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That satisfied Aurex and when Ozma and her followers trooped over the bridge to the shore, having taken leave of their friends, all the Skeezers cheered them and waved their hats and handkerchiefs, and the band played and the departure was indeed a ceremony long to be remembered.

As the people from the Emerald City prepared the next morning to depart Queen Aurex said to Ozma: "There is only one thing I now fear for my people, and that is the enmity of the terrible Su-dic of the Flatheads. He is liable to come here at any time and try to annoy us, and my Skeezers are peaceful folks and unable to fight the wild and wilful Flatheads."

Before breakfast was over several of the leading Skeezers came to Aurex to ask her advice and to question Princess Ozma, of whom they knew nothing except that she claimed to be a fairy and the Ruler of all the land, including the Lake of the Skeezers.

She did not speak to the girls until she had ushered them into a pleasant room, comfortably furnished, nor did any of the solemn people they met on the street venture to speak. When they were seated Lady Aurex asked if they were hungry, and finding they were summoned a maid and ordered food to be brought.

"Those doors open by a magic word, and only Coo-ee-oh knows the word that must be uttered," said Lady Aurex. "Dear me!" exclaimed Dorothy, "that dreadful Queen's witchcraft upsets all my plans to escape. I guess I'll give it up, Ozma, and let you save us." Ozma smiled, but her smile was not so cheerful as usual.

Lady Aurex watched her curiously and, when Ozma had again entered the room and seated herself, she asked: "What have you done?" "I've enchanted this house in such a manner that Queen Coo-ee-oh, with all her witchcraft, cannot hear one word we speak within the magic circle I have made," replied Ozma. "We may now speak freely and as loudly as we wish, without fear of the Queen's anger."

"I now understand," said Ozma, "why the fishes in the lake have brought about war between the Skeezers and the Flatheads." "Yes," Lady Aurex answered, "now that you know the story it is easy to understand. The Su-dic and his wife came to our lake hoping to catch the silver fish, or gold fish, or bronze fish any one of them would do and by destroying it deprive Coo-ee-oh of her magic.

"Well, if we're under water, they can't fight us, and we can't fight them," asserted Dorothy. "They could kill the fishes, however," said Ozma gravely. "We have ways to fight, also, even though our island is under water," claimed Lady Aurex. "I cannot tell you all our secrets, but this island is full of surprises. Also our Queen's magic is astonishing."

Lady Aurex gave them a nice supper and when they wished to retire showed them to a pretty room with comfortable beds and wished them a good night and pleasant dreams. "What do you think of all this, Ozma?" Dorothy anxiously inquired when they were alone.

This revived the three Adepts and they swam away and disappeared. "I, myself, witnessed this shocking scene," continued Lady Aurex, "and so did many other Skeezers. The news was carried to the Flatheads, who then turned from friends to enemies.