The Shaggy Man had a room of his own in the royalpalace, so there he went to change his shaggy suitof clothes for another just as shaggy but not sodusty from travel. He selected a costume ofpeagreen and pink satin and velvet, withembroidered shags on all the edges and iridescentpearls for ornaments. Then he bathed in analabaster pool and brushed his shaggy hair andwhiskers the wrong way to make them still moreshaggy. This accomplished, and arrayed in hissplendid shaggy garments, he went to Ozma'sbanquet hall and found the Scarecrow, the Wizardand Dorothy already assembled there. The Scarecrowhad made a quick trip and returned to the EmeraldCity with his left ear freshly painted.

A moment later, while they all stood in waiting,a servant threw open a door, the orchestra struckup a tune and Ozma of Oz entered.

Much has been told and written concerning thebeauty of person and character of this sweet girlRuler of the Land of Oz--the richest, the happiestand most delightful fairyland of which we have anyknowledge. Yet with all her queenly qualities Ozmawas a real girl and enjoyed the things in lifethat other real girls enjoy. When she sat on hersplendid emerald throne in the great Throne Roomof her palace and made laws and settled disputesand tried to keep all her subjects happy andcontented, she was as dignified and demure as anyqueen might be; but when she had thrown aside herjeweled robe of state and her sceptre, and hadretired to her private apartments, the girl--joyous, light-hearted and free--replaced thesedate Ruler.

In the banquet hall to-night were gatheredonly old and trusted friends, so here Ozma washerself--a mere girl. She greeted Dorothy witha kiss, the Shaggy Man with a smile, the littleold Wizard with a friendly handshake and thenshe pressed the Scarecrow's stuffed arm andcried merrily:

"What a lovely left ear! Why, it's a hundredtimes better than the old one."

"I'm glad you like it," replied the Scarecrow,well pleased. "Jinjur did a neat job, didn't she?And my hearing is now perfect. Isn't it wonderfulwhat a little paint will do, if it's properlyapplied?"

"It really is wonderful," she agreed, as theyall took their seats; "but the Sawhorse musthave his legs twinkle to have carried you so farin one day. I didn't expect you back beforetomorrow, at the earliest."

"Well," said the Scarecrow, "I met a charminggirl on the road and wanted to see more of her, soI hurried back."

Ozma laughed.

"I know," she returned; "it's the PatchworkGirl. She is certainly bewildering, if not strictlybeautiful."

"Have you seen her, then?" the straw man eagerlyasked.

"Only in my Magic Picture, which shows me allscenes of interest in the Land of Oz."

"I fear the picture didn't do her justice," saidthe Scarecrow.

"It seemed to me that nothing could be moregorgeous," declared Ozma. "Whoever made thatpatchwork quilt, from which Scraps was formed,must have selected the gayest and brightest bitsof cloth that ever were woven.

"I am glad you like her," said the Scarecrowin a satisfied tone. Although the straw man didnot eat, not being made so he could, he oftendined with Ozma and her companions, merelyfor the pleasure of talking with them. He sat atthe table and had a napkin and plate, but theservants knew better than to offer him food.After a little while he asked: "Where is thePatchwork Girl now?"

"In my room," replied Dorothy. "I've taken afancy to her; she's so queer and-and-uncommon."

"She's half crazy, I think," added the ShaggyMan.

"But she is so beautiful!" exclaimed theScarecrow, as if that fact disarmed all criticism.They all laughed at his enthusiasm, but theScarecrow was quite serious. Seeing that he wasinterested in Scraps they forbore to say anythingagainst her. The little band of friends Ozma hadgathered around her was so quaintly assorted thatmuch care must be exercised to avoid hurting theirfeelings or making any one of them unhappy. It wasthis considerate kindness that held them closefriends and enabled them to enjoy one another'ssociety.

Another thing they avoided was conversingon unpleasant subjects, and for that reason Ojoand his troubles were not mentioned during thedinner. The Shaggy Man, however, related hisadventures with the monstrous plants whichhad seized and enfolded the travelers, and toldhow he had robbed Chiss, the giant porcupine,of the quills which it was accustomed to throwat people. Both Dorothy and Ozma were pleasedwith this exploit and thought it served Chissright.

Then they talked of the Woozy, which was themost remarkable animal any of them had ever beforeseen--except, perhaps, the live Sawhorse. Ozma hadnever known that her dominions contained such athing as a Woozy, there being but one in existenceand this being confined in his forest for manyyears. Dorothy said she believed the Woozy was agood beast, honest and faithful; hut she addedthat she did not care much for the Glass Cat.

"Still," said the Shaggy Man, "the Glass Catis very pretty and if she were not so conceitedover her pink brains no one would object to heras a companion.

The Wizard had been eating silently untilnow, when he looked up and remarked:

"That Powder of Life which is made by theCrooked Magician is really a wonderful thing.But Dr. Pipt does not know its true value andhe uses it in the most foolish ways."

"I must see about that," said Ozma, gravely.Then she smiled again and continued in alighter tone: "It was Dr. Pipt's famous Powderof Life that enabled me to become the Rulerof Oz."

"I've never heard that story," said the ShaggyMan, looking at Ozma questioningly.

"Well, when I was a baby girl I was stolen by anold Witch named Mombi and transformed into a boy,"began the girl Ruler. "I did not know who I wasand when I grew big enough to work, the Witch mademe wait upon her and carry wood for the fire andhoe in the garden. One day she came back from ajourney bringing some of the Powder of Life, whichDr. Pipt had given her. I had made a pumpkin-headed man and set it up in her path to frightenher, for I was fond of fun and hated the Witch.But she knew what the figure was and to test herPowder of Life she sprinkled some of it on the manI had made. It came to life and is now our dearfriend Jack Pumpkinhead. That night I ran awaywith Jack to escape punishment, and I took oldMombi's Powder of Life with me. During our journeywe came upon a wooden Sawhorse standing by theroad and I used the magic powder to bring it tolife. The Sawhorse has been with me ever since.When I got to the Emerald City the good Sorceress,Glinda, knew who I was and restored me to myproper person, when I became the rightful Ruler ofthis land. So you see had not old Mombi broughthome the Powder of Life I might never have runaway from her and become Ozma of Oz, nor would wehave had Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse tocomfort and amuse us."

That story interested the Shaggy Man very much,as well as the others, who had often heard itbefore. The dinner being now concluded, they allwent to Ozma's drawing-room, where they passed apleasant evening before it came time to retire.