s traveling companions. The first
leaf he cut down released Scraps, and on seeing her the Shaggy Man threw
back his shaggy head, opened wide his mouth and laughed so shaggily and
yet so merrily, that Scraps liked him at once. Then he took off his hat
and made her a low bow, saying:

"My dear, you're a wonder. I must introduce you to my friend the
Scarecrow."

When he cut down the second leaf he rescued the Glass Cat, and Bungle
was so frightened that she scampered away like a streak and soon had
joined Ojo, when she sat beside him panting and trembling. The last
plant of all the row had captured the Woozy, and a big bunch in the
center of the curled leaf showed plainly where he was. With his sharp
knife the Shaggy Man sliced off the stem of the leaf and as it fell and
unfolded out trotted the Woozy and escaped beyond the reach of any more
of the dangerous plants.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

A GOOD FRIEND

CHAP. 11.

[Illustration]

Soon the entire party was gathered on the road of yellow bricks, quite
beyond the reach of the beautiful but treacherous plants. The Shaggy
Man, staring first at one and then at the other, seemed greatly pleased
and interested.

"I've seen queer things since I came to the Land of Oz," said he, "but
never anything queerer than this band of adventurers. Let us sit down a
while, and have a talk and get acquainted."

"Haven't you always lived in the Land of Oz?" asked the Munchkin boy.

"No; I used to live in the big, outside world. But I came here once with
Dorothy, and Ozma let me stay."

"How do you like Oz?" asked Scraps. "Isn't the country and the climate
grand?"

"It's the finest country in all the world, even if it is a fairyland,
and I'm happy every minute I live in it," said the Shaggy Man. "But tell
me something about yourselves."

So Ojo related the story of his visit to the house of the Crooked
Magician, and how he met there the Glass Cat, and how the Patchwork Girl
was brought to life and of the terrible accident to Unc Nunkie and
Margolotte. Then he told how he had set out to find the five different
things which the Magician needed to make a charm that would restore the
marble figures to life, one requirement being three hairs from a Woozy's
tail.

"We found the Woozy," explained the boy, "and he agreed to give us the
three hairs; but we couldn't pull them out. So we had to bring the Woozy
along with us."

"I see," returned the Shaggy Man,