HANDY MANDY IN OZ _By_ RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON Founded on and continuing the Famous Oz Stories _By_ L. FRANK BAUM "Royal Historian of Oz" _Illustrated by_ JOHN R. NEILL The Reilly & Lee Co. CHICAGO COPYRIGHT 1937 By THE REILLY & LEE CO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. [Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] * * * * * _Hello there!_ Another spring, another book and another old Wizard in Oz! Imagine! And with Ruggedo mixed up in the story there's bound to be fun and excitement. Now I do hope you like Handy Mandy and Nox. I'm very fond of the Royal Ox, myself. He rather reminds me of Kabumpo, while Kerry is as nice a young King as I've met in an Oz age. But tell me what YOU think. No one, not even Ozma, receives as fine letters as you all write me, and I can hardly wait to hear all this year's news and those interesting Ozzy suggestions. My news comes from the palace of the Red Jinn, today. It seems that he and Kabumpo are really going to pay that long-promised visit to Randy in Regalia. My--y, I'll have to look into this. Meanwhile, best and merriest wishes and a high old happy-go-lucky year to you! RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON. 254 S. Farragut Terrace, West Philadelphia, Pa. * * * * * This book is lovingly dedicated to all the boys and girls who have written me letters! Yes, here's to YOU and cheers to you! RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON April, 1937 * * * * * Handy Mandy in Oz On many a day had Handy, the Goat Girl of Mern, pursued her goats up and down the rocky eminences of her native mountain. And never--NEVER--in her fourteen or so years' experience had she been blown up by a mountain spring. But there comes, in every one's experience a day which is unlike every other day, and so it was with the Goat Girl. As she was pursuing What-a-butter, her favorite goat, there was a sudden crash, a whish, and up flew the slab of rock on which she was standing, up and away.