunch  of  keys
swung round his neck by a golden chain; his hands were  thrust  carelessly
into his pockets, and he seemed to have no idea at all that the  City  was
threatened by rebels. Speaking pleasantly to the girls, he said:
     "Good morning, my dears! What can I do for you?"
     "Surrender instantly!" answered General Jinjur, standing  before  him
and frowning as terribly as her pretty face would allow her to.
     "Surrender!" echoed the man, astounded. "Why, it's  impossible.  It's
against the law! I never heard of such a thing in my life."
     "Still, you must surrender!" exclaimed the General, fiercely. "We are
revolting!"
     "You don't look it," said the Guardian, gazing from one  to  another,
admiringly.
     "But we are!" cried Jinjur, stamping her foot, impatiently;  "and  we
mean to conquer the Emerald City!"
     "Good gracious!" returned the surprised Guardian of the Gates;  "what
a nonsensical idea! Go home to your mothers, my good girls, and  milk  the
cows and bake the bread. Don't you know it's a dangerous thing to  conquer
a city?"
     "We are not  afraid!"  responded  the  General;  and  she  looked  so
determined that it made the Guardian uneasy.
     So he rang the bell for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, and  the
next minute was sorry he had done so. For immediately he was surrounded by
a crowd of girls who drew the knitting-needles from their hair  and  began
Jabbing them at the Guardian with the sharp points  dangerously  near  his
fat cheeks and blinking eyes.
     The poor man howled loudly for mercy  and  made  no  resistance  when
Jinjur drew the bunch of keys from around his neck.
     Followed by her Army the General now rushed to the gateway, where she
was confronted by the Royal Army of Oz - which was the other name for  the
Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
     "Halt!" he cried, and pointed his long gun full in the  face  of  the
leader.
     Some of the girls screamed and ran back, but General  Jinjur  bravely
stood her ground and said, reproachfully:
     "Why, how now? Would you shoot a poor, defenceless girl?"
     "No," replied the soldier. "for my gun isn't loaded."
     "Not loaded?"
     "No; for fear of accidents. And I've forgotten where I hid the powder
and shot to load it with. But if you'll wait a short time I'll try to hunt
them up."
     "Don't trouble yourself," said Jinjur, cheerfully. Then she turned to
her Army and cried:
     "Girls, the gun isn't loaded!"
     "Hooray," shrieked the rebels, delighted at this good news, and  they
proceeded to rush upon the Soldier with the Green Whiskers in such a crowd
that it was a wonder they  didn't  stick  the  knitting-needles  into  one
another.
     But the Royal Army of Oz was too much afraid of  women  to  meet  the
onslaught. He simply turned about and ran with all his might  through  the
gate and toward the royal palace, while General Jinjur and her mob flocked
into the unprotected City.
     In this way was the Emerald City captured without  a  drop  of  blood
being spilled. The Army of Revolt had become an Army of Conquerors!



        The Scarecrow Plans an escape

     Tip slipped away from  the  girls  and  followed  swiftly  after  the
Soldier with the Green Whiskers. The invading army entered the  City  more
slowly,  for  they  stopped  to  dig  emeralds  out  of  the   walls   and
paving-stones with the points of their knitting-needles.  So  the  Soldier
and the boy reached the palace before the news had spread  that  the  City
was conquered.
     The Scarecrow and Jack Pumpkinhead were still playing  at  quoits  in
the courtyard when the game was interrupted by the abrupt entrance of  the
Royal Army of Oz, who came flying in without his hat or gun,  his  clothes
in sad disarray and his long beard floating a yard behind him as he ran.
     "Tally one for me," said the Scarecrow, calmly "What's wrong, my man?
" he added, addressing the Soldier.
     "Oh! your Majesty - your Majesty! The City is conquered!" gasped  the
Royal Army, who was all out of breath.
     "This is quite sudden," said the Scarecrow. "But please  go  and  bar
all the doors and windows of the palace, while I show this Pumpkinhead how
to throw a quoit."
     The Soldier hastened to do this, while Tip, who had  arrived  at  his
heels, remained in the courtyard to look at the Scarecrow  with  wondering
eyes.
     His Majesty continued to throw the quoits as coolly as if  no  danger
threatened his throne, but the Pumpkinhead, having caught  sight  of  Tip,
ambled toward the boy as fast as his wooden legs would go.
     "Good afternoon, noble parent!" he cried, delightedly." I'm  glad  to
see you are here. That terrible Saw-Horse ran away with me."
     "I suspected it," said Tip. "Did you get hurt?  Are  you  cracked  at
all?"
     "No, I arrived safely," answered Jack, "and his Majesty has been very
kind indeed to me.
     At this moment the Soldier with the Green Whiskers returned, and  the
Scarecrow asked:
     "By the way, who has conquered me?"
     "A regiment of girls, gathered from the four corners of the  Land  of
Oz," replied the Soldier, still pale with fear.
     "But where was my Standing Army at the time?" inquired  his  Majesty,
looking at the Soldier, gravely.
     "Your Standing Army was running," answered the fellow, honestly; "for
no man could face the terrible weapons of the invaders."
     "Well," said the Scarecrow, after a moment's thought, "I  don't  mind
much the loss of my throne, for it's a  tiresome  job  to  rule  over  the
Emerald City. And this crown is so heavy that it makes my head ache. But I
hope the Conquerors have no intention  of  injuring  me,  just  because  I
happen to be the King."
     "I heard them, say" remarked Tip, with some  hesitation,  "that  they
intend to make a rag carpet of your outside and stuff their  sofa-cushions
with your inside."
     "Then I am really in danger," declared his Majesty, positively,  "and
it will be wise for me to consider a means to escape."
     "Where can you go?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead.
     "Why, to my friend the Tin Woodman, who rules over the  Winkies,  and
calls himself their Emperor," was the answer. "I am sure he  will  protect
me."
     Tip was looking out the window.
     "The palace is surrounded by the enemy," said he "It is too  late  to
escape. They would soon tear you to pieces."
     The Scarecrow sighed.
     "In an emergency," he announced, "it is always a good thing to  pause
and reflect. Please excuse me while I pause and reflect."
     "But we also are in danger," said the Pumpkinhead, anxiously." If any
of these girls understand cooking, my end is not far off!"
     "Nonsense!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "they're too busy to cook,  even
if they know how!"
     "But should I remain  here  a  prisoner  for  any  length  of  time,"
protested Jack," I'm liable to spoil."
     "Ah! then you would not be  fit  to  associate  with,"  returned  the
Scarecrow. "The matter is more serious than I suspected."
     "You," said the Pumpkinhead, gloomily, "are liable to live  for  many
years. My life is necessarily short. So I must take advantage of  the  few
days that remain to me."
     "There, there! Don't worry," answered the Scarecrow  soothingly;  "if
you'll keep quiet long enough for me to think, I'll try to find  some  way
for us all to escape."
     So the others waited in patient silence while the Scarecrow walked to
a corner and stood with his face to the wall for a good five  minutes.  At
the end of that time he faced them with a more  cheerful  expression  upon
his painted face.
     "Where is the Saw-Horse you rode here?" he asked the Pumpkinhead.
     "Why, I said he was a jewel, and so your man locked  him  up  in  the
royal treasury," said Jack.
     "It was the only place I could think  of  your  Majesty,"  added  the
Soldier, fearing he had made a blunder.
     "It pleases me very much," said the Scarecrow. "Has the  animal  been
fed?"
     "Oh, yes; I gave him a heaping peck of sawdust."
     "Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "Bring the horse here at once."
     The Soldier hastened away, and presently they heard the clattering of
the horse's wooden  legs  upon  the  pavement  as  he  was  led  into  the
courtyard.
     His  Majesty  regarded  the  steed  critically.  "He   doesn't   seem
especially graceful!" he remarked, musingly. "but I suppose he can run?"
     "He can, indeed," said Tip, gazing upon the Saw-Horse admiringly.
     "Then, bearing us upon his back, he must  make  a  dash  through  the
ranks of the rebels and carry us to my friend the Tin Woodman,"  announced
the Scarecrow.
     "He can't carry four!" objected Tip.
     "No, but he may be induced to carry  three,"  said  his  Majesty.  "I
shall therefore leave my Royal Army Behind. For, from the ease with  which
he was conquered, I have little confidence in his powers."
     "Still, he can run," declared Tip, laughing.
     "I expected this blow" said the Soldier, sulkily; "but I can bear it.
I shall disguise myself by cutting off  my  lovely  green  whiskers.  And,
after