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I mustn't break my promise to be present at the surprise party; but, tell me,

could you go to Oz to-night?"

What, now?" exclaimed Trot.

It is a fine moonlight night," said the Ork, "and I've found in my experience

that there's no time so good as right away. The fact is," he explained, "it's a

long journey to Orkland and I and my cousins here are all rather tired by our

day's work. But if you will start now, and be content to allow us to carry you

over the mountains and dump you on the other side, just say the word and--

off we go!"

Cap'n Bill and Trot looked at one another questioningly. The little girl was

eager to visit the famous fairyland of Oz and the old sailor had endured such

hardships in Jinxland that he would be glad to be out of it.

It's rather impolite of us not to say good-bye to the new King and Queen,"

remarked the Scarecrow, "but I'm sure they're too happy to miss us, and I

assure you it will be much easier to fly on the backs of the Orks over those

steep mountains than to climb them as I did."

All right; let's go!" Trot decided. "But where's Button-Bright?"

Just at this important moment Button-Bright was lost again, and they all

scattered in search of him. He had been standing beside them just a few

minutes before, but his friends had an exciting hunt for him before they

finally discovered the boy seated among the members of the band, beating the

end of the bass drum with the bone of a turkey-leg that he had taken from the

table in the banquet room.

Hello, Trot," he said, looking up at the little girl when she found him. "This is

the first chance I ever had to pound a drum with a reg'lar drum stick. And I

ate all the meat off the bone myself."

Come quick. We're going to the Land of Oz."

Oh, what's the hurry?" said Button-Bright; but she seized his arm and

dragged him away to the park, where the others were waiting.

Trot climbed upon the back of her old friend, the Ork leader, and the others

took their seats on the backs of his three cousins. As soon as all were placed

and clinging to the skinny necks of the creatures, the revolving tails began to

whirl and up rose the four monster Orks and sailed away toward the

The Scarecrow of Oz