"Twenty thousand!" growled the Grand Gallipoot.

"All right, we promise you twenty thousand," agreed the General.

The Gallipoot made a signal and at once his attendants picked up
General Guph and carried him away to a prison, where the jailer amused
himself by sticking pins in the round fat body of the old Nome, to see
him jump and hear him yell.

But while this was going on the Grand Gallipoot was talking with his
counselors, who were the most important officials of the Growleywogs.
When he had stated to them the proposition of the Nome King, he said:

"My advice is to offer to help them. Then, when we have conquered the
Land of Oz, we will take not only our twenty thousand prisoners but
all the gold and jewels we want."

"Let us take the Magic Belt, too," suggested one counselor.

"And rob the Nome King and make him our slave," said another.

"That is a good idea," declared the Grand Gallipoot. "I'd like King
Roquat for my own slave. He could black my boots and bring me my
porridge every morning while I am in bed."

"There is a famous Scarecrow in Oz. I'll take him for my slave," said
a counselor.

"I'll take Tiktok, the machine man," said another.