t toward the Scarecrow, but
the Tin Woodman and the Tin Soldier both sprang in front of their friend
and flourished their weapons.

"Keep off!" said the Tin Woodman, warningly, "or I'll chop you with my
axe."

"Keep off!" said the Tin Soldier, "or I'll cut you with my sword."

"Would you really do that?" asked the Hip-po-gy-raf, in a disappointed
voice.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

"We would," they both replied, and the Tin Woodman added: "The Scarecrow
is our friend, and he would be useless without his straw stuffing. So,
as we are comrades, faithful and true, we will defend our friend's
stuffing against all enemies."

The Hip-po-gy-raf sat down and looked at them sorrowfully.

"When one has made up his mind to have a meal of delicious straw, and
then finds he can't have it, it is certainly hard luck," he said. "And
what good is the straw man to you, or to himself, when the ditch keeps
you from going any further?"

"Well, we can go back again," suggested Woot.

"True," said the Hip-po; "and if you do, you'll be as disappointed as I
am. That's some comfort, anyhow."

The travelers looked at the beast, and then they looked across the ditch
at the level plain beyond. On the other side the grass had grown tall,
and the sun had dried it, so there was a fine crop of hay that only
needed to be cut and stacked.

"Why don't you cross over and eat hay?" the boy asked the beast.

"I'm not fond of hay," replied the Hip-po-gy-raf; "straw is much more
delicious, to my notion, and it's more scarce in this neighborhood, too.
Also I must confess that I can't get across the ditch, for my body is
too heavy and clumsy for me to jump the distance. I can stretch my neck
across, though, and you will notice that I've nibbled the hay on the
farther edge--not because I liked it, but because one must eat, and if
one can't get the sort of food he desires, he must take what is offered
or go hungry."

"Ah, I see you are a philosopher," remarked the Scarecrow.

"No, I'm just a Hip-po-gy-raf," was the reply.

Polychrome was not afraid of the big beast. She danced close to him and
said:

"If you can stretch your neck across the ditch, why not help us over? We
can sit on your big head, one at a time, and then you can lift us
across."

"Yes; I _can_, it is true," answered the Hip-po; "but I refuse to do it.
Unless--" he added, and stopped short.

"Unless what?" asked Polychrome.

"Unless you first allow me to eat the stra