The news spread rapidly throughout the city and everyone came to see the
wonderful sight.
Oz ordered the balloon carried out in front of the Palace,
and the people gazed upon it with much curiosity. The Tin Woodman
had chopped a big pile of wood, and now he made a fire of it,
and Oz held the bottom of the balloon over the fire so that the
hot air that arose from it would be caught in the silken bag.
Gradually the balloon swelled out and rose into the air, until
finally the basket just touched the ground.
Then Oz got into the basket and said to all the people in a
loud voice:
"I am now going away to make a visit. While I am gone the
Scarecrow will rule over you. I command you to obey him as you
would me."
The balloon was by this time tugging hard at the rope that
held it to the ground, for the air within it was hot, and this
made it so much lighter in weight than the air without that it
pulled hard to rise into the sky.
"Come, Dorothy!" cried the Wizard.
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