little
Button-Bright, they seem to have brought a new element of fun into these
Oz stories, and I am glad I discovered them. Yet I am anxious to have
you write and tell me how you like them.

Since this book was written I have received some very remarkable news
from The Land of Oz, which has greatly astonished me. I believe it will
astonish you, too, my dears, when you hear it. But it is such a long and
exciting story that it must be saved for another book--and perhaps that
book will be the last story that will ever be told about the Land of Oz.

L FRANK BAUM.

_Coronado, 1909._

[Illustration]

LIST OF CHAPTERS

1 THE WAY TO BUTTERFIELD

2 DOROTHY MEETS BUTTON-BRIGHT

3 A QUEER VILLAGE

4 KING DOX

5 THE RAINBOW'S DAUGHTER

6 THE CITY OF BEASTS

7 THE SHAGGY MAN'S TRANSFORMATION

8 THE MUSICKER

9 FACING THE SCOODLERS

10 ESCAPING THE SOUP-KETTLE

11 JOHNNY DOIT DOES IT

12 THE DEADLY DESERT CROSSED

13 THE TRUTH POND

14 TIK-TOK AND BILLINA

15 THE EMPEROR'S TIN CASTLE

16 VISITING THE PUMPKIN FIELD

17 THE ROYAL CHARIOT ARRIVES

18 THE EMERALD CITY

19 THE SHAGGY MAN'S WELCOME

20 PRINCESS OZMA OF OZ

21 DOROTHY RECEIVES THE GUESTS

22 IMPORTANT ARRIVALS

23 THE GRAND BANQUET

24 THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

[Illustration]

The Way to Butterfield

[Illustration]

"Please, miss," said the shaggy man, "can you tell me the road to
Butterfield?"

Dorothy looked him over. Yes, he was shaggy, all right; but there was a
twinkle in his eye that seemed pleasant.

"Oh, yes," she replied; "I can tell you. But it isn't this road at all."

"No?"

"You cross the ten-acre lot, follow the lane to the highway, go north to
the five branches, and take--let me see--"

"To be sure, miss; see as far as Butterfield, if you like," said the
shaggy man.

"You take the branch next the willow stump, I b'lieve; or else the
branch by the gopher holes; or else----"

"Won't any of 'em do, miss?"

"'Course not, Shaggy Man. You must take the right road to get to
Butterfield."

"And is that the one by the gopher stump, or----"

"Dear me!" cried Dorothy; "I shall have to show you the way; you're so
stupid. Wait a minute till I run in the house and get my sunbonnet."

The shaggy man waited. He had an oat-straw in his mouth, which he chewed
slowly as if it tasted good; but it didn't. There was an apple-tree
beside the house, and some apples had fallen to the ground. The shagg