The Army of Glinda the Good looked very grand and imposing when it assembled
at daybreak before the palace gates. The uniforms of the girl soldiers were
pretty and of gay colors, and their silver-tipped spears were bright and
glistening, the long shafts being inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All the
officers wore sharp, gleaming swords, and shields edged with peacock-
feathers; and it really seemed that no foe could by any possibility defeat
such a brilliant army.

The Sorceress rode in a beautiful palanquin which was like the body of a
coach, having doors and
windows with silken curtains; but instead of wheels, which a coach has, the
palanquin rested upon two long, horizontal bars, which were borne upon the
shoulders of twelve servants.

The Scarecrow and his comrades decided to ride in the Gump, in order to keep
up with the swift march of the army; so, as soon as Glinda had started and
her soldiers had marched away to the inspiring strains of music played by
the royal band, our friends climbed into the sofas and followed. The Gump
flew along slowly at a point directly over the palanquin in which rode the
Sorceress.

“Be careful,” said the
Tin Woodman to the Scarecrow, who was leaning far over the side to look at
the army below. “You might fall.”

“It wouldn’t matter,” remarked the educated Woggle-Bug. “he can’t get broke
so long as he is stuffed with money.”

“Didn’t I ask you” began Tip, in a reproachful voice.

“You did!” said the Woggle-Bug, promptly. “And I beg your pardon. I will
really try to restrain myself.”

“You’d better,” declared the boy. “That is, if you wish to travel in our
company.”

“Ah! I couldn’t bear to part with you now,” murmured the Insect, feelingly;
so Tip let the subject drop.

The army moved steadily on, but night had fallen before they came to the
walls of the Emerald City. By the dim light of the new moon, however,
Glinda’s forces silently surrounded the city and pitched their tents of
scarlet silk upon the greensward. The tent of the Sorceress was larger than
the others, and was composed of pure white silk, with scarlet banners flying
above it. A tent was also pitched for the Scarecrow’s party; and when these
preparations had been made, with military precision and quickness, the army
retired to rest.

Great was the amazement of Queen Jinjur next morning when her soldiers came
running to inform her of the vast army surrounding them. She at once climbed
to a high tower of the royal palace and saw banners waving in every
direction and the great white tent of Glinda standing directly before the
gates.

“We are surely lost!” cried Jinjur, in despair; “for how can our knitting-
needles avail against the long spears and terrible swords of our foes?”

“The best thing we can do,” said one of the girls, “is to surrender as
quickly as possible, before we get hurt.”

“Not so,” returned Jinjur, more bravely. “The enemy is still outside the
walls, so we must try to gain time by engaging them in parley. Go you with a
flag of truce to Glinda and ask her why she has dared to invade my
dominions, and what are her demands.”

So the girl passed through the gates, bearing a white flag to show she was
on a mission of peace, and came to Glinda’s tent. “Tell your Queen,” said
the Sorceress to the girl, “that she must deliver up to me old Mombi, to be
my prisoner. If this is done I will not molest her farther.”

Now when this message was delivered to the Queen it filled her with dismay,
for Mombi was her chief counsellor, and Jinjur was terribly afraid of the
old hag. But she sent for Mombi, and told her what Glinda had said.

“I see trouble ahead for all of us,” muttered the old witch, after glancing
into a magic mirror she carried in her pocket. “But we may even yet escape
by deceiving this sorceress, clever as she thinks herself.”

“Don’t you think it will be safer for me to deliver you into her hands?”
asked Jinjur, nervously.

“If you do, it will cost you the throne of the Emerald City!” answered the
witch, positively. “But if you will let me have my own way, I can save us
both very easily.”

“Then do as you please,” replied Jinjur, “for it is so aristocratic to be a
Queen that I do not wish to be obliged to return home again, to make beds
and wash dishes for my mother.”

So Mombi called Jellia Jamb to her, and performed a certain magical rite
with which she was familiar. As a result of the enchantment Jellia took on
the form and features of Mombi, while the old witch grew to resemble the
girl so closely that it seemed impossible anyone could guess the deception.

“Now,” said old Mombi to the Queen, “let your soldiers deliver up this girl
to Glinda. She will think she has the real Mombi in her power, and so will
return immediately to her own country in the South.”

Therefore Jellia, hobbling along like an aged
woman, was led from the city gates and taken before Glinda.

“Here is the person you demanded,” said one of the guards, “and our Queen
now begs you will go away, as you promised, and leave us in peace.”

“That I will surely do,” replied Glinda, much pleased; “if this is really
the person she seems to be.”

“It is certainly old Mombi,” said the guard, who believed she was speaking
the truth; and then Jinjur’s soldiers returned within the city’s gates.

The Sorceress quickly summoned the Scarecrow and his friends to her tent,
and began to question the supposed Mombi about the lost girl Ozma. But
Jellia knew nothing at all of this affair, and presently she grew so nervous
under the questioning that she gave way and began to weep, to Glinda’s great
astonishment.

“Here is some foolish trickery!” said the Sorceress, her eyes flashing with
anger. “This is not Mombi at all, but some other person who has been made to
resemble her! Tell me,” she demanded, turning to the trembling girl, “what
is your name?”

This Jellia dared not tell, having been threatened with death by the witch
if she confessed the fraud. But Glinda, sweet and fair though she was,
understood magic better than any other person in the Land of Oz. So, by
uttering a few potent words and making a peculiar gesture, she quickly
transformed the girl into her proper shape, while at the same time old
Mombi, far away in Jinjur’s palace, suddenly resumed her own crooked form
and evil features.

“Why, it’s Jellia Jamb!” cried the Scarecrow, recognizing in the girl one of
his old friends.

“It’s our interpreter!” said the Pumpkinhead, smiling pleasantly.

Then Jellia was forced to tell of the trick Mombi

had played and she also begged Glinda’s protection, which the Sorceress
readily granted. But Glinda was now really angry, and sent word to Jinjur
that the fraud was discovered and she must deliver up the real Mombi or
suffer terrible consequences. Jinjur was prepared for this message, for the
witch well understood, when her natural form was thrust upon her, that
Glinda had discovered her trickery. But the wicked old creature had already
thought up a new deception, and had made Jinjur promise to carry it out. So
the Queen said to Glinda’s messenger:

“Tell your mistress that I cannot find Mombi anywhere, but that Glinda is
welcome to enter the
city and search herself for the old woman. She may also bring her friends
with her, if she likes; but if she does not find Mombi by sundown, the
Sorceress must promise to go away peaceably and bother us no more.”

Glinda agreed to these terms, well knowing that Mombi was somewhere within
the city walls. So Jinjur caused the gates to be thrown open, and Glinda
marched in at the head of a company of soldiers, followed by the Scarecrow
and the Tin Woodman, while Jack Pumpkinhead rode astride the Saw-Horse, and
the Educated, Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug sauntered behind in a dignified
manner. Tip walked by the side of the Sorceress, for Glinda had conceived a
great liking for the boy.

Of course old Mombi had no intention of being found by Glinda; so, while her
enemies were marching up the street, the witch transformed herself into a
red rose growing upon a bush in the garden of the palace. It was a clever
idea, and a trick Glinda did not suspect; so several precious hours were
spent in a vain search for Mombi.

As sundown approached the Sorceress realized she had been defeated by the
superior cunning of the aged witch; so she gave the command to her people to
march out of the city and back to their tents.

The Scarecrow and his comrades happened to be
searching in the garden of the palace just then, and they turned with
disappointment to obey Glinda’s command. But before they left the garden the
Tin Woodman, who was fond of flowers, chanced to espy a big red rose growing
upon a bush; so he plucked the flower and fastened it securely in the tin
buttonhole of his tin bosom.

As he did this he fancied he heard a low moan proceed from the rose; but he
paid no attention to the sound, and Mombi was thus carried out of the city
and into Glinda’s camp without anyone having a suspicion that they had
succeeded in their quest.