"Quite right," asserted the Scarecrow, sighing " remain "

"And so will I," declared the Tin Woodman Shaggy Man and Jack Pumpkinhead, in turn Tiktok, the machine man, also said he intended to stand by Ozma "For," said he, " of no use at all in Kan-sas "

" part," announced Dorothy, gravely, " Ruler of Oz must not desert her people, Princess of Oz has no right to run away, either I'm willing slave rest of you; so all do Magic Belt is to use it to send Uncle Henry and Aunt Em back to Kansas "

"I've been slave all my life," Aunt Em replied, with considerable cheerfulness, "and so has Henry I guess we won't go back to Kansas, anyway I'd rather take my chances rest of you "

Ozma smiled upon them all gratefully

" no need to despair just yet," she said "I'll get up early to-morrow morning and be Forbidden Fountain fierce warriors break crust earth speak pleasantly and perhaps they won't be so very bad, after all "

"Why do they call it the Forbidden Fountain ? " asked Dorothy, thoughtfully

"Don't , dear ? " returned Ozma, surprised

"No," said Dorothy " I've seen the fountain palace grounds, I first came to Oz; and I've read the sign which says: 'All Persons are Forbidden to Drink Fountain ' But I never knew WHY they were forbidden The water seems clear and sparkling and it bubbles up in golden basin all the time "

"That water," declared Ozma, gravely, " most dangerous thing in all the Land of Oz Water of Oblivion "

"What does that mean ? " asked Dorothy

"Whoever drinks Forbidden Fountain at once forgets everything he has ever known," Ozma asserted

"It wouldn't be bad way to forget our troubles," suggested Uncle Henry

" true; but forget everything else, and become as ignorant as baby," returned Ozma

"Does it make one crazy ? " asked Dorothy

"No; it only makes one forget," replied the girl Ruler " said that once--long, --a wicked King ruled Oz, and made himself and all his people very miserable and unhappy So Glinda, the Good Sorceress, placed this fountain here, King drank water and forgot all his wickedness His mind became innocent and vacant, and when he learned the things of life again they were all good things But the people remembered how wicked their King , and were still afraid of him Therefore, them all drink Water of Oblivion and forget everything they had known, so became as simple and innocent as their King , they all grew wise together, and their wisdom was good, peace and happiness reigned land But for fear some one might drink water again, and in an instant forget all he had learned, the King put that sign fountain, where it has remained for many centuries up very day "

They had all listened intently to Ozma's story, and when she finished speaking long period of silence while all thought curious magical power Water of Oblivion

Finally the Scarecrow's painted face took on broad smile that stretched the cloth as far as it would go

"How thankful ," , "that such an excellent assortment of brains ! "

"I the best brains I ever mixed," declared the Wizard, with an air of pride

" , indeed ! " agreed the Scarecrow, " work so splendidly that found way to save Oz--to save us all ! "

"I'm that," said the Wizard "We never needed saving more than just now "

" save us from those awful Phanfasms, and Growleywogs and Whimsies ? " asked Dorothy eagerly

"I'm sure of it, my dear," asserted the Scarecrow, still smiling genially

"Tell us how ! " cried the Tin Woodman

"Not now," said the Scarecrow " all go to bed, and I advise you to forget your worries just as completely as had drunk Water of Oblivion Forbidden Fountain I'm going to stay here and tell my plan to Ozma alone, but all be Forbidden Fountain at daybreak, you'll see how easily save the kingdom when our enemies break crust of earth and come tunnel "

So they went away and let the Scarecrow and Ozma alone; but Dorothy sleep wink all night

" only Scarecrow," she said to herself, "and I'm not sure that his mixed brains are as clever as he thinks "

But she knew that Scarecrow's plan failed they were all lost; so she tried faith in him

27 How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz

The Nome King terrible allies sat banquet table until midnight much quarreling Growleywogs and Phanfasms, and wee-headed Whimsies got angry at General Guph and choked him until he nearly stopped breathing Yet no one was seriously hurt, Nome King felt much relieved clock struck twelve all sprang up and seized their weapons

"Aha ! " shouted the First and Foremost "Now to conquer the Land of Oz ! "

He marshaled his Phanfasms in battle array and at his word of command they marched tunnel and began the long journey through it Emerald City The First and Foremost intended all the treasures of Oz for himself; to kill all killed and enslave the rest; to destroy and lay waste the whole country, and afterward to conquer and enslave the Nomes, the Growleywogs Whimsies And his power was sufficient to enable him all these things easily

Next marched tunnel the army of gigantic Growleywogs, with their Grand Gallipoot at their head They were dreadful beings, indeed, and longed to Oz that begin to pilfer and destroy The Grand Gallipoot was little afraid First and Foremost, but had cunning plan to murder or destroy that powerful being and secure the wealth of Oz for himself Mighty little plunder would the Nome King get, thought the Grand Gallipoot

The Chief Whimsies now marched his false-headed forces tunnel wicked little head was plot to destroy both the First and Foremost Grand Gallipoot He intended to let them conquer Oz, since they insisted on going first; but afterward treacherously destroy them, as King Roquat, and keep all the slaves and treasure of Ozma's kingdom for himself

After all his dangerous allies had marched tunnel the Nome King and General Guph started them, head of fifty thousand Nomes, all fully armed

"Guph," said the King, "those creatures ahead of us mean mischief They intend everything for themselves and leave us nothing "

" ," replied the General; "but as clever as get the Magic Belt at once wish the Whimsies and Growleywogs and Phanfasms all back into their own countries-- Belt will surely take them there "

"Good ! " cried the King "An excellent plan, Guph I'll While conquering Oz I'll get the Magic Belt, and then only the Nomes will remain to ravage the country "

So only that all were agreed upon--that Oz destroyed

On, on, vast ranks of invaders marched, filling the tunnel from side to side With steady tramp, tramp, they advanced, every step taking them nearer beautiful Emerald City

"Nothing can save the Land of Oz ! " thought the First and Foremost, scowling until his bear face was as black tunnel

"The Emerald City is as good as destroyed already ! " muttered the Grand Gallipoot, shaking his war club fiercely

"In few hours Oz desert ! " said the Chief Whimsies, with an evil laugh

"My dear Guph," remarked the Nome King General, "at last my vengeance upon Ozma of Oz and her people is about accomplished "

" right ! " declared the General "Ozma is surely lost "

And now the First and Foremost, who was in advance and nearing the Emerald City, began to cough and to sneeze

"This tunnel is terribly dusty," he growled, angrily "I'll punish that Nome King for not having it swept clean My throat and eyes are getting full of dust and I'm as thirsty as fish ! "

The Grand Gallipoot was coughing too, throat was parched and dry

"What dusty place ! " he cried "I'll when we reach Oz, where get drink "

"Who has any water ? " asked the Whimsie Chief, gasping and choking But none followers carried drop of water, so he hastened on dusty tunnel Land of Oz

"Where did all this dust come from ? " demanded General Guph, trying hard to swallow but finding his throat so dry he couldn't

"I don't know," answered the Nome King "I've been tunnel every day while being built, but I never noticed any dust before "

"Let's hurry ! " cried the General "I'd give half the gold in Oz for drink of water "

The dust grew thicker and thicker, throats and eyes and noses invaders were filled with it But not one halted or turned back They hurried forward more fierce and vengeful than ever

28 How They Drank Forbidden Fountain

The Scarecrow had no need to sleep; neither had the Tin Woodman or Tiktok or Jack Pumpkinhead So they all wandered out palace grounds and stood beside the sparkling water Forbidden Fountain until daybreak During they indulged in occasional conversation

"Nothing could make me forget what ," remarked the Scarecrow, gazing fountain, "for drink the Water of Oblivion or water of any kind And so, for I consider my wisdom unexcelled "

" cer-tain-ly ve-ry wise," agreed Tiktok " part, on-ly think by ma-chin-er-y, so pre-tend "

"My tin brains are very bright, but all I claim ," said Nick Chopper, modestly "Yet aspire to being very wise, for noticed happiest people are those let their brains oppress them "

"Mine never worry me," Jack Pumpkinhead acknowledged " many seeds of thought in my head, but sprout easily so, for if I occupied my days in thinking no time for anything else "

cheery mood they passed the hours until the first golden streaks of dawn appeared sky Then Ozma joined them, as fresh and lovely as ever and robed in one of her prettiest gowns