tivities will be held on the
broad green just outside the gates of the City, where all my people can
assemble without being crowded."

"I hope the Scarecrow won't be late," said Dorothy, anxiously.

"Oh, he is sure to return to-morrow," answered Ozma. "He wanted new
straw to stuff himself with, so he went to the Munchkin Country, where
straw is plentiful."

With this the Princess bade her guests good night and went to her own
room.

Dorothy Receives the Guests

[Illustration]

Next morning Dorothy's breakfast was served in her own pretty sitting
room, and she sent to invite Polly and the shaggy man to join her and
Button-Bright at the meal. They came gladly, and Toto also had breakfast
with them, so that the little party that had traveled together to Oz was
once more reunited.

No sooner had they finished eating than they heard the distant blast of
many trumpets, and the sound of a brass band playing martial music; so
they all went out upon the balcony. This was at the front of the palace
and overlooked the streets of the City, being higher than the wall that
shut in the palace grounds. They saw approaching down the street a band
of musicians, playing as hard and loud as they could, while the people
of the Emerald City crowded the sidewalks and cheered so lustily that
they almost drowned the noise of the drums and horns.

[Illustration]

Dorothy looked to see what they were cheering at, and discovered that
behind the band was the famous Scarecrow, riding proudly upon the back
of a wooden Saw-Horse which pranced along the street almost as
gracefully as if it had been made of flesh. Its hoofs, or rather the
ends of its wooden legs, were shod with plates of solid gold, and the
saddle strapped to the wooden body was richly embroidered and glittered
with jewels.

As he reached the palace the Scarecrow looked up and saw Dorothy, and at
once waved his peaked hat at her in greeting. He rode up to the front
door and dismounted, and the band stopped playing and went away and the
crowds of people returned to their dwellings.

By the time Dorothy and her friends had re-entered her room the
Scarecrow was there, and he gave the girl a hearty embrace and shook the
hands of the others with his own squashy hands, which were white gloves
filled with straw.

The shaggy man, Button-Bright, and Polychrome stared hard at this
celebrated person, who was acknowledged to be the most popular and most
beloved man in all t