ttempt
to discover what had become of their heads. The shaggy man laughed and
walked across the bridge to rejoin his companions.

[Illustration]

"It's lucky I learned to play base-ball when I was young," he remarked,
"for I caught all those heads easily, and never missed one. But come
along, little ones; the Scoodlers will never bother us or anyone else
any more."

Button-Bright was still frightened and kept insisting, "I don't want to
be soup!" for the victory had been gained so suddenly that the boy could
not realize they were free and safe. But the shaggy man assured him that
all danger of their being made into soup was now past, as the Scoodlers
would be unable to eat soup for some time to come.

So now, anxious to get away from the horrid gloomy cave as soon as
possible, they hastened up the hillside and regained the road just
beyond the place where they had first met the Scoodlers; and you may be
sure they were glad to find their feet on the old familiar path again.

Johnny Dooit Does It

[Illustration]

"It's getting awful rough walking," said Dorothy, as they trudged along.
Button-Bright gave a deep sigh and said he was hungry. Indeed, all were
hungry, and thirsty, too; for they had eaten nothing but the apples
since breakfast; so their steps lagged and they grew silent and weary.
At last they slowly passed over the crest of a barren hill and saw
before them a line of green trees with a strip of grass at their feet.
An agreeable fragrance was wafted toward them.

Our travelers, hot and tired, ran forward on beholding this refreshing
sight and were not long in coming to the trees. Here they found a spring
of pure bubbling water, around which the grass was full of wild
strawberry plants, their pretty red berries ripe and ready to eat. Some
of the trees bore yellow oranges and some russet pears, so the hungry
adventurers suddenly found themselves provided with plenty to eat and to
drink.

They lost no time in picking the biggest strawberries and ripest oranges
and soon had feasted to their hearts' content. Walking beyond the line
of trees they saw before them a fearful, dismal desert, everywhere grey
sand. At the edge of this awful waste was a large white sign with black
letters neatly painted upon it; and the letters made these words:

ALL PERSONS ARE WARNED NOT TO
VENTURE UPON THIS DESERT

For the Deadly Sands will Turn Any Living Flesh to Dust in an
Instant. Beyond T