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standing on her head on the Woozy〃s square back。 〃His
splendid brains would soon show us how to conquer this
field of thistles。〃
〃What's the matter with your brains？〃 asked the boy。
〃Nothing；〃 she said； making a flip…flop into the
thistles and dancing among them without feeling their
sharp points。 〃I could tell you in half a minute how to
get over the thistles； if I wanted to。〃
〃Tell us； Scraps！〃 begged Dorothy。
〃I don't want to wear my brains out with overwork；〃
replied the Patchwork Girl。
〃Don't you love Ozma？ And don't you want to find
her？〃 asked Betsy reproachfully。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said Scraps； walking on her hands as
an acrobat does at the circus。
〃Well； we can't find Ozma unless we get past these
thistles；〃 declared Dorothy。
Scraps danced around them two or three
times； without reply。 Then she said：
〃Don't look at me； you stupid folks； look at those
blankets。〃
The Wizard's face brightened at once。
〃Of course！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why didn't we
think of those blankets before？〃
〃Because you haven't magic brains；〃 laughed Scraps。
〃Such brains as you have are of the common sort that
grow in your heads； like weeds in a garden。 I'm sorry
for you people who have to be born in order to be
alive。〃
But the Wizard was not listening to her。 He quickly
removed the blankets from the back of the Sawhorse and
spread one of them upon the thistles； just next to the
grass。 The thick cloth rendered the prickers harmless；
so the Wizard walked over this first blanket and spread
the second one farther on； in the direction of the
phantom city。
〃These blankets；〃 said he； 〃are for the Lion and the
Mule to walk upon。 The Sawhorse and the Woozy can walk
on the thistles。〃
So the Lion and the Mule walked over the first
blanket and stood upon the second one until the Wizard
had picked up the one they had passed over and spread
it in front of them； when they advanced to that one and
waited while the one behind them was again spread in
front。
〃This is slow work；〃 said the Wizard； 〃but it will
get us to the city after a while。〃
〃The city is a good half mile away； yet；〃 announced
Button…Bright。
〃And this is awful hard work for the Wizard；〃 added
Trot。
〃Why couldn't the Lion ride on the Woozy's back？〃
asked Dorothy。 〃It's a big； flat back； and the Woozy's
mighty strong。 Perhaps the Lion wouldn't fall off。〃
〃You may try it； if you like；〃 said the Woozy to the
Lion。 〃I can take you to the city in a jiffy and then
come back for Hank。〃
〃I'm I'm afraid；〃 said the Cowardly Lion。 He was
twice as big as the Woozy。
〃Try it；〃 pleaded Dorothy。
〃And take a tumble among the thistles？〃 asked the
Lion reproachfully。 But when the Woozy came close to
him the big beast suddenly bounded upon its back and
managed to balance himself there； although forced to
hold his four legs so close together that he was in
danger of toppling over。 The great weight of the
monster Lion did not seem to affect the Woozy； who
called to his rider： 〃Hold on tight！〃 and ran swiftly
over the thistles toward the city。
The others stood on the blankets and watched the
strange sight anxiously。 Of course the Lion couldn't
〃hold on tight〃 because there was nothing to hold to；
and he swayed from side to side as if likely to fall
off any moment。 Still； he managed to stick to the
Woozy's back until they were close to the walls of the
city； when he leaped to the ground。 Next moment the
Woozy came dashing back at full speed。
〃There's a little strip of ground next to the wall
where there are no thistles；〃 he told them； when he had
reached the adventurers once more。 〃Now； then； friend
Hank； see if you can ride as well as the Lion did。〃
〃Take the others first；〃 proposed the Mule。 So the
Sawhorse and the Woozy made a couple of trips over the
thistles to the city walls and carried all the people
in safety； Dorothy holding little Toto in her arms。 The
travelers then sat in a group on a little hillock； just
outside the wall； and looked at the great blocks of
gray stone and waited for the Woozy to bring Hank to
them。 The Mule was very awkward and his legs trembled
so badly that more than once they thought he would
tumble off； but finally he reached them in safety and
the entire party was now reunited。 More than that； they
had reached the city that had eluded them for so long
and in so strange a manner。
〃The gates must be around the other side；〃 said the
Wizard。 〃Let us follow the curve of the wall until we
reach an opening in it。〃
〃Which way？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃We must guess at that；〃 he replied。 〃Suppose we go
to the left？ One direction is as good as another。〃
They formed in marching order and went around the
city wall to the left。 It wasn't a big city； as I have
said； but to go way around it； outside the high wall；
was quite a walk； as they became aware。 But around it
our adventurers went； without finding any sign of a
gateway or other opening。 When they had returned to the
little mound from which they had started； they
dismounted from the animals and again seated themselves
on the grassy mound。
〃It's mighty queer； isn't it？〃 asked Button…Bright。
〃There must be some way for the people to get out and
in；' declared Dorothy。 〃Do you s'pose they have flying
machines； Wizard？〃
〃No；〃 he replied； 〃for in that case they would be
flying all over the Land of Oz； and we know they have
not done that。 Flying machines are unknown here。 I
think it more likely that the people use ladders to get
over the walls。〃
〃It would be an awful climb； over that high stone
wall；〃 said Betsy。
〃Stone； is it？〃 cried Scraps； who was again dancing
wildly around； for she never tired and could never keep
still for long。
〃Course it's stone；〃 answered Betsy scornfully。
〃Can't you see？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Scraps； going closer； 〃I can see the
wall； but I can't feel it。〃 And then； with her arms
outstretched； she did a very queer thing。 She walked
right into the wall and disappeared。
〃For goodness sake！〃 cried Dorothy amazed； as indeed
they all were。
Chapter Nine
The High Coco…Lorum of Thi
And now the Patchwork Girl came dancing out of the wall
again。 〃Come on！〃 she called。 〃It isn't there。 There
isn't any wall at all。〃
〃What！ No wall？〃 exclaimed the Wizard。
〃Nothing like it；〃 said Scraps。 〃It's a make…believe。
You see it； but it isn't。 Come on into the city； we've
been wasting time。〃
With this she danced into the wall again and once
more disappeared。 Button…Bright； who was rather
venturesome； dashed away after her and also became
invisible to them。 The others followed more cautiously；
stretching out their hands to feel the wall and
finding； to their astonishment； that they could feel
nothing because nothing opposed them。 They walked on a
few steps and found themselves in the streets of a very
beautiful city。 Behind them they again saw the wall；
grim and forbidding as ever； but now they knew it was
merely an illusion； prepared to keep strangers from
entering the city。
But the wall was soon forgotten； for in front of them
were a number of quaint people who stared at them in
amazement； as if wondering where they had come from。
Our friends forgot their good manners； for a time； and
returned the stares with interest； for so remarkable a
people had never before been discovered in all the
remarkable Land of Oz。
Their heads were shaped like diamonds and their
bodies like hearts。 All the hair they had was a little
bunch at the tip top of their diamond…shaped heads and
their eyes were very large and round and their noses
and mouths very small。 Their clothing was tight…fitting
and of brilliant colors； being handsomely embroidered
in quaint designs with gold or silver threads； but on
their feet they wore sandals； with no stockings
whatever。 The expression of their faces was pleasant
enough； although they now showed surprise at the