Button-Bright took the shaggy man's hand willingly; for the shaggy man
had the Love Magnet, you know, which was the reason Button-Bright had
loved him at once. They started on, with Dorothy on one side, and Toto
on the other, the little party trudging along more cheerfully than you
might have supposed. The girl was getting used to queer adventures,
which interested her very much. Wherever Dorothy went Toto was sure to
go, like Mary's little lamb. Button-Bright didn't seem a bit afraid or
worried because he was lost, and the shaggy man had no home, perhaps,
and was as happy in one place as in another.
Before long they saw ahead of them a fine big arch spanning the road,
and when they came nearer they found that the arch was beautifully
carved and decorated with rich colors. A row of peacocks with spread
tails ran along the top of it, and all the feathers were gorgeously
painted. In the center was a large fox's head, and the fox wore a
shrewd and knowing expression and had large spectacles over its eyes
and a small golden crown with shiny points on top of its head.
While the travelers were looking with curiosity at this beautiful arch
there suddenly marched out of it a company of soldiers--only the
soldiers were all foxes dressed in uniforms. They wore green jackets
and yellow pantaloons, and their little round caps and their high boots
were a bright red color. Also, there was a big red bow tied about the
middle of each long, bushy tail. Each soldier was armed with a wooden
sword having an edge of sharp teeth set in a row, and the sight of
these teeth at first caused Dorothy to shudder.
A captain marched in front of the company of fox-soldiers, his uniform
embroidered with gold braid to make it handsomer than the others.
Almost before our friends realized it the soldiers had surrounded them
on all sides, and the captain was calling out in a harsh voice:
"Surrender! You are our prisoners."
"What's a pris'ner?" asked Button-Bright.
"A prisoner is a captive," replied the fox-captain, strutting up and
down with much dignity.
"What's a captive?" asked Button-Bright.
"You're one," said the captain.