Nick Chopper, the Emperor of the Winkies, who was also known throughout the Land of Oz as the Tin Woodman, was certainly a remarkable person.
The Tin Woodman listened with respectful attention.
The Emperor was proud of his new tin castle, and showed his visitors through all the rooms.
"It seems," said the Tin Woodman, "that our dear Scarecrow cannot be contented with city life, however beautiful his surroundings might be.
"So now, after a long residence in the Emerald City, his tastes have turned to farm life again," continued the Tin Man.
They were now invited to enter the tin dining room, where luncheon was served.
So the Tin Woodman shouldered his axe and they all passed through the forest until they came to the road that was paved with yellow brick.
The Tin Woodman had asked Dorothy to put the oil-can in her basket.
But the Tin Woodman set to work with his axe and chopped so well that soon he cleared a passage for the entire party.
"For-ward--march!" shouted the Tin Woodman, waving his axe, and the procession started just as Dorothy had once more grabbed Billina in her arms.
"The Tin Woodman might carry it with his axe and hatch it; but after all I may as well keep it myself for a souvenir." So he left it in his pocket.
"Once," said Dorothy, "the Tin Woodman stepped on a beetle and killed the little creature.
Tin fountains sent sprays of clear water far into the air and there were many beds of tin flowers, all as perfectly formed as any natural flowers might be.
When the Tin Woodman sat down no one applauded him, for his arguments had not been very convincing and few believed that he had proved Eureka's innocence.
The Princess was just about to order Eureka's head chopped off with the Tin Woodman's axe when that brilliant personage once more arose and addressed her.
