re strange places. I find I learn much more
by traveling than by staying at home."

During this conversation they had been walking up the steep pathway and
now found themselves well up on the mountain. They could see nothing
around them, for the rocks beside their path were higher than their
heads. Nor could they see far in front of them, because the path was so
crooked. But suddenly they stopped, because the path ended and there was
no place to go. Ahead was a big rock lying against the side of the
mountain, and this blocked the way completely.

"There wouldn't be a path, though, if it didn't go somewhere," said the
Scarecrow, wrinkling his forehead in deep thought.

"This is somewhere, isn't it?" asked the Patchwork Girl, laughing at the
bewildered looks of the others.

"The path is locked, the way is blocked,
Yet here we've innocently flocked;
And now we're here it's rather queer
There's no front door that can be knocked."

"Please don't, Scraps," said Ojo. "You make me nervous."

"Well," said Dorothy, "I'm glad of a little rest, for that's a drea'ful
steep path."

As she spoke she leaned against the edge of the big rock that stood in
their way. To her 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 abreast--with
Toto in between them--and 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 s