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The harbor lay just below the Imperial Palace, and the Scarecrow and Happy
hurried on through the crowds of fleeing Silvermen, their household goods
packed upon their heads. Some cheered faintly for Chang Wang Woe, but
none offered to follow, save the faithful Happy.
"Is this king old?" asked the Scarecrow, looking anxiously at the small boats
full of warriors that were putting out from the fleet.
"
He is the son of the King whom your Majesty conquered fifty years ago,"
gulped Happy. "Ha--has your Imperial Highness any--plan?"
"Not yet," said the Scarecrow cheerfully, "but I'm thinking very hard."
"Then, goodbye to Silver Island!" choked Happy Toko, dropping the watering
can with a crash.
"Never mind," said the Scarecrow kindly. "If they shoot me and I catch fire,
I'll jump in the water and you must fish me out, Tappy. Now please don't
talk any more. I must think!"
Poor Happy Toko had nothing else to say, for he considered his day finished.
The first of the invaders were already landing on the beach, and standing up
in a small boat, encased in glittering gold armor, was the King of the Golden
Islands, himself. The sun was quite hot, and there was a smell of gunpowder
in the air.
Now the Scarecrow had encountered many dangers in Oz and had usually
thought his way out of them, but as they came nearer and nearer to the
shore and no idea presented itself, he began to feel extremely nervous. A
bullet fired from the king's boat tore through his hat, and the smoke made
him more anxious than ever about his straw stuffing. He felt hurriedly in his
pocket, and his clumsy fingers closed over the little fan he had plucked from
the bean pole.
Partly from agitation and partly because he did not know what else to do,
the Scarecrow flipped the fan open. At that minute, a mighty roar went up
from the enemy, for at the first motion of the fan they had been jerked fifty
feet into the air, and there they hung suspended over their ships, kicking
and squealing for dear life. The Scarecrow was as surprised as they, and as
for Happy Toko, he fell straightway on his nose!
"Magic!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "Someone is helping us," and he began
fanning himself gently with the little fan, waiting to see what would happen
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