lf on the stone floor and began tearing strand after strand from
his silver pigtail.

"He has killed the little joy of my hearth!" screeched the old man.
"I will turn him to a cat, a miserable yellow cat, and roast him for
dinner!"

"Oh!" cried Dorothy, looking at Sir Hokus sorrowfully. "How could
you?"

The slaying of the dragon had thrown the whole hall into utmost
confusion. Sir Hokus turned a little pale under his armor, but faced
the angry mob without flinching.

"Oh, my dear Karwan Bashi, this is so uncomfortable!" wheezed the
camel, glancing back of him with frightened eyes.

"There's a shiny dagger in my left-hand saddlesack. I doubt very much
whether they would like it," coughed the Doubtful Dromedary, pressing
close to the Knight.

"On with the ceremony!" cried the eldest Prince, seeing that the
excitement was giving the Scarecrow's friends too much time to think.
"The son of an iron pot shall be punished later!"

"That's right!" cried a voice from the crowd. "Let the Emperor be
restored!"

"I guess it's all over," gulped the Scarecrow. "Give my love to Ozma
and tell her I tried to come back."

In helpless terror, the little company watched the Gheewizard
approach. One could fight real enemies, but _magic!_ Even Sir Hokus,
brave as he was, felt that nothing could be done.

"One move and you shall be so many prunes," shrilled the angry old
man, fixing the people from Oz with his wicked little eyes. The great
room was so still you could have heard a pin drop. Even the Doubtful
Dromedary had not the heart to doubt the wizard's power, but stood
rigid as a statue.

The wizard advanced slowly, holding the sealed vase carefully over
his head. The poor Scarecrow regarded it with gloomy fascination. One
more moment and he would be an old, old Silverman. Better to be lost
forever! He held convulsively to Dorothy.

As for Dorothy herself, she was trembling with fright and grief. When
the Grand Gheewizard raised the vase higher and higher and made ready
to hurl it at the Scarecrow, disregarding his dire threat she gave a
shrill scream and threw up both hands.

"Great grandmothers!" gasped the Scarecrow, jumping to his feet. As
Dorothy had thrown up her arms, the little parasol swinging at her
wrist had jerked open. Up, up, up, and out through the broken
skylight in the roof sailed the little Princess of Oz!

The Grand Gheewizard, startled as anyone, failed to throw the vase.
Every neck was craned upwar