" ! " cried the Yookoohoo, examining her work with critical approval " much better and more interesting than fishes, and this ungracious Skeezer would scarcely allow me transformations You surely have nothing to thank him for But now dine in honor occasion "

She clapped her hands together and again table loaded with food appeared cottage longer table, , and places were set three Adepts as for Reera and Ervic

"Sit down, friends, and eat your fill," said the Yookoohoo, but instead of seating herself head table she went cupboard, saying Adepts: "Your beauty and grace, my fair friends, quite outshine my own appear properly banquet table I intend, in honor occasion, upon myself my natural shape "

Scarcely had she finished this speech when Reera transformed herself into young woman fully as lovely three Adepts She was not quite so tall , but her form was more rounded and more handsomely clothed, with wonderful jeweled girdle and necklace of shining pearls Her hair was bright auburn red, and her eyes large and dark

" claim your natural form ? " asked Ervic Yookoohoo

"Yes," she replied " only form really entitled to wear But I seldom assume it because no one here to admire or appreciate it and I get tired admiring it myself "

" now why named Reera the Red," remarked Ervic

" on account red hair," she explained smiling " care for red hair myself, one reason I usually wear other forms "

" beautiful," asserted the young man; and then remembering the other women present he added: "But, , all women have red hair, because make it too common Gold and silver and brown hair are equally handsome "

The smiles that interchanged four filled the poor Skeezer with embarrassment, so he fell silent and attended to eating his supper, leaving the others talking The three Adepts frankly told Reera who they were how they became fishes and how they had planned secretly to induce the Yookoohoo to transform them They admitted had feared, had they asked her to help, that she refused them

"You were quite right," returned the Yookoohoo "I make it my rule never to perform magic to assist others, for if there would always be crowd at my cottage demanding help and I hate crowds and want left alone "

"However, now that restored to your proper shapes, regret my action and be of use in saving the Skeezer people by raising their island surface lake, where it really belongs But promise me that after you go away never come here again, nor tell anyone what "

The three Adepts and Ervic thanked the Yookoohoo warmly They promised to remember her wish come to her cottage again and so, with good-bye, took their departure

Chapter Twenty

Puzzling Problem

Glinda the Good, having decided her sorcery abandoned submarine, so would obey her commands, asked all of her party, including the Skeezers, to withdraw shore take line of palm trees She kept with her only the little Wizard of Oz, who was her pupil and knew how to assist her in her magic rites two were alone beside the stranded boat, Glinda said Wizard:

" first try my magic recipe No 1163, intended inanimate objects move at my command skeropythrope ? "

"Yes, I always carry one in my bag," replied the Wizard He opened his black bag of magic tools and took out brightly polished skeropythrope, which he handed Sorceress Glinda had also brought small wicker bag, containing various requirements of sorcery, and she took parcel of powder and vial of liquid She poured the liquid skeropythrope and added the powder At once the skeropythrope began to sputter and emit sparks of violet color, which spread in all directions The Sorceress instantly stepped middle boat and held the instrument so sparks fell all around her and covered every bit blackened steel boat same time Glinda crooned weird incantation language of sorcery, her voice sounding low and musical

After little the violet sparks ceased, and those that had fallen boat had disappeared and left no mark upon its surface The ceremony was ended and Glinda returned the skeropythrope Wizard, who put it away black bag

"That ought business all right," confidently

" trial ," she replied

So they both entered the boat and seated themselves

Speaking in tone of command the Sorceress said boat: "Carry us across the lake, farther shore "

At once the boat backed off the sandy beach, turned its prow and moved swiftly over the water

" -- indeed ! " cried the Wizard, boat slowed up shore opposite whence they had departed "Even Coo-ee-oh, with all her witchcraft, could do no better "

The Sorceress now said boat:

"Close up, submerge and carry us basement door sunken island -- the door you emerged command of Queen Coo-ee-oh "

The boat obeyed As it sank water the top sections rose sides and joined together over the heads of Glinda Wizard, who were thus enclosed in water-proof chamber There were four glass windows covering, one on each side and one on either end, so passengers exactly where they were going Moving under water more slowly than surface, the submarine gradually approached the island and halted with its bow pressed against the huge marble door basement under the Dome This door was tightly closed and evident to both Glinda Wizard open to admit the underwater boat unless magic word was spoken or someone from basement island But what magic word ? Neither knew

"I'm afraid," said the Wizard regretfully, "that 't get in, after all Unless your sorcery can discover the word to open the marble door "

" probably some word only known to Coo-ce-oh," replied the Sorceress "I to discover what , but require time go back again to our companions "

"It seems shame, after the boat obey us, balked by just marble door," grumbled the Wizard

At Glinda's command the boat rose until on level glass dome that covered the Skeezer village, Sorceress made it slowly circle all around the Great Dome

Many faces were pressed against the glass inside, eagerly watching the submarine, and in one place were Dorothy and Ozma, who quickly recognized Glinda Wizard glass windows boat Glinda saw them, too, and held the boat close Dome while the friends exchanged greetings in pantomime Their voices, unfortunately, heard Dome water side boat The Wizard tried to girls understand, through signs, that he and Glinda had come rescue, and Ozma and Dorothy understood this very fact Sorceress Wizard had appeared The two girl prisoners were smiling and in safety, and knowing this Glinda felt take all the time necessary to effect their final rescue

As nothing more just then, Glinda ordered the boat to return to shore and it obeyed readily First it ascended surface water, then the roof parted and fell slots side boat, and then the magic craft quickly made the shore and beached itself sands very spot it had departed at Glinda's command All the Oz people Skeezers at once ran boat to ask had reached the island, and whether they had seen Ozma and Dorothy The Wizard told them obstacle they had met way of marble door, and how Glinda would now undertake magic way to conquer the door

Realizing would require to succeed in reaching the island raising it and liberating their friends Skeezer people, Glinda now prepared camp half way lake shore palm trees

The Wizard's wizardry made number of tents appear sorcery Sorceress furnished these tents all complete, with beds, chairs, tables, flags, lamps and even books idle hours All the tents had the Royal Banner of Oz flying centerpoles and one big tent, not now occupied, had Ozma's own banner moving breeze

Betsy and Trot had tent to themselves, and Button Bright and Ojo had another The Scarecrow Tin Woodman paired together in one tent and so did Jack Pumpkinhead Shaggy Man, Cap'n Bill and Uncle Henry, Tik-Tok and Professor Wogglebug Glinda had the most splendid tent of all, except that reserved for Ozma, while the Wizard had little one own Whenever meal time, tables loaded with food magically appeared tents who were habit of eating, and these complete arrangements made the rescue party just comfortable as been in their own homes

Far night Glinda sat in her tent studying roll of mystic scrolls in search of word open the basement door island and admit her Great Dome She also made many magical experiments, hoping to discover something aid her Yet the morning found the powerful Sorceress still unsuccessful