"Whenever we fight the Horners, our plan is to push them back, for our arms are longer than theirs." "Then you are better armed," said Scraps.
"Yes; but they have those terrible horns, and unless we are careful they prick us with the points," returned the Champion with a shudder.
"That makes a war with them dangerous, and a dangerous war cannot be a pleasant one." "I see very clearly," remarked the Scarecrow, "that you are going to have trouble in conquering those Horners--unless we help you." "Oh!" cried the Hoppers in a chorus; "can you help us?
Please do! We will be greatly obliged! It would please us very much!" and by these exclamations the Scarecrow knew that his speech had met with favor.
"How far is it to the Horner Country ?" he asked.
"Why, it's just the other side of the fence," they answered, and the Champion added: "Come with me, please, and I'll show you the Horners." So they followed the Champion and several others through the streets and just beyond the village came to a very high picket fence, built all of marble, which seemed to divide the great cave into two equal parts.
But the part inhabited by the Horners was in no way as grand in appearance as that of the Hoppers.

Instead of being marble, the walls and roof were of dull gray rock and the square houses were plainly made of the same material.

But in extent the city was much larger than that of the Hoppers and the streets were thronged with numerous people who busied themselves in various ways.
Looking through the open pickets of the fence our friends watched the Horners, who did not know they were being watched by strangers, and found them very unusual in appearance.

They were little folks in size and had bodies round as balls and short legs and arms.

Their heads were round, too, and they had long, pointed ears and a horn set in the center of the forehead.