Queen Coo-ee-oh Princess Ozma considered the situation gravely.

Then she tied her handkerchief to her wand and, standing at the water's edge, waved the handkerchief like a flag, as a signal.

For a time they could observe no response.
"I don't see what good that will do," said Dorothy.

"Even if the Skeezers are on that island and see us, and know we're friends, they haven't any boats to come and get us." But the Skeezers didn't need boats, as the girls soon discovered.

For on a sudden an opening appeared at the base of the palace and from the opening came a slender shaft of steel, reaching out slowly but steadily across the water in the direction of the place where they stood.