"I told you he wasn't a witch," shrilled Bob Up, wriggling away from the Soldier with the Green Whiskers and rushing over to Notta Bit More. "Well, bless my heart!" cried the Wizard of Oz, bounding down the steps of the throne two at a time. "This _is_ a surprise. Sir, let me embrace you!" And as Notta made no objection he gave him several good hugs. "I used to work in a circus myself," beamed the little wizard, "and I tell you a clown is a sight that makes me homesick!" "As to that," said Notta with a little bow to Ozma, "this country surpasses any circus I was ever in!" "Can you do funny tricks?" asked Dorothy. "He can somersault, cartwheel, stand on his head, walk on his hands and he knows lots of songs--don't you, Notta?" cried Bob, dancing with excitement. "So do I," shrilled Scraps jealously, "and if he thinks I cannot stand on my head, let him watch." Sir Hokus of Pokes restrained the reckless girl, and Ozma, tapping on the arm of her throne for order, begged Notta to explain his presence in the Emerald City and his reason for coming as a witch. "We are sorry to have treated you so rudely," said Ozma gravely, "but we must blame your costume for that." "Certainly," said Scraps, shaking her cotton finger at Notta. "If you come as a witch you must expect to be treated every witch way." Notta looked rather embarrassed as he explained his rules of disguise, politeness, joke and run. "I always seem to choose the wrong disguise," sighed the clown. "Don't you think it is better to be natural?" asked the Scarecrow in his jolly voice. "Especially when you are naturally so nice?" Notta was quite flustered at this charming speech. "First be nice and then be natural. How's that for a rule?" cried Scraps brilliantly, and they were all so relieved that the clown had turned out so well they laughed heartily. "Ver-ry good," ticked Tik Tok, whom somebody had wound up. "I am natu-ral-ly bright be-cause I am nat-u-ral-ly cop-per!" "Well, after this," said Notta, when the merriment had subsided, "after this, I will be myself, for I guess it is better to be yourself even if you _are_ a clown." "But how did you reach Oz? Who is this little boy? And do introduce us to your feathered friend," begged the Scarecrow, who had been glancing curiously from one to the other. "This," said Notta, drawing Bob close to him, "is Bob Up, an orphan from Philadelphia, and the bravest and best little boy in America." "Hello, orphan!" cried Scraps genially: "Orphan, orphan, howdedo, You love me and I'll love you! First you're here, then gone again, Do come orphan on again!"