the
bolts which held the plates of his body together and they clattered to
the floor in a score of pieces. Hundreds and hundreds of wheels, pins,
cogs and springs filled the air like a cloud and then rattled like hail
upon the floor.

Where Tiktok had stood was now only a scrap-heap and the Nome King was
so amazed by the terrible effect of his blow that he stared in wonder.

His Majesty's anger quickly cooled. He remembered that the Clockwork Man
was a favorite subject of the powerful Princess, Ozma of Oz, who would
be sure to resent Tiktok's ruin.

"Too bad! too bad!" he muttered, regretfully. "I'm really sorry I made
junk of the fellow. I didn't know he'd break."

"You'd better be," remarked Kaliko, who now ventured to enter the room.
"You'll have a war on your hands when Ozma hears of this, and the
chances are you will lose your throne and your kingdom."

The Nome King turned pale, for he loved to rule the Nomes and did not
know of any other way to earn a living in case Ozma fought and conquered
him.

"Do--do you think Ozma will be angry?" he asked anxiously.

"I'm sure of it," said Kaliko. "And she has the right to be. You've made
scrap-iron of her favorite."

The King groaned.

"Sweep him up and throw the rubbish into the black pit," he commanded;
and then he shut himself up in his private den and for days would see no
one, because he was so ashamed of his unreasoning anger and so feared
the results of his rash act.

Kaliko swept up the pieces, but he did not throw them into the black
pit. Being a clever and skillful mechanic he determined to fit the
pieces together again.

No man ever faced a greater puzzle; but it was interesting work and
Kaliko succeeded. When he found a spring or wheel worn or imperfect, he
made a new one.

[Illustration]

Within two weeks, by working steadily night and day, the Chief Steward
completed his task and put the three sets of clockworks and the last
rivet into Tiktok's body. He then wound up the motion machinery, and the
Clockwork Man walked up and down the room as naturally as ever. Then
Kaliko wound up the thought works and the speech regulator and said to
Tiktok:

"How do you feel now?"

"Fine," said the Clockwork Man. "You have done a ve-ry good job,
Kal-i-ko, and saved me from de-struc-tion. Much o-bliged."

"Don't mention it," replied the Chief Steward. "I quite enjoyed the
work."

Just then the Nome King's gong sounded, and Kaliko rushed away through
t