Tip was so anxious to rejoin his man Jack and the Saw-Horse that he walked afull half the distance to the Emerald City without stopping to rest. Then hediscovered that he was hungry and the crackers and cheese he had providedfor the Journey had all been eaten.

While wondering what he should do in this emergency he came upon a girlsitting by the roadside. She wore a costume that struck the boy as beingremarkably brilliant: her silken waist being of emerald green and her skirtof four distinct colors -- blue in front, yellow at the left side, red atthe back and purple at the right side. Fasteningthe waist in front were four buttons -- the top one blue, the next yellow, athird red and the last purple.

The splendor of this dress was almost barbaric; so Tip was fully justifiedin staring at the gown for some moments before his eyes were attracted bythepretty face above it. Yes, the face was pretty enough, he decided; but itwore an expression of discontent coupled to a shade of defiance or audacity.

While the boy stared the girl looked upon him calmly. A lunch basket stoodbeside her, and she held a dainty sandwich in one hand and a hard-boiled eggin the other, eating with an evident appetite that aroused Tip's sympathy.

He was just about to ask a share of the luncheon when the girl stood up andbrushed the crumbs from her lap.

"There!" said she; "it is time for me to go. Carry that basket for me andhelp yourself to its contents if you are hungry."

Tip seized the basket eagerly and began to eat, following for a time thestrange girl without bothering to ask questions. She walked along before himwith swift strides, and there was about her an air of decision andimportance that led him to suspect she was some great personage.

Finally, when he had satisfied his hunger, he ran up beside her and tried tokeep pace with her swift footsteps -- a very difficult feat, for she wasmuch taller than he, and evidently in a hurry.

"Thank you very much for the sandwiches," said Tip, as he trotted along."May I ask your name?"

"I am General Jinjur," was the brief reply.

"Oh!" said the boy surprised. "What sort of a General?"

"I command the Army of Revolt in this war," answered the General, withunnecessary sharpness.

"Oh!" he again exclaimed. "I didn't know there was a war."

"You were not supposed to know it," she returned, "for we have kept it asecret; and considering that our army is composed entirely of girls," sheadded, with some pride, "it is surely a remarkable thing that our Revolt isnot yet discovered."

"It is, indeed," acknowledged Tip. "But where is your army?"

"About a mile from here," said General Jinjur. "The forces have assembledfrom all parts of the Land of Oz, at my express command. For this is the daywe are to conquer His Majesty the Scarecrow, and wrest from him the throne.The Army of Revolt only awaits my coming to march upon the Emerald City."

"Well!" declared Tip, drawing a long breath, "this is certainly a surprisingthing! May I ask why you wish to conquer His Majesty the Scarecrow?"

"Because the Emerald City has been ruled by men long enough, for onereason," said the girl.

"Moreover, the City glitters with beautiful gems, which might far better beused for rings, bracelets and necklaces; and there is enough money in theKing's treasury to buy every girl in our Army a dozen new gowns. So weintend to conquer the City and run the government to suit ourselves."

Jinjur spoke these words with an eagerness and decision that proved she wasin earnest.

"But war is a terrible thing," said Tip, thoughtfully.

"This war will be pleasant," replied the girl, cheerfully.

"Many of you will be slain!" continued the boy, in an awed voice.

"Oh, no", said Jinjur. "What man would oppose a girl, or dare to harm her?And there is not an ugly face in my entire Army."

Tip laughed.

"Perhaps you are right," said he. "But the Guardian of the Gate isconsidered a faithful Guardian, and the King's Army will not let the City beconquered without a struggle."

"The Army is old and feeble," replied General Jinjur, scornfully. "Hisstrength has all been used to grow whiskers, and his wife has such a temperthat she has already pulled more than half of themout by the roots. When the Wonderful Wizard reigned the Soldier with theGreen Whiskers was a very good Royal Army, for people feared the Wizard. Butno one is afraid of the Scarecrow, so his Royal Army don't count for much intime of war."

After this conversation they proceeded some distance in silence, and beforelong reached a large clearing in the forest where fully four hundred youngwomen were assembled. These were laughing and talking together as gaily asif they had gathered for a picnic instead of a war of conquest.

They were divided into four companies, and Tip noticed that all were dressedin costumes similar to that worn by General Jinjur. The only real differencewas that while those girls from the Munchkin country had the blue strip infront of their skirts, those from the country of the Quadlings had the redstrip in front; and those from the country of the Winkies had the yellowstrip in front, and the Gillikin girls wore the purple strip in front. Allhad green waists, representing the Emerald City they intended to conquer,and the top button on each waist indicated by its color which country thewearer came from. The uniforms were Jaunty and becoming, and quite effectivewhen massed together.

Tip thought this strange Army bore no weaponswhatever; but in this he was wrong. For each girl had stuck through the knotof her back hair two long, glittering knitting-needles.

General Jinjur immediately mounted the stump of a tree and addressed herarmy.

"Friends, fellow-citizens, and girls!" she said; "we are about to begin ourgreat Revolt against the men of Oz! We march to conquer the Emerald City --to dethrone the Scarecrow King -- to acquire thousands of gorgeous gems --to rifle the royal treasury -- and to obtain power over our formeroppressors!"

"Hurrah!" said those who had listened; but Tip thought most of the Army wastoo much engaged in chattering to pay attention to the words of the General.

The command to march was now given, and the girls formed themselves intofour bands, or companies, and set off with eager strides toward the EmeraldCity.

The boy followed after them, carrying several baskets and wraps and packageswhich various members of the Army of Revolt had placed in his care. It wasnot long before they came to the green granite walls of the City and haltedbefore the gateway.

The Guardian of the Gate at once came out and looked at them curiously, asif a circus had come to town. He carried a bunch of keys swung round hisneck by a golden chain; his hands were thrust carelessly into his pockets,and he seemed to have no idea at all that the City was threatened by rebels.Speaking pleasantly to the girls, he said:

"Good morning, my dears! What can I do for you?"

"Surrender instantly!" answered General Jinjur, standing before him andfrowning as terribly as her pretty face would allow her to.

"Surrender!" echoed the man, astounded. "Why, it's impossible. It's againstthe law! I never heard of such a thing in my life."

"Still, you must surrender!" exclaimed the General, fiercely. "We arerevolting!"

"You don't look it," said the Guardian, gazing from one to another,admiringly.

"But we are!" cried Jinjur, stamping her foot, impatiently; "and we mean toconquer the Emerald City!"

"Good gracious!" returned the surprised Guardian of the Gates; "what anonsensical idea! Go home to your mothers, my good girls, and milk the cowsand bake the bread. Don't you know it's a dangerous thing to conquer acity?"

"We are not afraid!" responded the General; and she looked so determinedthat it made the Guardian uneasy.

So he rang the bell for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, and the nextminute was sorry he had done so. For immediately he was surrounded by acrowd of girls who drew the knitting-needles from their hair and beganJabbing them at the Guardian with the sharp points dangerously near his fatcheeks and blinking eyes.

The poor man howled loudly for mercy and made no resistance when Jinjur drewthe bunch of keys from around his neck.

Followed by her Army the General now rushed

to the gateway, where she was confronted by the Royal Army of Oz -- whichwas the other name for the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.

"Halt!" he cried, and pointed his long gun full in the face of the leader.

Some of the girls screamed and ran back, but General Jinjur bravely stoodher ground and said, reproachfully:

"Why, how now? Would you shoot a poor, defenceless girl?"

"No," replied the soldier. "for my gun isn't loaded."

"Not loaded?"

"No; for fear of accidents. And I've forgotten where I hid the powder andshot to load it with. But if you'll wait a short time I'll try to hunt themup."

"Don't trouble yourself," said Jinjur, cheerfully. Then she turned to herArmy and cried:

"Girls, the gun isn't loaded!"

"Hooray," shrieked the rebels, delighted at this good news, and theyproceeded to rush upon the Soldier with the Green Whiskers in such a crowdthat it was a wonder they didn't stick the knitting-needles into oneanother.

But the Royal Army of Oz was too much afraidof women to meet the onslaught. He simply turned about and ran with all hismight through the gate and toward the royal palace, while General Jinjur andher mob flocked into the unprotected City.

In this way was the Emerald City captured without a drop of blood beingspilled. The Army of Revolt had become an Army of Conquerors!