Duty,
on the contrary, is a bugle call to action, whether you
are inclined to act, or not. In this case, I obey the
bugle call of duty."
"When shall we start?" inquired the Scarecrow, who
was always glad to embark upon a new adventure. "I
don't hear any bugle, but when do we go?"
"As soon as we can get ready," answered the Emperor.
"I'll call my servants at once and order them to make
preparations for our journey."
Chapter Three
Roundabout
Woot the Wanderer slept that night in the tin castle of
the Emperor of the Winkies and found his tin bed quite
comfortable. Early the next morning he rose and took a
walk through the gardens, where there were tin
fountains and beds of curious tin flowers, and where
tin birds perched upon the branches of tin trees and
sang songs that sounded like the notes of tin whistles.
All these wonders had been made by the clever Winkie
tinsmiths, who wound the birds up every morning so that
they would move about and sing.
After breakfast the boy went into the throne room,
where the Emperor was having his tin joints carefully
oiled by a servant, while other servants were stuffing
sweet, fresh straw into the body of the Scarecrow.
Woot watched this operation with much interest, for
the Scarecrow's body was only a suit of clothes filled
with straw. The coat was buttoned tight to keep the
packed straw from falling out and a rope was tied
around the waist to hold it in shape and prevent the
straw from sagging down.
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