e pretty green girl good-bye, and
they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers, who had
walked with them as far as the gate. When the Guardian of the Gate saw
them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City
to get into new trouble. But he at once unlocked their spectacles,
which he put back into the green box, and gave them many good wishes to
carry with them.

"You are now our ruler," he said to the Scarecrow; "so you must come
back to us as soon as possible."

"I certainly shall if I am able," the Scarecrow replied; "but I must
help Dorothy to get home, first."

As Dorothy bade the good-natured Guardian a last farewell she said:

"I have been very kindly treated in your lovely City, and everyone has
been good to me. I cannot tell you how grateful I am."

"Don't try, my dear," he answered. "We should like to keep you with
us, but if it is your wish to return to Kansas, I hope you will find a
way." He then opened the gate of the outer wall, and they walked forth
and started upon their journey.

The sun shone brightly as our friends turned their faces toward the
Land of the South. They were all in the best of spirits, and laughed
and chatted together. Dorothy was once more filled with the hope of
getting home, and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were glad to be of
use to her. As for the Lion, he sniffed the fresh air with delight and
whisked his tail from side to side in pure joy at being in the country
again, while Toto ran around them and chased the moths and butterflies,
barking merrily all the time.

"City life does not agree with me at all," remarked the Lion, as they
walked along at a brisk pace. "I have lost much flesh since I lived
there, and now I am anxious for a chance to show the other beasts how
courageous I have grown."

They now turned and took a last look at the Emerald City. All they
could see was a mass of towers and steeples behind the green walls, and
high up above everything the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz.

"Oz was not such a bad Wizard, after all," said the Tin Woodman, as he
felt his heart rattling around in his breast.

"He knew how to give me brains, and very good brains, too," said the
Scarecrow.

"If Oz had taken a dose of the same courage he gave me," added the
Lion, "he would have been a brave man."

Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not kept the promise he made her, but he
had done his best, so she forgave him. As he s