, however, the adventurers seemed to be perfectly safe.
Dorothy and the buggy had floated slowly down stream with the current of
the water, and the others made haste to join her. The Wizard opened his
satchel and got out some sticking-plaster with which he mended the cuts
Jim had received from the claws of the bears.

"I think we'd better stick to the river, after this," said Dorothy. "If
our unknown friend hadn't warned us, and told us what to do, we would
all be dead by this time."

"That is true," agreed the Wizard, "and as the river seems to be flowing
in the direction of the Pyramid Mountain it will be the easiest way for
us to travel."

Zeb hitched Jim to the buggy again, and the horse trotted along and drew
them rapidly over the smooth water. The kitten was at first dreadfully
afraid of getting wet, but Dorothy let her down and soon Eureka was
frisking along beside the buggy without being scared a bit. Once a
little fish swam too near the surface, and the kitten grabbed it in her
mouth and ate it up as quick as a wink; but Dorothy cautioned her to be
careful what she ate in this valley of enchantments, and no more fishes
were careless enough to swim within reach.

After a journey of several hours they came to a point where the river
curved, and they found they must cross a mile or so of the Valley before
they came to the Pyramid Mountain. There were few houses in this part,
and few orchards or flowers; so our friends feared they might encounter
more of the savage bears, which they had learned to dread with all their
hearts.

"You'll have to make a dash, Jim," said the Wizard, "and run as fast as
you can go."

"All right," answered the horse; "I'll do my best. But you must remember
I'm old, and my dashing days are past and gone."

All three got into the buggy and Zeb picked up the reins, though Jim
needed no guidance of any sort. The horse was still smarting from the
sharp claws of the invisible bears, and as soon as he was on land and
headed toward the mountain the thought that more of those fearsome
creatures might be near acted as a spur and sent him galloping along in
a way that made Dorothy catch her breath.

Then Zeb, in a spirit of mischief, uttered a growl like that of the
bears, and Jim pricked up his ears and fairly flew. His boney legs moved
so fast they could scarcely be seen, and the Wizard clung fast to the
seat and yelled "Whoa!" at the top of his voice.

"I--I'm 'fraid he's--he's running