comrades that the witch was found the Ork flew down and dragged old
Blinkie from her hiding-place. Then two or three of the Orks seized the
clothing of the wicked woman in their strong claws and, lifting her
high in the air, where she struggled and screamed to no avail, they
flew with her straight to the royal castle and set her down before the
throne of the Scarecrow.

"Good!" exclaimed the straw man, nodding his stuffed head with
satisfaction. "Now we can proceed to business. Mistress Witch, I am
obliged to request, gently but firmly, that you undo all the wrongs you
have done by means of your witchcraft."

"Pah!" cried old Blinkie in a scornful voice. "I defy you all! By my
magic powers I can turn you all into pigs, rooting in the mud, and I'll
do it if you are not careful."

"I think you are mistaken about that," said the Scarecrow, and rising
from his throne he walked with wobbling steps to the side of the Wicked
Witch. "Before I left the Land of Oz, Glinda the Royal Sorceress gave
me a box, which I was not to open except in an emergency. But I feel
pretty sure that this occasion is an emergency; don't you, Trot?" he
asked, turning toward the little girl.

"Why, we've got to do something," replied Trot seriously. "Things seem
in an awful muddle here, jus' now, and they'll be worse if we don't
stop this witch from doing more harm to people."

"That is my idea, exactly," said the Scarecrow, and taking a small box
from his pocket he opened the cover and tossed the contents toward
Blinkie.

The old woman shrank back, pale and trembling, as a fine white dust
settled all about her. Under its influence she seemed to the eyes of
all observers to shrivel and grow smaller.

"Oh, dear--oh, dear!" she wailed, wringing her hands in fear. "Haven't
you the antidote, Scarecrow? Didn't the great Sorceress give you
another box?"

"She did," answered the Scarecrow.

"Then give it me--quick!" pleaded the witch. "Give it me--and I'll do
anything you ask me to!"

"You will do what I ask first," declared the Scarecrow, firmly.

The witch was shriveling and growing smaller every moment.

"Be quick, then!" she cried. "Tell me what I must do and let me do it,
or it will be too late."

"You made Trot's friend, Cap'n Bill, a grasshopper. I command you to
give him back his proper form again," said the Scarecrow.

"Where is he? Where's the grasshopper? Quick--quick!" she screamed.

Cap'n Bill, who had been deeply interested