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〃I wonder why they did that？〃 mused Dorothy。 〃A wall
would keep folks out anyhow； whether it could be seen
or not； so there wasn't any use making it invisible。
Seems to me it would have been better to have left it
solid； for then no one would have seen the entrance
behind it。 Now anybody can see the entrance； as we did。
And prob'bly anybody that tries to go up the stairs
gets bumped； as we did。〃
Ozma made no reply at once。 Her face was grave and
thoughtful。
〃I think I know the reason for making the wall
invisible；〃 she said after a while。 〃The Flatheads use
the stairs for coming down and going up。 If there was a
solid stone wall to keep them from reaching the plain
they would themselves be imprisoned by the wall。 So
they had to leave some place to get around the wall；
and； if the wall was visible； all strangers or enemies
would find the place to go around it and then the wall
would be useless。 So the Flatheads cunningly made their
wall invisible； believing that everyone who saw the
entrance to the mountain would walk straight toward it；
as we did； and find it impossible to go any farther。 I
suppose the wall is really high and thick； and can't be
broken through； so those who find it in their way are
obliged to go away again。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dorothy； 〃if there's a way around the
wall； where is it？〃
〃We must find it；〃 returned Ozma； and began feeling
her way along the wall。 Dorothy followed and began to
get discouraged when Ozma had walked nearly a quarter
of a mile away from the entrance。 But now the invisible
wall curved in toward the side of the mountain and
suddenly ended； leaving just space enough between the
wall and the mountain for an ordinary person to pass
through。
The girls went in； single file； and Ozma explained
that they were now behind the barrier and could go
back to the entrance。 They met no further obstructions。
〃Most people； Ozma； wouldn't have figured this thing
out the way you did；〃 remarked Dorothy。 〃If I'd been
alone the invisible wall surely would have stumped me。〃
Reaching the entrance they began to mount the stone
stairs。 They went up ten stairs and then down five
stairs； following a passage cut from the rock。 The
stairs were just wide enough for the two girls to walk
abreast； arm in arm。 At the bottom of the five stairs
the passage turned to the right； and they ascended ten
more stairs； only to find at the top of the flight five
stairs leading straight down again。 Again the passage
turned abruptly； this time to the left； and ten more
stairs led upward。
The passage was now quite dark； for they were in the
heart of the mountain and all daylight had been shut
out by the turns of the passage。 However； Ozma drew her
silver wand from her bosom and the great jewel at its
end gave out a lustrous； green…tinted light which
lighted the place well enough for them to see their way
plainly。
Ten steps up； five steps down； and a turn； this way
or that。 That was the program； and Dorothy figured that
they were only gaining five stairs upward each trip
that they made。
〃Those Flatheads must be funny people；〃 she said to
Ozma。 〃They don't seem to do anything in a bold
straightforward manner。 In making this passage they
forced everyone to walk three times as far as is
necessary。 And of course this trip is just as tiresome
to the Flatheads as it is to other folks。〃
〃That is true；〃 answered Ozma； 〃yet it is a clever
arrangement to prevent their being surprised by
intruders。 Every time we reach the tenth step of a
flight； the pressure of our feet on the stone makes a
bell ring on top of the mountain； to warn the Flatheads
of our coming。〃
〃How do you know that？〃 demanded Dorothy； astonished。
〃I've heard the bell ever since we started；〃 Ozma
told her。 〃You could not hear it； I know； but when I am
holding my wand in my hand I can hear sounds a great
distance off。〃
〃Do you hear anything on top of the mountain 'cept
the bell？〃 inquired Dorothy
〃Yes。 The people are calling to one another in alarm
and many footsteps are approaching the place where we
will reach the flat top of the mountain。〃
This made Dorothy feel somewhat anxious。 〃I'd thought
we were going to visit just common； ordinary people；〃
she remarked； 〃but they're pretty clever； it seems； and
they know some kinds of magic； too。 They may be
dangerous； Ozma。 P'raps we'd better stayed at home。〃
Finally the upstairs…and…downstairs passage seemed
coming to an end； for daylight again appeared ahead of
the two girls and Ozma replaced her wand in the bosom
of her gown。 The last ten steps brought them to the
surface； where they found themselves surrounded by
such a throng of queer people that for a time they
halted； speechless； and stared into the faces that
confronted them。
Dorothy knew at once why these mountain people were
called Flatheads。 Their heads were really flat on top；
as if they had been cut off just above the eyes and
ears。 Also the heads were bald； with no hair on top at
all； and the ears were big and stuck straight out； and
the noses were small and stubby； while the mouths of
the Flatheads were well shaped and not unusual。 Their
eyes were perhaps their best feature； being large and
bright and a deep violet in color。
The costumes of the Flatheads were all made of metals
dug from their mountain。 Small gold； silver； tin and
iron discs； about the size of pennies； and very thin；
were cleverly wired together and made to form knee
trousers and jackets for the men and skirts and waists
for the women。 The colored metals were skillfully mixed
to form stripes and checks of various sorts； so that
the costumes were quite gorgeous and reminded Dorothy
of pictures she had seen of Knights of old clothed
armor。
Aside from their flat heads； these people were not
really bad looking。 The men were armed with bows and
arrows and had small axes of steel stuck in their metal
belts。 They wore no hats nor ornaments。
Chapter Six
Flathead Mountain
When they saw that the intruders on their mountain
were only two little girls； the Flatheads grunted with
satisfaction and drew back； permitting them to see what
the mountain top looked like。 It was shaped like a
saucer； so that the houses and other buildings all
made of rocks could not be seen over the edge by
anyone standing in the plain below。
But now a big fat Flathead stood before the girls and
in a gruff voice demanded：
〃What are you doing here？ Have the Skeezers sent you
to spy upon us？〃
〃I am Princess Ozma； Ruler of all the Land of Oz。〃
〃Well； I've never heard of the Land of Oz； so you may
be what you claim；〃 returned the Flathead。
〃This is the Land of Oz part of it； anyway；〃
exclaimed Dorothy。 〃So Princess Ozma rules you Flathead
people； as well as all the other people in Oz。〃
The man laughed； and all the others who stood around
laughed； too。 Some one in the crowd called：
〃She'd better not tell the Supreme Dictator about
ruling the Flatheads。 Eh； friends？〃
〃No； indeed！〃 they all answered in positive tones。
〃Who is your Supreme Dictator？〃 answered Ozma。
〃I think I'll let him tell you that himself；〃
answered the man who had first spoken。 〃You have broken
our laws by coming here； and whoever you are the
Supreme Dictator must fix your punishment。 Come along
with me。〃
He started down a path and Ozma and Dorothy followed
him without protest； as they wanted to see the most
important person in this queer country。 The houses they
passed seemed pleasant enough and each had a little
yard in which were flowers and vegetables。 Walls of
rock separated the dwellings； and all the paths were
paved with smooth slabs of rock。 This seemed their only
building material and they utilized it cleverly for
every purpose。
Directly in the center of the great saucer stood a
larger building which the Flathead informed the girls
was the palace of the Supreme Dictator。 He led them
through an entrance hall into a big reception room；
where they sat upon stone benches and awaited the
coming of the Dictator。 Pretty soon he entered from
another room a rather lean and rather old Flathead；
dressed much like the others of this strange race； and
only distinguished from them by the sly and cunning
expression of his face。 He kept his eyes half closed
and looked through the slits of them at Ozma and
Dorothy； who rose to receive him。
〃Are you the Supreme Dictator of the Flatheads？〃
inquired Ozma。
〃Yes； that's me；〃 he said； rubbing his hands slowly
together。 〃My word is law。 I'm the head of the
Flatheads on this flat headland。〃
〃I am Princess Ozma of Oz； and I have come from the
Emerald City to 〃
〃Stop a minute；〃 interrupted the Dictator； and turned
to the man who had brought the girls there。 〃