d, and everyone was gasping with
astonishment.

The oldest Prince, as usual, was the first to recover. "Don't stand
staring like an idiot! Now's your chance!" he hissed angrily in the
Gheewizard's ear.

"I didn't come here to be harried and hurried by foreigners," sobbed
the little man. "How is one to work magic when interrupted every
other minute? I want my little dragon."

"Oh, come on now, just throw it. I'll get you another dragon," begged
the Prince, his hands trembling with excitement.

In the face of this new disaster, the Scarecrow had forgotten all
about the Gheewizard. He and the Cowardly Lion and Sir Hokus were
running distractedly around the great throne trying to think up a way
to rescue Dorothy. As for the Doubtful Dromedary, he was doubting
everything in a loud, bitter voice, while the Comfortable Camel
fairly snorted with sorrow.

"There! Now's your chance," whispered the Prince. The Scarecrow, with
his back to the crowd, was gesturing frantically.

Taking a firm hold on the neck of the vase and with a long
incantation which there is no use at all in repeating, the Gheewizard
flung the bottle straight at the Scarecrow's head. But scarcely had
it left his hand before there was a flash and a flutter and down came
Dorothy and the magic parasol right on top of the vase.

Zip! The vase flew in quite another direction, and next minute had
burst over the luckless heads of the three plotting Princes, while
Dorothy floated gently to earth.

Sir Hokus embraced the Scarecrow, and the Scarecrow hugged the
Cowardly Lion, and I don't wonder at all. For no sooner had the magic
elixir touched the Princes, than two of them became silver pigs and
the eldest a weasel. They had been turned to their true shapes
instead of the Scarecrow. And while the company hopped about in
alarm, they ran squealing from the hall and disappeared in the
gardens.

"Seize the Gheewizard and take him to his cave," ordered the
Scarecrow, asserting his authority for the first time since the
proceedings has started. He had noticed the old man making queer
signs and passes toward Sir Hokus. A dozen took hold of the
struggling Gheewizard and hurried him out of the hall.

Sir Hokus, at the request of the Scarecrow, clapped his iron
gauntlets for silence.

"You will agree with me, I'm sure," said the Scarecrow in a slightly
unsteady voice, "that magic is a serious matter to meddle with. If
you will all return quietly to your homes, I wi