Paths of blue gravel divided the vegetable and flower beds and a wider path led up to the front door.

The place was in a clearing on the mountain, but a little way off was the grim forest, which completely surrounded it.
Unc knocked at the door of the house and a chubby, pleasant-faced woman, dressed all in blue, opened it and greeted the visitors with a smile.
"Ah," said Ojo; "you must be Dame Margolotte, the good wife of Dr.
Pipt." "I am, my dear, and all strangers are welcome to my home." "May we see the famous Magician, Madam ?" "He is very busy just now," she said, shaking her head doubtfully.

"But come in and let me give you something to eat, for you must have traveled far in order to get our lonely place." "We have," replied Ojo, as he and Unc entered the house.

"We have come from a far lonelier place than this." "A lonelier place! And in the Munchkin Country ?" she exclaimed.

"Then it must be somewhere in the Blue Forest." "It is, good Dame Margolotte." "Dear me!" she said, looking at the man, "you must be Unc Nunkie, known as the Silent One." Then she looked at the boy.