hat
she might discover if anything was amiss, or anyone discontented, or if
there was any wrong that ought to be righted. She asked the little
Wizard to accompany her and he was glad to go.

"Shall I take my bag of magic tools with me?" he asked.

"Of course," said Ozma. "We may need a lot of magic before we return,
for we are going into strange corners of the land, where we may meet
with unknown creatures and dangerous adventures."

So the Wizard took his bag of magic tools and the two left the Emerald
City and wandered over the country for many days, at last reaching a
place far up in the mountains which neither of them had ever visited
before. Stopping one morning at a cottage, built beside the rocky path
which led into a pretty valley beyond, Ozma asked a man:

"Are you happy? Have you any complaint to make of your lot?"

And the man replied:

"We are happy except for three mischievous Imps that live in yonder
valley and often come here to annoy us. If your Highness would only
drive away those Imps, I and my family would be very happy and very
grateful to you."

"Who are these bad Imps?" inquired the girl Ruler.

"One is named Olite, and one Udent and one Ertinent, and they have no
respect for anyone or anything. If strangers pass through the valley the
Imps jeer at them and make horrid faces and call names, and often they
push travelers out of the path or throw stones at them. Whenever Imp
Olite or Imp Udent or Imp Ertinent comes here to bother us, I and my
family run into the house and lock all the doors and windows, and we
dare not venture out again until the Imps have gone away."

Princess Ozma was grieved to hear this report and the little Wizard
shook his head gravely and said the naughty Imps deserved to be
punished. They told the good man they would see what could be done to
protect him and at once entered the valley to seek the dwelling place of
the three mischievous creatures.

[Illustration]

Before long they came upon three caves, hollowed from the rocks, and in
front of each cave squatted a queer little dwarf. Ozma and the Wizard
paused to examine them and found them well-shaped, strong and lively.
They had big round ears, flat noses and wide grinning mouths, and
their jet-black hair came to points on top of their heads, much
resembling horns. Their clothing fitted snugly to their bodies and limbs
and the Imps were so small in size that at first Ozma did not consider
them at all dangerous.