ways joy
and happiness."

They were indeed sorry to part with their dainty and beautiful
companion and assured her of their devotion if they ever chanced to
meet again. She shook hands with the Scarecrow and the Tin Men and
kissed Woot the Wanderer lightly upon his forehead.

And then the rain suddenly ceased, and as the tiny people left the
burrow of the Blue Rabbit, a glorious big Rainbow appeared in the sky
and the end of its arch slowly descended and touched the ground just
where they stood.

Woot was so busy watching a score of lovely maidens--sisters of
Polychrome--who were leaning over the edge of the bow, and another
score who danced gaily amid the radiance of the splendid hues, that he
did not notice he was growing big again. But now Polychrome joined her
sisters on the Rainbow and the huge arch lifted and slowly melted away
as the sun burst from the clouds and sent its own white beams dancing
over the meadows.

"Why, she's gone!" exclaimed the boy, and turned to see his companions
still waving their hands in token of adieu to the vanished Polychrome.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Curtain Falls

Well, the rest of the story is quickly told, for the return Journey of
our adventurers was without any important incident. The Scarecrow was
so afraid of meeting the Hip-po-gy-raf, and having his straw eaten
again, that he urged his comrades to select another route to the
Emerald City, and they willingly consented, so that the Invisible
Country was wholly avoided.

Of course, when they reached the Emerald City their first duty was to
visit Ozma's palace, where they were royally entertained. The Tin
Soldier and Woot the Wanderer were welcomed as warmly as any strangers
might be who had been the traveling companions of Ozma's dear old
friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.

At the banquet table that evening they related the manner in which they
had discovered Nimmie Amee, and told how they had found her happily
married to Chopfyt, whose relationship to Nick Chopper and Captain
Fyter was so bewildering that they asked Ozma's advice what to do about
it.

"You need not consider Chopfyt at all," replied the beautiful girl
Ruler of Oz. "If Nimmie Amee is content with that misfit man for a
husband, we have not even just cause to blame Ku-Klip for gluing him
together."

"I think it was a very good idea," added little Dorothy, "for if
Ku-Klip hadn't used up your castoff parts, they would have been wasted.