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We may not land at all," replied Hank, "but the best way to find out what will

happen to us is to swing across as Scraps and the Woozy have done."

I think I shall go last," said the Wizard, "so who wants to go first?"

I'll go," decided Dorothy.

No, it's my turn first," said Button-Bright. "Watch me!"

Even as he spoke, the boy seized the strap, and after making a run swung

himself across the gulf. Away he went, bumping from hill to hill until he

disappeared. They listened intently, but the boy uttered no cry until he had

been gone some moments, when they heard a faint "Hullo-a!" as if called from

a great distance. The sound gave them courage, however, and Dorothy picked

up Toto and held him fast under one arm while with the other hand she seized

the strap and bravely followed after Button-Bright.

When she struck the first whirling mountain, she fell upon it quite softly, but

before she had time to think, she flew through the air and lit with a jar on the

side of the next mountain. Again she flew and alighted, and again and still

again, until after five successive bumps she fell sprawling upon a green

meadow and was so dazed and bewildered by her bumpy journey across the

Merry-Go-Round Mountains that she lay quite still for a time to collect her

thoughts. Toto had escaped from her arms just as she fell, and he now sat

beside her panting with excitement. Then Dorothy realized that someone was

helping her to her feet, and here was Button-Bright on one side of her and

Scraps on the other, both seeming to be unhurt. The next object her eyes fell

upon was the Woozy, squatting upon his square back end and looking at her

reflectively, while Toto barked joyously to find his mistress unhurt after her

whirlwind trip.

Good!" said the Woozy. "Here's another and a dog, both safe and sound. But

my word, Dorothy, you flew some! If you could have seen yourself, you'd have

been absolutely astonished."

They say 'Time flies,'" laughed Button-Bright, "but Time never made a quicker

journey than that."

Just then, as Dorothy turned around to look at the whirling mountains, she

was in time to see tiny Trot come flying from the nearest hill to fall upon the

soft grass not a yard away from where she stood. Trot was so dizzy she

couldn't stand at first, but she wasn't at all hurt, and presently Betsy came

flying to them and would have bumped into the others had they not retreated

The Lost Princess of Oz