f the country around them.
All was fresh and beautiful after the sultriness of the desert, and the
sunshine and sweet, crisp air were delightful to the wanderers. Little
mounds of yellowish green were away at the right, while on the left
waved a group of tall leafy trees bearing yellow blossoms that looked
like tassels and pompoms. Among the grasses carpeting the ground were
pretty buttercups and cowslips and marigolds. After looking at these a
moment Dorothy said reflectively:

"We must be in the Country of the Winkies, for the color of that
country is yellow, and you will notice that 'most everything here is
yellow that has any color at all."

"But I thought this was the Land of Oz," replied the shaggy man, as if
greatly disappointed.

"So it is," she declared; "but there are four parts to the Land of Oz.
The North Country is purple, and it's the Country of the Gillikins.
The East Country is blue, and that's the Country of the Munchkins.
Down at the South is the red Country of the Quadlings, and here, in the
West, the yellow Country of the Winkies. This is the part that is
ruled by the Tin Woodman, you know."

"Who's he?" asked Button-Bright.

"Why, he's the tin man I told you about. His name is Nick Chopper, and
he has a lovely heart given him by the wonderful Wizard."

"Where does HE live?" asked the boy.

"The Wizard? Oh, he lives in the Emerald City, which is just in the
middle of Oz, where the corners of the four countries meet."

"Oh," said Button-Bright, puzzled by this explanation.

"We must be some distance from the Emerald City," remarked the shaggy
man.

"That's true," she replied; "so we'd better start on and see if we can
find any of the Winkies. They're nice people," she continued, as the
little party began walking toward the group of trees, "and I came here
once with my friends the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, and the
Cowardly Lion, to fight a wicked witch who had made all the Winkies her
slaves."

"Did you conquer her?" asked Polly.

"Why, I melted her with a bucket of water, and that was the end of
her," replied Dorothy. "After that the people were free, you know, and
they made Nick Chopper--that's the Tin Woodman--their Emp'ror."

"What's that?" asked Button-Bright.

"Emp'ror? Oh, it's something like an alderman, I guess."

"Oh," said the boy.

"But I thought Princess Ozma ruled Oz," said the shaggy man.

"So she does; she rules the Emerald City and all the four coun