They soon discovered that the Saw-Horse limped, for his new leg was a trifletoo long. So they were obliged to halt while the Tin Woodman chopped it downwith his axe, after which the wooden steed paced along more comfortably. Butthe Saw-Horse was not entirely satisfied, even yet.

"It was a shame that I broke my other leg!" it growled.

"On the contrary," airily remarked the Woggle-Bug, who was walkingalongside, "you should consider the accident most fortunate. For a horse isnever of much use until he has been broken."

"I beg your pardon," said Tip, rather provoked, for he felt a warm interestin both the Saw-Horse and his man Jack; "but permit me to say that your jokeis a poor one, and as old as it is poor."

"Still, it is a Joke," declared the Woggle-Bug; firmly, "and a Joke derivedfrom a play upon words is considered among educated people to be eminentlyproper."

"What does that mean?" enquired the Pumpkinhead, stupidly.

"It means, my dear friend," explained the Woggle-Bug, "that our languagecontains many words having a double meaning; and that to pronounce a jokethat allows both meanings of a certain word, proves the joker a person ofculture and refinement, who has, moreover, a thorough command of thelanguage."

"I don't believe that," said Tip, plainly; "anybody can make a pun."

"Not so," rejoined the Woggle-Bug, stiffly. "It requires education of a highorder. Are you educated, young sir?"

"Not especially," admitted Tip.

"Then you cannot judge the matter. I myself am Thoroughly Educated, and Isay that puns display genius. For instance, were I to ride upon this Saw-Horse, he would not only be an animal he would become an equipage. For hewould then be a horse-and-buggy."

At this the Scarecrow gave a gasp and the TinWoodman stopped short and looked reproachfully at the Woggle-Bug. At thesame time the Saw-Horse loudly snorted his derision; and even thePumpkinhead put up his hand to hide the smile which, because it was carvedupon his face, he could not change to a frown.

But the Woggle-Bug strutted along as if he had made some brilliant remark,and the Scarecrow was obliged to say:

"I have heard, my dear friend, that a person can become over-educated; andalthough I have a high respect for brains, no matter how they may bearranged or classified, I begin to suspect that yours are slightly tangled.In any event, I must beg you to restrain your superior education while inour society."

"We are not very particular," added the Tin Woodman; "and we are exceedinglykind hearted. But if your superior culture gets leaky again -- " He did notcomplete the sentence, but he twirled his gleaming axe so carelessly thatthe Woggle-Bug looked frightened, and shrank away to a safe distance.

The others marched on in silence, and the Highly Magnified one, after aperiod of deep thought, said in an humble voice:

"I will endeavor to restrain myself."

"That is all we can expect," returned the Scarecrow pleasantly; and goodnature being thus happily restored to the party, they proceeded upon theirway.

When they again stopped to allow Tip to rest -- the boy being the only onethat seemed to tire -- the Tin Woodman noticed many small, round holes inthe grassy meadow.

"This must be a village of the Field Mice," he said to the Scarecrow." Iwonder if my old friend, the Queen of the Mice, is in this neighborhood."

"If she is, she may be of great service to us," answered the Scarecrow, whowas impressed by a sudden thought. "See if you can call her, my dear Nick."

So the Tin Woodman blew a shrill note upon a silver whistle that hung aroundhis neck, and presently a tiny grey mouse popped from a near-by hole andadvanced fearlessly toward them. For the Tin Woodman had once saved herlife, and the Queen of the Field Mice knew he was to be trusted."

"Good day, your Majesty, said Nick, politely addressing the mouse; "I trustyou are enjoying good health?"

"Thank you, I am quite well," answered the Queen, demurely, as she sat upand displayed the tiny golden crown upon her head. "Can I do anything toassist my old friends?"

"You can, indeed," replied the Scarecrow, eagerly. "Let me, I intreat you,take a dozen of your subjects with me to the Emerald City."

"Will they be injured in any way?" asked the Queen, doubtfully.

"I think not," replied the Scarecrow. "I will carry them hidden in the strawwhich stuffs my body, and when I give them the signal by unbuttoning myjacket, they have only to rush out and scamper home again as fast as theycan. By doing this they will assist me to regain my throne, which the Armyof Revolt has taken from me."

"In that case," said the Queen, "I will not refuse your request. Wheneveryou are ready, I will call twelve of my most intelligent subjects."

"I am ready now" returned the Scarecrow. Then he lay flat upon the groundand unbuttoned his jacket, displaying the mass of straw with which he wasstuffed.

The Queen uttered a little piping call, and in an instant a dozen prettyfield mice had emerged from their holes and stood before their ruler,awaiting her orders.

What the Queen said to them none of our travelers could understand, for itwas in the mouse language; but the field mice obeyed without hesitation,running one after the other to the Scarecrow and hiding themselves in thestraw of his breast.

When all of the twelve mice had thus concealed themselves, the Scarecrowbuttoned his Jacket securely and then arose and thanked the Queen for herkindness.

"One thing more you might do to serve us," suggested the Tin Woodman; "andthat is to run ahead and show us the way to the Emerald City. For some enemyis evidently trying to prevent us from reaching it."

"I will do that gladly," returned the Queen. "Are you ready?"

The Tin Woodman looked at Tip.

"I'm rested," said the boy. "Let us start."

Then they resumed their journey, the little grey Queen of the Field Micerunning swiftly ahead and then pausing until the travelers drew near, whenaway she would dart again.

Without this unerring guide the Scarecrow and his comrades might never havegained the Emerald City; for many were the obstacles thrown in their way bythe arts of old Mombi. Yet not one of the obstacles really existed -- allwere cleverly contrived deceptions. For when they came to the banks of arushing river that threatened to bar their way thelittle Queen kept steadily on, passing through the seeming flood in safety;and our travelers followed her without encountering a single drop of water.

Again, a high wall of granite towered high above their heads and opposedtheir advance. But the grey Field Mouse walked straight through it, and theothers did the same, the wall melting into mist as they passed it.

Afterward, when they had stopped for a moment to allow Tip to rest, they sawforty roads branching off from their feet in forty different directions; andsoon these forty roads began whirling around like a mighty wheel, first inone direction and then in the other, completely bewildering their vision.

But the Queen called for them to follow her and darted off in a straightline; and when they had gone a few paces the whirling pathways vanished andwere seen no more.

Mombi's last trick was the most fearful of all. She sent a sheet ofcrackling flame rushing over the meadow to consume them; and for the firsttime the Scarecrow became afraid and turned to fly.

"If that fire reaches me I will be gone in no time!" said he, tremblinguntil his straw rattled. "It's the most dangerous thing I ever encountered."

"I'm off, too!" cried the Saw-Horse, turning andprancing with agitation; "for my wood is so dry it would burn likekindlings."

"Is fire dangerous to pumpkins?" asked Jack, fearfully.

"You'll be baked like a tart -- and so will I!"answered the Woggle-Bug, getting down on all fours so he could run thefaster.

But the Tin Woodman, having no fear of fire, averted the stampede by a fewsensible words.

"Look at the Field Mouse!" he shouted. "The fire does not burn her in theleast. In fact, it is no fire at all, but only a deception."

Indeed, to watch the little Queen march calmly through the advancing flamesrestored courage to every member of the party, and they followed her withoutbeing even scorched.

"This is surely a most extraordinary adventure," said the Woggle-Bug, whowas greatly amazed; "for it upsets all the Natural Laws that I heardProfessor Nowitall teach in the school-house."

"Of course it does," said the Scarecrow, wisely. "All magic is unnatural,and for that reason is to be feared and avoided. But I see before us thegates of the Emerald City, so I imagine we have now overcome all the magicalobstacles that seemed to oppose us."

Indeed, the walls of the City were plainly visible, and the Queen of theField Mice, who had guided them so faithfully, came near to bid them good-bye.

"We are very grateful to your Majesty for your kind assistance," said theTin Woodman, bowing before the pretty creature.

"I am always pleased to be of service to my friends," answered the Queen,and in a flash she had darted away upon her journey home.