“Everything,” said the dog; “for they have no judgment, and consume buttons and hairpins as eagerly as they do food. But there is one thing they are really fond of, and that is soup. They oblige old Tollydob, the lord high general, who works in the palace kitchen, to make them a kettle of soup every morning; and this they all eat as if they were half starving.”
“Very good!” exclaimed the witch-queen, with pleasure. “I think I see a way of ridding all Noland of these monsters. Here is a Silver Vial filled with a magic liquid. I will tie it around your neck, and you must return to the city of Nole and carry the vial to Tollydob, the lord high general. Tell him that on Thursday morning, when he makes the kettle of soup, he must put the contents of the vial into the compound. But let no one taste it afterward except the Roly-Rogues.”
“And what then?” asked Ruffles, curiously.
“Then I will myself take charge of the monsters; and I have reason to believe the good citizens of Noland will no longer find themselves slaves.”
“All right,” said the dog. “I will do as you bid me; for I long to free my master and have revenge on the Roly-Rogues.”
So Queen Zixi tied the Silver Vial to the dog’s neck by means of a broad ribbon, and he started at once to return to Nole.
And when he had gone, the queen summoned all her generals and bade them assemble the entire army and prepare to march into Noland again. Only this time, instead of being at enmity with the people of Noland, the army of Ix was to march to their relief; and instead of bearing swords and spears, each man bore a coil of strong rope.
[Illustration: “HE STARTED AT ONCE TO RETURN TO NOLE.”]
“For,” said Zixi, “swords and spears are useless where the Roly-Rogues are concerned, as nothing can pierce their tough, rubber-like bodies. And more nations have been conquered by cunning than by force of arms.”
Bud and Fluff, not knowing what the witch-queen meant to do, were much disturbed by these preparations to march upon the Roly-Rogues. The monsters had terrified them so greatly that they dreaded to meet with them again, and Bud declared that the safest plan was to remain in Zixi’s kingdom and await the coming of the miller’s son with the necktie.