"
The Hoppers looked at one another questioningly
and blinked their eyes and tried to think what it
all meant; but they couldn't figure it out.
"What do you think, Champion?" asked one of
them.
"I think it is dangerous to think of this thing
any more than we can help," he replied. "Let us do
as this girl says and laugh with the Horners, so
as to make them believe we see the joke. Then
there will be peace again and no need to fight."
They readily agreed to this and returned to
the fence laughing as loud and as hard as they
could, although they didn't feel like laughing
a bit. The Horners were much surprised.
"That's a fine joke--for a Horner--and we are
much pleased with it," said the Champion, speaking
between the pickets. "But please don't do it
again."
"I won't," promised Diksey. "If I think of
another such joke I'll try to forget it."
"Good!" cried the Chief Horner. "The war is over
and peace is declared."
There was much joyful shouting on both sides of
the fence and the gate was unlocked and thrown
wide open, so that Scraps was able to rejoin her
friends.
"What about the Scarecrow?" she asked Dorothy.
"We must get him down, somehow or other," was
the reply.
Pages:
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236