ittle ones
would never be found in time to save them from starving.

So the Princess sent a message to Jack Pumpkinhead and asked him to come
to the palace. This personage, one of the queerest of the queer
inhabitants of Oz, was an old friend and companion of Ozma. His form was
made of rough sticks fitted together and dressed in ordinary clothes.
His head was a pumpkin with a face carved upon it, and was set on top a
sharp stake which formed his neck.

Jack was active, good-natured and a general favorite; but his pumpkin
head was likely to spoil with age, so in order to secure a good supply
of heads he grew a big field of pumpkins and lived in the middle of it,
his house being a huge pumpkin hollowed out. Whenever he needed a new
head he picked a pumpkin, carved a face on it and stuck it upon the
stake of his neck, throwing away the old head as of no further use.

The day Ozma sent for him Jack was in prime condition and was glad to be
of service in rescuing the lost children. Ozma made him a map, showing
just where the forest was and how to get to it and the paths he must
take to reach the little ones. Then she said:

[Illustration]

"You'd better ride the Sawhorse, for he is swift and intelligent and
will help you accomplish your task."

"All right," answered Jack, and went to the royal stable to tell the
Sawhorse to be ready for the trip.

This remarkable animal was not unlike Jack Pumpkinhead in form, although
so different in shape. Its body was a log, with four sticks stuck into
it for legs. A branch at one end of the log served as a tail, while in
the other end was chopped a gash that formed a mouth. Above this were
two small knots that did nicely for eyes. The Sawhorse was the favorite
steed of Ozma and to prevent its wooden legs from wearing out she had
them shod with plates of gold.

Jack said "Good morning" to the Sawhorse and placed upon the creature's
back a saddle of purple leather, studded with jewels.

"Where now?" asked the horse, blinking its knot eyes at Jack.

"We're going to rescue two babes in the wood," was the reply. Then he
climbed into the saddle and the wooden animal pranced out of the stable,
through the streets of the Emerald City and out upon the highway leading
to the western forest where the children were lost.

Small though he was, the Sawhorse was swift and untiring. By nightfall
they were in the far west and quite close to the forest they sought.
They passed the night stand