ontinued:

"Your Highness, this is Uncle Henry. And this is Aunt Em. They want
to thank you for bringing them here from Kansas."

Aunt Em tried to "slick" her hair, and she hid the dish-towel and dish
under her apron while she bowed to the lovely Ozma. Uncle Henry took
off his straw hat and held it awkwardly in his hands.

But the Ruler of Oz rose and came from her throne to greet her newly
arrived guests, and she smiled as sweetly upon them as if they had been
a king and queen.

"You are very welcome here, where I have brought you for Princess
Dorothy's sake," she said, graciously, "and I hope you will be quite
happy in your new home." Then she turned to her courtiers, who were
silently and gravely regarding the scene, and added: "I present to my
people our Princess Dorothy's beloved Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, who will
hereafter be subjects of our kingdom. It will please me to have you
show them every kindness and honor in your power, and to join me in
making them happy and contented."

Hearing this, all those assembled bowed low and respectfully to the old
farmer and his wife, who bobbed their own heads in return.

"And now," said Ozma to them, "Dorothy will show you the rooms prepared
for you. I hope you will like them, and shall expect you to join me at
luncheon."

So Dorothy led her relatives away, and as soon as they were out of the
Throne Room and alone in the corridor, Aunt Em squeezed Dorothy's hand
and said:

"Child, child! How in the world did we ever get here so quick? And is
it all real? And are we to stay here, as she says? And what does it
all mean, anyhow?"

Dorothy laughed.

"Why didn't you tell us what you were goin' to do?" inquired Uncle
Henry, reproachfully. "If I'd known about it, I'd 'a put on my Sunday
clothes."

"I'll 'splain ever'thing as soon as we get to your rooms," promised
Dorothy. "You're in great luck, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em; an' so am I!
And oh! I'm so happy to have got you here, at last!"

As he walked by the little girl's side, Uncle Henry stroked his
whiskers thoughtfully. "'Pears to me, Dorothy, we won't make bang-up
fairies," he remarked.

"An' my back hair looks like a fright!" wailed Aunt Em.

"Never mind," returned the little girl, reassuringly. "You won't have
anything to do now but to look pretty, Aunt Em; an' Uncle Henry won't
have to work till his back aches, that's certain."

"Sure?" they asked, wonderingly, and in the same breath.

"Cours