"That was better than fighting," said Ozma, when all our friends were assembled in the palace after the exciting events of the morning; and each and every one agreed with her.

 

"No one was hurt," said the Wizard, delightedly.

 

"And no one hurt us," added Aunt Em.

 

"But, best of all," said Dorothy, "the wicked people have all forgotten their wickedness, and will not wish to hurt any one after this."

 

"True, Princess," declared the Shaggy Man. "It seems to me that to have reformed all those evil characters is more important than to have saved Oz."

 

"Nevertheless," remarked the Scarecrow, "I am glad Oz is saved. I can now go back to my new mansion¹ and live happily."

 

"And I am glad and grateful that my pumpkin² farm is saved," said Jack³.

 

"For my part," added the Tin Woodman, "I cannot express my joy that my lovely tin castle is not to be demolished⁴ by wicked enemies."

 

"Still," said Tiktok, "o-ther en-e-mies may come to Oz some day."

 

"Why do you allow your clock-work brains to interrupt our joy?" asked Omby Amby, frowning at the machine man.

 

"I say what I am wound up to say," answered Tiktok.

 

"And you are right," declared Ozma. "I myself have been thinking of this very idea, and it seems to me there are entirely⁵ too many ways for people to get to the Land of Oz. We used to think the deadly desert that surrounds us was enough protection; but that is no longer the case. The Wizard and Dorothy have both come here through the air, and I am told the earth people have invented airships that can fly anywhere they wish them to go."

 

"Why, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't," asserted Dorothy.

 

"But in time the airships may cause us trouble," continued Ozma, "for if the earth folk learn how to manage them we would be overrun with visitors who would ruin our lovely,

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