"I'm a Cowardly Lion," roared the big beast huskily, "so don't frighten me, for if you do I'll pound you to pebbles."
"I don't believe he could do it," creaked the Stone Man, turning to Notta. "Do you?"
"Well, he's a terrible fighter," admitted the clown, with a reassuring wink at Bob, "but let's not talk of such disagreeable things. Since you were kind enough to catch us perhaps you will tell us who you are."
"Crunch is my name," answered the Stone Man, picking up a rock and crumbling it to powder in his hand.
"I think we'd better be going," quavered Snorer tremulously. "We're late as it is." Nick had no desire to fall into the Stone Man's clutches.
"Don't go," begged Crunch. "I haven't talked to anyone since I was excavated."
"How long ago was that?" asked Notta, scratching his ear.
"Oh, several ages ago," replied the Stone Man carelessly. "But I'm much older than that, for I was hacked out by a primitive Oz man to decorate his cave. But a landslide caved in the cave and I was buried for several centuries."
