Three days later the Grand Army of Oogabooassembled in the square in front of the royalpalace. The sixteen officers were attired ingorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glitteringswords. The Private had picked his gun and,although it was not a very big weapon, Files triedto look fierce and succeeded so well that all hiscommanding officers were secretly afraid of him.

The women were there, protesting that Queen AnnSoforth bad no right to take their husbands andfathers from them; but Ann commanded them to keepsilent, and that was the hardest order to obeythey had ever received.

The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in animposing uniform of green, covered with goldbraid. She wore a green soldier-cap with a purpleplume in it and looked so royal and dignified thateveryone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad shewas going. The Army was sorry she was not goingalone.

"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.

Salye leaned out of the palace window andlaughed.

"I believe your Army can run better than it canfight," she observed.

"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly."We're not looking for trouble, you know, but forplunder. The more plunder and the less fighting weget, the better we shall like our work."

"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war andcarnage to anything. The only way to becomea hero is to conquer, and the story-books all saythat the easiest way to conquer is to fight."

"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "Tofight is to conquer and to conquer is to secureplunder and to secure plunder is to become a hero.With such noble determination to back me, theworld is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return weshall be rich and famous. Come, Generals; let usmarch."

At this the Generals straightened up and threwout their chests. Then they swung their glitteringswords in rapid circles and cried to the Colonels:

"For-ward March!"

Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For-ward March!" and the Majors yelled to theCaptains: "For-ward March!" and the Captainsscreamed to the Private:

"For-ward March!"

So Files shouldered his gun and began to march,and all the officers followed after him. Queen Anncame last of all, rejoicing in her noble army andwondering why she had not decided long ago toconquer the world.

In this order the procession marched out ofOogaboo and took the narrow mountain passwhich led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz.