If there were any shifting, rock-colored Nomes on the mountain side
now, they were silent and respectful, for our adventurers were not
annoyed, as before, by their impudent laughter. Really the Nomes had
nothing to laugh at, since the defeat of their King.

On the other side they found Ozma’s golden chariot, standing as they
had left it. Soon the Lion and the Tiger were harnessed to the
beautiful chariot, in which was enough room for Ozma and the Queen and
six of the royal children.

Little Evring preferred to ride with Dorothy upon the Sawhorse, which
had a long back. The Prince had recovered from his shyness and had
become very fond of the girl who had rescued him, so they were fast
friends and chatted pleasantly together as they rode along. Billina
was also perched upon the head of the wooden steed, which seemed not
to mind the added weight in the least, and the boy was full of wonder
that a hen could talk, and say such sensible things.

When they came to the gulf, Ozma’s magic carpet carried them all over
in safety; and now they began to pass the trees, in which birds were
singing; and the breeze that was wafted to them from the farms of Ev
was spicy with flowers and new-mown hay; and the sunshine fell full
upon them, to warm them and drive away from their bodies the chill and
dampness of the underground kingdom of the Nomes.

“I would be quite content,” said the Scarecrow to Tiktok, “were only
the Tin Woodman with us. But it breaks my heart to leave him behind.”

“He was a fine fel-low,” replied Tiktok, “al-though his ma-ter-i-al
was not ve-ry du-ra-ble.”

“Oh, tin is an excellent material,” the Scarecrow hastened to say;
“and if anything ever happened to poor Nick Chopper he was always
easily soldered. Besides, he did not have to be wound up, and was not
liable to get out of order.”

“I some-times wish,” said Tiktok, “that I was stuffed with straw, as
you are. It is hard to be made of cop-per.”

“I have no reason to complain of my lot,” replied the Scarecrow. “A
little fresh straw, now and then, makes me as good as new. But I can
never be the polished gentleman that my poor departed friend, the Tin
Woodman, was.”

You may be sure the royal children of Ev and their Queen mother were
delighted at seeing again their beloved country; and when the towers
of the palace of Ev came into view they could not forbear cheering at
the sight. Little Evring, riding in front of Dorothy, was so
overjoyed that he took a curious tin whistle from his pocket and blew
a shrill blast that made the Sawhorse leap and prance in sudden alarm.

“What is that?” asked Billina, who had been obliged to flutter her
wings in order to keep her seat upon the head of the frightened Sawhorse.

“That’s my whistle,” said Prince Evring, holding it out upon his hand.

It was in the shape of a little fat pig, made of tin and painted
green. The whistle was in the tail of the pig.

“Where did you get it?” asked the yellow hen, closely examining the
toy with her bright eyes.

“Why, I picked it up in the Nome King’s palace, while Dorothy was making
her guesses, and I put it in my pocket,” answered the little Prince.

Billina laughed; or at least she made the peculiar cackle that served
her for a laugh.

“No wonder I couldn’t find the Tin Woodman,” she said; “and no wonder the
magic belt didn’t make him appear, or the King couldn’t find him, either!”

“What do you mean?” questioned Dorothy.

“Why, the Prince had him in his pocket,” cried Billina, cackling again.

“I did not!” protested little Evring. “I only took the whistle.”

“Well, then, watch me,” returned the hen, and reaching out a claw she
touched the whistle and said “Ev.”

Swish!

“Good afternoon,” said the Tin Woodman, taking off his funnel cap and
bowing to Dorothy and the Prince. “I think I must have been asleep
for the first time since I was made of tin, for I do not remember our
leaving the Nome King.”

“You have been enchanted,” answered the girl, throwing an arm
around her old friend and hugging him tight in her joy.
“But it’s all right, now.”

“I want my whistle!” said the little Prince, beginning to cry.

“Hush!” cautioned Billina. “The whistle is lost, but you may have
another when you get home.”

The Scarecrow had fairly thrown himself upon the bosom of his old
comrade, so surprised and delighted was he to see him again, and
Tiktok squeezed the Tin Woodman’s hand so earnestly that he dented
some of his fingers. Then they had to make way for Ozma to welcome
the tin man, and the army caught sight of him and set up a cheer, and
everybody was delighted and happy.

For the Tin Woodman was a great favorite with all who knew him, and
his sudden recovery after they had thought he was lost to them forever
was indeed a pleasant surprise.

Before long the cavalcade arrived at the royal palace, where a great
crowd of people had gathered to welcome their Queen and her ten
children. There was much shouting and cheering, and the people threw
flowers in their path, and every face wore a happy smile.

They found the Princess Langwidere in her mirrored chamber, where she
was admiring one of her handsomest heads–one with rich chestnut hair,
dreamy walnut eyes and a shapely hickorynut nose. She was very glad
to be relieved of her duties to the people of Ev, and the Queen
graciously permitted her to retain her rooms and her cabinet of heads
as long as she lived.

Then the Queen took her eldest son out upon a balcony that overlooked
the crowd of subjects gathered below, and said to them:

“Here is your future ruler, King Evardo Fifteenth. He is fifteen
years of age, has fifteen silver buckles on his jacket and is the
fifteenth Evardo to rule the land of Ev.”

The people shouted their approval fifteen times, and even the Wheelers,
some of whom were present, loudly promised to obey the new King.

So the Queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon
Evardo’s head, and threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and
proclaimed him King; and he bowed gratefully to all his subjects and
then went away to see if he could find any cake in the royal pantry.

Ozma of Oz and her people, as well as Dorothy, Tiktok and Billina,
were splendidly entertained by the Queen mother, who owed all her
happiness to their kind offices; and that evening the yellow hen was
publicly presented with a beautiful necklace of pearls and sapphires,
as a token of esteem from the new King.