On leaving the Growleywogs General Guph had to recross the RippleLands, and he did not find it a pleasant thing to do. Perhaps havinghis whiskers pulled out one by one and being used as a pin-cushion forthe innocent amusement of a good natured jailer had not improved thequality of Guph's temper, for the old Nome raved and raged at therecollection of the wrongs he had suffered, and vowed to take vengeanceupon the Growleywogs after he had used them for his purposes and Ozhad been conquered. He went on in this furious way until he was halfacross the Ripple Land. Then he became seasick, and the rest of theway this naughty Nome was almost as miserable as he deserved to be.

But when he reached the plains again and the ground was firm under hisfeet he began to feel better, and instead of going back home heturned directly west. A squirrel, perched in a tree, saw him take thisroad and called to him warningly: "Look out!" But he paid noattention. An eagle paused in its flight through the air to look athim wonderingly and say: "Look out!" But on he went.

No one can say that Guph was not brave, for he had determined to visitthose dangerous creatures the Phanfasms, who resided upon the verytop of the dread Mountain of Phantastico. The Phanfasms were Erbs,and so dreaded by mortals and immortals alike that no one had beennear their mountain home for several thousand years. Yet General Guphhoped to induce them to join in his proposed warfare against the goodand happy Oz people.

Guph knew very well that the Phanfasms would be almost as dangerous tothe Nomes as they would to the Ozites, but he thought himself soclever that he believed he could manage these strange creatures andmake them obey him. And there was no doubt at all that if he couldenlist the services of the Phanfasms, their tremendous power, unitedto the strength of the Growleywogs and the cunning of the Whimsieswould doom the Land of Oz to absolute destruction.

So the old Nome climbed the foothills and trudged along the wildmountain paths until he came to a big gully that encircled theMountain of Phantastico and marked the boundary line of the dominionof the Phanfasms. This gully was about a third of the way up themountain, and it was filled to the brim with red-hot molten lava inwhich swam fire-serpents and poisonous salamanders. The heat fromthis mass and its poisonous smell were both so unbearable that evenbirds hesitated to fly over the gully, but circled around it. Allliving things kept away from the mountain.

Now Guph had heard, during his long lifetime, many tales of thesedreaded Phanfasms; so he had heard of this barrier of melted lava, andalso he had been told that there was a narrow bridge that spanned itin one place. So he walked along the edge until he found the bridge.It was a single arch of gray stone, and lying flat upon the bridge wasa scarlet alligator, seemingly fast asleep.

When Guph stumbled over the rocks in approaching the bridge thecreature opened its eyes, from which tiny flames shot in alldirections, and after looking at the intruder very wickedly thescarlet alligator closed its eyelids again and lay still.

Guph saw there was no room for him to pass the alligator on the narrowbridge, so he called out to it:

"Good morning, friend. I don't wish to hurry you, but please tell meif you are coming down, or going up?"

"Neither," snapped the alligator, clicking its cruel jaws together.

The General hesitated.

"Are you likely to stay there long?" he asked.

"A few hundred years or so," said the alligator.

Guph softly rubbed the end of his nose and tried to think what to do.

"Do you know whether the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico isat home or not?" he presently inquired.

"I expect he is, seeing he is always at home," replied the alligator.

"Ah; who is that coming down the mountain?" asked the Nome,gazing upward.

The alligator turned to look over its shoulder, and at once Guph ranto the bridge and leaped over the sentinel's back before it could turnback again. The scarlet monster made a snap at the Nome's left foot,but missed it by fully an inch.

"Ah ha!" laughed the General, who was now on the mountain path."I fooled you that time."

"So you did; and perhaps you fooled yourself," retorted the alligator."Go up the mountain, if you dare, and find out what the First andForemost will do to you!"

"I will," declared Guph, boldly; and on he went up the path.

At first the scene was wild enough, but gradually it grew more andmore awful in appearance. All the rocks had the shapes of frightfulbeings and even the tree trunks were gnarled and twisted like serpents.

Suddenly there appeared before the Nome a man with the head of an owl.His body was hairy like that of an ape, and his only clothing was ascarlet scarf twisted around his waist. He bore a huge club in hishand and his round owl eyes blinked fiercely upon the intruder.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, threatening Guph with his club.

"I've come to see the First and Foremost Phanfasm of Phantastico,"replied the General, who did not like the way this creature looked athim, but still was not afraid.

"Ah; you shall see him!" the man said, with a sneering laugh. "TheFirst and Foremost shall decide upon the best way to punish you."

"He will not punish me," returned Guph, calmly, "for I have come hereto do him and his people a rare favor. Lead on, fellow, and take medirectly to your master."

The owl-man raised his club with a threatening gesture.

"If you try to escape," he said, "beware--"

But here the General interrupted him.

"Spare your threats," said he, "and do not be impertinent, or I willhave you severely punished. Lead on, and keep silent!"

This Guph was really a clever rascal, and it seems a pity he was sobad, for in a good cause he might have accomplished much. He realizedthat he had put himself into a dangerous position by coming to thisdreadful mountain, but he also knew that if he showed fear he waslost. So he adopted a bold manner as his best defense. The wisdom ofthis plan was soon evident, for the Phanfasm with the owl's headturned and led the way up the mountain.

At the very top was a level plain upon which were heaps of rock thatat first glance seemed solid. But on looking closer Guph discoveredthat these rock heaps were dwellings, for each had an opening.

Not a person was to be seen outside the rock huts. All was silent.

The owl-man led the way among the groups of dwellings to one standingin the center. It seemed no better and no worse than any of theothers. Outside the entrance to this rock heap the guide gave a lowwail that sounded like "Lee-ow-ah!"

Suddenly there bounded from the opening another hairy man. This onewore the head of a bear. In his hand he bore a brass hoop. He glaredat the stranger in evident surprise.

"Why have you captured this foolish wanderer and brought him here?"he demanded, addressing the owl-man.

"I did not capture him," was the answer. "He passed the scarletalligator and came here of his own free will and accord."

The First and Foremost looked at the General.

"Have you tired of life, then?" he asked.

"No indeed," answered Guph. "I am a Nome, and the Chief General ofKing Roquat the Red's great army of Nomes. I come of a long-livedrace, and I may say that I expect to live a long time yet. Sit down,you Phanfasms--if you can find a seat in this wild haunt--and listento what I have to say."

With all his knowledge and bravery General Guph did not know that thesteady glare from the bear eyes was reading his inmost thoughts assurely as if they had been put into words. He did not know that thesedespised rock heaps of the Phanfasms were merely deceptions to his owneyes, nor could he guess that he was standing in the midst of one ofthe most splendid and luxurious cities ever built by magic power. Allthat he saw was a barren waste of rock heaps, a hairy man with anowl's head and another with a bear's head. The sorcery of thePhanfasms permitted him to see no more.

Suddenly the First and Foremost swung his brass hoop and caught Gupharound the neck with it. The next instant, before the General couldthink what had happened to him, he was dragged inside the rock hut.Here, his eyes still blinded to realities, he perceived only a dimlight, by which the hut seemed as rough and rude inside as it wasoutside. Yet he had a strange feeling that many bright eyes werefastened upon him and that he stood in a vast and extensive hall.

The First and Foremost now laughed grimly and released his prisoner.

"If you have anything to say that is interesting," he remarked,"speak out ,before I strangle you."

So Guph spoke out. He tried not to pay any attention to a strangerustling sound that he heard, as of an unseen multitude drawing near tolisten to his words. His eyes could see only the fierce bear-man, andto him he addressed his speech. First he told of his plan to conquerthe Land of Oz and plunder the country of its riches and enslave itspeople, who, being fairies, could not be killed. After relating allthis, and telling of the tunnel the Nome King was building, he said hehad come to ask the First and Foremost to join the Nomes, with his bandof terrible warriors, and help them to defeat the Oz people.

The General spoke very earnestly and impressively, but when he hadfinished the bear-man began to laugh as if much amused, and his laughterseemed to be echoed by a chorus of merriment from an unseen multitude.Then, for the first time, Guph began to feel a trifle worried.

"Who else has promised to help you?" finally asked the First and Foremost.

"The Whimsies," replied the General.

Again the bear-headed Phanfasm laughed.

"Any others?" he inquired.

"Only the Growleywogs," said Guph.

This answer set the First and Foremost laughing anew.

"What share of the spoils am I to have?" was the next question.

"Anything you like, except King Roquat's Magic Belt," replied Guph.

At this the Phanfasm set up a roar of laughter, which had its echo inthe unseen chorus, and the bear-man seemed so amused that he actuallyrolled upon the ground and shouted with merriment.

"Oh, these blind and foolish Nomes!" he said. "How big they seem tothemselves and how small they really are!"

Suddenly he arose and seized Guph's neck with one hairy paw, dragginghim out of the hut into the open.

Here he gave a curious wailing cry, and, as if in answer, from all therocky huts on the mountain-top came flocking a horde of Phanfasms, allwith hairy bodies, but wearing heads of various animals, birds andreptiles. All were ferocious and repulsive-looking to the deceivedeyes of the Nome, and Guph could not repress a shudder of disgust ashe looked upon them.

The First and Foremost slowly raised his arms, and in a twinkling hishairy skin fell from him and he appeared before the astonished Nomeas a beautiful woman, clothed in a flowing gown of pink gauze. In herdark hair flowers were entwined, and her face was noble and calm.

At the same instant the entire band of Phanfasms was transformed intoa pack of howling wolves, running here and there as they snarled andshowed their ugly yellow fangs.

The woman now raised her arms, even as the man-bear had done, and ina twinkling the wolves became crawling lizards, while she herselfchanged into a huge butterfly.

Guph had only time to cry out in fear and take a step backward toavoid the lizards when another transformation occurred, and allreturned instantly to the forms they had originally worn.

Then the First and Foremost, who had resumed his hairy body andbear head, turned to the Nome and asked

"Do you still demand our assistance?"

"More than ever," answered the General, firmly.

"Then tell me: what can you offer the Phanfasms that they have notalready?" inquired the First and Foremost.

Guph hesitated. He really did not know what to say. The Nome King'svaunted Magic Belt seemed a poor thing compared to the astonishingmagical powers of these people. Gold, jewels and slaves they mightsecure in any quantity without especial effort. He felt that he wasdealing with powers greatly beyond him. There was but one argumentthat might influence the Phanfasms, who were creatures of evil.

"Permit me to call your attention to the exquisite joy of making thehappy unhappy," said he at last. "Consider the pleasure of destroyinginnocent and harmless people."

"Ah! you have answered me," cried the First and Foremost. "For thatreason alone we will aid you. Go home, and tell your bandy-legged kingthat as soon as his tunnel is finished the Phanfasms will be with himand lead his legions to the conquest of Oz. The deadly desert alonehas kept us from destroying Oz long ago, and your underground tunnelis a clever thought. Go home, and prepare for our coming!"

Guph was very glad to be permitted to go with this promise. The owl-manled him back down the mountain path and ordered the scarlet alligator tocrawl away and allow the Nome to cross the bridge in safety.

After the visitor had gone a brilliant and gorgeous city appeared uponthe mountain top, clearly visible to the eyes of the gaily dressedmultitude of Phanfasms that lived there. And the First and Foremost,beautifully arrayed, addressed the others in these words:

"It is time we went into the world and brought sorrow and dismay toits people. Too long have we remained for ourselves upon thismountain top, for while we are thus secluded many nations have grownhappy and prosperous, and the chief joy of the race of Phanfasms is todestroy happiness. So I think it is lucky that this messenger fromthe Nomes arrived among us just now, to remind us that the opportunityhas come for us to make trouble. We will use King Roquat's tunnel toconquer the Land of Oz. Then we will destroy the Whimsies, theGrowleywogs and the Nomes, and afterward go out to ravage and annoyand grieve the whole world."

The multitude of evil Phanfasms eagerly applauded this plan,which they fully approved.

I am told that the Erbs are the most powerful and merciless of allthe evil spirits, and the Phanfasms of Phantastico belong to therace of Erbs.