Tok I mean to transform you into a tiny lizard--one of
the chameleon sort--and you shall live in my cavern and amuse me."

"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a quiet
voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic."

"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise.

"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around my neck?"

"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such a
silly thing."

"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little chuckle of
amusement.

"I do," declared Ruggedo.

"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as helpless as
a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin,
enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever Your Majesty looked
upon it all knowledge of magic would desert you instantly, nor will any
magical formula you can remember ever perform your bidding."

"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half frightened,
nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried to transform him
into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the right words or the
right pass of the hands and after several trials he finally gave up the
attempt.

By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly shaking
in his shoes.

"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and now you
see the result of your disobedience."

Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, who dodged
it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to
swagger:

"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these invaders;
fire and the sword will do the business and I am still King of the
Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!"

"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The Great Jinjin
commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom and seek the earth's
surface, where you will wander for all time to come, without a home or
country, without a friend or follower, and without any more riches than
you can carry with you in your pockets. The Great Jinjin is so generous
that he will allow you to fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but
you must take nothing more."

Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement.

"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a hoarse
voice.

"He does," said Quox.

"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden Tube?"

"Just for that," repeated Quo