ashed toward the little farmhouse.

"I'll get an ax," he called over his shoulder, "and chop down the
bean pole."

"No, don't do that!" roared the Cowardly Lion, starting after him.
"Do you want to break him to pieces?"

"Oh! Oh! Can't you think of something else?" cried Dorothy. "And
hurry, or he'll be up to the moon!"

The Scarecrow put both hands to his head and stared around wildly.
Then, with a triumphant wave of his hat, declared himself ready to
act.

"The parasol!" cried the late Emperor of Silver Island. "Quick,
Dorothy, put up the parasol!"

Snatching the parasol, which lay at the foot of the bean pole,
Dorothy snapped it open, and the Scarecrow just had time to make a
flying leap and seize the handle before it soared upward, and in a
trice they, too, had disappeared.

"Doubty! Doubty!" wailed the Comfortable Camel, crowding up to his
humpbacked friend, "we're having a pack of trouble. My knees are all
a-tremble!"

"Now don't you worry," advised the Cowardly Lion, sitting down
resignedly. "I'm frightened myself, but that's because I'm so
cowardly. Queer things happen in Oz, but they usually turn out all
right. Why, Hokus is just growing up with the country, that's all,
just growing up with the country."

"Doubt that," sniffed the Doubtful Dromedary faintly. "He was grown
up in the beginning."

"But think of the Scarecrow's brains. You leave things to the
Scarecrow." But it was no use. Both beasts began to roar dismally.

"I don't want a plant. I want my Karwan Bashi," sobbed the
Comfortable Camel broken-heartedly.

"Well, don't drown me," begged the Cowardly Lion, moving out of the
way of the camel's tears. "Say, what's that draft?"

What indeed? In the trees overhead, a very cyclone whistled, and
before the three had even time to catch their breath, they were blown
high into the air and the next instant were hurtling toward the
Emerald City like three furry cannonballs, faster and faster.

CHAPTER 24

HOMEWARD BOUND TO THE EMERALD CITY

Dorothy and the Scarecrow, clinging fast to the magic parasol, had
followed the Knight almost to the clouds. At first, it looked as if
they would never catch up with him, so swiftly was the branch
growing, but it was not long before the little umbrella began to
gain, and in several minutes more they were beside Sir Hokus himself.

"Beshrew me, now!" gasped the Knight, stretching out his hand toward
Dorothy. "Can'st stop this reckless plant?"

"Giv