When the wonderful tidings reached the ears of Queen Jinjur -- how Mombi theWitch had been captured; how she had confessed her crime to Glinda; and howthe long-lost Princess Ozma had been discovered in no less a personage thanthe boy Tip -- she wept real tears of grief and despair.

"To think," she moaned, "that after having ruled as Queen, and lived in apalace, I must go back to scrubbing floors and churning butter again! It istoo horrible to think of! I will never consent!"

So when her soldiers, who spent most of their time making fudge in thepalace kitchens, counseled Jinjur to resist, she listened to their foolishprattle and sent a sharp defiance to Glinda the Good and the Princess Ozma.The result was a declaration of war, and the very next day Glinda marchedupon the Emerald City with pennants flying and bands playing,and a forest of shining spears, sparkling brightly beneath the sun's rays.

But when it came to the walls this brave assembly made a sudden halt; forJinjur had closed and barred every gateway, and the walls of the EmeraldCity were builded high and thick with many blocks of green marble. Findingher advance thus baffled, Glinda bent her brows in deep thought, while theWoggle-Bug said, in his most positive tone:

"We must lay siege to the city, and starve it into submission. It is theonly thing we can do."

"Not so," answered the Scarecrow. "We still have the Gump, and the Gump canstill fly"

The Sorceress turned quickly at this speech, and her face now wore a brightsmile.

"You are right," she exclaimed, "and certainly have reason to be proud ofyour brains. Let us go to the Gump at once!"

So they passed through the ranks of the army until they came to the place,near the Scarecrow's tent, where the Gump lay. Glinda and Princess Ozmamounted first, and sat upon the sofas. Then the Scarecrow and his friendsclimbed aboard, and still there was room for a Captain and three soldiers,which Glinda considered sufficient for a guard.

Now, at a word from the Princess, the queerThing they had called the Gump flopped its palm-leaf wings and rose into theair, carrying the party of adventurers high above the walls. They hoveredover the palace, and soon perceived Jinjur reclining in a hammock in thecourtyard, where she was comfortably reading a novel with a green cover andeating green chocolates, confident that the walls would protect her from herenemies. Obeying a quick command, the Gump alighted safely in this verycourtyard, and before Jinjur had time to do more than scream, the Captainand three soldiersleaped out and made the former Queen a prisoner, locking strong chains uponboth her wrists.

That act really ended the war; for the Army of Revolt submitted as soon asthey knew Jinjur to be a captive, and the Captain marched in safety throughthe streets and up to the gates of the city, which she threw wide open. Thenthe bands played their most stirring music while Glinda's army marched intothe city, and heralds proclaimed the conquest of the audacious Jinjur andthe accession of the beautiful Princess Ozma to the throne of her royalancestors.

At once the men of the Emerald City cast off their aprons. And it is saidthat the women were so tired eating of their husbands' cooking that theyall hailed the conquest of Jinjur with Joy. Certain it is that, rushing oneand all to the kitchens of their houses, the good wives prepared sodelicious a feast for the weary men that harmony was immediately restored inevery family.

Ozma's first act was to oblige the Army of Revolt to return to her everyemerald or other gem stolen from the public streets and buildings; and sogreat was the number of precious stones picked from their settings by thesevain girls, that every one of the royal jewelers worked steadily for morethan a month to replace them in their settings.

Meanwhile the Army of Revolt was disbanded and the girls sent home to theirmothers. On promise of good behavior Jinjur was likewise released.

Ozma made the loveliest Queen the Emerald City had ever known; and, althoughshe was so young and inexperienced, she ruled her people with wisdom andJustice. For Glinda gave her good advice on all occasions; and the Woggle-Bug, who was appointed to the important post of Public Educator, was quitehelpful to Ozma when her royal duties grew perplexing.

The girl, in her gratitude to the Gump for its services, offered thecreature any reward it might name.

"Then," replied the Gump, "please take me to pieces. I did not wish to bebrought to life, and I am greatly ashamed of my conglomerate personality.Once I was a monarch of the forest, as my antlers fully prove; but now, inmy present upholstered condition of servitude, I am compelled to fly throughthe air -- my legs being of no use to me whatever. Therefore I beg to bedispersed."

So Ozma ordered the Gump taken apart. The antlered head was again hung overthe mantle-piece in the hall, and the sofas were untied and placed in thereception parlors. The broom tail resumed its accustomed duties in thekitchen, and finally, the Scarecrow replaced all the clotheslines and ropeson the pegs from which he had taken them on the eventful day when the Thingwas constructed.

You might think that was the end of the Gump; and so it was, as a flying-machine. But the head over the mantle-piece continued to talk whenever ittook a notion to do so, and it frequently startled, with its abruptquestions, the people who waited in the hall for an audience with the Queen.

The Saw-Horse, being Ozma's personal property, was tenderly cared for; andoften she rode the queer creature along the streets of the Emerald City. Shehad its wooden legs shod with gold, to keep themfrom wearing out, and the tinkle of these golden shoes upon the pavementalways filled the Queen's subjects with awe as they thought upon thisevidence of her magical powers.

"The Wonderful Wizard was never so wonderful as Queen Ozma," the people saidto one another, in whispers; "for he claimed to do many things he could notdo; whereas our new Queen does many things no one would ever expect her toaccomplish."

Jack Pumpkinhead remained with Ozma to the end of his days; and he did notspoil as soon as he had feared, although he always remained as stupid asever. The Woggle-Bug tried to teach him several arts and sciences; but Jackwas so poor a student that any attempt to educate him was soon abandoned.

After Glinda's army had marched back home, and peace was restored to theEmerald City, the Tin Woodman announced his intention to return to his ownKingdom of the Winkies.

"It isn't a very big Kingdom," said he to Ozma, "but for that very reason itis easier to rule; and I have called myself an Emperor because I am anAbsolute Monarch, and no one interferes in any way with my conduct of publicor personal affairs. When I get home I shall have a new coat of nickelplate; for I have become somewhat marred and scratched lately;and then I shall be glad to have you pay me a visit."

"Thank you," replied Ozma. "Some day I may accept the invitation. But whatis to become of the Scarecrow?"

"I shall return with my friend the Tin Woodman," said the stuffed one,seriously. "We have decided never to be parted in the future."

"And I have made the Scarecrow my Royal Treasurer," explained the TinWoodman." For it has occurred to me that it is a good thing to have a RoyalTreasurer who is made of money. What do you think?"

"I think," said the little Queen, smiling, "that your friend must be therichest man in all the world."

"I am," returned the Scarecrow. "but not on account of my money. For Iconsider brains far superior to money, in every way. You may have noticedthat if one has money without brains, he cannot use it to advantage; but ifone has brains without money, they will enable him to live comfortably tothe end of his days."

"At the same time," declared the Tin Woodman, "you must acknowledge that agood heart is a thing that brains can not create, and that money can notbuy. Perhaps, after all, it is I who am the richest man in all the world."

"You are both rich, my friends," said Ozma, gently; "and your riches are theonly riches worth having -- the riches of content!"

The End