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hole； but instead of finding there Princess Ozma of Oz；
all that they saw was Button…Bright； who was lying
asleep on the bottom。
Their cries soon wakened the boy； who sat up and
rubbed his eyes。 When he recognized his friends he
smiled sweetly； saying： 〃Found again！〃
〃Where is Ozma？〃 inquired Dorothy anxiously。
〃I don't know；〃 answered Button…Bright from the
depths of the hole。 〃I got lost； yesterday； as you may
remember； and in the night； while I was wandering
around in the moonlight； trying to find my way back to
you； I suddenly fell into this hole。〃
〃And wasn't Ozma in it then？〃
〃There was no one in it but me； and I was sorry it
wasn't entirely empty。 The sides are so steep I can't
climb out； so there was nothing to be done but sleep
until someone found me。 Thank you for coming。 If you'll
please let down a rope I'll empty this hole in a
hurry。〃
〃How strange！〃 said Dorothy； greatly disappointed。
〃It's evident the Pink Bear didn't tell us the truth。〃
〃He never makes a mistake；〃 declared the Lavender
Bear King； in a tone that showed his feelings were
hurt。 And then he turned the crank of the little Pink
Bear again and asked： 〃Is this the hole that Ozma of Oz
is in？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the Pink Bear。
〃That settles it；〃 said the King； positively。 〃Your
Ozma is in this hole in the ground。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 returned Dorothy impatiently。 〃Even
your beady eyes can see there is no one in the hole but
Button…Bright。〃
〃Perhaps Button…Bright is Ozma；〃 suggested the King。
〃And perhaps he isn't！ Ozma is a girl； and Button…
Bright is a boy。〃
〃Your Pink Bear must be out of order；〃 said the
Wizard； 〃for； this time at least； his machinery has
caused him to make an untrue statement。〃
The Bear King was so angry at this remark that he
turned away； holding the Pink Bear in his paws； and
refused to discuss the matter in any further way。
〃At any rate；〃 said the Frogman； 〃the Pink Bear has
led us to your boy friend and so enabled you to rescue
him。〃
Scraps was leaning so far over the hole； trying to
find Ozma in it； that suddenly she lost her balance and
pitched in headforemost。 She fell upon Button…Bright
and tumbled him over； but he was not hurt by her soft
stuffed body and only laughed at the mishap。 The Wizard
buckled some straps together and let one end of them
down into the hole； and soon both Scraps and the boy
had climbed up and were standing safely beside the
others。
They looked once more for Ozma； but the hole was now
absolutely vacant。 It was a round hole； so from the top
they could plainly see every part of it。 Before they
left the place Dorothy went to the Bear King and said：
〃I'm sorry we couldn't believe what the little Pink
Bear said； 'cause we don't want to make you feel bad by
doubting him。 There must be a mistake； somewhere； and
we prob'ly don't understand just what the little Pink
Bear means。 Will you let me ask him one more question？〃
The Lavender Bear King was a good…natured bear；
considering how he was made and stuffed and jointed； so
he accepted Dorothy's apology and turned the crank and
allowed the little girl to question his wee Pink Bear。
〃Is Ozma really in this hole？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃No；〃 said the little Pink Bear。
This surprised everybody。 Even the Bear King was now
puzzled by the contradictory statements of his oracle。
〃Where is she？〃 asked the King。
〃Here； among you；〃 answered the little Pink Bear。
〃Well；〃 said Dorothy； 〃this beats me； entirely！ I
guess the little Pink Bear has gone crazy。
〃Perhaps；〃 called Scraps； who was rapidly turning
〃cart…wheels〃 all around the perplexed group； 〃Ozma is
invisible。〃
〃Of course！〃 cried Betsy。 〃That would account for
it。〃
〃Well； I've noticed that people can speak； even when
they've been made invisible；〃 said the Wizard。 And then
he looked all around him and said in a solemn voice：
〃Ozma； are you here？〃
There was no reply。 Dorothy asked the question； too；
and so did Button…Bright and Trot and Betsy； but none
received any reply at all。
〃It's strange it's terrible strange！〃 muttered
Cayke the Cookie Cook。 〃I was sure that the little Pink
Bear always tells the truth。〃
〃I still believe in his honesty；〃 said the Frogman；
and this tribute so pleased the Bear King that he gave
these last speakers grateful looks； but still gazed
sourly on the others。
〃Come to think of it；〃 remarked the Wizard； 〃Ozma
couldn't be invisible； for she is a fairy and fairies
cannot be made invisible against their will。 Of course
she could be imprisoned by the magician； or even
enchanted； or transformed； in spite of her fairy
powers； but Ugu could not render her invisible by any
magic at his command。〃
〃I wonder if she's been transformed into Button…
Bright？〃 said Dorothy nervously。 Then she looked
steadily at the boy and asked： 〃Are you Ozma？ Tell me
truly！〃
Button…Bright laughed。
〃You're getting rattled； Dorothy；〃 he replied。
〃Nothing ever enchants me。 If I were Ozma； do
you think I'd have tumbled into that hole？〃
〃Anyhow；〃 said the Wizard； 〃Ozma would never try to
deceive her friends； or prevent them from recognizing
her； in whatever form she happened to be。 The puzzle
is still a puzzle； so let us go on to the wicker castle
and question the magician himself。 Since it was he who
stole our Ozma； Ugu is the one who must tell us where
to find her。〃
Chapter Twenty…One
Magic Against Magic
The Wizard's advice was good； so again they started in
the direction of the low mountain on the crest of which
the wicker castle had been built。 They had been
gradually advancing up hill； so now the elevation
seemed to them more like a round knoll than a mountain…
top。 However； the sides of the knoll were sloping and
covered with green grass； so there was a stiff climb
before them yet。
Undaunted； they plodded on and had almost
reached the knoll when they suddenly observed
that it was surrounded by a circle of flame。 At
first the flames barely rose above the ground； but
presently they grew higher and higher until a
circle of flaming tongues of fire taller than any
of their heads quite surroun