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suppose he would not be too proud to steal any magic things that belonged to

anybody else--if he could manage to do so."

But how about Ozma? Why would he wish to steal HER?" questioned

Dorothy.

Don't ask me, my dear. Ugu doesn't tell me why he does things, I assure

you."

Then we must go and ask him ourselves," declared the little girl.

I wouldn't do that if I were you," advised the Czarover, looking first at the

three girls and then at the boy and the little Wizard and finally at the stuffed

Patchwork Girl. "If Ugu has really stolen your Ozma, he will probably keep

her a prisoner, in spite of all your threats or entreaties. And with all his

magical knowledge he would be a dangerous person to attack. Therefore, if

you are wise, you will go home again and find a new Ruler for the Emerald

City and the Land of Oz. But perhaps it isn't Ugu the Shoemaker who has

stolen your Ozma."

The only way to settle that question," replied the Wizard, "is to go to Ugu's

castle and see if Ozma is there. If she is, we will report the matter to the great

Sorceress Glinda the Good, and I'm pretty sure she will find a way to rescue

our darling ruler from the Shoemaker."

Well, do as you please," said the Czarover, "but if you are all transformed into

hummingbirds or caterpillars, don't blame me for not warning you."

They stayed the rest of that day in the City of Herku and were fed at the royal

table of the Czarover and given sleeping rooms in his palace. The strong

monarch treated them very nicely and gave the Wizard a little golden vial of

zosozo to use if ever he or any of his party wished to acquire great strength.

Even at the last, the Czarover tried to persuade them not to go near Ugu the

Shoemaker, but they were resolved on the venture, and the next morning bade

the friendly monarch a cordial goodbye and, mounting upon their animals, left

the Herkus and the City of Herku and headed for the mountains that lay to

the west.

The Lost Princess of Oz