it recited dolefully, and losing its balance fell off the fence and landed with thud ground below

"Here ! Hurry along" scolded Count It Up, prodding Kabumpo with sharp pencil "The next is nice little problem in fractions "

"I wonder meant anything ? " mused Pompadore, as Kabumpo approached the new problem " ' 't it's not your fault, so simply turn summersault ' Anyway it wouldn't hurt Stop minute, Kabumpo ! "

Sliding down the Elegant Elephant's trunk, the Prince put his head ground and very carefully and deliberately turned somersault At his first motion Count It Up gave deafening scream, fell head and broke off his point, while the Figure Heads began to run in every direction

" again ! again ! " cried Kabumpo joyfully So Pompa turned another somersault and another, and another, and another, till not Figure Head was in sight Even the Figure Heads windows houses tumbled out and dashed madly around the corner could return, Kabumpo snatched up Pompa and tore deserted streets of Rith Metic till black iron gate other end city Butting it open head, the Elegant Elephant dashed through and never stopped running till miles away from there

"Have to rest bit and eat some leaves," puffed Kabumpo, at last slowing down "Whe-w ! "

"Wish eat leaves," sighed the Prince, as Kabumpo began lunching off the tree tops "But, never mind, we're out of Rith Metic ! Wasn't it lucky that Cottabus followed us ? I never thought of getting out of sums by somersaulting Would you ? "

"Only sensible thing it ever said, probably," answered the Elegant Elephant, mouth full of leaves "There's lot more learned by traveling than by studying, my boy Somer-saults for sums-let's always remember that ! "

Pompa answer He slid down Kabumpo's trunk and began hunting anxiously around for something to eat Not far away large nut tree and, gathering handful of nuts, he sat down and began to crack them on white marble slab near by Next instant Kabumpo heard thud and muffled cry

The Prince of Pumperdink had vanished, by magic

"Where ? " screamed the Elegant Elephant, pounding brush "Pompa ! Pompa ! He's disappeared," gasped Kabumpo, rushing over marble slab not sign Royal Prince of Pumperdink anywhere, but carved carefully white stone were these words:

Please Knock Fall In

"Fall in ! " snorted Kabumpo, his eyes rolling wildly "Great Gooch ! "

CHAPTER 6

Ruggedo's History in Six Rocks

same night that Prince Pompa and Kabumpo had disappeared from Pumperdink, little gray gnome crouched in deep chamber, tunneled under the Emerald City, laboriously carving letters on big rock Ruggedo, the old Gnome King, carving and grumbling and grumbling and carving, and pausing every to light his pipe with hot coal which he kept pocket purpose big emerald lamp cast glow over the strange cavern and made the gnome look like bad green goblin, which

"Wag ! " screamed the gnome, suddenly throwing down the chisel, "Where , you long-eared villain ? " slight stir back cave and rabbit, of same size gnome, shuffled slowly forward

"What ? " he asked, rubbing one eye paw

"Bring me cup of melted mud, idiot ! " roared the gnome, pounding rock "And serve it on my throne at once ! "

"Now, see here," the rabbit twitched his nose rapidly, "I'll get you cup of melted mud, but don't you call me an idiot I don't mind working , nor digging and listening foolishness, but nobody can call me an idiot-not even make-believe King ! "

"Oh, you make me tired ! " fumed the gnome "Then go to sleep," advised the rabbit with yawn "What's the use of trying to pretend you're King, Rug ? Ho, ho ! King over one wooden doll, six rocks and twenty-seven sofa cushions ! been King once, but now you're just plain gnome and nothing else, and go and sit quietly in your plain rocking chair I'll bring you cup of plain mud "

With chuckle, the rabbit retired, and Ruggedo, spluttering with fury, flounced into doll's broken rocker that was set exact center cave

"Here that rabbit everything I steal and he won't even allow me the little luxury of calling him an idiot or of pulling his ears How can I pretend King without an ear to pull ? " grumbled the gnome

" you grinning at ? " Bouncing out chair, Ruggedo flew at merry-faced wooden doll who sat propped up against the wall and shook her till her head turned round backwards and her arms and legs flew every Then he hurled her violently into corner Quite out of breath he sank back chair and stared angrily about

When Wag returned the gnome snatched the tin cup of melted mud and tossed it down with one gulp Then, flinging the cup doll, he went back to work

The rabbit shook his head mournfully and, picking up the wooden doll, straightened her out and placed her on cushion Then, yawning again, he lit candle and started passage back cave

"How getting on ? " he asked, pausing to look over the gnome's shoulder with grin

"Fine ! " answered Ruggedo, forgetting to scowl "I'm sixth rock and expect to finish to-night "

"Who will read it ? " asked the rabbit, putting back both ears and stroking his whiskers Then great spring, just escaped the chisel Ruggedo had flung at his head, and pattered away darkness For several minutes the gnome danced up and down with fury Then, no one to pinch or shake, he started to work harder than ever sixth rock history There were six great Stones set in row on one side cavern carving on them had taken the old gnome King the best part of two years The letters were crooked and roughly chiseled, but quite readable first rock he had carved:

History of Ruggedo in Six Rocks Ruggedo the Rough-King Gnomes Metal Monarch, at other times Limoneag, goose, nut, and now common gnome by order of Ozma of Oz

The second rock told of Ruggedo's magnificent Kingdom under the mountains of Ev, thousands of gnomes he had ruled great treasure of precious gems he had possessed, in those good old days before banished dominions

The third rock told transformation Queen of Ev and her children into ornaments palace and rescue by party from Oz, cleverness of Billina, yellow hen It told loss Magic Belt captured same time by Dorothy, little girl from Kansas

The fourth rock related how Ruggedo had tried to conquer Oz and recovered his belt; how all plans failed and how he tumbled Fountain of Oblivion and forgot all about his campaign

The fifth rock had taken Ruggedo the longest to carve, gave the story banishment Great Jinn Titihoochoo probably read this story yourself How Tik Tok, Betsy Bobbin, Shaggyman and Polychrome, trying Shaggy's brother, hidden Gnome King's metal forest, were thrown down long tube other side world, and how the owner tube sent Quox, the dragon, to punish Ruggedo by banishment Kingdom and how Kaliko King Gnomes

The sixth rock told of Ruggedo's last attempt to capture Oz Meeting Kiki Aru, Highup boy who knew magic transformation word, Ruggedo suggested change themselves to Limoneags queer beasts with lion heads, monkey tails and eagle wings get all the beasts of Oz to help and march Emerald City But this plan failed, too Kiki lost his temper and changed Ruggedo to goose, the Wizard of Oz discovered the magic word and changed both the conspirators to nuts Later on they were changed back normal shapes, but again Ruggedo was plunged Fountain of Oblivion and again forgot his wicked plans This ended the rock history, except for short sentence stating that Ruggedo now lived Emerald City

But the magic Fountain of Oblivion had soon worn off and not long before Ruggedo began to remember his past wicked-ness why he decided to carve his life story in rock, so handy should he ever fall forgetful fountain again And it had taken six rocks all adventures He carved these stories just had happened, nor ever called himself wicked, but he had told most facts, leaving out the parts most unflattering to himself And now finished-his whole history in six rocks Throwing down his chisel time, Ruggedo straightened up and regarded his work with glowing pride

"I don't believe there's another history like this in all Oz," puffed the gnome, tugging at his silver beard

"It's good thing," chuckled Wag, who had come back to eat carrot "Oz very happy place if there were many folks like you

He seated himself quietly first rock of Ruggedo's history, and began nibbling his carrot

"Get up ! How dare you sit on my history ? " Ruggedo stamped his foot and started threateningly toward Wag

"All right," said the rabbit, "it's too hard, anyway

" it's hard," stormed Ruggedo "I've had hard life; hard rocks Everybody's been against me very start, and all because I'm so little," he finished bitterly

"No, because so wicked," said the rabbit calmly "Now, don't throw your pipe at me, for it's the truth "

Ruggedo glared rabbit for minute, then rushed over wooden doll, and began shaking her furiously He always vented his rage wooden doll

"Stop that," screamed Wag, "or I'll leave spot You ashamed of yourself You old scrabble-scratch "

"She's not alive," snapped Ruggedo sulkily

"How ? " retorted the rabbit "Anyway, she's jolly creature I'm not going her banging around Here you've taken her away from her little mother, and she hasn't even anyone to rock her to sleep "

"I'll rock her to sleep," screamed Ruggedo, maliciously And flinging the doll floor he began hurling small rocks helpless little figure