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big gate in the center of the dividing fence。 It
was locked on both sides and over the latch was
a sign reading：
〃WAR IS DECLARED〃
〃Can't we go through？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃Not now；〃 answered the Champion。
〃I think；〃 said the Scarecrow； 〃that if I could
talk with those Horners they would apologize to
you； and then there would be no need to fight。〃
〃Can't you talk from this side？〃 asked the
Champion。
〃Not so well；〃 replied the Scarecrow。 〃Do you
suppose you could throw me over that fence？
It is high； but I am very light。〃
〃We can try it；〃 said the Hopper。 〃I am perhaps
the strongest man in my country； so I'll undertake
to do the throwing。 But I won't promise you will
land on your feet。〃
〃No matter about that；〃 returned the Scarecrow。
〃Just toss me over and I'll be satisfied。〃
So the Champion picked up the Scarecrow
and balanced him a moment； to see how much
he weighed； and then with all his strength
tossed him high into the air。
Perhaps if the Scarecrow had been a trifle
heavier he would have been easier to throw and
would have gone a greater distance； but； as it
was； instead of going over the fence he landed
just on top of it； and one of the sharp pickets
caught him in the middle of his back and held him
fast prisoner。 Had he been face downward the
Scarecrow might have managed to free himself； but
lying on his back on the picket his hands waved in
the air of the Horner Country while his feet
kicked the air of the Hopper Country； so there he
was。
〃Are you hurt？〃 called the Patchwork Girl
anxiously。
〃Course not；〃 said Dorothy。 〃But if he wig…gles
that way he may tear his clothes。 How can we get
him down； Mr。 Champion？〃
The Champion shook his head。
〃I don't know；〃 he confessed。 〃If he could
scare Horners as well as he does crows； it might
be a good idea to leave him there。〃
〃This is terrible；〃 said Ojo； almost ready to
cry。 〃I s'pose it's because I am Ojo the Unlucky
that everyone who tries to help me gets into
trouble。〃
〃You are lucky to have anyone to help you；〃
declared Dorothy。 〃But don't worry。 We'll rescue
the Scarecrow somehow。〃
〃I know how；〃 announced Scraps。 〃Here； Mr。
Champion； just throw me up to the Scarecrow。 I'm
nearly as light as he is； and when I'm on top the
fence I'll pull our friend off the picket and toss
him down to you。〃
〃All right；〃 said the Champion； and he picked up
the Patchwork Girl and threw her in the same
manner he had the Scarecrow。 He must have used
more strength this time； however； for Scraps
sailed far over the top of the fence and； without
being able to grab the Scarecrow at all； tumbled
to the ground in the Horner Country； where her
stuffed body knocked over two men and a woman and
made a crowd that had collected there run like
rabbits to get away from her。
Seeing the next moment that she was harmless；
the people slowly returned and gathered around the
Patchwork Girl； regarding her with astonishment。
One of them wore a jeweled star in his hair； just
above his horn； and this seemed a person of
importance。 He spoke for the rest of his people；
who treated him with great respect。
〃Who are you； Unknown Being？〃 he asked。
〃Scraps；〃 she said； rising to her feet and
patting her cotton wadding smooth where it had
bunched up。
〃And where did you come from？〃 he continued。
〃Over the fence。 Don't be silly。 There's no
other place I could have come from；〃 she replied。
He looked at her thoughtfully。
〃You are not a Hopper；〃 said he； 〃for you
have two legs。 They're not very well shaped；
but they are two in number。 And that strange
creature on top the fencewhy doesn't he stop
kicking？must be your brother； or father； or son；
for he also has two legs。〃
〃You must have been to visit the Wise Donkey；〃
said Scraps； laughing so merrily that the crowd
smiled with her； in sympathy。 〃But that reminds
me； Captainor King〃
〃I am Chief of the Horners； and my name is Jak。〃
〃Of course； Little Jack Horner； I might have
known it。 But the reason I volplaned over the
fence was so I could have a talk with you about
the Hoppers。〃
〃What about the Hoppers？〃 asked the Chief；
frowning。
〃You've insulted them； and you'd better beg
their pardon；〃 said Scraps。 〃If you don't； they'll
probably hop over here and conquer you。
〃We're not afraidas long as the gate is
locked；〃 declared the Chief。 〃And we didn't insult
them at all。 One of us made a joke that the stupid
Hoppers couldn't see。〃
The Chief smiled as he said this and the smile
made his face look quite jolly。
〃What was the joke？〃 asked Scraps。
〃A Horner said they have less understanding than
we； because they've only one leg。 Ha； ha！ You see
the point； don't you？ If you stand on your legs；
and your legs are under you； thenha； ha； ha！
then your legs are your under…standing。 Hee； bee；
hee！ Ho； ho！ My； but that's a fine joke。 And the
stupid Hoppers couldn't see it！ They couldn't see
that with only one leg they must have less
under…standing than we who have two legs。 Ha； ha；
ha！ Hee； bee！ Ho； ho！〃 The Chief wiped the tears
of laughter from his eyes with the bottom hem of
his white robe； and all the other Horners wiped
their eyes on their robes； for they had laughed
just as heartily as their Chief at the absurd
joke。
〃Then；〃 said Scraps； 〃their understanding of the
understanding you meant led to the
misunderstanding。〃
〃Exactly； and so there's no need for us to
apologize；〃 returned the Chief。
〃No need for an apology； perhaps； but much need
for an explanation；〃 said Scraps decidedly。 〃You
don't want war； do you？〃
〃Not if we can help it；〃 admitted Jak Horner。
〃The question is； who's going to explain the joke
to the Horners？ You know it spoils any joke to be
obliged to explain it； and this is the best joke I
ever heard。〃
〃Who made the joke？〃 asked Scraps。
〃Diksey Horner。 He is working in the mines； just
now； but he'll be home before long。 Suppose we
wait and talk with him about it？ Maybe he'll be
willing to explain his joke to the Hoppers。〃
〃All right；〃 said Scraps。 〃I'll wait； if Diksey