"I'm coming after, to see how you
get along. This will be a regular surprise party to
Nimmie Amee."
So Woot entered the hole and felt his way along its
smooth sides in the dark until he finally saw the
glimmer of daylight ahead and knew the journey was
almost over. Had he remained his natural size, the
distance could have been covered in a few steps, but to
a thumb-high Woot it was quite a promenade. When he
emerged from the burrow he found himself but a short
distance from the house, in the center of the vegetable
garden, where the leaves of rhubarb waving above his
head seemed like trees. Outside the hole, and waiting
for him, he found all his friends.
"So far, so good!" remarked the Scarecrow cheerfully.
"Yes; so far, but no farther," returned the Tin
Woodman in a plaintive and disturbed tone of voice. "I
am now close to Nimmie Amee, whom I have come ever so
far to seek, but I cannot ask the girl to marry such a
little man as I am now."
"I'm no bigger than a toy soldier!" said Captain
Fyter, sorrowfully. "Unless Polychrome can make us big
again, there is little use in our visiting Nimmie Amee
at all, for I'm sure she wouldn't care for a husband
she might carelessly step on and ruin."
Polychrome laughed merrily.
"If I make you big, you can't get out of here again,"
said she, "and if you remain little Nimmie Amee will
laugh at you. So make your choice."
"I think we'd better go back," said Woot seriously
"No," said the Tin Woodman, stoutly, "I have decided
that it's my duty to make Nimmie Amee happy, in case
she wishes to marry me.
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