More and more, Dorothy wondered how and why the great giants had ever submitted slaves skinny, languid masters, but no chance to question anyone until they arrived at big palace located heart city Here the giants formed lines entrance and stood still while our friends rode courtyard palace Then the gates closed behind them, and before them was skinny little man who bowed low and said in sad voice, " so obliging dismount, pleasure to lead you presence World's Most Mighty Ruler, Vig the Czarover "

"I don't believe it ! " said Dorothy indignantly

"What don't you believe ? " asked the man

"I don't believe your Czarover can hold candle to our Ozma "

"He wouldn't hold candle under any circumstances, or to any living person," replied the man very seriously, "for he has slaves such things Mighty Vig is too dignified anything that others can do for him He even obliges slave to sneeze for him, if ever he catches cold However, dare our powerful ruler, follow me "

"We dare anything," said the Wizard, "so go ahead "

Through several marble corridors having lofty ceilings they passed, finding each corridor and doorway guarded by servants But these servants palace were people and not giants, were so thin almost resembled skeletons Finally, they entered great circular room with high, domed ceiling, where the Czarover sat on throne cut from solid block of white marble and decorated with purple silk hangings and gold tassels

The ruler people was combing his eyebrows when our friends entered the throne room and stood before him, but he put the comb pocket and examined the strangers with evident curiosity Then , "Dear me, what surprise ! really shocked me For no outsider has ever before come to our City of Herku, and imagine why ventured "

" looking for Ozma, the Supreme Ruler Land of Oz," replied the Wizard

"Do her anywhere around here ? " asked the Czarover

"Not yet, Your Majesty, but perhaps tell us where "

"No, my hands full keeping track own people them hard to manage because so tremendously strong "

"They don't look very strong," said Dorothy "It seems good wind would blow 'em way city wasn't wall "

"Just so, just so," admitted the Czarover "They really look that way, don't they ? But never trust to appearances, way of fooling one Perhaps you noticed that I prevented you from meeting any people I protected you with my giants while you were way gates to my palace not Herku got near you "

"Are your people so dangerous, then ? "asked the Wizard

"To strangers, yes But only because so friendly For shake hands , likely to break your arms or crush your fingers to jelly "

"Why ? " asked Button-Bright

"Because the strongest people in all the world "

"Pshaw ! "exclaimed the boy "That's bragging You prob'ly don't know how strong other people are Why, once man in Philadelphi' bend iron bars with just his hands ! "

"But mercy me, it's no trick to bend iron bars," said His Majesty "Tell me, could this man crush block of stone bare hands ? "

"No one could ," declared the boy

"If I had block of stone, I'd show you," said the Czarover, looking around the room "Ah, my throne The back is too high, anyhow, so I'll just break off piece " He rose feet and tottered in an uncertain way around the throne Then hold back and broke off piece of marble over foot thick "This," said he, coming back seat, "is very solid marble and much harder than ordinary stone Yet crumble it easily with my fingers, proof that very strong "

Even as he spoke, he began breaking off chunks of marble and crumbling them as one would bit of earth The Wizard was so astonished that piece own hands and tested it, finding it very hard indeed

Just then giant servants entered and exclaimed, "Oh, Your Majesty, the cook has burned the soup ! What shall ? "

"How dare you interrupt me ? "

"asked the Czarover, and grasping the immense giant by one legs, he raised him air and threw him headfirst out of an open window "Now, tell me," , turning to Button-Bright, "could your man in Philadelphia crumble marble fingers ? "

"I guess not," said Button-Bright, much impressed skinny monarch's strength

"What makes you so strong ? " inquired Dorothy

"It's the zosozo," he explained, " an invention own I and all my people eat zosozo, and it gives us tremendous strength Would you like to eat some ? "

"No ," replied the girl "I--I don't want so thin "

"Well, one can't have strength and flesh same time," said the Czarover "Zosozo is pure energy, and it's the only compound sort in existence I never allow our giants it, , or soon become our masters, since bigger that we; so I keep all the stuff locked up in my private laboratory Once year I feed teaspoonful of it to each people--men, women and children--so is nearly as strong as Wouldn't YOU like dose, sir ? " he asked, turning Wizard

"Well," said the Wizard, " little zosozo in bottle, I'd like it with me on my travels It might come in handy on occasion "

" I'll enough for six doses," promised the Czarover

"But don't take more than teaspoonful Once Ugu the Shoemaker took two teaspoonsful, and it made him so strong that when he leaned against the city wall, he pushed it over, and we had to build it up again "

" Ugu the Shoemaker ? "

Button-Bright curiously, for he now remembered bird rabbit had claimed Ugu the Shoemaker had enchanted the peach he had eaten

"Why, Ugu is great magician who used to live here But he's gone away now," replied the Czarover

"Where has he gone ? " asked the Wizard quickly

" told he lives in wickerwork castle mountains west of here , Ugu became such powerful magician that he didn't care to live city any longer for fear discover some secrets So he went mountains and built him splendid wicker castle so strong that even I and my people batter it down, and there he lives all by himself "

" good news," declared the Wizard, "for just the magician searching for But why is Ugu the Shoemaker ? "

"Once very common citizen here and made shoes for living," replied the monarch of Herku "But descended greatest wizard and sorcerer who ever lived or in country, and one day Ugu the Shoemaker discovered all the magical books and recipes famous great-grandfather, which hidden away attic house So he began to study the papers and books and to practice magic, and he became so skillful that, as , he scorned our city and built solitary castle for himself "

" " asked Dorothy anxiously, "that Ugu the Shoemaker wicked enough to steal our Ozma of Oz ? "

" Magic Picture ? " asked Trot

" Great Book of Records of Glinda the Good ? " asked Betsy

"And my own magic tools ? " asked the Wizard

" replied the Czarover, "I won't say that Ugu is wicked, exactly, but very ambitious the most powerful magician , and so I suppose too proud to steal any magic things that belonged to anybody else--if manage "

"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 things, I assure you "

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