ssure you."

[Illustration]

"Are they giants?" asked Betsy.

"They are worse than that," was the reply. "They have giants for their
slaves and they are so much stronger than giants that the poor slaves
dare not rebel, for fear of being torn to pieces."

"How do you know?" asked Scraps.

"Everyone says so," answered the High Coco-Lorum.

"Have you seen the Herkus yourself?" inquired Dorothy.

"No, but what everyone says must be true; otherwise, what would be the
use of their saying it?"

"We were told, before we got here, that you people hitch dragons to your
chariots," said the little girl.

"So we do," declared the High Coco-Lorum. "And that reminds me that I
ought to entertain you, as strangers and my guests, by taking you for a
ride around our splendid City of Thi."

He touched a button and a band began to play; at least, they heard the
music of a band, but couldn't tell where it came from.

"That tune is the order to my charioteer to bring around my
dragon-chariot," said the High Coco-Lorum. "Every time I give an order
it is in music, which is a much more pleasant way to address servants
than in cold, stern words."

"Does this dragon of yours bite?" asked Button-Bright.

"Mercy, no! Do you think I'd risk the safety of my innocent people by
using a biting dragon to draw my chariot? I'm proud to say that my
dragon is harmless--unless his steering-gear breaks--and he was
manufactured at the famous dragon-factory in this City of Thi. Here he
comes and you may examine him for yourselves."

They heard a low rumble and a shrill squeaking sound and, going out to
the front of the house, they saw coming around the corner a car drawn by
a gorgeous jeweled dragon, which moved its head to right and left and
flashed its eyes like the headlights of an automobile and uttered a
growling noise as it slowly moved toward them.

When it stopped before the High Coco-Lorum's house Toto barked sharply
at the sprawling beast, but even tiny Trot could see that the dragon was
not alive. Its scales were of gold and each one was set with sparkling
jewels, while it walked in such a stiff, regular manner that it could be
nothing else than a machine. The chariot that trailed behind it was
likewise of gold and jewels, and when they entered it they found there
were no seats. Everyone was supposed to stand up while riding.

The charioteer was a little diamond-headed fellow who straddled the neck
of the dragon and moved the levers