he clearest complexion in the
world, and I don't employ a beauty-doctor, either."

"I see you don't," said Scraps.

"Please don't quarrel," begged Ojo. "This is an important journey, and
quarreling makes me discouraged. To be brave, one must be cheerful, so
I hope you will be as good-tempered as possible."

They had traveled some distance when suddenly they faced a high fence
which barred any further progress straight ahead. It ran directly
across the road and enclosed a small forest of tall trees, set close
together. When the group of adventurers peered through the bars of the
fence they thought this forest looked more gloomy and forbidding than
any they had ever seen before.

They soon discovered that the path they had been following now made a
bend and passed around the enclosure, but what made Ojo stop and look
thoughtful was a sign painted on the fence which read:

"BEWARE OF THE WOOZY!"

"That means," he said, "that there's a Woozy inside that fence, and the
Woozy must be a dangerous animal or they wouldn't tell people to beware
of it."

"Let's keep out, then," replied Scraps. "That path is outside the
fence, and Mr. Woozy may have all his little forest to himself, for all
we care."

"But one of our errands is to find a Woozy," Ojo explained. "The
Magician wants me to get three hairs from the end of a Woozy's tail."

"Let's go on and find some other Woozy," suggested the cat. "This one
is ugly and dangerous, or they wouldn't cage him up. Maybe we shall
find another that is tame and gentle."

"Perhaps there isn't any other, at all," answered Ojo. "The sign
doesn't say: 'Beware a Woozy'; it says: 'Beware the Woozy,' which may
mean there's only one in all the Land of Oz."

"Then," said Scraps, "suppose we go in and find him? Very likely if we
ask him politely to let us pull three hairs out of the tip of his tail
he won't hurt us."

"It would hurt him, I'm sure, and that would make him cross," said the
cat.

"You needn't worry, Bungle," remarked the Patchwork Girl; "for if there
is danger you can climb a tree. Ojo and I are not afraid; are we, Ojo?"

"I am, a little," the boy admitted; "but this danger must be faced, if
we intend to save poor Unc Nunkie. How shall we get over the fence?"

"Climb," answered Scraps, and at once she began climbing up the rows of
bars. Ojo followed and found it more easy than he had expected. When
they got to the top of the fence they began to get down on the othe