e part that is ruled by the
Tin Woodman, you know."

"Who's he?" asked Button-Bright.

"Why, he's the tin man I told you about. His name is Nick Chopper, and
he has a lovely heart given him by the wonderful Wizard."

"Where does _he_ live?" asked the boy.

"The Wizard? Oh, he lives in the Emerald City, which is just in the
middle of Oz, where the corners of the four countries meet."

"Oh," said Button-Bright, puzzled by this explanation.

"We must be some distance from the Emerald City," remarked the shaggy
man.

"That's true," she replied; "so we'd better start on and see if we can
find any of the Winkies. They're nice people," she continued, as the
little party began walking toward the group of trees, "and I came here
once with my friends the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, and the
Cowardly Lion, to fight a wicked witch who had made all the Winkies her
slaves."

[Illustration]

"Did you conquer her?" asked Polly.

"Why, I melted her with a bucket of water, and that was the end of her,"
replied Dorothy. "After that the people were free, you know, and they
made Nick Chopper--that's the Tin Woodman--their Emp'ror."

"What's that?" asked Button-Bright.

"Emp'ror? Oh, it's something like an alderman, I guess."

"Oh," said the boy.

"But I thought Princess Ozma ruled Oz," said the shaggy man.

"So she does; she rules the Emerald City and all the four countries of
Oz; but each country has another little ruler, not so big as Ozma. It's
like the officers of an army, you see; the little rulers are all
captains, and Ozma's the general."

By this time they had reached the trees, which stood in a perfect circle
and just far enough apart so that their thick branches touched--or
"shook hands," as Button-Bright remarked. Under the shade of the trees
they found, in the center of the circle, a crystal pool, its water as
still as glass. It must have been deep, too, for when Polychrome bent
over it she gave a little sigh of pleasure.

"Why, it's a mirror!" she cried; for she could see all her pretty face
and fluffy, rainbow-tinted gown reflected in the pool, as natural as
life.

Dorothy bent over, too, and began to arrange her hair, blown by the
desert wind into straggling tangles. Button-Bright leaned over the edge
next, and then began to cry, for the sight of his fox head frightened
the poor little fellow.

"I guess I won't look," remarked the shaggy man, sadly, for he didn't
like his donkey head, either. Whil