"It was the collision," said the Tin Woodman
regretfully. "I knew something was wrong with me, and
now I can see that my side is dented in so that I lean
over toward the left. It was the Soldier's fault; he
shouldn't have been so careless."
"It is your fault that my right leg is bent, making
it shorter than the other, so that I limp badly,"
retorted the Soldier. "You shouldn't have stood where I
was walking."
"You shouldn't have walked where I was standing,"
replied the Tin Woodman.
It was almost a quarrel, so Polychrome said
soothingly:
"Never mind, friends; as soon as we have time I am
sure we can straighten the Soldier's leg and get the
dent out of the Woodman's body. The Scarecrow needs
patting into shape, too, for he had a bad tumble, but
our first task is to get over this ditch."
"Yes, the ditch is the most important thing, just
now," added Woot
They were standing in a row, looking hard at the
unexpected barrier, when a fierce growl from behind
them made them all turn quickly. Out of the invisible
country marched a huge beast with a thick, leathery
skin and a surprisingly long neck. The head on the top
of this neck was broad and flat and the eyes and mouth
were very big and the nose and ears very small. When
the head was drawn down toward the beast's shoulders,
the neck was all wrinkles, but the head could shoot up
very high indeed, if the creature wished it to.
"Dear me!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, "this must be the
Hip-po-gy-raf.
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