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mind： I mean to be the Ruler of Oz myself； hereafter；
so I advise you to be careful how you address your
future Monarch。〃
〃Ozma is still Ruler of Oz； wherever you may have
hidden her；〃 declared the Wizard。 〃And bear this in
mind； miserable Shoemaker： We intend to find her and to
rescue her； in time； but our first duty and pleasure
will be to conquer you and then punish you for your
misdeeds。〃
〃Very well； go ahead and conquer；〃 said Ugu。 〃I'd
really like to see how you can do it。〃
Now； although the little Wizard had spoken so boldly；
he had at the moment no idea how they might conquer the
magician。 He had that morning given the Frogman； at his
request； a dose of zosozo from his bottle； and the
Frogman had promised to fight a good fight if it was
necessary； but the Wizard knew that strength alone
could not avail against magical arts。 The toy Bear King
seemed to have some pretty good magic； however； and the
Wizard depended to an extent on that。 But something
ought to be done right away； and the Wizard didn't know
what it was。
While he considered this perplexing question and the
others stood looking at him as their leader； a queer
thing happened。 The floor of the great circular hall；
on which they were standing； suddenly began to tip。
Instead of being flat and level it became a slant； and
the slant grew steeper and steeper until none of the
party could manage to stand upon it。 Presently they all
slid down to the wall； which was now under them； and
then it became evident that the whole vast room was
slowly turning upside down！ Only Ugu the Shoemaker；
kept in place by the bars of his golden cage； remained
in his former position； and the wicked magician seemed
to enjoy the surprise of his victims immensely。
First； they all slid down to the wall back of them；
but as the room continued to turn over they next slid
down the wall and found themselves at the bottom of the
great dome； bumping against the big chandelier which；
like everything else； was now upside…down。
The turning movement now stopped and the room became
stationary。 Looking far up； they saw Ugu suspended in
his cage at the very top； which had once been the floor
〃Ah；〃 said he； grinning down at them； 〃the way to
conquer is to act； and he who acts promptly is sure to
win。 This makes a very good prison； from which I am
sure you cannot escape。 Please amuse yourselves in any
way you like； but I must beg you to excuse me； as I
have business in another part of my castle。〃
Saying this； he opened a trap door in the floor of
his cage （which was now over his head） and climbed
through it and disappeared from their view。 The diamond
dishpan still remained in the cage； but the bars kept
it from falling down on their heads。
〃Well； I declare！〃 said the Patchwork Girl； seizing
one of the bars of the chandelier and swinging from it；
〃we must peg one for the Shoemaker； for he has trapped
us very cleverly。〃
〃Get off my foot； please；〃 said the Lion to the
Sawhorse。
〃And oblige me； Mr。 Mule；〃 remarked the Woozy； 〃by
taking your tail out of my left eye。
〃It's rather crowded down here；〃 explained Dorothy；
〃because the dome is rounding and we have all slid into
the middle of it。 But let us keep as quiet as possible
until we can think what's best to be done。〃
〃Dear； dear！〃 wailed Cayke； 〃I wish I had my darling
dishpan；〃 and she held her arms longingly toward it。
〃I wish I had the magic on those shelves up there；〃
sighed the Wizard。
〃Don't you s'pose we could get to it？〃 asked Trot
anxiously。
〃We'd have to fly；〃 laughed the Patchwork Girl。
But the Wizard took the suggestion seriously； and so
did the Frogman。 They talked it over and soon planned
an attempt to reach the shelves where the magical
instruments were。 First the Frogman lay against the
rounding dome and braced his foot on the stem of the
chandelier； then the Wizard climbed over him and lay on
the dome with his feet on the Frogman's shoulders； the
Cookie Cook came next； then Button…Bright climbed to
the woman's shoulders； then Dorothy climbed up； and
Betsy and Trot； and finally the Patchwork Girl； and all
their lengths made a long line that reached far up the
dome but not far enough for Scraps to touch the
shelves。
〃Wait a minute； perhaps I can reach the magic； called
the Bear King； and began scrambling up the bodies of
the others。 But when he came to the Cookie Cook his
soft paws tickled her side so that she squirmed and
upset the whole line。 Down they came； tumbling in a
heap against the animals； and although no one was much
hurt it was a bad mix…up and the Frogman； who was at
the bottom； almost lost his temper before he could get
on his feet again。
Cayke positively refused to try what she called 〃the
pyramid act〃 again； and as the Wizard was now convinced
they could not reach the magic tools in that manner the
attempt was abandoned。
〃But something must be done；〃 said the Wizard； and
then he turned to the Lavender Bear and asked： 〃Cannot
Your Majesty's magic help us to escape from here？〃
〃My magic powers are limited；〃 was the reply。 〃When I
was stuffed； the fairies stood by and slyly dropped
some magic into my stuffing。 Therefore I can do any of
the magic that's inside me； but nothing else。 You；
however； are a wizard； and a wizard should be able to
do anything。〃
〃Your Majesty forgets that my tools of magic have
been stolen；〃 said the Wizard sadly； 〃and a wizard
without tools is as helpless as a carpenter without a
hammer or saw。
〃Don't give up；〃 pleaded Button…Bright； 〃'cause if we
can't get out of this queer prison we'll all starve to
death。〃
〃Not I！〃 laughed the Patchwork Girl； now standing on
top the chandelier； at the place that was meant to be
the bottom of it。
〃Don't talk of such dreadful things；〃 said Trot；
shuddering。 〃We came here to capture the Shoemaker；
didn't we？〃
〃Yes； and to save Ozma；〃 said Betsy。
〃And here we are； captured ourselves； and my darling
dishpan up there in plain sight！〃 wailed the Cookie
Cook； wiping her eyes on the tail of the Frogman's
coat。
〃Hush！〃 called the Lion； with a low； deep growl。
〃Give the Wizard time to think。〃
〃He has plenty of time；〃 said Scraps。 〃What he needs
is the Scarecrow's br