ll enough to
come to Zeb's shoulder he was so strong and clever that he laid the boy
three times on his back with apparent ease.
Zeb was greatly astonished at his defeat, and when the pretty Princess
joined her people in laughing at him he proposed a boxing-match with
the Munchkin, to which the little Ozite readily agreed. But the first
time that Zeb managed to give him a sharp box on the ears the Munchkin
sat down upon the ground and cried until the tears ran down his
whiskers, because he had been hurt. This made Zeb laugh, in turn, and
the boy felt comforted to find that Ozma laughed as merrily at her
weeping subject as she had at him.
Just then the Scarecrow proposed a race between the Sawhorse and the
Cab-horse; and although all the others were delighted at the suggestion
the Sawhorse drew back, saying:
"Such a race would not be fair."
"Of course not," added Jim, with a touch of scorn; "those little wooden
legs of yours are not half as long as my own."
"It isn't that," said the Sawhorse, modestly; "but I never tire, and
you do."
"Bah!" cried Jim, looking with great disdain at the other; "do you
imagine for an instant that such a shabby imitation of a horse as you
are can run as fast as I?"
"I don't know, I'm sure," replied the Sawhorse.
"That is what we are trying to find out," remarked the Scarecrow. "The
object of a race is to see who can win it--or at least that is what my
excellent brains think."
"Once, when I was young," said Jim, "I was a race horse, and defeated
all who dared run against me. I was born in Kentucky, you know, where
all the best and most aristocratic horses come from."
"But you're old, now, Jim," suggested Zeb.
"Old! Why, I feel like a colt today," replied Jim. "I only wish there
was a real horse here for me to race with. I'd show the people a fine
sight, I can tell you."
"Then why not race with the Sawhorse?" enquired the Scarecrow.
"He's afraid," said Jim.
"Oh, no," answered the Sawhorse. "I merely said it wasn't fair. But
if my friend the Real Horse is willing to undertake the race I am quite
ready."
So they unharnessed Jim and took the saddle off the Sawhorse, and the
two queerly matched animals were stood side by side for the start.
"When I say 'Go!'" Zeb called to them, "you must dig out and race until
you reach those three trees you see over yonder. Then circle 'round
them and come back again. The first one that passes the place where
the
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