e!" said Dorothy, with a laugh. "I don't b'lieve
you'd eat a baby if you lost your Conscience. Come here, Polly," she
called, "and be introduced to my friends."

Polly advanced rather shyly.

"You have some queer friends, Dorothy," she said.

"The queerness doesn't matter so long as they're friends," was the
answer. "This is the Cowardly Lion, who isn't a coward at all, but
just thinks he is. The Wizard gave him some courage once, and he has
part of it left."

The Lion bowed with great dignity to Polly.

"You are very lovely, my dear," said he. "I hope we shall be friends
when we are better acquainted."

"And this is the Hungry Tiger," continued Dorothy. "He says he longs
to eat fat babies; but the truth is he is never hungry at all, 'cause
he gets plenty to eat; and I don't s'pose he'd hurt anybody even if he
WAS hungry."

"Hush, Dorothy," whispered the Tiger; "you'll ruin my reputation if you
are not more discreet. It isn't what we are, but what folks think we
are, that counts in this world. And come to think of it Miss Polly
would make a fine variegated breakfast, I'm sure."

18. The Emerald City

The others now came up, and the Tin Woodman greeted the Lion and the
Tiger cordially. Button-Bright yelled with fear when Dorothy first
took his hand and led him toward the great beasts; but the girl
insisted they were kind and good, and so the boy mustered up courage
enough to pat their heads; after they had spoken to him gently and he
had looked into their intelligent eyes his fear vanished entirely and
he was so delighted with the animals that he wanted to keep close to
them and stroke their soft fur every minute.

As for the shaggy man, he might have been afraid if he had met the
beasts alone, or in any other country, but so many were the marvels in;
the Land of Oz that he was no longer easily surprised, and Dorothy's
friendship for the Lion and Tiger was enough to assure him they were
safe companions. Toto barked at the Cowardly Lion in joyous greeting,
for he knew the beast of old and loved him, and it was funny to see how
gently the Lion raised his huge paw to pat Toto's head. The little dog
smelled of the Tiger's nose, and the Tiger politely shook paws with
him; so they were quite likely to become firm friends.

Tik-tok and Billina knew the beasts well, so merely bade them good day
and asked after their healths and inquired about the Princess Ozma.

Now it was seen that the Cowardl