Woot knocked upon a door that was not
much higher than his waist, but got no reply. He
knocked again, but not a sound was heard.
"Smoke is coming out of the chimney," announced
Polychrome, who was dancing lightly through the garden,
where cabbages and beets and turnips and the like were
growing finely
"Then someone surely lives here," said Woot, and
knocked again.
Now a window at the side of the house opened and a
queer head appeared. It was white and hairy and had a
long snout and little round eyes. The ears were hidden
by a blue sunbonnet tied under the chin.
"Oh; it's a pig!" exclaimed Woot.
"Pardon me; I am Mrs. Squealina Swyne, wife of
Professor Grunter Swyne, and this is our home," said
the one in the window. "What do you want?"
"What sort of a Professor is your husband?" inquired
the Tin Woodman curiously.
"He is Professor of Cabbage Culture and Corn
Perfection. He is very famous in his own family, and
would be the wonder of the world if he went abroad,"
said Mrs. Swyne in a voice that was half proud and half
irritable. "I must also inform you intruders that the
Professor is a dangerous individual, for he files his
teeth every morning until they are sharp as needles. If
you are butchers, you'd better run away and avoid
trouble."
"We are not butchers," the Tin Woodman assured her.
"Then what are you doing with that axe? And why has
the other tin man a sword?"
"They are the only weapons we have to defend our
friends from their enemies," explained the Emperor of
the Winkies, and Woot added:
"Do not be afraid of us, Mrs.
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