Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/103

 and rising stiffly. "Yon noble beast has rescued us."

"Won't the Pokes come up here?" asked Dorothy staring around a bit dizzily.

"They cannot live out of the kingdom," said the Knight, and Dorothy drew a big sigh of relief. Sir Hokus, however, was looking very grave.

"I have failed on my first adventure. Had it not been for the Cowardly Lion we would now be prisoners in Pokes," he murmured sadly. Then he unfastened the plume from his helmet. "It beseemeth me not to wear it," sighed the Knight mournfully, and though Dorothy tried her best to comfort him, he refused to put it back. Finally she fastened the plume to her dress and they went down to the Cowardly Lion.

There was a little spring nearby, and after they had poured six helmets of water over his head the lion opened his eyes.

"Been in a good many fights," gasped the lion, "but I never fought one like this. Singingbah!"

"Noble Sir, how can I ever repay you?" faltered the Knight. "Alas, that I have failed in the hour of trial!"

"Why it wasn't a question of courage at all," rum