sorry　to　say　that　Jinxland　is　separated　from　the　rest　of
  the　Quadling　Country　by　that　row　of　high　mountains　you
  see　yonder；　which　have　such　steep　sides　that　no　one　can
  cross　them。　So　we　live　here　all　by　ourselves；　and　are
  ruled　by　our　own　King；　instead　of　by　Ozma　of　Oz。〃
  〃I've　been　to　the　Land　of　Oz　before；〃　said　Button…
  Bright；　〃but　I've　never　been　here。〃
  〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　Jinxland　before？〃　asked　Trot。
  〃No；〃　said　Button…Bright。
  〃It　is　on　the　Map　of　Oz；　though；〃　asserted　the　woman；
  〃and　it's　a　fine　country；　I　assure　you。　If　only；〃　she
  added；　and　then　paused　to　look　around　her　with　a
  frightened　expression。　〃If　only　〃　here　she　stopped
  again；　as　if　not　daring　to　go　on　with　her　speech。
  〃If　only　what；　ma'am？〃　asked　Cap'n　Bill。
  The　woman　sent　the　children　into　the　house。　Then　she
  came　closer　to　the　strangers　and　whispered：　〃If　only　we
  had　a　different　King；　we　would　be　very　happy　and
  contented。〃
  〃What's　the　matter　with　your　King？〃　asked　Trot；
  curiously。　But　the　woman　seemed　frightened　to　have　said
  so　much。　She　retreated　to　her　porch；　merely　saying：
  〃The　King　punishes　severely　any　treason　on　the　part　of
  his　subjects。〃
  〃What's　treason？〃　asked　Button…Bright。
  〃In　this　case；〃　replied　Cap'n　Bill；　〃treason　seems　to
  consist　of　knockin'　the　King；　but　I　guess　we　know　his
  disposition　now　as　well　as　if　the　lady　had　said　more。〃
  〃I　wonder；〃　said　Trot；　going　up　to　the　woman；　〃if　you
  could　spare　us　something　to　eat。　We　haven't　had　anything
  but　popcorn　and　lemonade　for　a　long　time。〃
  〃Bless　your　heart！　Of　course　I　can　spare　you　some
  food；〃　the　woman　answered；　and　entering　her　cottage　she
  soon　returned　with　a　tray　loaded　with　sandwiches；　cakes
  and　cheese。　One　of　the　children　drew　a　bucket　of　clear；
  cold　water　from　a　spring　and　the　three　wanderers　ate
  heartily　and　enjoyed　the　good　things　immensely。
  When　Button…Bright　could　eat　no　more　he　filled　the
  pockets　of　his　jacket　with　cakes　and　cheese；　and　not　even
  the　children　objected　to　this。　Indeed　they　all　seemed
  pleased　to　see　the　strangers　eat；　so　Cap'n　Bill　decided
  that　no　matter　what　the　King　of　Jinxland　was　like；　the
  people　would　prove　friendly　and　hospitable。
  〃Whose　castle　is　that；　yonder；　ma'am？〃　he　asked；　waving
  his　hand　toward　the　towers　that　rose　above　the　trees。
  〃It　belongs　to　his　Majesty；　King　Krewl。〃　she　said。
  〃Oh；　indeed；　and　does　he　live　there？〃
  〃When　he　is　not　out　hunting　with　his　fierce　courtiers
  and　war　captains；〃　she　replied。
  〃Is　he　hunting　now？〃　Trot　inquired。
  〃I　do　not　know；　my　dear。　The　less　we　know　about　the
  King's　actions　the　safer　we　are。〃
  It　was　evident　the　woman　did　not　like　to　talk　about
  King　Krewl　and　so；　having　finished　their　meal；　they　said
  good…bye　and　continued　along　the　pathway。
  〃Don't　you　think　we'd　better　keep　away　from　that
  King's　castle；　Cap'n？〃　asked　Trot。
  〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃King　Krewl　would　find　out；　sooner　or
  later；　that　we　are　in　his　country；　so　we　may　as　well　face
  the　music　now。　Perhaps　he　isn't　quite　so　bad　as　that
  woman　thinks　he　is。　Kings　aren't　always　popular　with
  their　people；　you　know；　even　if　they　do　the　best　they
  know　how。〃
  〃Ozma　is　pop'lar；〃　said　Button…Bright。
  〃Ozma　is　diff'rent　from　any　other　Ruler；　from　all　I've
  heard；〃　remarked　Trot　musingly；　as　she　walked　beside　the
  boy。　〃And；　after　all；　we　are　really　in　the　Land　of　Oz；
  where　Ozma　rules　ev'ry　King　and　ev'rybody　else。　I　never
  heard　of　anybody　getting　hurt　in　her　dominions；　did　you；
  Button…Bright？〃
  〃Not　when　she　knows　about　it；〃　he　replied。　〃But　those
  birds　landed　us　in　just　the　wrong　place；　seems　to　me。
  They　might　have　carried　us　right　on；　over　that　row　of
  mountains；　to　the　Em'rald　City。〃
  〃True　enough；〃　said　Cap'n　Bill；　〃but　they　didn't；　an'
  so　we　must　make　the　best　of　Jinxland。　Let's　try　not　to　be
  afraid。〃
  〃Oh；　I'm　not　very　scared；〃　said　Button…Bright；　pausing
  to　look　at　a　pink　rabbit　that　popped　its　head　out　of　a
  hole　in　the　field　near　by。
  〃Nor　am　I；〃　added　Trot。　〃Really；　Cap'n；　I'm　so　glad　to
  be　anywhere　at　all　in　the　wonderful　fairyland　of　Oz　that
  I　think　I'm　the　luckiest　girl　in　all　the　world。　Dorothy
  lives　in　the　Em'rald　City；　you　know；　and　so　does　the
  Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　and　Tik…Tok　and　the　Shaggy
  Man　　and　all　the　rest　of　'em　that　we've　heard　so　much
  about　　not　to　mention　Ozma；　who　must　be　the　sweetest
  and　loveliest　girl　in　all　the　world！〃
  〃Take　your　time；　Trot；〃　advised　Button…Bright。　〃You
  don't　have　to　say　it　all　in　one　breath；　you　know。　And　you
  haven't　mentioned　half　of　the　curious　people　in　the
  Em'rald　City。〃
  〃That　'ere　Em'rald　City；〃　said　Cap'n　Bill　impressively；
  〃happens　to　be　on　the　other　side　o'　those　mountains；　that
  we're　told　no　one　is　able　to　cross。　I　don't　want　to
  discourage　of　you；　Trot；　but　we're　a'most　as　much
  separated　from　your　Ozma　an'　Dorothy　as　we　were　when　we
  lived　in　Californy。〃
  There　was　so　much　truth　in　this　statement　that　they　all
  walked　on　in　silence　for　some　time。　Finally　they　reached
  the　grove　of　stately　trees　that　bordered　the　grounds　of
  the　King's　castle。　They　had　gone　halfway　through　it　when
  the　sound　of　sobbing；　as　of　someone　in　bitter　distress；
  reached　their　ears　and　caused　them　to　halt　abruptly。
  Chapter　Ten
  Pon；　the　Gardener's　Boy
  It　was　Button…Bright　who　first　discovered；　lying　on　his
  face　beneath　a　broad　spreading　tree　near　the　pathway；　a
  young　man　whose　body　shook　with　the　force　of　his　sobs。　He
  was　dressed　in　a　long　brown　smock　and　had　sandals　on　his
  feet；　betokening　one　in　humble　life。　His　head　was　bare
  and　showed　a　shock　of　brown；　curly　hair。　Button…Bright
  looked　down　on　the　young　man　and　said：
  〃Who　cares；　anyhow？〃
  〃I　do！〃　cried　the　young　man；　interrupting　his　sobs　to
  roll　over；　face　upward；　that　he　might　see　who　had　spoken。
  〃I　care；　for　my　heart　is　broken！〃
  〃Can't　you　get　another　one？〃　asked　the　little　boy。
  〃I　don't　want　another！〃　wailed　the　young　man。
  By　this　time　Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill　arrived　at　the　spot
  and　the　girl　leaned　over　and　said　in　a　sympathetic　voice：
  〃Tell　us　your　troubles　and　perhaps　we　may　help　you。〃
  The　youth　sat　up；　then；　and　bowed　politely。　Afterward
  he　got　upon　his　feet；　but　still　kept　wringing　his　hands
  as　he　tried　to　choke　down　his　sobs。　Trot　thought　he　was
  very　brave　to　control　such　awful　agony　so　well。
  〃My　name　is　Pon；〃　he　began。　〃I'm　the　gardener's　boy。〃
  〃Then　the　gardener　of　the　King　is　your　father；　I
  suppose；〃　said　Trot。
  〃Not　my　father；　but　my　master；〃　was　the　reply
  〃I　do　the　work　and　the　gardener　gives　the　orders。　And
  it　was　not　my　fault；　in　the　least；　that　the　Princess
  Gloria　fell　in　love　with　me。〃
  〃Did　she；　really？〃　asked　the　little　girl。
  〃I　don't　see　why；〃　remarked　Button…Bright；　staring　at
  the　youth。
  〃And　who　may　the　Princess　Gloria　be？〃　inquired　Cap'n
  Bill。
  〃She　is　the　niece　of　King　Krewl；　who　is　her　guardian。
  The　Princess　lives　in　the　castle　and　is　the　loveliest　and
  sweetest　maiden　in　all　Jinxland。　She　is　fond　of　flowers
  and　used　to　walk　in　the　gardens　with　her　attendants。　At
  such　times；　if　I　was　working　at　my　tasks；　I　used　to　cast
  down　my　eyes　as　Gloria　passed　me；　but　one　day　I　glanced
  up　and　found　her　gazing　at　me　with　a　very　tender　look　in
  her　eyes。　The　next　day　she　dismissed　her　attendants　and；
  coming　to　my　side；　began　to　talk　with　me。　She　said　I　had
  touched　her　heart　as　no　other　young　man　had　ever　done。　I
  kissed　her　hand。　Just　then　the　King　came　around　a　bend　in
  the　walk。　He　struck　me　with　his　fist　and　kicked　me　with
  his　foot。　Then　he　seized　the　arm　of　the　Princess　and
  rudely　dragged　her　into　the　castle。〃
  〃Wasn't　he　awful！〃　gasped　Trot　indignantly。
  〃He　is　a　very　abrupt　King；〃　said　Pon；　〃so　it　was　the
  least　I　could　expect。　Up　to　that　time　I　had　not　thought
  of　loving　Princess　Gloria；　but　realizing　it　would　be
  impolite　not　to　return　her　love；　I　did　so。　We　met　at
  evening；　now　and　then；　and　she　told　me　the　King　wanted
  her　to　marry　a　rich　courtier　named　Googly…Goo；　who　is　old
  enough　to　be　Gloria's