"If you are really Princess Ozma of Oz," the Flathead
said, "you are one of that band of fairies who, under
Queen Lurline, made all Oz a Fairyland. I have heard
that Lurline left one of her own fairies to rule Oz,
and gave the fairy the name of Ozma."

"If you knew this why did you not come to me at the
Emerald City and tender me your loyalty and obedience?"
asked the Ruler of Oz.

"Well, I only learned the fact lately, and I've been
too busy to leave home," he explained, looking at the
floor instead of into Ozma's eyes. She knew he had
spoken a falsehood, but only said:

"Why did you quarrel with the Skeezers?"

"It was this way," began the Su-dic, glad to change
the subject. "We Flatheads love fish, and as we have no
fish on this mountain we would sometimes go to the Lake
of the Skeezers to catch fish. This made the Skeezers
angry, for they declared the fish in their lake
belonged to them and were under their protection and
they forbade us to catch them. That was very mean and
unfriendly in the Skeezers, you must admit, and when we
paid no attention to their orders they set a guard on
the shore of the lake to prevent our fishing.

"Now, my wife, Rora Flathead, having four cans of