said the small ferryman, slapping each button head in turn,
but not hard enough to hurt them. Then he turned to Dorothy and asked:
"Do you wish to cross over the lake?"

"Why, I'd like to," she answered, hesitating; "but I can't see how you
will manage to carry us, without any boat."

"If you can't see, you mustn't see," he answered with a laugh. "All you
need do is shut your eyes, say the word, and--over you go!"

Dorothy wanted to get across, in order that she might continue her
journey.

"All right," she said, closing her eyes; "I'm ready."

Instantly she was seized in a pair of strong arms--arms so big and
powerful that she was startled and cried out in fear.

"Silence!" roared a great voice, and the girl opened her eyes to find
that the tiny man had suddenly grown to a giant and was holding both her
and Toto in a tight embrace while in one step he spanned the lake and
reached the other shore.

Dorothy became frightened, then, especially as the giant did not stop
but continued tramping in great steps over the wooded hills, crushing
bushes and trees beneath his broad feet. She struggled in vain to free
herself, while Toto whined and trembled beside her, for the little dog
was frightened, too.

"Stop!" screamed the girl. "Let me down!" But the giant paid no
attention. "Who are you, and where are you taking me?" she continued;
but the giant said not a word. Close to Dorothy's ear, however, a voice
answered her, saying: "This is the terrible Crinklink, and he has you in
his power."

Dorothy managed to twist her head around and found it was the second
button on the jacket--the wolf's head--which had spoken to her.

"What will Crinklink do with me?" she asked anxiously.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

"No one knows. You must wait and see," replied the wolf.

"Some of his captives he whips," squeaked the weasel's head.

"Some he transforms into bugs and other things," growled the bear's
head.

"Some he enchants, so that they become doorknobs," sighed the cat's
head.

"Some he makes his slaves--even as we are--and that is the most dreadful
fate of all," added the field-mouse. "As long as Crinklink exists we
shall remain buttons, but as there are no more buttonholes on his jacket
he will probably make you a slave."

[Illustration]

Dorothy began to wish she had not met Crinklink. Meantime, the giant
took such big steps that he soon reached the heart of the hills,
where, perched upon the highest pe