er mother said:

"We are not vain in the Valley of Voe, because we can not display our
beauty, and good actions and pleasant ways are what make us lovely to
our companions. Yet we can see and appreciate the beauties of nature,
the dainty flowers and trees, the green fields and the clear blue of the
sky."

"How about the birds and beasts and fishes?" asked Zeb.

"The birds we cannot see, because they love to eat of the damas as much
as we do; yet we hear their sweet songs and enjoy them. Neither can we
see the cruel bears, for they also eat the fruit. But the fishes that
swim in our brooks we can see, and often we catch them to eat."

"It occurs to me you have a great deal to make you happy, even while
invisible," remarked the Wizard. "Nevertheless, we prefer to remain
visible while we are in your valley."

Just then Eureka came in, for she had been until now wandering outside
with Jim; and when the kitten saw the table set with food she cried out:

"Now you must feed me, Dorothy, for I'm half starved."

The children were inclined to be frightened by the sight of the small
animal, which reminded them of the bears; but Dorothy reassured them by
explaining that Eureka was a pet and could do no harm even if she wished
to. Then, as the others had by this time moved away from the table, the
kitten sprang upon the chair and put her paws upon the cloth to see what
there was to eat. To her surprise an unseen hand clutched her and held
her suspended in the air. Eureka was frantic with terror, and tried to
scratch and bite, so the next moment she was dropped to the floor.

"Did you see that, Dorothy?" she gasped.

"Yes, dear," her mistress replied; "there are people living in this
house, although we cannot see them. And you must have better manners,
Eureka, or something worse will happen to you."

She placed a plate of food upon the floor and the kitten ate greedily.

"Give me that nice-smelling fruit I saw on the table," she begged, when
she had cleaned the plate.

"Those are damas," said Dorothy, "and you must never even taste them,
Eureka, or you'll get invis'ble, and then we can't see you at all."

The kitten gazed wistfully at the forbidden fruit.

"Does it hurt to be invis'ble?" she asked.

"I don't know," Dorothy answered; "but it would hurt me dre'fully to
lose you."

"Very well, I won't touch it," decided the kitten; "but you must keep it
away from me, for the smell is very tempting."

"Can you tell us