e Polly and Dorothy tried to comfort
Button-Bright, the shaggy man sat down near the edge of the pool, where
his image could not be reflected, and stared at the water thoughtfully.
As he did this he noticed a silver plate fastened to a rock just under
the surface of the water, and on the silver plate was engraved these
words:

[Illustration: THE TRUTH POND]

"Ah!" cried the shaggy man, springing to his feet with eager joy; "we've
found it at last."

"Found what?" asked Dorothy, running to him.

"The Truth Pond. Now, at last, I may get rid of this frightful head; for
we were told, you remember, that only the Truth Pond could restore to me
my proper face."

"Me, too!" shouted Button-Bright, trotting up to them.

"Of course," said Dorothy. "It will cure you both of your bad heads, I
guess. Isn't it lucky we found it?"

[Illustration]

"It is, indeed," replied the shaggy man. "I hated dreadfully to go to
Princess Ozma looking like this; and she's to have a birthday
celebration, too."

Just then a splash startled them, for Button-Bright, in his anxiety to
see the pool that would "cure" him, had stepped too near the edge and
tumbled heels over head into the water. Down he went, out of sight
entirely, so that only his sailor hat floated on the top of the Truth
Pond.

He soon bobbed up, and the shaggy man seized him by his sailor collar
and dragged him to the shore, dripping and gasping for breath. They all
looked upon the boy wonderingly, for the fox head with its sharp nose
and pointed ears was gone, and in its place appeared the chubby round
face and blue eyes and pretty curls that had belonged to Button-Bright
before King Dox of Foxville transformed him.

"Oh, what a darling!" cried Polly, and would have hugged the little one
had he not been so wet.

Their joyful exclamations made the child rub the water out of his eyes
and look at his friends questioningly.

"You're all right now, dear," said Dorothy. "Come and look at yourself."
She led him to the pool, and although there were still a few ripples on
the surface of the water he could see his reflection plainly.

"It's me!" he said, in a pleased yet awed whisper.

[Illustration: THE SHAGGY MAN'S OWN HEAD RESTORED]

"'Course it is," replied the girl; "and we're all as glad as you are,
Button-Bright."

"Well," announced the shaggy man, "it's my turn next." He took off his
shaggy coat and laid it on the grass and dived head first into the Truth
Pond.