ies. Perhaps they would be good and listen
to reason."

"Dorothy is right, your Majesty," asserted the Sorceress. "It is true
we know nothing of these faraway subjects, except that they intend to
fight one another, and have a certain amount of magic power at their
command. Such folks do not like to submit to interference and they are
more likely to resent your coming among them than to receive you kindly
and graciously, as is your due."

"If you had an army to take with you," added Dorothy, "it wouldn't be
so bad; but there isn't such a thing as an army in all Oz."

"I have one soldier," said Ozma.

"Yes, the soldier with the green whiskers; but he's dreadful 'fraid of
his gun and never loads it. I'm sure he'd run rather than fight. And
one soldier, even if he were brave, couldn't do much against two
hundred and one Flatheads and Skeezers."

"What then, my friends, would you suggest?" inquired Ozma.

"I advise you to send the Wizard of Oz to them, and let him inform them
that it is against the laws of Oz to fight, and that you command them
to settle their differences and become friends," proposed Glinda. "Let
the Wizard tell them they will be punished if they refuse to obey the
commands of the Princess of all the Land of Oz."

Ozma shook her head, to indicate that the advice was not to her
satisfaction.

"If they refuse, what then?" she asked. "I should be obliged to carry
out my threat and punish them, and that would be an unpleasant and
difficult thing to do. I am sure it would be better for me to go
peacefully, without an army and armed only with my authority as Ruler,
and plead with them to obey me. Then, if they prove obstinate I could
resort to other means to win their obedience."

"It's a ticklish thing, anyhow you look at it," sighed Dorothy. "I'm
sorry now that I noticed the Record in the Great Book."

"But can't you realize, my dear, that I must do my duty, now that I am
aware of this trouble?" asked Ozma. "I am fully determined to go at
once to the Magic Isle of the Skeezers and to the enchanted mountain of
the Flatheads, and prevent war and strife between their inhabitants.
The only question to decide is whether it is better for me to go alone,
or to assemble a party of my friends and loyal supporters to accompany
me."

"If you go I want to go, too," declared Dorothy. "Whatever happens it's
going to be fun--'cause all excitement is fun--and I wouldn't miss it
for the world!"

Neither Ozma nor