Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news
and, abandoning his game, went to sit in his ivory
throne and try to think what had brought these fearful
visitors to his domain.

"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga.

"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas,"
replied Klik, with a shudder, "but she now lives in
Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and is a Princess of
Oz -- which means that she is a terrible foe to deal
with."

"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy.

"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but
she insists on the nomes being goody-goody, which is
contrary to their natures. Dorothy gets angry if I do
the least thing that is wicked, and tries to make me
stop it, and that naturally makes me downhearted. I
can't imagine why she has come here just now, for I've
been behaving very well lately. As for that Wizard of
Oz, he's chock-full of magic that I can't overcome, for
he learned it from Glinda, who is the most powerful
sorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why didn't Dorothy
and the Wizard stay in Oz, where they belong?"

Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy,
for at once the idea came to them both to plead with