y. When she found that her
husband had used her clothesline, and the logs she had wanted for
firewood, and the boards she had intended to mend the shed with, and a
lot of gold nails, she became very angry. Scraps wanted to shake the
woman, to make her behave, but Dorothy talked to her in a gentle tone
and told the Quadling's wife she was a Princess of Oz and a friend of
Ozma and that when she got back to the Emerald City she would send them
a lot of things to repay them for the raft, including a new clothesline.
This promise pleased the woman and she soon became more pleasant, saying
they could stay the night at her house and begin their voyage on the
river next morning.

This they did, spending a pleasant evening with the Quadling family and
being entertained with such hospitality as the poor people were able to
offer them. The man groaned a good deal and said he had overworked
himself by chopping the logs, but the Scarecrow gave him two more
tablets than he had promised, which seemed to comfort the lazy fellow.

THE TRICK RIVER

CHAP. 26

[Illustration]

Next morning they pushed the raft into the water and all got aboard. The
Quadling man had to hold the log craft fast while they took their
places, and the flow of the river was so powerful that it nearly tore
the raft from his hands. As soon as they were all seated upon the logs
he let go and away it floated and the adventurers had begun their voyage
toward the Winkie Country.

The little house of the Quadlings was out of sight almost before they
had cried their good-byes, and the Scarecrow said in a pleased voice:
"It won't take us long to get to the Winkie Country, at this rate."

They had floated several miles down the stream and were enjoying the
ride when suddenly the raft slowed up, stopped short, and then began to
float back the way it had come.

"Why, what's wrong?" asked Dorothy, in astonishment; but they were all
just as bewildered as she was and at first no one could answer the
question. Soon, however, they realized the truth: that the current of
the river had reversed and the water was now flowing in the opposite
direction--toward the mountains.

They began to recognize the scenes they had passed, and by and by they
came in sight of the little house of the Quadlings again. The man was
standing on the river bank and he called to them:

"How do you do? Glad to see you again. I forgot to tell you that the
river changes its direction every