They came upon the Sawhorse standing motionless beside the garden gate, but when 
Dorothy was introduced to him he bowed politely and blinked his eyes, which were knots of 
wood, and wagged his tail, which was only the branch of a tree.
    "What a remarkable thing, to be alive!" exclaimed Dorothy.
    "I quiet agree with you," replied the Sawhorse, in a rough but not unpleasant 
voice."A creature like me has no business to live, as we all know.But it was the magic 
powder that did it, so I cannot justly be blamed."
    "Of course not," said Dorothy."And you seem to be of some use, 'cause I noticed the 
Scarecrow riding upon your back."
    "Oh, yes; I'm of use," returned the Sawhorse; "and I never tire, never have to be 
fed, or cared for in any way."
    "Are you intel'gent?" asked the girl.
    "Not very," said the creature."It would be foolish to waste intelligence on a common 
Sawhorse, when so many professors need it. But I know enough to obey my masters, and to 
gid-dup, or whoa, when I'm told to.So I'm pretty well satisfied."
    That night Dorothy slept in a pleasant little bed-chamber next to that occupied by 
Ozma of Oz, and Billina perched upon the foot of the bed and tucked her head under her 
wing and slept as soundly in that position as did Dorothy upon her soft cushions.
    But before daybreak every one was awake and stirring, and soon the adventurers were 
eating a hasty breakfast in the great dining-room of the palace.Ozma sat at the head of a 
long table, on a raised platform, with Dorothy on her right hand and the Scarecrow on her 
left.The Scarecrow did not eat, of course; but Ozma placed him near her so that she might 
ask his advice about the journey while she ate.
    Lower down the table were the twenty-seven warriors of Oz, and at the end of the room 
the Lion and the Tiger were eating out of a kettle that had been placed upon the floor, 
while Billina fluttered around to pick up any scraps that might be scattered.
    It did not take long to finish the meal, and then the Lion and the Tiger were 
harnessed to the chariot and the party was ready to start for the Nome King's Palace.
    First rode Ozma, with Dorothy beside her in the golden chariot and holding Billina 
fast in her arms.Then came the Scarecrow on the Sawhorse, with the Tin Woodman and Tiktok 
marching side by side just behind him.After these tramped the Army, looking brave and 
handsome in their splendid uniforms.The generals commanded the colonels and the colonels 
commanded the majors and the majors commanded the captains and the captains commanded the 
private, who marched with an air of proud importance because it required so many officers 
to give him his orders.
    And so the magnificent procession left the palace and started along the road just as 
day was breaking, and by the time the sun came out they had made good progress toward the 
valley that led to the Nome King's domain.
    
    10.The Giant with the Hammer
    
    The road led for a time through a pretty farm country, and then past a picnic grove 
that was very inviting.But the procession continued to steadily advance until Billina 
cried in an abrupt and commanding manner:
    "Wait-wait!"
    Ozma stopped her chariot so suddenly that the Scarecrow's Sawhorse nearly ran into 
it, and the ranks of the army tumbled over one another before they could come to a 
halt.Immediately the yellow hen struggled from Dorothy's arms and flew into a clump of 
bushes by the roadside.
    "What's the matter?" called the Tin Woodman, anxiously.
    "Why, Billina wants to lay her egg, that's all," said Dorothy.
    "Lay her egg!" repeated the Tin Woodman, in astonishment.
    "Yes; she lays one every morning, about this time; and it's quite fresh," said the 
girl.
    "But does your foolish old hen suppose that this entire cavalcade, which is bound on 
an important adventure, is going to stand still while she lays her egg?" enquired the Tin 
Woodman, earnestly.
    "What else can we do?" asked the girl."It's a habit of Billina's and she can't break 
herself of it."
    "Then she must hurry up," said the Tin Woodman, impatiently.
    "No, no!" exclaimed the Scarecrow."If she hurries she may lay scrambled eggs."
    "That's nonsense," said Dorothy."But Billina won't be long, I'm sure."
    So they stood and waited, although all were restless and anxious to proceed.And by 
and by the yellow hen came from the bushes saying:
    "Kut-kut, kut, ka-daw-kutt!Kut, kut, kut-ka-daw-kut!"
    "What is she doing-singing her lay?" asked the Scarecrow.
    "For-ward-march!" shouted the Tin Woodman, waving his axe, and the procession started 
just as Dorothy had once more grabbed Billina in her arms.
    "Isn't anyone going to get my egg?" cried the hen, in great excitement.
    "I'll get it," said the Scarecrow; and at his command the Sawhorse pranced into the 
bushes.The straw man soon found the egg, which he placed in his jacket pocket.The 
cavalcade, having moved rapidly on, was even then far in advance; but it did not take the 
Sawhorse long to catch up with it, and presently the Scarecrow was riding in his 
accustomed place behind Ozma's chariot.
    "What shall I do with the egg?" he asked Dorothy.
    "I do not know," the girl answered."Perhaps the Hungry Tiger would like it."
    "It would not be enough to fill one of my back teeth," remarked the Tiger."A bushel 
of them, hard boiled, might take a little of the edge off my appetite; but one egg isn't 
good for anything at all, that I know of."
    "No; it wouldn't even make a sponge cake," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully."The Tin 
Woodman might carry it with his axe and hatch it; but after all I may as well keep it 
myself for a souvenir."So he left it in his pocket.
    They had now reached that part of the valley that lay between the two high mountains 
which Dorothy had seen from her tower window.At the far end was the third great mountain, 
which blocked the valley and was the northern edge of the Land of Ev.It was underneath 
this mountain that the Nome King's palace was said to be; but it would be some time 
before they reached that place.
    The path was becoming rocky and difficult for the wheels of the chariot to pass over, 
and presently a deep gulf appeared at their feet which was too wide for them to leap.So 
Ozma took a small square of green cloth from her pocket and threw it upon the ground.At 
once it became the magic carpet, and unrolled itself far enough for all the cavalcade to 
walk upon.The chariot now advanced, and the green carpet unrolled before it, crossing the 
gulf on a level with its banks, so that all passed over in safety.
    "That's easy enough," said the Scarecrow."I wonder what will happen next."
    He was not long in making the discovery, for the sides of the mountain came closer 
together until finally there was but a narrow path between them, along which Ozma and her 
party were forced to pass in single file.
    They now heard a low and deep "thump!- thump!-thump!" which echoed throughout the 
valley and seemed to grow louder as they advanced. Then, turning a corner of rock, they 
saw before them a huge form, which towered above the path for more than a hundred