The Witch was at first frightened at finding herself captured by the enemy;but soon she decided that she was exactly as safe in the Tin Woodman'sbutton-hole as growing upon the bush. For no one knew the rose and Mombi tobe one, and now that she was without the gates of the City her chances ofescaping altogether from Glinda were much improved.

"But there is no hurry," thought Mombi. "I will wait awhile and enjoy thehumiliation of this Sorceress when she finds I have outwitted her." Sothroughout the night the rose lay quietly on the Woodman's bosom, and in themorning, when Glinda summoned our friends to a consultation, Nick Choppercarried his pretty flower with him to the white silk tent.

"For some reason," said Glinda, "we have failed to find this cunning oldMombi; so I fear our expedition will prove a failure. And for that I amsorry, because without our assistance little Ozma will never be rescued andrestored to her rightful position as Queen of the Emerald City"

"Do not let us give up so easily," said the Pumpkinhead. "Let us dosomething else."

"Something else must really be done," replied Glinda, with a smile. "yet Icannot understand how I have been defeated so easily by an old Witch whoknows far less of magic than I do myself."

"While we are on the ground I believe it would be wise for us to conquer theEmerald City for Princess Ozma, and find the girl afterward," said theScarecrow." And while the girl remains hidden I will gladly rule in herplace, for I understand the business of ruling much better than Jinjurdoes."

"But I have promised not to molest Jinjur," objected Glinda.

"Suppose you all return with me to my kingdom -- or Empire, rather," saidthe Tin Woodman, politely including the entire party in a royal wave of hisarm. "It will give me great pleasure to entertain you in my castle, wherethere is room enough and to spare. And if any of you wish to be nickel-plated, my valet will do it free of all expense."

While the Woodman was speaking Glinda's eyes had been noting the rose in hisbutton-hole, and now she imagined she saw the big red leaves of the flowertremble slightly. This quickly aroused her suspicions, and in a moment morethe Sorceress had decided that the seeming rose was nothing else than atransformation of old Mombi. At the same instant Mombi knew she wasdiscovered and must quickly plan an escape, and as transformations were easyto her she immediately took the form of a Shadow and glided along the wallof the tent toward the entrance, thinking thus to disappear.

But Glinda had not only equal cunning, but far more experience than theWitch. So the Sorceress reached the opening of the tent before the Shadow,and with a wave of her hand closed the entrance so securely that Mombi couldnot find a crack bigenough to creep through. The Scarecrow and his friends were greatlysurprised at Glinda's actions; for none of them had noted the Shadow. Butthe Sorceress said to them:

"Remain perfectly quiet, all of you! For the old Witch is even now with usin this tent, and I hope to capture her."

These words so alarmed Mombi that she quickly transformed herself from ashadow to a Black Ant, in which shape she crawled along the ground, seekinga crack or crevice in which to hide her tiny body.

Fortunately, the ground where the tent had been pitched, being Just beforethe city gates, was hard and smooth; and while the Ant still crawled about,Glinda discovered it and ran quickly forward to effect its capture But, Justas her hand was descending, the Witch, now fairly frantic with fear, madeher last transformation, and in the form of a huge Griffin sprang throughthe wall of the tent -- tearing the silk asunder in her rush -- and in amoment had darted away with the speed of a whirlwind.

Glinda did not hesitate to follow. She sprang upon the back of the Saw-Horseand cried:

"Now you shall prove that you have a right to be alive! Run -- run -- run!"

The Saw-Horse ran. Like a flash he followed theGriffin, his wooden legs moving so fast that they twinkled like the rays ofa star. Before our friends could recover from their surprise both theGriffin and the Saw-Horse had dashed out of sight.

"Come! Let us follow!" cried the Scarecrow.

They ran to the place where the Gump was lying and quickly tumbled aboard.

"Fly!" commanded Tip, eagerly.

"Where to?" asked the Gump, in its calm voice.

"I don't know," returned Tip, who was very nervous at the delay; "but if youwill mount into the air I think we can discover which way Glinda has gone."

"Very well," returned the Gump, quietly; and it spread its great wings andmounted high into the air.

Far away, across the meadows, they could now see two tiny specks, speedingone after the other; and they knew these specks must be the Griffin and theSaw-Horse. So Tip called the Gump's attention to them and bade the creaturetry to overtake the Witch and the Sorceress. But, swift as was the Gump'sflight, the pursued and pursuer moved more swiftly yet, and within a fewmoments were blotted out against the dim horizon.

"Let us continue to follow them, nevertheless," said the Scarecrow. "for theLand of Oz is of small extent, and sooner or later they must both come to ahalt."

Old Mombi had thought herself very wise to choose the form of a Griffin, forits legs were exceedingly fleet and its strength more enduring than that ofother animals. But she had not reckoned on the untiring energy of the Saw-Horse, whose wooden limbs could run for days without slacking their speed.Therefore, after an hour's hard running, the Griffin's breath began to fail,and it panted and gasped painfully, and moved more slowly than before. Thenit reached the edge of the desert and began racing across the deep sands.But its tired feet sank farinto the sand, and in a few minutes the Griffin fell forward, completelyexhausted, and lay still upon the desert waste.

Glinda came up a moment later, riding the still vigorous Saw-Horse; andhaving unwound a slender golden thread from her girdle the Sorceress threwit over the head of the panting and helpless Griffin, and so destroyed themagical power of Mombi's transformation.

For the animal, with one fierce shudder, disappeared from view, while in itsplace was discovered the form of the old Witch, glaring savagely at theserene and beautiful face of the Sorceress.