ends, for the answer will surely come,
and by writing to me you more than repay me for the pleasant task of
preparing these books. Besides, I am proud to acknowledge that the
books are partly yours, for your suggestions often guide me in telling
the stories, and I am sure they would not be half so good without your
clever and thoughtful assistance.

L. FRANK BAUM

Coronado, 1908.

1. The Earthquake

The train from 'Frisco was very late. It should have arrived at
Hugson's Siding at midnight, but it was already five o'clock and the
gray dawn was breaking in the east when the little train slowly rumbled
up to the open shed that served for the station-house. As it came to a
stop the conductor called out in a loud voice:

"Hugson's Siding!"

At once a little girl rose from her seat and walked to the door of the
car, carrying a wicker suit-case in one hand and a round bird-cage
covered up with newspapers in the other, while a parasol was tucked
under her arm. The conductor helped her off the car and then the
engineer started his train again, so that it puffed and groaned and
moved slowly away up the track. The reason he was so late was because
all through the night there were times when the solid earth shook and
trembled under him, and the engineer was afraid that at any moment the
rails might spread apart and an accident happen to his passengers. So
he moved the cars slowly and with caution.

The little girl stood still to watch until the train had disappeared
around a curve; then she turned to see where she was.

The shed at Hugson's Siding was bare save for an old wooden bench, and
did not look very inviting. As she peered through the soft gray light
not a house of any sort was visible near the station, nor was any
person in sight; but after a while the child discovered a horse and
buggy standing near a group of trees a short distance away. She walked
toward it and found the horse tied to a tree and standing motionless,
with its head hanging down almost to the ground. It was a big horse,
tall and bony, with long legs and large knees and feet. She could
count his ribs easily where they showed through the skin of his body,
and his head was long and seemed altogether too big for him, as if it
did not fit. His tail was short and scraggly, and his harness had been
broken in many places and fastened together again with cords and bits
of wire. The buggy seemed almost new, for it had a shiny top and