day I
will let you try to crush in my skull, and afterward you will know more
about tigers than you do now."

"Any friend of Dorothy," remarked the Cowardly Lion, "must be our
friend, as well. So let us cease this talk of skull crushing and
converse upon more pleasant subjects. Have you breakfasted, Sir Horse?"

"Not yet," replied Jim. "But here is plenty of excellent clover, so if
you will excuse me I will eat now."

"He's a vegetarian," remarked the Tiger, as the horse began to munch the
clover. "If I could eat grass I would not need a conscience, for nothing
could then tempt me to devour babies and lambs."

Just then Dorothy, who had risen early and heard the voices of the
animals, ran out to greet her old friends. She hugged both the Lion and
the Tiger with eager delight, but seemed to love the King of Beasts a
little better than she did his hungry friend, having known him longer.

By the time they had indulged in a good talk and Dorothy had told them
all about the awful earthquake and her recent adventures, the breakfast
bell rang from the palace and the little girl went inside to join her
human comrades. As she entered the great hall a voice called out, in a
rather harsh tone:

"What! are _you_ here again?"

"Yes, I am," she answered, looking all around to see where the voice
came from.

"What brought you back?" was the next question, and Dorothy's eye rested
on an antlered head hanging on the wall just over the fireplace, and
caught its lips in the act of moving.

"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were stuffed."

"So I am," replied the head. "But once on a time I was part of the Gump,
which Ozma sprinkled with the Powder of Life. I was then for a time the
Head of the finest Flying Machine that was ever known to exist, and we
did many wonderful things. Afterward the Gump was taken apart and I was
put back on this wall; but I can still talk when I feel in the mood,
which is not often."

"It's very strange," said the girl. "What were you when you were first
alive?"

"That I have forgotten," replied the Gump's Head, "and I do not think it
is of much importance. But here comes Ozma; so I'd better hush up, for
the Princess doesn't like me to chatter since she changed her name from
Tip to Ozma."

Just then the girlish Ruler of Oz opened the door and greeted Dorothy
with a good-morning kiss. The little Princess seemed fresh and rosy and
in good spirits.

"Breakfast is served, dear," she s