the story was told that Ozma's sole army consisted
of twenty-seven fine officers, who wore beautiful uniforms but carried
no weapons, because there was no one to fight. Once there had been a
private soldier, besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a
Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it might accidentally
hurt some one.

The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced it
would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in
Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. Afterward she could
go out into the world and conquer other lands, and then perhaps she
could find a way to the moon, and conquer that. She had a warlike
spirit that preferred trouble to idleness.

It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted in her
mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly eighteen of
them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, but by surprising
Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily subdue them. "Gentle
people are always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told herself. "I
don't wish to shed any blood, for that would shock my nerves and I
might faint; but if we threaten and flash our weapons I am sure the
people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me and surrender."

This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, finally
determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the audacious venture.

"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more unhappy than my
staying shut up in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and
quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will venture all, and win what I
may."

That very day she started out to organize her Army.

The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he had an
apple orchard.

"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you to
join my Army."

"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely refuse Your
Majesty," said Jo Apple.

"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen of
Oogaboo, to join," said Ann.

"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a sad
voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important citizen,
and for that reason am entitled to an office of high rank."

"You shall be a General," promised Ann.

"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked.

"Of course," said the Queen.

Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he owned an
orchard where g