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piece。
The Woozy ate that； too； and smacked its long；
thin lips。
〃That's mighty good！〃 it exclaimed。 〃Any more？〃
〃Plenty；〃 replied Ojo。 So he sat down on a Stump
and fed the Woozy bread and cheese for a long
time； for； no matter how much the boy broke off；
the loaf and the slice remained just as big。
〃That'll do；〃 said the Woozy； at last； 〃I'm
quite full。 I hope the strange food won't give
me indigestion。
〃I hope not；〃 said Ojo。 〃It's what I eat。〃
〃Well； I must say I'm much obliged； and
I'm glad you came；〃 announced the beast。 〃Is
there anything I can do in return for your
kindness？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ojo earnestly； 〃you have it in
your power to do me a great favor； if you will。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked the Woozy。 〃Name the
favor and I will grant it。〃
〃II want three hairs from the tip of your
tail；〃 said Ojo； with some hesitation。
〃Three hairs！ Why； that's all I haveon my
tail or anywhere else；〃 exclaimed the beast。
〃I know； but I want them very much。〃
〃They are my sole ornaments； my prettiest
feature；〃 said the Woozy； uneasily。 〃If I give
up those three hairs II'm just a blockhead。〃
〃Yet I must have them；〃 insisted the boy；
firmly； and he then told the Woozy all about the
accident to Unc Nunkie and Margolotte； and how the
three hairs were to be a part of the magic charm
that would restore them to life。 The beast
listened with attention and when Ojo had finished
the recital it said； with a sigh。
〃I always keep my word； for I pride myself on
being square。 So you may have the three hairs； and
welcome。 I think； under such circumstances； it
would be selfish in me to refuse you。〃
〃Thank you！ Thank you very much；〃 cried
the boy； joyfully。 〃May I pull out the hairs
now？〃
〃Any time you like；〃 answered the Woozy。
So Ojo went up to the queer creature and
taking hold of one of the hairs began to pull。
He pulled harder。 He pulled with all his might；
but the hair remained fast。
〃What's the trouble？〃 asked the Woozy；
which Ojo had dragged here and there all
around the clearing in his endeavor to pull out
the hair。
〃It won't come；〃 said the boy； panting。
〃I was afraid of that；〃 declared the beast。
〃You'll have to pull harder。〃
〃I'll help you；〃 exclaimed Scraps； coming to
the boy's side。 〃You pull the hair； and I'll pull
you； and together we ought to get it out easily。〃
〃Wait a jiffy；〃 called the Woozy； and then
it went to a tree and hugged it with its front
paws； so that its body couldn't be dragged
around by the pull。 〃All ready； now。 Go ahead！〃
Ojo grasped the hair with both hands and
pulled with all his strength； while Scraps seized
the boy around his waist and added her strength
to his。 But the hair wouldn't budge。 Instead； it
slipped out of Ojo's hands and he and Scraps
both rolled upon the ground in a heap and never
stopped until they bumped against the rocky
cave。
〃Give it up；〃 advised the Glass Cat； as the
boy arose and assisted the Patchwork Girl to her
feet。 〃A dozen strong men couldn't pull out
those Hairs。 I believe they're clinched on the
under side of the Woozy's thick skin。〃
〃Then what shall I do？〃 asked the boy；
despairingly。 〃If on our return I fail to take
these three hairs to the Crooked Magician； the
other things I have come to seek will be of no
use at all； and we cannot restore Unc Nunkie
and Margolotte to life。〃
〃They're goners； I guess；〃 said the Patchwork
Girl。
〃Never mind；〃 added the cat。 〃I can't see that
old Unc and Margolotte are worth all this trouble；
anyhow。〃
But Ojo did not feel that way。 He was so
disheartened that he sat down upon a stump and
began to cry。
The Woozy looked at the boy thoughtfully。
〃Why don't you take me with you？〃 asked the
beast。 〃Then； when at last you get to the
Magician's house； he can surely find some way to
pull out those three hairs。〃
Ojo was overjoyed at this suggestion。
〃That's it！〃 he cried； wiping away the tears
and springing to his feet with a smile。 〃If I take
the three hairs to the Magician； it won't matter
if they are still in your body。〃
〃It can't matter in the least；〃 agreed the
Woozy。
〃Come on； then；〃 said the boy； picking up his
basket； 〃let us start at once。 I have several other
things to find； you know。〃
But the Class Cat gave a little laugh and
inquired in her scornful way：
〃How do you intend to get the beast out of this
forest？〃
That puzzled them all for a time。
〃Let us go to the fence； and then we may find a
way；〃 suggested Scraps。 So they walked through the
forest to the fence； reaching it at a point
exactly opposite that where they had entered the
enclosure。
〃How did you get in？〃 asked the Woozy。
〃We climbed over；〃 answered Ojo。
〃I can't do that；〃 said the beast。 〃I'm a very
swift runner； for I can overtake a honey…bee as
it flies； and I can jump very high； which is the
reason they made such a tall fence to keep me
in。 But I can't climb at all； and I'm too big to
squeeze between the bars of the fence。〃
Ojo tried to think what to do。
〃Can you dig？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 answered the Woozy； 〃for I have no
claws。 My feet are quite flat on the bottom of
them。 Nor can I gnaw away the boards； as I
have no teeth。〃
〃You're not such a terrible creature； after all；〃
remarked Scraps。
〃You haven't heard me growl； or you wouldn't say
that；〃 declared the Woozy。 〃When I growl； the
sound echoes like thunder all through the valleys
and woodlands； and children tremble with fear； and
women cover their heads with their aprons； and big
men run and hide。 I suppose there is nothing in
the world so terrible to listen to as the growl of
a Woosy。〃
〃Please don't growl； then；〃 begged Ojo；
earnestly。
〃There is no danger of my growling； for
I am not angry。 Only when angry do I utter
my fearful； ear…splitting； soul…shuddering growl。
Also； when I am angry； my eyes flash fire；
whether I growl or not。〃
〃Real fire？〃 asked Ojo。
〃Of course； real fire。 Do you suppose they'd
flash imitation fire？〃 inquired the Woozy； in an
injured tone。
〃In that case； I've solved the riddle；〃 cried
Scraps； dancing with glee。 〃Those fence…boards
are made of wood； and if the Woozy stands
close to the fence and lets his eyes flash fire；
they might set fire to the fence and burn it up。
Then he could walk away with us easily； being
free。〃
〃Ah； I have never thought of that plan； or I
would have been free long ago；〃 said the Woozy。
〃But I cannot flash fire from my eyes unless I am
very angry。〃
〃Can't you get angry 'bout something； please？〃
asked Ojo。
〃I'll try。 You just say 'Krizzle…Kroo' to me。〃
〃Will that make you angry？〃 inquired the boy~。
〃Terribly angry。〃
〃What does it mean？〃 asked Scraps。
〃I don't know； that's what makes me so angry；〃
re…plied the Woozy。
He then stood close to the fence； with his
head near one of the boards； and Scraps called out
〃Krizzle…Kroo！〃 Then Ojo said 〃Krizzle…Kroo！〃
and the Glass Cat said 〃Krizzle…Kroo！〃 The Woozy
began to tremble with anger and small sparks
darted from his eyes。 Seeing this； they all cried
〃Krizzle…Kroo！〃 together； and that made the
beast's eyes flash fire so fiercely that the
fence…board caught the sparks and began to smoke。
Then it burst into flame； and the Woozy stepped
back and said triumphantly：
〃Aha！ That did the business； all right。 It was
a happy thought for you to yell all together； for
that made me as angry as I have ever been。
Fine sparks； weren't they？〃
〃Reg'lar fireworks；〃 replied Scraps； admiringly。
In a few moments the board had burned to a
distance of several feet； leaving an opening big
enough for them all to pass through。 Ojo broke
some branches from a tree and with them
whipped the fire until it was extinguish