They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree inthe forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good,thick covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodmanchopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built asplendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely. Sheand Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she did not knowwhat they would do for breakfast.

"If you wish," said the Lion, "I will go into the forest andkill a deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since yourtastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then youwill have a very good breakfast."

"Don't! Please don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I shouldcertainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws wouldrust again."

But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper,and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And theScarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them,so that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this wasvery kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at theawkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His paddedhands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almostas many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how longit took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire,as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up. So he kept agood distance away from the flames, and only came near to cover Dorothy withdry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept her very snug and warm,and she slept soundly until morning.

When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook,and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.

This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They hadhardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a greatditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as theycould see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when theycrept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was alsovery deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom.The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, andfor a moment it seemed that their journey must end.

"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy despairingly.

"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman, and theLion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.

But the Scarecrow said, "We cannot fly, that is certain.Neither can we climb down into this great ditch. Therefore,if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where we are."

"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, aftermeasuring the distance carefully in his mind.

"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you cancarry us all over on your back, one at a time."

"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"

"I will," declared the Scarecrow, "for, if you found that youcould not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the TinWoodman badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your backit will not matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at all."

"I am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the CowardlyLion, "but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get onmy back and we will make the attempt."

The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beastwalked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down.

"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied.Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safelyon the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easilyhe did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lionsprang across the ditch again.

Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in herarms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his manewith one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flyingthrough the air; and then, before she had time to think about it,she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third timeand got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a fewmoments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leapshad made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that hasbeen running too long.

They found the forest very thick on this side, and it lookeddark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along theroad of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, ifever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the brightsunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strangenoises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to themthat it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.

"What are the Kalidahs?" asked the girl.

"They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and headslike tigers," replied the Lion, "and with claws so long and sharpthat they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto.I'm terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."

"I'm not surprised that you are," returned Dorothy."They must be dreadful beasts."

The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to anothergulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that theLion knew at once he could not leap across it.

So they sat down to consider what they should do, and afterserious thought the Scarecrow said:

"Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If theTin Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the otherside, we can walk across it easily."

"That is a first-rate idea," said the Lion. "One would almostsuspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw."

The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe thatthe tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put hisstrong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might,and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across theditch, with its top branches on the other side.

They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growlmade them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward themtwo great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.

"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble.

"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow. "Let us cross over."

So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the TinWoodman followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, althoughhe was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then hegave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and theScarecrow fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stoppedshort and looked at him in surprise.

But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and rememberingthat there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahsagain rushed forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree andturned to see what they would do next. Without stopping aninstant the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree.And the Lion said to Dorothy:

"We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces withtheir sharp claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fightthem as long as I am alive."

"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow. He had been thinkingwhat was best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chopaway the end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch.The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the twoKalidahs were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into thegulf, carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both weredashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.

"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath ofrelief, "I see we are going to live a little while longer, and Iam glad of it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to bealive. Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart isbeating yet."

"Ah," said the Tin Woodman sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."

This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever toget out of the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy becametired, and had to ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy thetrees became thinner the farther they advanced, and in theafternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river, flowing swiftlyjust before them. On the other side of the water they could seethe road of yellow brick running through a beautiful country, withgreen meadows dotted with bright flowers and all the road borderedwith trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They were greatlypleased to see this delightful country before them.

"How shall we cross the river?" asked Dorothy.

"That is easily done," replied the Scarecrow. "The Tin Woodmanmust build us a raft, so we can float to the other side."

So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small treesto make a raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow foundon the riverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy,who had eaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty mealof the ripe fruit.

But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industriousand untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done.So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until themorning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good Wizard Oz,who would soon send her back to her own home again.