Tik-Tok of Oz Page 4

  CHAPTER 2

  Out of Oogaboo

  Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the square infront of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were attired in gorgeousuniforms and carried sharp, glittering swords. The Private had pickedhis gun and, although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried to lookfierce and succeeded so well that all his commanding officers weresecretly afraid of him.

  The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth had no right totake their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann commanded them to keepsilent, and that was the hardest order to obey they had ever received.

  For--ward March!]

  The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform ofgreen, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap with apurple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that everyone inOogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The Army was sorry shewas not going alone.

  "Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.

  Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed.

  "I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she observed.

  "Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking fortrouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the lessfighting we get, the better we shall like our work."

  "For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to anything. Theonly way to become a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say thatthe easiest way to conquer is to fight."

  "That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to conquerand to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder is to becomea hero. With such noble determination to back me, the world is mine!Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be rich and famous. Come,Generals; let us march."

  At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their chests. Thenthey swung their glittering swords in rapid circles and cried to theColonels:

  "For--ward March!"

  Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For--ward March!" and theMajors yelled to the Captains: "For--ward March!" and the Captainsscreamed to the Private:

  "For--ward March!"

  So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the officersfollowed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, rejoicing in her noblearmy and wondering why she had not decided long ago to conquer the world.

  In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the narrowmountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz.