; but since that volume was published I
have been fairly deluged with letters from children imploring me to
"write more about Dorothy," and "more about Oz," and since I write only
to please the children I shall try to respect their wishes.

There are some new characters in this book that ought to win your live.
I'm very fond of the shaggy man myself, and I think you will like him,
too. As for Polychrome--the Rainbow's Daughter--and stupid little
Button-Bright, they seem to have brought a new element of fun into
these Oz stories, and I am glad I discovered them. Yet I am anxious to
have you write and tell me how you like them.

Since this book was written I have received some very remarkable News
from The Land of Oz, which has greatly astonished me. I believe it
will astonish you, too, my dears, when you hear it. But it is such a
long and exciting story that it must be saved for another book--and
perhaps that book will be the last story that will ever be told about
the Land of Oz.

L. FRANK BAUM

Coronado, 1909.

1. The Way to Butterfield

"Please, miss," said the shaggy man, "can you tell me the road to
Butterfield?"

Dorothy looked him over. Yes, he was shaggy, all right, but there was
a twinkle in his eye that seemed pleasant.

"Oh yes," she replied; "I can tell you. But it isn't this road at all."

"No?"

"You cross the ten-acre lot, follow the lane to the highway, go north
to the five branches, and take--let me see--"

"To be sure, miss; see as far as Butterfield, if you like," said the
shaggy man.

"You take the branch next the willow stump, I b'lieve; or else the
branch by the gopher holes; or else--"

"Won't any of 'em do, miss?"

"'Course not, Shaggy Man. You must take the right road to get to
Butterfield."

"And is that the one by the gopher stump, or--"

"Dear me!" cried Dorothy. "I shall have to show you the way, you're so
stupid. Wait a minute till I run in the house and get my sunbonnet."

The shaggy man waited. He had an oat-straw in his mouth, which he
chewed slowly as if it tasted good; but it didn't. There was an
apple-tree beside the house, and some apples had fallen to the ground.
The shaggy man thought they would taste better than the oat-straw, so
he walked over to get some. A little black dog with bright brown eyes
dashed out of the farm-house and ran madly toward the shaggy man, who
had already picked up three apples and put them in one of the big wide