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bumpo settled back with a great sigh of relief.

"I told you everything would be all right if you followed my advice," said the Elegant Elephant. "Stand up now and try to forget your black eye. You are the Prince of Pumperdink and I am the Elegant Elephant of Oz."

"But why all the ceremony?" asked the Scarecrow, looking mystified.

Kabumpo only chuckled to himself and, as the Trick Tea was now ready, Peg took the little kettle and began to tip-toe toward Ruggedo.

"I hope it's red hot," grumbled Wag resentfully. "He's getting off easy, the old scrabble-scratch! Getting off! Say, look here!" He gestured violently to Kabumpo. "If Ruggedo returns to the Emerald City with the palace on his head, where does Pompa come in?" He pointed a trembling paw at the Prince, his nose twitching so fast it made the Scarecrow blink.

"Stop!" trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, plunging after Peg Amy. He reached her just in time.

"I'm no better than Pumper," grunted Kabumpo, mopping his brow with the tail of his robe. "Suppose, after all our hardships, I had allowed Ozma and the palace to get away without giving Pompa a chance to ask her—"