dome-shaped. They wore no
clothes on their puffy bodies, nor had they any hair. Their skins were
all of a light gray color, and their eyes were mere purple spots. Their
noses were as puffy as the rest of them.

"Are they rubber, do you think?" asked the Scarecrow, who noticed that
the creatures bounded, as they moved, and seemed almost as light as air.

"It is difficult to tell what they are," answered Woot, "they seem to
be covered with warts."

The Loons--for so these folks were called--had been doing many things,
some playing together, some working at tasks and some gathered in
groups to talk; but at the sound of strange voices, which echoed rather
loudly through the clearing, all turned in the direction of the
intruders. Then, in a body, they all rushed forward, running and
bounding with tremendous speed.

The Tin Woodman was so surprised by this sudden dash that he had no
time to raise his axe before the Loons were on them. The creatures
swung their puffy hands, which looked like boxing-gloves, and pounded
the three travelers as hard as they could, on all sides. The blows were
quite soft and did not hurt our friends at all, but the onslaught quite
bewildered them, so that in a brief period all three were knocked over
and fell flat upon the ground. Once down, many of the Loons held them,
to prevent their getting up again, while others wound long tendrils of
vines about them, binding their arms and legs to their bodies and so
rendering them helpless.

"Aha!" cried the biggest Loon of all; "we've got 'em safe; so let's
carry 'em to King Bal and have 'em tried, and condemned and
perforated!" They had to drag their captives to the center of the domed
chamber, for their weight, as compared with that of the Loons,
prevented their being carried. Even the Scarecrow was much heavier than
the puffy Loons. But finally the party halted before a raised platform,
on which stood a sort of throne, consisting of a big, wide chair with a
string tied to one arm of it. This string led upward to the roof of the
dome.

Arranged before the platform, the prisoners were allowed to sit up,
facing the empty throne.

"Good!" said the big Loon who had commanded the party. "Now to get King
Bal to judge these terrible creatures we have so bravely captured."

As he spoke he took hold of the string and began to pull as hard as he
could. One or two of the others helped him and pretty soon, as they
drew in the cord, the leaves above them