"
The Citizen drew himself up proudly.
"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it
can be out of the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he
asked.
"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired
Tik-Tok.
"I am."
"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?"
"It is."
Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble.
Shaggy was so disturbed that he took out a
handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his
brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the
first time, while Files put his arms around the
Rose Princess as if to protect her. As for the
officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them
moaning and weeping at a great rate and every one
fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for
mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions
so disturbed, but did not know what it was all
about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved at the discovery.
"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo,
and think Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that
some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of the
Nomes."
"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy.
The Private Citizen--otherwise known as Tititi-
Hoochoo, the Great Jinjin--looked at the little
girl steadily.
"I will presently decide what is to happen to
Ruggedo," said he in a hard, stern voice. Then,
turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he
continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his
machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it
allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore
these people are not our enemies and must be
treated with consideration and justice.
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