rare; besides the purple spiders, which infest this
hillside, are afraid of white crabs. Could you make me
white if I should agree to cut the web for you?"

"Yes," said Ozma, "I can do that easily. And, so you
may know I am speaking the truth, I will change your
color now."

She waved her silver wand over the pool and the crab
instantly became snow-white -- all except his eyes,
which remained black. The creature saw his reflection
in the water and was so delighted that he at once
climbed out of the pool and began moving slowly toward
the web, by backing away from the pool. He moved so
very slowly that Dorothy cried out impatiently: "Dear
me, this will never do!" Caching the crab in her hands
she ran with him to the web.

She had to hold him up even then, so he could reach
with his claws strand after strand of the filmy purple
web, which he was able to sever with one nip.

When enough of the web had been cut to allow them to
pass, Dorothy ran back to the pool and placed the white
crab in the water, after which she rejoined Ozma. They
were just in time to escape through the web, for
several of the purple spiders now appeared, having
discovered that their web had been cut, and had the
girls not rushed through the opening the spiders would
have quickly repaired the cuts and again imprisoned