from their hair and began Jabbing them at the Guardian with the sharp points dangerously 
near his fat cheeks and blinking eyes.
    The poor man howled loudly for mercy and made no resistance when Jinjur drew the 
bunch of keys from around his neck.
    Followed by her Army the General now rushed to the gateway, where she was confronted 
by the Royal Army of Oz - which was the other name for the Soldier with the Green 
Whiskers.
    "Halt!" he cried, and pointed his long gun full in the face of the leader.
    Some of the girls screamed and ran back, but General Jinjur bravely stood her ground 
and said, reproachfully: "Why, how now? Would you shoot a poor, defenceless girl?"
    "No," replied the soldier. "for my gun isn't loaded."
    "Not loaded?"
    "No; for fear of accidents. And I've forgotten where I hid the powder and shot to 
load it with. But if you'll wait a short time I'll try to hunt them up."
    "Don't trouble yourself," said Jinjur, cheerfully. Then she turned to her Army and 
cried: "Girls, the gun isn't loaded!"
    "Hooray," shrieked the rebels, delighted at this good news, and they proceeded to 
rush upon the Soldier with the Green Whiskers in such a crowd that it was a wonder they 
didn't stick the knitting-needles into one another.
    But the Royal Army of Oz was too much afraid of women to meet the onslaught. He 
simply turned about and ran with all his might through the gate and toward the royal 
palace, while General Jinjur and her mob flocked into the unprotected City.
    In this way was the Emerald City captured without a drop of blood being spilled. The 
Army of Revolt had become an Army of Conquerors!
    
    
    The Scarecrow Plans an escape
    
    Tip slipped away from the girls and followed swiftly after the Soldier with the Green 
Whiskers. The invading army entered the City more slowly, for they stopped to dig 
emeralds out of the walls and paving-stones with the points of their knitting-needles. So 
the Soldier and the boy reached the palace before the news had spread that the City was 
conquered.
    The Scarecrow and Jack Pumpkinhead were still playing at quoits in the courtyard when 
the game was interrupted by the abrupt entrance of the Royal Army of Oz, who came flying 
in without his hat or gun, his clothes in sad disarray and his long beard floating a yard 
behind him as he ran.
    "Tally one for me," said the Scarecrow, calmly "What's wrong, my man?" he added, 
addressing the Soldier.
    "Oh! your Majesty - your Majesty! The City is conquered!" gasped the Royal Army, who 
was all out of breath.
    "This is quite sudden," said the Scarecrow. "But please go and bar all the doors and 
windows of the palace, while I show this Pumpkinhead how to throw a quoit." The Soldier 
hastened to do this, while Tip, who had arrived at his heels, remained in the courtyard 
to look at the Scarecrow with wondering eyes.
    His Majesty continued to throw the quoits as coolly as if no danger threatened his 
throne, but the Pumpkinhead, having caught sight of Tip, ambled toward the boy as fast as 
his wooden legs would go.
    "Good afternoon, noble parent!" he cried, delightedly." I'm glad to see you are here. 
That terrible Saw-Horse ran away with me."
    "I suspected it," said Tip. "Did you get hurt? Are you cracked at all?"
    "No, I arrived safely," answered Jack, "and his Majesty has been very kind indeed to 
me.
    At this moment the Soldier with the Green Whiskers returned, and the Scarecrow asked: 
"By the way, who has conquered me?"
    "A regiment of girls, gathered from the four corners of the Land of Oz," replied the 
Soldier, still pale with fear.
    "But where was my Standing Army at the time?" inquired his Majesty, looking at the 
Soldier, gravely.
    "Your Standing Army was running," answered the fellow, honestly; "for no man could 
face the terrible weapons of the invaders."
    "Well," said the Scarecrow, after a moment's thought, "I don't mind much the loss of 
my throne, for it's a tiresome job to rule over the Emerald City. And this crown is so 
heavy that it makes my head ache. But I hope the Conquerors have no intention of injuring 
me, just because I happen to be the King."
    "I heard them, say" remarked Tip, with some hesitation, "that they intend to make a 
rag carpet of your outside and stuff their sofa-cushions with your inside."
    "Then I am really in danger," declared his Majesty, positively, "and it will be wise 
for me to consider a means to escape."
    "Where can you go?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead.
    "Why, to my friend the Tin Woodman, who rules over the Winkies, and calls himself 
their Emperor," was the answer. "I am sure he will protect me." Tip was looking out the 
window.
    "The palace is surrounded by the enemy," said he "It is too late to escape. They 
would soon tear you to pieces." The Scarecrow sighed.
    "In an emergency," he announced, "it is always a good thing to pause and reflect. 
Please excuse me while I pause and reflect."
    "But we also are in danger," said the Pumpkinhead, anxiously." If any of these girls 
understand cooking, my end is not far off!"
    "Nonsense!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "they're too busy to cook, even if they know 
how!"
    "But should I remain here a prisoner for any length of time," protested Jack," I'm 
liable to spoil."
    "Ah! then you would not be fit to associate with," returned the Scarecrow. "The 
matter is more serious than I suspected."
    "You," said the Pumpkinhead, gloomily, "are liable to live for many years. My life is 
necessarily short. So I must take advantage of the few days that remain to me."
    "There, there! Don't worry," answered the Scarecrow soothingly; "if you'll keep quiet 
long enough for me to think, I'll try to find some way for us all to escape." So the 
others waited in patient silence while the Scarecrow walked to a corner and stood with 
his face to the wall for a good five minutes. At the end of that time he faced them with 
a more cheerful expression upon his painted face.
    "Where is the Saw-Horse you rode here?" he asked the Pumpkinhead.
    "Why, I said he was a jewel, and so your man locked him up in the royal treasury," 
said Jack.
    "It was the only place I could think of your Majesty," added the Soldier, fearing he 
had made a blunder.
    "It pleases me very much," said the Scarecrow. "Has the animal been fed?"
    "Oh, yes; I gave him a heaping peck of sawdust."
    "Excellent!" cried the Scarecrow. "Bring the horse here at once." The Soldier