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I'm doing that myself," said Pon, a little ungraciously. "If you will pardon me

for saying so, I don't see how a Scarecrow with painted eyes can look after

anyone."

If you don't see that, you are more blind than the Scarecrow," asserted Trot.

He's a fairy man, Pon, and comes from the fairyland of Oz, so he can do 'most

anything. I hope," she added, turning to the Scarecrow, "you can find Cap'n

Bill for me."

I will try, anyhow," he promised. "But who is that old woman who is running

toward us and shaking her stick at us?"

Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an exclamation of fear. The next

instant they took to their heels and ran fast up the path. For it was old

Blinkie, the Wicked Witch, who had at last traced them to this place. Her

anger was so great that she was determined not to abandon the chase of Pon

and Trot until she had caught and punished them. The Scarecrow understood

at once that the old woman meant harm to his new friends, so as she drew

near he stepped before her. His appearance was so sudden and unexpected

that Blinkie ran into him and toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw

body and went rolling in the path beside him.

The Scarecrow sat up and said: "I beg your pardon!" but she whacked him

with her stick and knocked him flat again. Then, furious with rage, the old

witch sprang upon her victim and began pulling the straw out of his body. The

poor Scarecrow was helpless to resist and in a few moments all that was left of

him was an empty suit of clothes and a heap of straw beside it. Fortunately,

Blinkie did not harm his head, for it rolled into a little hollow and escaped her

notice. Fearing that Pon and Trot would escape her, she quickly resumed the

chase and disappeared over the brow of a hill, following the direction in which

she had seen them go.

Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper with a wooden leg came

hopping along and lit directly on the upturned face of the Scarecrow's head.

Pardon me, but you are resting yourself upon my nose," remarked the

Scarecrow.

Oh! are you alive?" asked the grasshopper.

That is a question I have never been able to decide," said the Scarecrow's

head. "When my body is properly stuffed I have animation and can move

around as well as any live person. The brains in the head you are now

The Scarecrow of Oz