wondering how the
old Nobleman had taken his marriage with a poor fisherman's daughter.

Happy chuckled at the memory. "He had a Princess all picked out for
you," he confided merrily:

And there he stood in awful pride
And scorned the father of the bride!

"Hoh!" roared the Scarecrow, falling off the bench. "That's the
Ozziest thing I've heard since I landed in the Silver Islands. Tappy,
my boy, I believe we are going to be friends! But let's forget the
past and think of the present!"

The Scarecrow embraced his Imperial Punster on the spot. "Let's find
something jolly to do," he suggested.

"Would your Extreme Highness care for kites?" asked Happy. "'Tis a
favorite sport here!"

"Would I! But wait, I will disguise myself." Hiding his royal hat
under the bench, he put on Happy Toko's broad-rimmed peasant hat. It
turned down all 'round and almost hid his face. Then he turned his
robe inside out and declared himself ready.

They passed through a small silver town before they reached the field
where the kites were to be flown, and the Scarecrow was delighted
with its picturesque and quaint appearance. The streets were narrow
and full of queer shops. Silver lanterns and little pennants hung
from each door, the merchants and maidens in their gay sedans and the
people afoot made a bright and lively picture.

"If I could just live here instead of in the palace," mused the
Scarecrow, pausing before a modest rice shop. It is dangerous to stop
in the narrow streets, and Happy jerked his master aside just in time
to prevent his being trodden on by a huge camel. It sniffed at the
Scarecrow suspiciously, and they were forced to flatten themselves
against a wall to let it pass. Happy anxiously hurried the Emperor
through the town, and they soon arrived at the kite flying field. A
great throng had gathered to watch the exhibition, and there were
more kites than one would see in a lifetime here. Huge fish, silver
paper dragons, birds--every sort and shape of kite was tugging at its
string, and hundreds of Silver Islanders--boys, girls and grown-ups--
were looking on.

"How interesting," said the Scarecrow, fascinated by a huge dragon
that floated just over his head. "I wish Dorothy could see this, I do
indeed!"

But the dragon kite seemed almost alive, and horrors! Just as it
swooped down, a hook in the tail caught in the Scarecrow's collar,
and before Happy Toko could even wink, the Emperor of the Silver
Isl