Follow me closely, all of you!"
Then, swinging his axe in a great circle to right and left before him, he
advanced upon the gate, and the others followed him without hesitation.
The girls, who had expected no resistance whatever, were terrified by the
sweep of the glittering axe and fled screaming into the city; so that our
170
travelers passed the gates in safety and marched down the green marble
pavement of the wide street toward the royal palace.
"At this rate we will soon have your Majesty upon the throne again," said
the Tin Woodman, laughing at his easy conquest of the guards.
"Thank you, friend Nick," returned the Scarecrow, gratefully. "Nothing can
resist your kind heart and your sharp axe."
As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men
were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in
groups, gossiping and laughing.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy
beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the
sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty as you ought to know very well,"
replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things
to suit themselves.
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