ealized that this time he had been outwitted. He had thought
Kiki would utter the magic word in his presence, and so he would learn
what it was, but the boy had been too shrewd for that.

As the two eagles mounted high into the air and began their flight
across the great Desert that separates the Land of Oz from all the rest
of the world, the Nome said:

"When I was King of the Nomes I had a magic way of working
transformations that I thought was good, but it could not compare with
your secret word. I had to have certain tools and make passes and say
a lot of mystic words before I could transform anybody."

"What became of your magic tools?" inquired Kiki.

"The Oz people took them all away from me--that horrid girl, Dorothy,
and that terrible fairy, Ozma, the Ruler of Oz--at the time they took
away my underground kingdom and kicked me upstairs into the cold,
heartless world."

"Why did you let them do that?" asked the boy.

"Well," said Ruggedo, "I couldn't help it. They rolled eggs at
me--EGGS--dreadful eggs!--and if an egg even touches a Nome, he is
ruined for life."

"Is any kind of an egg dangerous to a Nome?"

"Any kind and every kind. An egg is the only thing I'm afraid of."

5. A Happy Corner of Oz

There is no other country so beautiful as the Land of Oz. There are no
other people so happy and contented and prosperous as the Oz people.
They have all they desire; they love and admire their beautiful girl
Ruler, Ozma of Oz, and they mix work and play so justly that both are
delightful and satisfying and no one has any reason to complain. Once
in a while something happens in Oz to disturb the people's happiness
for a brief time, for so rich and attractive a fairyland is sure to
make a few selfish and greedy outsiders envious, and therefore certain
evil-doers have treacherously plotted to conquer Oz and enslave its
people and destroy its girl Ruler, and so gain the wealth of Oz for
themselves. But up to the time when the cruel and crafty Nome,
Ruggedo, conspired with Kiki Aru, the Hyup, all such attempts had
failed. The Oz people suspected no danger. Life in the world's nicest
fairyland was one round of joyous, happy days.

In the center of the Emerald City of Oz, the capital city of Ozma's
dominions, is a vast and beautiful garden, surrounded by a wall inlaid
with shining emeralds, and in the center of this garden stands Ozma's
Royal Palace, the most splendid building ever constructe