, 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