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The Royal Book of Oz

you for parasault and battery—but how did it happen?"

"Well," began Dorothy, "as soon as the parasol opened, I flew up so fast that I could hardly breathe. Then, after I'd gone ever so far, it came to me that if the parasol went up, when it was up, it would come down, when it was down. I couldn't leave you all in such a fix—so I closed it and—"

"Came down!" finished the Scarecrow, with a wave of his hand. "You always do the right thing in the right place, my dear."

"It was lucky I hit the vase, wasn't it?" sighed Dorothy. "But I'm rather sorry about the Princes.

"Served 'em right," growled the Cowardly Lion. "They'll make very good pigs!"

"But, who's to rule the island?" demanded Sir Hokus, turning his gaze reluctantly from the smoking dragon skin.

"This will require thought," said the Scarecrow pensively. "Let us all think."

"I doubt that I can ever think again." The Doubtful Dromedary wagged his head from side to side in a dazed fashion.

"Just leave it to our dear Karwan Bashi." The Comfortable Camel nodded complacently at the

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