The cavalcade was led by Ozma, mounted on the Cowardly Lion, and the Queen of Ev, who 
rode upon the back of the Tiger.The children of the Queen walked behind her, hand in 
hand.Dorothy rode the Sawhorse, while the Scarecrow walked and commanded the army in the 
absence of the Tin Woodman.
    Presently the way began to lighten and more of the sunshine to come in between the 
two mountains.And before long they heard the "thump!
    thump! thump!" of the giant's hammer upon the road.
    "How may we pass the monstrous man of iron?" asked the Queen, anxious for the safety 
of her children.But Dorothy solved the problem by a word to the magic belt.
    The giant paused, with his hammer held motionless in the air, thus allowing the 
entire party to pass between his cast-iron legs in safety.
    
    19.The King of Ev
    
    If there were any shifting, rock-colored Nomes on the mountain side now, they were 
silent and respectful, for our adventurers were not annoyed, as before, by their impudent 
laughter.Really the Nomes had nothing to laugh at, since the defeat of their King.
    On the other side they found Ozma's golden chariot, standing as they had left it.Soon 
the Lion and the Tiger were harnessed to the beautiful chariot, in which was enough room 
for Ozma and the Queen and six of the royal children.
    Little Evring preferred to ride with Dorothy upon the Sawhorse, which had a long 
back.The Prince had recovered from his shyness and had become very fond of the girl who 
had rescued him, so they were fast friends and chatted pleasantly together as they rode 
along.Billina was also perched upon the head of the wooden steed, which seemed not to 
mind the added weight in the least, and the boy was full of wonder that a hen could talk, 
and say such sensible things.
    When they came to the gulf, Ozma's magic carpet carried them all over in safety; and 
now they began to pass the trees, in which birds were singing; and the breeze that was 
wafted to them from the farms of Ev was spicy with flowers and new-mown hay; and the 
sunshine fell full upon them, to warm them and drive away from their bodies the chill and 
dampness of the underground kingdom of the Nomes.
    "I would be quite content," said the Scarecrow to Tiktok, "were only the Tin Woodman 
with us.But it breaks my heart to leave him behind."
    "He was a fine fel-low," replied Tiktok, "al-though his ma-ter-i-al was not ve-ry 
du-ra-ble."
    "Oh, tin is an excellent material," the Scarecrow hastened to say; "and if anything 
ever happened to poor Nick Chopper he was always easily soldered.Besides, he did not have 
to be wound up, and was not liable to get out of order."
    "I some-times wish," said Tiktok, "that I was stuffed with straw, as you are.It is 
hard to be made of cop-per."
    "I have no reason to complain of my lot," replied the Scarecrow."A little fresh 
straw, now and then, makes me as good as new.But I can never be the polished gentleman 
that my poor departed friend, the Tin Woodman, was."
    You may be sure the royal children of Ev and their Queen mother were delighted at 
seeing again their beloved country; and when the towers of the palace of Ev came into 
view they could not forbear cheering at the sight.Little Evring, riding in front of 
Dorothy, was so overjoyed that he took a curious tin whistle from his pocket and blew a 
shrill blast that made the Sawhorse leap and prance in sudden alarm.
    "What is that?" asked Billina, who had been obliged to flutter her wings in order to 
keep her seat upon the head of the frightened Sawhorse.
    "That's my whistle," said Prince Evring, holding it out upon his hand.
    It was in the shape of a little fat pig, made of tin and painted green.
    The whistle was in the tail of the pig.
    "Where did you get it?" asked the yellow hen, closely examining the toy with her 
bright eyes.
    "Why, I picked it up in the Nome King's palace, while Dorothy was making her guesses, 
and I put it in my pocket," answered the little Prince.
    Billina laughed; or at least she made the peculiar cackle that served her for a laugh.
    "No wonder I couldn't find the Tin Woodman," she said; "and no wonder the magic belt 
didn't make him appear, or the King couldn't find him, either!"
    "What do you mean?" questioned Dorothy.
    "Why, the Prince had him in his pocket," cried Billina, cackling again.
    "I did not!" protested little Evring."I only took the whistle."
    "Well, then, watch me," returned the hen, and reaching out a claw she touched the 
whistle and said "Ev."
    Swish!
    "Good afternoon," said the Tin Woodman, taking off his funnel cap and bowing to 
Dorothy and the Prince."I think I must have been asleep for the first time since I was 
made of tin, for I do not remember our leaving the Nome King."
    "You have been enchanted," answered the girl, throwing an arm around her old friend 
and hugging him tight in her joy. "But it's all right, now."
    "I want my whistle!" said the little Prince, beginning to cry.
    "Hush!" cautioned Billina."The whistle is lost, but you may have another when you get 
home."
    The Scarecrow had fairly thrown himself upon the bosom of his old comrade, so 
surprised and delighted was he to see him again, and Tiktok squeezed the Tin Woodman's 
hand so earnestly that he dented some of his fingers.Then they had to make way for Ozma 
to welcome the tin man, and the army caught sight of him and set up a cheer, and 
everybody was delighted and happy.
    For the Tin Woodman was a great favorite with all who knew him, and his sudden 
recovery after they had thought he was lost to them forever was indeed a pleasant 
surprise.
    Before long the cavalcade arrived at the royal palace, where a great crowd of people 
had gathered to welcome their Queen and her ten children.There was much shouting and 
cheering, and the people threw flowers in their path, and every face wore a happy smile.
    They found the Princess Langwidere in her mirrored chamber, where she was admiring 
one of her handsomest heads-one with rich chestnut hair, dreamy walnut eyes and a shapely 
hickorynut nose.She was very glad to be relieved of her duties to the people of Ev, and 
the Queen graciously permitted her to retain her rooms and her cabinet of heads as long 
as she lived.
    Then the Queen took her eldest son out upon a balcony that overlooked the crowd of 
subjects gathered below, and said to them:
    "Here is your future ruler, King Evardo Fifteenth.He is fifteen years of age, has 
fifteen silver buckles on his jacket and is the fifteenth Evardo to rule the land of Ev."
    The people shouted their approval fifteen times, and even the Wheelers, some of whom 
were present, loudly promised to obey the new King.
    So the Queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon Evardo's head, and 
threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and proclaimed him King; and he bowed gratefully 
to all his subjects and then went away to see if he could find any cake in the royal 
pantry.