"I wonder if Kaliko still thinks King ! " wheezed Ruggedo, pattering along ahead of Peter Kaliko appointed to rule in Ruggedo's place and promoted from Royal Chamberlain to King Gnomes "Ha ! Ha ! " laughed Ruggedo maliciously "He'll be as pleased as Gundersnutch when he sees me back ! "

Peter answered nothing , for too interested underground world himself much attention old gnome's remarks proceeded, perfect network of passageways opened main tunnel, the sides, walls and ceilings gleaming with sparkling jewels Thousands of gnomes with pick axes were busily at work digging out the gems and even look up as Peter and Ruggedo passed them Blazing rubies and emeralds set in tall stands lighted up the strange caverns and Peter's heart began to pound with excitement passageway broadened out into richly carpeted hallway Presently they found themselves before grilled golden door with diamond knob Without pausing, Ruggedo turned the knob, opened the door and simply rushed into his former throne room On huge round ruby, hollowed out seat, thin, nervous gnome sat reading silver sheet about as thick as our morning papers It Gnome Man's Daily, and as Peter and Ruggedo burst noisily royal chamber, he dropped the silver sheet and looked up with an exclamation of alarm

"You ! " gasped Kaliko, believe his own senses

"Who else ? " snickered Ruggedo, winking at Peter "I'll my crown, you robber Take it right off your Kalikoko Quick now ! Hand it over ! "

"Ozma will never consent ," stammered Kaliko, holding crown with both hands

"Ozma has nothing with me now, announced Ruggedo calmly " magic stronger than Ozma's and don't hop off that throne, I'll turn you to ball and bounce you off ! "

Peter listened in amazement to Ruggedo's boasts, but Kaliko seemed every word With quaking knees, he descended the steps throne and held out the crown former master

"Ha ! Ha ! " roared Ruggedo, snatching the crown and clapping it jauntily back head "You're enough an alligator laugh, Kaliko So brave ! So kingly ! But don't stand there gibbering like dunce no longer King, still Royal Chamberlain, and Peter, future general armies ! " Tripping merrily up the steps throne, Ruggedo waved toward the little boy " shortly make journey Emerald City," he announced grandly, "but right now refreshment Lunch for two," he commanded, putting his finger tips together and leaning back comfortably "And, ," he added as an afterthought, " pirate ship beach Have it unloaded treasure stored Silver grotto Then order me dozen new suits and send Royal Wizard "

At each command, Kaliko bowed meekly, and as Ruggedo picked up the ruby scepter lying arm throne, he ducked and ran out the door, for Ruggedo, as mere matter of habit, had flung the scepter after him

"A blockhead ! " sniffed Ruggedo contemp~ tuously, "but didn't I manage him well ? "

"He's not very brave," admitted Peter, sitting edge crystal rocking chair, "but how going along without any magic ? Suppose the gnomes don't want you back again ? "

" ! ! " beamed Ruggedo, fine humor at his unexpected turn of luck, almost pleasant "Let's not worry till to, General " Peter couldn't help smiling at his new title and, surveying himself long mirror, wondered how look in gnome uniform But juncture they were interrupted entrance Royal Wizard He looked frightened and anxious, and Peter manner old Gnome King was no great favorite former subjects

"Well, Potaroo ! " grinned Ruggedo, taking up the pipe Kaliko smoking, "what been inventing in my absence ? "

"Flying dishes," croaked the magician, look-ing curiously at Peter " away with extra servants, fly backward and forward food and wash and dry themselves "

" ! " puffed Ruggedo, complacently "Well, here's another little job " Drawing out the cloak, he handed it down wizened old gnome "Just mend this," ordered Ruggedo carelessly, " it back by three o'clock " Spreading the cloak across his knees, Potaroo examined it carefully all over Then backing away throne he shook his head "That your Majesty, is impossible," he muttered uneasily "This cloak mended by gnome magic "

"No magic at all ? " gasped Peter, disappointed beyond words, while Ruggedo glared angrily

"I command you to mend it ! " screamed the hot-tempered little King, looking angrily around for something to throw wizard

"That makes no difference," quavered Pota-roo, backing still farther "This cloak mended properly anywhere but Kingdom of Patch "

"And where is Patch ? " demanded Ruggedo, emitting perfect cloud of pipe smoke

" Winkie Country of Oz, just below the Kingdom of Ann of Oogaboo," exclaimed Potaroo, looking longingly over his shoulder door

" ," snapped Ruggedo disagreeably, go, but your magic fails to work you'll be turned to door mat door mat, understand ? Hah ! Hah ! door mat to stand under my feet See ! " Ruggedo laughed wickedly, poor wizard, mumbling his sorrow, rushed throne room

"Rubyation ! " blustered Ruggedo, door closed on Potaroo "Now we'll have to Patch "

"Well, isn't that way Emerald City ? " inquired Peter, amused by all that had happened

"Yes," acknowledged Ruggedo, "I suppose , but here comes lunch ! Ah ! I'm hungry enough to eat billy goat stuffed with soldier buttons ! "

Preceded by two gnomes carrying huge golden tray, Kaliko came stepping timidly room Ruggedo had the usual gnome fare of ground rocks, pebble pie and muddy coffee; but for Peter, Kaliko had brought small steak, fried potatoes and ice cream hard sea biscuit, this tasted perfectly delicious, and Peter, not knowing what strange adventures lay ahead, ate every scrap Ruggedo, too, enjoyed his luncheon and amused himself by throwing the dishes at Kaliko as he finished Peter wondered why the flying dishes in use, but feeling sorry old wizard decided not to ask

" now pack us up lunch," announced Ruggedo, as he swallowed the last coffee "We're starting Emerald City almost at once "

"How going to cross the desert ? " inquired Kaliko Angry as old Gnome King, help feeling curious about his plans

"Magic ! Old Cauliflower ! Magic ! How suppose I got off the island ? " wheezed Ruggedo haughtily "Don't stand there stuttering Fetch me new suit and hurry along lunch "

Shrugging his thin shoulders, and turning up his eyes, Kaliko did as told, and in an hour Peter Gnome King were wending their way over the rocky hills of Ev Ruggedo had the magic cloak tucked carefully under his arm and Peter carried small basket of provisions

"How are we going to cross this desert ? " asked Peter, looking with interest down toward the beach where the gnomes were busily at work unloading the treasure Blunderoo

"I don't know," confessed Ruggedo quite frankly, "but if Kaliko had discovered I magic enough to cross the desert, roused the gnomes and kicked us kingdom "

" no other way to Oz ? " sighed Peter growing little anxious about ever reaching Philadelphia baseball game

"Nope ! " puffed the Gnome King, trudging along sturdily "The Deadly Desert surrounds the whole country It's supposed people out of Oz," he finished with malicious wink "But crossed before and crossed again, though I'm sure I don't know how "

The entrance Gnome King's caverns was quite near the edge Deadly Desert, so not long reached this dangerous expanse of burning sand and sat down on boulder and devise some means of crossing over

"Can't of anything ? " snapped Ruggedo, as Peter sat kicking his heels against the boulder " silly old cloak weren't torn, I'd skim across in no time skudge on those pesky pirates anyway ! Sa-ay ? " Opening his eyes very wide, Ruggedo thrust his face close to Peter's "What else was casket ? "

"Only couple of onions and an emerald," answered Peter listlessly

"Let's see 'em ! " Bounding off the boulder, the Gnome King held out his hand Peter produced the strangely marked stone first

"Command it to carry us across the desert," advised the Gnome King, after trying unsuccessfully to decipher the markings sorcerer's stone So Peter closed his eyes and commanded the emerald to carry them across the desert They waited for several minutes, then, when nothing happened, Peter opened the ivory box and showed Ruggedo the two magic bulbs

" of extreme danger, plant these " Ruggedo read these directions with puzzled frown, then snapping his fingers began to skip with excitement "Why don't you plant 'em ? " he squealed impatiently "Plant 'em, General ! Plant 'em ! "

"But we're not in extreme danger," objected Peter reasonably enough

"We're not ! " yelled Ruggedo, tugging at his beard "Why, boy, you don't know what extreme danger is to cross that desert, don't we ? Well, just put one foot sand and you'll go up like puff of smoke Don't you call that extreme danger ? " Peter argued while longer, then, as Ruggedo insisted and there really seemed nothing else , he scooped out two holes ground at his feet, dropped magic roots and covered them with mud and sand Stepping back few paces, they waited eagerly for what would happen First came sharp explosion Then two great green plants burst surface earth They were about three times the size of Peter and, as he watched, the outer leaves opened downward, disclosing round plush seats within Peter looked questioningly over at Ruggedo, but the gnome, being more experienced than Peter in magic, had jumped into one plant and seated himself plush cushion little doubtfully, Peter jumped other

"Just like an elevator," thought Peter, bulb grew rapidly upward, shooting higher and higher on its long, pliant stem "But I don't see what good growing up will do," he muttered, peering giddily out green leaves Whether or not, the stem bulb continued to grow Clouds flew by with dazzling swiftness Peter was all prepared to bump his head ceiling sky long stem began to arch downward Suppose it broke and dropped him burning sands deadly desert ! With violent shudder, Peter closed his eyes, and as , the stem with final spurt turned the strange elevator Peter was riding completely upside down, and out fell the little boy, heels over eyebrows