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"She is a sister of the King of the Golden Islands," whispered General

Mugwump. "Of a richness surpassing your own. Let me felicitate your

Highness."

Fan me, Tappy! Fan me!" gasped the Scarecrow. Then he straightened

himself suddenly. The time had come for action. He would say nothing to

anyone, but that night he would escape and try to find his way back to Oz,

family or no family! He bowed graciously to Princess Orange Blossom, to the

Grand Chew Chew, and to his sons.

"Let everything be made ready for the ceremony, and may tomorrow indeed

bring me to myself," he repeated solemnly. Nothing was talked of that

evening but the Emperor's impending marriage and the Grand Gheewizard's

discovery. The Scarecrow seemed the least excited person in the palace.

Sitting on his throne, he pretended to read the Royal Silver Journal, but he

was really waiting impatiently for the courtiers to retire. Finally, when the

last one had bowed himself out and only Happy Toko remained in the throne

room, the Scarecrow began making his plans.

"It's no use, Tappy," said he, tying up a few little trinkets for Dorothy in a

silk handkerchief, "I'd rather be straw than meat. I'd rather be a plain

Scarecrow in Oz than Emperor of the Earth! They may be my sons, but all

they want is my death. I'm going back to my old friends. I'd rather--". He got

no farther. A huge slave seized him suddenly from behind, while another

caught Happy Toko around his fat little waist.

Tie them fast," said the eldest Prince, smiling wickedly at the Scarecrow.

Here, tie him to the beanstalk. Merely a part of the Grand Gheewizard's

formula," he exclaimed maliciously as the struggling Scarecrow was bound

securely to his family tree. "Good night, dear papa Scarecrow. Tomorrow you

will be your old self again, and in a few short years I will be Emperor of the

Silver Islands!"

This rather upsets our plans, eh Tappy?" wheezed the Scarecrow after a

struggle with his bonds.

"Pigs! Weasels!" choked Tappy. "What are we to do?"

"Alas!" groaned the Scarecrow. "Tomorrow there will be no Scarecrow in Oz.

What will Dorothy and Ozma think? And once I am changed into my old

Imperial self, I can never make the journey to the Emerald City. Eighty-six is

too old for traveling."

The Royal Book of Oz