on the grass. Then he removed his hat and laid it, together with his
gold-headed cane, beside the coat. He then went back a way and made
three powerful leaps, in rapid succession. The first two leaps took him
to the wall and the third leap carried him well over it, to the
amazement of all. For a short time he disappeared from their view, but
when he had obeyed the Wizard's injunction and had thrust the pin into
the wall, the huge barrier vanished and showed them the form of the
Frogman, who now went to where his coat lay and put it on again.

"We thank you very much," said the delighted Wizard. "That was the most
wonderful leap I ever saw and it has saved us from defeat by our enemy.
Let us now hurry on to the castle before Ugu the Shoemaker thinks of
some other means to stop us."

"We must have surprised him, so far," declared Dorothy.

"Yes, indeed. The fellow knows a lot of magic--all of our tricks and
some of his own," replied the Wizard. "So, if he is half as clever as he
ought to be, we shall have trouble with him yet."

He had scarcely spoken these words when out from the gates of the wicker
castle marched a regiment of soldiers, clad in gay uniforms and all
bearing long, pointed spears and sharp battle-axes. These soldiers were
girls, and the uniforms were short skirts of yellow and black satin,
golden shoes, bands of gold across their foreheads and necklaces of
glittering jewels. Their jackets were scarlet, braided with silver
cords. There were hundreds of these girl-soldiers, and they were more
terrible than beautiful, being strong and fierce in appearance. They
formed a circle all around the castle and faced outward, their spears
pointed toward the invaders and their battle-axes held over their
shoulders, ready to strike.

Of course our friends halted at once, for they had not expected this
dreadful array of soldiery. The Wizard seemed puzzled and his companions
exchanged discouraged looks.

"I'd no idea Ugu had such an army as that," said Dorothy. "The castle
doesn't look big enough to hold them all."

"It isn't," declared the Wizard.

"But they all marched out of it."

"They seemed to; but I don't believe it is a real army at all. If Ugu
the Shoemaker had so many people living with him, I'm sure the Czarover
of Herku would have mentioned the fact to us."

"They're only girls!" laughed Scraps.

"Girls are the fiercest soldiers of all," declared the Frogman. "They
are more brave than men and the