"She's gone up to the Wizard's rooms in the tower," replied Jellia Jamb.
"Thanks," said Toto. "I imagine Dorothy will have her hands full while Ozma is gone."
With this, the little dog trotted down the corridor, philosophically seeking some other amusement. He hadn't gone very far before he was hailed by Betsy Bobbin, who appeared with a small wicker basket on her arm.
"Hello, Toto!" Betsy called. "Want to go with Hank and me? I'm going to pick wild flowers in the green fields outside the Emerald City and Hank's coming along. I have a nice picnic lunch packed," the girl added, indicating the basket she carried.
Now there were few things Toto liked better than to get out in the country and frolic in the fields, so the little dog accepted the invitation gratefully.
A short time later Betsy, her devoted companion, Hank the Mule, and Toto arrived at the gates of the Emerald City and were greeted by Omby Amby, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers. He was very tall and wore a handsome green and gold uniform with a tall plumed hat. His long, green beard fell below his waist making him look even taller. In addition to being the Keeper of the Gates, Omby Amby was also the Royal Army of Oz, Princess Ozma's Body-Guard and the Police Force of the Emerald City. You might suppose that, holding all these offices, Omby Amby was a very busy man. To the contrary, so seldom was there ever any breaking of the Oz laws—which were all just and reasonable—that it had been many years since the Soldier with the Green Whiskers had acted in any of his official capacities other than that of Keeper of the Gates.
As Omby Amby unlocked the gates for them, Betsy promised to bring him a bouquet of flowers for his wife, Tollydiggle.
Outside the Emerald City lay pleasant, gently rolling fields in which buttercups and daisies grew in profusion. Sniffing the fresh country air, Toto ran happily across the field. Hank hee-hawed loudly and fell to munching the tall field grass. Betsy was delighted with the hundreds of pretty flowers and gathered several large bouquets.
