“He thought Ozma might help us,” finished the Elegant Elephant breathlessly. He did not believe in telling strange Sorceresses about everything. Now if Glinda had not been so occupied with the disappearance of the palace and all the dearest people in Oz, she might have been more curious about the disappearance of Pumperdink. As it was she just shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid Ozma cannot help you,” she said, “for Ozma herself has disappeared—Ozma and everyone in the palace.” “Disappeared!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, sitting down with a thud. “Great Grump! The thing’s getting to be a habit!” What was to become of Pompa now? Would he never be King, nor he, Kabumpo, ever be known as the most Elegant Elephant in Oz? Had they made the long journey in vain? “Where? When?” gasped Prince Pompadore. “Night before last,” explained Glinda. “I’ve been consulting my magic books ever since but have only been able to discover one fact.” “What is that?” asked Kabumpo faintly. “That they are in Ev,” said Glinda, “and that a giant carried them off. I came here early this morning to see whether I could discover anything new. Would you care to see where the castle stood?” “Did he carry the castle off, too?” shuddered Pompa. Glinda nodded gloomily and led them over to the great hole in the center of the gardens. For a minute she stood watching them. Then, glancing at a golden sun dial set in the center of a lovely flower bed, she murmured half to herself, “I must be off!” Next instant she clapped her hands and down swept a shining chariot drawn by white swans. “Good-bye!” called Glinda, springing in lightly. “I’m off to Ev to try my magic against the giant’s. Wait here and when I’ve helped Ozma perhaps I can help you!” “Can’t we help? Can’t we go?” cried Pompa, running a few steps after the chariot, but Glinda, already high in the air, did not hear him and in the wink of an eye the chariot and its lovely occupant had melted into the pink morning clouds. “Now what shall we do?” groaned the Prince, letting his arms drop heavily at his sides. “Do!” snorted Kabumpo. “The thing for you to do is to act like a Prince instead of a Gooch! There are other ways of getting to Ev than by chariot.” The thought of Kabumpo in Glinda’s chariot made Pompa smile in spite of himself. “There! That’s better,” said the Elegant Elephant more pleasantly. “Now, what’s to hinder us from going to Ev and rescuing Princess Ozma? She couldn’t help marrying you if you saved her from a giant, could she?” “But could I save her—that’s the question,” muttered the Prince, looking uneasily at the yawning cavity where the castle had stood. “This giant must be a terrible fellow!” “Pooh!” said Kabumpo airily. “Who’s afraid of giants? I’ll wind my trunk around his leg and pull him to earth. Then you can dispatch the villain. We must get you a sword, though,” he added softly.