"
Just then the roof of the house in front of
them opened and a Tottenhot stuck his head
out, very cautiously, and looked at the strangers.
"Can't you take a joke?" he asked,
reproachfully; "haven't you any fun in you at
all?"
"If I had such a quality," replied the
Scarecrow, "your people would have knocked it out
of me. But I don't bear grudges. I forgive you."
"So do I," added Scraps. "That is, if you behave
yourselves after this."
"It was just a little rough-house, that's all,"
said the Tottenhot. "But the question is not if
we will behave, but if you will behave? We
can't be shut up here all night, because this
is our time to play; nor do we care to come out
and be chewed up by a savage beast or slapped
by an angry girl. That slapping hurts like sixty;
some of my folks are crying about it. So here's
the proposition: you let us alone and we'll let
you alone."
"You began it," declared Dorothy.
"Well, you ended it, so we won't argue the
matter. May we come out again? Or are you still
cruel and slappy?"
"Tell you what we'll do," said Dorothy. "We're
all tired and want to sleep until morning. If
you'll let us get into your house, and stay there
until daylight, you can play outside all you want
to.
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