in the direction of the phantom city. "These
blankets," said he, "are for the Lion and the Mule to walk upon. The
Sawhorse and the Woozy can walk on the thistles."

So the Lion and the Mule walked over the first blanket and stood upon
the second one until the Wizard had picked up the one they had passed
over and spread it in front of them, when they advanced to that one and
waited while the one behind them was again spread in front. "This is
slow work," said the Wizard, "but it will get us to the city after a
while."

"The city is a good half mile away yet," announced Button-Bright.

"And this is awful hard work for the Wizard," added Trot.

"Why couldn't the Lion ride on the Woozy's back?" asked Dorothy. "It's
a big, flat back, and the Woozy's mighty strong. Perhaps the Lion
wouldn't fall off."

"You may try it if you like," said the Woozy to the Lion. "I can take
you to the city in a jiffy and then come back for Hank."

"I'm--I'm afraid," said the Cowardly Lion. He was twice as big as the
Woozy.

"Try it," pleaded Dorothy.

"And take a tumble among the thistles?" asked the Lion reproachfully.

But when the Woozy came close to him, the big beast suddenly bounded
upon its back and managed to balance himself there, although forced to
hold his four legs so close together that he was in danger of toppling
over. The great weight of the monster Lion did not seem to affect the
Woozy, who called to his rider, "Hold on tight!" and ran swiftly over
the thistles toward the city.

The others stood on the blanket and watched the strange sight
anxiously. Of course, the Lion couldn't "hold on tight" because there
was nothing to hold to, and he swayed from side to side as if likely to
fall off any moment. Still, he managed to stick to the Woozy's back
until they were close to the walls of the city, when he leaped to the
ground. Next moment the Woozy came dashing back at full speed.

"There's a little strip of ground next the wall where there are no
thistles," he told them when he had reached the adventurers once more.
"Now then, friend Hank, see if you can ride as well as the Lion did."

"Take the others first," proposed the Mule. So the Sawhorse and the
Woozy made a couple of trips over the thistles to the city walls and
carried all the people in safety, Dorothy holding little Toto in her
arms. The travelers then sat in a group on a little hillock just
outside the wall and looked at the great blocks of gray