27. How the Fierce Warriors Invaded Oz

           TheNomeKingandhisterriblealliessatatthebanquettableuntilmidnight.TherewasmuchquarrelingbetweentheGrowleywogsandPhanfasms,andoneofthewee-headedWhimsiesgotangryatGeneralGuphandchokedhimuntilhenearlystoppedbreathing.Yetnoonewasseriouslyhurt,andtheNomeKingfeltmuchrelievedwhentheclockstrucktwelveandtheyallsprangupandseizedtheirweapons.

           "Aha!"shoutedtheFirstandForemost."NowtoconquertheLandofOz!"

           HemarshaledhisPhanfasmsinbattlearrayandathiswordofcommandtheymarchedintothetunnelandbeganthelongjourneythroughittotheEmeraldCity.TheFirstandForemostintendedtotakeallthetreasuresofOzforhimself;tokillallwhocouldbekilledandenslavetherest;todestroyandlaywastethewholecountry,andafterwardtoconquerandenslavetheNomes,theGrowleywogsandtheWhimsies.Andheknewhispowerwassufficienttoenablehimtodoallthesethingseasily.

           NextmarchedintothetunnelthearmyofgiganticGrowleywogs,withtheirGrandGallipootattheirhead.Theyweredreadfulbeings,indeed,andlongedtogettoOzthattheymightbegintopilferanddestroy.TheGrandGallipootwasalittleafraidoftheFirstandForemost,buthadacunningplantomurderordestroythatpowerfulbeingandsecurethewealthofOzforhimself.MightylittleoftheplunderwouldtheNomeKingget,thoughttheGrandGallipoot.

           TheChiefoftheWhimsiesnowmarchedhisfalse-headedforcesintothetunnel.InhiswickedlittleheadwasaplottodestroyboththeFirstandForemostandtheGrandGallipoot.