The children looked at each other in perplexity, and the Wizard sighed. Eureka rubbed her paw on her face and said in her soft, purring voice:

“He won’t need to destroy me , for if I don’t get something to eat pretty soon I shall starve to death, and so save him the trouble.”

“If he planted you, he might grow some cattails,” suggested the Wizard.

“Oh, Eureka! perhaps we can find you some milkweeds to eat,” said the boy.

“Phoo!” snarled the kitten; “I wouldn’t touch the nasty things!”

“You don’t need milk, Eureka,” remarked Dorothy; “you are big enough now to eat any kind of food.”

“If I can get it,” added Eureka.