"Oh, just CAKE ! " exclaimed Dorothy, in disappointment

"Nothing is nicer for birthday," said the Sorceress

" candles should there be cake ? " asked the girl

"Just row ," replied Glinda, "for no one knows how old Ozma is, although she appears just young girl--as fresh and fair she had lived but few years "

"A cake doesn't seem like much of present," Dorothy asserted

"Make it surprise cake," suggested the Sorceress "Don't you remember the four and twenty blackbirds that were baked in pie ? Well, not use live blackbirds in your cake, but some surprise of different sort "

"Like what ? " questioned Dorothy, eagerly

"If you, it wouldn't be YOUR present to Ozma, but MINE," answered the Sorceress, with smile "Think it over, my dear, and originate surprise add greatly joy and merriment of Ozma's birthday banquet "

Dorothy thanked her friend and entered the Red Wagon and told the Sawhorse her back home palace Emerald City

way she thought the matter over seriously of making surprise birthday cake and finally decided what

she reached home, she went Wizard of Oz, who had room fitted up in high towers palace, where he studied magic so as to perform such wizardry as Ozma commanded him welfare of her subjects

The Wizard and Dorothy were firm friends and had enjoyed many strange adventures together little man with bald head and sharp eyes and round, jolly face, and because neither haughty nor proud he had become great favorite Oz people

"Wizard," said Dorothy, " you to help me fix up present for Ozma's birthday "

"I'll anything and for Ozma," he answered "What's mind, Dorothy ? "

"I'm going great cake, with frosting and candles, and all that, "

" ," said the Wizard

" center cake I'm going to leave hollow place, with just roof frosting over it," continued the girl

" ," repeated the Wizard, nodding his bald head

" hollow place," said Dorothy, " to hide lot of monkeys about three inches high, and cake is placed banquet table, the monkeys to break frosting and dance around table-cloth Then, each monkey to cut out piece of cake and hand it to guest "

"Mercy me ! " cried the little Wizard, as he chuckled with laughter " ALL , Dorothy ? "

"Almost," said she "Can of anything more the little monkeys can do, Wizard ? "

"Not just now," he replied "But where get such tiny monkeys ? "

"That's where you're to help me," said Dorothy "In wild forests Gillikin Country are lots of monkeys "

"Big ones," said the Wizard

"Well, you go there, and we'll get big monkeys, and make them small--just three inches high-- of your magic, and we'll put the little monkeys all in basket and bring them home Then you'll train them to dance--up here in your room, where no one them--and on Ozma's birthday we'll put 'em cake 'll know just what "

The Wizard looked at Dorothy with admiring approval, and chuckled again

"That's really clever, my dear," , "and no reason why 't , just the way you say, if only get the wild monkeys to agree "

" they'll object ? " asked the girl

"Yes; but perhaps argue them Anyhow it's worth trying, and I'll 'll agree to let this Surprise Cake be present to Ozma and me together I've been wondering what give Ozma, and as I've got to train the monkeys as make them small, you ought me your partner "

" ," said Dorothy; "I'll "

"Then it's bargain," declared the Wizard " go to seek those monkeys at once, however, for take time to train them and we'll have to travel good way Gillikin forests where they live "

"I'm ready ," agreed Dorothy "Shall we ask Ozma to Sawhorse ? "

The Wizard answer that at once time suggestion

"No," he answered , "the Red Wagon couldn't get thick forests and there's some danger in going wild places to search for monkeys So I propose we Cowardly Lion Hungry Tiger ride on their backs as Red Wagon, and danger from other beasts, these two friendly champions will protect us from all harm "

"That's splendid idea ! " exclaimed Dorothy "Let's go now and Hungry Tiger Cowardly Lion if Shall we ask Ozma go ? "

" not," said the Wizard, getting his hat black bag of magic tools "This surprise for her birthday, and so she mustn't know where we're going We'll just leave word, Ozma inquires , that we'll be back "

7 The Forest of Gugu

central western part Gillikin Country is great tangle of trees called Gugu Forest biggest forest in all Oz and stretches miles and miles in every direction--north, south, east and west Adjoining it east side is range of rugged mountains covered with underbrush and small twisted trees find this place by looking Map Land of Oz

Gugu Forest home of most wild beasts that inhabit Oz These are seldom disturbed in their leafy haunts because no reason why Oz people should go there, except on rare occasions, and most parts forest have never been seen by any eyes but the eyes beasts who make their home there The biggest beasts inhabit the great forest, while the smaller ones live mostly mountain underbrush east

Now, know laws forests, as in place, and these laws are made beasts themselves, necessary them from fighting and tearing one another to pieces In Gugu Forest King--an enormous yellow leopard called "Gugu"--after whom the forest is named And this King has three other beasts to advise him in keeping the laws and maintaining order--Bru the Bear, Loo the Unicorn and Rango the Gray Ape-- known King's Counselors All these are fierce and ferocious beasts, and hold their high offices because more intelligent and more feared then their fellows

Since Oz became fairyland, no man, woman or child ever dies land nor is anyone ever sick Likewise the beasts forests never die, long years add cunning and wisdom, as size and strength possible for beasts--or even people-- destroyed, but the task is so difficult seldom attempted Because free from sickness and death is one reason why Oz is fairyland, but doubtful whether those who come to Oz outside world, as Dorothy and Button-Bright and Trot and Cap'n Bill Wizard did, will live forever or injured Even Ozma sure , and so the guests of Ozma from other lands are always carefully protected from any danger, so be safe side

laws forests often fights beasts; have lost an eye or an ear or even had leg torn off The King King's Counselors always punish those who start fight, but so fierce nature of some beasts that at times fight of laws and punishment

Over this vast, wild Forest of Gugu flew two eagles, one morning, and near the center jungle the eagles alighted on branch of tall tree

" place our work," said one, who was Ruggedo, the Nome

"Do many beasts live here ? " asked Kiki Aru, the other eagle

"The forest is full ," said the Nome " enough beasts right here to enable us to conquer the people of Oz, get them to consent to join us To , go among them and tell them our plans, so now decide on what shapes we had better assume while forest "

"I suppose shapes of beasts ? " said Kiki