These
dolls marched and danced before the visitors, and then they all waved
their paper handkerchiefs and sang in a sweet chorus a song called "The
Flag of Our Native Land."

At the conclusion of the song they ran up a handsome paper flag on a
tall flagpole, and all of the people of the village gathered around to
cheer as loudly as they could--although, of course, their voices were
not especially strong.

Miss Cuttenclip was about to make her subjects a speech in reply to
this patriotic song, when the Shaggy Man happened to sneeze.

He was a very loud and powerful sneezer at any time, and he had tried
so hard to hold in this sneeze that when it suddenly exploded the
result was terrible.

The paper dolls were mowed down by dozens, and flew and fluttered in
wild confusion in every direction, tumbling this way and that and
getting more or less wrinkled and bent.

A wail of terror and grief came from the scattered throng, and Miss
Cuttenclip exclaimed:

"Dear me! dear me!" and hurried at once to the rescue of her overturned
people.

"Oh, Shaggy Man! How could you?" asked Dorothy, reproachfully.

"I couldn't help it--really I couldn't," protested the Shaggy Man,
looking quite ashamed. "And I had no idea it took so little to upset
these paper dolls."

"So little!" said Dorothy. "Why, it was 'most as bad as a Kansas
cyclone." And then she helped Miss Cuttenclip rescue the paper folk
and stand them on their feet again. Two of the cardboard houses had
also tumbled over, and the little Queen said she would have to repair
them and paste them together before they could be lived in again.

And now, fearing they might do more damage to the flimsy paper people,
they decided to go away. But first they thanked Miss Cuttenclip very
warmly for her courtesy and kindness to them.

"Any friend of Princess Ozma is always welcome here--unless he
sneezes," said the Queen with a rather severe look at the Shaggy Man,
who hung his head. "I like to have visitors admire my wonderful
village, and I hope you will call again."

Miss Cuttenclip herself led them to the door in the wall, and as they
passed along the street the paper dolls peeped at them half fearfully
from the doors and windows. Perhaps they will never forget the Shaggy
Man's awful sneeze, and I am sure they were all glad to see the meat
people go away.

11. How the General Met the First and Foremost

On leaving the Growleywogs General Guph had to recross t