"I didn't see Ozma Magic Picture," said Trot "What suppose Ugu with her ? "

"Couldn't the Little Pink Bear tell us what with Ozma ? " asked Button-Bright

" ," replied the Lavender King "I'll ask him " So he turned the crank Little Pink Bear's side and inquired, "Did Ugu the Shoemaker steal Ozma of Oz ? "

"Yes," answered the Little Pink Bear

"Then what did he do with her ? " asked the King

"Shut her up in dark place," answered the Little Pink Bear

"Oh, be dungeon cell ! " cried Dorothy, horrified "How dreadful ! "

"Well, get her out of it," said the Wizard " what we came for, and rescue Ozma But how ? "

looked at some other one for an answer, and all shook their heads in grave and dismal manner All but Scraps, who danced around them gleefully "You're afraid," said the Patchwork Girl, "because things can hurt your meat bodies Why don't you give it up and go home ? How fight great magician have nothing to fight with ? "

Dorothy looked at her reflectively

"Scraps," said she, " that Ugu couldn't hurt you bit, whatever , nor could he hurt ME, 'cause I wear the Gnome King's Magic Belt S'pose just we two go on together and leave the others here to wait "

"No, no ! " said the Wizard positively "That won't do at all Ozma is more powerful than either of you, yet defeat the wicked Ugu, who has shut her up in dungeon go Shoemaker in one mighty band, for only in union strength "

" excellent advice," said the Lavender Bear approvingly

"But what can when we get to Ugu ? " inquired the Cookie Cook anxiously

" expect prompt answer important question," replied the Wizard, "for first plan our line of conduct Ugu knows, , that after him, for he has seen our approach Magic Picture, and he has read of all present moment Great Book of Records Therefore expect him by surprise "

"Don't you suppose Ugu would listen to reason ? " asked Betsy " explained to him how wicked he , don't he'd let poor Ozma go ? "

"And back my dishpan ? " added the Cookie Cook eagerly

"Yes, yes, won't he say he's sorry and get knees and beg our pardon ? " cried Scraps, turning flip-flop to show her scorn suggestion "When Ugu the Shoemaker does that, please knock front door and let me know "

The Wizard sighed and rubbed his bald head with puzzled air "I'm Ugu polite ," said he, "so conquer this cruel magician by force, much dislike rude to anyone But none of you has yet suggested way to Couldn't the Little Pink Bear tell us how ? " he asked, turning Bear King

"No, is something GOING to happen," replied the Lavender Bear " only tell us what already HAS happened "

Again, they were grave and thoughtful But after time, Betsy said in hesitating voice, "Hank is great fighter Perhaps conquer the magician "

The Mule turned his head to look reproachfully at his old friend, the young girl " fight against magic ? " he asked

"The Cowardly Lion could," said Dorothy

The Lion, who was lying front legs spread out, his chin paws, raised his shaggy head " fight when I'm not afraid," said he calmly, "but the mere mention of fight sets me to trembling "

"Ugu's magic couldn't hurt the Sawhorse," suggested tiny Trot

" Sawhorse couldn't hurt the Magician," declared that wooden animal

" part," said Toto, " helpless, having lost my growl "

"Then," said Cayke the Cookie Cook, " depend Frogman His marvelous wisdom will surely inform him how to conquer the wicked Magician and restore my dishpan "

All eyes were now turned questioningly Frogman Finding himself the center of observation, he swung his gold-headed cane, adjusted his big spectacles, and after swelling out his chest, sighed and said in modest tone of voice, "Respect for truth obliges me to confess that Cayke is mistaken in regard to my superior wisdom not very wise Neither have I had any practical experience in conquering magicians But consider Ugu, and magician ? Ugu is renegade shoemaker, and magician is an ordinary man who, having learned how magical tricks, considers himself above his fellows In , the Shoemaker naughty enough to steal lot of magical tools and things that belong to him, and more wicked to steal than magician Yet with all the arts at his command, Ugu is still man, and surely ways man conquered How, say, how ? Allow me to state that I don't know In my judgment, decide how best to act until we get to Ugu's castle So go and take look at it , discover an idea guide us to victory "

" not be wise speech, but it sounds good," said Dorothy approvingly "Ugu the Shoemaker is common man, but he's wicked man and cruel man and deserves conquered We musn't have any mercy on him till Ozma is set free So let's go castle Frogman says what the place looks like "

No one offered any objection plan, and so adopted They broke camp and were about to start journey to Ugu's castle discovered that Button-Bright was lost again The girls Wizard shouted his name, Lion roared Donkey brayed Frogman croaked Big Lavender Bear growled ( envy of Toto, who couldn't growl but barked his loudest), yet could make Button-Bright hear So after vainly searching boy full hour, they formed procession and proceeded direction wicker castle of Ugu the Shoemaker

"Button-Bright's always getting lost," said Dorothy "And if he wasn't always getting found again, I'd prob'ly worry gone ahead of us, and gone back, but wherever , we'll find him sometime and somewhere, I'm almost sure "

CHAPTER 19

UGU THE SHOEMAKER

curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker he didn't suspect least that wicked powerful and great, and he hoped himself master of all the Land of Oz that he might compel everyone fairy country to obey him, His ambition blinded him rights of others, and he imagined anyone else would act just as if anyone else happened as clever as himself

When he inhabited his little shoemaking shop City of Herku, he discontented, for shoemaker looked upon with high respect, and Ugu knew that his ancestors famous magicians for many centuries past and therefore his family was above the ordinary Even his father practiced magic when Ugu was boy, but his father had wandered away from Herku and had never come back again So when Ugu grew up, forced shoes for living, knowing nothing magic forefathers But one day, in searching attic house, he discovered all the books of magical recipes and many magical instruments which had formerly been in use family day, he stopped making shoes and began to study magic Finally, he aspired the greatest magician in Oz, and for days and weeks and months he thought on plan to render all the other sorcerers and wizards, with fairy powers, helpless to oppose him

books ancestors, he learned the following facts:

(1) That Ozma of Oz fairy ruler Emerald City Land of Oz destroyed by any magic ever devised Also, of her Magic Picture she to discover anyone who approached her royal palace idea of conquering it

(2) That Glinda the Good most powerful Sorceress in Oz, among her other magical possessions being the Great Book of Records, which told her all that happened anywhere This Book of Records was very dangerous to Ugu's plans, and Glinda was service of Ozma and would use her arts of sorcery to protect the girl Ruler

(3) Wizard of Oz, who lived in Ozma's palace, taught much powerful magic by Glinda and had bag of magic tools able to conquer the Shoemaker

(4) That there existed in Oz-- Yip Country--a jeweled dishpan made of gold, which dishpan would grow large enough for man to sit inside it Then, when he grasped both the golden handles, the dishpan would transport him in an instant to any place borders Land of Oz

No one now living except Ugu knew powers Magic Dishpan, so after long study, the shoemaker decided that if manage to secure the dishpan, by its means rob Ozma and Glinda Wizard of Oz of all their magic, thus becoming himself the most powerful person in all the land His first act was away City of Herku and build for himself the Wicker Castle hills Here he carried his books and instruments of magic, and here for full year he diligently practiced all the magical arts learned ancestors end , do wonderful things