Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/161

 partly because they were so dazzled by their sur-surroundings [sic], and partly because they have no sort of memories whatever, they never mentioned the Scarecrow himself, nor said anything about his plan to hunt his family tree. They talked incessantly of the Mer City and told innumerable A-B-Sea stories to Scraps and the Tin Woodmen and the children of the Emerald City.

When they were ready to go, the A-B-Sea Serpent snapped off its X block for Ozma. X, he said, meant almost everything, and pretty well expressed his gratitude to the lovely little ruler of Oz. Ozma, in turn, gave each of the visitors an emerald collar, and that very morning they had started back to the Munchkin River, and all the celebrities of Oz had gotten up to see them off.

"Maybe they'll come again some time," said Betsy Bobbin, swinging her feet. "But look, Ozma, here comes a messenger." A messenger it surely was, dressed in the quaint red costume of the Quadlings. It was from Glinda, the Good Sorceress, and caused the Princess to sigh with vexation.

"Tell Jack Pumpkinhead to harness the Saw Horse to the red wagon," said Ozma, after glancing hastily at the little note. "The Horners and Hoppers are at