e
your friends came in search of you, not one of them would be able to
recognize you."

Her tone was so positive that they knew it would be useless to protest.
The woman was not unpleasant to look at; her face was not cruel; her
voice was big but gracious in tone; but her words showed that she
possessed a merciless heart and no pleadings would alter her wicked
purpose.

Mrs. Yoop took ample time to finish her breakfast and the prisoners had
no desire to hurry her, but finally the meal was concluded and she
folded her napkin and made the table disappear by clapping her hands
together. Then she turned to her captives and said:

"The next thing on the programme is to change your forms."

"Have you decided what forms to give us?" asked the Scarecrow, uneasily.

"Yes; I dreamed it all out while I was asleep. This Tin Man seems a
very solemn person "--indeed, the Tin Woodman was looking solemn, just
then, for he was greatly disturbed--"so I shall change him into an Owl."

All she did was to point one finger at him as she spoke, but
immediately the form of the Tin Woodman began to change and in a few
seconds Nick Chopper, the Emperor of the Winkies, had been transformed
into an Owl, with eyes as big as saucers and a hooked beak and strong
claws. But he was still tin. He was a Tin Owl, with tin legs and beak
and eyes and feathers. When he flew to the back of a chair and perched
upon it, his tin feathers rattled against one another with a tinny
clatter. The Giantess seemed much amused by the Tin Owl's appearance,
for her laugh was big and jolly.

"You're not liable to get lost," said she, "for your wings and feathers
will make a racket wherever you go. And, on my word, a Tin Owl is so
rare and pretty that it is an improvement on the ordinary bird. I did
not intend to make you tin, but I forgot to wish you to be meat.
However, tin you were, and tin you are, and as it's too late to change
you, that settles it."

Until now the Scarecrow had rather doubted the possibility of Mrs.
Yoop's being able to transform him, or his friend the Tin Woodman, for
they were not made as ordinary people are. He had worried more over
what might happen to Woot than to himself, but now he began to worry
about himself.

"Madam," he said hastily, "I consider this action very impolite. It may
even be called rude, considering we are your guests."

"You are not guests, for I did not invite you here," she replied.

"Perhaps not; but we craved