11. Johnny Dooit Does It

           "It’sgettingawfulroughwalking,"saidDorothy,astheytrudgedalong.Button-Brightgaveadeepsighandsaidhewashungry.Indeed,allwerehungry,andthirsty,too;fortheyhadeatennothingbuttheapplessincebreakfast;sotheirstepslaggedandtheygrewsilentandweary.Atlasttheyslowlypassedoverthecrestofabarrenhillandsawbeforethemalineofgreentreeswithastripofgrassattheirfeet.Anagreeablefragrancewaswaftedtowardthem.

           Ourtravelers,hotandtired,ranforwardonbeholdingthisrefreshingsightandwerenotlongincomingtothetrees.Heretheyfoundaspringofpurebubblingwater,aroundwhichthegrasswasfullofwildstrawberryplants,theirprettyredberriesripeandreadytoeat.Someofthetreesboreyelloworangesandsomerussetpears,sothehungryadventurerssuddenlyfoundthemselvesprovidedwithplentytoeatandtodrink.Theylostnotimeinpickingthebiggeststrawberriesandripestorangesandsoonhadfeastedtotheirhearts’content.Walkingbeyondthelineoftreestheysawbeforethemafearful,dismaldesert,everywheregraysand.Attheedgeofthisawfulwastewasalarge,whitesignwithblacklettersneatlypainteduponitandthelettersmadethesewords:

           ALLPERSONSAREWARNEDNOTTOVENTUREUPONTHISDESERT

           FortheDeadlySandswillTurnAnyLivingFlesh

           toDustinaninstant.