then obeyed. As
soon as he trotted out upon the surface of the river he found himself
safe from pursuit, and Zeb was already running across the water toward
Dorothy.

As the little Wizard turned to follow them he felt a hot breath against
his cheek and heard a low, fierce growl. At once he began stabbing at
the air with his sword, and he knew that he had struck some substance
because when he drew back the blade it was dripping with blood. The
third time that he thrust out the weapon there was a loud roar and a
fall, and suddenly at his feet appeared the form of a great red bear,
which was nearly as big as the horse and much stronger and fiercer.
The beast was quite dead from the sword thrusts, and after a glance at
its terrible claws and sharp teeth the little man turned in a panic and
rushed out upon the water, for other menacing growls told him more
bears were near.

On the river, however, the adventurers seemed to be perfectly safe.
Dorothy and the buggy had floated slowly down stream with the current
of the water, and the others made haste to join her. The Wizard opened
his satchel and got out some sticking-plaster with which he mended the
cuts Jim had received from the claws of the bears.

"I think we'd better stick to the river, after this," said Dorothy.
"If our unknown friend hadn't warned us, and told us what to do, we
would all be dead by this time."

"That is true," agreed the Wizard, "and as the river seems to be
flowing in the direction of the Pyramid Mountain it will be the easiest
way for us to travel."

Zeb hitched Jim to the buggy again, and the horse trotted along and
drew them rapidly over the smooth water. The kitten was at first
dreadfully afraid of getting wet, but Dorothy let her down and soon
Eureka was frisking along beside the buggy without being scared a bit.
Once a little fish swam too near the surface, and the kitten grabbed it
in her mouth and ate it up as quick as a wink; but Dorothy cautioned
her to be careful what she ate in this valley of enchantments, and no
more fishes were careless enough to swim within reach.

After a journey of several hours they came to a point where the river
curved, and they found they must cross a mile or so of the Valley
before they came to the Pyramid Mountain. There were few houses in
this part, and few orchards or flowers; so our friends feared they
might encounter more of the savage bears, which they had learned to
dread with all their hearts