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They bargained a long time as to the price, but finally the old courtier agreed

to pay the Wicked Witch's demands. It was arranged that they should take

Gloria to Blinkie's house the next day, to have her heart frozen.

Then King Krewl mentioned to the old hag the strangers who had that day

arrived in Jinxland, and said to her:

I think the two children--the boy and the girl--are unable to harm me, but I

have a suspicion that the wooden-legged man is a powerful wizard."

The witch's face wore a troubled look when she heard this.

If you are right," she said, "this wizard might spoil my incantation and

interfere with me in other ways. So it will be best for me to meet this stranger

at once and match my magic against his, to decide which is the stronger."

All right," said the King. "Come with me and I will lead you to the man's

room."

Googly-Goo did not accompany them, as he was obliged to go home to get the

money and jewels he had promised to pay old Blinkie, so the other two

climbed several flights of stairs and went through many passages until they

came to the room occupied by Cap'n Bill.

The sailor-man, finding his bed soft and inviting, and being tired with the

adventures he had experienced, had decided to take a nap. When the Wicked

Witch and the King softly opened his door and entered, Cap'n Bill was snoring

with such vigor that he did not hear them at all.

Blinkie approached the bed and with her one eye anxiously stared at the

sleeping stranger.

Ah," she said in a soft whisper, "I believe you are right, King Krewl. The man

looks to me like a very powerful wizard. But by good luck I have caught him

asleep, so I shall transform him before he wakes up, giving him such a form

that he will be unable to oppose me."

Careful!" cautioned the King, also speaking low. "If he discovers what you are

doing he may destroy you, and that would annoy me because I need you to

attend to Gloria."

But the Wicked Witch realized as well as he did that she must be careful. She

carried over her arm a black bag, from which she now drew several packets

carefully wrapped in paper. Three of these she selected, replacing the others in

The Scarecrow of Oz