ned not to leave the caverns
until he had liberated his father and mother, although he did not then
know how that could be accomplished. As for Rinkitink, the jolly King
was well fed and had a good bed to sleep upon, so he was not worrying
about anything and seemed in no hurry to go away.

Kaliko and Rinkitink were engaged in pitching a game with solid gold
quoits, on the floor of the royal chamber, and Inga and Bilbil were
watching them, when Klik came running in, his hair standing on end with
excitement, and cried out that the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy were
approaching.

Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news and, abandoning his
game, went to sit in his ivory throne and try to think what had brought
these fearful visitors to his domain.

"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga.

"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas," replied Klik, with a
shudder, "but she now lives in Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and is
a Princess of Oz--which means that she is a terrible foe to deal with."

"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy.

"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but she insists on
the nomes being goody-goody, which is contrary to their natures.
Dorothy gets angry if I do the least thing that is wicked, and tries to
make me stop it, and that naturally makes me downhearted. I can't
imagine why she has come here just now, for I've been behaving very
well lately. As for that Wizard of Oz, he's chock-full of magic that I
can't overcome, for he learned it from Glinda, who is the most powerful
sorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why didn't Dorothy and the Wizard
stay in Oz, where they belong?"

Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy, for at once the idea
came to them both to plead with Dorothy to help them. Even Bilbil
pricked up his ears when he heard the Wizard of Oz mentioned, and the
goat seemed much less surly, and more thoughtful than usual.

A few minutes later a nome came to say that Dorothy and the Wizard had
arrived and demanded admittance, so Klik was sent to usher them into
the royal presence of the Nome King.

As soon as she came in the little girl ran up to the boy Prince and
seized both his hands.

"Oh, Inga!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad to find you alive and well."

Inga was astonished at so warm a greeting. Making a low bow he said:

"I don't think we have met before, Princess."

"No, indeed," replied Dorothy, "but I know all about you and I've come
to help y