cture to find the villainess, made a wish or two on the Magic
Belt, and PRESTO, no more Wicked Witch."

"That's puzzling, indeed," agreed the Cowardly Lion with an obvious
shudder. "Could the Witch have done something to Ozma? Maybe Ozma is
under some awful spell like she was that time when she lost her memory!
Oh, dear oh dear oh dear! We have got to save her!"

"Now let's not jump to any wild conclusions," replied the Tiger, a low
growl issuing forth from his stomach. "I suggest that we hurry back to
the Emerald City to ask Queen Ozma for her help. If she is under any
spells, the Wizard or Glinda will help us. If she is not under any vile
enchantment, then her Magic Belt can easily wish away the Witch. She can
also send Graham home with the Belt."

"But what if the Witch has enchanted the Wizard and Glinda, too!"
bellowed the Lion, tears running down his face. "What if she's made
them all into little candy corns or tea bags or Jell-O Jigglers or
something?"

The Tiger's stomach roared at the sound of these food words. "Pull
yourself together and stop talking about food!" he said. "We can't go
losing our heads over things that we don't know for sure. Maybe the
whole Witch-thing simply slipped Ozma's mind."

The Cowardly Lion looked at his chum in a reproachful manner. "Tige," he
said, "do you really believe that our beloved Queen is so absent-minded?
I think we owe her a bit more respect than that. We all saw that
repulsive old woman. You saw her, too, Tige! And that th-th-threat! You
heard it, t-t-too! No, our Ozma would c-c-certainly have done something
to stop that Wicked old W-w-witch by now! And so would Glinda! And the
W-w-wizard, too! None of them would have forgotten about all of that!
Let alone all th-th-three of th-th-them! No, I can feel it in my bones.
She's done something dreadful to them all. They are enchanted or cursed
or destroyed or--"

"Are you trying to scare yourself?" said the Tiger.

"I d-d-don't have to try!" wailed the Lion.

"Can't we go to your Emerald City to find out?" asked Graham, who felt
that all this talk was doing nothing for anyone. "We have to go there.
It's the only way to find out for sure."

"Our young friend has a good head for logic," said the Tiger. "Let's
hurry and get to the Emerald City."

The two jungle-cats could move almost as swiftly as the wind. Graham, of
course, could not possibly have hoped to keep pace with them had he had
to walk on his own. But fortun