L.Frank Baum. The marvelous land of Oz -
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For a time the little group remained in silent thought. Presently the
Tin Woodman raised his head and looked over the fields.
"What sort of creature is that which approaches us?" he asked,
wonderingly.
The others followed his gaze, and discovered coming toward them the
most extraordinary object they had ever beheld. It advanced quickly and
noiselessly over the soft grass and in a few minutes stood before the
adventurers and regarded them with an astonishment equal to their own.
The Scarecrow was calm under all circumstances.
"Good morning!" he said, politely.
The stranger removed his hat with a flourish, bowed very low, and
then responded:
"Good morning, one and all. I hope you are, as an aggregation,
enjoying excellent health. Permit me to present my card."
With this courteous speech it extended a card toward the Scarecrow,
who accepted it, turned it over and over, and handed it with a shake of
his head to Tip.
The boy read aloud:
"MR. H. M. WOGGLE-BUG, T. E."
"Dear me!" ejaculated the Pumpkinhead, staring somewhat intently.
"How very peculiar!" said the Tin Woodman.
Tip's eyes were round and wondering, and the Saw-Horse uttered a sigh
and turned away its head.
"Are you really a Woggle-Bug?" enquired the Scarecrow.
"Most certainly, my dear sir!" answered the stranger, briskly. "Is
not my name upon the card?"
"It is," said the Scarecrow. "But may I ask what 'H. M.' stands for?"
"'H. M.' means Highly Magnified," returned the Woggle-Bug, proudly.
"Oh, I see." The Scarecrow viewed the stranger critically. "And are
you, in truth, highly magnified?"
"Sir," said the Woggle-Bug, "I take you for a gentleman of judgment
and discernment. Does it not occur to you that I am several thousand times