to do many curious things,
and they were so little and so cunning and soft that Polychrome loved
to pick them up as they passed near her place and fondle them as if
they were kittens.

It was late when the entertainment ended, and they separated to go to
their rooms.

"To-morrow," said Ozma, "my invited guests will arrive, and you will
find among them some interesting and curious people, I promise you.
The next day will be my birthday, and the festivities will be held on
the broad green just outside the gates of the City, where all my people
can assemble without being crowded."

"I hope the Scarecrow won't be late," said Dorothy, anxiously.

"Oh, he is sure to return to-morrow," answered Ozma. "He wanted new
straw to stuff himself with, so he went to the Munchkin Country, where
straw is plentiful."

With this the Princess bade her guests good night and went to her own
room.

21. Dorothy Receives the Guests

Next morning Dorothy's breakfast was served in her own pretty sitting
room, and she sent to invite Polly and the shaggy man to join her and
Button-Bright at the meal. They came gladly, and Toto also had
breakfast with them, so that the little party that had traveled
together to Oz was once more reunited.

No sooner had they finished eating than they heard the distant blast of
many trumpets, and the sound of a brass band playing martial music; so
they all went out upon the balcony. This was at the front of the
palace and overlooked the streets of the City, being higher than the
wall that shut in the palace grounds. They saw approaching down the
street a band of musicians, playing as hard and loud as they could,
while the people of the Emerald City crowded the sidewalks and cheered
so lustily that they almost drowned the noise of the drums and horns.

Dorothy looked to see what they were cheering at, and discovered that
behind the band was the famous Scarecrow, riding proudly upon the back
of a wooden Saw-Horse which pranced along the street almost as
gracefully as if it had been made of flesh. Its hoofs, or rather the
ends of its wooden legs, were shod with plates of solid gold, and the
saddle strapped to the wooden body was richly embroidered and glistened
with jewels.

As he reached the palace the Scarecrow looked up and saw Dorothy, and
at once waved his peaked hat at her in greeting. He rode up to the
front door and dismounted, and the band stopped playing and went away
and the crowds