The Army of Glinda the Good looked very grand and imposing when it assembledat daybreak before the palace gates. The uniforms of the girl soldiers werepretty and of gay colors, and their silver-tipped spears were bright andglistening, the long shafts being inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All theofficers wore sharp, gleaming swords, and shields edged with peacock-feathers; and it really seemed that no foe could by any possibility defeatsuch a brilliant army.

The Sorceress rode in a beautiful palanquin which was like the body of acoach, having doors andwindows with silken curtains; but instead of wheels, which a coach has, thepalanquin rested upon two long, horizontal bars, which were borne upon theshoulders of twelve servants.

The Scarecrow and his comrades decided to ride in the Gump, in order to keepup with the swift march of the army; so, as soon as Glinda had started andher soldiers had marched away to the inspiring strains of music played bythe royal band, our friends climbed into the sofas and followed. The Gumpflew along slowly at a point directly over the palanquin in which rode theSorceress.

"Be careful," said theTin Woodman to the Scarecrow, who was leaning far over the side to look atthe army below. "You might fall."

"It wouldn't matter," remarked the educated Woggle-Bug. "he can't get brokeso long as he is stuffed with money."

"Didn't I ask you" began Tip, in a reproachful voice.

"You did!" said the Woggle-Bug, promptly. "And I beg your pardon. I willreally try to restrain myself."

"You'd better," declared the boy. "That is, if you wish to travel in ourcompany."

"Ah! I couldn't bear to part with you now," murmured the Insect, feelingly;so Tip let the subject drop.

The army moved steadily on, but night had fallen before they came to thewalls of the Emerald City. By the dim light of the new moon, however,Glinda's forces silently surrounded the city and pitched their tents ofscarlet silk upon the greensward. The tent of the Sorceress was larger thanthe others, and was composed of pure white silk, with scarlet banners flyingabove it. A tent was also pitched for the Scarecrow's party; and when thesepreparations had been made, with military precision and quickness, the armyretired to rest.

Great was the amazement of Queen Jinjur next morning when her soldiers camerunning to inform her of the vast army surrounding them. She at once climbedto a high tower of the royal palace and saw banners waving in everydirection and the great white tent of Glinda standing directly before thegates.

"We are surely lost!" cried Jinjur, in despair; "for how can our knitting-needles avail against the long spears and terrible swords of our foes?"

"The best thing we can do," said one of the girls, "is to surrender asquickly as possible, before we get hurt."

"Not so," returned Jinjur, more bravely. "The enemy is still outside thewalls, so we must try to gain time by engaging them in parley. Go you with aflag of truce to Glinda and ask her why she has dared to invade mydominions, and what are her demands."

So the girl passed through the gates, bearing a white flag to show she wason a mission of peace, and came to Glinda's tent. "Tell your Queen," saidthe Sorceress to the girl, "that she must deliver up to me old Mombi, to bemy prisoner. If this is done I will not molest her farther."

Now when this message was delivered to the Queen it filled her with dismay,for Mombi was her chief counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly afraid of theold hag. But she sent for Mombi, and told her what Glinda had said.

"I see trouble ahead for all of us," muttered the old witch, after glancinginto a magic mirror she carried in her pocket. "But we may even yet escapeby deceiving this sorceress, clever as she thinks herself."

"Don't you think it will be safer for me to deliver you into her hands?"asked Jinjur, nervously.

"If you do, it will cost you the throne of the Emerald City!" answered thewitch, positively. "But if you will let me have my own way, I can save usboth very easily."

"Then do as you please," replied Jinjur, "for it is so aristocratic to be aQueen that I do not wish to be obliged to return home again, to make bedsand wash dishes for my mother."

So Mombi called Jellia Jamb to her, and performed a certain magical ritewith which she was familiar. As a result of the enchantment Jellia took onthe form and features of Mombi, while the old witch grew to resemble thegirl so closely that it seemed impossible anyone could guess the deception.

"Now," said old Mombi to the Queen, "let your soldiers deliver up this girlto Glinda. She will think she has the real Mombi in her power, and so willreturn immediately to her own country in the South."

Therefore Jellia, hobbling along like an agedwoman, was led from the city gates and taken before Glinda.

"Here is the person you demanded," said one of the guards, "and our Queennow begs you will go away, as you promised, and leave us in peace."

"That I will surely do," replied Glinda, much pleased; "if this is reallythe person she seems to be."

"It is certainly old Mombi," said the guard, who believed she was speakingthe truth; and then Jinjur's soldiers returned within the city's gates.

The Sorceress quickly summoned the Scarecrow and his friends to her tent,and began to question the supposed Mombi about the lost girl Ozma. ButJellia knew nothing at all of this affair, and presently she grew so nervousunder the questioning that she gave way and began to weep, to Glinda's greatastonishment.

"Here is some foolish trickery!" said the Sorceress, her eyes flashing withanger. "This is not Mombi at all, but some other person who has been made toresemble her! Tell me," she demanded, turning to the trembling girl, "whatis your name?"

This Jellia dared not tell, having been threatened with death by the witchif she confessed the fraud. But Glinda, sweet and fair though she was,understood magic better than any other person in the Land of Oz. So, byuttering a few potent words and making a peculiar gesture, she quicklytransformed the girl into her proper shape, while at the same time oldMombi, far away in Jinjur's palace, suddenly resumed her own crooked formand evil features.

"Why, it's Jellia Jamb!" cried the Scarecrow, recognizing in the girl one ofhis old friends.

"It's our interpreter!" said the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.

Then Jellia was forced to tell of the trick Mombi

had played and she also begged Glinda's protection, which the Sorceressreadily granted. But Glinda was now really angry, and sent word to Jinjurthat the fraud was discovered and she must deliver up the real Mombi orsuffer terrible consequences. Jinjur was prepared for this message, for thewitch well understood, when her natural form was thrust upon her, thatGlinda had discovered her trickery. But the wicked old creature had alreadythought up a new deception, and had made Jinjur promise to carry it out. Sothe Queen said to Glinda's messenger:

"Tell your mistress that I cannot find Mombi anywhere, but that Glinda iswelcome to enter thecity and search herself for the old woman. She may also bring her friendswith her, if she likes; but if she does not find Mombi by sundown, theSorceress must promise to go away peaceably and bother us no more."

Glinda agreed to these terms, well knowing that Mombi was somewhere withinthe city walls. So Jinjur caused the gates to be thrown open, and Glindamarched in at the head of a company of soldiers, followed by the Scarecrowand the Tin Woodman, while Jack Pumpkinhead rode astride the Saw-Horse, andthe Educated, Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug sauntered behind in a dignifiedmanner. Tip walked by the side of the Sorceress, for Glinda had conceived agreat liking for the boy.

Of course old Mombi had no intention of being found by Glinda; so, while herenemies were marching up the street, the witch transformed herself into ared rose growing upon a bush in the garden of the palace. It was a cleveridea, and a trick Glinda did not suspect; so several precious hours werespent in a vain search for Mombi.

As sundown approached the Sorceress realized she had been defeated by thesuperior cunning of the aged witch; so she gave the command to her people tomarch out of the city and back to their tents.

The Scarecrow and his comrades happened to besearching in the garden of the palace just then, and they turned withdisappointment to obey Glinda's command. But before they left the garden theTin Woodman, who was fond of flowers, chanced to espy a big red rose growingupon a bush; so he plucked the flower and fastened it securely in the tinbuttonhole of his tin bosom.

As he did this he fancied he heard a low moan proceed from the rose; but hepaid no attention to the sound, and Mombi was thus carried out of the cityand into Glinda's camp without anyone having a suspicion that they hadsucceeded in their quest.