On his breast hung a
medallion bearing a picture of Princess Dorothy of
Oz, and in his hand, as he stood looking at Ojo,
was a sharp knife shaped like a dagger.
"Oh!" exclaimed Ojo, greatly astonished at the
sight of this stranger; and then he added: "Who
has saved me, sir?"
"Can't you see?" replied the other, with a
smile; "I'm the Shaggy Man."
"Yes; I can see that," said the boy, nodding.
"Was it you who rescued me from the leaf?"
"None other, you may be sure. But take care,
or I shall have to rescue you again."
Ojo gave a jump, for he saw several broad
leaves leaning toward him; but the Shaggy Man
began to whistle again, and at the sound the
leaves all straightened up on their stems and
kept still.
The man now took Ojo's arm and led him
up the road, past the last of the great plants,
and not till he was safely beyond their reach did
he cease his whistling.
"You see, the music charms 'em," said he.
"Singing or whistling--it doesn't matter which--
makes 'em behave, and nothing else will. I always
whistle as I go by 'em and so they always let me
alone. To-day as I went by, whistling, I saw a leaf
curled and knew there must be something inside it.
I cut down the leaf with my knife and--out you
popped.
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