scolded or whipped them, they would not work
until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko was one of themselves
and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series of
caverns.

But to-day all the little people were working industriously at their
tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for
the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen carefully and report what
was going on in the big world.

"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that the
women in America have clubs."

"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning.

"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply.

"Then their clubs are not as good as my sceptre. What else do you hear?'

"There's a war.

"Bah! there's always a war. What else?"

For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and spreading out his
big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said:

"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are arguing
as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive
him from his dominions."

"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his throne.

"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube."

"Where are they now?"

"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer.

Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down the cavern.

"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused.

"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside down, they
would be falling the other way, Your Majesty."

Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the Tube
upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun at him.
Presently he asked:

"How far away are those people now?"

"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen furlongs,
eight feet and four inches--as nearly as I can judge from the sound of
their voices," replied the Hearer.

"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said Ruggedo, "and
when they get here I shall be ready to receive them."

He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko came
bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was
just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling lake of the
Underground Kingdom.

"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming back
again!" he exclaimed.

"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on the
other shoe. "