But they had no handkerchiefs, either.

"Very good," remarked the Wizard. "I'll use my own hat, if you please.
Now, good people, observe me carefully. You see, there is nothing up my
sleeve and nothing concealed about my person. Also, my hat is quite
empty." He took off his hat and held it upside down, shaking it
briskly.

"Let me see it," said the Sorcerer.

He took the hat and examined it carefully, returning it afterward to the
Wizard.

"Now," said the little man, "I will create something out of nothing."

He placed the hat upon the glass floor, made a pass with his hand, and
then removed the hat, displaying a little white piglet no bigger than a
mouse, which began to run around here and there and to grunt and squeal
in a tiny, shrill voice.

The people watched it intently, for they had never seen a pig before,
big or little. The Wizard reached out, caught the wee creature in his
hand, and holding its head between one thumb and finger and its tail
between the other thumb and finger he pulled it apart, each of the two
parts becoming a whole and separate piglet in an instant.

He placed one upon the floor, so that it could run around, and pulled
apart the other, making three piglets in all; and then one of these was
pulled apart, making four piglets. The Wizard continued this surprising
performance until nine tiny piglets were running about at his feet, all
squealing and grunting in a very comical way.

"Now," said the Wizard of Oz, "having created something from nothing, I
will make something nothing again."

With this he caught up two of the piglets and pushed them together, so
that the two were one. Then he caught up another piglet and pushed it
into the first, where it disappeared. And so, one by one, the nine tiny
piglets were pushed together until but a single one of the creatures
remained. This the Wizard placed underneath his hat and made a mystic
sign above it. When he removed his hat the last piglet had disappeared
entirely.

The little man gave a bow to the silent throng that had watched him, and
then the Prince said, in his cold, calm voice:

"You are indeed a wonderful Wizard, and your powers are greater than
those of my Sorcerer."

"He will not be a wonderful Wizard long," remarked Gwig.

"Why not?" enquired the Wizard.

"Because I am going to stop your breath," was the reply. "I perceive
that you are curiously constructed, and that if you cannot breathe you
cannot keep alive."

The l