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"He can't drown, Trot; he's a Scarecrow."

But she wasn't sure a Scarecrow couldn't drown and never relaxed her speed

until she stood on the edge of the pool, with the spray dashing in her face.

Cap'n Bill, puffing and panting, had just voice enough to ask, as he reached

her side:

See him, Trot?"

Not a speck of him. Oh, Cap'n, what do you s'pose has become of him?"

I s'pose," replied the sailor, "that he's in that water, more or less far down,

and I'm 'fraid it'll make his straw pretty soggy. But as fer his bein' drowned, I

agree with Button-Bright that it can't be done."

There was small comfort in this assurance and Trot stood for some time

searching with her eyes the bubbling water, in the hope that the Scarecrow

would finally come to the surface. Presently she heard Button-Bright calling:

Come here, Trot!" and looking around she saw that the boy had crept over the

wet rocks to the edge of the waterfall and seemed to be peering behind it.

Making her way toward him, she asked:

What do you see?"

A cave," he answered. "Let's go in. P'r'aps we'll find the Scarecrow there."

She was a little doubtful of that, but the cave interested her, and so did it

Cap'n Bill. There was just space enough at the edge of the sheet of water for

them to crowd in behind it, but after that dangerous entrance they found

room enough to walk upright and after a time they came to an opening in the

wall of rock. Approaching this opening, they gazed within it and found a series

of steps, cut so that they might easily descend into the cavern.

Trot turned to look inquiringly at her companions. The falling water made

such din and roaring that her voice could not be heard. Cap'n Bill nodded his

head, but before he could enter the cave, Button-Bright was before him,

clambering down the steps without a particle of fear. So the others followed

the boy.

The first steps were wet with spray, and slippery, but the remainder were

quite dry. A rosy light seemed to come from the interior of the cave, and this

lighted their way. After the steps there was a short tunnel, high enough for

The Scarecrow of Oz