pped a higher hill
than usual, they discovered a cup-shaped valley before them in the
center of which stood an enormous castle, built of purple stone. The
castle was high and broad and long, but had no turrets and towers. So
far as they could see, there was but one small window and one big door
on each side of the great building.

"This is strange!" mused the Scarecrow. "I'd no idea such a big castle
existed in this Gillikin Country. I wonder who lives here?"

"It seems to me, from this distance," remarked the Tin Woodman, "that
it's the biggest castle I ever saw. It is really too big for any use,
and no one could open or shut those big doors without a stepladder."

"Perhaps, if we go nearer, we shall find out whether anybody lives
there or not," suggested Woot. "Looks to me as if nobody lived there."

On they went, and when they reached the center of the valley, where the
great stone castle stood, it was beginning to grow dark. So they
hesitated as to what to do.

"If friendly people happen to live here," said Woot. "I shall be glad
of a bed; but should enemies occupy the place, I prefer to sleep upon
the ground."

"And if no one at all lives here," added the Scarecrow, "we can enter,
and take possession, and make ourselves at home."

While speaking he went nearer to one of the great doors, which was
three times as high and broad as any he had ever seen in a house
before, and then he discovered, engraved in big letters upon a stone
over the doorway, the words:

"YOOP CASTLE"

"Oho!" he exclaimed; "I know the place now. This was probably the home
of Mr. Yoop, a terrible giant whom I have seen confined in a cage, a
long way from here. Therefore this castle is likely to be empty and we
may use it in any way we please."

"Yes, yes," said the Tin Emperor, nodding; "I also remember Mr. Yoop.
But how are we to get into his deserted castle? The latch of the door
is so far above our heads that none of us can reach it."

They considered this problem for a while, and then Woot said to the Tin
Man:

"If I stand upon your shoulders, I think I can unlatch the door."

"Climb up, then," was the reply, and when the boy was perched upon the
tin shoulders of Nick Chopper, he was just able to reach the latch and
raise it.

At once the door swung open, its great hinges making a groaning sound
as if in protest, so Woot leaped down and followed his companions into
a big, bare hallway. Scarcely were the three inside, ho