6. How Guph Visited the Whimsies

           ThenewGeneraloftheNomeKing’sarmyknewperfectlywellthattofailinhisplansmeantdeathforhim.Yethewasnotatallanxiousorworried.Hehatedeveryonewhowasgoodandlongedtomakeallwhowerehappyunhappy.ThereforehehadacceptedthisdangerouspositionasGeneralquitewillingly,feelingsureinhisevilmindthathewouldbeabletodoalotofmischiefandfinallyconquertheLandofOz.

           YetGuphdeterminedtobecareful,andtolayhisplanswell,soasnottofail.Hearguedthatonlycarelesspeoplefailinwhattheyattempttodo.

           ThemountainsunderneathwhichtheNomeKing’sextensivecavernswerelocatedlaygroupedjustnorthoftheLandofEv,whichlaydirectlyacrossthedeadlydeserttotheeastoftheLandofOz.AsthemountainswerealsoontheedgeofthedeserttheNomeKingfoundthathehadonlytotunnelunderneaththedeserttoreachOzma’sdominions.HedidnotwishhisarmiestoappearabovegroundintheCountryoftheWinkies,whichwasthepartoftheLandofOznearesttoKingRoquat’sowncountry,asthenthepeoplewouldgivethealarmandenableOzmatofortifytheEmeraldCityandassembleanarmy.HewantedtotakealltheOzpeoplebysurprise;sohedecidedtorunthetunnelclearthroughtotheEmeraldCity,whereheandhishostscouldbreakthroughthegroundwithoutwarningandconquerthepeoplebeforetheyhadtimetodefendthemselves.

           RoquattheRedbeganworkatonceuponhistunnel,settingathousandminersatthetaskandbuildingithighandbroadenoughforhisarmiestomarchthroughitwithease.