see a huge iron kettle suspended by a stout
chain in the middle of the place, and underneath the kettle a great heap
of kindling wood and shavings, ready to light.

"What's that?" asked the shaggy man, drawing back as they approached
this place, so that they were forced to push him forward.

"The Soup Kettle!" yelled the Scoodlers; and then they shouted in the
next breath:

"We're hungry!"

Button-Bright, holding Dorothy's hand in one chubby fist and Polly's
hand in the other, was so affected by this shout that he began to cry
again, repeating the protest:

"Don't want to be soup, I don't!"

"Never mind," said the shaggy man, consolingly; "I ought to make enough
soup to feed them all, I'm so big; so I'll ask them to put me in the
kettle first."

"All right," said Button-Bright, more cheerfully.

But the Scoodlers were not ready to make soup yet. They led the captives
into a house at the farthest side of the cave--a house somewhat wider
than the others.

"Who lives here?" asked the Rainbow's Daughter. The Scoodlers nearest
her replied:

"The Queen."

It made Dorothy hopeful to learn that a woman ruled over these fierce
creatures, but a moment later they were ushered by two or three of the
escort into a gloomy, bare room--and her hope died away.

For the Queen of the Scoodlers proved to be much more dreadful in
appearance than any of her people. One side of her was fiery red, with
jet-black hair and green eyes and the other side of her was bright
yellow, with crimson hair and black eyes. She wore a short skirt of red
and yellow and her hair, instead of being banged, was a tangle of short
curls upon which rested a circular crown of silver--much dented and
twisted because the Queen had thrown her head at so many things so many
times. Her form was lean and bony and both her faces were deeply
wrinkled.

"What have we here?" asked the Queen, sharply, as our friends were made
to stand before her.

"Soup!" cried the guard of Scoodlers, speaking together.

"We're not!" said Dorothy, indignantly; "we're nothing of the sort."

[Illustration]

"Ah, but you will be soon," retorted the Queen, a grim smile making her
look more dreadful than before.

"Pardon me, most beautiful vision," said the shaggy man, bowing before
the queen politely. "I must request your Serene Highness to let us go
our way without being made into soup. For I own the Love Magnet, and
whoever meets me must love me and all my friends."

"