ak, stood a log castle. Before this
castle he paused to set down Dorothy and Toto, for Crinklink was at
present far too large to enter his own doorway. So he made himself grow
smaller, until he was about the size of an ordinary man. Then he said to
Dorothy, in stern, commanding tones:

"Enter, girl!"

Dorothy obeyed and entered the castle, with Toto at her heels. She
found the place to be merely one big room. There was a table and
chair of ordinary size near the center, and at one side a wee bed
that seemed scarcely big enough for a doll. Everywhere else were
dishes--dishes--dishes! They were all soiled, and were piled upon the
floor, in all the corners and upon every shelf. Evidently Crinklink had
not washed a dish for years, but had cast them aside as he used them.

Dorothy's captor sat down in the chair and frowned at her.

"You are young and strong, and will make a good dishwasher," said he.

"Do you mean me to wash all those dishes?" she asked, feeling both
indignant and fearful, for such a task would take weeks to accomplish.

"That's just what I mean," he retorted. "I need clean dishes, for all I
have are soiled, and you're going to make 'em clean or get trounced. So
get to work and be careful not to break anything. If you smash a dish,
the penalty is one lash from my dreadful cat-o'-nine-tails for every
piece the dish breaks into," and here Crinklink displayed a terrible
whip that made the little girl shudder.

Dorothy knew how to wash dishes, but she remembered that often she
carelessly broke one. In this case, however, a good deal depended on
being careful, so she handled the dishes very cautiously.

While she worked, Toto sat by the hearth and growled low at Crinklink,
and Crinklink sat in his chair and growled at Dorothy because she moved
so slowly. He expected her to break a dish any minute, but as the hours
passed away and this did not happen Crinklink began to grow sleepy. It
was tiresome watching the girl wash dishes and often he glanced
longingly at the tiny bed. Now he began to yawn, and he yawned and
yawned until finally he said:

[Illustration]

"I'm going to take a nap. But the buttons on my jacket will be wide
awake and whenever you break a dish the crash will waken me. As I'm
rather sleepy I hope you won't interrupt my nap by breaking anything for
a long time."

Then Crinklink made himself grow smaller and smaller until he was three
inches high and of a size to fit the tiny bed. At on