n will do anything we ask him, for he's one of my dearest
friends. I believe we can take a crosscut into his country and so get to
his castle a day sooner than if we travel back the way we came."

"I think so, too," said the girl; "and that means we must keep to the
left."

They were obliged to go down the mountain before they found any path
that led in the direction they wanted to go, but among the tumbled rocks
at the foot of the mountain was a faint trail which they decided to
follow. Two or three hours' walk along this trail brought them to a
clear, level country, where there were a few farms and some scattered
houses. But they knew they were still in the Country of the Quadlings,
because everything had a bright red color. Not that the trees and
grasses were red, but the fences and houses were painted that color and
all the wild-flowers that bloomed by the wayside had red blossoms. This
part of the Quadling Country seemed peaceful and prosperous, if rather
lonely, and the road was now more distinct and easier to follow.

But just as they were congratulating themselves upon the progress they
had made they came upon a broad river which swept along between high
banks, and here the road ended and there was no bridge of any sort to
allow them to cross.

"This is queer," mused Dorothy, looking at the water reflectively. "Why
should there be any road, if the river stops everyone walking along it?"

"Wow!" said Toto, gazing earnestly into her face.

"That's the best answer you'll get," declared the Scarecrow, with his
comical smile, "for no one knows any more than Toto about this road."

Said Scraps:

"Ev'ry time I see a river,
I have chills that make me shiver,
For I never can forget
All the water's very wet.
If my patches get a soak
It will be a sorry joke;
So to swim I'll never try
Till I find the water dry."

"Try to control yourself, Scraps," said Ojo; "you're getting crazy
again. No one intends to swim that river."

"No," decided Dorothy, "we couldn't swim it if we tried. It's too big a
river, and the water moves awful fast."

"There ought to be a ferryman with a boat," said the Scarecrow; "but I
don't see any."

"Couldn't we make a raft?" suggested Ojo.

"There's nothing to make one of," answered Dorothy.

"Wow!" said Toto again, and Dorothy saw he was looking along the bank of
the river.

"Why, he sees a house over there!" cried the little girl. "I wonder we
did