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Only the Growleywogs," said Guph.

This answer set the First and Foremost laughing anew.

What share of the spoils am I to have?" was the next question.

Anything you like, except King Roquat's Magic Belt," replied Guph.

At this the Phanfasm set up a roar of laughter, which had its echo in the

unseen chorus, and the bear-man seemed so amused that he actually

rolled upon the ground and shouted with merriment.

Oh, these blind and foolish Nomes!" he said. "How big they seem to

themselves and how small they really are!"

Suddenly he arose and seized Guph's neck with one hairy paw, dragging

him out of the hut into the open.

Here he gave a curious wailing cry, and, as if in answer, from all the

rocky huts on the mountain-top came flocking a horde of Phanfasms, all

with hairy bodies, but wearing heads of various animals, birds and

reptiles. All were ferocious and repulsive-looking to the deceived eyes of

the Nome, and Guph could not repress a shudder of disgust as he looked

upon them.

The First and Foremost slowly raised his arms, and in a twinkling his

hairy skin fell from him and he appeared before the astonished Nome as

a beautiful woman, clothed in a flowing gown of pink gauze. In her dark

hair flowers were entwined, and her face was noble and calm.

At the same instant the entire band of Phanfasms was transformed into a

pack of howling wolves, running here and there as they snarled and

showed their ugly yellow fangs.

The woman now raised her arms, even as the man-bear had done, and in

a twinkling the wolves became crawling lizards, while she herself

changed into a huge butterfly.

Guph had only time to cry out in fear and take a step backward to avoid

the lizards when another transformation occurred, and all returned

instantly to the forms they had originally worn.

Then the First and Foremost, who had resumed his hairy body and bear

head, turned to the Nome and asked:

The Emerald City of Oz