ly when suddenly he gave a start and a
neigh of terror and stood trembling like a leaf. For around the corner
had come two enormous savage beasts, treading so lightly that they were
upon him before he was aware of their presence. Jim was in the act of
plunging down the path to escape when the Sawhorse cried out:

"Stop, my brother! Stop, Real Horse! These are friends, and will do you
no harm."

Jim hesitated, eyeing the beasts fearfully. One was an enormous Lion
with clear, intelligent eyes, a tawney mane bushy and well kept, and a
body like yellow plush. The other was a great Tiger with purple stripes
around his lithe body, powerful limbs, and eyes that showed through the
half closed lids like coals of fire. The huge forms of these monarchs of
the forest and jungle were enough to strike terror to the stoutest
heart, and it is no wonder Jim was afraid to face them.

But the Sawhorse introduced the stranger in a calm tone, saying,

"This, noble Horse, is my friend the Cowardly Lion, who is the valiant
King of the Forest, but at the same time a faithful vassal of Princess
Ozma. And this is the Hungry Tiger, the terror of the jungle, who longs
to devour fat babies but is prevented by his conscience from doing so.
These royal beasts are both warm friends of little Dorothy and have come
to the Emerald City this morning to welcome her to our fairyland."

Hearing these words Jim resolved to conquer his alarm. He bowed his head
with as much dignity as he could muster toward the savage looking
beasts, who in return nodded in a friendly way.

"Is not the Real Horse a beautiful animal?" asked the Sawhorse
admiringly.

"That is doubtless a matter of taste," returned the Lion. "In the forest
he would be thought ungainly, because his face is stretched out and his
neck is uselessly long. His joints, I notice, are swollen and overgrown,
and he lacks flesh and is old in years."

"And dreadfully tough," added the Hungry Tiger, in a sad voice. "My
conscience would never permit me to eat so tough a morsel as the Real
Horse."

"I'm glad of that," said Jim; "for I, also, have a conscience, and it
tells me not to crush in your skull with a blow of my powerful hoof."

If he thought to frighten the striped beast by such language he was
mistaken. The Tiger seemed to smile, and winked one eye slowly.

"You have a good conscience, friend Horse," it said, "and if you attend
to its teachings it will do much to protect you from harm. Some