Up and down they went for hours, with nothing to
relieve the monotony of the landscape, until finally,
when they had topped a higher hill than usual, they
discovered a cup-shaped valley before them in the
center of which stood an enormous castle, built of
purple stone. The castle was high and broad and
long, but had no turrets and towers. So far as they
could see, there was but one small window and one
big door on each side of the great building.
"This is strange!" mused the Scarecrow. "I'd no idea
such a big castle existed in this Gillikin Country. I
wonder who lives here?"
"It seems to me, from this distance," remarked the
Tin Woodman, "that it's the biggest castle I ever saw.
It is really too big for any use, and no one could open
or shut those big doors without a stepladder."
"Perhaps, if we go nearer, we shall find out whether
anybody lives there or not," suggested Woot. "Looks to
me as if nobody lived there."
On they went, and when they reached the center of the
valley, where the great stone castle stood, it was
beginning to grow dark. So they hesitated as to what to
do.
"If friendly people happen to live here," said Woot.
I shall be glad of a bed; but should enemies occupy the
place, I prefer to sleep upon the ground."
"And if no one at all lives here," added the
Scarecrow, "we can enter, and take possession, and
make ourselves at home."
While speaking he went nearer to one of the great
doors, which was three times as high and broad as any
he had ever seen in a house before, and then he
discovered, engraved in big letters upon a stone over
the doorway, the words:
"YOOP CASTLE"
"Oho!" he exclaimed; "I know the place now.
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