ic of the royal band could be plainly heard
in Lady Aurex's house, where Ozma and Dorothy remained with their
hostess and keeper. They were prisoners, but treated with much
consideration.

Lady Aurex gave them a nice supper and when they wished to retire
showed them to a pretty room with comfortable beds and wished them a
good night and pleasant dreams.

"What do you think of all this, Ozma?" Dorothy anxiously inquired when
they were alone.

"I am glad we came," was the reply, "for although there may be mischief
done to-morrow, it was necessary I should know about these people,
whose leaders are wild and lawless and oppress their subjects with
injustice and cruelties. My task, therefore, is to liberate the
Skeezers and the Flatheads and secure for them freedom and happiness. I
have no doubt I can accomplish this in time."

"Just now, though, we're in a bad fix," asserted Dorothy. "If Queen
Coo-ee-oh conquers to-morrow, she won't be nice to us, and if the
Su-dic conquers, he'll be worse."

"Do not worry, dear," said Ozma, "I do not think we are in danger,
whatever happens, and the result of our adventure is sure to be good."

Dorothy was not worrying, especially. She had confidence in her friend,
the fairy Princess of Oz, and she enjoyed the excitement of the events
in which she was taking part. So she crept into bed and fell asleep as
easily as if she had been in her own cosy room in Ozma's palace.

A sort of grating, grinding sound awakened her. The whole island seemed
to tremble and sway, as it might do in an earthquake. Dorothy sat up in
bed, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out of them, and then found it
was daybreak.

Ozma was hurriedly dressing herself.

"What is it?" asked Dorothy, jumping out of bed.

"I'm not sure," answered Ozma "but it feels as if the island is
sinking."

As soon as possible they finished dressing, while the creaking and
swaying continued. Then they rushed into the living room of the house
and found Lady Aurex, fully dressed, awaiting them.

"Do not be alarmed," said their hostess. "Coo-ee-oh has decided to
submerge the island, that is all. But it proves the Flatheads are
coming to attack us."

"What do you mean by sub-sub-merging the island?" asked Dorothy.

"Come here and see," was the reply.

Lady Aurex led them to a window which faced the side of the great dome
which covered all the village, and they could see that the island was
indeed sinking, for the water of the l