ing room of the house, and in each room was a comfortable white bed
with downy pillows. You may be sure that the tired mortals were not
long in bidding the Scarecrow good night and creeping into their beds,
where they slept soundly until morning.

For the first time since they set eyes on the terrible whirlpool, Trot
and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety and care. Button-Bright never
worried about anything. The Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked
out of the window and tried to count the stars.

Chapter Twenty-One

Dorothy, Betsy and Ozma

I suppose many of my readers have read descriptions of the beautiful
and magnificent Emerald City of Oz, so I need not describe it here,
except to state that never has any city in any fairyland ever equalled
this one in stately splendor. It lies almost exactly in the center of
the Land of Oz, and in the center of the Emerald City rises the wall of
glistening emeralds that surrounds the palace of Ozma. The palace is
almost a city in itself and is inhabited by many of the Ruler's
especial friends and those who have won her confidence and favor. As
for Ozma herself, there are no words in any dictionary I can find that
are fitted to describe this young girl's beauty of mind and person.
Merely to see her is to love her for her charming face and manners; to
know her is to love her for her tender sympathy, her generous nature,
her truth and honor. Born of a long line of Fairy Queens, Ozma is as
nearly perfect as any fairy may be, and she is noted for her wisdom as
well as for her other qualities. Her happy subjects adore their girl
Ruler and each one considers her a comrade and protector.

At the time of which I write, Ozma's best friend and most constant
companion was a little Kansas girl named Dorothy, a mortal who had come
to the Land of Oz in a very curious manner and had been offered a home
in Ozma's palace. Furthermore, Dorothy had been made a Princess of Oz,
and was as much at home in the royal palace as was the gentle Ruler.
She knew almost every part of the great country and almost all of its
numerous inhabitants. Next to Ozma she was loved better than anyone in
all Oz, for Dorothy was simple and sweet, seldom became angry and had
such a friendly, chummy way that she made friends where-ever she
wandered. It was she who first brought the Scarecrow and the Tin
Woodman and the Cowardly Lion to the Emerald City. Dorothy had also
introduced to Ozma the Shaggy Man and t