Chapter Thirteen
The Prince held up his long sword. "And if you can help us, I shall thank you from the bottom of my heart." Pompa stretched out his hand impulsively.
"Well, that's more like," said Wag, pulling his ear thoughtfully. "And four heads are better than two!"
"Of course we'll help you!" cried Peg Amy. "The trouble is, we don't know ourselves how to open the magic box, but we do know that Ruggedo is in Ev and when we get there we will make him open the box and undo all this mischief."
"You mentioned him before," said Kabumpo, holding up his trunk. "Who is Ruggedo and what has he to do with Ozma?"
"Ruggedo is a wicked little gnome," explained Peg Amy gravely. "He used to be King of the Gnomes but he was banished from his Kingdom and Ozma gave him a little cottage in the Emerald City. He pretended to live there, but instead he tunneled a cave right underneath the palace. Wag helped him dig." Peg waved her hand at the rabbit. "And he was the only one who would stay with him. Then Ruggedo stole me. I was only a small, unalive doll, belonging to Trot, a little girl who lives with Ozma. Ruggedo stole me just to shake," continued Peg shuddering.
"That's why I'm going to pound his curly toes
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