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TIK-TOK OF OZ

BY L. FRANK BAUM

To Louis F. Gottschalk, Whose sweet and dainty melodies breathe the true spirit of fairyland, this book is affectionately dedicated

To My Readers

The very marked success of my last year's fairy
book, "The Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me
that my readers like the Oz stories "best of all," as
one little girl wrote me. So here, my dears, is a
new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth,
the Queen of Oogahoo, whom Tik-Tok assisted
in conquering our old acquaintance, the Nome King.
It also tells of Betsy Bobbin and how, after many
adventures, she finally reached the marvelous
Land of Oz.

There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz,"
hut it is not like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz,"
although some of the adventures recorded in this
book, as well as those in several other Oz books,
are included in the play. Those who have seen the
play and those who have read the other Oz books
will find in this story a lot of strange
characters and adventures that they have never
heard of before.

In the letters I receive from children there has
been an urgent appeal for me to write a story that
will take Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz,
where they will meet Dorothy and Ozma. Also
they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted
with Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged
to talk these matters over with Dorothy by means
of the "wireless," for that is the only way I can
communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked
her about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you
heard?" I said "No." "Well," came the message over
the wireless, "I'll tell you all about it, by and
by, and then you can make a book of that story for
the children to read."

So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted
to write another Oz book, you will probably
discover how all these characters came together in
the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell
all my little friends--whose numbers are increasing
by many thousands every year--that I am very
grateful for the favor they have shown my books and
for the delightful little letters I am constantly
receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends
among the children of America as any story writer
alive; and this, of course, makes me very proud and
happy.

L. Frank Baum.

"OZCOT"
at HOLLYWOOD
in CALIFORNIA, 1914.

CHAPTER 1 ANN'S ARMY


	"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor.  It is beneath my
dignity."
	"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye,
"else we shall soon be wading in dust.  And you are the eldest and the
head of the family."
	"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann proudly.  "But," she added with a
sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the Land of Oz."
	This was quite true.  Away up in the mountains, in a far corner of
the beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is named
Oogaboo, and in this valley lived a few people who were usually happy and
contented and never cared to wander over the mountain pass into the more
settled parts of the land.  They knew that all of Oz, including their own
territory, was ruled by a beautiful Princess named Ozma, who lived in the
splendid Emerald City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo never visited Ozma.
They had a royal family of their own--not especially to rule over them,
but just as a matter of pride.  Ozma permitted the various parts of her
country to have their Kings and Queens and Emperors and the like, but all
were ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the Emerald City.
	The King of Oogaboo used to be a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth,
who for many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and telling
his people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions.  But the King's wife
had a sharp tongue and small respect for the King, her husband; therefore
one night King Jol crept over the pass into the Land of Oz and
disappeared from Oogaboo for good and all.  The Queen waited a few years
for him to return and then started in search of him, leaving her eldest
daughter, Ann Soforth, to act as Queen.
	Now Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that meant
a party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite forgotten how many
years the birthdays marked.  In a land where people live always, this is
not considered a cause for regret, so we may justly say that Queen Ann of
Oogaboo was old enough to make jelly--and let it go at that.
	But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than
she could help.  She was an ambitious woman and constantly resented the
fact that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so stupid and
unenterprising.  Often she wondered what had become of her father and
mother out beyond the pass in the wonderful Land of Oz, and the fact that
they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann to suspect that they had found a
better place to live.  So when Salye refused to sweep the floor of the
living room in the palace and Ann would not sweep it either, she said to
her sister: "I'm going away.  This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me."
	"Go if you want to," answered Salye, "but you are very foolish to
leave this place."
	"Why?" asked Ann.
	"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be
a nobody, while here you are a Queen."
	"Oh, yes!  Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and
forty-four children!" returned Ann bitterly.
	"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great
Land of Oz," laughed Salye.  "Why don't you raise an army and conquer
them, and be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt Ann and so to
anger her.  Then she made a face at her sister and went into the back
yard to swing in the hammock.
	Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea.  She
reflected that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma a mere
girl who ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed because her people
loved her.  Even in Oogaboo the story was told that Ozma's sole army
consisted of twenty-seven fine officers who wore beautiful uniforms but
carried no weapons, because there was no one to fight. Once there had
been a private soldier besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a
Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it might accidentally
hurt someone.
	The more Ann thought about the matter, the more she was convinced
it would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in
Ozma's place if she but had an Army to do it with.  Afterward she could
go out into the world and conquer other lands, and then perhaps she could
find a way to the moon, and conquer that.  She had a warlike spirit that
preferred trouble to idleness.
	It all depended on an Army, Ann decided.  She carefully counted
in her mind all the men of her kingdom.  Yes, there were exactly eighteen
of them, all told.  That would not make a very big Army, but by
surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily subdue them.
"Gentle people are always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told
herself.  "I don't wish to shed any blood, for that would shock my
nerves, and I might faint; but if we threaten and flash our weapons, I am
sure the people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me and
surrender."
	This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once,
finally determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the audacious
venture. "Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more unhappy
than my staying shut up in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and
quarreling with Sister Salye, so I will venture all and win what I may."
	That very day she started out to organize her Army.  The first
man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he had an apple orchard.
	"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you
to join my Army."
	"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely refuse
Your Majesty," said Jo Apple.
	"I have no intention of asking you.  I shall command you, as
Queen of Oogaboo, to join," said Ann.
	"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked in a sad
voice.  "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important citizen,
and for that reason I am entitled to an office of high rank."
	"You shall be a General," promised Ann.
	"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked.
	"Of course," said the Queen.
	Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he
owned an orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns in great variety, both
hot and cold, grew on the trees.
	"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command
you to join my Army."
	"Impossible!" he exclaimed.  "The bun crop has to be picked."
	"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann.
	"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he protested.
	"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals and wear a
cocked hat with gold braid and curl your mustaches and clank a long
sword," she promised.
	So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the Queen
walked on to the next cottage.  Here lived Jo Cone, so called because the
trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent ice-cream cones.
	"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must
join my Army."
	"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone.  "I am a bad fighter.  My good
wife conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than I.  Take her,
Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for the favor."
	"This must be an army of men--fierce, ferocious warriors,"
declared Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man.
	"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked.
	"Yes, and make you a General."
	"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo
Clock, who had an orchard of clock-trees.  This man at first insisted
that he would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise to make him a
General finally won his consent.
	"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked.
	"Four, so far," replied Ann.
	"And how big will the army be?" was his next question.
	"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo join
it," she said.
	"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock.  "I advise
you to make the rest of them Colonels."
	Ann tried to follow his advice.  The next four men she
visited--who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named after
the trees in their orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; but the fifth
one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and Generals were getting to be altogether
too common in the Army of Oogaboo and he preferred to be a Major.  So Jo
Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo Stockings were all four made Majors, while
the next four--Jo Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons--were
appointed Captains of the Army.
	But now Queen Ann was in a quandary.  There remained but two
other men in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while
there were four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four Generals,
there was likely to be jealousy in her army, and perhaps mutiny and
desertions.
	One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go at
all. No promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him.  He said he
must remain at home to harvest his crop of jackson-balls, lemon-drops,
bon bons and chocolate-creams.  Also, he had large fields of crackerjack
and buttered popcorn to be mowed and threshed, and he was determined not
to disappoint the children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world
and so let the candy crop spoil.
	Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way
and continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last man in
Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files.  This Files had twelve
trees which bore steel files of various sorts, but also he had nine
book-trees on which grew a choice selection of storybooks.  In case you
have never seen books growing upon trees, I will explain that those in Jo
Files' orchard were enclosed in broad green husks which when fully ripe
turned to a deep red color.  Then the books were picked and husked and
were ready to read.  If they were picked too soon, the stories were found
to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling bad.  However, if
allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine reading and the
spelling and grammar excellent.
	Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the
people of Oogaboo cared little for books, and so he had to read most of
them himself before they spoiled.  For as you probably know, as soon as
the books were read, the words disappeared and the leaves withered and
faded--which is the worst fault of all books which grow upon trees.
	When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both
intelligent and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great fun to
conquer the world.  But he called her attention to the fact that he was
far superior to the other men of her army.  Therefore, he would not be
one of her Generals or Colonels or Majors or Captains, but claimed the
honor of being the sole Private.
	Ann did not like this idea at all.
	"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army," she said.
"They're so common.  I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private
soldier, but she made him her Captain-General, which is good evidence that
the private was unnecessary."
	"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files, "but your army must
fight like fury in order to conquer the world.  I have read in my books
that it is always the private soldiers who do the fighting, for no
officer is ever brave enough to face the foe.  Also, it stands to reason
that your officers must have someone to command and to issue their orders
to, therefore I'll be the one.  I long to slash and slay the enemy and
become a hero.  Then when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the marbles
away from the children and melt them up and make a marble statue of
myself for all to look upon and admire."
	Ann was much pleased with Private Files.  He seemed indeed to be
such a warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of success
took a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a gun-tree grew and
would go there at once and pick the ripest and biggest musket the tree bore.

CHAPTER 2 OUT OF OOGABOO

	Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the square
in front of the royal palace.  The sixteen officers were attired in
gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering swords.  The Private had
picked his gun, and although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried to
look fierce and succeeded so well that all his commanding officers were
secretly afraid of him.
	The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth had no
right to take their husbands and fathers from them, but Ann commanded
them to keep silent, and that was the hardest order to obey they had ever
received.
	The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform
of green, covered with gold braid.  She wore a green soldier-cap with a
purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that everyone in
Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going.  The Army was sorry she
was not going alone.
	"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.
	Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed.  "I believe
your Army can run better than it can fight," she observed.
	"Of course," replied General Bunn proudly.  "We're not looking for
trouble, you know, but for plunder.  The more plunder and the less
fighting we get, the better we shall like our work."
	"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to anything.
The only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say
that the easiest way to conquer is to fight."
	"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann.  "To fight is to
conquer, and to conquer is to secure plunder, and to secure plunder is to
become a hero.  With such noble determination to back me, the world is
mine!  Goodbye, Salye.  When we return, we shall be rich and famous.
Come, Generals, let us march."
	At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their chests.
Then they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles and cried to the
Colonels: "For-ward March!"
	Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For-ward March!" and the
Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the Captains
screamed to the Private: "For-ward March!"
	So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the
officers followed after him.  Queen Ann came last of all, rejoicing in
her noble army and wondering why she had not decided long ago to conquer
the world.
	In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the
narrow mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz.

CHAPTER 3 MAGIC MYSTIFIES THE MARCHERS

	Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by
their ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom.  The
beautiful girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her subjects and
had no time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal plans.  But there
was one who constantly guarded the peace and happiness of the Land of Oz,
and this was the Official Sorceress of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good.
	In her magnificent castle, which stands far south of the Emerald
City where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record
Book in which is printed every event that takes place anywhere, just as
soon as it happens.
	The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in
this book.  If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads about it;
if a city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in her book.  The
Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so it was she knew
that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an army of
sixteen officers and one private soldier, with which she intended to
invade and conquer the Land of Oz.
	There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of
Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz--both her firm
friends--could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's.  But it
would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by any sort of
quarreling or fighting.  So Glinda did not even mention the matter to Ozma
or to anyone else.  She merely went into a great chamber of her castle,
known as the Magic Room, where she performed a magical ceremony which
caused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo to make several turns and
twists.  The result was that when Ann and her army came to the end of the
pass they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an adjoining
territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and separated from
Oz by an invisible barrier.
	As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they
had traversed disappeared behind them, and it was not likely they would
ever find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo.  They were greatly
puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not know which way to go.
None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took them some time to discover
they were not in Oz at all, but in an unknown country.
	"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment, "we
have started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it.  In time,
as we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come to Oz, but
until we get there we may as well conquer whatever land we find ourselves
in."
	"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously inquired
Major Cake.
	"Most certainly," said Ann.  "We have met no people as yet, but
when we do we will inform them that they are our slaves."
	"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions,"
added General Apple.
	"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files, "but I
hope they will fight us just the same.  A peaceful conquest wouldn't be
any fun at all."
	"Don't worry," said the Queen. "WE can fight, whether our foes do
or not, and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have the enemy
surrender promptly."
	It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in.
Moreover, there was little for them to eat, and as the officers became
hungry they became fretful.  Many would have deserted had they been able
to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people were now hopelessly
lost in a strange country, they considered it more safe to keep together
than to separate.
	Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and
irritable as she and her army tramped over the rocky roads without
encountering either people or plunder.  She scolded her officers until
they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal enough to ask her to
hold her tongue.  Others began to reproach her for leading them into
difficulties, and in the space of three unhappy days every man was
mourning for his orchard in the pretty valley of Oogaboo.
	Files, however, proved a different sort.  The more difficulties
he encountered, the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the
officers were answered by the merry whistle of the Private.  His pleasant
disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann, and before long she
consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did his superiors.
	It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they encountered
their first adventure.  Toward evening, the sky was suddenly darkened,
and Major Nails exclaimed: "A fog is coming toward us."
	"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with
interest at the approaching cloud.  "It seems to me more like the breath
of a Rak."
	"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully.
	"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the
soldier, growing a little paler than usual.  "I have never seen a Rak, to
be sure, but I have read of them in the storybooks that grew in my
orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful monsters, we are not
likely to conquer the world."
	Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered
closer about their soldier.
	"What is the thing like?" asked one.
	"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather
blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when it was
picked.  But the creature can fly in the air and run like a deer and swim
like a fish.  Inside its body is a glowing furnace of fire, and the Rak
breathes in air and breathes out smoke which darkens the sky for miles
around wherever it goes.  It is bigger than a hundred men and feeds on
any living thing."
	The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files tried
to cheer them, saying: "It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see
approaching us, and you must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which
is part of the fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed."
	"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us and
chews us up into small pieces and swallows us, what will happen then?"
	"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files.
	"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo.  "A
hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or not!"
	"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files.  "We will
know when the cloud gets nearer whether it is the breath of a Rak or not.
If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but if it has the odor
of salt and pepper, it is a Rak, and we must prepare for a desperate
fight."
	They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully.  Before long it reached
the frightened group and began to envelop them.  Every nose sniffed the
cloud--and every one detected in it the odor of salt and pepper.  "The
Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the sixteen
officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in anguish.  Queen Ann
sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more bravely, although her heart
was beating fast.  As for Files, he calmly loaded his gun and stood ready
to fight the foe, as a soldier should.
	They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which covered
the sky and the setting sun was black as ink.  Then through the gloom
appeared two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once decided these
must be the monster's eyes.  He raised his gun, took aim, and fired.
There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an excellent
bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard.  They flew toward the
monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry the Rak came fluttering
down and its huge body fell plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers,
who thereupon screamed louder than before.
	"Badness me!" moaned the Rak.  "See what you've done with that
dangerous gun of yours!"
	"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your
breath darkens my sight!"
	"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak
reproachfully as it still flapped its wings in a helpless manner.  "Don't
claim you didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!"
	"I don't intend to," replied Files.  "Did the bullets hurt you
very badly?"
	"One has broken my jaw so that I can't open my mouth.  You will
notice that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I have to
talk with my teeth set close together.  Another bullet broke my left
wing, so that I can't fly.  And still another broke my right leg, so that
I can't walk.  It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!"
	"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding
officers?" inquired Files.  "From their cries, I'm afraid your great
weight is crushing them."
	"I hope it is," growled the Rak.  "I want to crush them, if
possible, for I have a bad disposition.  If only I could open my mouth,
I'd eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly this warm weather."
	With this, the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so as
to crush the officers more easily; but in doing this, it rolled
completely off from them, and the entire sixteen scrambled to their feet
and made off as fast as they could run.  Private Files could not see them
go, but he knew from the sound of their voices that they had escaped, so
he ceased to worry about them.
	"Pardon me if I now bid you goodbye," he said to the Rak.  "The
parting is caused by our desire to continue our journey.  If you die, do
not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a matter of
self-protection."
	"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed
life. But I beg you not to leave me."
	"Why not?" asked Files.
	"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I
shall be able to eat you.  My wing will heal in a day, and my leg will
heal in a week, when I shall be as well as ever.  Having shot me and
caused me all this annoyance, it is only fair and just that you remain
here and allow me to eat you as soon as I can open my jaws."
	"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly.  "I have
made an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her conquer the
world, and I cannot break my word for the sake of being eaten by a Rak."
	"Oh, that's different," said the monster.  "If you've an
engagement, don't let me detain you."
	So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the
trembling Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak.  They
stumbled over the stones for a way, but presently began to see dimly the
path ahead of them as they got farther and farther away from the dreadful
spot where the wounded monster lay.
	By and by they reached a little hill and could see the last rays
of the sun flooding a pretty valley beyond, for now they had passed
beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak.  Here were huddled the sixteen
officers, still frightened and panting from their run.  They had halted
only because it was impossible for them to run any farther. Queen Ann
gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the same time
praising Files for his courage.
	"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for by
running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering the
world; whereas had Files been eaten by the Rak, he would have deserted
your Army."
	After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as
they were out of sight of the Rak, the spirits of the entire party rose
quickly.  Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of which Queen
Ann commanded them to make camp for the night.
	Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent.  This, when
placed on the ground, quickly grew in size until it was large enough to
permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas walls. Files was
obliged to carry a knapsack in which was not only his own tent, but an
elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair and a magic
table.  This table, when set upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, became of
large size, and in a drawer of the table was contained the Queen's supply
of extra clothing, her manicure and toilet articles, and other necessary
things.  The royal bed was the only one in camp, the officers and private
sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent poles.
	There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of
Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to show
that the country they were in had been conquered by the Queen of Oogaboo.
So far, no one but themselves had seen the flag, but Ann was pleased to
see it flutter in the breeze and considered herself already a famous
conqueror.

CHAPTER 4 BETSY BRAVES THE BILLOWS

	The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled
and the ship struck a rock.  Betsy Bobbin was running across the deck,
and the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell with a
splash into the dark blue water.  The same shock sent Hank, a thin,
little, sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into the sea far from the
ship's side.
	When Betsy came up gasping for breath because the wet plunge had
surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair.
At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but presently she heard a
dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding fast to the end of Hank's tail.
	Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare.  The ship, now
in the far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves.
Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a mass of
wreckage floating near her, and she let go the mule's tail and seized the
rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode upon it in safety. Hank
also saw the raft and swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never would
have been able to climb aboard it had not Betsy helped him to get aboard.
	They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a
hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well,
and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from drowning.
The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down.  Blinding
bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud, and the clamor of deep
thunderclaps echoed far over the sea.  The waves tossed the little raft
here and there as a child tosses a rubber ball, and Betsy had a solemn
feeling there was no living thing besides herself and the small donkey.
	Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose
against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, as
if to comfort her.
	"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried helplessly,
and the mule said "Hee-haw!" again in tones that meant a promise.
	On board the ship during the days that preceded the wreck, when
the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, while the
girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in this dreadful
emergency, she felt that the mule would do all it could to guard her
safety.  All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out
and passed away with a few distant growls and the waves had grown smaller
and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet raft and fell
asleep.
	Hank did not sleep a wink.  Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard
Betsy.  Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired, sleeping girl
and watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over the sea.
The light wakened Betsy Bobbin.  She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and stared
across the water.'
	"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed.
	"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice.
	The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country, and
as they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing
brightly between leafy trees.  But no people were to be seen at all.

CHAPTER 5 THE ROSES REPULSE THE REFUGEES

	Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach.  Then Betsy easily
waded ashore, the mule following closely behind her.  The sun was now
shining, and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of roses.
	"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling more
cheerful now that she was on dry land, "but we can't eat the flowers,
although they do smell mighty good."
	"Hee-haw!" replied Hank, and trotted up a little pathway to the
top of the bank.  Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her.
A little way off stood a splendid, big greenhouse, its thousands of
crystal panes glittering in the sunlight.
	"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy
thoughtfully.  "Gardeners or somebody.  Let's go and see, Hank.  I'm
getting hungrier ev'ry minute."
	So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its
entrance without meeting with anyone at all.  A door stood ajar, so Hank
went in first, thinking if there was any danger he could back out and
warn his companion.  But Betsy was close at his heels and the moment she
entered was lost in amazement at the wonderful sight she saw.  The
greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all growing in big
pots.  On the central stem of each bush bloomed a splendid Rose,
gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and in the center of each
Rose was the face of a lovely girl.
	As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were drooping
and their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that
he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound of his harsh voice the rose
leaves fluttered, the Roses raised their heads, and a hundred startled
eyes were instantly fixed upon the intruders.
	"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused.
	"O-o-o-o-h!" cried the Roses in a sort of sighing chorus, and one
of them added: "What a horrid noise!"
	"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the
truth of her words, the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!"
	At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they were
able and trembled as if someone were shaking their bushes.  A dainty Moss
Rose gasped: "Dear me!  How dreadfully dreadful!"
	"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant.
"When you get used to Hank's voice, it will put you to sleep."
	The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully, and one of them
asked: "Is that savage beast named Hank?"
	"Yes.  Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," answered the girl,
twining her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him tightly.
"Aren't you, Hank?"
	Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the
Roses shivered again.
	"Please go away!" begged one.  "Can't you see you're frightening
us out of a week's growth?"
	"Go away!" echoed Betsy.  "Why, we've no place to go.  We've just
been wrecked."
	"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus.
	"Yes.  We were on a big ship, and the storm came and wrecked it,"
explained the girl.  "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and floated
ashore to this place, and we're tired and hungry.  What country IS this,
please?"
	"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose haughtily, "and
it is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses grown."
	"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms.
	"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea Rose,
bending her brows in a frown.  "Therefore you must go away before the
Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the sea."
	"Oh!  Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy.
	"To be sure."
	"And is he a Rose, also?"
	"Of course not.  He's a man, a wonderful man," was the reply.
	"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much
relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into the
greenhouse, a spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the other.
	He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose-colored costume with
ribbons at his knees and elbows and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. His
eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp, and his face puckered and
deeply lined.
	"Oho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his
greenhouse, and when Hank gave a loud bray, the Gardener threw the
watering pot over the mule's head and danced around with his fork in such
agitation that presently he fell over the handle of the implement and
sprawled at full length upon the ground.
	Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's head.
The little mule was angry at the treatment he had received and backed
toward the Gardener threateningly.
	"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly, and the
Gardener scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses.
	"You are breaking the law!" he shouted, sticking out his head to
glare at the girl and the mule.
	"What Law?" asked Betsy.
	"The Law of the Rose Kingdom.  No strangers are allowed in these
domains."
	"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired.
	"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal Gardener,
and he was about to say more when suddenly there was a crash of glass and
a man came tumbling through the roof of the greenhouse and fell plump to
the ground.

CHAPTER 6 SHAGGY SEEKS HIS STRAY BROTHER

	This sudden arrival was a queer-looking man dressed all in
garments so shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must be some animal.
But the stranger ended his fall in a sitting position, and then the girl
saw it was really a man.  He held an apple in his hand, which he had
evidently been eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred or
flustered by the accident that he continued to munch this apple as he
calmly looked around him.
	"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him.  "Who ARE you,
and where did you come from?"
	"Me?  Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the
apple. "Just dropped in for a short call.  Excuse my seeming haste."
	"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy.
	"No.  I climbed an apple tree outside, branch gave way and here I
am." As he spoke, the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to
Hank (who ate it greedily), and then stood up to bow politely to Betsy
and the Roses.
	The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the
crash of glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower of
Roses, but now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in his squeaky
voice: "You're breaking the Law!  You're breaking the Law!"
	Shaggy stared at him solemnly.  "Is the glass the Law in this
country?" he asked.
	"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the Gardener
angrily.  "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking
the Law."
	"How do you know?" asked Shaggy.
	"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming forward
and taking a small book from his pocket.  "Page thirteen.  Here it is:
'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom, he shall at once be condemned
by the Ruler and put to death.'  So you see, strangers," he continued
triumphantly, "it's death for you all, and your time has come!"
	But just here Hank interposed.  He had been stealthily backing
toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's heels
shot out and struck the little man in the middle.  He doubled up like the
letter "U" and flew out of the door so swiftly--never touching the
ground--that he was gone before Betsy had time to wink.
	But the mule's attack frightened the girl.  "Come," she
whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his hand, "let's go
somewhere else.  They'll surely kill us if we stay here."
	"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's head.
"I'm not afraid of anything so long as I have the Love Magnet."
	"The Love Magnet!  Why, what is that?" asked Betsy.
	"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of
everyone who looks upon it," was the reply.  "The Love Magnet used to
hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz, but when I
started on this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take
it with me."
	"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him.  "Are you really from the
wonderful Land of Oz?"
	"Yes.  Ever been there, my dear?"
	"No, but I've heard about it.  And do you know Princess Ozma?"
	"Very well indeed."
	"And--and Princess Dorothy?"
	"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy.
	"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy.  "And why did you ever leave such a
beautiful land as Oz?"
	"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn.  "I'm trying
to find my dear little brother."
	"Oh!  Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the
poor man.
	"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, taking out a
handkerchief and wiping a tear from his eye.  "I didn't know it until
lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of the Sorceress
Glinda, in the Land of Oz.  So now I'm trying to find him."
	"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically.
	"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz.
Brother was a miner and dug gold out of a mine.  One day he went into his
mine and never came out.  They searched for him, but he was not there.
Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably.
	"For goodness sake!  What do you s'pose became of him?" she
asked.
	"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking another
apple from his pocket and eating it to relieve his misery.  "The Nome
King probably got him."
	"The Nome King!  Who is he?"
	"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is
Ruggedo.  Lives in some underground cavern.  Claims to own all the metals
hidden in the earth.  Don't ask me why."
	"Why?"
	"'Cause I don't know.  But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if
anyone digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that he
captured brother and carried him off to his underground kingdom.  No,
don't ask me why.  I see you're dying to ask me why.  But I don't know."
	"But--dear me!--in that case, you will never find your lost
brother!" exclaimed the girl.
	"Maybe not, but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy.  "I've
wandered so far without finding him, but that only proves he is not where
I've been looking.  What I seek now is the hidden passage to the
underground cavern of the terrible Metal Monarch."
	"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever
manage to get there, the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner."
	"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy carelessly.  "You mustn't forget the
Love Magnet."
	"What about it?" she asked.
	"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will love
me dearly and do anything I ask."
	"It must be wonderful," said Betsy with awe.
	"It is," the man assured her.  "Shall I show it to you?"
	"Oh, do!" she cried.  So Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and
drew out a small, silver magnet shaped like a horseshoe.  The moment
Betsy saw it she began to like the Shaggy Man better than before.  Hank
also saw the Magnet and crept up to Shaggy to rub his head lovingly
against the man's knee.
	But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener, who stuck his
head into the greenhouse and shouted angrily: "You are all condemned to
death!  Your only chance to escape is to leave here instantly."
	This startled little Betsy, but the Shaggy Man merely waved the
Magnet toward the Gardener, who, seeing it, rushed forward and threw
himself at Shaggy's feet, murmuring in honeyed words: "Oh, you lovely,
lovely man!  How fond I am of you!  Every shag and bobtail that decorates
you is dear to me.  All I have is yours!  But for goodness' sake get out
of here before you die the death."
	"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man.
	"You must.  It's the Law," exclaimed the Gardener, beginning to
weep real tears.  "It breaks my heart to tell you this bad news, but the
Law says that all strangers must be condemned by the Ruler to die the
death."
	"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy.
	"Of course not," added Shaggy.  "We haven't even seen the Ruler
of the Rose Kingdom."
	"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener in a perplexed tone
of voice, "we haven't any real Ruler just now.  You see, all our Rulers
grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we had got mildewed
and withered before his time.  So we had to plant him, and at this time
there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes who is ripe enough to pick."
	"How do you know?" asked Betsy.
	"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener.  Plenty of royalties are growing, I
admit, but just now they are all green.  Until one ripens, I am supposed
to rule the Rose Kingdom myself and see that its Laws are obeyed.
Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you to death."
	"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy.  "I'd like to see those Royal
Gardens before I die."
	"So would I," added Shaggy Man.  "Take us there, Gardener."
	"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener.  But Shaggy again
showed him the Love Magnet, and after one glance at it, the Gardener
could no longer resist.  He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the
great greenhouse and carefully unlocked a small door.  Passing through
this, they came in to the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom.
	It was all surrounded by a tall hedge, and within the enclosure
grew several enormous rosebushes having thick, green leaves of the
texture of velvet.  Upon these bushes grew the members of the Royal
Family of the Rose Kingdom--men, women and children in all stages of
maturity. They all seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or not
fully developed, their flesh and clothing being alike green.  They stood
perfectly lifeless upon their branches, which swayed softly in the
breeze, and their wide-open eyes stared straight ahead, unseeing and
unintelligent.
	While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind
a big central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise and
pleasure.  For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, stood a Royal
Princess whose beauty was amazing.  "Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy,
pushing aside some of the broad leaves to observe her more clearly.
	"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the
girl's side, "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a Ruler."
	"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around
Betsy discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the greenhouse
and were now grouped before the entrance.
	"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom
don't want a girl Ruler.  They want a King."
	"A King!  We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses.
	"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess.
	"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush.  This Princess is
named Ozga, as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz, and were she but a
man we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler."
	The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses, and Betsy
whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy."
	"All right," said he.  "If she's royal, she has the right to rule
this Kingdom, and if we pick here she will surely protect us and prevent
our being hurt or driven away."  So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of
the beautiful Rose Princess, and a little twist of her feet set her free
of the branch upon which she grew.  Very gracefully, she stepped down
from the bush to the ground, where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy and
said in a delightfully sweet voice: "I thank you."
	But at the sound of these words, the Gardener and the Roses
turned and discovered that the Princess had been picked and was now
alive.  Over every face flashed an expression of resentment and anger,
and one of the Roses cried aloud: "Audacious mortals!  What have you done?"
	"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy cheerfully.
	"But we won't have her!  We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque
Rose, and another added with a voice of scorn, "No girl shall rule over
us!"
	The newly picked Princess looked from one to another of her
rebellious subjects in astonishment.  A grieved look came over her
exquisite features.  "Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked
gently.  "Have I not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?"
	"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the
Moss Rose coldly.  "So we refuse to allow you to rule us."
	"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose.
	"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet
from his pocket.  "I guess this will win their love, Princess.  Here,
take it in your hand and let the roses see it."
	Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes
of her subjects, but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain.
	"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise.  "The
Magnet never failed to work before!"
	"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely.  "These Roses have
no hearts."
	"That's it," agreed the Gardener.  "They're pretty and sweet and
alive, but still they are Roses.  Their stems have thorns, but no
hearts."
	The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man.
"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully.
	"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses.
"We will have no Ruler until a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough to pick."
	"Very well," said the Gardener meekly.  "You must excuse me, my
dear Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, including
Ozga, must get out of the Rose Kingdom immediately, if not before."
	"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying
the Magnet.
	"I do.  I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly.  "But
no true man will neglect his duty for the sake of love.  My duty is to
drive you out, so out you go!"  With this, he seized a garden fork and
began jabbing it at the strangers in order to force them to leave. Hank
the mule was not afraid of the fork, and when he got his heels near to
the Gardener the man fell back to avoid a kick.
	But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts, and it was soon
discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many sharp
thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels.  Neither Betsy nor
Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those thorns, and when they
pressed away from them they found themselves slowly driven through the
garden door into the greenhouse.  From there they were forced out at the
entrance and so through the territory of the flower-strewn Rose Kingdom,
which was not of very great extent.
	The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly, Betsy was indignant and
angry, Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws," and the Shaggy Man whistled
softly to himself.
	The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there was a
drawbridge in one place, and this the Royal Gardener let down until the
outcasts had passed over it.  Then he drew it up again and returned with
his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the four queerly assorted comrades
to wander into the bleak and unknown country that lay beyond.
	"I don't mind much," remarked Shaggy as he led the way over the
stony, barren ground.  "I've got to search for my long-lost little
brother anyhow, so it won't matter where I go."
	"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in her
most cheerful voice.  "I'm so far away from home now that I don't s'pose
I'll ever find my way back.  And to tell the truth, it's more fun
traveling around and having adventures than sticking at home.  Don't you
think so, Hank?"
	"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both.
	"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland with a gentle sigh,
"I must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom.  So I, too, will be glad
to help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother."
	"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy.  "But unless I can
find the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I shall never
find poor brother."
	"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy.
	"SOME one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply, "but we are
not the ones.  The only way to succeed is for us to keep going until we
find a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern."
	"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy.
"Who knows?"
	"No one knows that except the person who's writing this story,"
said Shaggy.  "But we won't find anything--not even supper--unless we
travel on.  Here's a path.  Let's take it and see where it leads to."

CHAPTER 7 POLYCHROME'S PITIFUL PLIGHT

	The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some
over the brim.  That made it rain in a certain part of the country--a
real hard shower, for a time--and sent the Rainbow scampering to the
place to show the gorgeous colors of his glorious bow as soon as the mist
of rain had passed and the sky was clear.
	The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk,
yet few have ever seen it close by.  Usually, the Rainbow is so far
distant that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and that is why
we seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the Rainbow.
	In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there
appeared to be no human beings at all, but the Rainbow appeared just the
same, and dancing gaily on its arch were the Rainbow's Daughters, led by
the fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that no girl has
ever quite equalled her in loveliness.
	Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the bow
to the ground, daring her sisters to follow her.  Laughing and gleeful,
they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; but all the
Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a dangerous pastime, so they
quickly climbed upon their bow again.
	All but Polychrome.  Though the sweetest and merriest of them all,
she was likewise the most reckless.  Moreover, it was an unusual
sensation to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes.  Before she
realized it, the bow had lifted and disappeared in the billowy blue sky,
and here was Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her gauzy
draperies floating about her like brilliant cobwebs and not a soul--fairy
or mortal--to help her regain her lost bow!
	"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face.
"I'm caught again.  This is the second time my carelessness has left me
on earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces.  The first time I
enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a lonely, forsaken country,
and I shall be very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I can climb
aboard.  Let me think what is best to be done."
	She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about
her, and bowed her head.  It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied
Polychrome as she came along the stony path, followed by Hank, the
Princess and Shaggy.  At once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of
the Rainbow and exclaimed: "Oh, what a lovely creature!"
	Polychrome raised her golden head.  There were tears in her blue
eyes. "I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she sobbed.
	The others gathered around her.  "Tell us your troubles, pretty
one," urged the Princess.
	"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome.
	"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic voice,
thinking she meant "beau" instead of "bow."
	"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot
imperiously. "I want my RAINbow."
	"Oh, that's different," said Shaggy.  "But try to forget it.
When I was young, I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I couldn't
have it.  Looks as if YOU couldn't have it either, so please don't cry."
	Polychrome looked at him reproachfully.  "I don't like you," she
said.
	"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket.
"Not a little bit?  Just a wee speck of a like?"
	"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as she
gazed at the enchanted talisman.  "I love you, Shaggy Man!"
	"Of course you do," said he calmly, "but I don't take any credit
for it.  It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm.  But you seem quite alone
and friendless, little Rainbow.  Don't you want to join our party until
you find your father and sisters again?"
	"Where are you going?" she asked.
	"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand, "but
we're trying to find Shaggy's long-lost brother, who has been captured by
the terrible Metal Monarch.  Won't you come with us, and help us?"
	Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of
travelers, and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face.  "A donkey,
a mortal maid, a Rose Princess, and a Shaggy Man!" she exclaimed.
"Surely you need help if you intend to face Ruggedo."
	"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy.
	"No, indeed.  Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface
where no Rainbow can ever penetrate.  But I've heard of the Metal
Monarch. He is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has made
trouble for a good many people--mortals and fairies--in his time," said
Polychrome.
	"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess anxiously.
	"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome
proudly. "I'm a sky fairy."
	"Then," said Betsy quickly, "you will be able to tell us the way
to Ruggedo's cavern."
	"No," said Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I
cannot do.  But I will gladly go with you and help you search for the
place."
	This promise delighted all the wanderers, and after Shaggy Man
had found the path again they began moving along it in a more happy mood.
The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky trail, no longer
sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in smiles.  Shaggy came
next, walking steadily and now and then supporting the Rose Princess, who
followed him.  Betsy and Hank brought up the rear, and if she tired with
walking the girl got upon Hank's back and let the stout little donkey
carry her for a while.
	At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny
brook, and here they made camp and rested until morning.  Then away they
tramped, finding berries and fruits here and there which satisfied the
hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were well content with
their lot.  It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their
food, for she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this to
Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga was driven
out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and would never again be
more than a mere mortal.  Polychrome, however was a fairy wherever she
happened to be, and if she sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for
refreshment, no one ever saw her do it.
	As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very
little to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange country.
Shaggy said it would be best to go toward the mountains, as the natural
entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was likely to be hidden in some
rocky, deserted place; but mountains seemed all around them except in the
one direction that they had come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and
the sea.  Therefore, it mattered little which way they traveled.
	By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path, and
after following this for some time they reached a crossroads.  Here were
many paths leading in various directions, and there was a signpost so old
that there were now no words upon the sign.  At one side was an old well
with a chain windlass for drawing water, yet there was no house or other
building anywhere in sight.
	While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule
approached the well and tried to look into it.  "He's thirsty," said
Betsy.
	"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy.  "Probably there has been no
water in it for many years.  But come, let us decide which way to
travel."
	No one seemed able to decide that.  They sat down in a group and
tried to consider which road might be the best to take.  Hank, however,
could not keep away from the well, and finally he reared up on his hind
legs, got his head over the edge, and uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy
watched her animal friend curiously.  "I wonder if he sees anything down
there?" she said.
	At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate,
and Betsy went with him.  The Princess and Polychrome, who had become
fast friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the roads to find an
easy path.  "Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at
the bottom of this old well."
	"Can't we pull it up and see what it is?" asked the girl.  There
was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there was a big hook
that at one time was used to hold a bucket.  Shaggy let down this hook,
dragged it around on the bottom, and then pulled it up.  An old hoopskirt
came with it, and Betsy laughed and threw it away.  The thing frightened
Hank, who had never seen a hoopskirt before, and he kept a good distance
away from it.
	Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook and
drew up, but none of these was important.  "This well seems to have been
the dump for all the old rubbish in the country," he said, letting down
the hook once more.  "I guess I've captured everything now.  No, the hook
has caught again.  Help me, Betsy!  Whatever this thing is, it's heavy."
	She ran up and helped him turn the windlass, and after much
effort a confused mass of copper came in sight.
	"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy.  "Here is a surprise, indeed!"
	"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and
panting for breath.
	For answer, the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and
dumped it upon the ground free of the well.  Then he turned it over with
his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment, the thing proved to
be a copper man.
	"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object.
"But unless there are two copper men in the world, this is the most
astonishing thing I ever came across."  At this moment the Rainbow's
Daughter and the Rose Princess approached them, and Polychrome said:
	"What have you found, Shaggy One?"
	"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied.
	"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt down
to examine the man.  "Dear me, how funny!  Listen to this."  Then she
read the following words, engraved upon the copper plates of the man's body:

SMITH AND TINKER'S
Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive
Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking
MECHANICAL MAN
Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment.
Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live.

	"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess.
	"Yes, but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved
plate:

DIRECTIONS FOR USING:
For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork Man under his left arm (marked No. 1).
For SPEAKING:--Wind the Clockwork Man under his right arm (marked No. 2).
For WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man in the middle of his back
(marked No. 3).
N.B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to work perfectly for a thousand years.

	"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, "he
ought to work yet."
	"Of course," said Shaggy.  "Let's wind him up."
	In order to do this, they were obliged to set the copper man upon
his feet in an upright position, and this was no easy task.  He was
inclined to topple over and had to be propped again and again.  The girls
assisted Shaggy, and at last Tik-Tok seemed to be balanced and stood
alone upon his broad feet.
	"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this
must be, indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking merrily in
the Land of Oz.  But how he came to this lonely place and got into that
old well is surely a mystery."
	"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy.
"Here's the key, hanging to a hook on his back.  What part of him shall I
wind up first?"
	"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires
thought to speak or move intelligently."
	So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little flashes
of light began to show in the top of his head, which was proof that he
had begun to think.
	"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph."
	"What's that?" she asked.
	"Why, his talking-machine.  His thoughts may be interesting, but
they don't tell us anything."
	So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then from
the interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the words "Ma-ny
thanks!"
	"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the
back in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance and
tumbled to the ground in a heap.  But the clockwork that enabled him to
speak had been wound up, and he kept saying "Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!
Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised him and balanced him upon his
feet, when he added politely: "Ma-ny thanks!"
	"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action,"
remarked Shaggy.  So Betsy wound it as tight as she could--for the key
turned rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, marched around in a
circle and ended by stopping before the group and making them all a low
bow.
	"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left
you safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy.
	"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a
few words.  Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma saw you
wan-der-ing in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her mag-ic
pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome King's cav-ern; so
she sent me to tell you where to find your broth-er and told me to help
you if I could.  The Sor-cer-ess, Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to
this place in the wink of an eye, but here I met the Nome King
him-self--old Rug-ged-do, who is called in these parts the Met-al
Mon-arch.  Rug-ge-do knew what I had come for, and he was so an-gry that
he threw me down the well.  Af-ter my works ran down, I was help-less
un-til you came a-long and pulled me out a-gain.  Ma-ny thanks."
	"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy.  "I suspected that my
brother was the prisoner of Ruggedo, but now I know it.  Tell us,
Tik-Tok, how shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?"
	"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok.  "We might crawl, or
jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver un-til we get there, but the best way is to
walk."
	"I know.  But which road shall we take?"
	"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied Tik-Tok.
	"There is more than one entrance to the underground caverns,"
said Polychrome, "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every opening so
that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain.  If we find our way
underground at all, it will be by chance."
	"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and see
where it leads us."
	"That seems sensible," declared the Princess.  "It may require a
lot of time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than anything
else."
	"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a thous-and
years."
	"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added
Shaggy, looking first at one road and then at another.  But while they
stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached their ears, a sound like the
tramping of many feet.
	"What's coming?" cried Betsy.  And then she ran to the left-hand
road and glanced along the path.  "Why, it's an army!" she exclaimed.
"What shall we do, hide or run?"
	"Stand still," commanded Shaggy.  "I'm not afraid of an army.  If
they prove to be friendly, they can help us.  If they are enemies, I'll
show them the Love Magnet."

CHAPTER 8 TIK-TOK TACKLES A TOUGH TASK

	While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at one
side, the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, the tramp of
their feet being now and then accompanied by a dismal groan as one of the
officers stepped on a sharp stone or knocked his funnybone against his
neighbor's sword-handle.
	Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the
banner of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole.  This pole he stuck
in the ground just in front of the well, and then he cried in a loud
voice: "I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann Soforth
of Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I proclaim her slaves!"
	Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and
asked: "Is the coast clear, Private Files?"
	"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well."
	"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering
courage to advance to the well.  But just then he caught a glimpse of
Tik-Tok and Shaggy and at once fell upon bis knees, trembling and
frightened, and cried out: "Mercy, kind enemies!  Mercy!  Spare us, and
we will be your slaves forever!"
	The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing,
likewise fell upon their knees and begged for mercy.  Files turned
around, and seeing the strangers for the first time, examined them with
much curiosity.  Then, discovering that three of the party were girls, he
lifted his cap and made a polite bow.
	"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice as Queen Ann reached
the place and beheld her kneeling army.
	"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping
forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man, who works better than some
meat people.  And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, just now
unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of Roses.  I next present
Polychrome, a sky fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident and can't find
her way home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, from some unknown
earthly paradise called Oklahoma, and with her you see Mr. Hank, a mule
with a long tail and a short temper."
	"Puh!" said Ann scornfully.  "A pretty lot of vagabonds you are,
indeed.  All lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a Queen's
plundering.  I'm sorry I've conquered you."
	"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly.
	"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact.  But if my officers will
kindly command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after which we
can stop arguing and converse more at our ease."
	The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed
the dust from their trousers.  To them, the enemy did not look very
fierce, so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains gained
courage to face them and began strutting in their most haughty manner.
	"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of Oogaboo,
and this is my invincible Army.  We are busy conquering the world, and
since you seem to be a part of the world and are obstructing our journey,
it is necessary for us to conquer you, unworthy though you may be of such
high honor."
	"That's all right," replied Shaggy.  "Conquer us as often as you
like. We don't mind."
	"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy positively.
	"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen angrily.  "Advance,
Private Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!"
	But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating
Polychrome and the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his head.  "It would
be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted.
	"You must!" cried Ann.  "It is your duty to obey orders."
	"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the
Private.
	But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the prisoners!"
And the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the command, yelling it
as loud as they could.  All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing
the Army of Oogaboo with strong disfavor.  The mule now dashed forward and
began backing upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous heels at
them.  The attack was so sudden that the officers scattered like dust in
a whirlwind, dropping their swords as they ran and trying to seek refuge
behind the trees and bushes.
	Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble army,"
and Polychrome danced with glee.  But Ann was furious at this ignoble
defeat of her gallant forces by one small mule.  "Private Files, I
command you to do your duty!" she cried again, and then she herself
ducked to escape the mule's heels, for Hank made no distinction in favor
of a lady who was an open enemy.  Betsy grabbed her champion by the
forelock, however, and so held him fast, and when the officers saw that
the mule was restrained from further attacks, they crept fearfully back
and picked up their discarded swords.
	"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the
Queen.
	"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack
which was strapped to his back.  "I resign my position as the Army of
Oogaboo.  I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but if you
want someone to bind harmless girls, you will have to hire another
Private."  Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy
and Tik-Tok.
	"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry.
	"Nonsense," said Files.  "I've the right to resign if I want to."
	"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen.  "If you resign, it
will break up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world."  She now
turned to the officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a favor.  I
know it is undignified in officers to fight, but unless you immediately
capture Private Files and force him to obey my orders, there will be no
plunder for any of us.  Also, it is likely you will all suffer the pangs
of hunger, and when we meet a powerful foe you are liable to be captured
and made slaves."
	The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers that
they drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood beside Shaggy, in
a truly ferocious manner.  The next instant, however, they halted and
again fell upon their knees, for there before them was the glistening
Love Magnet held in the hand of the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight of
this magic talisman at once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann
saw the Love Magnet, and forgetting all emnity and anger, threw herself
upon Shaggy and embraced him lovingly.
	Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet,
Shaggy disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and quickly
hid the talisman in his pocket.  The adventurers from Oogaboo were now
his firm friends, and there was no more talk about conquering and binding
any of his party.
	"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may march
with me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo.  To conquer the world as
you have set out to do, you must conquer everyone under its surface as
well as those upon its surface, and no one in all the world needs
conquering so much as Ruggedo."
	"Who is he?" asked Ann.
	"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes."
	"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice.
	"Of course," answered Shaggy.  "He owns all the metal that lies
underground--gold, silver, copper, brass and tin.  He has an idea he also
owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal was once a part
of his kingdom.  So by conquering the Metal Monarch, you will win all the
riches in the world."
	"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would
be plunder worth our while.  Let's conquer him, Your Majesty."
	The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next to
the lovely Princess and whispering in her ear.
	"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army.  I have plenty of
brave officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to command.
Therefore I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his wealth."
	"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked
Shaggy, but at once every officer began to protest, and the Queen of
Oogaboo shook her head as she replied:
	"That is impossible.  A private soldier must be a terrible
fighter, and my officers are unable to fight.  They are exceptionally
brave in commanding others to fight, but could not themselves meet the
enemy and conquer."
	"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum eagerly.  "There are
many kinds of bravery, and one cannot be expected to possess them all.  I
myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes to fighting, but
then my nature revolts.  Fighting is unkind and liable to be injurious to
others, so, being a gentleman, I never fight."
	"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers.
	"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am.  Had not Private Files
proved himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have conquered
this Ruggedo.  But an Army without a private soldier is like a bee
without a stinger."
	"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files.  "I resigned
in a proper manner, not liking the job.  But there are plenty of people
to take my place.  Why not make Shaggy Man the private soldier?"
	"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, "for
he is mortal and able to die.  If anything happened to him, it would
break my heart."
	"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy.  "You must
admit, Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for it is my
brother we are seeking rather than plunder.  But I and my companions
would like the assistance of your Army, and if you help us to conquer
Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from captivity, we will allow you to
keep all the gold and jewels and other plunder you may find."
	This prospect was so tempting that the officers began whispering
together, and presently Colonel Cheese said "Your Majesty, by combining
our brains, we have just evolved a most brilliant idea.  We will make the
Clockwork Man the private soldier!"
	"Who?  Me?" asked Tik-Tok.  "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond!  I
can-not fight, and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw
me in the well."
	"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome.  "But if you join
the Army of Oogaboo, you will carry the gun that Mr.  Files used."
	"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested
Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could nei-ther
run nor fight."
	"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy.
	"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy.  "Tik-Tok will make an
ideal soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer.  And
since a private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, Tik-Tok is
the only one of our party fitted to undertake the job."
	"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok.
	"Obey orders," replied Ann.  "When the officers command you to do
anything, you must do it.  That is all."
	"And that's enough, too," said Files.
	"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok.
	"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen.
	"Yes," remarked Files.  "One-half of the plunder goes to Queen
Ann; the other half is divided among the officers; and the Private gets
the rest."
	"That will be sat-is-fac-to-ry," said Tik-Tok, picking up the gun
and examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen such a weapon.
	Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said:
"Now we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it.
Officers, give the command to march."
	"Fall--in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords.
	"Fall--in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords.
	"Fall--in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords.
	"Fall--in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords.
	Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise.  "Fall in
what?  The well?" he asked.
	"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order."
	"Can-not I march with-out fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork
Man.
	"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files.  So
Tik-Tok held the gun straight and stood still.
	"What next?" he asked.
	The Queen turned to Shaggy.  "Which road leads to the Metal
Monarch's cavern?"
	"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply.
	"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown.  "If we can't get to
Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him."
	"You are right," admitted Shaggy, "but I did not say we could not
get to him.  We have only to discover the way, and that was the matter we
were considering when you and your magnificent Army arrived here."
	"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen.
	That was no easy task.  They all stood looking from one road to
another in perplexity.  The paths radiated from the little clearing like
the rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the others.
Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good friends,
advanced a little way along one of the roads and found that it was
bordered by pretty wildflowers.  "Why don't you ask the flowers to tell
you the way?" he said to his companion.
	"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the question.
	"Of course," said Files.  "The field-flowers must be
second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them they
will tell you."
	She looked more closely at the flowers.  There were hundreds of
white daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing by the
roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its slender but stout
stem.  There were even a few wild roses scattered here and there, and
perhaps it was the sight of these that gave the Princess courage to ask
the important question.  She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers,
and extended both her arms pleadingly toward them. "Tell me, pretty
cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle voice. "Which way will lead us to
the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?"
	At once, all the stems bent gracefully to the right, and the
flower heads nodded once, twice, thrice in that direction.  "That's it!"
cried Files joyfully.  "Now we know the way."
	Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the
field-flowers, which had now resumed their upright position.  "Was it the
wind, do you think?" she asked in a low whisper.
	"No, indeed," replied Files.  "There is not a breath of wind
stirring. But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and answered
your question at once, as I knew they would."

CHAPTER 9 RUGGEDO'S RAGE IS RASH AND RECKLESS

	The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and
wound here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless.  But always it
drew nearer to a range of low mountains, and Files said more than once
that he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's caverns would be found
among these rugged hills.
	In this he was quite correct.  Far underneath the nearest mountain
was a gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the walls and roof
of which glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels.  Here, on a
throne of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome King, dressed in splendid
robes and wearing a superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby.
	Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the
Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white beard, a
red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his forehead. One
would think, to look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might think,
considering his enormous wealth, that he ought to be happy; but this was
not the case.  The Metal Monarch was surly and cross because mortals had
dug so much treasure out of the earth and kept it above ground, where all
the power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to recover it.  He hated
not only the mortals, but also the fairies who live upon the earth or
above it, and instead of being content with the riches he still
possessed, he was unhappy because he did not own all the gold and jewels
in the world.
	Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when suddenly
he sat upright, uttered a roar of rage, and began pounding upon a huge
gong that stood beside him.  The sound filled the vast cavern and
penetrated to many caverns beyond, where countless thousands of nomes
were working at their unending tasks, hammering out gold and silver and
other metals, or melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing glittering
gems.  The nomes trembled at the sound of the King's gong and whispered
fearfully to one another that something unpleasant was sure to happen;
but none dared pause in his task.
	The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside, and
Kaliko, the King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal presence.  "What's
up, Your Majesty?" he asked with a wide yawn, for he had just wakened.
	"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously.  "Those
foolish mortals are up, that's what!  And they want to come down."
	"Down here?" inquired Kaliko.
	"Yes!"
	"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again.
	"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo.  "I can always feel it
when those hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom.  I am
positive, Kaliko, that mortals are this very minute on their way here to
annoy me, and I hate mortals more than I do catnip tea!"
	"Well, what's to be done?" demanded the nome.
	"Look through your spyglass and see where the invaders are,"
commanded the King.
	So Kaliko went to a tube in the wall of rock and put his eye to
it. The tube ran from the cavern up to the side of the mountain and
turned several curves and corners, but as it was a magic spyglass, Kaliko
was able to see through it just as easily as if it had been straight.
	"Ho-hum," said he.  "I see 'em, Your Majesty."
	"What do they look like?" inquired the Monarch.
	"That's a hard question to answer, for a queerer assortment of
creatures I never yet beheld," replied the nome.  "However, such a
collection of curiosities may prove dangerous.  There's a copper man,
worked by machinery--"
	"Bah!  That's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo.  "I'm not afraid of
him. Why, only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a well."
	"Then someone must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko.  "And
there's a little girl--"
	"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear.
	"No, some other girl.  In fact, there are several girls, of
various sizes.  But Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma."
	"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief.
	Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass.  "I see," said he, "an
army of men from Oogaboo.  They are all officers and carry swords.  And
there is a Shaggy Man--who seems very harmless--and a little donkey with
big ears."
	"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn.  "I've no
fear of such a mob as that.  A dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in
a jiffy."
	"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko.  "The people of Oogaboo
are hard to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy.  As for
Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter cannot be
injured by a nome."
	"Polychrome!  Is she among them?" asked the King.
	"Yes, I have just recognized her."
	"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand,"
declared Ruggedo, scowling fiercely.  "In fact, no one ever comes here on
a peaceful errand.  I hate everybody, and everybody hates me!"
	"Very true," said Kaliko.
	"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my
dominions. Where are they now?"
	"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty."
	"Good!  Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?"
	"I think so," replied Kaliko.  "Is it your Royal Will that we
have some fun with these invaders?"
	"It is," answered Ruggedo.  "I want to teach them a lesson they
will never forget."
	Now Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had
any of his companions.  They noticed that everything around them was of a
dull gray color and that the path upon which they walked was soft and
springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were rubber
and even the path they trod was made of rubber.  Presently they came to a
brook where sparkling water dashed through a deep channel and rushed away
between high rocks far down the mountainside.  Across the brook were
stepping-stones so placed that the travelers might easily leap from one
to another and in that manner cross the water to the farther bank.
	Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen
Ann. After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and
last of all the Rose Princess with Files.  The Clockwork Man saw the
stream and the stepping-stones and without making a pause placed his foot
upon the first stone.  The result was astonishing.  First he sank down in
the soft rubber, which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in
the air, where he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon a
rubber rock far in the rear of the party.
	General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he
disappeared.  Therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you will
guess was connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and instantly
shot upward like an arrow.  General Cone came next and met with a like
fate, but the others now noticed that something was wrong and with one
accord they halted the column and looked back along the path.
	There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to
another, each time rising a less distance from the ground.  And there was
General Apple, bounding away in another direction, his three-cornered hat
jammed over his eyes and his long sword thumping him upon the arms and
head as it swung this way and that.  And there, also, appeared General
Cone, who had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up
that his round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a man.
	Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight, and Polychrome echoed
her laughter.  But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became
angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo bounding around
in so undignified a manner.  She shouted to them to stop, but they were
unable to obey, even though they would have been glad to do so.  Finally,
however, they all ceased bounding and managed to get upon their feet and
rejoin the Army.
	"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked.
	"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly.  "I knew you would
ask them why, but you ought not to do it.  The reason is plain.  Those
stones are rubber, therefore they are not stones.  Those rocks around us
are rubber, and therefore they are not rocks.  Even this path is not a
path, it's rubber.  Unless we are very careful, Your Majesty, we are all
likely to get the bounce, just as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did."
	"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom;
but Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, so she began
dancing.  Every step sent her higher and higher into the air, so that she
resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly.  Presently she made a great
bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and steadily on
the other side.
	"There is no rubber over here," she called to them.  "Suppose you
all try to bound over the stream without touching the stepping-stones."
	Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky
adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion and
began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as high
as Polychrome had done.  Then she suddenly leaned forward, and the next
bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by the side of
the Rainbow's Daughter.  "Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey
tried to obey.  He managed to bound pretty high, but when he tried to
bound across  he stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash
into the middle of the water.
	"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank.  Betsy
rushed forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely beside
her, she was amazed to find he was not wet at all.
	"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the
stream and showing how the water fell from it and left it perfectly dry.
	"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the
water." She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the
water was shallow and would not wet them.  At once they followed her
advice, avoiding the rubber stepping-stones, and made the crossing with
ease. This encouraged the entire party to wade through the dry water, and
in a few minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed their journey
along the path that led to the Nome King's dominions.
	When Kaliko again looked through this magic spyglass, he
exclaimed: "Bad luck, Your Majesty!  All the invaders have passed the
Rubber Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your caverns."
	Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news, and his anger was so great
that several times as he strode up and down his jeweled cavern he paused
to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so sensitive that the poor nome
howled with pain.  Finally the King said: "There's no help for it.  We
must drop these audacious invaders down the Hollow Tube."
	Kaliko gave a jump at this, and looked at his master wonderingly.
"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make Tititi-Hoochoo
very angry."
	"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo.  "Tititi-Hoochoo lives on
the other side of the world, so what do I care for his anger?"
	Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan.  "Remember his
terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that he warned you the last
time you slid people through the Hollow Tube that if you did it again he
would take vengeance upon you."
	The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply.
"Of two dangers," said he, "it is wise to choose the least.  What do you
suppose these invaders want?"
	"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko.
	"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly.
	So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous
ears, who bowed low before the King.  "Strangers are approaching," said
Ruggedo, "and I wish to know their errand.  Listen carefully to their
talk and tell me why they are coming here, and what for."
	The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them
gently up and down and back and forth.  For half an hour he stood silent
in an attitude of listening while both the King and Kaliko grew impatient
at the delay.  At last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke: "Shaggy Man is coming
here to rescue his brother from captivity," said he.
	"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo.  "Well, Shaggy Man may
have his ugly brother, for all I care.  He's too lazy to work and is
always getting in the way.  Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?"
	"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner, you
commanded me to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did.  I suppose he
is still there."
	"Very good.  The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal
Forest," said the King with a grin of malicious delight, "for half the
time I can't find it myself.  Yet I created the forest and made every
tree out of gold and silver so as to keep the precious metals in a safe
place and out of the reach of mortals.  But tell me, Hearer, do the
strangers want anything else?"
	"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome.  "The Army of Oogaboo
is determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in your
kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to divide the
spoils and carry them away."
	When he heard this, Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began
dancing up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth together and
swinging his arms furiously.  Then, in an ecstasy of anger, he seized the
long ears of the Hearer and pulled and twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko
grabbed up the King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles with it,
so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began to chase his Royal Chamberlain
around the throne.  The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip
away from the cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself out
chasing Kaliko, he threw himself into his throne and panted for breath
while he glared wickedly at his defiant subject.
	"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested
Kaliko.  "There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets here."
	"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and
panting. "I'll drop them down the Hollow Tube, every man Jack and every
girl Jill of 'em!"
	"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko.
	"Yes.  Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn the
path toward the Hollow Tube and to make the top of the Tube invisible so
they'll fall into it."  Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought
Ruggedo was making a great mistake.  He found the Magician and had the
path twisted so that it led directly to the opening of the Hollow Tube,
and this opening he made invisible.
	Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain
went to his private room and began to write letters of recommendation of
himself, stating that he was an honest man, a good servant, and a small
eater.  "Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for
another job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by this
reckless defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo.  And in seeking a job,
nothing is so effective as a letter of recommendation."

CHAPTER 10 A TERRIBLE TUMBLE THROUGH A TUBE

	I suppose that Polychrome and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army might
have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician had 
they known that danger lay in their pathway, for the Rainbow's Daughter
was a fairy, and as Oogaboo is a part of the Land of Oz its inhabitants
cannot easily be deceived by such common magic as the Nome King could
command.  But no one suspected any especial danger until after they had
entered Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying along in quite a
contented manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, suddenly disappeared.
	The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they kept
on their way, and all of them likewise disappeared, one after another.
Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening forward to learn
the reason, she also vanished from sight.
	Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding
upon the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and talking to
Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind.  Suddenly, Hank pitched
forward and began falling, and Betsy would have tumbled over his head had
she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and held on for
dear life.  All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly
downward, but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs
were resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid with the
swiftness of the wind.  Once Betsy's heels flew up and struck a similar
substance overhead.  They were indeed descending the "Hollow Tube" that
led to the other side of the world.  "Stop, Hank, stop!" cried the girl.
But Hank only uttered a plaintive "Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for
him to obey.
	After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen them,
Betsy gained courage.  She could see nothing at all, nor could she hear
anything except the rush of air past her ears as they plunged downward
along the Tube.  Whether she and Hank were alone or the others were with
them she could not tell.  But had someone been able to take a flashlight
photograph of the Tube at that time, a most curious picture would have
resulted.  There was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding headforemost
down the incline.  And there were the Officers of the Army of Oogaboo,
all tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and trying to
shield their faces from the clanking swords which swung back and forth
during the swift journey and pommeled (sic) everyone within their reach.
Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a sitting position and
went flying along with a dash and abandon that thoroughly bewildered the
poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to her.  Then, a little
distance away but unseen by the others in the inky darkness, slid Betsy
and Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome and finally Files
and the Princess.
	When first they tumbled into the Tube, all were too dazed to
think clearly, but the trip was a long one because the cavity led
straight through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's
dominions, and long before the adventurers got to the end they had begun
to recover their wits.
	"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice.
	Queen Ann heard her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?"
	"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl.  "How could anyone be safe
when she's going about sixty miles a minute?"  Then, after a pause, she
added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your Maj'sty?"
	"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not too
far away to overhear them.  "And please don't ask me why, either."
	"Why?" said Betsy.
	"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," replied
Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken him and
was now sitting on his head.  The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and
so infectious was this joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said
"Hee-haw!" in a mild and sympathetic tone of voice.
	"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same,"
exclaimed the little girl.
	"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome.  "But
isn't this an odd experience?  Here am I, whose home is in the skies,
making a journey through the center of the earth, where I never expected
to be!"
	"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked Betsy,
her voice trembling a little through nervousness.
	"Why, we can't be anywhere else," replied Polychrome.  "I have
often heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician who was a
great traveler.  He thought it would save him the bother of going around
the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the Tube so fast that he shot
out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, which at once exploded."
	"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly.
	"Yes, the Magician hit it so hard."
	"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl.
	"No one knows that," answered Polychrome.  "But I don't think it
matters much."
	"It matters a good deal if we also hit the stars when we come
out," said Queen Ann with a moan.
	"Don't worry," advised Polychrome.  "I believe the Magician was
going the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are going."
	"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently removing
Polychrome's beel from his left eye.  "Couldn't you manage to fall all by
yourself, my dear?"
	"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter.
	All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and it
was not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you read their
words.  But although they were so helpless and altogether in the dark as
to their fate, the fact that they were able to converse at all cheered
them considerably.  Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung
tightly to one another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure
the Princess, although he was terribly frightened both on her account and
on his own.  An hour under such trying circumstances is a very long time,
and for more than an hour they continued their fearful journey.  Then,
just as they began to fear the Tube would never end, Tik-Tok popped out
into broad daylight and after making a graceful circle in the air fell
with a splash into a great marble fountain.
	Out came the officers in quick succession, tumbling heels over
head and striking the ground in many undiginified attitudes.  "For the
love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who was hoeing pink
violets in a garden.  "What can all this mean?"
	For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride
through the air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on top of
the Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over his eyes and
tumbling him to the ground.
	The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he
did not go so high up.  Fortunately for his little rider, he struck the
ground upon his four feet.  Betsy was jarred a trifle, but not hurt, and
when she looked around her she saw the Queen and the Peculiar Person
struggling together upon the ground, where the man was trying to choke
Ann, and she had both hands in his bushy hair and was pulling with all
her might.  Some of the officers, when they got upon their feet, hastened
to separate the combatants and sought to restrain the Peculiar Person so
he could not attack their Queen again.
	By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived
and were curiously examining the strange country in which they found
themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side of the
world from the place where they had fallen into the Tube.  It was a
lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be the garden of some great Prince,
for through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be seen the towers of
an immense castle.  But as yet the only inhabitant to greet them was the
Peculiar Person just mentioned, who had shaken off the grasp of the
officers without effort and was now trying to pull the battered crown
from off his eyes.  Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this,
and when the man was free and could see again he looked at his visitors
with evident amazement.
	"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed.  "Where did you come from and
how did you get here?"
	Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and silent.
"I can't say exac'ly where we came from, 'cause I don't know the name of
the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was through the
Hollow Tube."
	"Please don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the
Peculiar Person in an irritated tone of voice.  "If it's a tube, it's
sure to be hollow."
	"Why?" asked Betsy.
	"Because all tubes are made that way.  But this Tube is private
property, and everyone is forbidden to fall into it."
	"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome
added "I am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down the
Tube."
	"Ha!  Ruggedo!  Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming
much excited.
	"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is
right. We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell
into the Tube."
	"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the Peculiar Person.
	"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the
question, "'cause we don't know him at all.  But we started out to
conquer him, which isn't as friendly as it might be."
	"True," agreed the man.  He looked thoughtfully from one to
another of them for a while, and then he turned his head over his
shoulder and said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good brothers.
It will be best to take these strangers to the Private Citizen."
	"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that
seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible.  All our
friends gave a jump at this.  Even Polychrome was so startled that her
gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze.  Shaggy shook his
head and sighed.  Queen Ann looked very unhappy.  The officers clung to
each other, trembling violently.
	But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar
Person.  As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary
land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you what he looked like.
His face was beautiful, but lacked expression.  His eyes were large and
blue in color, and his teeth finely formed and white as snow.  His hair
was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at the ends.  So far no
one could find any fault with his appearance.  He wore a robe of scarlet
which did not cover his arms and extended no lower than his bare knees.
On the bosom of the robe was embroidered a terrible dragon's head, as
horrible to look at as the man was beautiful.  His arms and legs were
left bare, and the skin of one arm was bright yellow and the skin of the
other arm a vivid green.  He had one blue leg and one pink one, while
both his feet--which showed through the open sandals he wore--were jet
black.  Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or
the natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over, the
man who had been called "Tubekins" said: "Follow me to the Residence, all
of you!"
	But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them,
Tubekins, lying in the water of the fountain."
	"Gracious!" cried Betsy, "It must be Tik-Tok, and he'll drown."
	"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyhow," agreed Shaggy
as with one accord they all started for the fountain.  But before they
could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the marble basin and
set him upon his feet beside it, dripping from every joint of his copper
body.
	"Ma-ny tha-tha-tha-thanks!" he said, and then his copper jaws
clicked together and he could say no more.  He next made an attempt to
walk, but after several awkward trials found he could not move his
joints.
	Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's
failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very
uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around them who
were invisible, yet could be heard plainly.  "Shall I wind him up?" asked
Betsy, feeling very sorry for Tik-Tok.
	"I think his machinery is wound, but he needs oiling," replied
Shaggy.
	At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with his
eyes by some unseen hand.  Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's
joints.  As if to assist him, a strong current of warm air was directed
against the copper man, which quickly dried him.  Soon he was able to say
"Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly, and his joints worked fairly well.
	"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he
walked up the path toward the castle.
	"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann uncertainly.  But just then she
received a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head, so she
decided to go.  The officers who hesitated received several energetic
kicks, but could not see who delivered them, therefore they also
decided--very wisely--to go.  The others followed willingly enough, for
unless they ventured upon another terrible journey through the Tube, they
must make the best of the unknown country they were in, and the best
seemed to be to obey orders.

CHAPTER 11 THE FAMOUS FELLOWSHIP OF FAIRIES

	After a short walk through very beautiful gardens, they came to
the castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a great
domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated.
	From the crown which he wore Betsy had thought this man must be
the King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all the
strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a high
throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant throne and in a flash
became invisible and disappeared.  The hall was an immense place, but
there seemed to be no one in it beside themselves.  Presently, however,
they heard a low cough near them, and here and there was the faint
rustling of a robe and a slight patter as of footsteps.  Then suddenly
there rang out the clear tone of a bell, and at the sound all was changed.
	Gazing around the hall in bewilderment, they saw that it was
filled with hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces and
staring blue eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon
their heads.  In fact, these people seemed exact duplicates of Tubekins,
and it was difficult to find any mark by which to tell them apart.
	"My!  What a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to
Polychrome, who sat beside her and appeared much interested in the scene
but not a bit worried.
	"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply, "but I
cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one
country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was Master."
	One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark turned
to her and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only
to himself.  In this favored land, all Kings and Queens are equal, and it
is our privilege to bow before one supreme Ruler, the Private Citizen."
	"Who's he?" inquired Betsy.
	As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang out,
and instantly there appeared in the throne the man who was lord and
master of all these royal ones.  This fact was evident when with one
accord they fell upon their knees and touched their foreheads to the
floor. The Private Citizen was not unlike the others,except that his eyes
were black instead blue, and in the centers of the black irises glowed
red sparks that seemed like coals of fire.  But his features were very
beautiful and dignified, and his manner composed and stately.  Instead of
the prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, and the same dragon's
head that decorated the others were embroidered upon its bosom.  "What
charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, even tones.
	"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the
reply.
	"You see, it was this way," said Betsy.  "We were marching to the
Nome King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when on a sudden--"
	"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly.
	"Me?  Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--"
	"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen.
	"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--"
	"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen.  "Who is the leader?"
	No one answered for a moment.  Then General Bunn stood up.  "Sit
down!" commanded the Citizen.  "I can see that sixteen of you are merely
officers and of no account."
	"But we have an Army," said General Clock blusteringly, for he
didn't like to be told he was of no account.
	"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen.
	"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty.  "I'm
the on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty."
	Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the
Clockwork Man.  "Pardon me for not realizing your importance before,"
said he. "Will you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?"
	Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and
Queens making way for him.  Then, with clanking steps, he mounted the
platform and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen.
	Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the
humble Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old
friend's importance had been recognized by the ruler of this remarkable
country.  The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, who told in his
mechanical voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how Ozma
of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist him, and how they had fallen
in with Queen Ann and her people from Oogaboo.  Also, he told how Betsy
and Hank and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had happened to join their
party.
	"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King
of the Nomes?" asked the Citizen.
	"Yes.  That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's
reply. "But he was too clev-er for us.  When we got close to his cavern,
he made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in-vis-i-ble,
so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was there.  It was an
eas-y way to get rid of us, and now Rug-ge-do is safe and we are far
a-way in a strange land."
	The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking.  Then
he said: "Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the laws
of our country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube must be
tortured for nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into the Tube.
But it is wise to disregard laws when they conflict with justice, and it
seems that you and your followers did not disobey our laws willingly,
being forced into the Tube by Ruggedo.  Therefore the Nome King alone is
to blame, and he alone must be punished."
	"That suits me," said Tik-Tok.  "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther
side of the world where he is a-way out of your reach."
	The Citizen drew himself up proudly.  "Do you imagine anything in
the world or upon it can be out of the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked.
	"Oh!  Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok.
	"I am."
	"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?"
	"It is."
	Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble.  Shaggy was so
disturbed that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from
his brow.  Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the first time, while
Files put his arms around the Rose Princess as if to protect her.  As for
the officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them moaning and weeping
at a great rate, and everyone fell upon his knees before the throne,
begging for mercy.  Betsy was worried at seeing her companions so
disturbed, but did not know what it was all about.  Only Tik-Tok was
unmoved at the discovery.
	"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo and think
Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will hap-pen to
the King of the Nomes."
	"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy.
	The Private Citizen--otherwise known as Tititi-Hoochoo, the Great
Jinjin--looked at the little girl steadily.  "I will presently decide
what is to happen to Ruggedo," said he in a hard, stern voice.  Then,
turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he continued: "Tik-Tok has
spoken truly, for his machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it
allow his thoughts to think falsely.  Therefore these people are not our
enemies and must be treated with consideration and justice.  Take them to
your palaces and entertain them as guests until tomorrow, when I command
that they be brought again to my Residence.  By then I shall have formed
my plans."
	No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from
sight. Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise
disappeared. But several of them remained visible and approached the
strangers with great respect.  One of the lovely Queens said to Betsy: "I
trust you will honor me by being my guest.  I am Erma, Queen of Light."
	"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl.
	"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply.
"But do not fear for him, for he will be treated royally.  All of your
party will be reunited on the morrow."
	"I--I'd like to have SOMEone with me," said Betsy pleadingly.
	Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome.  "Will the
Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she asked.
	"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl.  So Polychrome and Betsy became
guests of the Queen of Light, while other beautiful Kings and Queens took
charge of the others of the party.  The two girls followed Erma out of
the hall and through the gardens of the Residence to a village of pretty
dwellings.  None of these was so large or imposing as the castle of the
Private Citizen, but all were handsome enough to be called palaces--as in
fact they really were.

CHAPTER 12 THE LOVELY LADY OF LIGHT

	The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and
was a mass of crystal windows surmounted by a vast crystal dome.  When
they entered the portals, Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens,
evidently of high degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration.  Each
bore a wand in her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their
costumes were also emblematic of the lights they represented.  Erma
introduced them to her guests, and each made a graceful and courteous
acknowledgment.
	First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second
was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came
Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy.  These
three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white.  The fourth was
Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, who
wore a variety of colors.  Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy,
flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very
attractive manner.  The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of
all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight
regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her.  But all
were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to regard the
Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered around her in a
flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regal drawing-room.
	This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery
being of many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves 
upon the downy divans after their strenuous adventures of the day.  The
Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight was the
only maiden now seated beside Erma.  The others had retired to another
part of the room where they sat modestly with entwined arms and did not
intrude themselves at all.
	The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which
is one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of
mankind.  So many important fairies lived there that to avoid rivalry
they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the
country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a
Private Citizen.  This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name
of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that he had
no heart.  But instead of this he possessed a high degree of Reason and
Justice, and while he showed no mercy in his judgments, he never punished
unjustly or without reason.  To wrongdoers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible
as he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing to
fear from him.  All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence
to Jinjin, for as they expected to be obeyed by others, they were willing
to obey the one in authority over them.
	The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this
fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the faults
committed.  Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the first time
she had ever seen him face to face.  But to Betsy the story was all new,
and she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer
feared.  Time sped swiftly during their talk, and suddenly Betsy noticed
that Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of
Daylight.  "But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a
dragon's head embroidered on your gowns?"
	Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered: "The Dragon,
as you must know, was the first living creature ever made; therefore, the
Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things.  By good fortune, the
Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this land and supplies
us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it.  He is old as the world and
remembers everything that has happened since the world was created."
	"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.
	"Yes, many of them.  Some wandered into other lands, where men,
not understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this
country.  None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we
have great respect.  As he was the first resident here, we wear the
emblem of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who
alone have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty is almost
equal to the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it."
	"I understand about the dragon now," said Polychrome, nodding her
lovely head.  Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present
interested in observing the changing lights.  As Daylight had given way
to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen,
and with her coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the
room.  Polychrome, being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about
the various Kings and Queens who lived in this faraway, secluded place,
and before Erma had finished answering them a rosy glow filled the room
and Firelight took her place beside the Queen. Betsy liked Firelight, but
to gaze upon her warm and glowing features made the little girl sleepy,
and presently she began to nod. Thereupon Erma rose and took Betsy's hand
gently in her own.
	"Come," said she, "the feast time has arrived, and the feast is
spread."
	"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal.  "Now that I think of
it, I'm awful hungry.  But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food."
	The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway.  As she pushed aside a
heavy drapery, a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw
before her a splendid banquet hall with a table spread with snowy linen
and crystal and silver.  At one side was a broad, throne like seat for
Erma, and beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was
placed on the Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left.  The other five
messengers of light now waited upon them, and each person was supplied
with just the food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops,
all fresh and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served that she
decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half so good.  "I
s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest of all
these girls."
	"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma with a smile.
	"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of.  Didn't Mr.
Edison discover it?"
	"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the
Queen. "But electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and
therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally
beneficient to mortals and fairies alike."
	Betsy was thoughtful for a time.  Then she remarked, as she
looked at the six messengers of light: "We couldn't very well do without
any of 'em, could we?"
	Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure," she replied.  "And I
think mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well.  Daylight cannot
take the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlight
is of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires to rest.
If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim and my sweet
Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for the skies
always lend her power.  Without Firelight we should miss much of our
warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of houses
encompass us.  But always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious
Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays.  As Queen of Light, I love
all my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true."
	"I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy.  "But sometimes, when I'm REAL
sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."
	"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended.
	"A little," admitted the girl.
	So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft,
white bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a
shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow.  Then the
light-maid bade her good night and opened the door.  When she closed it
after her, Betsy was in darkness.  In six winks the little girl was fast
asleep.

CHAPTER 13 THE JINJIN'S JUST JUDGMENT

	All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were
brought from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and
ushered into the great Hall of State.  As before, no one was visible
except our friends and their escorts until the first bell sounded.  Then
in a flash the room was seen to be filled with the beautiful Kings and
Queens of the land.  The second bell marked the appearance in the throne
of the mighty Jinjin, whose handsome countenance was as composed and
expressionless as ever.
	All bowed low to the Ruler.  Their voices softly murmured: "We
greet the Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law and
whose Law is just."
	Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgement.  Then, looking around the
brillant assemblage and at the little group of adventurers before him, he
said: "An unusual thing has happened.  Inhabitants of other lands than
ours, who are different from ourselves in many ways, have been thrust
upon us through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our people foolishly
made years ago and was properly punished for his folly.  But these
strangers had no desire to come here, and were wickedly thrust into the
Tube by a cruel King on the other side of the world, named Ruggedo.  This
King is an immortal, but he is not good.  His magic powers hurt mankind
more than they benefit them.  Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy
Man's brother a prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting
of both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to
punish him.  Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King misled
them so that they fell into the Tube.
	"Now this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that if
ever he used this Forbidden Tube in any way, he would be severely
punished. I find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this King's
servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his master not to do such a wrong
act as to drop these people into the Tube and send them tumbling into our
country.  But Ruggedo defied me and my orders.  Therefore, these
strangers are innocent of any wrong.  It is only Ruggedo who deserves
punishment, and I will punish him."  He paused a moment and then
continued in the same cold, merciless voice.
	"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side
of the world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant than it
was before.  Also, I shall send with them an Instrument of Vengeance, who
in my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground caverns, take away his
magic powers, and make him a homeless wanderer on the face of the
earth--a place he detests."  There was a little murmur of horror from the
Kings and Queens at the severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a
protest, for all realized that the sentence was just.
	"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on
Tititi-Hoochoo, "I have realized that this will be an unpleasant mission.
Therefore, no one of us who is blameless should be forced to undertake
it.  In this wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty of wrong, even in
the slightest degree, and on examining the Records I found no King or
Queen had erred.  Nor had any among their followers or servants done any
wrong.  But finally I came to the Dragon Family, which we highly respect,
and then it was that I discovered the error of Quox.  Quox, as you well
know, is a young dragon who has not yet acquired the wisdom of his race.
Because of this lack, he has been disrespectful toward his most ancient
ancestor, the Original Dragon, telling him once to mind his own business
and again saying that the Ancient One had grown foolish with age.  We are
aware that dragons are not the same as fairies and cannot be altogether
guided by our laws, yet such disrespect as Quox has shown should not be
unnoticed by us.  Therefore I have selected Quox as my royal Instrument
of Vengeance, and he shall go through the Tube with these people and
inflict upon Ruggedo the punishment I have decreed."
	All had listened quietly to this speech, and now the Kings and
Queens bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's judgment.
Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins.  "I command you," said he, "to escort
these strangers to the Tube and see that they all enter it."
	The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and
brought them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed.  As he
did so, the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly disappeared, and
only Tubekins remained visible.  "All right," said Betsy with a sigh.  "I
don't mind going back so VERY much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it
easy for us."
	Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who looked
solemn and seemed to fear the return journey.  One thing that bothered
Ann was her failure to conquer the land of Tititi-Hoochoo.  As they
followed their guide through the gardens to the mouth of the Tube, she
said to Shaggy: "How can I conquer the world if I go away and leave this
rich country unconquered?"
	"You can't," he replied.  "Don't ask me why, please, for if you
don't know, I can't inform you."
	"Why not?" said Ann, but Shaggy paid no attention to the
question.
	This end of the Tube had a silver rim, and around it was a gold
railing to which was attached a sign that read:

"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE.
IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT."

	On a little silver plate just inside the Tube were engraved the words:

"Burrowed and built by Hiergargo the Magician,
In the Year of the World 19625478
For his own exclusive uses."

	"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy when she had
read the inscription, "but if he had known about that star, I guess he'd
have spent his time playing solitaire."
	"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was
impatient to start.
	"Quox," replied Tubekins.  "But I think I hear him coming."
	"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a
live dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one.
	"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube.  "You'll see him in a
minute.  But before you part company, I'm sure you'll wish he WAS
invisible."
	"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files.
	"Not at all.  But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, "and
I prefer his room to his company."
	At that instant, a scraping sound was heard drawing nearer and
nearer until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon who
approached the party, nodded his head, and said: "Good morning."
	Had Quox been at all bashful, I am sure he would have felt
uncomfortable at the astonished stare of every eye in the group--except
Tubekins, of course, who was not astonished because he had seen Quox so
often.  Betsy thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet here
was one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full grown, if not
overgrown.  His body was a lovely sky blue in color, and it was thickly
set with glittering silver scales, each one as big as a serving tray.
Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under his left ear, and
below the ribbon appeared a chain of pearls to which was attached a
golden locket about as large around as the end of a base drum.  This
locket was set with many large and beautiful jewels.
	The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly when you
consider that he was a dragon, but his eyes were so large that it took
him a long time to wink, and his teeth seemed very sharp and terrible
when they showed, which they did whenever the beast smiled.  Also, his
nostrils were quite large and wide, and those who stood near him were
liable to smell brimstone, especially when he breathed out fire, as it is
the nature of dragons to do.  To the end of his long tail was attached a
big electric light.  Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's
appearance at this time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached
to his back, one seat for each member of the party. These seats were
double, with curved backs, so that two could sit in them, and there were
twelve of these double seats, all strapped firmly around the dragon's
thick body and placed one behind the other in a row that extended from
his shoulders nearly to his tail.
	"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins, "I can see that Tititi-Hoochoo has
transformed Quox into a carryall."
	"I'm glad of that," said Betsy.  "I hope, Mr.  Dragon, you won't
mind our riding on your back."
	"Not a bit," replied Quox.  "I'm in disgrace just now, you know,
and the only way to redeem my good name is to obey the orders of the
Jinjin.  If he makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of my
punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon.  I don't blame you people
at all, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride.  Hop on, please.  All aboard
for the other side of the world!"
	Silently they took their places.  Hank sat in the front seat with
Betsy, so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's head.
Behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the Princess, and
Queen Ann and Tik-Tok.  The officers rode in the rear seats.  When all
had mounted to their places, the dragon looked very like one of those
sightseeing wagons so common in big cities--only he had legs instead of
wheels.
	"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were, he crawled
to the mouth of the Tube and put his head in.
	"Goodbye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins.  But no one
thought to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great body into
the Tube, and the journey to the other side of the world had begun.
	At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch their
breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort of cackling
laugh: "My scales!  But that is some tumble.  I think I shall take it
easy and fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy.  Is it very far to the
other side of the world?"
	"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired
Shaggy.
	"Never.  Nor has anyone else in our country.  At least, not since
I was born."
	"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy.
	"That I was born?  Oh, not very long ago.  I'm only a mere child.
If I had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated my three
thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday.  Mother was going to
make me a birthday cake with three thousand and fifty-six candles on it,
but now, of course, there will be no celebration, for I fear I shall not
get home in time for it."
	"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy.  "Why, I had
no idea anything could live that long!"
	"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if
I had not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with him,"
said Quox.  "He dates from the beginning of the world and insists on
telling us stories of things that happened fifty thousand years ago,
which are of no interest at all to youngsters like me.  In fact, Grandpa
isn't up to date.  He lives altogether in the past, so I can't see any
good reason for his being alive today... Are you people able to see your
way, or shall I turn on more light?"
	"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you, only there's nothing to
see but ourselves," answered Betsy.
	This was true.  The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an
automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them.  Also, he curled
his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of it enabled them
to see one another quite clearly.  But the Tube itself was only dark
metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same from one of its ends to the
other.  Therefore, there was no scenery of interest to beguile the
journey.  They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving
entirely comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but this
meant a longer journey,and the only way they could make the time pass was
to engage in conversation.  The dragon seemed a willing and persistent
talker, and he was of so much interest that they encouraged him to
chatter.  His voice was a little gruff, but not unpleasant when one
became used to it.
	"My only fear," he said presently, "is that this constant sliding
over the surface of the Tube will dull my claws.  You see, this hole
isn't straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of tumbling
freely through the air, I must skate along the Tube.  Fortunately, there
is a file in my toolkit, and if my claws get dull they can be sharpened
again."
	"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy.
	"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have
been sent to conquer Ruggedo."
	"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann in her most
haughty manner, "for when we get to Ruggedo, I and my invincible Army can
conquer him without your assistance."
	"Very good," returned the dragon cheerfully.  "That will save me
a lot of bother--if you succeed.  But I think I shall file my claws, just
the same."
	He gave a long sigh as he said this, and a sheet of flame several
feet in length shot from his mouth.  Betsy shuddered, and Hank said
"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in terror.  But the dragon
did not notice that he had done anything unusual.
	"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy.
	"Of course," answered Quox.  "What sort of dragon would I be if
my fire went out?"
	"What keeps it going?"  Betsy inquired.
	"I've no idea.  I only know it's there," said Quox.  "The fire
keeps me alive and enables me to move, also to think and speak."
	"Ah!  You are ve-ry much like my-self," said Tik-Tok.  "The on-ly
dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by fire."
	"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must confess,"
retorted Quox gruffly.  "You are not a live thing; you're a dummy."
	"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok.
	"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon.  "But if you
run down, you are helpless."
	"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?"
inquired Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend.
	"I don't use gasoline."
	"Well, suppose you ran out of fire?"
	"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox.  "My
great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, and he has
never once run out of fire to keep him going.  But I will confide to you
that as he gets older he shows more smoke and less fire.  As for Tik-Tok,
he's well enough in his way, but he's merely copper.  And the Metal
Monarch knows copper through and through.  I wouldn't be surprised if
Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made copper pennies of
him."
	"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok calmly.
	"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully.
	"This is all nonsense," said the Queen with irritation.  "Tik-Tok
is my great Army--all but the officers--and I believe he will be able to
conquer Ruggedo with ease.  What do you think, Polychrome?"
	"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daugh-ter, with
her sweet, ringing laugh that sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells.
"And if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire-breathing dragon to
fall back on."
	"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his
mouth and nostrils.  "It's a wise little girl, this Polychrome.  Anyone
would know she is a fairy."

CHAPTER 14 THE LONG-EARED HEARER LEARNS BY LISTENING

	During this time, Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the
Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled cavern.  It
was hard work for Ruggedo to find amusement today, for all the nomes were
behaving well, and there was no one to scold or to punish.  The King had
thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six times without hitting him once. Not that
Kaliko had done anything wrong.  On the contrary, he had obeyed the King
in every way but one: he would not stand still when commanded to do so
and let the heavy sceptre strike him.
	We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel Ruggedo
forgave him, for he knew very well that if he mashed his Royal
Chamberlain, he could never find another so intelligent and obedient.
Kaliko could make the nomes work when their King could not, for the nomes
hated Ruggedo, and there were so many thousands of the quaint little
underground people that they could easily have rebelled and defied the
King had they dared to do so.  Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them worse
than usual, they grew sullen and threw down their hammers and picks.
Then, however hard the King scolded or whipped them, they would not work
until Kaliko came and begged them to.  For Kaliko was one of themselves
and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series of
caverns.
	But today all the little people were working industriously at
their tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored.  He
sent for the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen carefully and
report what was going on in the big world.  "It seems," said the Hearer
after listening for a while, "that the women in American have clubs."
	"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning.
	"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply.
	"Then their clubs are not as good as my sceptre.  What else do
you hear?"
	"There's a war."
	"Bah!  There's always a war.  What else?"
	For a time, the Hearer was silent, bending forward and spreading
out his big ears to catch the slightest sound.  Then suddenly he said:
"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty.  These people are arguing as
to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive him
from his dominions."
	"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his throne.
	"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube."
	"Where are they now?"
	"In the same Tube and coming back this way," said the Hearer.
	Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down the
cavern.  "I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused.
	"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside down,
they would be falling the other way, Your Majesty."
	Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the
Tube upside down, and he believed the Hearer was only poking fun at him.
Presently, he asked: "How far away are these people now?"
	"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen
furlongs, eight feet and four inches--as nearly as I can judge from the
sound of their voices," replied the Hearer.
	"Aha!  Then it will be some time before they arrive," said
Ruggedo, "and when they get here, I shall be ready to receive them."  He
rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko came
bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was
just dressing himself after a swim in the hot, bubbling lake of the
Underground Kingdom.  "Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube
are coming back again!" he exclaimed.
	"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on
the other shoe.  "Tititi-Hoochoo would not allow them to remain in his
kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for some time.
That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug."
	"What, to throw them down the Tube?"
	"Yes.  Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into
the Tube."
	"Pooh!  What do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo scornfully.
"He never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the other side of the world."
	"True, but he might send someone through the Tube to punish you,"
suggested Kaliko.
	"I'd like to see him do it!  Who could conquer my thousands of
nomes?"
	"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright,"
answered Kaliko with a grin.  "Once I saw you running from a little girl
named Dorothy and her friends as if you were really afraid."
	"Well, I WAS afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King with a
deep sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!"
	The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered,
and so did the Long-Eared Hearer, for eggs are the only things that the
nomes greatly dread.  The reason for this is that eggs belong on the
earth's surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts live, and there is
something about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome with horror.
If by chance the inside of an egg touches one of these underground
people, he withers up and blows away, and that is the end of him unless
he manages quickly to speak a magical word which only a few of the nomes
know.  Therefore, Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to
shudder at the mere mention of eggs.
	"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of invaders,
nor is the Yellow Hen.  As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing
that we are afraid of eggs."
	"You musn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him.
"Tititi-Hoochoo knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his powers
are far superior to any we can boast."
	Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer.  "Listen,"
said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming through the Tube."
	The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head.  But Kaliko
laughed at the King.  "No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he.
"The only way to discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass."
	"That's it!" cried the King.  "Why didn't I think of it before?
Look at once, Kaliko!"
	So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he
caused the other end of it to twist around so that it pointed down the
opening of the Tube.  Then he put his eye to the glass and was able to
gaze along all the turns and windings of the Magic Spyglass and then deep
into the Tube to where our friends were at that time falling. "Dear me!"
he exclaimed.  "Here comes a dragon."
	"A big one?" asked Ruggedo.
	"A monster.  He has an electric light on the end of his tail, so
I can see him very plainly.  And the other people are all riding upon his
back."
	"How about the eggs?" inquired the King.
	Kaliko looked again.  "I can see no eggs at all," said he, "but I
imagine that the dragon is as dangerous as eggs.  Probably Tititi-Hoochoo
has sent him here to punish you for dropping those strangers into the
Forbidden Tube.  I warned you not to do it, Your Majesty."
	This news made the Nome King anxious.  For a few minutes he paced
up and down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all his might.
After this, he turned to Kaliko and said: "All the harm a dragon can do
is to scratch with his claws and bite with his teeth."
	"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko
earnestly. "On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon because he's the
toughest creature alive.  One flop of his huge tail could smash a hundred
nomes to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he could tear even you or me
into small bits, so that it would be almost impossible to put us together
again.  Once, a few hundred years ago while wandering through some
deserted caverns, I came upon a small piece of a nome lying on the rocky
floor.  I asked the piece of nome what had happened to it. Fortunately,
the mouth was a part of this piece--the mouth and the left eye--so it was
able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the cause.  It had attacked the
poor nome and scattered him in every direction, and as there was no
friend near to collect his pieces and put him together, they had been
separated for a great many years.  So you see, Your Majesty, it is not in
good taste to sneer at a dragon."
	The King had listened attentively to Kaliko.  Said he: "It will
only be necessary to chain this dragon which Tititi-Hoochoo has sent here
in order to prevent his reaching us with his claws and teeth."
	"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him.
	"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo.
	"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?"
	"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok!  Why, I could defeat them
single-handed, but I won't try to.  I'll summon my army of nomes to drive
the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any of them, I intend
to stick needles into them until they hop with pain."
	"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko.
	"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch.  "And that
braying Mule I'll make into hoof-soup and feed it to my nomes, that it
may add to their strength."
	"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the
Shaggy Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko.
	"Never!"
	"It may save you a lot of annoyance.  And you don't want the Ugly
One."
	"I don't want him, that's true.  But I won't allow anybody to
order me around.  I'm King of the Nomes, and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I
shall do as I please and what I please and when I please!"
	With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head,
aiming it so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the
floor in order to escape it.  But the Hearer did not see the sceptre
coming, and it swept past his head so closely that it broke off the tip
of one of his long ears.  He gave a dreadful yell that quite startled
Ruggedo, and the King was sorry for the accident because those long ears
of the Hearer were really valuable to him.  So the Nome King forgot to be
angry with Kaliko and ordered his Chamberlain to summon General Guph and
the army of nomes and have them properly armed.  They were then to march
to the mouth of the Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon as
they appeared.

CHAPTER 15 THE DRAGON DEFIES DANGER

	Although the journey through the Tube was longer this time than
before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our friends minded
it at all.  They talked together most of the time, and as they found the
dragon good-natured and fond of the sound of his own voice, they soon
became well acquainted with him and accepted him as a companion.
	"You see," said Shaggy in his frank way, "Quox is on our side,
and therefore the dragon is a good fellow.  If he happened to be an enemy
instead of a friend, I am sure I should disli ke him very much, for his
breath smells of brimstone, he is very conceited, and he is so strong and
fierce that he would prove a dangerous foe."
	"Yes indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech with
pleasure.  "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living thing.  I am
glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my good qualities.  As
for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really can't help it, and I once
met a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I consider far worse."
	"I don't," said Betsy.  "I love onions."
	"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us
quarrel over one another's peculiarities."  Saying this, he breathed a
long breath and shot a flame fifty feet from his mouth.  The brimstone
made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the onions and said nothing.
	They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of the
earth, nor when to expect the trip to end.  At one time the little girl
remarked: "I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole? And isn't
it funny, Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now was the top when
we fell the other way?"
	"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall both ways."
	"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is be-cause the world is round."
	"Exactly," responded Shaggy.  "The machinery in your head is in
fine working order, Tik-Tok.  You know, Betsy, that there is such a thing
as the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything toward the
center of the earth.  That is why we fall out of bed and why everything
clings to the surface of the earth."
	"Then why doesn't everything go on down to the center of the
earth?" inquired the little girl.
	"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy in a
sad tone.  "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so solid that other
solid things can't get through it.  But when there's a hole, as there is
in this case, we drop right down to the center of the world."
	"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy.
	"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry us
right up to the other end."
	"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to
figure it out," she said after some thought.  "One thing draws us to the
center, and another thing pushes us away from it.  But--"
	"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man.  "If you
can't understand it, let it go at that."
	"Do YOU understand it?" she inquired.
	"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely.  "There's
lots of magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the United
States, where you and I once lived, as you can here."
	"I never did," she replied.
	"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it
was magic.  Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow and
blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air?  The cows
that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable as
that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that--"
	And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light
of day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped
them.  The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for
he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far away
from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a
mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns of
the Nome King.  Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox
struck the ground, but most of the dragon's passengers only felt a slight
jar.  All were glad to be on solid earth again, and they at once
dismounted and began to look about them.  Queerly enough, as soon as they
had left the dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monster's back
disappeared, and this probably happened because there was no further use
for them and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his silver
scales.  Of course, he still wore the forty yards of ribbon around his
neck, as well as the great locket, but these only made him look "dressed
up," as Betsy remarked.
	Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of
the Tube in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as
they popped out.  There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and
they were led by Guph, their most famous General.  But they did not
expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so suddenly
that it took them by surprise.  When the nomes had rubbed the
astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they discovered
the dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far above their heads,
while the other strangers were standing in a group and calmly looking
down upon them.  General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no
one's fault but his own.  "Come down here and be captured!" he shouted,
waving his sword at them.
	"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" replied Queen Ann,
who was winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier so he could fight
more briskly.
	Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he
turned and issued a command to his nomes.  These were all armed with  
sharp spears, and with one accord they raised these spears and threw them
straight at their foes, so that they rushed through the air in a perfect
cloud of flying weapons.  Some damage might have been done had not the
dragon quickly crawled before the others, his body being so big that it
shielded every one of them, including Hank.  The spears rattled against
the silver scales of Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground.  They
were magic spears, of course, and all straightaway bounded back into the
hands of those who had thrown them, but even Guph could see that it was
useless to repeat the attack.
	It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled
"For-ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the
command, and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which seemed to be composed
mainly of Tik-Tok, marched forward in single column toward the nomes
while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and Hank gave a loud "Hee-haw!" and
Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed "At 'em, Tik-Tok, at 'em!"
	The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack, but in a
twinkling disappeared into the underground caverns.  They made a great
mistake in being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen steps before
he stubbed his copper toe upon a rock and fell flat to the ground, where
he cried: "Pick me up!  Pick me up!" until Shaggy and Files ran forward
and raised him to his feet again.  The dragon chuckled softly to himself
as he scratched his left ear with his hind claw, but no one was paying
much attention to Quox just then.  It was evident to Ann and her officers
that there could be no fighting unless the enemy was present, and in
order to find the enemy they must boldly enter the underground Kingdom of
the nomes.  So bold a step demanded a council of war.
	"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the
orders of the Jinjin?" asked Quox.
	"By no means!" returned Queen Ann.  "We have already put the army
of nomes to flight, and all that yet remains is to force our way into
those caverns and conquer the Nome King and all his people."
	"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing
his eyes sleepily.  "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for
you.  Don't be in any hurry on my account.  To one who lives thousands of
years, the delay of a few days means nothing at all, and I shall probably
sleep until the time comes for me to act."
	Ann was provoked at this speech.  "You may as well go back to
Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for the Nome King is as good as conquered
already."
	But Quox shook his head.  "No," said he, "I'll wait."

CHAPTER 16 THE NAUGHTY NOME

	Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between Queen
Ann and Quox for the simple reason that he did not consider the matter
worth an argument.  Safe within his pocket reposed the Love Magnet, which
had never failed to win every heart.  The nomes, he knew, were not like
the heartless Roses, and therefore could be won to his side as soon as he
exhibited the magic talisman.
	Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom, and
now that the entrance lay before him, he was confident he would be able
to rescue his lost brother.  Let Ann and the dragon quarrel as to who
should conquer the nomes, if they liked.  Shaggy would let them try, and
if they failed, he had the means of conquest in his own pocket. But Ann
was positive she could not fail, for she thought her Army could do
anything.  So she called the officers together and told them how to act,
and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and what to say.
	"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she
added, "for I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any blood--unless it is
absolutely necessary."
	"All right," replied Tik-Tok, "but I do not think Rug-ge-do would
bleed if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der press."
	Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and
then the four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains.  They
drew their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, which he
did. Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough rocks, but when he
struck the smooth path he got along better.  Into the gloomy mouth of the
cavern entrance he stepped without hesitation, and after him proudly
pranced the officers and Queen Ann.  The others held back a little,
waiting to see what would happen.  Of course the Nome King knew they were
coming and was prepared to receive them.  Just within the rocky passage
that led to the jeweled throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually
covered.  Ruggedo had ordered the cover removed, and it now stood open,
scarcely visible in the gloom.
	The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage,
and there was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close to
the rock walls.  This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the pit
clearly, and he avoided it; but the officers marched straight into the
hole and tumbled in a heap on the bottom.  An instant later Queen Ann
also walked into the pit, for she had her chin in the air and was
careless where she placed her feet.  Then one of the nomes pulled a lever
which replaced the cover on the pit and made the officers of Oogaboo and
their Queen fast prisoners.  As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the
cavern where Ruggedo sat in his throne, and there he faced the Nome King
and said: "I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of
Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I de-clare that you are her pris-on-er!"
	Ruggedo laughed at him.  "Where is this famous Queen?" he asked.
	"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok.  "Per-haps she
stopped to tie her shoe-string."
	"Now see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King in a stern voice,
"I've had enough of all this nonsense.  Your Queen and her officers are
all my prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll tell me
what you mean to do."
	"My or-ders were to con-quer you," replied Tik-Tok, "and my
ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those or-ders."
	Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely
by General Guph.  "Take this copper man into the shops and set him to
work hammering gold," commanded the King.  "Being run by machinery, he
ought to be a steady worker.  He ought never to have been made, but since
he exists, I shall hereafter put him to good use."
	"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight."
	"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph earnestly, "for it will
be useless to resist, and you might hurt someone."
	But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim, and not knowing what
damage the gun might do, the nomes were afraid to face it.
	While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high officials,
Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern seated upon the back of
Hank the mule.  The little girl had grown tired of waiting for "something
to happen" and so had come to see if Ruggedo had been conquered. "Nails
and nuggets!" roared the King.  "How dare you bring that beast here and
enter my presence unannounced?"
	"There wasn't anybody to announce me," replied Betsy.  "I guess
your folks were all busy.  Are you conquered yet?"
	"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage.
	"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry,"
said the girl.  "You see, this conquering business is a good deal like
waiting for a circus parade: it takes a long time to get around and don't
amount to much anyhow."
	The nomes were so much astonished at this speech, that for a time
they could only glare at her silently, not finding the words to reply.
The King finally recovered the use of his tongue and said:
"Earth-crawler! This insolence to my majesty shall be your death warrant.
You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal from living is so easy a
thing to do that I will not keep you waiting half so long as you did for
my conquest."
	"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy,
getting off Hank's back and standing beside him.  "And it would be a
pretty cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry.  If you'll
give me something to eat, I'll talk this killing business over with you
afterward, only I warn you now that I don't approve of it and never will."
	Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, although
he bore an intense hatred toward all mortals.  "What do you wish to eat?"
he asked gruffly.
	"Oh, a ham sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of hard-boiled
eggs--"
	"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering
until their teeth chattered.
	"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly.  "Are eggs as high
here as they are at home?"
	"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his
General, "let us destroy this rash mortal at once!  Seize her and take
her to the Slimy Cave and lock her in." 
	Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just
then Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his knee joints
so that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to the floor, his
gun falling from his grasp.  Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a
grab at Betsy.  At the same time, Hank's heels shot out and caught the
General just where his belt was buckled.  He rose into the air swift as a
cannonball, struck the Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against
the wall of rock on the opposite side of the cavern.  Together they fell
to the floor in a dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which Kaliko
whispered to Betsy: "Come with me, quick, and I will save you!"
	She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed
honest and good-natured, so she decided to follow him.  He led her and
the mule through several passages and into a small cavern very nicely and
comfortably furnished.  "This is my own room," said he, "but you are
quite welcome to use it.  Wait here a minute, and I'll get you something
to eat."
	When Kaliko returned, he brought a tray containing some broiled
mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread, and some petroleum butter.  The
butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the mushrooms
delicious.  "Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock
yourself in."
	"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?"
she asked.
	"I'll see.  Where are they?"
	"I don't know.  I left them outside," said Betsy.
	"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said Kaliko,
"but don't let anyone in unless they give the three raps."
	"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern,
she closed and locked the door.
	In the meantime, Ann and her officers, finding themselves
prisoners in the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were tired out,
but no one had come to their assistance.  It was very dark and damp in
the pit, and they could not climb out because the walls were higher than
their heads and the cover was on.  The Queen was first angry and then
annoyed and then discouraged, but the officers were only afraid. Every
one of the poor fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for
his orchard, and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for
causing them all this trouble and danger.  Finally, the Queen sat down on
the bottom of the pit and leaned her head back against the wall.  By good
luck her sharp elbow touched a secret spring in the wall, and a big, flat
rock swung inward.  Ann fell over backward, but the next instant she
jumped up and cried to the others: "A passage!  A passage!  Follow me, my
brave men, and we may yet escape."
	Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark
and dank as the pit, and the officers followed her in single file.  They
crawled and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, for the passage was
not big enough to allow them to stand upright.  It turned this way and
twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but seldom
ran for long in a straight line.
	"It will never end, never!" moaned the officers, who were rubbing
all the skin off their knees on the rough rocks.
	"It MUST end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have
been made.  We don't know where it will lead us to, but anyplace is
better than that loathsome pit."  So she crawled on, and the officers
crawled on, and while they were crawling through this awful underground
passage, Polychrome and Shaggy and Files and the Rose Princess, who were
standing outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what
had become of them.

CHAPTER 17 A TRAGIC TRANSFORMATION

	"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it may
take the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to
do everything in his slow, mechanical way."
	"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose Princess.
	"I do indeed," replied Shaggy.  "This Nome King is really a
powerful fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold
Queen commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint-hearted officers."
	"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome,
dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful
draperies.  "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for
when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her
ambitions."
	"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga.
	"Up there on the rocks," replied Files.  "Look, my dear.  You may
see him from here.  He said he would take a little nap while we were
mixing up with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into
trouble he would wake up and conquer the Nome King in a jiffy, as his
master the Jinjin has ordered him to do."
	"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall need
his services, for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her
army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the cavern and show
the King my Love Magnet.  That he cannot resist, therefore the conquest
will be made with ease."
	This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared
Hearer, who was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side.  For when the
King and Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves
up, their first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his back and put a heavy
diamond on top of him so that he could not get up again.  Then they
carefully put his gun in a corner of the cavern, and the King sent Guph
to fetch the Long-Eared Hearer.  The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo
for breaking his ear, but he acknowledged the Nome King to be his master
and was ready to obey his commands.  Therefore he repeated Shaggy's
speech to the King, who at once realized that his Kingdom was in grave
danger.  For Ruggedo knew of the Love Magnet and its powers and was 
horrified at the thought that Shaggy might show him the magic talisman
and turn all the hatred in his heart into love.  Ruggedo was proud of his
hatred and abhorred love of any sort.
	"Really," said he, "I'd rather be conquered and lose my wealth and
my Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet.  What can I do to prevent
the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?"
	Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this question,
and being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he answered by
saying: "If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms tight to his
body, he could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket."
	"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the
problem.  "Get at once a dozen nomes with ropes and place them in the
passage where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he enters."
	This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance
were growing more and more uneasy about their friends.  "I don't worry so
much about the Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, who had grown sober with
waiting and perhaps a little nervous, "for they could not be killed, even
though Ruggedo might cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them
utterly.  But we should not have allowed Betsy and Hank to go alone into
the caverns.  The little girl is mortal and possesses no magic powers
whatever, so if Ruggedo captures her, she will be wholly at his mercy."
	"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy.  "I wouldn't like to have
anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right away
and put an end to all this worry."
	"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of the
Love Magnet you can soon bring the Nome King to reason."
	So it was decided to wait no longer.  Shaggy walked through the
entrance first, and after him came the others.  They had no thought of
danger to themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with his hands
thrust into his pockets, was much surprised when a rope shot out from the
darkness and twined around his body, pinning down his arms so securely
that he could not even withdraw his hands from the pockets. Then appeared
several grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then led
the prisoner along the passage to the cavern.  No attention was paid to
the others, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy,
determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an opportunity
might arise to rescue him.  As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that
trouble had overtaken Shaggy, she turned and ran lightly back through the
passage and out of the entrance.  Then she easily leaped from rock to
rock until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep.
	"Wake up, Quox!" she cried.  "It is time for you to act."  But
Quox did not wake up.  He lay as one in a trance, absolutely motionless,
with his enormous eyes tight closed.  The eyelids had big silver scales
on them, like all the rest of his body.  Polychrome might have thought
Quox was dead had she not known that dragons do not die easily or had she
not observed his huge body swelling as he breathed.  She picked up a
piece of rock and pounded against his eyelids with it, saying: "Wake up,
Quox, wake up!"  But he would not waken.
	"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter.
"I wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon.  All our
friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast lies
asleep."  She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover
some tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might be felt, but
he lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon the ground and
his legs drawn underneath his body, and all that one could see was his
thick, sky-blue skin--thicker than that of a rhinoceros--and his silver
scales.  Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast and worried over
the fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and
hurried along the passage into the Nome King's cavern.  Here she found
Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a long pipe.  Beside him stood
General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged before the King were the Rose
Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man.  Tik-Tok still lay upon the floor
weighted down by the big diamond.
	Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind.  One by one he
had met the invaders and easily captured them.  The dreaded Love Magnet
was indeed in Shaggy's pocket only a few feet away from the King, but
Shaggy was powerless to show it, and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the
talisman, it could not affect him.  As for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he
believed Kaliko had placed them in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her
officers he thought safely imprisoned in the pit.  Ruggedo had no fear of
Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he had ordered golden handcuffs
placed upon their wrists.  These did not cause them any great annoyance,
but prevented them from making an attack had they been inclined to do so.
The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the situation, was
laughing and jeering at his prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely
beautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern.
	"Oho!" cried the King, "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he
stared hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and
pulled the wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers.  "On my
word," said he, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I
perceive you are a fairy."
	"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly.
	"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you.  The others I hate.  I hate
everybody--but you!  Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautiful
cavern, Polychrome?  See!  The jewels that stud the walls have every tint
and color of your Rainbow, and they are not so elusive.  I'll have fresh
dewdrops gathered for your feasting every day, and you shall be Queen of
all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like."
	"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome.  "My home is in the sky, and
I'm only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth.  But tell me, Ruggedo,
why my friends have been wound with cords and bound with chains."
	"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo.  "The fools did not know
how powerful I am."
	"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send
them back to the earth's surface?"
	"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em auffer for their
invasion. But I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly.  Remain here and
live with me, and I'll set all these people free.  You shall be my
daughter or my wife or my aunt or grandmother--whichever you like--only
stay here to brighten my gloomy kingdom and make me happy!"
	Polychrome looked at him wonderingly.  Then she turned to Shaggy
and asked: "Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?"
	"I'm positive," answered Shaggy.  "But you seem to be something
of a Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome."
	She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my
friends would I live in your kingdom.  Nor could I endure for long the
society of such a wicked monster as you."
	"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also
are in my power."
	"Not so, Ruggedo.  The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of
your spite or malice."
	"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang
forward to obey.  Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted
to clutch her, his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was
in another part of the room, as smiling and composed as before.  Several
times Guph endeavored to capture her, and Ruggedo even came down from his
throne to assist his General, but never could they lay hands upon the
lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there with the swiftness of light
and constantly defied them with her merry laughter as she evaded their
efforts.  So after a time they abandoned the chase, and Ruggedo returned
to his throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a finely
woven handkerchief of cloth-of-gold.
	"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?"
	"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother,"
replied the Nome King.  Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the executioners."
	Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of
nomes, all of whom were nearly as evil-looking as their hated master.
They bore great golden pincers and prods of silver and clamps and chains
and various wicked-looking instruments all made of precious metals and
set with diamonds and rubies.  "Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the
leader of the executioners, "fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen
from the pit and torture them here in my presence--as well as in the
presence of their friends.  It will be great sport."
	"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang,
and went with his nomes into the passage.  In a few minutes, he returned
and bowed to Ruggedo.  "They're all gone," said he.
	"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King.  "Gone where?"
	"They left no address, Your Majesty, but they are not in the pit."
	"Picks and puddles!" roared the King.  "Who took the cover off?"
	"No one," said Pang.  "The cover was there, but the prisoners were
not under it."
	"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his
disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl and the
donkey.  And while we are torturing them, Kaliko must take a hundred
nomes and search for the escaped prisoners--the Queen of Oogaboo and her
officers.  If he does not find them, I will torture Kaliko."
	Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the King
was cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat.  Pang and the
executioners also went away in another direction, but when they came
back, Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was Hank.  "There is no one in
the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang.
	"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King.  "Another escape?  Are
you sure you found the right cave?"
	"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it,"
returned Pang positively.  Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as
angry.  However, these disappointments but made him the more vindictive,
and he cast an evil look at the other prisoners and said:
	"Never mind the girl and the donkey.  Here are four at least who
cannot escape my vengeance.  Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind
about Tik-Tok.  Have the gold crucible heated to a white, seething heat,
and then we'll dump the copper man into it and melt him up."
	"But Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the
room after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo people, "you
must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and interesting machine. It
would be a shame to deprive the world of such a clever contrivance."
	"Say another word and you'll go into the furnace with him!"
roared the King.  "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing
you know I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga chips of you!  The
next to consider," he added more mildly, "is the Shaggy Man.  As he owns
the Love Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, and then we can
practice shooting at him with Tik-Tok's gun.  Now this is a very
interesting ceremony, and I beg you all to watch me closely and see that
I've got nothing up my sleeve."
	He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and
then he waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles over his
victim's head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the magic wugwa:

	"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo!
	Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"

	The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous.  Instead
of the Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings
confined by tiny cords wound around them.  Ruggedo gave an order to Pang,
who cut the cords with a pair of scissors.  Being freed, the dove quickly
flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the Rose Princess, who
stroked it tenderly.
	"Very good!  Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands
gleefully together.  "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the others."
	(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above
transformation, for although the exact magical formula has been
described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone to
transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo used. There
were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing this transformation, 
but if it should be attempted in any other country and the magic worked,
the magician would be severely punished.)
	When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and
realized that Ruggedo was about to do something as dreadful to the
Princess and Files and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a crucible,
she turned and ran from the cavern, through the passage, and back to the
place where Quox lay asleep.

CHAPTER 18 A CLEVER CONQUEST

	The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even snoring in
a manner that resembled distant thunder, but Polychrome was now desperate
because any further delay meant the destruction of her friends.  She
seized the pearl necklace to which was attached the great locket and
jerked it with all her strength.  The result was encouraging.  Quox
stopped snoring, and his eyelids flickered.  So Polychrome jerked again,
and again, till slowly the great lids raised and the dragon looked at her
steadily.  Said he, in a sleepy tone, "What's the matter, little
Rainbow?"
	"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome.  "Ruggedo has captured all
our friends and is about to destroy them."
	"Well, well," said Quox.  "I suspected that would happen.  Step a
little out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the Nome King's
cavern."  She fell back a few steps, and Quox raised himself on his stout
legs, whisked his long tail, and in an instant had slid down the rocks and
made a dive through the entrance.  Along the passage he swept, nearly
filling it with his immense body, and now he poked his head into the
jeweled cavern of Ruggedo.
	But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the
dragon whenever he might appear.  No sooner did Quox stick his head into
the room than a thick chain fell from above and encircled his neck.  Then
the ends of the chain were drawn tight--for in an adjoining cavern a
thousand nomes were pulling on them--and so the dragon could advance no
further toward the King.  He could not use his teeth or his claws, and as
his body was still in the passage, he had not even room to strike his
foes with his terrible tail.
	Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his strategem.  He had
just transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was about to
transform Files into a fiddle bow when the dragon appeared to interrupt
him.  So he called out: "Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal
entertainment. Since you are here, you shall witness some very neat
magic, and after I have finished with Files and Tik-Tok, I mean to
transform you into a tiny lizard--one of the chameleon sort--and you
shall live in my cavern and amuse me."
	"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a
quiet voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic."
	"Eh?  Why not?" asked the King in surprise.
	"There's a reason," said Quox.  "Do you see this ribbon around my
neck?"
	"Yes, and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such
a silly thing."
	"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon with a little
chuckle of amusement.
	"I do," declared Ruggedo.
	"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as
helpless as a clam," asserted Quox.  "My great master, Tititi-Hoochoo,
the Jinjin, enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever Your
Majesty looked upon it, all knowledge of magic would desert you
instantly, nor will any magical formula you can remember ever perform
your bidding."
	"Pooh!  I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half
frightened nevertheless.  Then he turned toward Files and tried to
transform him into a fiddle bow.  But he could not remember the right
words or the right pass of the hands, and after several trials he finally
gave up the attempt.  By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he
was secretly shaking in his shoes.
	"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and
now you see the result of your disobedience."
	Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, who
dodged it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to
swagger: "Never mind.  I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these
invaders.  Fire and the sword will do the business, and I am still King
of the Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!"
	"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox.  "The Great
Jinjin commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom and seek the
earth's surface, where you will wander for all time to come without a
home or country, without a friend or follower, and without any more
riches than you can carry with you in your pockets.  The Great Jinjin is
so generous that he will allow you to fill your pockets with jewels or
gold, but you must take nothing more."
	Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement.  "Does
Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
	"He does," said Quox.
	"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden Tube?"
	"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice.
	"Well, I won't do it.  And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do
it, either!" declared Ruggedo.  "I intend to remain here, King of the
Nomes, until the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi-Hoochoo and all
his fairies--as well as his clumsy messenger, whom I have been obliged to
chain up!"
	The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that
made Ruggedo feel very happy.  Instead, there was something so cold and
merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome King
trembled and was sick at heart.  There was little comfort for Ruggedo in
the fact that the dragon was now chained, although he had boasted of it.
He glared at the immense head of Quox as if fascinated, and there was
fear in the old King's eyes as he watched his enemy's movements.
	For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had
something to do and was about to do it.  Very deliberately, he raised one
claw, touched the catch of the great jeweled locket that was suspended
around his neck, and at once it opened wide.  Nothing much happened at
first: half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out upon the floor, and then the
locket closed with a sharp click.  But the effect upon the nomes of this
simple thing was astounding.  General Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his band of
executioners were all standing close to the door that led to the vast
series of underground caverns which constituted the dominions of the
nomes, and as soon as they saw the eggs, they raised a chorus of frantic
screams and rushed through the door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and
placing a heavy bronze bar across it.
	Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped
upon the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily
toward him.  Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and crafty
Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled directly
after Ruggedo, and when they reached the throne where he had taken
refuge, they began rolling up the legs to the seat.  This was too much
for the King to bear.  His horror of eggs was real and absolute, and he
made a leap from the throne to the center of the room and then ran to a
far corner.
	The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction.
Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then he
drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the advancing eggs.
But the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer. The King
stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until they were but half a
yard distant; then, with an agile leap, he jumped clear over them and
made a rush for the passage that led to the outer entrance.
	Of course, the dragon was in his way, being chained in the
passage with his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King making
toward him, he crouched as low as he could and dropped his chin to the
floor, leaving a small space between his body and the roof of the
passage. Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant.  Impelled by fear, he
leaped to the dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he
succeeded in squeezing himself through the opening.  After the head was
passed, there was more room, and he slid along the dragon's scales to his
tail and then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the entrance.
Not pausing there, so great was his fright, the King dashed on down the
mountain path, but before he had gone very far he stumbled and fell.
	When he picked himself up, he observed that no one was following
him, and while he recovered his breath he happened to think of the decree
of the Jinjin--that he should be driven from his Kingdom and made a
wanderer on the face of the earth.  Well, here he was, driven from his
cavern in truth; driven by those dreadful eggs, but he would go back and
defy them; he would not submit to losing his precious Kingdom and his
tyrannical powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must. So,
although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back along the
path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six eggs lying
in a row just before the arched opening.
	At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, for
the eggs were now motionless.  While he was wondering what could be done,
he remembered there was a magical charm which would destroy eggs and
render them harmless to nomes.  There were nine passes to be made and six
verses of incantation to be recited, but Ruggedo knew them all. Now that
he had ample time to be exact, he carefully went through the entire
ceremony.  But nothing happened.  The eggs did not disappear as he had
expected.  So he repeated the charm a second time.  When that also
failed, he remembered with a moan of despair that his magic power had
been taken away from him, and in the future he could do no more than any
common mortal.
	And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom
which he had ruled so long with absolute sway!  He threw rocks at them,
but could not hit a single egg.  He raved and scolded and tore his hair
and beard, and danced in helpless passion, but that did nothing to avert
the just judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil deeds had
brought upon him.  From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer upon
the face of the earth--and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with
gold and jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom!

CHAPTER 19 KING KALIKO

	After the King had made good his escape, Files said to the dragon
in a sad voice: "Alas!  Why did you not come before?  Because you were
sleeping instead of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a
fiddle without a bow, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!"
	"Don't worry," replied Quox.  "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business,
and I had my orders from the Great Jinjin himself.  Bring the fiddle here
and touch it lightly to my pink ribbon."
	Files obeyed, and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the
Nome King's charm was broken, and the Rose Princess herself stood before
them as sweet and smiling as ever.  The dove, perched on the back of the
throne, had seen and heard all this, so without being told what to do, it
flew straight to the dragon and alighted on the ribbon.  Next instant,
Shaggy was himself again, and Quox said to him grumblingly: "Please get
off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more particular where you step."
	"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his
natural form.  Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest
and to assist the Clockwork Man to his feet.
 	"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok.  "Where is the wick-ed King who
want-ed to melt me in a cru-ci-ble?"
 	"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had
managed to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had witnessed the
occurrences with much interest.  "But I wonder where Betsy Bobbin and
Hank can be and if any harm has befallen them."
 	"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared Shaggy;
but when he went to the door leading to the other caverns, he found it
shut and barred.
 	"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I
believe I can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold."
 	"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened
in some other room so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously.
	"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon.  "I have remained a
prisoner only because I wished to be one," and with this he stepped
forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been threads.
But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty
strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted
himself in a corner to think of a better way.
	"I'll open the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's
big gong, he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening.
Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo
and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon.  But when he
heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the
King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious.  So he took
away the bar, threw open the door, and entered the royal cavern. Great
was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments removed
from the Princess and Shaggy.  But the eggs were also gone, and so Kaliko
advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger,
and bowed humbly before the beast.
	"What is your will?" he inquired.
	"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon.
	"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko.
	"Go and get her!" commanded Quox.
 	So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the door.
The little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the
door.  "You may come out now," said Kaliko.  "The King has fled in
disgrace, and your friends are asking for you."  So Betsy and Hank
returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the throne cavern, where she was
received with great joy by her friends.  They told her what had happened
to Ruggedo, and she told them how kind Kaliko had been to her.  Quox did
not have much to say until the conversation was ended, but then he turned
to Kaliko and asked: "Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better
than Ruggedo has done?"
	"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the
question. "Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure."
	"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon.
	"Of course," said Kaliko.  "They like me better than ever they
did Ruggedo."
	"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the
Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and
well," said Quox.
	"Hooray!" cried Betsy.  "I'm glad of that.  King Kaliko, I salute
Your Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom!"
	"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome, and then the others made
haste to congratulate the new King.
	"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy.
	"The Ugly One?  Very willingly," replied Kaliko.  "I begged
Ruggedo long ago to send him away, but he would not do so.  I also
offered to help your brother escape, but he would not go."
	"He's so conscientious!" replied Shaggy, highly pleased.  "All of
our family have noble natures.  But is my dear brother well?" he added
anxiously.
	"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King.
	"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy.
	"He doesn't work at all.  In fact, there is nothing he can do in
these dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it
worries us to keep them all busy.  So your brother has only to amuse himself."
	"Why, it's more like visiting than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy.
	"Not exactly," returned Kaliko.  "A prisoner cannot go where or
when he pleases, and is not his own master."
	"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy.
	"In the Metal Forest."
	"Where is that?"
	"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in
all our dominions," replied Kaliko.  "It is almost like being out of
doors, it is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse
himself, as well as to tire out his hard-working nomes.  All the trees
are gold and silver, and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so it
is a sort of treasury."
	"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded
Shaggy earnestly.
	Kaliko hesitated.  "I don't believe I can find the way," said he.
"Ruggedo made three secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes
the location of these passages every week so that no one can get to the
Metal Forest without his permission.  However, if we look sharp, we may
be able to discover one of these secret ways."
	"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the
Officers of Oogaboo," said Files.
	"I'm sure I cannot say," replied Kaliko.
	"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?"
	"Oh, no, I'm quite sure he didn't.  They fell into the big pit in
the passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there, but when the
executioners went to look for them, they had all disappeared from the
pit, and we could find no trace of them."
	"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully.  "I don't believe
Ann knew any magic, or she'd have worked it before.  But to disappear
like that SEEMS like magic, now doesn't it?"  They agreed that it did,
but no one could explain the mystery.
	"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we
cannot help them or be helped by them.  And the important thing just now
is to rescue my dear brother from captivity."
	"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy.
	"I do not know," confessed Shaggy.  "I cannot remember his looks
very well, it is so long since I have seen him.  But all of our family
are noted for their handsome faces."
	Betsy laughed, and Shaggy seemed rather hurt, but Polychrome
relieved his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in looks,
but lovely in disposition."
	"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark,
"is to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest."
	"True," agreed Kaliko.  "So I think I will assemble the chief
nomes of my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am their new
King. Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for the secret
passages."
	"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting
sleepy again.
	Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo
used to do, but no one answered the summons.  "Of course not," said he,
jumping up from the throne, where he had seated himself.  "That is my
call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain, and will be until I appoint
another in my place."  So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told
him to answer the summons of the King's gong.  Having returned to the
royal cavern, Kaliko first pounded the gong and then sat in the throne
wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding in his hand the
sceptre which Ruggedo had so often thrown at his head. When Guph entered,
he was amazed.
	"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," he
said warningly.
	"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes in his
stead," announced Kaliko.
	"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of
those who stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new King.
Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a hard
master as Ruggedo.  Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph
that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw
the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it.  All this being pleasantly
arranged, the new Chamberlain went away to tell the news to all the nomes
of the underground Kingdom, every one of whom would be delighted with the
change in Kings.

CHAPTER 20 QUOX QUIETLY QUITS

	When the chief nomes assembled before their new King, they
joyfully saluted him and promised to obey his commands.  But when Kaliko
questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all had
assisted in its making.  So the King instructed them to search carefully
for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as they had
found it.  Meantime, Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor
and so regain the open air and his old station on the mountainside, and
there he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day.  
 	The others of the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns
of the nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt he was indebted to them for
his promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could.
	Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of
the sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen.  Not a nome had seen
them, nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading
to the Metal Forest.  Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all
were curious to know what had become of them.  On the next day, when our
friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said to them: "I must now bid you
goodbye, for my mission here is finished, and I must depart for the other
side of the world, where I belong."
	"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.
	"To be sure.  But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one
to talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me.  Therefore, as
soon as I slide into the hole, I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out at
the other end, I will wake up at home."
	They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a
pleasant journey.  Also, they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin,
whose just condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well.
Then Quox yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into
which he slid head-foremost and disappeared.  They really felt as if they
had lost a friend, for the dragon had been both kind and sociable during
their brief acquaintance with him, but they knew it was his duty to
return to his own country.  So they went back to the caverns to renew the
search for the hidden passages that led to the forest, but for three days
all efforts to find them proved in vain.
	It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and
watch for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with
wandering upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky
palaces. And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of
rock, whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!
The former King looked very forlorn.  His clothes were soiled and torn,
and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head.  Having left
his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer seemed
kingly, but more like a beggarman.
	Several times Ruggedo had crept up to the mouth of the caverns,
only to find the six eggs still on guard.  He knew quite well that he
must accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret
now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels.
He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much
better that one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the caverns
wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a chance to fill
his pockets.  That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.
	"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest,
and once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the
world."  He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small.
He knew of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the
mountain, so he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his
robe, paying her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon
his finger.  The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring, and
she sewed as many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could.  Then
he returned up the mountain, and after gazing cautiously around to make
sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock, and it swung
slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered, swinging
the rock in place behind him.
	However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have
done, for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off, and her clear
eyes marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hidden
spring.  So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko
and her friends of her discovery.  "I've no doubt that that is a way to
the Metal Forest," exclaimed Shaggy.  "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at
once and rescue my poor brother!"
	They agreed to this, and King Kaliko called together a band of
nomes to assist them by carrying torches to light their way.  "The Metal
Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but the passage
across the valley is likely to be dark."  Polychrome easily found the
rock and touched the spring, so in less than an hour after Ruggedo had
entered, they were all in the passage and following swiftly after the
former King.  "He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko, "but
he will find he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom, and I will
have my nomes throw him out."
	"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he
deserves it.  I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy who fights
square, but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into Slimy
Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any sympathy.  But
you'll have to let him take as much treasure as he can get in his
pockets, Kaliko."
	"Yes, the Jinjin said so, but we won't miss it much.  There is
more treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in
their pockets."  It was not difficult to walk through this passage,
especially when the torches lighted the way, so they made good progress.
But it proved to be a long distance, and Betsy had tired herself with
walking and was seated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a
sharp turn and a wonderful and glorious light burst upon them.  The next
moment, they were all standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal
Forest.  It lay under another mountain and occupied a great, domed cavern
the roof of which was higher than a church steeple.  In this space the
industrious nomes had built, during many years of labor, the most
beautiful forest in the world.  The trees--trunks, branches and
leaves--were all of solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were
formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees towered as high as
natural live oaks do and were of exquisite workmanship.  On the ground
were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size, while here and
there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut diamonds of the
clearest water.  Taken all together, more treasure was gathered in this
Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the world--if we except
the Land of Oz, where perhaps its value is equalled in the famous Emerald
City.
	Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they
stood gazing in silent wonder.  Then Shaggy exclaimed: "My brother!  My
dear lost brother!  Is he indeed a prisoner in this place?"
	"Yes," replied Kaliko.  "The Ugly One has been here for two or
three years, to my positive knowledge."
	"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy.  "It's an
awfully swell place to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and
di'monds, or even gold."
	"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her.  "The Metal
Forest does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means.  Beyond
these gold and silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear
foods very nice to eat.  Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite
sure we will find Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather
than in this."  So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths,
and at every step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous
beauty of the golden trees with their glittering foliage.
	Suddenly they heard a scream.  Jewels scattered in every
direction as someone hidden among the bushes scampered away before them.
Then a loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle.

CHAPTER 21 A BASHFUL BROTHER

	With fast-beating hearts, they all rushed forward and beyond a
group of stately metal trees came full upon a most astonishing scene.
There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a dozen of
whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast in spite of his
efforts to escape.  There also was Queen Ann, looking grimly upon the
scene of strife; but when she observed her former companions approaching,
she turned away in a shamefaced manner.  For Ann and her officers were a
sight to behold.  Her Majesty's clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was
now worn and torn into shreds by her long crawl through the tunnel,
which, by the way, had led her directly into the Metal Forest.  It was,
indeed, one of the three secret passages and by far the most difficult of
the three.  Ann had not only torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her
crown had become bent and battered, and even her shoes were so cut and
slashed that they were ready to fall from her feet.
	The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for holes
were worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp points of rock in
the roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every inch of their
once-brilliant uniforms.  A more tattered and woeful army never came out
of a battle than these harmless victims of the rocky passage. But it had
seemed their only means of escape from the cruel Nome King, so they had
crawled on regardless of their sufferings.
	When they reached the Metal Forest, their eyes beheld more
plunder than they had ever dreamed of, yet they were prisoners in this
huge dome and could not escape with the riches heaped about them.
Perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed
than this band from Oogaboo.  After several days of wandering in their
marvelous prison, they were frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had
come among them.  Rendered desperate by their sad condition, the officers
exhibited courage for the first time since they left home, and ignorant
of the fact that Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they threw
themselves upon him and had just succeeded in capturing him when their
fellow adventurers reached the spot.
	"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy.  "What has happened to you
all?"
	Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant.  "We were
obliged to escape from the pit through a small tunnel, which was lined
with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our clothing
torn to rags, but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we are stiff and
lame in every joint.  To add to our troubles, we find we are still
prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in capturing the wicked Metal
Monarch, we shall force him to grant us our liberty."
	"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch or King of the nomes," Files
informed her.  "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox.
But here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am pleased to
assure Your Majesty that he is our friend."
	"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as
courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid rainment.
	The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo
free, but as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his former
servant, who was now King in his place, in a humble and pleading manner.
	"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly.
	"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my
pockets," replied Ruggedo.  "So I came here to get it, not wishing to
disturb Your Majesty."
	"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes forever!"
declared Kaliko.
	"I know.  And I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said
Ruggedo meekly.
	"Then fill them and be gone," returned the new King.  Ruggedo
obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by the handful and
stuffing them into his many pockets.  They were heavy things, these
diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and the like, so before
long Ruggedo was staggering with the weight he bore, while the pockets
were not yet filled.  When he could no longer stoop over without falling,
Betsy and Polychrome and the Rose Princess came to his assistance,
picking up the finest gems and tucking them into his pockets.  At last
these were all filled, and Ruggedo presented a comical sight, for surely
no man ever before had so many pockets or any at all filled with such a
choice collection of precious stones. He neglected to thank the young
ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly nod of farewell and
staggered down the path by the way he had come.  They let him depart in
silence, for with all he had taken the masses of jewels upon the ground
seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous were they.  Also,
they hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King.
	"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply.  "If he
doesn't get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to
start a bank when he gets to Oklahoma."
	"But my brother, my dear brother!  Where is he?" inquired Shaggy
anxiously.  "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?"
	"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen.
	Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the Ugly
One. Perhaps you'll know him by that."
	"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run
away from us whenever we approached him.  He hides over yonder, among the
trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to catch sight of
his face.  So I cannot tell whether he is ugly or not."
	"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy.
	"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko.  "No one else inhabits this
splendid dome, so there can be no mistake."
	"But why does he hide among those green trees instead of enjoying
all these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy.
	"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko,
"and I remember that he has built a little house there to sleep in.  As
for these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very pretty at
first sight.  One cannot fail to admire them, as well as the rich jewels
scattered beneath them.  But if one has to look at them always, they
become pretty tame."
	"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy.  "My dear brother is
very wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones.  But come, let us
go there and find him."  Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and
the other followed him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his
long-sought, long-lost brother.  Not far from the edge of the grove they
came upon a small hut, cleverly made of twigs and golden branches woven
together.  As they approached the place, they caught a glimpse of a form
that darted into the hut and slammed the door tight shut after him.
Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: "Brother! Brother!"
	"Who calls?" demanded a sad, hollow voice from within.
	"It is Shaggy, your own loving brother, who has been searching
for you a long time and has now come to rescue you."
	"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice.  "No one can rescue me now."
	"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy.  "There is a
new King of the Nomes named Kaliko in Ruggedo's place, and he has
promised you shall go free."
	"Free!  I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One in a voice of despair.
	"Why not, brother?" asked Shaggy anxiously.
	"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through
the closed door.
	"No.  Tell me, brother, what have they done?"
	"Whey Ruggedo first captured me, I was very handsome.  Don't you
remember, Shaggy?"
	"Not very well, brother.  You were so young when I left home.
But I remember that mother thought you were beautiful."
	"She was right!  I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner.
"But Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to make me ugly in the eyes of the
world--so he performed a wicked enchantment.  I went to bed beautiful--or
you might say handsome, but to be very modest I will merely claim that I
was good-looking--and I wakened the next morning the homeliest man in all
the world!  I am so repulsive that when I look in the mirror I frighten
myself."
	"Poor brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were
silent from sympathy.
	"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's
brother, "that I tried to hide, but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me to
appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: 'Behold the Ugly
One!'  But when the nomes saw my face, they all fell to laughing and
jeering, which prevented them from working at their tasks.  Seeing this,
Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a tunnel, closing the rock
entrance so that I could not get out.  I followed the length of the
tunnel until I reached this huge dome where the marvelous Metal Forest
stands, and here I have remained ever since."
	"Poor brother!" repeated Shaggy.  "But I beg you now to come
forth and face us, who are your friends.  None here will laugh or jeer,
however unhandsome you may be."
	"No indeed," they all added pleadingly.
	But the Ugly One refused the invitation.  "I cannot," said he.
"Indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I am."
	Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him.  "What shall I
do?" he asked in sorrowful tones.  "I cannot leave my dear brother here,
and he refuses to come out of that house and face us."
	"I'll tell you," replied Betsy.  "Let him put on a mask."
	"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully, and
then he called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then none of
us can see what your features are like."
	"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One.
	"Look here," said Betsy.  "He can use my handkerchief."
	Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his head.
"It isn't big enough," he objected.  "I'm sure it isn't big enough to
hide a man's face.  But he can use mine."  Saying this, he took from his
pocket his own handkerchief and went to the door of the hut.  "Here, my
brother," he called.  "Take this handkerchief and make a mask of it.  I
will also pass you my knife so that you may cut holes for the eyes, and
then you must tie it over your face."  The door slowly opened, just far
enough for the Ugly One to thrust out his hand and take the handkerchief
and the knife.  Then it closed again.
	"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy.  "You must
breathe, you know."
	For a time there was silence.  Queen Ann and her army sat down
upon the ground to rest.  Betsy sat on Hank's back.  Polychrome danced
lightly up and down the jeweled paths, while Files and the Princess
wandered through the groves arm in arm.  Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood
motionless.  By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. "Are you
ready?" asked Shaggy.
	"Yes, brother," came the reply, and the door was thrown open to
allow the Ugly One to step forth.
	Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how
sensitive to ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief with
which he had masked his features was a red one covered with big white
polka dots. In this two holes had been cut in front of the eyes, while
two smaller ones before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe freely.
The cloth was then tightly drawn over the Ugly One's face and knotted at
the back of his neck.  He was dressed in clothes that had once been good,
but now were sadly worn and frayed.  His silk stockings had holes in
them, and his shoes were stub-toed and needed blackening.  "But what can
you expect," whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner for
so many years?"
	Shaggy had darted forward and embraced his newly found brother
with both his arms.  The brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him
forward and introduced him to all the assembled company.  "This is the
new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko.  "He is our friend and
has granted you your freedom."
	"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I
dread to go back to the world in this direful condition.  Unless I remain
forever masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop all
the clocks."
	"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy.
	Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head.  "I am
sure I can't break the enchantment," he said.  "Ruggedo was fond of magic
and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes know nothing of."
	"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment,"
suggested Ann, "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to escape."
	"Never mind, my dear brother," said Shaggy consolingly.  "I am
very happy to have found you again, although I may never see your face.
So let us make the most of this joyful reunion."  The Ugly One was
affected to tears by this tender speech, and the tears began to wet the
red handkerchief, so Shaggy gently wiped them away with his coat sleeve.

CHAPTER 22 KINDLY KISSES

	"Won't you be dreadfully sorry to leave this lovely place?"  Betsy
asked the Ugly One.
	"No indeed," said he.  "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless
things, and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness had I not
found this natural forest at the edge of the artificial one.  Anyhow,
without these real trees I should soon have starved to death."
	Betsy looked around at the quaint trees.  "I don't just
understand that," she admitted.  "What could you find to eat here?"
	"The best food in the world," Ugly answered.  "Do you see that
grove at your left?" he added, pointing it out.  "Well, such trees as
those do not grow in your country, or in any other place but this cavern.
I have named them 'Hotel Trees' because they bear a certain kind of table
d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.'"
	"That's funny!" said Betsy.  "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' like?"
	"Something like cocoanuts to look at," explained the Ugly One.
"All you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down and eat your
dinner.  You first unscrew the top part and find a cupful of good soup.
After you've eaten that, you unscrew the middle part and find a hollow
filled with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine salad. Eat that, and
unscrew the next section and you come to the dessert in the bottom of the
nut.  That is pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and raisins.
The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in flavor or in contents,
but they are all good, and in each one may be found a complete
three-course dinner."
	"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy.
	"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that which grow over there at
the right.  They bear nuts like the others, only the nuts contain coffee
or chocolate instead of soup, oatmeal instead of meat and potatoes, and
fruits instead of dessert.  Sad as has been my life in this wonderful
prison, I must admit that no one could live more luxuriously in the best
hotel in the world than I have lived here.  But I will be glad to get
into the open air again and see the good old sun and the silvery moon and
the soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed by the morning dew.
Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things than the glitter of
gems or the cold gleam of gold!"
	"Of course," said Betsy.  "I once knew a little boy who wanted to
catch the measles because all the little boys in his neighborhood but him
had had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't catch 'em, try
as he would.  So I'm pretty certain that the things we want and can't
have are not good for us.  Isn't that true, Shaggy?"
	"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied.  "If we didn't want
anything, we would never get anything, good or bad.  I think our longings
are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us, we can't go far wrong."
	"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a
dreary place without the gold and jewels."
	"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy, "but we may have
too much of any good thing.  And I have noticed that the value of
anything depends upon how scarce it is and how difficult it is to obtain."
	"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to
their side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother, I would like
to return to my royal cavern.  Being the King of the Nomes, it is my duty
to look after my restless subjects and see that they behave themselves."
So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest to the
other side of the great domed cave, where they had first entered it.
Shaggy and his brother walked side by side, and both seemed rejoiced that
they were together after their long separation. Betsy didn't dare look at
the polka-dot handkerchief for fear she would laugh aloud, so she walked
behind the two brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his left ear.
	When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the
outer world, Queen Ann said in a hesitating way that was unusual with
her: "I have not conquered this Nome country, nor do I expect to do so,
but I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels before I leave
this place."
	"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the
officers of the Army took advantage of his royal permission and began
filling their pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big
handkerchief.
	This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes going
first to light the way with their torches.  They had not proceeded far
when Betsy exclaimed: "Why, there are jewels here, too!"  All eyes turned
upon the ground, and they found a regular trail of jewels strewn along
the rock floor.
	"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised.  "I must send some
of my nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal Forest
where they belong.  I wonder how they came to be here?"  All the way
along the passage they found this trail of jewels, but when they neared
the end, the mystery was explained.  For there, squatted upon the floor
with his back to the rock wall, sat old Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as
if he was all tired out.  Then they realized it was he who had scattered
the jewels from his many pockets, which one by one had burst with the
weight of their contents as he had stumbled along the passage.
	"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo with a deep sigh.  "I now
realize that I could not have carried such a weighty load very far, even
had I managed to escape from this passage with it.  The woman who sewed
the pockets on my robe used poor thread, for which I shall thank her."
	"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy.
	He glanced into some of the remaining pockets.  "A few," said he,
"but they will be sufficient to supply my wants, and I no longer have any
desire to be rich.  If some of you will kindly help me to rise, I'll get
out of here and leave you, for I know you all despise me and prefer my
room to my company."
	Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was
confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first time.
The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so startled Ruggedo
that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble as if he had seen a ghost.
"Wh-wh-who is this?" he faltered.
	"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed
from a handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother in a
voice of stern reproach.
	"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of that
mean trick."
	"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble
as formerly he had been cruel and vindictive.
	"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic and
give the poor man his own face again."
	"I wish I could," answered the old King, "but you must remember
that Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers.  However, I
never took the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I cast over
Shaggy's brother, as I intended he should always remain ugly."
	"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote, and
if you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to
dispel it."
	He shook his head.  "If I did, I-I've forgotten," he stammered
regretfully.
	"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy anxiously. "PLEASE try to think!"
	Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his
chest, rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group.  "I've a
faint recollection that there WAS one thing that would break the charm,"
said he, "but misfortune has so addled my brain that I can't remember
what it was."
	"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy sharply, "we've treated you
pretty well so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if you know
what's good for yourself, you'll think of that charm!"
	"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little
girl.
	"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother.  He's dreadfully
ashamed of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for it. Fact
is, Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life that it won't
hurt you to do a kind act now."
	Ruggedo blinked at her and sighed again, and then tried very hard
to think.  "I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of
a kiss will break the charm of ugliness."
	"What kind of a kiss?"
	"What kind?  Why, it was--it was--it was either the kiss of a
Mortal Maid or--or--the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy,
or--or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy.  I can't remember which. But
of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would even consent to kiss a person
so ugly--so dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly--as Shaggy's brother."
	"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy with admirable courage.
"I'm a Mortal Maid, and if it is MY kiss that will break this awful
charm, I-I'll do it!"
	"Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly.  "I would be obliged
to remove my mask, and when you saw my face nothing could induce you to
kiss me, generous as you are."
	"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your
face at all.  Here's my plan: you stay in this dark passage, and we'll
send away the nomes with their torches.  Then you'll take off the
handkerchief, and I-I'll kiss you."
	"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy," said Shaggy gratefully.
	"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied, "and if it makes
you and your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances."
	So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, which
they did by going through the rock opening.  Queen Ann and her army also
went out, but the others were so interested in Betsy's experiment that
they remained grouped at the mouth of the passageway.  When the big rock
swung into place, closing tight the openinng, they were left in total
darkness.  "Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got
that handkerchief off your face, Ugly?"
	"Yes," he replied.
	"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms.
	"Here," said he.
	"You'll have to stoop down, you know."
	He found her hands, and clasping them in his own stooped until
his face was near to that of the little girl.  The others heard a clear,
smacking kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed: "There!  I've done it, and it
didn't hurt a bit!"
	"Tell me, dear brother, is the charm broken?" asked Shaggy.
	"I do not know," was the reply.  "It may be, or it may not be.  I
cannot tell."
	"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy.
	"I have several," said Shaggy.
	"Then let Ruggedo light one of them and look at your brother's
face while we all turn our backs.  Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I
guess he can stand the horror of looking at him if the charm isn't
broken."  Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it.  He
gave one look and then blew out the match.
	"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder.  "So it wasn't the kiss
of a Mortal Maid, after all."
	"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess in her sweet voice.  "I
am a Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy.  Perhaps my kiss will break the
charm."  Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous to
interfere.  So the Rose Princess felt her way through the darkness to
Shaggy's brother and kissed him.  Ruggedo struck another match while they
all turned away.
	"No," announced the former King, "that didn't break the charm
either. It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required--or else my
memory has failed me altogether."
	"Polly," said Betsy pleadingly, "won't YOU try?"
	"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome with a merry laugh.
"I've never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I have
existed, but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, whose
unselfish affection for his ugly brother deserves to be rewarded." Even as
Polychrome was speaking, she tripped lightly to the side
of the Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips.
	"Oh, thank you, thank you!" he fervently cried.  "I've changed
this time, I know.  I can feel it!  I'm different, Shaggy, dear Shaggy, I
am myself again!"  Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring
that released the big rock, and it suddenly swung backward and let in a
flood of daylight.  Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's
brother, who, no longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their
gaze with a glad smile.
	"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing
a long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my
dear brother, but to be entirely frank with you, the face that belongs to
you is no more handsome than it ought to be."
	"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at the
man critically.
	"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really
beautiful.  You who never beheld his ugliness may not understand that,
but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many times, and I say
again that in comparison with what he was the man is now beautiful."
	"All right," returned Betsy briskly, "we'll take your word for
it, Kaliko.  And now let us get out of this tunnel and into the world
again!"

CHAPTER 23 RUGGEDO REFORMS

	It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the Nome
King, where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest refreshments the
place afforded.
	Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party, and
while no one paid any attention to the old King, they did not offer any
objection to his presence or command him to leave them.  He looked
fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the entrance, but they
had now disappeared, so he crept into the cavern after the others and
humbly squatted down in a corner of the room.  There Betsy discovered
him.  All of the little girl's companions were now so happy at the
success of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the laughter and merriment
seemed so general, that Betsy's heart softened toward the friendless old
man who had once been their bitter enemy, and she carried him some of the
food and drink.  Ruggedo's eyes filled with tears at this unexpected
kindness.  He took the child's hand in his own and pressed it gratefully.
	"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King.
"What's the use of being hard on Ruggedo?  All his magic power is gone,
so he can't do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so badly
to everybody."
	"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former master.
	"I am," said Ruggedo.  "The girl speaks truly.  I'm sorry and I'm
harmless.  I don't want to wander through the wide world on top of the
ground, for I'm a nome.  No nome can ever be happy anyplace but underground."
	"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here as
long as you behave yourself, but if you try to act badly again I shall
drive you out as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and you'll have to
wander."
	"Never fear, I'll behave," promised Ruggedo.  "It is hard work
being a King, and harder still to be a good King.  But now that I am a
common nome, I am sure I can lead a blameless life."  They were all
pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo had really reformed.
	"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy, "but if
he gets bad again, we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko
will have to 'tend to the old nome himself."
	Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or
two. The lovely Daughter of the Rainbow knew that she had now done all in
her power to assist her earth friends, and so she began to long for her
sky home.  "I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is
beginning to rain.  The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and perhaps he
has read my thoughts and is going to help me.  Anyway, I must take a look
at the sky and make sure."  So she jumped up and ran through the passage
to the outer entrance, and they all followed after and grouped themselves
on a ledge of the mountainside.  Sure enough, dark clouds filled the sky,
and a slow, drizzling rain had set in.
	"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when
it stops, we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to love.
Alas," he continued after a moment, "the clouds are already breaking up
in the west, and--see!--isn't that the Rainbow coming?"
	Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose
happy, smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to take her
to the Cloud Palaces.  A moment later a gleam of sunshine flooded the
mountain, and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared.  With a cry of gladness
Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and held out her arms. Straightway
the Rainbow descended until its end was at her very feet, when with a
graceful leap she sprang upon it and was at once clasped in the arms of
her radiant sisters, the Daughters of the Rainbow.  But Polychrome
released herself to lean over the edge of the glowing arch and nod and
smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late comrades. "Goodbye!" she
called, and they all shouted "Goodbye!" in return and waved their hands
to their pretty friend.  Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted 
into the sky until the eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy
clouds flitting across the blue.
	"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who felt
like crying, "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters
in the sky palaces."
	"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely.  "It's her home,
you know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home can
realize what that means to her."
	"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home.  Now I've only--only dear
old Hank!"  She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not
human, and he said "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her
mood.  And the shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's head
tenderly and said "You're wrong about that, Betsy dear.  I will never
desert you."
	"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother in earnest tones.
	The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled
through their tears.  "All right," she said.  "It's raining again, so
let's go back into the cavern."  Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome
and would miss her, they re-entered the dominions of the Nome King.

CHAPTER 24 DOROTHY IS DELIGHTED

	"Well," said Queen Ann when all were again seated in Kaliko's
royal cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next.  If I could find my way
back to Oogaboo, I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and tired of
these dreadful hardships."
	"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy.
	"No, I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen.  "The
world is too big for one person to conquer, and I was happier with my own
people back in Oogaboo.  I wish--oh, how earnestly I wish--that I was
back there this minute!"
	"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone.
	Now it's time for the reader to know that in the faraway Land of
Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures of her
Shaggy Man and Tik-Tok and all the others they had met.  Day by day,
Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside her, had gazed upon a
Magic Picture in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the Ruler's
cosy boudoir in the place of the Emerald City.  The singular thing about
this Magic Picture was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to see,
with the figures all in motion, just as it was taking place.  So Ozma and
the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from the time
Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose Kingdom, at which
time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of Ozma, had been exiled by her
heartless subjects.
	When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to Oogaboo,
Ozma was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the
Land of Oz.  She turned to her attendant and asked: "Can not your magic
take these unhappy people to their old home, Wizard?"
	"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard.
	"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided
effort to conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the
undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in her own
little Kingdom.  Please send her there, Wizard, and with her the officers
and Files."
	"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard.
	"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma.  "They have
become such good friends that I am sure it would make them unhappy to
separate them."
	"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery
whatever he performed a magical rite that was simple and effective.
Therefore those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both startled and
amazed when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly disappeared from the room,
and with them the Rose Princess.  At first they could not understand it
at all, but presently Shaggy suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma
was now taking an interest in the party, he drew from his pocket a tiny
instrument which he placed against his ear.  Ozma, observing this action
in her Magic Picture, at once caught up a similar instrument from a table
beside her and held it to her own ear.  The two instruments recorded the
same delicate vibrations of sound and formed a wireless telephone, an
invention of the Wizard.  Those separated by any distance were thus
enabled to converse together with perfect ease and without any wire
connection.
	"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma.
	"Yes, Your Highness," he replied.
	"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little
valley," announced the Ruler of Oz, "so do not worry over their
disappearance."
	"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy.  "But Your Highness
must permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended.  I have
found my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the
enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him.  Tik-Tok has served
me and my comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope you
will now transport the Clockwork Man back to your fairyland of Oz."
	"I will do that," replied Ozma.  "But how about yourself, Shaggy?"
	"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others
forces me to exile myself from that delightful land.  I must take care of
my newly found brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade in a dear
little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home to go to and no other
friends but me and a small donkey named Hank.  I have promised Betsy
never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, and so I must give up
the delights of the Land of Oz forever."  He said this with a sigh of
regret, and Ozma made no reply but laid the tiny instrument on her table,
thus cutting off all further communication with the Shaggy Man. But the
lovely Ruler of Oz still watched her magic picture with a thoughtful
expression on her face, and the little Wizard of Oz watched Ozma and
smiled softly to himself.
	In the cavern of the Nome King, Shaggy replaced the wireless
telephone in his pocket, and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful voice
as he could muster: "Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?"
	"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face.  "I'm
kind of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that
Queen Ann and her people are gone and Polychrome is gone and--dear
me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?"
	"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the cavern
and nodding wisely.  "By this time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of
Oz, which is his home."
	"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy.
	"It used to be, my dear.  But now my home is wherever you and my
brother are.  We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick together I am
sure we shall have a good time."
	"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy underground
cavern and go in search of new adventures.  I'm sure it has stopped
raining."
	"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade goodbye to King
Kaliko and thanked him for his assistance and went out to the mouth of
the passage.  The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color.  The
sun shone brightly, and even this rugged, rocky country seemed delightful
after their confinement underground.  There were but four of them
now--Betsy and Hank and Shaggy and his brother--and the little party made
their way down the mountainside and followed a faint path that led toward
the southwest.
	During this time, Ozma had been holding a conference with the
Wizard, and later with Tik-Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly
transported to Ozma's palace.  Tik-Tok had only words of praise for Betsy
Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy her-self."
	"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite
maid, who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request Princess
Dorothy to attend her at once.  So a few moments later Dorothy entered
Ozma's room and greeted her and the Wizard and Tik-Tok with the same
gentle smile and simple manner that had won for the little girl the love
of everyone she met.
	"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked.
	"Yes, dear.  I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice."
	"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll do
the best I can.  What is it all about, Ozma?"
	"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three
friends, "what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into this
fairyland of Oz.  It is true I have invited several mortals to make their
home here, and all of them have proved true and loyal subjects.  Indeed,
no one of you three was a native of Oz.  Dorothy and the Wizard came here
from the United States, and Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev.  But of
course he is not a mortal.  Shaggy is another American, and he is the
cause of all my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and
desert the new friends he has found in his recent adventures because he
believes they need his services."
	"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy, "but who
are these new friends he has found?"
	"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of
the Nome King, our old enemy Ruggedo.  This brother seems a kindly,
honest fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to a home in the
Land of Oz."
	"Who else?" asked Dorothy.
	"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was
shipwrecked--in much the same way you once were--and has since been
following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother.  You
remember her, do you not?"
	"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy.  "I've often watched her and Hank
in the Magic Picture, you know.  She's a dear little girl, and old Hank
is a darling!  Where are they now?"
	"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's
enthusiasm.
	Dorothy turned to the picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, with
Shaggy and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a barren
country.  "Seems to me," she said musingly, "that they're a good way from
anyplace to sleep or any nice things to eat."
	"You are right," said Tik-Tok.  "I have been in that coun-try,
and it is a wil-der-ness."
	"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are
so mischievous that no one cares to live near them.  I'm afraid Shaggy
and his friends will endure many hardships before they get out of that
rocky place, unless--" He turned to Ozma and smiled.
	"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked.
	"Yes, Your Highness."
	"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy.
	"I think so," said the Wizard.
	"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned,
I'd like to have them here in Oz.  It would be such fun to have a girl
playmate of my own age, you see.  And Hank is such a dear little mule!"
	Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and
then she drew Dorothy to her and kissed her.  "Am I not your friend and
playmate?" she asked.
	Dorothy flushed.  "You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she
cried. "But you're so busy ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't
always be together." 
	"I know, dear.  My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it
would be a delight to us all to have Betsy with us.  There's a pretty
suite of rooms just opposite your own where she can live, and I'll build
a golden stall for Hank in the stable where the Sawhorse lives.  Then
we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and
I'm sure they will soon become firm friends.  But I cannot very well
admit Betsy and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's brother."
	"And unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor
Shaggy, whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard.
	"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok.
	"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress,"
explained Ozma.  "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but his
brother has no claim on me."
	"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy.
	"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma.
	"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?"
	"No, indeed!" returned Ozma.  "What do you say, Wizard?"
	"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all."
	"And you, Tik-Tok?"
	"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare Shag-gy."
	"So, then.  The question is settled," decided Ozma.  "Perform your
magic, Wizard!"
	He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and
pouring upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was
contained in a crystal vial.  Then he muttered a rather difficult
incantation which the sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, and it
all ended in a puff of perfumed smoke from the silver plate.
This smoke was so pungent that it made both Ozma and Dorothy rub their
eyes for a moment.  "You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the
Wizard. "I assure you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry."
	"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture.  "They're
gone! All of them are gone!"
	Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as
before, but the three people and the mule had disappeared from it.  "They
are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate and wrapping it in
a fine cloth, "because they are here."
	At that moment, Jellia Jamb entered the room.  "Your Highness,"
she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another man are in the waiting room
and ask to pay their respects to you.  Shaggy is crying like a baby, but
he says they are tears of joy."
	"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma.
	"Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small-sized mule have
mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are or how
they came here.  Shall I send them here, too?"
	"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her chair.
"I'll go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful strange in this big
palace."  And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new
friend, Betsy Bobbin.

CHAPTER 25 THE LAND OF LOVE

	"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the
Sawhorse as he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly wagged the
branch that served him for a tail.  They were in a beautiful stable in
the rear of Ozma's palace where the wooden Sawhorse--very much
alive--lived in a gold-paneled stall and where there were rooms for the
Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, which were filled with soft cushions
for them to lie upon and golden troughs for them to eat from.  Beside the
stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for Hank, the mule.  This
was not quite so beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse was Ozma's
favorite steed, but Hank had a supply of cushions for a bed (which the
Sawhorse did not need because he never slept) and all this luxury was 
so strange to the little mule that he could only stand still and regard
his surroundings and his queer companions with wonder and amazement.
	The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out upon
the marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and critical
gaze, while nearby crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed equally
interested in the new animal that had just arrived.  The Sawhorse,
standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his question: "Is 'hee-haw' all
you are able to say?"
	Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner.  "I have never said
anything else until now," he replied, and then he began to tremble with
fright to hear himself talk.
	"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his great
head with a swaying motion.  "Strange things happen in this Land of Oz,
as they do everywhere else.  I believe you came here from the cold,
civilized, outside world, did you not?"
	"I did," replied Hank.  "One minute I was outside of Oz, and the
next minute I was inside!  That was enough to give me a nervous shock, as
you may guess.  But to find myself able to talk as Betsy does is a marvel
that staggers me."
	"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the Sawhorse.
"All animals talk in this favored country, and you must admit it is more
sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' which nobody can understand."
	"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank.
	"Oh, indeed!  Then there must be other mules in your outside
world," said the Tiger, yawning sleepily.
	"There are a great many in America," said Hank.  "Are you the only
Tiger in Oz?"
	"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in the
Jungle Country, but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald City."
	"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse, "but I am the
only horse of any description in this favored land."
	"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger.  "You must
understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because he is
shod with plates of gold and because our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, likes
to ride upon his back."
	"Betsy rides upon MY back," declared Hank proudly.
	"Who is Betsy?"
	"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!"
	The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet.  The
Tiger crouched and growled.  Slowly, the great Lion rose to his feet, his
mane bristling.  "Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in
judgment or you are willfully trying to deceive us.  The dearest,
sweetest girl in the world is our Dorothy, and I will fight
anyone--animal or human--who dares to deny it!"
	"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous
white teeth.
	"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn.
"No girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!"
	Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the others.
Then he said stubbornly: "I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I
admit there can be a sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin.  If you want
to fight, come on.  I'm ready for you!"  While they hesitated, eyeing
Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry peal of laughter startled the animals,
and turning their heads they beheld three lovely girls standing just
within the richly carved entrance to the stable.  In the center was Ozma,
her arms encircling the waists of Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either
side of her.  Ozma was nearly half a head taller than the two other
girls, who were almost of one size.  Unobserved, they had listened to the
talk of the animals, which was a very strange experience indeed to little
Betsy Bobbin.
	"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz in a gentle but
chiding tone of voice.  "Why should you fight to defend us, who are all
three loving friends and in no sense rivals?  Answer me!" she continued
as they bowed their heads sheepishly.
	"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," pleaded
the Lion.
	"And so have the others," replied Ozma.  "I am glad you and the
Hungry Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and
companion. Also, I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for
together we have endured both joy and sorrow.  Hank has proved his faith
and loyalty by defending his own little mistress, and so you are all
right in one way, but wrong in another.  Our Land of Oz is a Land of
Love, and here friendship outranks every other quality.  Unless you can
all be friends, you cannot retain our love."
	They accepted this rebuke very meekly.  "All right," said the
Sawhorse quite cheerfully.  "Shake hoofs, friend Mule."  Hank touched his
hoof to that of the wooden horse.
	"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger.  So Hank
modestly rubbed noses with the big beast.
	The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the mule:
"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the Cowardly
Lion.  That seems to cover your case.  If ever you need help or advice,
friend Hank, call on me."
	"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to see
them so fully reconciled.  Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my
dears, let us resume our walk."
	As they turned away, Betsy said wonderingly: "Do all the animals
in Oz talk as we do?"
	"Almost all," answered Dorothy.  "There's a Yellow Hen here, and
she can talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs
in my room who talks very nicely; but I've a little fuzzy black dog named
Toto who has been with me in Oz a long time, and he's never said a single
word but 'Bow-wow!'"
	"Do you know why?" asked Ozma.
	"Why, he's a Kansas dog, so I s'pose he's different from these
fairy animals," replied Dorothy.
	"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, "yet
as soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found he could
talk.  It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you brought
here at one time.  The same spell has affected Toto, I assure you, but
he's a wise little dog, and while he knows everything that is said to
him, he prefers not to talk."
	"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy.  "I never s'pected Toto was
fooling me all this time."  Then she drew a small silver whistle from her
pocket and blew a shrill note upon it.  A moment later there was a sound
of scurrying footsteps, and a shaggy black dog came running up the path.
Dorothy knelt down before him, and shaking her finger just above his nose
she said: "Toto, haven't I always been good to you?"
	Toto looked up at her with his bright, black eyes and wagged his
tail. "Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as well
as Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the tone of
Toto's voice.
	"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy.  "How would you like it,
Toto, if I said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?"  Toto's tail was wagging
furiously now, but otherwise he was silent.
	"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and his
tail just as well as we can.  Don't you understand such dog language?"
	"Of course I do," replied Dorothy.  "But Toto's got to be more
sociable.  See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog.  "I've just
learned, for the first time, that you can say words if you want to.
Don't you want to, Toto?"
	"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant "no."
	"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as good as any other
animal in Oz?"
	"Woof!"
	"Just one word, Toto, and then you may run away."
	He looked at her steadily a moment.  "All right.  Here I go!" he
said, and darted away as swiftly as an arrow.  Dorothy clapped her hands
in delight, while Betsy and Ozma both laughed heartily at her pleasure
and the success of her experiment.  Arm in arm, they sauntered away
through the beautiful gardens of the palace, where magnificent flowers
bloomed in abundance and fountains shot their silvery sprays far into the
air.  And by and by, as they turned a corner, they came upon Shaggy Man
and his brother, who were seated together upon a golden bench.  The two
arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached them.
	"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?"  Ozma asked the stranger.
	"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother.
"Also I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this
delightful place."
	"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma.  "Being his brother,
I have made you welcome here."
	"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will
be glad he has become one of your loyal subjects.  I am just getting
acquainted with him myself, and I find much in his character to admire."
	Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk.
Presently Betsy exclaimed: "Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz
as I am.  Do you know, Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl ever have such
a good time--ANYWHERE--as I'm having now?"
	"I know," answered Dorothy.  "I've felt that way myself, lots of
times."
	"I wish," continued Betsy dreamily, "that every little girl in the
world could live in the Land of Oz, and every little boy, too!"
	Ozma laughed at this.  "It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that
your wish cannot be granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and
boys would crowd us so that we would have to move away."
	"Yes," agreed Betsy after a little thought, "I guess that's true."

THE END