"You were a man of meat at one time and a woodman by trade?" queried Professor Wogglebug, poising his pen in air.
"I am a Tin Woodman and you may enter me in your book under the name of Smith, for a tin Smith made me, and, as Royal Emperor of the Winkies, I do not care to go back to my meat connections," said the Tin Woodman in a dignified voice.
The company applauded and the Cowardly Lion thumped the floor with his tail.
"Smith is a very good name. I can work up a whole chapter on that," smiled the Professor. The Tin Woodman had once been a regular person, but a wicked witch enchanted his ax and first it chopped off one leg, then the other and next both arms and his head. After each accident, Nick went to a tinsmith for repairs and, finally was entirely made of tin. Nowhere but in Oz could such a thing happen. But no one can be killed in this marvelous country and Nick, with his tin body, went gayly on living and was considered so distinguished that the Winkies had begged him to be their Emperor.
"Scraps!" called the Professor as Nick sat stiffly down beside Dorothy.
The Patch Work Girl pirouetted madly to the front.
23
