id in its sharp, shrill voice: "Poor fools!
Poor fools!"

"I hope the peacock is mistaken," remarked the Frogman, but no one else
paid any attention to the bird. They were a little awed by the stillness
and loneliness of the place.

As they entered the doors of the castle, which stood invitingly open,
these also closed behind them and huge bolts shot into place. The
animals had all accompanied the party into the castle, because they felt
it would be dangerous for them to separate. They were forced to follow a
zigzag passage, turning this way and that, until finally they entered a
great central hall, circular in form and with a high dome from which was
suspended an enormous chandelier.

The Wizard went first, and Dorothy, Betsy and Trot followed him, Toto
keeping at the heels of his little mistress. Then came the Lion, the
Woozy and the Sawhorse; then Cayke the Cookie Cook and Button-Bright;
then the Lavender Bear carrying the Pink Bear, and finally the Frogman
and the Patchwork Girl, with Hank the Mule tagging behind. So it was the
Wizard who caught the first glimpse of the big domed hall, but the
others quickly followed and gathered in a wondering group just within
the entrance.

Upon a raised platform at one side was a heavy table on which lay
Glinda's Great Book of Records; but the platform was firmly fastened to
the floor and the table was fastened to the platform and the Book was
chained fast to the table--just as it had been when it was kept in
Glinda's palace. On the wall over the table hung Ozma's Magic Picture.
On a row of shelves at the opposite side of the hall stood all the
chemicals and essences of magic and all the magical instruments that had
been stolen from Glinda and Ozma and the Wizard, with glass doors
covering the shelves so that no one could get at them.

And in a far corner sat Ugu the Shoemaker, his feet lazily extended, his
skinny hands clasped behind his head. He was leaning back at his ease
and calmly smoking a long pipe. Around the magician was a sort of cage,
seemingly made of golden bars set wide apart, and at his feet--also
within the cage--reposed the long-sought diamond-studded dishpan of
Cayke the Cookie Cook.

Princess Ozma of Oz was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, well," said Ugu, when the invaders had stood in silence for a
moment, staring about them, "this visit is an expected pleasure, I
assure you. I knew you were coming and I know why you are here. You are
not welcome, for I