"Ha ha!" laughed Rube, equally friendly. "My nickname being what it is, you probably automatically assume that I must have been a country boy. That's what most people figure. But it's not so. Fact is, my father was the Chief Engineer of the City of Cleveland, and that is where I was born and reared."
"Okay," said Elephant. "So then, why is it that you are called Rube?"
"Well, it's a long story," answered the ball player's shadow.
"Then we had better not take the time to hear it all now," said Hootsey.
"We have a very important mission to fulfill."
"Yes," agreed Lisa. "But perhaps Mr. Rube could help us. I think we should bring him along."
"A grand idea!" exclaimed Ozma. "Mr. Marquard, would you be so kind as to join us on our mission? I would like to hear your story, and then will be happy to tell you ours."
[Illustration: "My name is Richard Marquard. Please just call me
Rube."]
"If I had been asked to join an undefined questing party by any other than the Queen of all Oz, I might have hesitated," came the reply. "But as it is from you, I will come along."
"Splendid!" said Elephant. "Then let us be off!"
Rube was lifted atop the Forest Monster, as were Elephant and the others, and from this high podium Rube began his unique tale. "It all started with my father," he explained. "Like I say, he was the Chief Engineer of the city of Cleveland. As far as he was concerned, the only important thing was for me to get a good education. But as far back as I can remember, all I could think of, morning, noon and night, was baseball.