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asked the girl.

"They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads

like tigers," replied the Lion, "and with claws so long and sharp

that they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto.

I'm terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."

"I'm not surprised that you are," returned Dorothy.

"They must be dreadful beasts."

The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another

gulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the

Lion knew at once he could not leap across it.

So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after

serious thought the Scarecrow said:

"Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the

Tin Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other

side, we can walk across it easily."

"That is a first-rate idea," said the Lion. "One would almost

suspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw."

The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that

the tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his

strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might,

and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the

ditch, with its top branches on the other side.

They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growl

made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward them

two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.

"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble.

"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow. "Let us cross over."

So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin

Woodman followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although

he was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he

gave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the

Scarecrow fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stopped

short and looked at him in surprise.

But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering

that there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs

again rushed forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and

turned to see what they would do next. Without stopping an

instant the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree.

And the Lion said to Dorothy:

"We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with

their sharp claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight

them as long as I am alive."

"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking

what was best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop

away the end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch.

The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two

Kalidahs were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the

gulf, carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were

dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.

"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of

relief, "I see we are going to live a little while longer, and I

am glad of it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be

alive. Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is

beating yet."

"Ah," said the Tin Woodman sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."

This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to

get out of the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became

tired, and had to ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the

trees became thinner the farther they advanced, and in the

afternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river, flowing swiftly

just before them. On the other side of the water they could see

the road of yellow brick running through a beautiful country, with

green meadows dotted with bright flowers and all the road bordered

with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They were greatly

pleased to see this delightful country before them.

"How shall we cross the river?"