"Loose this chain," it panted, tugging impatiently away from the post. As Peter, now as excited as the Iffin, looked hurriedly around for a bar or stone to break the padlock, Jack stepped forward and warningly held up his hand. "Just what do you eat?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead in an anxious voice. "Are you carniverous?" "If an Iffin were carniverous, would he relish red geraniums? I live on flowers, solely, so please get that through your craniums. "What did you think I ate, little boys?" finished the Iffin sulkily. "Well, you never can tell," murmured Jack, with a worried glance at Peter. "I just wanted to be sure." Peter chuckled to himself, and while looking for a spike discovered a gold key suspended from a nail on one of the red pillars. Taking the key, he fitted it into the rusty padlock and after several unsuccessful attempts it turned and the heavy chain fell with a loud clank to the red paving stones. "Do you really eat geraniums?" asked Peter, as the Iffin sprang away from the post and rushed in crazy circles around the court yard. "Of course," it snorted boisterously. "Of course!" Then spreading its wide red wings it soared majestically into the air--up, up and out of sight. "Why it's gone!" shouted Jack Pumpkinhead indignantly. "There's gratitude for you! Gone and left us without even a claw shake or thank you." "Maybe it will come back." Kicking aside the chain, Peter strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of the flying monster, but not one speck showed in the murky sky overhead. If Jack and Peter had been blue before, they were navy blue now. With their only means of escape removed they looked blankly at one another, while the goblin lanterns glowed and smoked and the sulphurous air of the cliff city grew more dry and unbearable. "If I'd only made it promise to help us before I turned the key," sighed Peter regretfully. "Hah! So you're an Iffin, too." Peering around a pillar, the bright red eyes of the sandy colored beast winked merrily into Peter's. "Just trying out my wings," it explained gruffly, "and they're wonderful! "If you don't think so, listen to them swirl and whirl and swish; Climb on my back, I'll carry you to any place you wish." "Will you really," cried Peter, falling joyfully on the Iffin's neck. "Can you take us to the Emerald City?" "If you want me to," answered the Iffin, wagging its tail bashfully. "Have you a name," inquired Jack Pumpkinhead, getting stiffly off the granite block. "Well," said the Iffin slowly, "I've been here so long I forgot my real name but the Scares called me Snif. I'm not sure I know the way to the Emerald City, but I will fly over the wall into the Land of the Barons and there we can surely find some one to direct us. Since you have freed me from my captors I will serve you faithfully for seven years."