the Scarecrow. "I'm almost sure I can see a
straw-stack in the back yard."

They descended the hollow, which was rather steep at the sides, and soon
came to the house, which was indeed rather small. Woot knocked upon a
door that was not much higher than his waist, but got no reply. He
knocked again, but not a sound was heard.

"Smoke is coming out of the chimney," announced Polychrome, who was
dancing lightly through the garden, where cabbages and beets and turnips
and the like were growing finely.

"Then someone surely lives here," said Woot, and knocked again.

Now a window at the side of the house opened and a queer head appeared.
It was white and hairy and had a long snout and little round eyes. The
ears were hidden by a blue sunbonnet tied under the chin.

"Oh; it's a pig!" exclaimed Woot.

"Pardon me; I am Mrs. Squealina Swyne, wife of Professor Grunter Swyne,
and this is our home," said the one in the window. "What do you want?"

"What sort of a Professor is your husband?" inquired the Tin Woodman
curiously.

"He is Professor of Cabbage Culture and Corn Perfection. He is very
famous in his own family, and would be the wonder of the world if he
went abroad," said Mrs. Swyne in a voice that was half proud and half
irritable. "I must also inform you intruders that the Professor is a
dangerous individual, for he files his teeth every morning until they
are sharp as needles. If you are butchers, you'd better run away and
avoid trouble."

"We are not butchers," the Tin Woodman assured her.

"Then what are you doing with that axe? And why has the other tin man a
sword?"

"They are the only weapons we have to defend our friends from their
enemies," explained the Emperor of the Winkies, and Woot added:

"Do not be afraid of us, Mrs. Swyne, for we are harmless travelers. The
tin men and the Scarecrow never eat anything and Polychrome feasts only
on dewdrops. As for me, I'm rather hungry, but there is plenty of food
in your garden to satisfy me."

Professor Swyne now joined his wife at the window, looking rather scared
in spite of the boy's assuring speech. He wore a blue Munchkin hat, with
pointed crown and broad brim, and big spectacles covered his eyes. He
peeked around from behind his wife and after looking hard at the
strangers, he said:

"My wisdom assures me that you are merely travelers, as you say, and not
butchers. Butchers have reason to be afraid of me, but you are safe. We
cannot invite you in