"
"Quite right," said the beast; "and you're the straw
which I'm to eat for my dinner. Oh, how I love straw! I
hope you don't resent my affectionate appetite?"
With its four great legs it advanced straight toward
the Scarecrow, but the Tin Woodman and the Tin Soldier
both sprang in front of their friend and flourished
their weapons.
"Keep off!" said the Tin Woodman, warningly, or I'll
chop you with my axe."
"Keep off!" said the Tin Soldier, "or I'll cut you
with my sword."
"Would you really do that?" asked the Hip-po-gy-raf,
in a disappointed voice.
"We would," they both replied, and the Tin Woodman
added: "The Scarecrow is our friend, and he would be
useless without his straw stuffing. So, as we are
comrades, faithful and true, we will defend our
friend's stuffing against all enemies."
The Hip-po-gy-raf sat down and looked at them
sorrowfully.
"When one has made up his mind to have a meal of
delicious straw, and then finds he can't have it, it is
certainly hard luck," he said. "And what good is the
straw man to you, or to himself, when the ditch keeps
you from going any further?"
"Well, we can go back again," suggested Woot.
"True," said the Hip-po; "and if you do, you'll be as
disappointed as I am. That's some comfort, anyhow."
The travelers looked at the beast, and then they
looked across the ditch at the level plain beyond. On
the other side the grass had grown tall, and the sun
had dried it, so there was a fine crop of hay that only
needed to be cut and stacked.
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