"
Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the
Hearer.
"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any
eggs coming through the Tube."
The Long-Eared one listened and then shook
his head. But Kaliko laughed at the King.
"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty,"
said he. "The only way to discover the truth is to
look through the Magic Spyglass."
"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I
think of it before? Look at once, Kaliko!"
So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a
mumbled charm he caused the other end of it to
twist around, so that it pointed down the opening
of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and
was able to gaze along all the turns and windings
of the Magic Spyglass and then deep into the Tube,
to where our friends were at that time falling.
"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon."
"A big one?" asked Ruggedo.
"A monster. He has an electric light on the end
of his tail, so I can see him very plainly. And
the other people are all riding upon his back."
"How about the eggs?" inquired the King.
Kaliko looked again.
"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I
imagine that the dragon is as dangerous as eggs.
Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to
punish you for dropping those strangers into the
Forbidden Tube. I warned you not to do it, Your
Majesty."
This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few
minutes he paced up and down, stroking his long
beard and thinking with all his might.
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