He took the piglets from his pocket and let them run on the grass, and
Jim tasted a mouthful of the green blades and declared he was very
contented in his new surroundings.

"We can't walk in the air here, though," called Eureka, who had tried
it and failed; but the others were satisfied to walk on the ground,
and the Wizard said they must be nearer the surface of the earth then
they had been in the Mangaboo country, for everything was more homelike
and natural.

"But where are the people?" asked Dorothy.

The little man shook his bald head.

"Can't imagine, my dear," he replied.

They heard the sudden twittering of a bird, but could not find the
creature anywhere. Slowly they walked along the path toward the
nearest cottage, the piglets racing and gambolling beside them and Jim
pausing at every step for another mouthful of grass.

Presently they came to a low plant which had broad, spreading leaves,
in the center of which grew a single fruit about as large as a peach.
The fruit was so daintily colored and so fragrant, and looked so
appetizing and delicious that Dorothy stopped and exclaimed:

"What is it, do you s'pose?"

The piglets had smelled the fruit quickly, and before the girl could
reach out her hand to pluck it every one of the nine tiny ones had