kind and good," he continued. "Her people are all happy and contented
and have no care or worries whatever."

"Go on!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.

"Once the Nome King enslaved the Royal Family of Ev--another
goody-goody lot that we detest," said the General. "But Ozma
interfered, although it was none of her business, and marched her army
against us. With her was a Kansas girl named Dorothy, and a Yellow
Hen, and they marched directly into the Nome King's cavern. There
they liberated our slaves from Ev and stole King Roquat's Magic Belt,
which they carried away with them. So now our King is making a tunnel
under the deadly desert, so we can march through it to the Emerald
City. When we get there we mean to conquer and destroy all the land
and recapture the Magic Belt."

Again he paused, and again the Grand Gallipoot growled:

"Go on!"

Guph tried to think what to say next, and a happy thought soon
occurred to him.

"We want you to help us in this conquest," he announced, "for we need
the mighty aid of the Growleywogs in order to make sure that we shall
not be defeated. You are the strongest people in all the world, and
you hate good and happy creatures as much as we Nomes do. I am sure
it will be a real pleasure to you to tear down the beautiful Emerald
City, and in return for your valuable assistance we will allow you to
bring back to your country ten thousand people of Oz, to be your slaves."