"That task is well over," observed the Shaggy
Man. "It's a little tiresome to walk backward, but
that is the only way to pass this part of the
road, which has a trick of sliding back and
carrying with it anyone who is walking upon it."
With new courage and energy they now
trudged forward and after a time came to a
place where the road cut through a low hill,
leaving high banks on either side of it. They
were traveling along this cut, talking together,
when the Shaggy Man seized Scraps with one
arm and Ojo with another and shouted: "Stop!"
"What's wrong now?" asked the Patchwork Girl.
"See there!" answered the Shaggy Man, pointing
with his finger.
Directly in the center of the road lay a
motionless object that bristled all over with
sharp quills, which resembled arrows. The body was
as big as a ten-bushel-basket, but the projecting
quills made it appear to be four times bigger.
"Well, what of it?" asked Scraps.
"That is Chiss, who causes a lot of trouble
along this road," was the reply.
"Chiss! What is Chiss?
"I think it is merely an overgrown porcupine,
but here in Oz they consider Chiss an evil spirit.
He's different from a reg'lar porcupine, because
he can throw his quills in any direction, which
an American porcupine cannot do.
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