y have better nerves. That is probably
why the magician uses them for soldiers and has sent them to oppose us."

No one argued this statement, for all were staring hard at the line of
soldiers, which now, having taken a defiant position, remained
motionless.

"Here is a trick of magic new to me," admitted the Wizard, after a time.
"I do not believe the army is real, but the spears may be sharp enough
to prick us, nevertheless, so we must be cautious. Let us take time to
consider how to meet this difficulty."

[Illustration]

While they were thinking it over Scraps danced closer to the line of
girl soldiers. Her button eyes sometimes saw more than did the natural
eyes of her comrades and so, after staring hard at the magician's army,
she boldly advanced and danced right through the threatening line! On
the other side she waved her stuffed arms and called out:

"Come on, folks. The spears can't hurt you."

"Ah!" said the Wizard, gayly, "an optical illusion, as I thought. Let us
all follow the Patchwork Girl."

The three little girls were somewhat nervous in attempting to brave the
spears and battle-axes, but after the others had safely passed the line
they ventured to follow. And, when all had passed through the ranks of
the girl army, the army itself magically disappeared from view.

All this time our friends had been getting farther up the hill and
nearer to the wicker castle. Now, continuing their advance, they
expected something else to oppose their way, but to their astonishment
nothing happened and presently they arrived at the wicker gates, which
stood wide open, and boldly entered the domain of Ugu the Shoemaker.

In the Wicker Castle

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 22

No sooner were the Wizard of Oz and his followers well within the castle
entrance when the big gates swung to with a clang and heavy bars dropped
across them. They looked at one another uneasily, but no one cared to
speak of the incident. If they were indeed prisoners in the wicker
castle it was evident they must find a way to escape, but their first
duty was to attend to the errand on which they had come and seek the
Royal Ozma, whom they believed to be a prisoner of the magician, and
rescue her.

They found they had entered a square courtyard, from which an entrance
led into the main building of the castle. No person had appeared to
greet them, so far, although a gaudy peacock, perched upon the wall,
cackled with laughter and sa