ndered how he managed to do so
many things with such a twisted body. When he sat down upon a crooked
chair that had been made to fit him, one knee was under his chin and
the other near the small of his back; but he was a cheerful man and his
face bore a pleasant and agreeable expression.

"I am not allowed to perform magic, except for my own amusement," he
told his visitors, as he lighted a pipe with a crooked stem and began
to smoke. "Too many people were working magic in the Land of Oz, and so
our lovely Princess Ozma put a stop to it. I think she was quite right.
There were several wicked Witches who caused a lot of trouble; but now
they are all out of business and only the great Sorceress, Glinda the
Good, is permitted to practice her arts, which never harm anybody. The
Wizard of Oz, who used to be a humbug and knew no magic at all, has
been taking lessons of Glinda, and I'm told he is getting to be a
pretty good Wizard; but he is merely the assistant of the great
Sorceress. I've the right to make a servant girl for my wife, you know,
or a Glass Cat to catch our mice--which she refuses to do--but I am
forbidden to work magic for others, or to use it as a profession."

"Magic must be a very interesting study," said Ojo.

"It truly is," asserted the Magician. "In my time I've performed some
magical feats that were worthy of the skill of Glinda the Good. For
instance, there's the Powder of Life, and my Liquid of Petrifaction,
which is contained in that bottle on the shelf yonder--over the window."

"What does the Liquid of Petrifaction do?" inquired the boy.

"Turns everything it touches to solid marble. It's an invention of my
own, and I find it very useful. Once two of those dreadful Kalidahs,
with bodies like bears and heads like tigers, came here from the forest
to attack us; but I sprinkled some of that Liquid on them and instantly
they turned to marble. I now use them as ornamental statuary in my
garden. This table looks to you like wood, and once it really was wood;
but I sprinkled a few drops of the Liquid of Petrifaction on it and now
it is marble. It will never break nor wear out."

"Fine!" said Unc Nunkie, wagging his head and stroking his long gray
beard.

"Dear me; what a chatterbox you're getting to be, Unc," remarked the
Magician, who was pleased with the compliment. But just then there came
a scratching at the back door and a shrill voice cried:

"Let me in! Hurry up, can't you? Let me in!"

M