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quickly realized his danger and before the Queen could
throw the rope he caught up one of the copper vessels
and dashed its contents full in her face！
Chapter Eleven
The Conquest of the Skeezers
Queen Coo…ee…oh dropped the rope； tottered and fell
headlong into the water； sinking beneath the surface；
while the Skeezers in the submarine assist her and only
stared at the ripples in the water where she had
disappeared。 A moment later there arose to the surface
a beautiful White Swan。 This Swan was of large size；
very gracefully formed； and scattered all over its
white feathers were tiny diamonds； so thickly placed
that as the rays of the morning sun fell upon them the
entire body of the Swan glistened like one brilliant
diamond。 The head of the Diamond Swan had a bill of
polished gold and its eyes were two sparkling
amethysts。
〃Hooray！〃 cried the Su…dic； dancing up and down with
wicked glee。 〃My poor wife； Rora； is avenged at last。
You made her a Golden Pig； Coo…ee…oh； and now I have
made you a Diamond Swan。 Float on your lake forever； if
you like； for your web feet can do no more magic and
you are as powerless as the Pig you made of my wife！
〃Villain！ Scoundrel！〃 croaked the Diamond Swan。 〃You
will be punished for this。 Oh； what a fool I was to let
you enchant me！
〃A fool you were； and a fool you are！〃 laughed the
Su…dic； dancing madly in his delight。 And then he
carelessly tipped over the other copper vessel with his
heel and its contents spilled on the sands and were
lost to the last drop。
The Su…dic stopped short and looked at the overturned
vessel with a rueful countenance。
〃That's too bad too bad！〃 he exclaimed
sorrowfully。 〃I've lost all the poison I had to kill
the fishes with； and I can't make any more because only
my wife knew the secret of it； and she is now a foolish
Pig and has forgotten all her magic。〃
〃Very well；〃 said the Diamond Swan scornfully； as she
floated upon the water and swam gracefully here and
there。 I'm glad to see you are foiled。 Your punishment
is just beginning； for although you have enchanted me
and taken away my powers of sorcery you have still the
three magic fishes to deal with； and they'll destroy
you in time； mark my words。〃
The Su…dic stared at the Swan a moment。 Then he
yelled to his men：
〃Shoot her！ Shoot the saucy bird！〃
They let fly some arrows at the Diamond Swan； but she
dove under the water and the missiles fell harmless。
When Coo…ce…oh rose to the surface she was far from the
shore and she swiftly swam across the lake to where no
arrows or spears could reach her。
The Su…dic rubbed his chin and thought what to do
next。 Near by floated the submarine in which the Queen
had come； but the Skeezers who were in it were puzzled
what to do with themselves。 Perhaps they were not sorry
their cruel mistress had been transformed into a
Diamond Swan； but the transformation had left them
quite helpless。 The under…water boat was not operated
by machinery； but by certain mystic words uttered by
Coo…ee…oh。 They didn't know how to submerge it； or how
to make the water…tight shield cover them again； or how
to make the boat go back to the castle； or make it
enter the little basement room where it was usually
kept。 As a matter of fact； they were now shut out of
their village under the Great Dome and could not get
back again。 So one of the men called to the Supreme
Dictator of the Flatheads； saying：
〃Please make us prisoners and take us to your
mountain； and feed and keep us； for we have nowhere to
go。〃
Then the Su…dic laughed and answered：
〃Not so。 I can't be bothered by caring for a lot of
stupid Skeezers。 Stay where you are； or go wherever you
please； so long as you keep away from our mountain。〃 He
turned to his men and added： 〃We have conquered Queen
Coo…ee…oh and made her a helpless swan。 The Skeezers
are under water and may stay there。 So； having won the
war； let us go home again and make merry and feast；
having after many years proved the Flatheads to be
greater and more powerful than the Skeezers。〃
So the Flatheads marched away and passed through the
row of palms and went back to their mountain； where the
Su…dic and a few of his officers feasted and all the
others were forced to wait on them。
〃I'm sorry we couldn't have roast pig；〃 said the Su…
dic； 〃but as the only pig we have is made of gold； we
can't eat her。 Also the Golden Pig happens to be my
wife； and even were she not gold I am sure she would be
too tough to eat。〃
Chapter Twelve
The Diamond Swan
When the Flatheads had gone away the Diamond Swan
swam back to the boat and one of the young Skeezers
named Ervic said to her eagerly：
〃How can we get back to the island； your Majesty？〃
〃Am I not beautiful？〃 asked Coo…ee…oh； arching her
neck gracefully and spreading her diamond…sprinkled
wings。 〃I can see my reflection in the water； and I'm
sure there is no bird nor beast； nor human as
magnificent as I am！〃
〃How shall we get back to the island； your Majesty？〃
pleaded Ervic。
〃When my fame spreads throughout the land； people
will travel from all parts of this lake to look upon my
loveliness；〃 said Coo…ee…oh； shaking her feathers to
make the diamonds glitter more brilliantly。
〃But； your Majesty； we must go home and we do not
know how to get there；〃 Ervic persisted。
〃My eyes；〃 remarked the Diamond Swan； 〃are
wonderfully blue and bright and will charm all
beholders。〃
〃Tell us how to make the boat go how to get back
into the island；〃 begged Ervic and the others cried
just as earnestly： 〃Tell us； Coo…ee…oh； tell us！〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied the Queen in a careless tone。
〃You are a magic…worker； a sorceress； a witch！〃
〃I was； of course； when I was a girl；〃 she said；
bending her head over the clear water to catch her
reflection in it； 〃but now I've forgotten all such
foolish things as magic。 Swans are lovelier than girls；
especially when they're sprinkled with diamonds。 Don't
you think so？〃 And she gracefully swam away； without
seeming to care whether they answered or not。
Ervic and his companions were in despair。 They saw
plainly that Coo…ee…oh could not or would not help
them。 The former Queen had no further thought for her
island； her people； or her wonderful magic； she was
only intent on admiring her own beauty。
〃Truly；〃 said Ervic； in a gloomy voice； 〃the
Flatheads have conquered us！〃
* * * * * * * *
Some of these events had been witnessed by Ozma
and Dorothy and Lady Aurex； who had left the house
and gone close to the glass of the dome； in order to see
what was going on。 Many of the Skeezers had also
crowded against the dome； wondering what would
happen next。 Although their vision was to an extent
blurred by the water and the necessity of looking
upward at an angle； they had observed the main points
of the drama enacted above。 They saw Queen Coo…
ee…oh's submarine come to the surface and open； they
saw the Queen standing erect to throw her magic rope；
they saw her sudden transformation into a Diamond
Swan； and a cry of amazement went up from the
Skeezers inside the dome。
〃Good！〃 exclaimed Dorothy。 〃I hate that old Su…dic；
but I'm glad Coo…ee…oh is punished。〃
〃This is a dreadful misfortune！〃 cried Lady Aurex；
pressing her hands upon her heart。
〃Yes；〃 agreed Ozma； nodding her head thoughtfully；
〃Coo…ee…oh's misfortune will prove a terrible blow to
her people。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 asked Dorothy in
surprise。 〃Seems to me the Skeezers are in luck to lose
their cruel Queen。〃
〃If that were all you would be right；〃 responded Lady
Aurex； 〃and if the island were above water it would not
be so serious。 But here we all are； at the bottom of
the lake； and fast prisoners in this dome。〃
〃Can't you raise the island？〃 inquired Dorothy。
〃No。 Only Coo…ee…oh knew how to do that；〃 was the
answer。
〃We can try；〃 insisted Dorothy。 〃If it can be made to
go down； it can be made to come up。 The machinery is
still here； I suppose。
〃Yes； but the machinery works by magic； and Coo…ee…oh
would never share her secret power with any one of us。〃
Dorothy's face grew grave； but she was thinking。
〃Ozma knows a lot of magic；〃 she said。
〃But not that kind of magic；〃 Ozma replied。
〃Can't you learn how； by looking at the machinery？〃
〃I'm afraid not； my dear。 It isn't fairy magic at
all； it is witchcraft。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dorothy； turning to Lady Aurex； 〃you say
there are other sub…sub…sinking boats。 We can get in
one of those； and shoot out to the top of the water；
like Coo…ee…oh did； and so escape。 And then we can help
to rescue all the Skeezers down here。〃
〃No one knows how to work the under…wa