es, it
is a wonder that they had not run into one long ago.

"I must have run the wrong way," faltered the Cowardly Lion in a
distressed voice.

"You couldn't help that; anyone would lose his way in the dark," said
Dorothy generously. "But I wish we hadn't fallen in the sandwiches.
I'm hungry!"

"So am I. Do you think anyone lives in this forest, Dorothy?"

Dorothy did not answer, for just then she caught sight of a big sign
nailed to one of the trees.

"Turn to the right," directed the sign.

"Oh, come on!" cried Dorothy, cheering up immediately. "I believe
we're going to have another adventure."

"I'd rather have some supper," sighed the Cowardly Lion wistfully,
"but unless we want to spend the night here, we might as well move
along. I'm to be fed up on adventure, I suppose."

"Turn to the left," advised the next sign, and the two turned
obediently and hurried on, trying to keep a straight course through
the trees. In a Fairyland like Oz, where there are no trains or
trolleys or even horses for traveling ('cepting Ozma's sawhorse),
there are bound to be unexplored portions. And though Dorothy had
been at one time or another in almost every part of Oz, the country
through which they were now passing was totally unfamiliar to her.
Night was coming on, and it was growing so dark that she could hardly
read the third sign when they presently came upon it.

"Don't sing," directed the sign sternly.

"Sing!" snapped Dorothy indignantly, "Who wants to sing?"

"We might as well keep to the left," said the Cowardly Lion in a
resigned voice, and they walked along for some time in silence. The
trees were thinning out, and as they came to the edge of the forest,
another sign confronted them.

"Slow down," read Dorothy with great difficulty. "What nonsense! If
we slow down, how shall we ever get anywhere?"

"Wait a minute," mused the Cowardly Lion, half closing his eyes.
"Aren't there two roads just ahead, one going up and one going down?
We're to take the down road, I suppose. 'Slow down,' isn't that what
it says?"

Slow down it surely was, for the road was so steep and full of stones
that Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion had to pick their way with utmost
care. But even bad roads must end somewhere, and coming suddenly to
the edge of the woods, they saw a great city lying just below. A dim
light burned over the main gate, and toward this the Cowardly Lion
and Dorothy hurried as fast as they could. This was not very