"I'm not specially proud," he said, "but I love a
manly figure, such as only straw stuffing can create.
I've not felt like myself since that hungry Hip-po ate
my last straw."
Polychrome and Woot set to work removing the hay and
then they selected the finest straw, crisp and golden,
and with it stuffed the Scarecrow anew. He certainly
looked better after the operation, and he was so
pleased at being reformed that he tried to dance a
little jig, and almost succeeded.
"I shall sleep under the straw-stack tonight," Woot
decided, after he had eaten some of the vegetables from
the garden, and in fact he slept very well, with the
two tin men and the Scarecrow sitting silently beside
him and Polychrome away somewhere in the moonlight
dancing her fairy dances.
At daybreak the Tin Woodman and the Tin Soldier took
occasion to polish their bodies and oil their joints,
for both were exceedingly careful of their personal
appearance. They had forgotten the quarrel due to their
accidental bumping of one another in the invisible
country, and being now good friends the Tin Woodman
polished the Tin Soldier's back for him and then the
Tin Soldier polished the Tin Woodman's back.
For breakfast the Wanderer ate crisp lettuce and
radishes, and the Rainbow's Daughter, who had now
returned to her friends, sipped the dewdrops that had
formed on the petals of the wild-flowers.
As they passed the little house to renew their
journey, Woot called out:
"Good-bye, Mr.
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