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soon began to fear they had made a mistake in
leaving the woodchopper。
〃I can scarcely see the path；〃 he said at last。
〃Can you see it； Scraps？〃
〃No；〃 replied the Patchwork Girl； who was
holding fast to the boy's arm so he could
guide her。
〃I can see；〃 declared the Glass Cat。 〃My eyes
are better than yours； and my pink brains〃
〃Never mind your pink brains； please；〃 said
Ojo hastily； 〃just run ahead and show us the
way。 Wait a minute and I'll tie a string to you；
for then you can lead us。〃
He got a string from his pocket and tied it
around the cat's neck； and after that the creature
guided them along the path。 They had proceeded in
this way for about an hour when a twinkling blue
light appeared ahead of them。
〃Good！ there's a house at last；〃 cried Ojo。
〃When we reach it the good people will surely
welcome us and give us a night's lodging。〃 But
however far they walked the light seemed to get
no nearer； so by and by the cat stopped short；
saying：
〃I think the light is traveling； too； and we
shall never be able to catch up with it。 But here
is a house by the roadside； so why go farther？〃
〃Where is the house； Bungle？〃
〃Just here beside us； Scraps。〃
Ojo was now able to see a small house near
the pathway。 It was dark and silent； but the boy
was tired and wanted to rest； so he went up to
the door and knocked。
〃Who is there？〃 cried a voice from within。
〃I am Ojo the Unlucky； and with me are
Miss Scraps Patchwork and the Glass Cat；〃 he
replied。
〃What do you want？〃 asked the Voice。
〃A place to sleep；〃 said Ojo。
〃Come in； then； but don't make any noise；
and you must go directly to bed；〃 returned the
Voice。
Ojo unlatched the door and entered。 It was
very dark inside and he could see nothing at all。
But the cat exclaimed： 〃Why； there's no one
here！〃
〃There must be；〃 said the boy。 〃Some one
spoke to me。〃
〃I can see everything in the room；〃 replied the
cat； 〃and no one is present but ourselves。 But
here are three beds； all made up； so we may as
well go to sleep。〃
〃What is sleep？〃 inquired the Patchwork Girl。
〃It's what you do when you go to bed；〃 said Ojo。
〃But why do you go to bed？〃 persisted the
Patchwork Girl。
〃Here； here！ You are making altogether too
much noise；〃 cried the Voice they had heard
before。 〃Keep quiet； strangers； and go to bed。〃
The cat； which could see in the dark； looked
sharply around for the owner of the Voice； hut
could discover no one； although the Voice had
seemed close beside them。 She arched her back
a little and seemed afraid。 Then she whispered
to Ojo： 〃Come！〃 and led him to a bed。
With his hands the boy felt of the bed and
found it was big and soft； with feather pillows
and plenty of blankets。 So he took off his shoes
and hat and crept into the bed。 Then the cat
led Scraps to another bed and the Patchwork
Girl was puzzled to know what to do with it。
〃Lie down and keep quiet；〃 whispered the
cat； warningly。
〃Can't I sing？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Can't I whistle？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Can't I dance till morning； if I want to？〃
asked Scraps。
〃You must keep quiet；〃 said the cat； in a soft
voice。
〃I don't want to；〃 replied the Patchwork Girl；
speaking as loudly as usual。 〃What right have you
to order me around？ If I want to talk； or yell； or
whistle〃
Before she could say anything more an unseen
hand seized her firmly and threw her out of the
door； which closed behind her with a sharp
slam。 She found herself bumping and rolling in
the road and when she got up and tried to open
the door of the house again she found it locked。
〃What has happened to Scraps？〃 asked Ojo。
〃Never mind。 Let's go to sleep； or something
will happen to us；〃 answered the Glass Cat。
So Ojo snuggled down in his bed and fell
asleep； and he was so tired that he never
wakened until broad daylight。
Chapter Seven
The Troublesome Phonograph
When the boy opened his eyes next morning he
looked carefully around the room。 These small
Munchkin houses seldom had more than one room in
them。 That in which Ojo now found himself had
three beds； set all in a row on one side of it。
The Glass Cat lay asleep on one bed； Ojo was in
the second； and the third was neatly made up and
smoothed for the day。 On the other side of the
room was a round table on which breakfast was
already placed； smoking hot。 Only one chair was
drawn up to the table； where a place was set for
one person。 No one seemed to be in the room except
the boy and Bungle。
Ojo got up and put on his shoes。 Finding a
toilet stand at the head of his bed he washed his
face and hands and brushed his hair。 Then he
went to the table and said：
〃I wonder if this is my breakfast？〃
〃Eat it！〃 commanded a Voice at his side； so
near that Ojo jumped； But no person could he
see。
He was hungry； and the breakfast looked
good； so he sat down and ate all he wanted。
Then； rising； he took his hat and wakened the
Glass Cat。
〃Come on； Bungle；〃 said he； 〃we must go。
He cast another glance about the room and；
speaking to the air； he said： 〃Whoever lives here
has been kind to me； and I'm much obliged。〃
There was no answer； so he took his basket
and went out the door； the cat following him。
In the middle of the path sat the Patchwork
Girl； playing with pebbles she had picked up。
〃Oh； there you are！〃 she exclaimed cheerfully。
〃I thought you were never coming out。 It has been
daylight a long time。〃
〃What did you do all night？〃 asked the boy。
〃Sat here and watched the stars and the
moon；〃 she replied。 〃They're interesting。 I never
saw them before； you know。〃
〃Of course not；〃 said Ojo。
〃You were crazy to act so badly and get
thrown outdoors；〃 remarked Bungle； as they
renewed their journey。
〃That's all right；〃 said Scraps。 〃If I hadn't
been thrown out I wouldn't have seen the stars；
nor the big gray wolf。〃
〃What wolf？〃 inquired Ojo。
〃The one that came to the door of the house
three times during the night