The nomes were astonished speech that for time only glare at her silently, not finding words to reply The King finally recovered the use tongue and said:

"Earth-crawler ! this insolence to my majesty shall be your death-warrant an ordinary mortal, and to stop mortal from living is so easy thing to keep you waiting half conquest "

"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, getting off Hank's back and standing beside him "And it pretty cheap King who killed visitor while she was hungry 'll something to eat, I'll talk this killing business over afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't approve of it, and never will "

Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, although he bore an intense hatred toward all mortals

"What wish to eat ? " he asked gruffly

"Oh, ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps couple of hard-boiled eggs--"

"Eggs ! " shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering till their teeth chattered

"What's the matter ? " asked Betsy wonderingly "Are eggs as high here at home ? "

"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning General, " destroy this rash mortal at once ! Seize her and take her Slimy Cave and lock her in "

Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just then Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his knee-joints so suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok floor, his gun falling grasp

Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made grab at Betsy same time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where his belt was buckled He rose air swift as cannon- ball, struck the Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the wall of rock opposite side cavern Together they fell floor in dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy:

"Come with me--quick ! -- save you "

She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought honest and good-natured, so she decided him He led her mule through several passages and into small cavern very nicely and comfortably furnished

" my own room," said he, "but quite welcome to use it Wait here minute and I'll get you something to eat "

When Kaliko returned he brought tray containing some broiled mushrooms, loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter The butter Betsy eat, but the bread was good mushrooms delicious

"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock yourself in "

"Won't you let Polychrome Rose Princess come here, too ? " she asked

"I'll see Where are they ? "

"I don't know I left them outside," said Betsy

"Well, hear three raps door, open it," said Kaliko; "but don't let anyone in unless they give the three raps "

"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern she closed and locked the door

meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves prisoners pit, had shouted and screamed until they were tired out, but no one had come assistance very dark and damp pit and climb out because the walls were higher than their heads cover was on The Queen was first angry and then annoyed and then discouraged; but the officers were only afraid poor fellows heartily wished back in Oogaboo caring orchard, and some were so unhappy began to reproach Ann for causing them all this trouble and danger

Finally the Queen sat down bottom pit and leaned her back against the wall By good luck her sharp elbow touched secret spring wall and big flat rock swung inward Ann fell over backward, but the next instant she jumped up and cried others:

"A passage ! passage ! Follow me, my brave men, and yet escape "

Then she began to crawl passage, as dark and dank pit, officers followed her in single file They crawled, crawled, kept on crawling, passage was not big enough to allow them to stand upright It turned and twisted that, sometimes like corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but seldom ran for long in straight line

" never end--never ! " moaned the officers, who were rubbing all the skin off their knees rough rocks

"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never made We don't know where lead us to, but any place is better than that loathsome pit "

So she crawled on, officers crawled on, and while they were crawling awful underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy and Files Rose Princess, who were standing outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what had become

Chapter Seventeen

Tragic Transformation

"Don't worry," said Shaggy companions, " may Queen to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok do everything slow, mechanical way "

" suppose likely to fail ? " asked the Rose Princess

" , indeed," replied Shaggy "This Nome King is really powerful fellow and has legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen commands Clockwork Man and band of faint- hearted officers "

"She let Quox conquering," said Polychrome, dancing lightly upon point of rock and fluttering her beautiful draperies "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her ambitions "

"Where dragon now ? " inquired Ozga

"Up there rocks," replied Files "Look, my dear; see him from here take little nap while we were mixing up with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into trouble wake up and conquer the Nome King in jiffy, as his master the Jinjin has ordered him "

"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but need his services; for just satisfied that Queen Ann and her army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, enter the caverns and show the King my Love Magnet That resist; therefore the conquest made with ease "

This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard Long-Eared Hearer, who was moment standing by Ruggedo's side For King and Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves up, their first act was Tik-Tok back and put heavy diamond on top of him, get up again Then they carefully put his gun in corner cavern King sent Guph to fetch the Long-Eared Hearer

The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, but he acknowledged the Nome King his master and was ready to obey his commands Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech King, who at once realized that his Kingdom was in grave danger For Ruggedo knew Love Magnet and its powers and was horrified thought that Shaggy might show him the magic talisman and turn all the hatred heart into love Ruggedo was proud hatred and abhorred love of any sort

"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and lose my wealth and my Kingdom than gaze awful Love Magnet What can the Shaggy Man from taking it out pocket ? "

Kaliko returned cavern to overhear this question, and being loyal nome and eager his King, he answered by saying:

" manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight body, get the Love Magnet out pocket "

"True ! " cried the King in delight easy solution problem "Get at once dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them passage where seize and bind Shaggy he enters "

This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance were growing more and more uneasy about their friends

"I don't worry Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, who had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps little nervous, "for be killed, even though Ruggedo might cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them utterly But we have allowed Betsy and Hank alone caverns The little girl is mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures her she wholly at his mercy "

" indeed true," replied Shaggy "I wouldn't like anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right away and put an end to all this worry "

" go ," asserted Files, "for Love Magnet, soon bring the Nome King to reason "

So decided to wait no longer Shaggy walked entrance first, and after him came the others They had no thought of danger to themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along hands thrust into his pockets, was much surprised when rope shot out darkness and twined around his body, pinning down his arms so securely that even withdraw his hands pockets Then appeared several grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots ropes and then led the prisoner along the passage cavern No attention was paid others, but Files Princess followed on after Shaggy, determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an opportunity might arise to rescue him

As for Polychrome, she saw that trouble had overtaken Shaggy she turned and ran lightly back passage and entrance Then she easily leaped from rock to rock until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep

"Wake up, Quox ! " she cried " time to act "

But Quox wake up He lay as one in trance, absolutely motionless, enormous eyes tight closed The eyelids had big silver scales on them, like all the rest body

Polychrome thought Quox was dead had she not known that dragons die easily or had she not observed his huge body swelling as he breathed She picked up piece of rock and pounded against his eyelids with it, saying:

"Wake up, Quox--wake up ! " But waken

"Dear me, how unfortunate ! " sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter "I wonder the best and surest way to waken dragon All our friends captured and destroyed while this great beast lies asleep "