you make her pretty to look at?" asked the cat. "You made me
pretty--very pretty, indeed--and I love to watch my pink brains roll
around when they're working, and to see my precious red heart beat." She
went to a long mirror, as she said this, and stood before it, looking
at herself with an air of much pride. "But that poor patched thing will
hate herself, when she's once alive," continued the cat. "If I were you
I'd use her for a mop, and make another servant that is prettier."

"You have a perverted taste," snapped Margolotte, much annoyed at this
frank criticism. "I think the Patchwork Girl is beautiful, considering
what she's made of. Even the rainbow hasn't as many colors, and you must
admit that the rainbow is a pretty thing."

The Glass Cat yawned and stretched herself upon the floor.

"Have your own way," she said. "I'm sorry for the Patchwork Girl, that's
all."

Ojo and Unc Nunkie slept that night in the Magician's house, and the boy
was glad to stay because he was anxious to see the Patchwork Girl
brought to life. The Glass Cat was also a wonderful creature to little
Ojo, who had never seen or known anything of magic before, although he
had lived in the Fairyland of Oz ever since he was born. Back there in
the woods nothing unusual ever happened. Unc Nunkie, who might have been
King of the Munchkins, had not his people united with all the other
countries of Oz in acknowledging Ozma as their sole ruler, had retired
into this forgotten forest nook with his baby nephew and they had lived
all alone there. Only that the neglected garden had failed to grow food
for them, they would always have lived in the solitary Blue Forest; but
now they had started out to mingle with other people, and the first
place they came to proved so interesting that Ojo could scarcely sleep a
wink all night.

Margolotte was an excellent cook and gave them a fine breakfast. While
they were all engaged in eating, the good woman said:

"This is the last meal I shall have to cook for some time, for right
after breakfast Dr. Pipt has promised to bring my new servant to life. I
shall let her wash the breakfast dishes and sweep and dust the house.
What a relief it will be!"

"It will, indeed, relieve you of much drudgery," said the Magician. "By
the way, Margolotte, I thought I saw you getting some brains from the
cupboard, while I was busy with my kettles. What qualities have you
given your new servant?"

"Only those that an humble ser