"Now then," said the Wizard, "let us talk this matter over and decidewhat to do when we get to Ugu's wicker castle. There can be no doubtthat the Shoemaker is a powerful Magician, and his powers have beenincreased a hundredfold since he secured the Great Book of Records,the Magic Picture, all of Glinda's recipes for sorcery, and my ownblack bag, which was full of tools of wizardry. The man who could robus of those things and the man with all their powers at his command isone who may prove somewhat difficult to conquer, therefore we shouldplan our actions well before we venture too near to his castle."

"I didn't see Ozma in the Magic Picture," said Trot."What do you suppose Ugu has done with her?"

"Couldn't the Little Pink Bear tell us what he did with Ozma?" askedButton-Bright.

"To be sure," replied the Lavender King. "I'll ask him." So heturned the crank in the Little Pink Bear's side and inquired, "Did Uguthe Shoemaker steal Ozma of Oz?"

"Yes," answered the Little Pink Bear.

"Then what did he do with her?" asked the King.

"Shut her up in a dark place," answered the Little Pink Bear.

"Oh, that must be a dungeon cell!" cried Dorothy, horrified. "Howdreadful!"

"Well, we must get her out of it," said the Wizard."That is what we came for, and of course we must rescue Ozma. But how?"

Each one looked at some other one for an answer, and all shook theirheads in a grave and dismal manner. All but Scraps, who danced aroundthem gleefully. "You're afraid," said the Patchwork Girl, "because somany things can hurt your meat bodies. Why don't you give it up andgo home? How can you fight a great magician when you have nothing tofight with?"

Dorothy looked at her reflectively.

"Scraps," said she, "you know that Ugu couldn't hurt you a bit, whatever he did, nor could he hurt ME, 'cause I wear the Gnome King's Magic Belt. S'pose just we two go on together and leave the others here to wait for us."

"No, no!" said the Wizard positively. "That won't do at all. Ozma ismore powerful than either of you, yet she could not defeat the wickedUgu, who has shut her up in a dungeon. We must go to the Shoemaker inone mighty band, for only in union is there strength."

"That is excellent advice," said the Lavender Bear approvingly.

"But what can we do when we get to Ugu?" inquired the Cookie Cookanxiously.

"Do not expect a prompt answer to that important question," repliedthe Wizard, "for we must first plan our line of conduct. Ugu knows,of course, that we are after him, for he has seen our approach in theMagic Picture, and he has read of all we have done up to the presentmoment in the Great Book of Records. Therefore we cannot expect totake him by surprise."

"Don't you suppose Ugu would listen to reason?" asked Betsy. "If weexplained to him how wicked he has been, don't you think he'd let poorOzma go?"

"And give me back my dishpan?" added the Cookie Cook eagerly.

"Yes, yes, won't he say he's sorry and get on his knees and beg ourpardon?" cried Scraps, turning a flip-flop to show her scorn of thesuggestion. "When Ugu the Shoemaker does that, please knock at thefront door and let me know."

The Wizard sighed and rubbed his bald head with a puzzled air. "I'mquite sure Ugu will not be polite to us," said he, "so we must conquerthis cruel magician by force, much as we dislike to be rude to anyone.But none of you has yet suggested a way to do that. Couldn't theLittle Pink Bear tell us how?" he asked, turning to the Bear King.

"No, for that is something that is GOING to happen," replied theLavender Bear. "He can only tell us what already HAS happened."

Again, they were grave and thoughtful. But after a time, Betsy saidin a hesitating voice, "Hank is a great fighter. Perhaps HE couldconquer the magician."

The Mule turned his head to look reproachfully at his old friend, theyoung girl. "Who can fight against magic?" he asked.

"The Cowardly Lion could," said Dorothy.

The Lion, who was lying with his front legs spread out, his chin onhis paws, raised his shaggy head. "I can fight when I'm not afraid,"said he calmly, "but the mere mention of a fight sets me totrembling."

"Ugu's magic couldn't hurt the Sawhorse," suggested tiny Trot.

"And the Sawhorse couldn't hurt the Magician," declared that woodenanimal.

"For my part," said Toto, "I am helpless, having lost my growl."

"Then," said Cayke the Cookie Cook, "we must depend upon the Frogman.His marvelous wisdom will surely inform him how to conquer the wickedMagician and restore to me my dishpan."

All eyes were now turned questioningly upon the Frogman. Findinghimself the center of observation, he swung his gold-headed cane,adjusted his big spectacles, and after swelling out his chest, sighedand said in a modest tone of voice, "Respect for truth obliges me toconfess that Cayke is mistaken in regard to my superior wisdom. I amnot very wise. Neither have I had any practical experience inconquering magicians. But let us consider this case.What is Ugu, and what is a magician? Ugu is a renegade shoemaker, and a magician is an ordinary man who, having learned how to do magical tricks, considers himself above his fellows. In this case, the Shoemaker has been naughty enough to steal a lot of magical tools and things that did not belong to him, and he is more wicked to steal than to be a magician. Yet with all the arts at his command, Ugu is still a man, and surely there are ways in which a man may be conquered. How, do you say, how? Allow me to state that I don't know.In my judgment, we cannot decide how best to act until we get to Ugu's castle. So let us go to it and take a look at it. After that, we may discover an idea that will guide us to victory."

"That may not be a wise speech, but it sounds good," said Dorothyapprovingly. "Ugu the Shoemaker is not only a common man, but he's awicked man and a cruel man and deserves to be conquered. We musn'thave any mercy on him till Ozma is set free. So let's go to hiscastle as the Frogman says and see what the place looks like."

No one offered any objection to this plan, and so it was adopted.They broke camp and were about to start on the journey to Ugu's castlewhen they discovered that Button-Bright was lost again. The girls andthe Wizard shouted his name, and the Lion roared and the Donkey brayedand the Frogman croaked and the Big Lavender Bear growled (to the envyof Toto, who couldn't growl but barked his loudest), yet none of themcould make Button-Bright hear. So after vainly searching for the boya full hour, they formed a procession and proceeded in the directionof the wicker castle of Ugu the Shoemaker.

"Button-Bright's always getting lost," said Dorothy."And if he wasn't always getting found again, I'd prob'ly worry. He may havegone ahead of us, and he may have gone back, but wherever he is, we'llfind him sometime and somewhere, I'm almost sure."