I've been away from the Emerald City several weeks, this time, and now that I've met you and your friends I'm sure it will interest me to accompany you to the great city of Oz and introduce you to my friends." "That will be very nice," said the boy, gratefully.
"I hope your friends are not dignified," observed Scraps.
"Some are, and some are not," he answered; "but I never criticise my friends.

If they are really true friends, they may be anything they like, for all of me." "There's some sense in that," said Scraps, nodding her queer head in approval.

"Come on, and let's get to the Emerald City as soon as possible." With this she ran up the path, skipping and dancing, and then turned to await them.
"It is quite a distance from here to the Emerald City," remarked the Shaggy Man, "so we shall not get there to-day, nor to-morrow.

Therefore let us take the jaunt in an easy manner.

I'm an old traveler and have found that I never gain anything by being in a hurry.