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his knot eyes at the Merry…Go…Round Mountains。
〃I agree with you；〃 said the Woozy； wagging his
square head。
〃We should have taken the shepherd's advice；〃 added
Hank the Mule。
The others of the party； however they might be
puzzled by the serious problem that confronted them；
would not allow themselves to despair。
〃If we once get over these mountains；〃 said Button…
Bright； 〃we could probably get along all right。〃
〃True enough；〃 agreed Dorothy。 〃So we must find some
way； of course； to get past these whirligig hills。 But
how？〃
〃I wish the Ork was with us；〃 sighed Trot。
〃But the Ork isn't here；〃 said the Wizard； 〃and we
must depend upon ourselves to conquer this difficulty。
Unfortunately； all my magic has been stolen； otherwise
I am sure I could easily get over the mountains。〃
〃Unfortunately；〃 observed the Woozy； 〃none of us has
wings。 And we're in a magic country without any magic。〃
〃What is that around your waist； Dorothy？〃 asked the
Wizard。
〃That？ Oh； that's just the Magic Belt I once captured
from the Nome King；〃 she replied。
〃A Magic Belt！ Why； that's fine。 I'm sure a Magic
Belt would take you over these hills。〃
〃It might； if I knew how to work it；〃 said the little
girl。 〃Ozma knows a lot of its magic； but I've never
found out about it。 All I know is that while I am
wearing it nothing can hurt me。〃
〃Try wishing yourself across； and see if it will obey
you；〃 suggested the Wizard。
〃But what good would that do？〃 asked Dorothy。 〃If I
got across it wouldn't help the rest of you； and I
couldn't go alone among all those giants and dragons；
while you stayed here。〃
〃True enough；〃 agreed the Wizard； sadly； and then；
after looking around the group； he inquired： 〃What is
that on your finger； Trot？〃
〃A ring。 The Mermaids gave it to me；〃 she explained；
〃and if ever I'm in trouble when I'm on the water I can
call the Mermaids and they'll come and help me。 But the
Mermaids can't help me on the land； you know； 'cause
they swim； and…and…they haven't any legs。〃
〃True enough；〃 repeated the Wizard； more sadly。
There was a big； broad spreading tree near the edge
of the gulf and as the sun was hot above them they all
gathered under the shade of the tree to study the
problem of what to do next。
〃If we had a long rope；〃 said Betsy； 〃we could fasten
it to this tree and let the other end of it down into
the gulf and all slide down it。〃
〃Well； what then？〃 asked the Wizard。
〃Then； if we could manage to throw the rope up the
other side；〃 explained the girl； 〃we could all climb it
and be on the other side of the gulf。〃
〃There are too many 'if's' in that suggestion；〃
remarked the little Wizard。 〃And you must remember that
the other side is nothing but spinning mountains； so we
couldn't possibly fasten a rope to them even if we
had one。〃
〃That rope idea isn't half bad； though；〃 said the
Patchwork Girl； who had been dancing dangerously near
to the edge of the gulf。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Dorothy。
The Patchwork Girl suddenly stood still and cast her
button eyes around the group。
〃Ha； I have it！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Unharness the
Sawhorse； somebody； my fingers are too clumsy。〃
〃Shall we？〃 asked Button…Bright doubtfully； turning
to the others。
〃Well； Scraps has a lot of brains； even if she is
stuffed with cotton；〃 asserted the Wizard。 〃If her
brains can help us out of this trouble we ought
to use them。〃
So he began unharnessing the Sawhorse； and Button…
Bright and Dorothy helped him。 When they had removed
the harness the Patchwork Girl told them to take it all
apart and buckle the straps together； end to end。 And；
after they had done this； they found they had one very
long strap that was stronger than any rope。
〃It would reach across the gulf； easily；〃 said the
Lion； who with the other animals had sat on his
haunches and watched this proceeding。 〃But I don't see
how it could be fastened to one of those dizzy
mountains。〃
Scraps had no such notion as that in her baggy head。
She told them to fasten one end of the strap to a stout
limb of the tree； pointing to one which extended quite
to the edge of the gulf。 Button…Bright did that；
climbing the tree and then crawling out upon the limb
until he was nearly over the gulf。 There he managed to
fasten the strap； which reached to the ground below；
and then he slid down it and was caught by the Wizard；
who feared he might fall into the chasm。
Scraps was delighted She seized the lower end of the
strap and telling them all to get out of her way she
went back as far as the strap would reach and then made
a sudden run toward the gulf。 Over the edge she swung；
clinging to the strap until it had gone as far as its
length permitted； when she let go and sailed gracefully
through the air until she alighted upon the mountain
just in front of them。
Almost instantly； as the great cone continued to
whirl； she was sent flying against the next mountain in
the rear； and that one had only turned halfway around
when Scraps was sent flying to the next mountain behind
it。 Then her patchwork form disappeared from view
entirely and the amazed watchers under the tree
wondered what had become of her。
〃She's gone； and she can't get back；〃 said the Woozy。
〃My； how she bounded from one mountain to another！〃
exclaimed the Lion。
〃That was because they whirl so fast；〃 the Wizard
explained。 〃Scraps had nothing to hold on to and so of
course she was tossed from one hill to another。 I'm
afraid we shall never see the poor Patchwork Girl
again。〃
〃I shall see her；〃 declared the Woozy。 〃Scraps is an
old friend of mine and； if there are really Thistle…
Eaters and Giants on the other side of those tops； she
will need someone to protect her。 So； here I go！〃
He seized the dangling strap firmly in his square
mouth and in the same way that Scraps had done swung
himself over the gulf。 He let go the strap at the right
moment and fell upon the first whirling mountain。 Then
he bounded to the next one back of it not on his
feet but 〃all mixed up；〃 as Trot said and then he
shot across to another mountain； disappearing from view
just as the Patchwork Girl had done。
〃It s