“Foot print!” Unk Nunkie stood upon his tip toes and whispered it in Glinda’s ear and when she looked where Unk pointed she saw a huge, shallow cave-in that crushed the flower beds for as far as she could see. “Foot print!” gasped Glinda in amazement. “Uh huh!” Unk Nunkie wagged his head determinedly and then, pulling his hat down over his eyes, spoke his last word on the subject: “_GIANT!_” “A giant foot print! Why so it is!” cried Glinda. “What shall we do? What shall we do?” cried the frightened inhabitants of the Emerald City, wringing their hands. “First, find Ruggedo,” ordered Glinda, suddenly remembering the mysterious entry in the Book of Records. So, away to the little cottage hurried the crowd. They searched it from cellar to garret, but of course found no trace of the wicked little gnome. As no one knew about the secret passage in Ruggedo’s cellar, they never thought of searching underground. Meanwhile Glinda sank down on one of the golden garden benches and tried to think. The Comfortable Camel stumbled broken-heartedly across the lawn and dropping on its knees begged the Sorceress in a tearful voice to save Sir Hokus of Pokes. The Camel and the Doubtful Dromedary had been discovered by the Knight on his last adventure and were deeply attached to him. Soon all the palace pets came and stood in a dejected row before Glinda—Betsy’s mule, Hank, hee-hawing dismally and the Hungry Tiger threatening to eat everyone in sight if any harm came to the three little girls. “I doubt if we’ll ever see them again,” groaned the Doubtful Dromedary, leaning up against a tree. “Oh Doubty—how _can_ you?” wailed the Camel, tears streaming down its nose. “Please do be quiet,” begged Glinda, “or I’ll forget all the magic I know. Let me see, now—how does one catch a marauding giant who has run off with a castle?” On her fingers Glinda counted up all the giants in the four countries of Oz. No! It could not be an Oz giant; there was none large enough. It must be a giant from some strange country. When the crowd returned with the news that Ruggedo had disappeared Glinda felt more uneasy still. But hiding her anxiety she bade the people return to their homes and continue their work and play as usual. Then, promising to return that evening with a plan to save the castle, and charging the Soldier with the Green Whiskers to keep a strict watch in the garden, Glinda stepped into her chariot and flew back to the South. All that day, in her palace in the Quadling country, Glinda bent over her encyclopedia on giants, and far into the night the lights burned from her high turret-chamber, as she consulted book after book of magic. [Illustration: (unlabelled)] Chapter 9 Mixed Magic Makes Mischief