in spite of the apparent atmosphere of gayety, this gathering was not at all like the merry company that usually assembled in the dining room for the evening meal. first of all, the absence of the radiant ozma was keenly felt by the entire gathering, and this automatically subdued the spirit of the occasion. next, no one at the table had failed to note and wonder at the fact that dorothy and the wizard usually so cheerful and cordial had merely nodded unsmilingly to their assembled friends as they had taken their places at the head of the table. finally, scraps, the scarecrow, trot and cap'n bill, unable to forget the strange conversation they had overheard in the garden earlier in the day, stole curious glances at dorothy and the wizard, seeking some clue to their unusual behavior.