Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he
encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the officers
were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His pleasant
disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before long she
consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did his superiors.

It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they encountered their
first adventure. Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkened and Major
Nails exclaimed:

"A fog is coming toward us."

"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with interest at
the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak."

"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully.

"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the soldier,
growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be
sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that grew in my
orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful monsters, we are
not likely to conquer the world."

Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered closer
about their soldier.

"What is the thing like?" asked one.

"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather
blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when it was
picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a deer and
swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace of fire, and the
Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, which darkens the sky for
miles around, wherever it goes. It is bigger than a hundred men and
feeds on any living thing."

The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files tried to
cheer them, saying:

"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and you
must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of the
fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed."

"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, and chews
us up into small pieces, and swallows us--what will happen then?"

"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files.

"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. "A
hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or not!"

"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will know,
when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a Rak or not.
If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but if it has an odor
of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must pr