The cat was made of glass, so clear andtransparent that you could see through it aseasily as through a window. In the top of itshead, however, Was a mass of delicate pink ballswhich looked like jewels, and it had a heart madeof a blood-red ruby. The eyes were two largeemeralds, but aside from these colors all the restof the animal was clear glass, and it had a spun-glass tail that was really beautiful.

"Well, Doc Pipt, do you mean to introduce us, ornot?" demanded the cat, in a tone of annoyance."Seems to me you are forgetting your manners."

"Excuse me," returned the Magician. "Thisis Unc Nunkie, the descendant of the formerkings of the Munchkins, before this country became a part of the Land of Oz."

"He needs a haircut," observed the cat,washing its face.

"True," replied Unc, with a low chuckle ofamusement.

"But he has lived alone in the heart of theforest for many years," the Magician explained;"and, although that is a barbarous country,there are no barbers there."

"Who is the dwarf?" asked the cat.

"That is not a dwarf, but a boy," answeredthe Magician. "You have never seen a boy before.He is now small because he is young. With moreyears he will grow big and become as tall as UncNunkie."

"Oh. Is that magic?" the glass animal inquired.

"Yes; but it is Nature's magic, which is morewonderful than any art known to man. Forinstance, my magic made you, and made youlive; and it was a poor job because you areuseless and a bother to me; but I can't make yougrow. You will always be the same size--andthe same saucy, inconsiderate Glass Cat, withpink brains and a hard ruby heart."

"No one can regret more than I the fact that youmade me," asserted the cat, crouching upon thefloor and slowly swaying its spun-glass tail fromside to side. "Your world is a very uninterestingplace. I've wandered through your gardens and inthe forest until I'm tired of it all, and when Icome into the house the conversation of your fatwife and of yourself bores me dreadfully."

"That is because I gave you different brainsfrom those we ourselves possess--and much toogood for a cat," returned Dr. Pipt.

"Can't you take 'em out, then, and replaceem with pebbles, so that I won't feel above mystation in life?" asked the cat, pleadingly.

"Perhaps so. I'll try it, after I've brought thePatchwork Girl to life," he said.

The cat walked up to the bench on whichthe Patchwork Girl reclined and looked at herattentively.

"Are you going to make that dreadful thinglive?" she asked.

The Magician nodded.

"It is intended to be my wife's servant maid,"he said. "When she is alive she will do all ourwork and mind the house. But you are not toorder her around, Bungle, as you do us. Youmust treat the Patchwork Girl respectfully."

"I won't. I couldn't respect such a bundleof scraps under any circumstances."

"If you don't, there will be more scraps thanyou will like," cried Margolotte, angrily.

"Why didn't you make her pretty to look at?"asked the cat. "You made me pretty--very pretty,indeed--and I love to watch my pink brains rollaround when they're working, and to see myprecious red heart beat." She went to a longmirror, as she said this, and stood before it,looking at herself with an air of much pride."But that poor patched thing will hate herself,when she's once alive," continued the cat. "IfI were you I'd use her for a mop, and makeanother servant that is prettier."

"You have a perverted taste," snappedMargolotte, much annoyed at this frank criticism."I think the Patchwork Girl is beautiful,considering what she's made of. Even the rainbowhasn't as many colors, and you must admit that therainbow is a pretty thing."

The Glass Cat yawned and stretched herselfupon the floor.

"Have your own way," she said. "I'm sorryfor the Patchwork Girl, that's all."

Ojo and Unc Nunkie slept that night in theMagician's house, and the boy was glad to staybecause he was anxious to see the PatchworkGirl brought to life. The Glass Cat was also awonderful creature to little Ojo, who had neverseen or known anything of magic before, althoughhe had lived in the Fairyland of Oz ever since hewas born. Back there in the woods nothing unusualever happened. Unc Nunkie, who might have beenKing of the Munchkins, had not his people unitedwith all the other countries of Oz inacknowledging Ozma as their Sole ruler, hadretired into this forgotten forest nook with hisbaby nephew and they had lived all alone there.Only that the neglected garden had failed to growfood for them, they would always have lived in thesolitary Blue Forest; but now they had started outto mingle with other people, and the first placethey came to proved so interesting that Ojo couldscarcely sleep a wink all night.

Margolotte was an excellent cook and gavethem a fine breakfast. While they were all engagedin eating, the good woman said:

"This is the last meal I shall have to cookfor some time, for right after breakfast Dr. Pipthas promised to bring my new servant to life.I shall let her wash the breakfast dishes andsweep and dust the house. What a relief itwill be!"

"It will, indeed, relieve you of much drudgery,"said the Magician. "By the way, Margolotte, Ithought I saw you getting some brains from thecupboard, while I was busy with my kettles. Whatqualities have you given your new servant?"

"Only those that an humble servant requires,"she answered. "I do not wish her to feel aboveher station, as the Glass Cat does. That wouldmake her discontented and unhappy, for ofcourse she must always be a servant."

Ojo was somewhat disturbed as he listened tothis, and the boy began to fear he had done wrongin adding all those different qualities of brainsto the lot Margolotte had prepared for theservant. But it was too late now for regret, sinceall the brains were securely sewn up inside thePatchwork Girl's head. He might have confessedwhat he had done and thus allowed Margolotte andher husband to change the brains; but he wasafraid of incurring their anger. He believed thatUnc had seen him add to the brains, and Unc hadnot said a word against it; but then, Unc neverdid say anything unless it was absolutelynecessary.

As soon as breakfast was over they all wentinto the Magician's big workshop, where theGlass Cat was lying before the mirror and thePatchwork Girl lay limp and lifeless upon thebench.

"Now, then," said Dr. Pipt, in a brisk tone,"we shall perform one of the greatest feats ofmagic possible to man, even in this marvelousLand of Oz. In no other country could it bedone at all. I think we ought to have a littlemusic while the Patchwork Girl comes to life.It is pleasant to reflect that the first sounds hergolden ears will hear will be delicious music.

As he spoke he went to a phonograph, whichscrewed fast to a small table, and wound upthe spring of the instrument and adjusted thebig gold horn.

"The music my servant will usually hear,"remarked Margolotte, "will be my orders to doher work. But I see no harm in allowing her tolisten to this unseen band while she wakens toher first realization of life. My orders will beatthe band, afterward."

The phonograph was now playing a stirringmarch tune and the Magician unlocked hiscabinet and took out the gold bottle containingthe Powder of Life.

They all bent over the bench on which thePatchwork Girl reclined. Unc Nunkie and Margolottestood behind, near the windows, Ojo at one sideand the Magician in front, where he would havefreedom to sprinkle the powder. The Glass Cat camenear, too, curious to watch the important scene.

"All ready?" asked Dr. Pipt.

"All is ready," answered his wife.

So the Magician leaned over and shook fromthe bottle some grains of the wonderful Powder,and they fell directly on the Patchwork Girl'shead and arms.