"You see," explained the Glass Cat, "that Magic Isle where Trot andCap'n Bill are stuck is also in this Gillikin Country--over at theeast side of it, and it's no farther to go across-lots from here thanit is from here to the Emerald City. So we'll save time by cuttingacross the mountains."

"Are you sure you know the way?" asked Dorothy.

"I know all the Land of Oz better than any other living creatureknows it," asserted the Glass Cat.

"Go ahead, then, and guide us," said the Wizard. "We've left ourpoor friends helpless too long already, and the sooner we rescue themthe happier they'll be."

"Are you sure you can get 'em out of their fix?" the little girl inquired.

"I've no doubt of it," the Wizard assured her. "But I can't tellwhat sort of magic I must use until I get to the place and discoverjust how they are enchanted."

"I've heard of that Magic Isle where the Wonderful Flower grows,"remarked the Cowardly Lion. "Long ago, when I used to live in theforests, the beasts told stories about the Isle and how the MagicFlower was placed there to entrap strangers--men or beasts."

"Is the Flower really wonderful?" questioned Dorothy.

"I have heard it is the most beautiful plant in the world," answeredthe Lion. "I have never seen it myself, but friendly beasts have toldme that they have stood on the shore of the river and looked across atthe plant in the gold flower-pot and seen hundreds of flowers, of allsorts and sizes, blossom upon it in quick succession. It is said thatif one picks the flowers while they are in bloom they will remainperfect for a long time, but if they are not picked they soondisappear and are replaced by other flowers. That, in my opinion,make the Magic Plant the most wonderful in existence."

"But these are only stories," said the girl. "Has any of yourfriends ever picked a flower from the wonderful plant?"

"No," admitted the Cowardly Lion, "for if any living thing venturesupon the Magic Isle, where the golden flower-pot stands, that man orbeast takes root in the soil and cannot get away again."

"What happens to them, then?" asked Dorothy.

"They grow smaller, hour by hour and day by day, and finallydisappear entirely."

"Then," said the girl anxiously, "we must hurry up, or Cap'n Billan' Trot will get too small to be comf'table."

They were proceeding at a rapid pace during this conversation, forthe Hungry Tiger and the Cowardly Lion were obliged to move swiftly inorder to keep pace with the Glass Cat. After leaving the Forest of Guguthey crossed a mountain range, and then a broad plain, after whichthey reached another forest, much smaller than that where Gugu ruled.

"The Magic Isle is in this forest," said the Glass Cat, "but theriver is at the other side of the forest. There is no path throughthe trees, but if we keep going east, we will find the river, and thenit will be easy to find the Magic Isle."

"Have you ever traveled this way before?" inquired the Wizard.

"Not exactly," admitted the Cat, "but I know we shall reach theriver if we go east through the forest."

"Lead on, then," said the Wizard.

The Glass Cat started away, and at first it was easy to pass betweenthe trees; but before long the underbrush and vines became thick andtangled, and after pushing their way through these obstacles for atime, our travelers came to a place where even the Glass Cat could notpush through.

"We'd better go back and find a path," suggested the Hungry Tiger.

"I'm s'prised at you," said Dorothy, eyeing the Glass Cat severely.

"I'm surprised, myself," replied the Cat. "But it's a long wayaround the forest to where the river enters it, and I thought we couldsave time by going straight through."

"No one can blame you," said the Wizard, "and I think, instead ofturning back, I can make a path that will allow us to proceed."

He opened his black bag and after searching among his magic toolsdrew out a small axe, made of some metal so highly polished that itglittered brightly even in the dark forest. The Wizard laid thelittle axe on the ground and said in a commanding voice:

"Chop, Little Axe, chop clean and true;A path for our feet you must quickly hew.Chop till this tangle of jungle is passed;Chop to the east, Little Axe--chop fast!"

Then the little axe began to move and flashed its bright blade rightand left, clearing a way through vine and brush and scattering thetangled barrier so quickly that the Lion and the Tiger, carryingDorothy and the Wizard and the cage of monkeys on their backs, wereable to stride through the forest at a fast walk. The brush seemed tomelt away before them and the little axe chopped so fast that theireyes only saw a twinkling of the blade. Then, suddenly, the forestwas open again, and the little axe, having obeyed its orders, laystill upon the ground.

The Wizard picked up the magic axe and after carefully wiping itwith his silk handkerchief put it away in his black bag. Then theywent on and in a short time reached the river.

"Let me see," said the Glass Cat, looking up and down the stream, "Ithink we are below the Magic Isle; so we must go up the stream untilwe come to it."

So up the stream they traveled, walking comfortably on the riverbank, and after a while the water broadened and a sharp bend appearedin the river, hiding all below from their view. They walked brisklyalong, however, and had nearly reached the bend when a voice criedwarningly: "Look out!"

The travelers halted abruptly and the Wizard said: "Look out for what?"

"You almost stepped on my Diamond Palace," replied the voice, and aduck with gorgeously colored feathers appeared before them. "Beastsand men are terribly clumsy," continued the Duck in an irritated tone,"and you've no business on this side of the River, anyway. What areyou doing here?"

"We've come to rescue some friends of ours who are stuck fast on theMagic Isle in this river," explained Dorothy.

"I know 'em," said the Duck. "I've been to see 'em, and they'restuck fast, all right. You may as well go back home, for no power cansave them."

"This is the Wonderful Wizard of Oz," said Dorothy, pointing to thelittle man.

"Well, I'm the Lonesome Duck," was the reply, as the fowl struttedup and down to show its feathers to best advantage. "I'm the greatForest Magician, as any beast can tell you, but even I have no powerto destroy the dreadful charm of the Magic Isle."

"Are you lonesome because you're a magician?" inquired Dorothy.

"No; I'm lonesome because I have no family and no friends. But Ilike to be lonesome, so please don't offer to be friendly with me. Goaway, and try not to step on my Diamond Palace."

"Where is it?" asked the girl.

"Behind this bush."

Dorothy hopped off the lion's back and ran around the bush to seethe Diamond Palace of the Lonesome Duck, although the gaudy fowlprotested in a series of low quacks. The girl found, indeed, aglistening dome formed of clearest diamonds, neatly cemented together,with a doorway at the side just big enough to admit the duck.

"Where did you find so many diamonds?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly.

"I know a place in the mountains where they are thick as pebbles,"said the Lonesome Duck, "and I brought them here in my bill, one by oneand put them in the river and let the water run over them until theywere brightly polished. Then I built this palace, and I'm positiveit's the only Diamond Palace in all the world."

"It's the only one I know of," said the little girl; "but if youlive in it all alone, I don't see why it's any better than a woodenpalace, or one of bricks or cobble-stones."

"You're not supposed to understand that," retorted the LonesomeDuck. "But I might tell you, as a matter of education, that a home ofany sort should be beautiful to those who live in it, and should notbe intended to please strangers. The Diamond Palace is my home, and Ilike it. So I don't care a quack whether YOU like it or not."

"Oh, but I do!" exclaimed Dorothy. "It's lovely on the outside,but--" Then she stopped speaking, for the Lonesome Duck had enteredhis palace through the little door without even saying good-bye. SoDorothy returned to her friends and they resumed their journey.

"Do you think, Wizard, the Duck was right in saying no magic canrescue Trot and Cap'n Bill?" asked the girl in a worried tone of voice.

"No, I don't think the Lonesome Duck was right in saying that,"answered the Wizard, gravely, "but it is possible that theirenchantment will be harder to overcome than I expected. I'll do mybest, of course, and no one can do more than his best."

That didn't entirely relieve Dorothy's anxiety, but she said nothingmore, and soon, on turning the bend in the river, they came in sightof the Magic Isle.

"There they are!" exclaimed Dorothy eagerly.

"Yes, I see them," replied the Wizard, nodding. "They are sittingon two big toadstools."

"That's queer," remarked the Glass Cat. "There were no toadstoolsthere when I left them."

"What a lovely flower!" cried Dorothy in rapture, as her gaze fellon the Magic Plant.

"Never mind the Flower, just now," advised the Wizard. "The mostimportant thing is to rescue our friends."

By this time they had arrived at a place just opposite the MagicIsle, and now both Trot and Cap'n Bill saw the arrival of theirfriends and called to them for help.

"How are you?" shouted the Wizard, putting his hands to his mouthso they could hear him better across the water.

"We're in hard luck," shouted Cap'n Bill, in reply. "We're anchoredhere and can't move till you find a way to cut the hawser."

"What does he mean by that?" asked Dorothy.

"We can't move our feet a bit!" called Trot, speaking as loud as she could.

"Why not?" inquired Dorothy.

"They've got roots on 'em," explained Trot.

It was hard to talk from so great a distance, so the Wizard said tothe Glass Cat:

"Go to the island and tell our friends to be patient, for we havecome to save them. It may take a little time to release them, for theMagic of the Isle is new to me and I shall have to experiment. Buttell them I'll hurry as fast as I can."

So the Glass Cat walked across the river under the water to tell Trotand Cap'n Bill not to worry, and the Wizard at once opened his blackbag and began to make his preparations.