shoulder. "I'm always afraid o' bein' stepped on, and I don't
like the flavor of grass an' can't seem to get used to it. It's my
nature to eat grass, you know, but I begin to suspect it's an acquired
taste."

"Can you give molasses?" asked the Ork.

"I guess I'm not that kind of a grasshopper," replied Cap'n Bill. "But
I can't say what I might do if I was squeezed--which I hope I won't be."

"Well," said the Ork, "it's a great pity, and I'd like to meet that
cruel King and his Wicked Witch and punish them both severely. You're
awfully small, Cap'n Bill, but I think I would recognize you anywhere
by your wooden leg."

Then the Ork and Button-Bright were told all about Gloria's frozen
heart and how the Scarecrow had come from the Land of Oz to help them.
The Ork seemed rather disturbed when it learned that the Scarecrow had
gone alone to conquer King Krewl.

"I'm afraid he'll make a fizzle of it," said the skinny creature, "and
there's no telling what that terrible King might do to the poor
Scarecrow, who seems like a very interesting person. So I believe I'll
take a hand in this conquest myself."

"How?" asked Trot.

"Wait and see," was the reply. "But, first of all, I must fly home
again--back to my own country--so if you'll forgive my leaving you so
soon, I'll be off at once. Stand away from my tail, please, so that the
wind from it, when it revolves, won't knock you over."

They gave the creature plenty of room and away it went like a flash and
soon disappeared in the sky.

"I wonder," said Button-Bright, looking solemnly after the Ork,
"whether he'll ever come back again."

"Of course he will!" returned Trot. "The Ork's a pretty good fellow,
and we can depend on him. An' mark my words, Button-Bright, whenever
our Ork does come back, there's one cruel King in Jinxland that'll wish
he hadn't."

Chapter Eighteen

The Scarecrow Meets an Enemy

The Scarecrow was not a bit afraid of King Krewl. Indeed, he rather
enjoyed the prospect of conquering the evil King and putting Gloria on
the throne of Jinxland in his place. So he advanced boldly to the royal
castle and demanded admittance.

Seeing that he was a stranger, the soldiers allowed him to enter. He
made his way straight to the throne room, where at that time his
Majesty was settling the disputes among his subjects.

"Who are you?" demanded the King.

"I'm the Scarecrow of Oz, and I command you to surrender yourself my
prisoner."

"Why s