"Whew!" exclaimed the Wizard, snatching out his green handkerchief and mopping his moist forehead. "That was quick thinking, my dear. Good acting, too," he puffed, leaning down to give the lion an approving pat.
"Oh, wasn't he WONDERFUL?" Jellia hugged the lion so energetically he fairly gasped for breath.
"Not so hard for ME to play King," he wheezed when he managed to escape from Jellia's embrace. "After all—I AM King of the Forest!"
"Well, however that may be, Jellia is certainly Starina of the Strat!" declared the Scarecrow. "I'm beginning to think Strut was right in choosing her! You've been wasting your talents in Oz, my dear, and you surely have earned a crown today!"
"But I don't want a crown!" asserted Jellia with spirit. Nevertheless she was quite pleased at such high praise. "Now, look! Since the Cowardly Lion ordered supper in the Royal Pavilion, perhaps we'd better go. It will be as good a place as any to rest while we plan our next move."
"Hi, there—is everything all right?" Wantowin Battles, who had hidden himself behind a crystal rock at the Blowmens' approach, now peered out nervously.
"For the present," called the Wizard, waving his kerchief, "for the present. Come along, Soldier, we're going to have supper in the Royal Pavilion!"
"Not I," said the Soldier, falling in step with the Scarecrow. "Count me out of that!"
"I'm sure I'll not be able to eat a bite," sighed Dorothy, picking up the tell-all-escope. "How can you even think of supper with those awful airmen flying to the Emerald City. Oh, why don't we go after them now?"