Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/19

 spend the rest of their time in sport. No wonder he is so well thought of in Oz! No wonder he thinks so well of himself!

Swinging his cane jauntily, the Professor hurried toward the yellow brick road that leads to the Emerald City, and, by night fall, had reached the lovely capital of Oz.

Oz!—that marvelous country where no one grows old— where animals and birds talk as sensibly as people, and adventures happen every day. Indeed, of all fairylands in the world, Oz is the most delightful and of all fairy cities, the Emerald City is most beautiful. A soft green light shone for miles about, and the gemmed turrets and spires of the palace flashed more brightly than the stars. But it's loveliness was familiar to Professor Wogglebug and, without a pause, he proceeded to Ozma's palace and was at once admitted to the great hall.

A roar of merriment greeted his ears. Ozma, the lovely girl ruler of Oz, was having a party and the room was full of most surprising people—surprising to some, that is, but old friends to most of us.

Jack, holding tightly to his pumpkin head was running as fast as his wooden feet and wobbly legs would take him from Dorothy. A game of blind-man's-buff