" your will ? " he inquired

"Where is Betsy ? " demanded the dragon

"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko

"Go and get her ! " commanded Quox

So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps door The little girl asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the door

" come out now," said Kaliko "The King has fled in disgrace and your friends are asking "

So Betsy and Hank returned Royal Chamberlain throne cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends They told her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind Kaliko to her Quox have much until the conversation was ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked:

" suppose rule your nomes better than Ruggedo ? "

"Me ? " stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised question "Well, I couldn't be worse King, I'm sure "

"Would the nomes obey you ? " inquired the dragon

" ," said Kaliko "They like me better than ever Ruggedo "

"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said Quox

"Hooray ! " cried Betsy; "I'm glad King Kaliko, I salute Your Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom ! "

"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made haste to congratulate the new King

" release my dear brother ? " asked Shaggy

"The Ugly One ? Very willingly," replied Kaliko "I begged Ruggedo to away, but I also offered to help your brother to escape, but go "

"He's so conscientious ! " said Shaggy, highly pleased "All family have noble natures But is my dear brother well ? " he added anxiously

"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King

" he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy

"He doesn't work at all , nothing do dominions as our nomes, whose numbers are so great worries us them all busy So your brother has only to amuse himself "

"Why, it's more like visiting, than being prisoner," asserted Betsy

"Not exactly," returned Kaliko "A prisoner cannot go where or when he pleases, and his own master "

"Where is my brother now ? " inquired Shaggy

" Metal Forest "

"Where ? "

"The Metal Forest is Great Domed Cavern, the largest in all our dominions," replied Kaliko " almost like being out of doors, so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse himself, tire out his hard- working nomes All the trees are gold and silver ground is strewn with precious stones, so sort of treasury "

" go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded Shaggy earnestly

Kaliko hesitated

"I don't believe find the way," said he "Ruggedo made three secret passages Metal Forest, but he changes the location passages every week, no one can get Metal Forest without his permission However, look sharp, to discover secret ways "

"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann Officers of Oogaboo," said Files

"I'm sure 't say," replied Kaliko

" suppose Ruggedo destroyed them ? "

"Oh, no; I'm he didn't They fell big pit passage, and we put the cover on them there; but executioners went to look they had all disappeared pit and find no trace "

"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully "I don't believe Ann knew any magic, or she'd have worked it before But to disappear like that seems like magic; now, doesn't it ? "

They agreed did, but no one could explain the mystery

"However," said Shaggy, " gone, certain, so help them or be helped important thing just now is to rescue my dear brother from captivity "

"Why do they call him the Ugly One ? " asked Betsy

" know," confessed Shaggy " not remember his looks , since him; but all family are noted for their handsome faces "

Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome relieved his embarrassment by saying softly: "One ugly in looks, but lovely in disposition "

"Our first task," said Shaggy, little comforted remark, "is one secret passages Metal Forest "

"True," agreed Kaliko "So assemble the chief nomes kingdom throne room and tell them that their new King Then ask them to assist us in searching secret passages

"That's good idea," said the dragon, who seemed getting sleepy again

Kaliko went big gong and pounded just as Ruggedo used ; but no one answered the summons

" not," said he, jumping up throne, where he had seated himself " my call, and still the Royal Chamberlain, and until I appoint another in my place "

So he ran room and found Guph and told him to answer the summons King's gong Having returned royal cavern, Kaliko first pounded the gong and then sat throne, wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding hand the sceptre which Ruggedo had so often thrown at his head

When Guph entered amazed

"Better get out throne before old Ruggedo comes back," warningly

"He isn't coming back, and now the King Nomes, stead," announced Kaliko

"All of quite true," asserted the dragon, and all who stood around the throne bowed respectfully new King

Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for glad rid hard master as Ruggedo Then Kaliko, in quite kingly way, informed Guph that appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it

All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went away the news to all the nomes underground Kingdom, of whom delighted change in Kings

Chapter Twenty

Quox Quietly Quits

chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully saluted him and promised to obey his commands But, when Kaliko questioned them, none knew the way Metal Forest, although all had assisted in its making So the King instructed them to search carefully for passages and to bring him the news they had found it

Meantime Quox had managed to back rocky corridor and so regain the open air old station mountain-side, and there he lay rocks, sound asleep, until the The others party were all given as good rooms caverns nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt that indebted promotion and was anxious as hospitable as

Much wonderment caused absolute disappearance sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen Not nome had seen them, nor were they discovered during the search passages leading Metal Forest Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all were curious what had become

, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said : " now bid you good-bye, mission finished and depart other side world, where I belong "

" go Tube again ? " asked Betsy

" But lonely trip , with no one to, and invite any of you with me Therefore, I slide hole go to sleep, and when I pop out other end wake up at home "

They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him pleasant journey Also they sent their thanks great Jinjin, whose just condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests Then Quox yawned and stretched himself and ambled over Tube, into which he slid headforemost and disappeared

They really felt as had lost friend, dragon both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance ; but they knew his duty to return own country So they went back caverns to renew the search hidden passages that led forest, but for three days all efforts them proved in vain

Polychrome's custom every day mountain and watch for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces And third day, while she sat motionless upon point of rock, whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo !

The former King looked very forlorn His clothes were soiled and torn and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head Having left his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like beggerman