ws a lot of magic," she said.

"But not that kind of magic," Ozma replied.

"Can't you learn how, by looking at the machinery?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear. It isn't fairy magic at all; it is
witchcraft."

"Well," said Dorothy, turning to Lady Aurex, "you say there are other
sub-sub-sinking boats. We can get in one of those, and shoot out to the
top of the water, like Coo-ee-oh did, and so escape. And then we can
help to rescue all the Skeezers down here."

"No one knows how to work the under-water boats but the Queen,"
declared Lady Aurex.

"Isn't there any door or window in this dome that we could open?"

"No; and, if there were, the water would rush in to flood the dome, and
we could not get out."

"The Skeezers," said Ozma, "could not drown; they only get wet and
soggy and in that condition they would be very uncomfortable and
unhappy. But you are a mortal girl, Dorothy, and if your Magic Belt
protected you from death you would have to lie forever at the bottom of
the lake."

"No, I'd rather die quickly," asserted the little girl. "But there are
doors in the basement that open--to let out the bridges and the
boats--and that would not flood the dome, you know."

"Those doors open by a magic word, and only Coo-ee-oh knows the word
that must be uttered," said Lady Aurex.

"Dear me!" exclaimed Dorothy, "that dreadful Queen's witchcraft upsets
all my plans to escape. I guess I'll give it up, Ozma, and let you save
us."

Ozma smiled, but her smile was not so cheerful as usual. The Princess
of Oz found herself confronted with a serious problem, and although she
had no thought of despairing she realized that the Skeezers and their
island, as well as Dorothy and herself, were in grave trouble and that
unless she could find a means to save them they would be lost to the
Land of Oz for all future time.

"In such a dilemma," said she, musingly, "nothing is gained by haste.
Careful thought may aid us, and so may the course of events. The
unexpected is always likely to happen, and cheerful patience is better
than reckless action."

"All right," returned Dorothy; "take your time, Ozma; there's no hurry.
How about some breakfast, Lady Aurex?"

Their hostess led them back to the house, where she ordered her
trembling servants to prepare and serve breakfast. All the Skeezers
were frightened and anxious over the transformation of their Queen into
a swan. Coo-ee-oh was feared and hated, but they had depended on her
m