u
do?"

"I'm not feeling well," said the Scarecrow, with a smile, "for it is
very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows."

"Can't you get down?" asked Dorothy.

"No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away
the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you."

Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole, for,
being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.

"Thank you very much," said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down on
the ground. "I feel like a new man."

Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed man
speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside her.

"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow when he had stretched himself and
yawned. "And where are you going?"

"My name is Dorothy," said the girl, "and I am going to the Emerald
City, to ask the Great Oz to send me back to Kansas."

"Where is the Emerald City?" he inquired. "And who is Oz?"

"Why, don't you know?" she returned, in surprise.

"No, indeed. I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have
no brains at all," he answered sadly.

"Oh," said Dorothy, "I'm awfully sorry for you."

"Do you think," he asked, "if I go to the Emerald City with you, that
Oz would give me some brains?"

"I cannot tell," she returned, "but you may come with me, if you like.
If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you
are now."

"That is true," said the Scarecrow. "You see," he continued
confidentially, "I don't mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed,
because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin
into me, it doesn't matter, for I can't feel it. But I do not want
people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw
instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?"

"I understand how you feel," said the little girl, who was truly sorry
for him. "If you will come with me I'll ask Oz to do all he can for
you."

"Thank you," he answered gratefully.

They walked back to the road. Dorothy helped him over the fence, and
they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald City.

Toto did not like this addition to the party at first. He smelled
around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of rats
in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the
Scarecrow.

"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy to her new friend. "He never bites."

"Oh, I'm