The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-03

ut is well for me to be careful. for my
very existence is in danger"
81 have to>be as carefulas you do"
said Jack.
Not exactly" replied the Scare
crow; "for if anything happened to
me- that would be the end OF me. But
if anything happened to you, they
could use you for seed"
The Soldier now returned with a
long line and tied all three firmly to-
gether, also lashing them to the body
of the Saw Horse; so there seemed lit
tie danger of their tumbling off.
Now throw open the gates" COM
manded the Scarecrow, and we will
make a dash to liberty or to DEATH
The courtyard in which they were
standing was located in the center of
the great palace, which surrounded it
on all sides. But in one place a pas
sage led to an outer gateway, which
the Soldier had barred by order of his
sovereign. 1t was thu this gateway
his Majesty proposed to escape, and
the Royal Army now led the Saw
Horse along the passage and unbarred
the gate. which swung backward with
a loud crash.
Now" said Tip to the horse, ''ycu
must save us all. Run as fas as you
can for the gate of the City, and don't
let anything stop you.Y
"All right" answered the Saw
Horse, gruffly, and dashed away so
suddenly that Tip had to gasp for
| breath and hold firmly to the post he
had driven into the creatures neck.
Several of the girls, who stood out
side guarding the palace. were knock
| ed over by the Saw-Horse's mad rush.
| Others ran screaming out of the way.
and only one or two jabbed their knit
| ting-needles frantically at the escap-
ing prisoners. Tip got one small prick
in his left arm, which smarted for an
| hour afterward: but the needles had
| affaCf
Pumpkinhead. who never even sus-
: pected they were being prodded
AS for the Saw-Horse. he made a
wonderful record. upsetting a fruit
cart, overturning several meek looking
men, and finally bowling over the
new Guardian of the Gate-a fussy
little fat woman appointed by General
Jinjur.
Nor did the impetuous charger stop
then. Once outside the walls of the
Emerald City he dashed along the
| road to the West with fast and vio-
lent leaps that shook the breath out of
the boy and filled the Scarecrow with
wonder.
i Jack had ridden at this mad rate
once before, so he devoted every ef-
fort to holding, with both his hands,
his pumpkin head upon its stick. en-
during meantime the dreadful jolting
with the courage of philosopher.
SLOW him up! Slow him up"
shouted the Scarecrow. MY straw is
all shaking down into my legs"
But Tip had no breath to speak, so
the Saw-Horse continued his wild ca
reer unchecked and with undated
speed.
Presently they came to the banks
of a wide river. and without a pause
the wooden steed gave one final leap
and launched them all in mid-air.
/ A second later they were rolling,
splashing and bobbing about in the
water, the horse struggling frantically
to find rest for its feet and its rid
| ers being first plunged beneath the
rapid current and then floating upon
the surface like corks.
Copyrighted by L. Frank Baum for the
George Matthew Adams ServiceD
Next Story: THE Journey to the Tin
Woodman," in which the four travellers
manage to reach the opposite bank of the
river IN safety and start to go thru a
part of the country which was once in
habited by dangerous Winged Monkeys
Are the Monkeys still there, or is their
Journey peaceful and uninterrupted? The
next installment will tell you.