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The King seemed astonished. "Speak out, sir!" he commanded.

I have seen the First and Foremost Phanfasm of the Mountain of

Phantastico, and he will bring his people to assist us."

What!" cried the King. "The Phanfasms! You don't mean it, Guph!"

It is true," declared the General, proudly.

The King became thoughtful, and his brows wrinkled.

I'm afraid, Guph," he said rather anxiously, "that the First and Foremost

may prove as dangerous to us as to the Oz people. If he and his terrible

band come down from the mountain they may take the notion to conquer

the Nomes!"

Pah! That is a foolish idea," retorted Guph, irritably, but he knew in his

heart that the King was right. "The First and Foremost is a particular

friend of mine, and will do us no harm. Why, when I was there, he even

invited me into his house."

The General neglected to tell the King how he had been jerked into the

hut of the First and Foremost by means of the brass hoop. So Roquat

the Red looked at his General admiringly and said:

You are a wonderful Nome, Guph. I'm sorry I did not make you my

General before. But what reward did the First and Foremost demand?"

Nothing at all," answered Guph. "Even the Magic Belt itself could not

add to his powers of sorcery. All the Phanfasms wish is to destroy the Oz

people, who are good and happy. This pleasure will amply repay them

for assisting us."

When will they come?" asked Roquat, half fearfully.

When the tunnel is completed," said the General.

We are nearly halfway under the desert now," announced the King; "and

that is fast work, because the tunnel has to be drilled through solid rock.

But after we have passed the desert it will not take us long to extend the

tunnel to the walls of the Emerald City."

Well, whenever you are ready, we shall be joined by the Whimsies, the

Growleywogs and the Phanfasms," said Guph; "so the conquest of Oz is

assured without a doubt."

The Emerald City of Oz