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but I'll limp on with the rest of you until we are out of this enchanted

territory."

They now formed a line, holding hands, and turning their faces toward

Mount Munch resumed their journey. They had not gone far, however, when

a terrible growl saluted their ears. The sound seemed to come from a place

just in front of them, so they halted abruptly and remained silent, listening

with all their ears.

I smell straw!" cried a hoarse, harsh voice, with more growls and snarls. "I

smell straw, and I'm a Hip-po-gy-raf who loves straw and eats all he can

find. I want to eat this straw! Where is it? Where is it?"

The Scarecrow, hearing this, trembled but kept silent. All the others were

silent, too, hoping that the invisible beast would be unable to find them. But

the creature sniffed the odor of the straw and drew nearer and nearer to

them until he reached the Tin Woodman, on one end of the line. It was a big

beast and it smelled of the Tin Woodman and grated two rows of enormous

teeth against the Emperor's tin body.

"Bah! that's not straw," said the harsh voice, and the beast advanced along

the line to Woot.

"Meat! Pooh, you're no good! I can't eat meat," grumbled the beast, and

passed on to Polychrome.

"Sweetmeats and perfume--cobwebs and dew! Nothing to eat in a fairy like

you," said the creature.

Now, the Scarecrow was next to Polychrome in the line, and he realized if

the beast devoured his straw he would be helpless for a long time, because

the last farmhouse was far behind them and only grass covered the vast

expanse of plain. So in his fright he let go of Polychrome's hand and put the

hand of the Tin Soldier in that of the Rainbow's Daughter. Then he slipped

back of the line and went to the other end, where he silently seized the Tin

Woodman's hand.

Meantime, the beast had smelled the Tin Soldier and found he was the last

of the line.

"That's funny!" growled the Hip-po-gy-raf; "I can smell straw, but I can't find

it. Well, it's here, somewhere, and I must hunt around until I do find it, for

I'm hungry."

The Tin Woodman of Oz