aid politely as soon as the pill
was down. Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, for it was so
comfortable to have him speak their own language.

"I could never have stood it here without Tappy Oko!" The Scarecrow
looked fondly at his Imperial Punster.

"Queer name he has," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, looking at Happy Toko
as if he had thoughts of eating him.

"Methinks he should be knighted," rumbled Sir Hokus, beaming on the
little Silverman. "Rise, Sir Pudding!"

"The sun will do that in a minute or more, and then, then we shall
all be thrown into prison!" wailed Happy Toko dismally.

"We were going to escape in a small boat," explained the Scarecrow,
"but--" It was not necessary for him to finish. A boat large enough
to hold Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, Happy Toko, the
camel and the dromedary could not very well be launched in secret.

"Oh, dear!" sighed Dorothy, "If I'd only wished you and all of us
back in the Emerald City!"

"You wished very well, Lady Dot," said the Knight. "When I think of
what I was going to wish for--"

"What were you going to wish, Hokus?" asked the Cowardly Lion
curiously.

"For a dragon!" faltered the Knight, looking terribly ashamed.

"A dragon!" gasped Dorothy. "Why, what good would that have done us?"

"Wait!" interrupted the Scarecrow. "I have thought of something! Why
not climb my family tree? It is a long, long way, but at the top lies
Oz!"

"Grammercy, a pretty plan!" exclaimed Sir Hokus, peering up at the
bean pole.

"Wouldn't that be social climbing?" chuckled Happy Toko, recovering
his spirits with a bound. The Cowardly Lion said nothing, but heaved
a mighty sigh which no one heard, for they were all running toward
the bean pole. It was a good family tree to climb, sure enough, for
there were handy little notches in the stalk.

"You go first!" Sir Hokus helped Dorothy up. When she had gone a few
steps, the Scarecrow, holding his robes carefully, followed, then
honest Happy Toko.

"I'll go last," said Sir Hokus bravely, and had just set his foot on
the first notch when a hoarse scream rang through the hall.

CHAPTER 19

PLANNING TO FLY FROM THE SILVER ISLAND

It was the Comfortable Camel. Waking suddenly, he found himself
deserted. "Oh, where is my dear Karwan Bashi?" he roared dismally.
"Come back! Come back!"

"Hush up, can't you?" rumbled the Cowardly Lion. "Do you want Dorothy
and everybody to be thrown into prison on our account? We