They spent the evening telling stories, and the next morning left the
splendid tin castle and set out upon the road to the Emerald City. The
Tin Woodman went with them, of course, having by this time been so
brightly polished that he sparkled like silver. His axe, which he always
carried with him, had a steel blade that was tin plated and a handle
covered with tin plate beautifully engraved and set with diamonds.

The Winkies assembled before the castle gates and cheered their Emperor
as he marched away, and it was easy to see that they all loved him
dearly.

[Illustration]

Visiting the Pumpkin-Field

[Illustration]

Dorothy let Button-Bright wind up the clock-work in the copper man this
morning--his thinking machine first, then his speech, and finally his
action; so he would doubtless run perfectly until they had reached the
Emerald City. The copper man and the tin man were good friends, and not
so much alike as you might think. For one was alive and the other moved
by means of machinery; one was tall and angular and the other short and
round. You could love the Tin Woodman because he had a fine nature,
kindly and simple; but the machine man you could only admire without
loving, since to love such a thing as he was as impossible as to love a
sewing-machine or an automobile. Yet Tik-tok was popular with the people
of Oz because he was so trustworthy, reliable and true; he was sure to
do exactly what he was wound up to do, at all times and in all
circumstances. Perhaps it is better to be a machine that does its duty
than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is better
than a live falsehood.

About noon the travelers reached a large field of pumpkins--a vegetable
quite appropriate to the yellow country of the Winkies--and some of the
pumpkins which grew there were of remarkable size. Just before they
entered upon this field they saw three little mounds that looked like
graves, with a pretty headstone to each one of them.

[Illustration]

"What is this?" asked Dorothy, in wonder.

"It's Jack Pumpkinhead's private graveyard," replied the Tin Woodman.

"But I thought nobody ever died in Oz," she said.

"Nor do they; although if one is bad, he may be condemned and killed by
the good citizens," he answered.

Dorothy ran over to the little graves and read the words engraved upon
the tombstones. The first one said:

Here Lies the Mortal Part of
JACK PUMPKINHEAD