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a bench and laughed so hard that he could not
speak for a long time。
This man was a woodchopper and lived all alone
in the little house。 He had bushy blue whiskers
and merry blue eyes and his blue clothes were quite
old and worn。
〃Mercy me！〃 exclaimed the woodchopper； when at
last he could stop laughing。 〃Who would think such
a funny harlequin lived in the Land of Oz？ Where
did you come from； Crazy…quilt？〃
〃Do you mean me？〃 asked the Patchwork Girl。
〃Of course；〃 he replied。
〃You misjudge my ancestry。 I'm not a crazy…
quilt； I'm patchwork；〃 she said。
〃There's no difference；〃 he replied； beginning
to laugh again。 〃When my old grandmother sews such
things together she calls it a crazy…quilt； but I
never thought such a jumble could come to life。〃
〃It was the Magic Powder that did it；〃 explained
Ojo。
〃Oh； then you have come from the Crooked
Magician on the mountain。 I might have known it；
forWell； I declare！ here's a glass cat。 But the
Magician will get in trouble for this； it's
against the law for anyone to work magic except
Glinda the Good and the royal Wizard of Oz。 If you
peopleor thingsor glass spectaclesor crazy…
quiltsor whatever you are； go near the Emerald
City； you'll be arrested。〃
〃We're going there； anyhow；〃 declared
Scraps； sitting upon the bench and swinging her
stuffed legs。
〃If any of us takes a rest；
We'll be arrested sure；
And get no restitution
'Cause the rest we must endure。〃
〃I see；〃 said the woodchopper； nodding； 〃you're
as crazy as the crazy…quilt you're made of。〃
〃She really is crazy；〃 remarked the Glass Cat。
〃But that isn't to he wondered at when you
remember how many different things she's made of。
For my part； I'm made of pure glassexcept my
jewel heart and my pretty pink brains。 Did you
notice my brains； stranger？ You can see em work。〃
〃So I can；〃 replied the woodchopper； 〃but I
can't see that they accomplish much。 A glass cat
is a useless sort of thing； but a Patchwork Girl
is really useful。 She makes me laugh； and laughter
is the best thing in life。 There was once a
woodchopper； a friend of mine； who was made all of
tin； and I used to laugh every time I saw him。〃
〃A tin woodchopper？〃 said Ojo。 〃That is
strange。〃
〃My friend wasn't always tin；〃 said the man；
〃but he was careless with his axe； and used to
chop himself very badly。 Whenever he lost an arm
or a leg he had it replaced with tin； so after a
while he was all tin。〃
〃And could he chop wood then？〃 asked the boy。
〃He could if he didn't rust his tin joints。 But
one day he met Dorothy in the forest and went with
her to the Emerald City； where he made his
fortune。 He is now one of the favorites of
Princess Ozma； and she has made him the Emperor of
the Winkiesthe Country where all is yellow。〃
〃Who is Dorothy？〃 inquired the Patchwork Girl。
〃A little maid who used to live in Kansas； but
is now a Princess of Oz。 She's Ozma's best
friend； they say； and lives with her in the royal
palace。〃
〃Is Dorothy made of tin？〃 inquired Ojo。
〃Is she patchwork； like me？〃 inquired Scraps。
〃No；〃 said the man； 〃Dorothy is flesh； just as I
am。 I know of only one tin person； and that is
Nick Chopper； the Tin Woodman； and there will
never be but one Patchwork Girl； for any magician
that sees you will refuse to make another one like
you。〃
〃I suppose we shall see the Tin Woodman； for we
are going to the Country of the Winkies；〃 said the
boy。
〃What for？〃 asked the woodchopper。
〃To get the left wing of a yellow butterfly。〃
〃It is a long journey；〃 declared the man； 〃and
you will go through lonely parts of Oz and cross
rivers and traverse dark forests before you get
there。〃
〃Suits me all right；〃 said Scraps。 〃I'll get a
chance to see the country。〃
〃You're crazy； girl。 Better crawl into a rag…bag
and hide there； or give yourself to some little
girl to play with。 Those who travel are likely to
meet trouble； that's why I stay at home。〃
The woodchopper then invited them all to
stay the night at his little hut； but they were
anxious to get on and so left him and continued
along the path； which was broader； now； and
more distinct。
They expected to reach some other house before
it grew dark； but the twilight was brief and Ojo
soon began to fear they had made a mistake in
leaving the woodchopper。
〃I can scarcely see the path；〃 he said at last。
〃Can you see it； Scraps？〃
〃No；〃 replied the Patchwork Girl； who was
holding fast to the boy's arm so he could
guide her。
〃I can see；〃 declared the Glass Cat。 〃My eyes
are better than yours； and my pink brains〃
〃Never mind your pink brains； please；〃 said
Ojo hastily； 〃just run ahead and show us the
way。 Wait a minute and I'll tie a string to you；
for then you can lead us。〃
He got a string from his pocket and tied it
around the cat's neck； and after that the creature
guided them along the path。 They had proceeded in
this way for about an hour when a twinkling blue
light appeared ahead of them。
〃Good！ there's a house at last；〃 cried Ojo。
〃When we reach it the good people will surely
welcome us and give us a night's lodging。〃 But
however far they walked the light seemed to get
no nearer； so by and by the cat stopped short；
saying：
〃I think the light is traveling； too； and we
shall never be able to catch up with it。 But here
is a house by the roadside； so why go farther？〃
〃Where is the house； Bungle？〃
〃Just here beside us； Scraps。〃
Ojo was now able to see a small house near
the pathway。 It was dark and silent； but the boy
was tired and wanted to rest； so he went up to
the door and knocked。
〃Who is there？〃 cried a voice from within。
〃I am Ojo the Unlucky； and with me are
Miss Scraps Patchwork and the Glass Cat；〃 he
replied。
〃What do you want？〃 asked the Voice。
〃A place to sleep；〃 said Ojo。
〃Come in； then； but don't make any noise；
and you must go directly to bed；〃 returned the
Voice。
Ojo unlatched the door and entered。 It was
very dark inside and he could see nothing at all。
But the cat exclaimed： 〃Why； there's no one
here！〃
〃There must be；〃 said the boy。 〃Some one
spoke to me。〃
〃I can see everything in the room；〃 replied the
cat； 〃and no one is present but ourselves。 But
here are three beds； all made up； so we may as
well go to sleep。〃
〃What is sleep？〃 inquired the Patchwork Girl。
〃It's what you do when you go to bed；〃 said Ojo。
〃But why do you go to bed？〃 persisted the
Patchwork Girl。
〃Here； here！ You are making altogether too
much noise；〃 cried the Voice they had heard
before。 〃Keep quiet； strangers； and go to bed。〃
The cat； which could see in the dark； looked
sharply around for the owner of the Voice； hut
could discover no one； although the Voice had
seemed close beside them。 She arched her back
a little and seemed afraid。 Then she whispered
to Ojo： 〃Come！〃 and led him to a bed。
With his hands the boy felt of the bed and
found it was big and soft； with feather pillows
and plenty of blankets。 So he took off his shoes
and hat and crept into the bed。 Then the cat
led Scraps to another bed and the Patchwork
Girl was puzzled to know what to do with it。
〃Lie down and keep quiet；〃 whispered the
cat； warningly。
〃Can't I sing？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Can't I whistle？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Can't I dance till morning； if I want to？〃
asked Scraps。
〃You must keep quiet；〃 said the cat； in a soft
voice。
〃I don't want to；〃 replied the Patchwork Girl；
speaking as loudly as usual。 〃What right have you
to order me around？ If I want to talk； or yell； or
whistle〃
Before she could say anything more an unseen
hand seized her firmly and threw her out of the
door； which closed behind her with a sharp
slam。 She found herself