of mind to obey, and the
next minute the Cowardly Lion, growling between his teeth like a good
fellow, was dashing through the group of Pokes, the other end of the
rope in his mouth.

Bumpety bump--bump--bump! Bangety-bang-bang! went Sir Hokus over the
cobbles, holding his helmet with one hand and Dorothy fast in the
other arm. The Pokes fell this way and that, and such was the
determination of the Cowardly Lion that he never stopped till he was
out of the gate and halfway up the rough road they had so recently
traveled. Then with a mighty sigh, he dropped the rope, rolled over
and over down the hill, and lay panting with exhaustion at the
bottom.

The bumping over the cobbles had wakened Sir Hokus thoroughly.
Indeed, the poor Knight was black and blue, and his armor dented and
scraped frightfully in important places.

Dorothy, considerably shaken, opened her eyes and began feebly
singing "Three Blind Mice."

"No need," puffed Sir Hokus, lifting her off his lap and rising
stiffly.

"Yon noble beast has rescued us."

"Won't the Pokes come up here?" asked Dorothy, staring around a bit
dizzily.

"They cannot live out of the kingdom," said the Knight, and Dorothy
drew a big sigh of relief. Sir Hokus, however, was looking very
grave.

"I have failed on my first adventure. Had it not been for the
Cowardly Lion, we would now be prisoners in Pokes," he murmured
sadly. Then he unfastened the plume from his helmet. "It beseemeth me
not to wear it," sighed the Knight mournfully, and though Dorothy
tried her best to comfort him, he refused to put it back. Finally,
she fastened the plume to her dress, and they went down to the
Cowardly Lion.

There was a little spring nearby, and after they had poured six
helmets of water over his head, the lion opened his eyes. "Been in a
good many fights," gasped the lion, "but I never fought one like
this. Singing, bah!"

"Noble Sir, how can I ever repay you?" faltered the Knight. "Alas,
that I have failed in the hour of trial!"

"Why, it wasn't a question of courage at all," rumbled the Cowardly
Lion, greatly embarrassed. "I had the loudest voice and the most
breath, that's all! You got the rough end of it." Sir Hokus looked
ruefully at his armor. The back was entirely squashed.

"Never mind!" said the Knight bravely. "It is the front one presents
to the foe."

"Now you're talking like a real Knight," said Dorothy. "A while ago
you said, 'Yon' and 'beseemeth,' and first th