worry," advised the Tin Woodman, who was playing checkers with
Scraps. "He's probably gone home."

"He is a man of brains; why worry
Because he's left us in a hurry?"

chuckled Scraps with a careless wave of her hand, and Dorothy,
laughing in spite of herself, ran out to have another look in the
garden.

"That is just what he has done, and if I hurry, I may overtake him.
Anyway, I believe I'll go and pay him a visit," thought Dorothy.

Trot and Betsy Bobbin were swinging in one of the royal hammocks, and
when Dorothy invited them to go along, they explained that they were
going on a picnic with the Tin Woodman. So without waiting to ask
anyone else or even whistling for Toto, her little dog, Dorothy
skipped out of the garden.

The Cowardly Lion, half asleep under a rose bush, caught a glimpse of
her blue dress flashing by, and bounding to his feet thudded after
her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, stifling a giant yawn.

"To visit the Scarecrow," explained Dorothy. "He looked so unhappy
last night. I am afraid he is worrying about his family tree, and I
thought p'raps I could cheer him up."

The Cowardly Lion stretched luxuriously. "I'll go too," he rumbled,
giving himself a shake. "But it's the first time I ever heard of the
Scarecrow worrying."

"But you see," Dorothy said gently, "Professor Wogglebug told him he
had no family."

"Family! Family fiddlesticks! Hasn't he got us?" The Cowardly Lion
stopped and waved his tail indignantly.

"Why, you dear old thing!" Dorothy threw her arms around his neck.
"You've given me a lovely idea!" The Cowardly Lion tried not to look
pleased.

"Well, as long as I've given it to you, you might tell me what it
is," he suggested mildly.

"Why," said Dorothy, skipping along happily, "we'll let him adopt us
and be his really relations. I'll be his sister, and you'll be--"

"His cousin--that is, if you think he wouldn't mind having a great
coward like me for a cousin," finished the Cowardly Lion in an
anxious voice.

"Do you still feel as cowardly as ever?" asked Dorothy
sympathetically.

"More so!" sighed the great beast, glancing apprehensively over his
shoulder. This made Dorothy laugh, for although the lion trembled
like a cup custard at the approach of danger, he always managed to
fight with great valor, and the little girl felt safer with him than
with the whole army of Oz, who never were frightened but who always
ran away.

Now anyone who is