The four travelers passed through the rest of the forest insafety, and when they came out from its gloom saw before them asteep hill, covered from top to bottom with great pieces of rock.

"That will be a hard climb," said the Scarecrow, "but we mustget over the hill, nevertheless."

So he led the way and the others followed. They had nearlyreached the first rock when they heard a rough voice cry out,"Keep back!"

"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow.

Then a head showed itself over the rock and the same voice said,"This hill belongs to us, and we don't allow anyone to cross it."

"But we must cross it," said the Scarecrow. "We're going tothe country of the Quadlings."

"But you shall not!" replied the voice, and there stepped frombehind the rock the strangest man the travelers had ever seen.

He was quite short and stout and had a big head, which wasflat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles.But he had no arms at all, and, seeing this, the Scarecrow did notfear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbingthe hill. So he said, "I'm sorry not to do as you wish, but wemust pass over your hill whether you like it or not," and hewalked boldly forward.

As quick as lightning the man's head shot forward and his neckstretched out until the top of the head, where it was flat, struckthe Scarecrow in the middle and sent him tumbling, over and over,down the hill. Almost as quickly as it came the head went back tothe body, and the man laughed harshly as he said, "It isn't aseasy as you think!"

A chorus of boisterous laughter came from the other rocks, andDorothy saw hundreds of the armless Hammer-Heads upon thehillside, one behind every rock.

The Lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by theScarecrow's mishap, and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder,he dashed up the hill.

Again a head shot swiftly out, and the great Lion went rollingdown the hill as if he had been struck by a cannon ball.

Dorothy ran down and helped the Scarecrow to his feet, and theLion came up to her, feeling rather bruised and sore, and said,"It is useless to fight people with shooting heads; no one canwithstand them."

"What can we do, then?" she asked.

"Call the Winged Monkeys," suggested the Tin Woodman. "Youhave still the right to command them once more."

"Very well," she answered, and putting on the Golden Cap sheuttered the magic words. The Monkeys were as prompt as ever, andin a few moments the entire band stood before her.

"What are your commands?" inquired the King of the Monkeys,bowing low.

"Carry us over the hill to the country of the Quadlings,"answered the girl.

"It shall be done," said the King, and at once the Winged Monkeyscaught the four travelers and Toto up in their arms and flew away with them.As they passed over the hill the Hammer-Heads yelled with vexation, and shottheir heads high in the air, but they could not reach the Winged Monkeys,which carried Dorothy and her comrades safely over the hill and set themdown in the beautiful country of the Quadlings.

"This is the last time you can summon us," said the leader toDorothy; "so good-bye and good luck to you."

"Good-bye, and thank you very much," returned the girl; andthe Monkeys rose into the air and were out of sight in a twinkling.

The country of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There wasfield upon field of ripening grain, with well-paved roads runningbetween, and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them.The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red,just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the Winkiesand blue in the country of the Munchkins. The Quadlings themselves,who were short and fat and looked chubby and good-natured, weredressed all in red, which showed bright against the green grassand the yellowing grain.

The Monkeys had set them down near a farmhouse, and the fourtravelers walked up to it and knocked at the door. It was openedby the farmer's wife, and when Dorothy asked for something to eatthe woman gave them all a good dinner, with three kinds of cakeand four kinds of cookies, and a bowl of milk for Toto.

"How far is it to the Castle of Glinda?" asked the child.

"It is not a great way," answered the farmer's wife."Take the road to the South and you will soon reach it.

Thanking the good woman, they started afresh and walked by thefields and across the pretty bridges until they saw before them avery beautiful Castle. Before the gates were three young girls,dressed in handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold braid; and asDorothy approached, one of them said to her:

"Why have you come to the South Country?"

"To see the Good Witch who rules here," she answered."Will you take me to her?"

"Let me have your name, and I will ask Glinda if she willreceive you." They told who they were, and the girl soldier wentinto the Castle. After a few moments she came back to say thatDorothy and the others were to be admitted at once.