The Lost King of Oz BY RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON _Founded on and continuing the Famous Oz Stories_ BY L. FRANK BAUM "Royal Historian of Oz" Illustrated by JOHN R. NEILL The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago _Printed in the United States of America_ Copyright, 1925 By The Reilly & Lee Co. _All Rights Reserved_ _The Lost King of Oz_ * * * * * This book is dedicated to My Best Girl--Mother RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON * * * * * Dear Boys and Girls: A whole book full of news has happened in Oz since I wrote to you last year. But before I tell a word of it, I must thank you for the wonderful letters you have written to me. It is fine to know which of the dear old Ozzy celebrities you like best, so please do keep on writing. If you tell me all the Oz news you hear, I'll tell you all I hear. Is it a bargain? Well, the most surprising news right now is about the Lost King. "Lost! Lost! Lost! What an exciting word!" writes a little girl to whom I confided the secret. "Who is he? Where was he and will he replace Ozma on the throne?" I could hardly wait to find out the answers to all of these questions my own self and if it had not been for Snip, the little Button Boy and Pajuka, the goose, I never would have discovered them. Almost everybody is in this adventure--even Kabumpo had a trunk in the affair. When you have read the whole strange story, let me know what you think of Mombi's wicked behavior, will you? And I cannot say good-bye without a big cheer for every boy and girl who believes in OZ! Lots of love to you! RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON. 254 S. Farragut Terrace, Philadelphia, July, 1925. _The Lost King of Oz_ Princess Ozma has ruled so wisely and happily in the wonderful Land of Oz for so long that most of us have forgotten the strange story of the Lost King of Oz--Ozma's father. As everyone in Oz knows, the King was transformed from his royal self by Mombi, the wicked old Gilliken witch, and lost his throne and his crown when he, himself, was lost.