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He turned and led the way up a path, and as they followed slowly,

because the paper Captain did not move very swiftly, they took the

opportunity to gaze around them at this strange paper country.

Beside the path were paper trees, all cut out very neatly and painted a

brilliant green color. And back of the trees were rows of cardboard

houses, painted in various colors but most of them having green blinds.

Some were large and some small, and in the front yards were beds of

paper flowers quite natural in appearance. Over some of the porches

paper vines were twined, giving them a cozy and shady look.

As the visitors passed along the street a good many paper dolls came to

the doors and windows of their houses to look at them curiously. These

dolls were nearly all the same height, but were cut into various shapes,

some being fat and some lean. The girl dolls wore many beautiful

costumes of tissue paper, making them quite fluffy; but their heads and

hands were no thicker than the paper of which they were made.

Some of the paper people were on the street, walking along or

congregated in groups and talking together; but as soon as they saw the

strangers they all fluttered into the houses as fast as they could go, so as

to be out of danger.

Excuse me if I go edgewise," remarked the Captain as they came to a

slight hill. "I can get along faster that way and not flutter so much."

That's all right," said Dorothy. "We don't mind how you go, I'm sure."

At one side of the street was a paper pump, and a paper boy was

pumping paper water into a paper pail. The Yellow Hen happened to

brush against this boy with her wing, and he flew into the air and fell

into a paper tree, where he stuck until the Wizard gently pulled him out.

At the same time, the pail went into the air, spilling the paper water,

while the paper pump bent nearly double.

Goodness me!" said the Hen. "If I should flop my wings I believe I'd

knock over the whole village!"

Then don't flop them--please don't!" entreated the Captain. "Miss

Cuttenclip would be very much distressed if her village was spoiled."

Oh, I'll be careful," promised Billina.

The Emerald City of Oz