ing,
where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest refreshments the place
afforded.

Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and while
no one paid any attention to the old King they did not offer any
objection to his presence or command him to leave them. He looked
fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the entrance, but they
had now disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the others and
humbly squatted down in a corner of the room.

There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's companions were
now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the
laughter and merriment seemed so general, that Betsy's heart softened
toward the friendless old man who had once been their bitter enemy, and
she carried to him some of the food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes filled
with tears at this unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in his
own and pressed it gratefully.

"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's the
use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't
do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so badly to
everybody."

"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former master.

"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm
harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top of the
ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place but
underground."

"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here as long
as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly again, I shall
drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and you'll have to
wander."

"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work being a
King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I am a common
nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life."

They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo had really
reformed.

"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if he
gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko
will have to 'tend to the old nome himself."

Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or two. The
lovely Daughter of the Rainbow knew that she had now done all in her
power to assist her earth friends, and so she began to long for her sky
home.

"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is beginning to
rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read my