of them would
do—and by destroying it deprive Coo-ee-oh of her magic. Then they
could easily conquer her. Also they had another reason for wanting to
catch the fish—they feared that in some way the three Adepts might
regain their proper forms and then they would be sure to return to the
mountain and punish Rora and the Su-dic. That was why Rora finally
tried to poison all the fishes in the lake, at the time Coo-ee-oh
transformed her into a Golden Pig. Of course this attempt to destroy
the fishes frightened the Queen, for her safety lies in keeping the
three fishes alive."
"I s'pose Coo-ee-oh will fight the Flatheads with all her might,"
observed Dorothy.
"And with all her magic," added Ozma, thoughtfully.
"I do not see how the Flatheads can get to this island to hurt us,"
said Lady Aurex.
"They have bows and arrows, and I guess they mean to shoot the arrows
at your big dome, and break all the glass in it," suggested Dorothy.
But Lady Aurex shook her head with a smile.
"They cannot do that," she replied.
"Why not?"
"I dare not tell you why, but if the Flatheads come to-morrow morning
you will yourselves see the reason."
"I do not think they will attempt to harm the island," Ozma declared.
"I believe they will first attempt to destroy the fishes, by poison or
some other means. If they succeed in that, the conquest of the island
will not be difficult."
"They have no boats," said Lady Aurex, "and Coo-ee-oh, who has long
expected this war, has been preparing for it in many astonishing ways.
I almost wish the Flatheads would conquer us, for then we would be free
from our dreadful Queen; but I do not wish to see the three transformed
fishes destroyed, for in them lies our only hope of future happiness."
"Ozma will take care of you, whatever happens," Dorothy assured her.
But the Lady Aurex, not knowing the extent of Ozma's power—which was,
in fact, not so great as Dorothy imagined—could not take much comfort
in this promise.
It was evident there would be exciting times on the morrow, if the
Flatheads really attacked the Skeezers of the Magic Isle.
Chapter Ten - Under Water
*
When night fell all the interior of the Great Dome, streets and houses,
became lighted with brilliant incandescent lamps, which rendered it
bright as day. Dorothy thought the island must look beautiful by night
from the outer shore of the lake. There was revelry and feasting in the
Queen's palace, and the music of the royal band could be plainly heard
in Lady Aurex's house, where Ozma and Dorothy remained with their
hostess and keeper. They were prisoners, but treated with much
consideration.
Lady Aurex gave them a nice supper and when they wished to retire
showed them to a pretty room with comfortable beds and wished them a
good night and pleasant dreams.
"What do you think of all this, Ozma?" Dorothy anxiously inquired when
they were alone.
"I am glad we came," was the reply, "for although there may be mischief
done to-morrow, it was necessary I should know about these people,
whose leaders are wild and lawless and oppress their subjects with
injustice and cruelties. My task, therefore, is to liberate the
Skeezers and the Flatheads and secure for them freedom and happiness. I
have no doubt I can accomplish this in time."
"Just now, though, we're in a bad fix," asserted Dorothy. "If Queen
Coo-ee-oh conquers to-morrow, she won't be nice to us, and if the
Su-dic conquers, he'll be worse."
"Do not worry, dear," said Ozma, "I do not think we are in danger,
whatever happens, and the result of our adventure is sure to be good."
Dorothy was not worrying, especially. She had confidence in her friend,
the fairy Princess of Oz, and she enjoyed the excitement of the events
in which she was taking part. So she crept into bed and fell asleep as
easily as if she had been in her own cosy room in Ozma's palace.
A sort of grating, grinding sound awakened her. The whole island seemed
to tremble and sway, as it might do in an earthquake. Dorothy sat up
do—and by destroying it deprive Coo-ee-oh of her magic. Then they
could easily conquer her. Also they had another reason for wanting to
catch the fish—they feared that in some way the three Adepts might
regain their proper forms and then they would be sure to return to the
mountain and punish Rora and the Su-dic. That was why Rora finally
tried to poison all the fishes in the lake, at the time Coo-ee-oh
transformed her into a Golden Pig. Of course this attempt to destroy
the fishes frightened the Queen, for her safety lies in keeping the
three fishes alive."
"I s'pose Coo-ee-oh will fight the Flatheads with all her might,"
observed Dorothy.
"And with all her magic," added Ozma, thoughtfully.
"I do not see how the Flatheads can get to this island to hurt us,"
said Lady Aurex.
"They have bows and arrows, and I guess they mean to shoot the arrows
at your big dome, and break all the glass in it," suggested Dorothy.
But Lady Aurex shook her head with a smile.
"They cannot do that," she replied.
"Why not?"
"I dare not tell you why, but if the Flatheads come to-morrow morning
you will yourselves see the reason."
"I do not think they will attempt to harm the island," Ozma declared.
"I believe they will first attempt to destroy the fishes, by poison or
some other means. If they succeed in that, the conquest of the island
will not be difficult."
"They have no boats," said Lady Aurex, "and Coo-ee-oh, who has long
expected this war, has been preparing for it in many astonishing ways.
I almost wish the Flatheads would conquer us, for then we would be free
from our dreadful Queen; but I do not wish to see the three transformed
fishes destroyed, for in them lies our only hope of future happiness."
"Ozma will take care of you, whatever happens," Dorothy assured her.
But the Lady Aurex, not knowing the extent of Ozma's power—which was,
in fact, not so great as Dorothy imagined—could not take much comfort
in this promise.
It was evident there would be exciting times on the morrow, if the
Flatheads really attacked the Skeezers of the Magic Isle.
Chapter Ten - Under Water
*
When night fell all the interior of the Great Dome, streets and houses,
became lighted with brilliant incandescent lamps, which rendered it
bright as day. Dorothy thought the island must look beautiful by night
from the outer shore of the lake. There was revelry and feasting in the
Queen's palace, and the music of the royal band could be plainly heard
in Lady Aurex's house, where Ozma and Dorothy remained with their
hostess and keeper. They were prisoners, but treated with much
consideration.
Lady Aurex gave them a nice supper and when they wished to retire
showed them to a pretty room with comfortable beds and wished them a
good night and pleasant dreams.
"What do you think of all this, Ozma?" Dorothy anxiously inquired when
they were alone.
"I am glad we came," was the reply, "for although there may be mischief
done to-morrow, it was necessary I should know about these people,
whose leaders are wild and lawless and oppress their subjects with
injustice and cruelties. My task, therefore, is to liberate the
Skeezers and the Flatheads and secure for them freedom and happiness. I
have no doubt I can accomplish this in time."
"Just now, though, we're in a bad fix," asserted Dorothy. "If Queen
Coo-ee-oh conquers to-morrow, she won't be nice to us, and if the
Su-dic conquers, he'll be worse."
"Do not worry, dear," said Ozma, "I do not think we are in danger,
whatever happens, and the result of our adventure is sure to be good."
Dorothy was not worrying, especially. She had confidence in her friend,
the fairy Princess of Oz, and she enjoyed the excitement of the events
in which she was taking part. So she crept into bed and fell asleep as
easily as if she had been in her own cosy room in Ozma's palace.
A sort of grating, grinding sound awakened her. The whole island seemed
to tremble and sway, as it might do in an earthquake. Dorothy sat up
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