me and let me know who has stolen
her, it will enable me to rescue her much more quickly."

"Then we'll start tomorrow morning," decided Dorothy. "Betsy and Trot
and I won't waste another minute."

"I'm not sure you girls will make good detectives," remarked the
Wizard, "but I'll go with you to protect you from harm and to give you
my advice. All my wizardry, alas, is stolen, so I am now really no
more a wizard than any of you, but I will try to protect you from any
enemies you may meet."

"What harm could happen to us in Oz?" inquired Trot.

"What harm happened to Ozma?" returned the Wizard.

"If there is an Evil Power abroad in our fairyland, which is able to
steal not only Ozma and her Magic Picture, but Glinda's Book of Records
and all her magic, and my black bag containing all my tricks of
wizardry, then that Evil Power may yet cause us considerable injury.
Ozma is a fairy, and so is Glinda, so no power can kill or destroy
them, but you girls are all mortals and so are Button-Bright and I, so
we must watch out for ourselves."

"Nothing can kill me," said Ojo the Munchkin boy.

"That is true," replied the Sorceress, "and I think it may be well to
divide the searchers into several parties, that they may cover all the
land of Oz more quickly. So I will send Ojo and Unc Nunkie and Dr.
Pipt into the Munchkin Country, which they are well acquainted with;
and I will send the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman into the Quadling
Country, for they are fearless and brave and never tire; and to the
Gillikin Country, where many dangers lurk, I will send the Shaggy Man
and his brother, with Tik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead. Dorothy may make
up her own party and travel into the Winkie Country. All of you must
inquire everywhere for Ozma and try to discover where she is hidden."

They thought this a very wise plan and adopted it without question. In
Ozma's absence, Glinda the Good was the most important person in Oz,
and all were glad to serve under her direction.

CHAPTER 6

THE SEARCH PARTY

Next morning as soon as the sun was up, Glinda flew back to her castle,
stopping on the way to instruct the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who
were at that time staying at the college of Professor H. M. Wogglebug,
T.E., and taking a course of his Patent Educational Pills.

On hearing of Ozma's loss, they started at once for the Quadling
Country to search for her. As soon as Glinda had left the Emerald
City, Tik-Tok and th