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Do you still demand our assistance?"

More than ever," answered the General, firmly.

Then tell me: what can you offer the Phanfasms that they have not

already?" inquired the First and Foremost.

Guph hesitated. He really did not know what to say. The Nome King's

vaunted Magic Belt seemed a poor thing compared to the astonishing

magical powers of these people. Gold, jewels and slaves they might

secure in any quantity without especial effort. He felt that he was

dealing with powers greatly beyond him. There was but one argument

that might influence the Phanfasms, who were creatures of evil.

Permit me to call your attention to the exquisite joy of making the happy

unhappy," said he at last. "Consider the pleasure of destroying innocent

and harmless people."

Ah! you have answered me," cried the First and Foremost. "For that

reason alone we will aid you. Go home, and tell your bandy-legged king

that as soon as his tunnel is finished the Phanfasms will be with him

and lead his legions to the conquest of Oz. The deadly desert alone has

kept us from destroying Oz long ago, and your underground tunnel is a

clever thought. Go home, and prepare for our coming!"

Guph was very glad to be permitted to go with this promise. The owl-

man led him back down the mountain path and ordered the scarlet

alligator to crawl away and allow the Nome to cross the bridge in safety.

After the visitor had gone a brilliant and gorgeous city appeared upon the

mountain top, clearly visible to the eyes of the gaily dressed multitude of

Phanfasms that lived there. And the First and Foremost, beautifully

arrayed, addressed the others in these words:

It is time we went into the world and brought sorrow and dismay to its

people. Too long have we remained for ourselves upon this mountain

top, for while we are thus secluded many nations have grown happy and

prosperous, and the chief joy of the race of Phanfasms is to destroy

happiness. So I think it is lucky that this messenger from the Nomes

arrived among us just now, to remind us that the opportunity has come

for us to make trouble. We will use King Roquat's tunnel to conquer the

Land of Oz. Then we will destroy the Whimsies, the Growleywogs and

The Emerald City of Oz