fly and fly away where he could not find me."

"Can you really do such wonderful transformations?" asked the old
Nome, looking at him curiously.

"Of course," declared Kiki. I can transform you into a stick of
wood, in a flash, or into a stone, and leave you here by the roadside."

"The wicked Nome shivered a little when he heard that, but it made
him long more than ever to possess the great secret. After a while
he said:

"I'll tell you what I'll do. If you will help me to conquer Oz and
to transform the Oz people, who are my enemies, into sticks or stones,
by telling me your secret, I'll agree to make YOU the Ruler of all Oz,
and I will be your Prime Minister and see that your orders are obeyed."

"I'll help do that," said Kiki, "but I won't tell you my secret."

The Nome was so furious at this refusal that he jumped up and down
with rage and spluttered and choked for a long time before he could
control his passion. But the boy was not at all frightened. He
laughed at the wicked old Nome, which made him more furious than ever.

"Let's give up the idea," he proposed, when Ruggedo had quieted
somewhat. "I don't know the Oz people you mention and so they are not
my enemies. If they've kicked you out of your kingdom, that's your
affair--not mine."

"Wouldn't you like to be king of that splendid fairyland?"