Let us give her all the Jewels she can carry, and send her away happy and
contented."
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At this Queen Jinjur laughed aloud, and the next minute clapped her pretty
hands together thrice, as if for a signal.
"You are very absurd creatures," said she; "but I am tired of your nonsense
and have no time to bother with you longer."
While the monarch and his friends listened in amazement to this impudent
speech, a startling thing happened. The Tin Woodman's axe was snatched from
his grasp by some person behind him, and he found himself disarmed and
helpless. At the same instant a shout of laughter rang in the ears of the
devoted band, and turning to see whence this came they found themselves
surrounded by the Army of Revolt, the girls bearing in either hand their
glistening knitting-needles. The entire throne room seemed to be filled with
the rebels, and the Scarecrow and his comrades realized that they were
prisoners.
"You see how foolish it is to oppose a woman's wit," said Jinjur, gaily;
"and this event only proves that I am more fit to rule the Emerald City than
a Scarecrow. I bear you no ill will, I assure you; but lest you should prove
troublesome to me in the future I shall order you all to be destroyed. That
is, all except the boy, who belongs to old Mombi and must be restored to her
keeping. The rest of
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you are not human, and therefore it will not be wicked to demolish you.
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