The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

silent bewilderment. But presently, when assured that no one was injured, they grew more calm and collected, and

ally rubber?

erwise we would not have bounded so swiftl

nkets from his body, "for none of us stayed long enough on the

rd said the Thistle-Eaters live this side of

who have giant slaves, and the Thistle

zy. "Dragons have long tails, which wou

t, "they must be at least twice the size of giants. P'r

haps the shepherd didn't know what he was talking about. Let us travel on towar

ntry beyond it, so they realized they could not tell much about the country until they had crossed the hill. The Red Wagon having been left behind, it was now necessary to make other arrangements for traveling. The Lion told Dorothy she could ride upon his back as she had often done before, and the Woozy said he could easily carry b

lived there must have feared attack by a powerful enemy, else they would not have surrounded their dwellings with so strong a barrier. There was no path leading from the mountains to the city, and this proved that the people seldom or never visited the whirling hills, b

ke a very terr'ble pl

Trot from her seat on the Woozy, "

a blind owl could ever doubt that I'm the Patchwork Girl." Saying which, she turned

ver blind?"

ght. "But Scraps can see with her button

t all," answered Trot. "But good g

that myself," said D

s go

re them lay the clear, unbroken sweep of the country. "Dear me!" exclaimed the Wizard. "This is

asked Dorothy. "It cert'n

on-Bright, and when they all listened, th

ps, and turning their eyes, they saw the walls and t

ost our way," s

e," said

e been tramping straight toward th

w does i

it than we were before. It is in a different direction, that's

n. Once more they paused, somewhat discouraged, but in a moment the button eyes of Scraps again discovered the city, only this time it was just behind them in t

" he replied, looking toward

ULD it b

an ill

that?" a

think you see

we only saw it, we might be mistaken, but if w

ked the Pat

near us," h

ack, I suppose," said

ey were constantly getting nearer to it, however, so they kept their faces turned toward it as it flitted here and there

matter?" a

d so suddenly that Dorothy nearly tumbled from his

early tumbled from his back. At the same time, Hank the Mule yelled "Ouch!" al

" said Betsy. "They

the walls of the mysterious city. No pathways through them could be seen at all; here the soft grass ended and the growth of thistles began. "They'

ved tone. "The city has stopped hopping around, it is tru

k-skinned Woozy, advancing fearless

aid the Woo

tand the prickers," asserted Doroth

l go back?"

nfully. "Always when there's trouble, th

her head on the Woozy's square back. "His splendid brains

r with YOUR brain

cing among them without feeling their sharp points. "I could tell

craps!" beg

rains out with overwork,"

on't you want to find her?"

walking on her hands as an

unless we get past these t

without reply. Then she said, "Don't look at

face bright

think of those

have are of the common sort that grow in your heads, like weeds in a gar

t 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 di

one they had passed over and spread it in front of them, when they advanced to that one and waited while the one behin

alf mile away yet," a

hard work for the W

ked Dorothy. "It's a big, flat back, and the Woozy's

zy to the Lion. "I can take you to the cit

e Cowardly Lion. He was t

" pleade

g the thistles?" asked

ugh forced to hold his four legs so close together that he was in danger of toppling over. The great weight of the monster Lio

s 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 b

istles," he told them when he had reached the adventurers once more.

s 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

said the Wizard. "Let us follow the curve o

y?" asked

'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

r, isn't it?" ask

get out and in," declared Dorothy. "Do you

of Oz, and we know they have not done that. Flying machines are unknown her

climb over that high s

ancing wildly around, for she never tir

answered Betsy scornf

n't FEEL it." And then, with her arms outstretched, she did a v

Dorothy, amazed, as