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surprise it slowly swung backward and showed
behind it a dark hole that looked like the mouth
of a tunnel。
〃Why； here's where the path goes to！〃 she
exclaimed。
〃So it is；〃 answered the Scarecrow。 〃But the
question is； do we want to go where the path
does？〃
〃It's underground； right inside the mountain；〃
said Ojo； peering into the dark hole。 〃perhaps
there's a well there； and； if there is； it's sure
to be a dark one。〃
〃Why； that's true enough！〃 cried Dorothy
with eagerness。 〃Let's go in； Scarecrow； 'cause；
if others have gone； we're pretty safe to go； too。〃
Toto looked in and barked； but he did not
venture to enter until the Scarecrow had bravely
gone first。 Scraps followed closely after the
straw man and then Ojo and Dorothy timidly stepped
inside the tunnel。 As soon as all of them had
passed the big rock； it slowly turned and filled
up the opening again； but now they were no longer
in the dark； for a soft； rosy light enabled them
to see around them quite distinctly。
It was only a passage； wide enough for two
of them to walk abreastwith Toto in between
themand it had a high； arched roof。 They
could not see where the light which flooded the
place so pleasantly came from； for there were
no lamps anywhere visible。 The passage ran
straight for a little way and then made a bend
to the right and another sharp turn to the left；
after which it went straight again。 But there
were no side passages； so they could not lose
their way。
After proceeding some distance； Toto； who
had gone on ahead； began to bark loudly。 They
ran around a bend to see what was the matter
and found a man sitting on the floor of the
passage and leaning his back against the wall。
He had probably been asleep before Toto's barks
aroused him； for he was now rubbing his eyes
and staring at the little dog with all his might。
There was something about this man that Toto
objected to； and when he slowly rose to his foot
they saw what it was。 He had but one leg； set just
below the middle of his round； fat body； but it
was a stout leg and had a broad； flat foot at the
bottom of it； on which the man seemed to stand
very well。 He had never had but this one leg；
which looked something like a pedestal； and when
Toto ran up and made a grab at the man's ankle he
hopped first one way and then another in a very
active manner； looking so frightened that Scraps
laughed aloud。
Toto was usually a well behaved dog； but this
time he was angry and snapped at the man's leg
again and again。 This filled the poor fellow with
fear； and in hopping out of Toto's reach he
suddenly lost his balance and tumbled heel over
head upon the floor。 When he sat up he kicked Toto
on the nose and made the dog howl angrily； but
Dorothy now ran forward and caught Toto's collar；
holding him back。
〃Do you surrender？〃 she asked the man。
〃Who？ Me？〃 asked the Hopper。
〃Yes； you；〃 said the little girl。
〃Am I captured？〃 he inquired。
〃Of course。 My dog has captured you；〃 she said。
〃Well；〃 replied the man； 〃if I'm captured I must
surrender； for it's the proper thing to do。 I like
to do everything proper； for it saves one a lot of
trouble。〃
〃It does； indeed；〃 said Dorothy。 〃Please tell us
who you are。
〃I'm Hip HopperHip Hopper； the Champion。〃
〃Champion what？〃 she asked in surprise。
〃Champion wrestler。 I'm a very strong man；
and that ferocious animal which you are so
kindly holding is the first living thing that has
ever conquered me。〃
〃And you are a Hopper？〃 she continued。
〃Yes。 My people live in a great city not far
from here。 Would you like to visit it？〃
〃I'm not sure；〃 she said with hesitation。 〃Have
you any dark wells in your city？〃
〃I think not。 We have wells； you know； hut
they're all well lighted； and a well lighted well
cannot well be a dark well。 But there may be
such a thing as a very dark well in the Horner
Country； which is a black spot on the face of
the earth。〃
〃Where is the Horner Country？〃 Ojo inquired。
〃The other side of the mountain。 There's a
fence between the Hopper Country and the
Horner Country； and a gate in the fence； but
you can't pass through just now； because we
are at war with the Horners。〃
〃That's too bad；〃 said the Scarecrow。 〃What
seems to be the trouble？〃
〃Why； one of them made a very insulting remark
about my people。 He said we were lacking in
understanding； because we had only one leg to a
person。 I can't see that legs have anything to do
with understanding things。 The Homers each have
two legs； just as you have。 That's one leg too
many； it seems to me。〃
〃No；〃 declared Dorothy； 〃it's just the right
number。〃
〃You don't need them；〃 argued the Hopper；
obstinately。 〃You've only one head； and one
body； and one nose and mouth。 Two legs are
quite unnecessary； and they spoil one's shape。〃
〃But how can you walk； with only one leg？〃 asked
Ojo。
〃Walk！ Who wants to walk？〃 exclaimed the man。
〃Walking is a terribly awkward way to travel。 I
hop； and so do all my people。 It's so much more
graceful and agreeable than walking。〃
〃I don't agree with you；〃 said the Scarecrow。
〃But tell me； is there any way to get to the
Horner Country without going through the city of
the Hoppers？〃
〃Yes； there is another path from the rocky
lowlands； outside the mountain； that leads
straight to the entrance of the Horner Country。
But it's a long way around； so you'd better come
with me。 Perhaps they will allow you to go
through the gate； but we expect to conquer
them this afternoon； if we get time； and then
you may go and come as you please。〃
They thought it best to take the Hopper's
advice； and asked him to lead the way。 This he
did in a series of hops； and he moved so swiftly
in this strange manner that those with two legs
had to run to keep up with him。
Chapter Twenty…Two
The Joking Horners
It was not long before they left the passage and
came to a great cave； so high that it must have
reached nearly to the top of the mountain within
which it lay。 It was a magnificent cave； illumined
by the soft； invisible light； so that everything
in it could be plainly seen。 The walls were of
polished marble； white with veins of delicate
colors running through it； and the roof was arched
and fantastic and beautiful。
Built beneath this vast dome was a pretty
villagenot very large； for there seemed not more
than fifty houses altogetherand the dwellings
were of marble and artistically designed。 No grass
nor flowers nor trees grew in this cave； so the
yards surrounding the houses carved in designs
both were smooth and bare and had low walls around
them to mark their boundaries。
In the streets and the yards of the houses
were many people all having one leg growing
below their bodies and all hopping here and
there whenever they moved。 Even the children
stood firmly upon their single legs and never
lost their balance。
〃All hail； Champion！〃 cried a man in the first
group of Hoppers they met； 〃whom have you
captured？〃
〃No one；〃 replied the Champion in a gloomy
voice； 〃these strangers have captured me。〃
〃Then；〃 said another； 〃we will rescue you； and
capture them； for we are greater in number。〃
〃No；〃 answered the Champion； 〃I can't allow it。
I've surrendered； and it isn't polite to capture
those you've surrendered to。〃
〃Never mind that；〃 said Dorothy。 〃We will give
you your liberty and set you free。〃
〃Really？〃 asked the Champion in joyous tones。
〃Yes；〃 said the little girl； 〃your people may
need you to help conquer the Horners。〃
At this all the Hoppers looked downcast and sad。
Several more had joined the group by this time and
quite a crowd of curious men； women and children
surrounded the strangers。
〃This war with our neighbors is a terrible
thing；〃 remarked one of the women。 〃Some one is
almost s