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began to scamper through the forest as fast as he could go, catching at a

branch with his long monkey arms and swinging his green body through

space to grasp another branch in a neighboring tree, and so on, while the

Jaguar followed him from below, his eyes fixed steadfastly on his prey. But

presently Woot got his feet tangled in the Lace Apron, which he was still

wearing, and that tripped him in his flight and made him fall to the ground,

where the Jaguar placed one huge paw upon him and said grimly:

"I've got you, now!"

The fact that the Apron had tripped him made Woot remember its magic

powers, and in his terror he cried out: "Open!" without stopping to consider

how this command might save him. But, at the word, the earth opened at

the exact spot where he lay under the Jaguar's paw, and his body sank

downward, the earth closing over it again. The last thing Woot the Monkey

saw, as he glanced upward, was the Jaguar peering into the hole in

astonishment.

He's gone!" cried the beast, with a long-drawn sigh of disappointment; "he's

gone, and now I shall have no breakfast."

The clatter of the Tin Owl's wings sounded above him, and the little Brown

Bear came trotting up and asked:

"Where is the monkey? Have you eaten him so quickly?"

"No, indeed," answered the Jaguar. "He disappeared into the earth before I

could take one bite of him!"

And now the Canary perched upon a stump, a little way from the forest

beast, and said:

"I am glad our friend has escaped you; but, as it is natural for a hungry

beast to wish his breakfast, I will try to give you one."

"Thank you," replied the Jaguar. "You're rather small for a full meal, but it's

kind of you to sacrifice yourself to my appetite."

Oh, I don't intend to be eaten, I assure you," said the Canary, "but as I am

a fairy I know something of magic, and though I am now transformed into a

bird's shape, I am sure I can conjure up a breakfast that will satisfy you."

"If you can work magic, why don't you break the enchantment you are under

and return to your proper form?" inquired the beast doubtingly.

The Tin Woodman of Oz