grave, while the
others, realizing that an important ceremony of magic was about to be
performed, stood quietly in the background so as not to interrupt
Ozma's proceedings. Only Polychrome kept going in and coming out,
humming softly to herself as she danced, for the Rainbow's Daughter
could not keep still for long, and the four walls of a room always made
her nervous and ill at ease. She moved so noiselessly, however, that her
movements were like the shifting of sunbeams and did not annoy anyone.

When the water in the kettle bubbled, Ozma drew from her bosom two tiny
packets containing powders. These powders she threw into the kettle and
after briskly stirring the contents with a branch from a macaroon bush,
Ozma poured the mystic broth upon a broad platter which Jinjur had
placed upon the table. As the broth cooled it became as silver,
reflecting all objects from its smooth surface like a mirror.

While her companions gathered around the table, eagerly attentive--and
Dorothy even held little Toto in her arms that he might see--Ozma waved
her wand over the mirror-like surface. At once it reflected the interior
of Yoop Castle, and in the big hall sat Mrs. Yoop, in her best
embroidered silken robes, engaged in weaving a new lace apron to replace
the one she had lost.

[Illustration]

The Giantess seemed rather uneasy, as if she had a faint idea that
someone was spying upon her, for she kept looking behind her and this
way and that, as though expecting danger from an unknown source. Perhaps
some yookoohoo instinct warned her. Woot saw that she had escaped from
her room by some of the magical means at her disposal, after her
prisoners had escaped her. She was now occupying the big hall of her
castle as she used to do. Also Woot thought, from the cruel expression
on the face of the Giantess, that she was planning revenge on them, as
soon as her new magic apron was finished.

But Ozma was now making passes over the platter with her silver Wand,
and presently the form of the Giantess began to shrink in size and to
change its shape. And now, in her place sat the form of Woot the
Wanderer, and as if suddenly realizing her transformation Mrs. Yoop
threw down her work and rushed to a looking-glass that stood against the
wall of her room. When she saw the boy's form reflected as her own, she
grew violently angry and dashed her head against the mirror, smashing it
to atoms.

Just then Ozma was busy with her magic Wand, mak