ands was sailing towards the clouds. The Scarecrow, as you must
know, weighs almost nothing, and the people shouted with glee, for
they thought him a dummy man and part of the performance. But Happy
Toko ran after the kite as fast as his fat little legs would carry
him.

"Alas, alas, I shall lose my position!" wailed Happy Toko, quite
convinced that the Scarecrow would be dashed to pieces on the rocks.
"Oh, putty head that I am to set myself against the Grand Chew Chew!"

The Scarecrow, however, after recovering from the first shock, began
to enjoy himself. Holding fast to the dragon's tail, he looked down
with great interest upon his dominions. Rocks, mountains, tall silver
pagodas, drooping willow trees, flashed beneath him. Truly a
beautiful island! His gaze strayed over the silver waters surrounding
the island, and he was astonished to see a great fleet sailing into
the harbor--a great fleet of singular vessels with silken sails.

"What's this?" thought the Scarecrow. But just then the dragon kite
became suddenly possessed. It jerked him up, it jerked him down, and
shook him this way and that. His hat flew off, his arms and legs
whirled wildly, and pieces of straw began to float downward. Then the
hook ripped and tore through his coat and, making a terrible slit in
his back, came out. Down, down, down flashed the Scarecrow and landed
in a heap on the rocks. Poor Happy Toko rushed toward him with
streaming eyes.

"Oh radiant and immortal Scarecrowcus, what have they done to you?"
he moaned, dropping on his knees beside the flimsy shape of the
Emperor.

"Merely knocked out my honorable stuffing," mumbled the Scarecrow.
"Now Tappy, my dear fellow, will you just turn me over? There's a
rock in my eye that keeps me from thinking."

Happy Toko, at the sound of a voice from the rumpled heap of
clothing, gave a great leap.

"Is there any straw about?" asked the Scarecrow anxiously. "Why don't
you turn me over?"

"It's his ghost," moaned Happy Toko, and because he dared not disobey
a royal ghost, he turned the Scarecrow over with trembling hands.

"Don't be alarmed," said the Scarecrow, smiling reassuringly. "I'm
not breakable like you meat people. A little straw will make me good
as new. A little straw--straw, do you hear?" For Happy's pigtail was
still on end, and he was shaking so that his silver shoes clattered
on the rocks.

"I command you to fetch straw!" cried the Scarecrow at last, in an
angry voice. Ha