9. They Fight the Invisible Bears

           Thestrangerstooktheirseatsatthetablewillinglyenough,fortheywereallhungryandtheplatterswerenowheapedwithgoodthingstoeat.Infrontofeachplacewasaplatebearingoneofthedeliciousdama-fruit,andtheperfumethatrosefromthesewassoenticingandsweetthattheyweresorelytemptedtoeatofthemandbecomeinvisible.

           ButDorothysatisfiedherhungerwithotherthings,andhercompanionsdidlikewise,resistingthetemptation.

           "Whydoyounoteatthedamas?"askedthewoman’svoice.

           "Wedon’twanttogetinvis’ble,"answeredthegirl.

           "Butifyouremainvisiblethebearswillseeyouanddevouryou,"saidagirlishyoungvoice,thatbelongedtooneofthechildren."Wewholiveheremuchprefertobeinvisible;forwecanstillhugandkissoneanother,andarequitesafefromthebears."

           "Andwedonothavetobesoparticularaboutourdress,"remarkedtheman.

           "Andmamacan’ttellwhethermyfaceisdirtyornot!"addedtheotherchildishvoice,gleefully.

           "ButImakeyouwashit,everytimeIthinkofit,"saidthemother;"foritstandstoreasonyourfaceisdirty,Ianu,whetherIcanseeitornot."

           Dorothylaughedandstretchedoutherhands.

           "Comehere,please—Ianuandyoursister—andletmefeelofyou,"sherequested.

           Theycametoherwillingly,andDorothypassedherhandsovertheirfacesandformsanddecidedonewasagirlofaboutherownageandtheotheraboysomewhatsmaller.Thegirl’shairwassoftandfluffyandherskinassmoothassatin.WhenDorothygentlytouchedhernoseandearsandlipstheyseemedtobewellanddelicatelyformed.