They were proceeding so easily and comfortably on theirway to Mount Munch that Woot said in a serious tone ofvoice:

"I'm afraid something is going to happen."

"Why?" asked Polychrome, dancing around the group oftravelers.

"Because," said the boy, thoughtfully, "I've noticedthat when we have the least reason for getting intotrouble, something is sure to go wrong. Just now theweather is delightful; the grass is beautifully blueand quite soft to our feet; the mountain we are seekingshows clearly in the distance and there is no reasonanything should happen to delay us in getting there.Our troubles all seem to be over, and -- well, that'swhy I'm afraid," he added, with a sigh.

"Dear me!" remarked the Scarecrow, "what unhappythoughts you have, to be sure. This is proof that bornbrains cannot equal manufactured brains, for my brainsdwell only on facts and never borrow trouble. Whenthere is occasion for my brains to think, they think,but I would be ashamed of my brains if they keptshooting out thoughts that were merely fears andimaginings, such as do no good, but are likely to doharm."

"For my part," said the Tin Woodman, "I do not thinkat all, but allow my velvet heart to guide me at alltimes."

"The tinsmith filled my hollow head with scraps andclippings of tin," said the Soldier, "and he told methey would do nicely for brains, but when I begin tothink, the tin scraps rattle around and get so mixedthat I'm soon bewildered. So I try not to think. My tinheart is almost as useless to me, for it is hard andcold, so I'm sure the red velvet heart of my friendNick Chopper is a better guide."

"Thoughtless people are not unusual," observed theScarecrow, "but I consider them more fortunate thanthose who have useless or wicked thoughts and do nottry to curb them. Your oil can, friend Woodman, isfilled with oil, but you only apply the oil to yourjoints, drop by drop, as you need it, and do not keepspilling it where it will do no good. Thoughts shouldbe restrained in the same way as your oil, and onlyapplied when necessary, and for a good purpose. If usedcarefully, thoughts are good things to have."

Polychrome laughed at him, for the Rainbow's Daughterknew more about thoughts than the Scarecrow did. Butthe others were solemn, feeling they had been rebuked,and tramped on in silence.

Suddenly Woot, who was in the lead, looked around andfound that all his comrades had mysteriouslydisappeared. But where could they have gone to? Thebroad plain was all about him and there were neithertrees nor bushes that could hide even a rabbit, nor anyhole for one to fall into. Yet there he stood, alone.

Surprise had caused him to halt, and with athoughtful and puzzled expression on his face he lookeddown at his feet. It startled him anew to discover thathe had no feet. He reached out his hands, but he couldnot see them. He could feel his hands and arms andbody; he stamped his feet on the grass and knew theywere there, but in some strange way they had becomeinvisible.

While Woot stood, wondering, a crash of metal soundedin his ears and he heard two heavy bodies tumble to theearth just beside him.

"Good gracious!" exclaimed the voice of the TinWoodman.

"Mercy me!" cried the voice of the Tin Soldier.

"Why didn't you look where you were going?" asked theTin Woodman reproachfully.

"I did, but I couldn't see you," said the TinSoldier. "Something has happened to my tin eyes. Ican't see you, even now, nor can I see anyone else!"

"It's the same way with me," admitted the TinWoodman.

Woot couldn't see either of them, although he heardthem plainly, and just then something smashed againsthim unexpectedly and knocked him over; but it was onlythe straw-stuffed body of the Scarecrow that fell uponhim and while he could not see the Scarecrow he managedto push him off and rose to his feet just as Polychromewhirled against him and made him tumble again.

Sitting upon the ground, the boy asked:

"Can you see us, Poly?"

"No, indeed," answered the Rainbow's Daughter; "we'veall become invisible."

"How did it happen, do you suppose?" inquired theScarecrow, lying where he had fallen.

"We have met with no enemy," answered Poly-chrome,"so it must be that this part of the country has themagic quality of making people invisible --even fairiesfalling under the charm. We can see the grass, and theflowers, and the stretch of plain before us, and we canstill see Mount Munch in the distance; but we cannotsee ourselves or one another."

"Well, what are we to do about it?" demanded Woot.

"I think this magic affects only a small part of theplain," replied Polychrome; "perhaps there is only astreak of the country where an enchantment makes peoplebecome invisible. So, if we get together and holdhands, we can travel toward Mount Munch until theenchanted streak is passed."

"All right," said Woot, jumping up, "give me yourhand, Polychrome. Where are you?"

"Here," she answered. "Whistle, Woot, and keepwhistling until I come to you."

So Woot whistled, and presently Polychrome found himand grasped his hand.

"Someone must help me up," said the Scarecrow, lyingnear them; so they found the straw man and sat him uponhis feet, after which he held fast to Polychrome'sother hand.

Nick Chopper and the Tin Soldier had managed toscramble up without assistance, but it was awkward forthem and the Tin Woodman said:

"I don't seem to stand straight, somehow. But myjoints all work, so I guess I can walk."

Guided by his voice, they reached his side, whereWoot grasped his tin fingers so they might keeptogether.

The Tin Soldier was standing near by and theScarecrow soon touched him and took hold of his arm.

"I hope you're not wobbly," said the straw man,"for if two of us walk unsteadily we will be sureto fall."

"I'm not wobbly," the Tin Soldier assured him, "butI'm certain that one of my legs is shorter than theother. I can't see it, to tell what's gone wrong, butI'll limp on with the rest of you until we are out ofthis enchanted territory."

They now formed a line, holding hands, and turningtheir faces toward Mount Munch resumed their journey.They had not gone far, however, when a terrible growlsaluted their ears. The sound seemed to come from aplace just in front of them, so they halted abruptlyand remained silent, listening with all their ears.

"I smell straw!" cried a hoarse, harsh voice, withmore growls and snarls. "I smell straw, and I'm aHip-po-gy-raf who loves straw and eats all he can find.I want to eat this straw! Where is it? Where is it?"

The Scarecrow, hearing this, trembled but keptsilent. All the others were silent, too, hoping thatthe invisible beast would be unable to find them. Butthe creature sniffed the odor of the straw and drewnearer and nearer to them until he reached the TinWoodman, on one end of the line. It was a big beast andit smelled of the Tin Woodman and grated two rows ofenormous teeth against the Emperor's tin body.

"Bah! that's not straw," said the harsh voice, andthe beast advanced along the line to Woot.

"Meat! Pooh, you're no good! I can't eat meat,"grumbled the beast, and passed on to Polychrome.

"Sweetmeats and perfume -- cobwebs and dew! Nothingto eat in a fairy like you," said the creature.

Now, the Scarecrow was next to Polychrome in theline, and he realized if the beast devoured his strawhe would be helpless for a long time, because the lastfarmhouse was far behind them and only grass coveredthe vast expanse of plain. So in his fright he let goof Polychrome's hand and put the hand of the TinSoldier in that of the Rainbow's Daughter. Then heslipped back of the line and went to the other end,where he silently seized the Tin Woodman's hand.

Meantime, the beast had smelled the Tin Soldier andfound he was the last of the line.

"That's funny!" growled the Hip-po-gy-raf; "I cansmell straw, but I can't find it. Well, it's here,somewhere, and I must hunt around until I do find it,for I'm hungry."

His voice was now at the left of them, so theystarted on, hoping to avoid him, and traveled as fastas they could in the direction of Mount Munch.

"I don't like this invisible country," said Woot witha shudder. "We can't tell how many dreadful, invisiblebeasts are roaming around us, or what danger we'll cometo next."

"Quit thinking about danger, please," said theScarecrow, warningly.

"Why?" asked the boy.

"If you think of some dreadful thing, it's liable tohappen, but if you don't think of it, and no one elsethinks of it, it just can't happen. Do you see?"

"No," answered Woot. "I won't be able to see much ofanything until we escape from this enchantment."

But they got out of the invisible strip of countryas suddenly as they had entered it, and the instantthey got out they stopped short, for just before themwas a deep ditch, running at right angles as far astheir eyes could see and stopping all further progresstoward Mount Munch.

"It's not so very wide," said Woot, "but I'm surenone of us can jump across it."

Polychrome began to laugh, and the Scarecrow said:"What's the matter?"

"Look at the tin men!" she said, with another burstof merry laughter.

Woot and the Scarecrow looked, and the tin men lookedat themselves.

"It was the collision," said the Tin Woodmanregretfully. "I knew something was wrong with me, andnow I can see that my side is dented in so that I leanover toward the left. It was the Soldier's fault; heshouldn't have been so careless."

"It is your fault that my right leg is bent, makingit shorter than the other, so that I limp badly,"retorted the Soldier. "You shouldn't have stood where Iwas walking."

"You shouldn't have walked where I was standing,"replied the Tin Woodman.

It was almost a quarrel, so Polychrome saidsoothingly:

"Never mind, friends; as soon as we have time I amsure we can straighten the Soldier's leg and get thedent out of the Woodman's body. The Scarecrow needspatting into shape, too, for he had a bad tumble, butour first task is to get over this ditch."

"Yes, the ditch is the most important thing, justnow," added Woot

They were standing in a row, looking hard at theunexpected barrier, when a fierce growl from behindthem made them all turn quickly. Out of the invisiblecountry marched a huge beast with a thick, leatheryskin and a surprisingly long neck. The head on the topof this neck was broad and flat and the eyes and mouthwere very big and the nose and ears very small. Whenthe head was drawn down toward the beast's shoulders,the neck was all wrinkles, but the head could shoot upvery high indeed, if the creature wished it to.

"Dear me!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, "this must be theHip-po-gy-raf."

"Quite right," said the beast; "and you're the strawwhich I'm to eat for my dinner. Oh, how I love straw! Ihope you don't resent my affectionate appetite?"

With its four great legs it advanced straight towardthe Scarecrow, but the Tin Woodman and the Tin Soldierboth sprang in front of their friend and flourishedtheir weapons.

"Keep off!" said the Tin Woodman, warningly, or I'llchop you with my axe."

"Keep off!" said the Tin Soldier, "or I'll cut youwith my sword."

"Would you really do that?" asked the Hip-po-gy-raf,in a disappointed voice.

"We would," they both replied, and the Tin Woodmanadded: "The Scarecrow is our friend, and he would beuseless without his straw stuffing. So, as we arecomrades, faithful and true, we will defend ourfriend's stuffing against all enemies."

The Hip-po-gy-raf sat down and looked at themsorrowfully.

"When one has made up his mind to have a meal ofdelicious straw, and then finds he can't have it, it iscertainly hard luck," he said. "And what good is thestraw man to you, or to himself, when the ditch keepsyou from going any further?"

"Well, we can go back again," suggested Woot.

"True," said the Hip-po; "and if you do, you'll be asdisappointed as I am. That's some comfort, anyhow."

The travelers looked at the beast, and then theylooked across the ditch at the level plain beyond. Onthe other side the grass had grown tall, and the sunhad dried it, so there was a fine crop of hay that onlyneeded to be cut and stacked.

"Why don't you cross over and eat hay?" the boy askedthe beast.

"I'm not fond of hay," replied the Hip-po-gy-raf;"straw is much more delicious, to my notion, and it'smore scarce in this neighborhood, too. Also I mustconfess that I can't get across the ditch, for my bodyis too heavy and clumsy for me to jump the distance. Ican stretch my neck across, though, and you will noticethat I've nibbled the hay on the farther edge -- notbecause I liked it, but because one must eat, and ifone can't get the sort of food he desires, he must takewhat is offered or go hungry."

"Ah, I see you are a philosopher," remarked theScarecrow.

"No, I'm just a Hip-po-gy-raf," was the reply.

Polychrome was not afraid of the big beast. Shedanced close to him and said:

"If you can stretch your neck across the ditch, whynot help us over? We can sit on your big head, one at atime, and then you can lift us across."

"Yes; I can, it is true," answered the Hip-po; "but Irefuse to do it. Unless --" he added, and stoppedshort.

"Unless what?" asked Polychrome.

"Unless you first allow me to eat the straw withwhich the Scarecrow is stuffed."

"No," said the Rainbow's Daughter, "that is too higha price to pay. Our friend's straw is nice and fresh,for he was restuffed only a little while ago."

"I know," agreed the Hip-po-gy-raf. "That's why Iwant it. If it was old, musty straw, I wouldn't carefor it."

"Please lift us across," pleaded Polychrome.

"No," replied the beast; "since you refuse mygenerous offer, I can be as stubborn as you are."

After that they were all silent for a time, but thenthe Scarecrow said bravely:

"Friends, let us agree to the beast's terms. Give himmy straw, and carry the rest of me with you across theditch. Once on the other side, the Tin Soldier can cutsome of the hay with his sharp sword, and you can stuffme with that material until we reach a place wherethere is straw. It is true I have been stuffed withstraw all my life and it will be somewhat humiliatingto be filled with common hay, but I am willing tosacrifice my pride in a good cause. Moreover, toabandon our errand and so deprive the great Emperor ofthe Winkies -- or this noble Soldier -- of his bride,would be equally humiliating, if not more so."

"You're a very honest and clever man!" exclaimed theHip-po-gy-raf, admiringly. "When I have eaten yourhead, perhaps I also will become clever."

"You're not to eat my head, you know," returned theScarecrow hastily. "My head isn't stuffed with strawand I cannot part with it. When one loses his head heloses his brains."

"Very well, then; you may keep your head," said thebeast.

The Scarecrow's companions thanked him warmly for hisloyal sacrifice to their mutual good, and then he laiddown and permitted them to pull the straw from hisbody. As fast as they did this, the Hip-po-gy-raf ateup the straw, and when all was consumed Polychrome madea neat bundle of the clothes and boots and gloves andhat and said she would carry them, while Woot tuckedthe Scarecrow's head under his arm and promised toguard its safety.

"Now, then," said the Tin Woodman, "keep yourpromise, Beast, and lift us over the ditch."

"M-m-m-mum, but that was a fine dinner!" said theHip-po, smacking his thick lips in satisfaction, "andI'm as good as my word. Sit on my head, one at a time,and I'll land you safely on the other side."

He approached close to the edge of the ditch andsquatted down. Polychrome climbed over his big body andsat herself lightly upon the flat head, holding thebundle of the Scarecrow's raiment in her hand. Slowlythe elastic neck stretched out until it reached the farside of the ditch, when the beast lowered his head andpermitted the beautiful fairy to leap to the ground.

Woot made the queer journey next, and then the TinSoldier and the Tin Woodman went over, and all werewell pleased to have overcome this serious barrier totheir progress.

"Now, Soldier, cut the hay," said the Scarecrow'shead, which was still held by Woot the Wanderer.

"I'd like to, but I can't stoop over, with my bentleg, without falling," replied Captain Fyter.

"What can we do about that leg, anyhow?" asked Woot,appealing to Polychrome.

She danced around in a circle several times withoutreplying, and the boy feared she had not heard him; butthe Rainbow's Daughter was merely thinking upon theproblem, and presently she paused beside the TinSoldier and said:

"I've been taught a little fairy magic, but I'venever before been asked to mend tin legs with it, soI'm not sure I can help you. It all depends on the goodwill of my unseen fairy guardians, so I'll try, and ifI fail, you will be no worse off than you are now."

She danced around the circle again, and then laidboth hands upon the twisted tin leg and sang in hersweet voice:

"Fairy Powers, come to my aid!

This bent leg of tin is made;

Make it straight and strong and true,

And I'll render thanks to you."

"Ah!" murmured Captain Fyter in a glad voice, as shewithdrew her hands and danced away, and they saw he wasstanding straight as ever, because his leg was asshapely and strong as it had been before his accident.

The Tin Woodman had watched Polychrome with muchinterest, and he now said:

"Please take the dent out of my side, Poly, for I ammore crippled than was the Soldier."

So the Rainbow's Daughter touched his side lightlyand sang:

"Here's a dent by accident;Such a thing was never meant.Fairy Powers, so wondrous great,Make our dear Tin Woodman straight!"

"Good!" cried the Emperor, again standing erect andstrutting around to show his fine figure. "Your fairymagic may not be able to accomplish all things, sweetPolychrome, but it works splendidly on tin. Thank youvery much."

"The hay -- the hay!" pleaded the Scarecrow's head.

"Oh, yes; the hay," said Woot. "What are you waitingfor, Captain Fyter?"

At once the Tin Soldier set to work cutting hay withhis sword and in a few minutes there was quite enoughwith which to stuff the Scarecrow's body. Woot andPolychrome did this and it was no easy task because thehay packed together more than straw and as they hadlittle experience in such work their job, whencompleted, left the Scarecrow's arms and legs ratherbunchy. Also there was a hump on his back which madeWoot laugh and say it reminded him of a camel, but itwas the best they could do and when the head was fastenedon to the body they asked the Scarecrow how he felt.

"A little heavy, and not quite natural," hecheerfully replied; "but I'll get along somehow untilwe reach a straw-stack. Don't laugh at me, please,because I'm a little ashamed of myself and I don't wantto regret a good action."

They started at once in the direction of Mount Munch,and as the Scarecrow proved very clumsy in hismovements, Woot took one of his arms and the TinWoodman the other and so helped their friend to walk ina straight line.

And the Rainbow's Daughter, as before, danced aheadof them and behind them and all around them, and theynever minded her odd ways, because to them she was likea ray of sunshine.