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shot across to another mountain； disappearing from view
just as the Patchwork Girl had done。
〃It seems to work； all right；〃 remarked Button…
Bright。 〃I guess I'll try it。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 urged the Wizard。 〃Before any more
of us make this desperate leap into the beyond； we must
decide whether all will go； or if some of us will
remain behind。〃
〃Do you s'pose it hurt them much； to bump against
those mountains？〃 asked Trot。
〃I don't s'pose anything could hurt Scraps or the
Woozy；〃 said Dorothy； 〃and nothing can hurt me； because
I wear the Magic Belt。 So； as I'm anxious to find Ozma；
I mean to swing myself across； too。〃
〃I'll take my chances；〃 decided Button…Bright。
〃I'm sure it will hurt dreadfully； and I'm afraid to
do it；〃 said the Lion； who was already trembling； 〃but
I shall do it if Dorothy does。〃
〃Well； that will leave Betsy and the Mule and Trot；〃
said the Wizard； 〃for of course； I shall go； that I may
look after Dorothy。 Do you two girls think you can find
your way back home again？〃 he asked； addressing Trot
and Betsy。
〃I'm not afraid； not much； that is；〃 said Trot。 〃It
looks risky； I know； but I'm sure I can stand it if the
others can。〃
〃If it wasn't for leaving Hank；〃 began Betsy； in a
hesitating voice； but the Mule interrupted her by
saying：
〃Co ahead； if you want to； and I'll come after you。 A
mule is as brave as a lion； any day。〃
〃Braver；〃 said the Lion； 〃for I'm a coward； friend
Hank； and you are not。 But of course the Sawhorse 〃
〃Oh； nothing ever hurts me；〃 asserted the Sawhorse
calmly。 〃There's never been any question about my
going。 I can't take the Red Wagon； though。〃
〃No； we must leave the wagon；〃 said the Wizard； 〃and
also we must leave our food and blankets； I fear。 But
if we can defy these Merry…Go…Round Mountains to stop
us we won't mind the sacrifice of some of our
comforts。〃
〃No one knows where we're going to land！〃 remarked
the Lion； in a voice that sounded as if he were going
to cry。
〃We may not land at all；〃 replied Hank； 〃but the best
way to find out what will happen to us is to swing
across； as Scraps and the Woozy have done。〃
〃I think I shall go last；〃 said the Wizard； 〃so who
wants to go first？〃
〃I'll go；〃 decided Dorothy。
〃No； it's my turn first；〃 said Button…Bright。 〃Watch me！〃
Even as he spoke the boy seized the strap and after
making a run swung himself across the gulf。 Away he
went； bumping from hill to hill until he disappeared。
They listened intently； but the boy uttered no cry
until he had been gone some moments； when they heard a
faint 〃Hullo…a！〃 as if called from a great distance。
The sound gave them courage； however； and Dorothy
picked up Toto and held him fast under one arm while
with the other hand she seized the strap and bravely
followed after Button…Bright。
When she struck the first whirling mountain she fell
upon it quite softly； but before she had time to think
she flew through the air and lit with a jar on the side
of the next mountain。 Again she flew； and alighted； and
again； and still again； until after five successive
bumps she fell sprawling upon a green meadow and was so
dazed and bewildered by her bumpy journey across the
Merry…Go…Round Mountains that she lay quite still for a
time； to collect her thoughts。 Toto had escaped from
her arms just as she fell； and he now sat beside her
panting with excitement。
Then Dorothy realized that someone was hopping her to
her feet； and here was Button…Bright on one side of her
and Scraps on the other； both seeming to be unhurt。 The
next object her eyes fell upon was the Woozy； squatting
upon his square back end and looking at her
reflectively； while Toto barked joyously to find his
mistress unhurt after her whirlwind trip。
〃Good！〃 said the Woozy； 〃here's another and a dog；
both safe and sound。 But； my word； Dorothy； you flew
some！ If you could have seen yourself； you'd have been
absolutely astonished。〃
〃They say 'Time flies；'〃 laughed Button…Bright； 〃but
Time never made a quicker journey than that。〃
Just then； as Dorothy turned around to look at the
whirling mountains； she was in time to see tiny Trot
come flying from the nearest hill to fall upon the soft
grass not a yard away from where she stood。 Trot was so
dizzy she couldn't stand； at first； but she wasn't at
all hurt and presently Betsy came flying to them and
would have bumped into the others had they not treated
in time to avoid her。
Then； in quick succession； came the Lion； Hank and
the Sawhorse； bounding from mountain to mountain to
fall safely upon the greensward。 Only the Wizard was
now left behind and they waited so long for him that
Dorothy began to be worried。 But suddenly he came
flying from the nearest mountain and tumbled heels over
head beside them。 Then they saw that he had wound two
of their blankets around his body； to keep the bumps
from hurting him； and had fastened the blankets with
some of the spare straps from the harness of the
Sawhorse。
Chapter Eight
The Mysterious City
There they sat upon the grass； their heads still
swimming from their dizzy flights； and looked at one
another in silent bewilderment。 But presently； when
assured that no one was injured； they grew。 more calm
and collected and the Lion said with a sigh of relief：
〃Who would have thought those Merry…Go…Round
Mountains were made of rubber？〃
〃Are they really rubber？〃 asked Trot。
〃They must be；〃 replied the Lion； 〃for otherwise we
would not have bounded so swiftly from one to another
without getting hurt。〃
〃That is all guesswork；〃 declared the Wizard；
unwinding the blankets from his body； 〃for none of us
stayed long enough on the mountains to discover what
they are made of。 But where are we？〃
〃That's guesswork； too；〃 said Scraps。 〃The shepherd
said the Thistle…Eaters live this side of the mountains
and are waited on by giants。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said Dorothy； 〃it's the Herkus who
have giant slaves； and the Thistle…Eaters hitch
dragons to their chariots。〃
〃How could they do that？〃 asked the Woozy。 〃Dragons
have long tails； which would get in the way of the
chariot wheels'。〃
〃And； if the Her