x in a stern, gruff voice.

"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do it,
either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King of the Nomes,
until the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi-Hoochoo and all his
fairies--as well as his clumsy messenger, whom I have been obliged to
chain up!"

The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that made
Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so cold and
merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome King
trembled and was sick at heart.

There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the dragon was
now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared at the immense
head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the old King's eyes
as he watched his enemy's movements.

For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had something
to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he raised one claw,
touched the catch of the great jeweled locket that was suspended around
his neck, and at once it opened wide.

Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out upon
the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. But the effect
upon the nomes of this simple thing was astounding. General Guph,
Kaliko, Pang and his band of executioners were all standing close to
the door that led to the vast series of underground caverns which
constituted the dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw the
eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through the
door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar
across it.

Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped upon
the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily
toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and crafty
Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled
directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne where he had
taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the seat.

This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was real and
absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the center of the room
and then ran to a far corner.

The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction.
Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then he
drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the advancing
eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer.