you buy
it, my dear?" he asked, addressing Dorothy.

"My gown isn't silk," she said, smiling.

"Never mind. When you open the box the rustles will escape, whether
you are wearing a silk dress or not," said the man, seriously. Then he
picked up another box. "In this," he continued, "are many assorted
flutters. They are invaluable to make flags flutter on a still day,
when there is no wind. You, sir," turning to the Wizard, "ought to
have this assortment. Once you have tried my goods I am sure you will
never be without them."

"I have no money with me," said the Wizard, evasively.

"I do not want money," returned the braided man, "for I could not spend
it in this deserted place if I had it. But I would like very much a
blue hair-ribbon. You will notice my braids are tied with yellow,
pink, brown, red, green, white and black; but I have no blue ribbons."

"I'll get you one!" cried Dorothy, who was sorry for the poor man; so
she ran back to the buggy and took from her suit-case a pretty blue
ribbon. It did her good to see how the braided man's eyes sparkled
when he received this treasure.

"You have made me very, very happy, my dear!" he exclaimed; and then he
insisted on the Wizard taking the box of flutters and the little girl
accepting the box of rustles.

"You may need them, some time," he said, "and there is really no use in
my manufacturing these things unless somebody uses them."

"Why did you leave the surface of the earth?" enquired the Wizard.

"I could not help it. It is a sad story, but if you will try to
restrain your tears I will tell you about it. On earth I was a
manufacturer of Imported Holes for American Swiss Cheese, and I will
acknowledge that I supplied a superior article, which was in great
demand. Also I made pores for porous plasters and high-grade holes for
doughnuts and buttons. Finally I invented a new Adjustable Post-hole,
which I thought would make my fortune. I manufactured a large quantity
of these post-holes, and having no room in which to store them I set
them all end to end and put the top one in the ground. That made an
extraordinary long hole, as you may imagine, and reached far down into
the earth; and, as I leaned over it to try to see to the bottom, I lost
my balance and tumbled in. Unfortunately, the hole led directly into
the vast space you see outside this mountain; but I managed to catch a
point of rock that projected from this cavern, and so saved myself