r a chair. When Ozma went away she closed
the door and left her pet on the table. At once I jumped up and told the
piglet not to make a fuss, for he would be inside of me in half a
second; but no one can teach one of these creatures to be reasonable.
Instead of keeping still, so I could eat him comfortably, he trembled so
with fear that he fell off the table into a big vase that was standing
on the floor. The vase had a very small neck, and spread out at the top
like a bowl. At first the piglet stuck in the neck of the vase and I
thought I should get him, after all, but he wriggled himself through and
fell down into the deep bottom part--and I suppose he's there yet."

All were astonished at this confession, and Ozma at once sent an officer
to her room to fetch the vase. When he returned the Princess looked down
the narrow neck of the big ornament and discovered her lost piglet, just
as Eureka had said she would.

There was no way to get the creature out without breaking the vase, so
the Tin Woodman smashed it with his axe and set the little prisoner
free.

Then the crowd cheered lustily and Dorothy hugged the kitten in her arms
and told her how delighted she was to know that she was innocent.

"But why didn't you tell us at first?" she asked.

"It would have spoiled the fun," replied the kitten, yawning.

Ozma gave the Wizard back the piglet he had so kindly allowed Nick
Chopper to substitute for the lost one, and then she carried her own
into the apartments of the palace where she lived. And now, the trial
being over, the good citizens of the Emerald City scattered to their
homes, well content with the day's amusement.

CHAPTER 20.

ZEB RETURNS TO THE RANCH

Eureka was much surprised to find herself in disgrace; but she was, in
spite of the fact that she had not eaten the piglet. For the folks of Oz
knew the kitten had tried to commit the crime, and that only an accident
had prevented her from doing so; therefore even the Hungry Tiger
preferred not to associate with her. Eureka was forbidden to wander
around the palace and was made to stay in confinement in Dorothy's room;
so she began to beg her mistress to send her to some other place where
she could enjoy herself better.

Dorothy was herself anxious to get home, so she promised Eureka they
would not stay in the Land of Oz much longer.

The next evening after the trial the little girl begged Ozma to allow
her to look in the enchanted picture, an