This is strange, exclaimed Dorothy. What shall we do?
The trees seem to have made up their minds to fight us, and stop our
journey, remarked the Lion.
I believe I will try it myself, said the Woodman, and shouldering his
axe, he marched up to the first tree that had handled the Scarecrow so
roughly. When a big branch bent down to seize him the Woodman chopped
at it so fiercely that he cut it in two. At once the tree began shaking
all its branches as if in pain, and the Tin Woodman passed safely under
it.
Come on! he shouted to the others. Be quick! They all ran forward
and passed under the tree without injury, except Toto, who was caught
by a small branch and shaken until he howled. But the Woodman promptly
chopped off the branch and set the little dog free.
The other trees of the forest did nothing to keep them back, so they
made up their minds that only the first row of trees could bend down
their branches, and that probably these were the policemen of the
forest, and given this wonderful power in order to keep strangers out
of it.
The four travelers walked with ease through the trees until they came
to the farther edge of the wood. Then, to their surprise, they found
before them a high wall which seemed to be made of white china. It was
smooth, like the surface of a dish, and higher than their heads.
What shall we do now? asked Dorothy.
I will make a ladder, said the Tin Woodman, for we certainly must
climb over the wall.
Chapter XX
The Dainty China Country
104