Tik_Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Author:L. Frank Baum [Baum, L. Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781435156227
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Published: 2015-06-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening

During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and

King of the Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in

his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard work for

Ruggedo to find amusement to day, for all the

nomes were behaving well and there was no one to

scold or to punish. The King had thrown his

sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him

once. Not that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On

the contrary, he had obeyed the King in every way

but one: he would not stand still, when commanded

to do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him.

We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even

the cruel Ruggedo forgave him; for he knew very

well that if he mashed his Royal Chamberlain he

could never find another so intelligent and

obedient. Kaliko could make the nomes work when

their King could not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo

and there were so many thousands of the quaint

little underground people that they could easily

have rebelled and defied the King had they dared

to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them

worse than usual, they grew sullen and threw down

their hammers and picks. Then, however hard the

King scolded or whipped them, they would not work

until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko

was one of themselves and was as much abused by

the King as any nome in the vast series of

caverns.

But today all the little people were working

industriously at their tasks and Ruggedo, having

nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for the

Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen

carefully and report what was going on in the big

world.

“It seems,” said the Hearer, after listening for

awhile, “that the women in America have clubs.”

“Are there spikes in them?” asked Ruggedo,

yawning.

“I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty,” was

the reply.

“Then their clubs are not as, good as my

sceptre. What else do you hear?’

“There’s a war.

“Bah! there’s always a war. What else?”

For a time the Hearer was silent, bending

forward and spreading out his big ears to catch

the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said:

“Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty.

These people are arguing as to who shall conquer

the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive

him from his dominions.”

“What people?” demanded Ruggedo, sitting

up straight in his throne.

“The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube.”

“Where are they now?”

“In the same Tube, and coming back this way,”

said the Hearer.

Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to

pace up and down the cavern.

“I wonder what can be done to stop them,”

he mused.

“Well,” said the Hearer, “if you could turn

the Tube upside down, they would be falling

the other way, Your Majesty.”

Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was

impossible to turn the Tube upside down and

he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun

at him. Presently he asked:

“How far away are those people now?”

“About nine thousand three hundred and six

miles, seventeen furlongs, eight feet and four

inches—as nearly as I can judge from the sound

of their voices,” replied the Hearer.

“Aha! Then it will be some time before they

arrive,” said Ruggedo, “and when they get here

I shall be ready to receive them.

He rushed to his gong

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