Princess Ozma considered the situation gravely. Thenshe tied her handkerchief to her wand and, standing atthe water's edge, waved the handkerchief like a flag,as a signal. For a time they could observe no response.

"I don't see what good that will do," said Dorothy."Even if the Skeezers are on that island and see us,and know we're friends, they haven't any boats to comeand get us."

But the Skeezers didn't need boats, as the girls soondiscovered. For on a sudden an opening appeared at thebase of the palace and from the opening came a slendershaft of steel, reaching out slowly but steadily acrossthe water in the direction of the place where theystood. To the girls this steel arrangement looked likea triangle, with the base nearest the water. It cametoward them in the form of an arch, stretching out fromthe palace wall until its end reached the bank andrested there, while the other end still remained on theisland.

Then they saw that it was a bridge, consisting of asteel footway just broad enough to walk on, and twoslender guide rails, one on either side, which wereconnected with the footway by steel bars. The bridgelooked rather frail and Dorothy feared it would notbear their weight, but Ozma at once called, "Come on!"and started to walk across, holding fast to the rail oneither side. So Dorothy summoned her courage andfollowed after. Before Ozma had taken three steps shehalted and so forced Dorothy to halt, for the bridgewas again moving and returning to the island.

"We need not walk after all," said Ozma. So theystood still in their places and let the steel bridgedraw them onward. Indeed, the bridge drew them wellinto the glass-domed building which covered the island,and soon they found themselves standing in a marbleroom where two handsomely dressed young men stood on aplatform to receive them.

Ozma at once stepped from the end of the bridge tothe marble platform, followed by Dorothy, and then thebridge disappeared with a slight clang of steel and amarble slab covered the opening from which it hademerged.

The two young men bowed profoundly to Ozma, and oneof them said:

"Queen Coo-ee-oh bids you welcome, O Strangers. HerMajesty is waiting to receive you in her palace."

"Lead on," replied Ozma with dignity.

But instead of "leading on," the platform of marblebegan to rise, carrying them upward through a squarehole above which just fitted it. A moment later theyfound themselves within the great glass dome thatcovered almost all of the island.

Within this dome was a little village, with houses,streets, gardens and parks. The houses were of coloredmarbles, prettily designed, with many stained-glasswindows, and the streets and gardens seemed well caredfor. Exactly under the center of the lofty dome was asmall park filled with brilliant flowers, with anelaborate fountain, and facing this park stood abuilding larger and more imposing than the others.Toward this building the young men escorted Ozma andDorothy.

On the streets and in the doorways or open windows ofthe houses were men, women and children, all richlydressed. These were much like other people in differentparts of the Land of Oz, except that instead of seemingmerry and contented they all wore expressions of muchsolemnity or of nervous irritation. They had beautifulhomes, splendid clothes, and ample food, but Dorothy atonce decided something was wrong with their lives andthat they were not happy. She said nothing, however,but looked curiously at the Skeezers.

At the entrance of the palace Ozma and Dorothy weremet by two other young men, in uniform and armed withqueer weapons that seemed about halfway between pistolsand guns, but were like neither. Their conductors bowedand left them, and the two in uniforms led the girlsinto the palace.

In a beautiful throne room, surrounded by a dozen ormore young men and women, sat the Queen of theSkeezers, Coo-ee-oh. She was a girl who looked olderthan Ozma or Dorothy -- fifteen or sixteen, at least --and although she was elaborately dressed as if she weregoing to a ball she was too thin and plain of featureto be pretty. But evidently Queen Coo-ee-oh did notrealize this fact, for her air and manner betrayed heras proud and haughty and with a high regard for her ownimportance. Dorothy at once decided she was "snippy"and that she would not like Queen Coo-ee-oh as acompanion.

The Queen's hair was as black as her skin was whiteand her eyes were black, too. The eyes, as she calmlyexamined Ozma and Dorothy, had a suspicious andunfriendly look in them, but she said quietly:

"I know who you are, for I have consulted my MagicOracle, which told me that one calls herself PrincessOzma, the Ruler of all the Land of Oz, and the other isPrincess Dorothy of Oz, who came from a country calledKansas. I know nothing of the Land of Oz, and I knownothing of Kansas."

"Why, this is the Land of Oz!" cried Dorothy. "It's apart of the Land of Oz, anyhow, whether you know it ornot."

"Oh, in-deed!" answered Queen Coo-ee-oh, scornfully."I suppose you will claim next that this Princess Ozma,ruling the Land of Oz, rules me!"

"Of course," returned Dorothy. "There's no doubt ofit."

The Queen turned to Ozma.

"Do you dare make such a claim?" she asked.

By this time Ozma had made up her mind as to thecharacter of this haughty and disdainful creature,whose self-pride evidently led her to believe herselfsuperior to all others.

"I did not come here to quarrel with your Majesty,"said the girl Ruler of Oz, quietly. "What and who I amis well established, and my authority comes from theFairy Queen Lurline, of whose band I was a member whenLurline made all Oz a Fairyland. There are severalcountries and several different peoples in this broadland, each of which has its separate rulers, Kings,Emperors and Queens. But all these render obedience tomy laws and acknowledge me as the supreme Ruler."

"If other Kings and Queens are fools that does notinterest me in the least," replied Coo-ee-oh,disdainfully. "In the Land of the Skeezers I alone amsupreme. You are impudent to think I would defer to you-- or to anyone else."

"Let us not speak of this now, please," answeredOzma. "Your island is in danger, for a powerful foe ispreparing to destroy it."

"Pah! The Flatheads. I do not fear them."

"Their Supreme Dictator is a Sorcerer."

"My magic is greater than his. Let the Flatheadscome! They will never return to their barren mountain-top. I will see to that."

Ozma did not like this attitude, for it meant thatthe Skeezers were eager to fight the Flatheads, andOzma's object in coming here was to prevent fightingand induce the two quarrelsome neighbors to make peace.She was also greatly disappointed in Coo-ee-oh, for thereports of Su-dic had led her to imagine the Queen morejust and honorable than were the Flatheads. Indeed Ozmareflected that the girl might be better at heart thanher self-pride and overbearing manner indicated, and inany event it would be wise not to antagonize her but totry to win her friendship.

"I do not like wars, your Majesty," said Ozma. "Inthe Emerald City, where I rule thousands of people, andin the countries near to the Emerald City, wherethousands more acknowledge my rule, there is no army atall, because there is no quarreling and no need tofight. If differences arise between my people, theycome to me and I judge the cases and award justice toall. So, when I learned there might be war between twofaraway people of Oz, I came here to settle the disputeand adjust the quarrel."

"No one asked you to come," declared Queen Coo-ee-oh."It is my business to settle this dispute, not yours.You say my island is a part of the Land of Oz, whichyou rule, but that is all nonsense, for I've neverheard of the Land of Oz, nor of you. You say you are afairy, and that fairies gave you command over me. Idon't believe it! What I do believe is that you are animpostor and have come here to stir up trouble among mypeople, who are already becoming difficult to manage.You two girls may even be spies of the vile Flatheads,for all I know, and may be trying to trick me. Butunderstand this," she added, proudly rising from herjeweled throne to confront them, "I have magic powersgreater than any fairy possesses, and greater than anyFlathead possesses. I am a Krumbic Witch -- the onlyKrumbic Witch in the world -- and I fear the magic ofno other creature that exists! You say you rulethousands. I rule one hundred and one Skeezers. Butevery one of them trembles at my word. Now that Ozma ofOz and Princess Dorothy are here, I shall rule onehundred and three subjects, for you also shall bowbefore my power. More than that, in ruling you I alsorule the thousands you say you rule."

Dorothy was very indignant at this speech.

"I've got a pink kitten that sometimes talks likethat," she said, "but after I give her a good whippingshe doesn't think she's so high and mighty after all.If you only knew who Ozma is you'd be scared to deathto talk to her like that!"

Queen Coo-ee-oh gave the girl a supercilious look.Then she turned again to Ozma.

"I happen to know," said she, "that the Flatheadsintend to attack us tomorrow, but we are ready forthem. Until the battle is over, I shall keep you twostrangers prisoners on my island, from which there isno chance for you to escape."

She turned and looked around the band of courtierswho stood silently around her throne.

"Lady Aurex," she continued, singling out one of theyoung women, "take these children to your house andcare for them, giving them food and lodging. You mayallow them to wander anywhere under the Great Dome, forthey are harmless. After I have attended to theFlatheads I will consider what next to do with thesefoolish girls."

She resumed her seat and the Lady Aurex bowed low andsaid in a humble manner:

"I obey your Majesty's commands." Then to Ozma andDorothy she added, "Follow me," and turned to leave thethrone room.

Dorothy looked to see what Ozma would do. To hersurprise and a little to her disappointment Ozma turnedand followed Lady Aurex. So Dorothy trailed after them,but not without giving a parting, haughty look towardQueen Coo-ee-oh, who had her face turned the other wayand did not see the disapproving look