he cows
that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable as
that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that--"

And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light of
day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped
them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for
he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far away
from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a
mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns of
the Nome King.

Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck the
ground, but most of the dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. All
were glad to be on solid earth again and they at once dismounted and
began to look about them. Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the
dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monster's back disappeared,
and this probably happened because there was no further use for them
and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his silver scales.
Of course he still wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as
well as the great locket, but these only made him look "dressed up," as
Betsy remarked.

Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of the
Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as
they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and
they were led by Guph, their most famous General. But they did not
expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so
suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the nomes had rubbed the
astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they discovered
the dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far above their heads,
while the other strangers were standing in a group and calmly looking
down upon them.

General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's fault but
his own.

"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at them.

"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, who was
winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could fight more
briskly.

Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he turned
and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed with sharp
spears and with one accord they raised these spears and threw them
straight at their foes, so that they rushed through the air in a
perfect