But the mule's attack frightened the girl.
"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy
Man and taking his hand; "let's go somewhere else.
They'll surely kill us if we stay here!"
"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting
the child's head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so
long as I have the Love Magnet."
"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked
Betsy.
"It's a charming little enchantment that wins
the heart of everyone who looks upon it," was
the reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over
the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land
of Oz; but when I started on this journey our
beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take
it with me."
"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are
you really from the wonderful Land of Oz?"
"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?"
"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know
Princess Ozma?"
"Very well indeed."
"And--and Princess Dorothy?"
"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared
Shaggy.
"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did
you ever leave such a beautiful land as Oz?"
"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and
solemn. "I'm trying to find my dear little
brother."
"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling
very sorry for the poor man.
"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy,
taking out a handkerchief and wiping a tear from
his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I
saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of
the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So
now I'm trying to find him.
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