he birds who fly over that country brought the news,"
suggested Betsy.

"If you escaped those dangers," continued the shepherd, "you might
encounter others, still more serious, before you came to the next branch
of the Winkie River. It is true that beyond that river there lies a fine
country, inhabited by good people, and if you reached there you would
have no further trouble. It is between here and the west branch of the
Winkie River that all dangers lie, for that is the unknown territory
that is inhabited by terrible, lawless people."

"It may be, and it may not be," said the Wizard. "We shall know when we
get there."

"Well," persisted the shepherd, "in a fairy country such as ours every
undiscovered place is likely to harbor wicked creatures. If they were
not wicked, they would discover themselves, and by coming among us
submit to Ozma's rule and be good and considerate, as are all the Oz
people whom we know."

"That argument," stated the little Wizard, "convinces me that it is our
duty to go straight to those unknown places, however dangerous they may
be; for it is surely some cruel and wicked person who has stolen our
Ozma, and we know it would be folly to search among good people for the
culprit. Ozma may not be hidden in the secret places of the Winkie
Country, it is true, but it is our duty to travel to every spot, however
dangerous, where our beloved Ruler is likely to be imprisoned."

"You're right about that," said Button-Bright approvingly. "Dangers
don't hurt us; only things that happen ever hurt anyone, and a danger is
a thing that might happen, and might not happen, and sometimes don't
amount to shucks. I vote we go ahead and take our chances."

They were all of the same opinion, so they packed up and said good-bye
to the friendly shepherd and proceeded on their way.

[Illustration]

The Merry-Go-Round Mountains

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 7

The Rolling Prairie was not difficult to travel over, although it was
all up-hill and down-hill, so for a while they made good progress. Not
even a shepherd was to be met with now and the farther they advanced the
more dreary the landscape became. At noon they stopped for a "picnic
luncheon," as Betsy called it, and then they again resumed their
journey. All the animals were swift and tireless and even the Cowardly
Lion and the Mule found they could keep up with the pace of the Woozy
and the Sawhorse.

It was the middle of the afternoon when fir