“I simply can’t describe ’em,” answered the kitten, shuddering. “Their eyes are like pie-plates and their mouths like coal-scuttles. But their bodies don’t seem very big.”

“Where are they?” enquired the girl.

“They are in little pockets all around the edge of this cavern. Oh, Dorothy⁠—you can’t imagine what horrid things they are! They’re uglier than the Gargoyles.”

“Tut-tut! be careful how you criticise your neighbors,” spoke a rasping voice near by. “As a matter of fact you are rather ugly-looking creatures yourselves, and I’m sure mother has often told us we were the loveliest and prettiest things in all the world.”

Hearing these words our friends turned in the direction of the sound, and the Wizard held his lanterns so that their light would flood one of the little pockets in the rock.

“Why, it’s a dragon!” he exclaimed.