“Ev,” began Tik Tok in his precise fashion, “is to the north-west of here on the oth-er side of the im—” There was a whirr and a click and the copper man stood motionless and soundless, his round eyes fixed solemnly on the Knight. “Pass-able des-ert,” finished the Scarecrow, jumping up and kindly winding all of Tik Tok’s keys as if nothing had happened. “Pass-able des-ert,” continued the Copper Man. “That’s where the old Gnome King used to live,” piped Betsy Bobbin, bouncing up and down upon the sofa, “under the mountains of Ev, and he threw us down a tube and tried to melt you in a crucible, didn’t he, Tik Tok?” “He was a ve-ry bad per-son,” said the Copper Man. “Ruggedo was a wicked King, ’Tho’ now he’s good as pie, But none the less, I must confess, He has a wicked eye!” burst out Scraps, who was tired of sitting still listening to giant stories. But Sir Hokus could not be got off the subject of giants. “To Ev!” thundered the Knight, raising his sword. “To-morrow I’m off to Ev to conquer this terrible monster. Large as a mountain, you say, Tik Tok? Well, what care I for mountains? I, Sir Hokus of Pokes, will slay him!” “Hurrah for the giant killer!” giggled Scraps, turning a somersault and nearly falling in the fire. “Let’s go to bed!” said Dorothy uneasily. She had for the last few minutes been hearing strange rumbles. Of course it could not be giants; still the conversation, she concluded, had better be finished by sunlight. But it never was, for at that moment there was a deafening crash. The lights went out; the whole castle shivered; furniture fell every which way. Down clattered Sir Hokus, falling with a terrible clangor on top of the Copper Man. Down rolled the little girls and the Scarecrow and Scraps. Down tumbled everybody. “Cyclone!” gasped Dorothy, who had experienced several in Kansas. “Giants!” stuttered Betsy Bobbin, clutching Trot. The Wizard of Oz tried to reassure the agitated company. He told them there was no cause for alarm, and that they would soon find out what was the trouble. The soothing words of the Wizard were scarcely heard. [Illustration: The Smiling Little Wizard of Oz] What the others said was lost in the noise that followed. Thumps—bangs—crashes—screams came from every room in the rocking palace. “We’re flying! The whole castle’s flying up in the air!” screamed Dorothy. Then she subsided, as an emerald clock and three pictures came thumping down on her head. What had happened? No one could say. Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin and Trot had fainted dead away. The Scarecrow and Sir Hokus were tangled up on the floor, clasped in each other’s arms. The confusion was terrific. Only the Wizard was still calm and smiling. [Illustration: (unlabelled)] Chapter 8 Woe In The Emerald City