their possessions," added General Apple.

"They may not possess anything," objected
Private Files; "but I hope they will fight us,
just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be any
fun at all."

"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight,
whether our foes do or not; and perhaps we would
find it more comfortable to have the enemy
surrender promptly."

It was a barren country and not very pleasant to
travel in. Moreover, there was little for them to
eat, and as the officers became hungry they became
fretful. Many would have deserted had they been
able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo
people were now hopelessly lost in a strange
country they considered it more safe to keep
together than to separate.

Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became
sharp and irritable as she and her army tramped
over the rocky roads without encountering either
people or plunder. She scolded her officers until
they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal
enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began
to reproach her for leading them into difficulties
and in the space of three unhappy days every man
was mourning for his orchard in the pretty valley