oodman Talks to Himself 209

19 The Invisible Country 229

20 Over Night 251

21 Polychrome's Magic 260

22 Nimmie Amee 271

23 Through the Tunnel 280

24 The Curtain Falls 285

[Illustration: Woot _in court dress_]

Woot the Wanderer

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 1

The Tin Woodman sat on his glittering tin throne in the handsome tin
hall of his splendid tin castle in the Winkie Country of the Land of Oz.
Beside him, in a chair of woven straw, sat his best friend, the
Scarecrow of Oz. At times they spoke to one another of curious things
they had seen and strange adventures they had known since first they
two had met and become comrades. But at times they were silent, for
these things had been talked over many times between them, and they
found themselves contented in merely being together, speaking now and
then a brief sentence to prove they were wide awake and attentive. But
then, these two quaint persons never slept. Why should they sleep, when
they never tired?

And now, as the brilliant sun sank low over the Winkie Country of Oz,
tinting the glistening tin towers and tin minarets of the tin castle
with glorious sunset hues, there approached along a winding pathway Woot
the Wanderer, who met at the castle entrance a Winkie servant.

The servants of the Tin Woodman all wore tin helmets and tin
breastplates and uniforms covered with tiny tin discs sewed closely
together on silver cloth, so that their bodies sparkled as beautifully
as did the tin castle--and almost as beautifully as did the Tin Woodman
himself.

Woot the Wanderer looked at the man servant--all bright and
glittering--and at the magnificent castle--all bright and
glittering--and as he looked his eyes grew big with wonder.
For Woot was not very big and not very old and, wanderer though
he was, this proved the most gorgeous sight that had ever met his
boyish gaze.

"Who lives here?" he asked.

"The Emperor of the Winkies, who is the famous Tin Woodman of Oz,"
replied the servant, who had been trained to treat all strangers with
courtesy.

"A Tin Woodman? How queer!" exclaimed the little wanderer.

"Well, perhaps our Emperor is queer," admitted the servant; "but he is a
kind master and as honest and true as good tin can make him; so we, who
gladly serve him, are a