Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army ofOogaboo, led by their ambitious Queen, wasdetermined to conquer her Kingdom. The beautifulgirl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of hersubjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforthand her disloyal plans. But there was one whoconstantly guarded the peace and happiness of theLand of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress ofthe Kingdom, Glinda the Good.

In her magnificent castle, which stands farnorth of the Emerald City where Ozma holds hercourt, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record Book,in which is printed every event that takes placeanywhere, just as soon as it happens.

The smallest things and the biggest things areall recorded in this book. If a child stamps itsfoot in anger, Glinda reads about it; if a cityburns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in herbook.

The Sorceress always reads her Record Book everyday, and so it was she knew that Ann Soforth,Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an armyof sixteen officers and one private soldier, withwhich she intended to invade and conquer the Landof Or.

There was no danger but that Ozma, supported bythe magic arts of Glinda the Good and the powerfulWizard of Oz--both her firm friends--could easilydefeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; but itwould be a shame to have the peace of Ozinterrupted by any sort of quarreling or fighting.So Glinda did not even mention the matter to Ozma,or to anyone else. She merely went into a greatchamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room,where she performed a magical ceremony whichcaused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo tomake several turns and twists. The result was thatwhen Ann and her army came to the end of the passthey were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in anadjoining territory that was quite distinct fromOzma's domain and separated from Oz by aninvisible barrier.

As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country,the pass they had traversed disappeared behindthem and it was not likely they would ever findtheir way back into the valley of Oogaboo. Theywere greatly puzzled, indeed, by theirsurroundings and did not know which way to go.None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took themsome time to discover they were not in Oz at all,but in an unknown country.

"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal herdisappointment; "we have started out to conquerthe world, and here is part of it. In time, as wepursue our victorious journey, we will doubtlesscome to Oz; but, until we get there, we may aswell conquer whatever land we find ourselves in."

"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?"anxiously inquired Major Cake.

"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met nopeople, as yet, but when we do, we will informthem that they are our slaves."

"And afterward we will plunder them of alltheir possessions," added General Apple.

"They may not possess anything," objectedPrivate Files; "but I hope they will fight us,just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be anyfun at all."

"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight,whether our foes do or not; and perhaps we wouldfind it more comfortable to have the enemysurrender promptly."

It was a barren country and not very pleasant totravel in. Moreover, there was little for them toeat, and as the officers became hungry they becamefretful. Many would have deserted had they beenable to find their way home, but as the Oogaboopeople were now hopelessly lost in a strangecountry they considered it more safe to keeptogether than to separate.

Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, becamesharp and irritable as she and her army trampedover the rocky roads without encountering eitherpeople or plunder. She scolded her officers untilthey became surly, and a few of them were disloyalenough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others beganto reproach her for leading them into difficultiesand in the space of three unhappy days every manwas mourning for his orchard in the pretty valleyof Oogaboo.

Files, however, proved a different sort. Themore difficulties he encountered the more cheerfulhe became, and the sighs of the officers wereanswered by the merry whistle of the Private. Hispleasant disposition did much to encourage QueenAnn and before long she consulted the PrivateSoldier more often than she did his superiors.

It was on the third day of their pilgrimagethat they encountered their first adventure.Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkenedand Major Nails exclaimed:

"A fog is coming toward us."

"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files,looking with interest at the approaching cloud."It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak."

"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking aboutfearfully.

"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite,"answered the soldier, growing a little paler thanusual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be sure, but Ihave read of them in the story-books that grew inmy orchard, and if this is indeed one of thosefearful monsters, we are not likely to conquer theworld."

Hearing this, the officers became quite worriedand gathered closer about their soldier.

"What is the thing like?" asked one.

"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in abook was rather blurred," said Files, "because thebook was not quite ripe when it was picked. Butthe creature can fly in the air and run like adeer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is aglowing furnace of fire, and the Rak breathes inair and breathes out smoke, which darkens the skyfor miles around, wherever it goes. It is biggerthan a hundred men and feeds on any living thing."

The officers now began to groan and to tremble,but Files tried to cheer them, saying:

"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we seeapproaching us, and you must not forget that wepeople of Oogaboo, which is part of the fairylandof Oz, cannot be killed."

"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if theRak catches us, and chews us up into small pieces,and swallows us--what will happen then?"

"Then each small piece will still be alive,"declared Files.

"I cannot see how that would help us," wailedColonel Banjo. "A hamburger steak is a hamburgersteak, whether it is alive or not!"

"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persistedFiles. "We will know, when the cloud gets nearer,whether it is the breath of a Rak or not. If ithas no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but Ifit has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak andwe must prepare for a desperate fight."

They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Beforelong it reached the frightened group and beganto envelop them. Every nose sniffed the cloud--and every one detected in it the odor of salt andpepper.

"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with ahowl of despair the sixteen officers fell to theground, writhing and moaning in anguish.Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced thecloud more bravely, although her heart was beatingfast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his gunand stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldiershould.

They were now in absolute darkness, for thecloud which covered the sky and the setting sunwas black as ink. Then through the gloom appearedtwo round, glowing balls of red, and Files at oncedecided these must be the monster's eyes.

He raised his gun, took aim and fired.

There were several bullets in the gun, allgathered from an excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo,and they were big and hard. They flew toward themonster and struck it, and with a wild, weird crythe Rak came fluttering down and its huge bodyfell plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers,who thereupon screamed louder than before.

"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See whatyou've done with that dangerous gun of yours!"

"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloudformed by your breath darkens my sight!"

"Don't tell me it was an accident," continuedthe Rak, reproachfully, as it still flapped itswings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim youdidn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!"

"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did thebullets hurt you very badly?"

"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't openmy mouth. You will notice that my voice soundsrather harsh and husky, because I have to talkwith my teeth set close together. Another bulletbroke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and stillanother broke my right leg, so that I can't walk.It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!"

"Can't you manage to lift your body off frommy commanding officers?" inquired Files. "Fromtheir cries I'm afraid your great weight iscrushing them."

"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want tocrush them, if possible, for I have a baddisposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'deat all of you, although my appetite is poorlythis warm weather."

With this the Rak began to roll its immensebody sidewise, so as to crush the officers moreeasily; but in doing this it rolled completely offfrom them and the entire sixteen scrambled totheir feet and made off as fast as they could run.

Private Files could not see them go but heknew from the sound of their voices that they hadescaped, so he ceased to worry about them.

"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," hesaid to the Rak. "The parting is caused by ourdesire to continue our journey. If you die, donot blame me, for I was obliged to shoot youas a matter of self-protection."

"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for Ibear a charmed life. But I beg you not to leaveme!"

"Why not?" asked Files.

"Because my broken jaw will heal in about anhour, and then I shall be able to eat you. My wingwill heal in a day and my leg will heal in a week,when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot me,and so caused me all this annoyance, it is onlyfair and just that you remain here and allow me toeat you as soon as I can open my jaws."

"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldierfirmly. "I have made an engagement with QueenAnn of Oogaboo to help her conquer the world,and I cannot break my word for the sake of beingeaten by a Rak."

"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "Ifyou've an engagement, don't let me detain you."

So Files felt around in the dark and graspedthe hand of the trembling Queen, whom he ledaway from the flapping, sighing Rak. Theystumbled over the stones for a way but presentlybegan to see dimly the path ahead of them, asthey got farther and farther away from thedreadful spot where the wounded monster lay.By and by they reached a little hill and couldsee the last rays of the sun flooding a prettyvalley beyond, for now they had passed beyondthe cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddledthe sixteen officers, still frightened and pantingfrom their run. They had halted only becauseit was impossible for them to run any farther.

Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding fortheir cowardice, at the same time praising Filesfor his courage.

"We are wiser than he, however," mutteredGeneral Clock, "for by running away we arenow able to assist Your Majesty in conqueringthe world; whereas, had Files been eaten by theRak, he would have deserted your Army."

After a brief rest they descended into thevalley, and as soon as they were out of sight ofthe Rak the spirits of the entire party rosequickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, onthe banks of which Queen Ann commandedthem to make camp for the night.

Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny whitetent. This, when placed upon the ground, quicklygrew in size until it was large enough to permitthe owner to enter it and sleep within its canvaswalls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, inwhich was not only his own tent but an elaboratepavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chairand a magic table. This table, when set upon theground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size,and in a drawer of the table was contained theQueen's supply of extra clothing, her manicure andtoilet articles and other necessary things. Theroyal bed was the only one in the camp, theofficers and private sleeping in hammocks attachedto their tent poles.

There was also in the knapsack a flag bearingthe royal emblem of Oogaboo, and this flag Filesflew upon its staff every night, to show that thecountry they were in had been conquered by theQueen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselveshad seen the flag, but Ann was pleased to see itflutter in the breeze and considered herselfalready a famous conqueror.