"Well, that accounts for the bumpo. I understand perfectly now," continued Humpy conversationally, as he picked up his crown and set it solemnly on his head. "But next time, next time, old rascal!" He wagged his finger playfully at the Elegant Elephant. "Old rascal! Old rascal!" sputtered Kabumpo, swinging round in a fury. "How dare you talk to me like that, you good for nothing son of a sofa, you hair-brained piece of a night shirt!" "Well, I may be stuffed with hair, but you're stuffed with hay and I don't see much difference except," Humpy backed rapidly out of Kabumpo's reach, "except that the person who stuffed you didn't finish the job. You're full of wrinkles," he announced judicially. Kabumpo made a swing at the dummy with his trunk and then, thinking better of it, turned angrily away and, mumbling and wheezing under his breath, began to move majestically toward the rocky barrier. Seeing that no more fun was to be had out of him, Humpy hurried over to the tailor, who was walking unsteadily between Dorothy and Snip. He had put on his ears and was listening attentively to the little girl's remarks about the Elegant Elephant. Dorothy was telling how faithfully Kabumpo had served his master, the Prince of Pumperdink. "It may be so, it may be so," muttered Tora, gazing after the great beast doubtfully, "but he seems to me a trifle abrupt--er, almost dangerous!" "But he's very fast," said Dorothy coaxingly, "and if he had not stopped when he did we'd have been thrown upon the rocks." "That's so," put in Snip, who had rather enjoyed his wild ride upon the elephant's back. "Well, well, I daresay I am old fashioned," sighed the tailor, settling his specs resignedly, "and if you and Dorothy can stand this mad mode of travel, I'll try not to mind it either." "Fall on me next time," invited the dummy generously. Humpy's expression as he made this suggestion was so comical that Tora laughed in spite of himself. "But how are we going to cross the mountain?" put in Snip dismally. "It's too steep for Kabumpo to climb and I don't see any way 'round, do you?" Dorothy shook her head. "I don't even remember a mountain being here," observed the little girl with a troubled frown. They had joined the Elegant Elephant by this time and, standing in a dejected row, they surveyed the great mass of tumbled rocks--rocks so steep and jagged that even Snip shuddered at the thought of clambering over their perilous peaks. "I hope you don't expect me to carry you over," sniffed Kabumpo. "Only a bird could cross this. A bird! Great Gollywockers! Look!" But Dorothy and the others had already seen for themselves. An old woman and a goose were walking calmly through the mountain just as if it did not exist at all--an old woman and a goose! The former was dressed in the simple costume of a Gilliken farmer's wife. In one hand she carried a large basket and with the other she held her stick and a long rope attached to the goose's neck.