her 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 my 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 'em 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 tip of the Tube invisible, so
they'll all 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