The Magic of Oz

a low voice, "Here I am," and swung himself down to the lowest limb of

the tree.

The Goose looked up and saw him.

You've bungled things in a dreadful way!" exclaimed the Goose.

Why did you do it?"

Because I wanted to," answered Kiki. "You acted as if I was your

slave, and I wanted to show these forest people that I am more powerful

than you."

The Goose hissed softly, but Kiki did not hear that.

Old Ruggedo quickly recovered his wits and muttered to himself:

This boy is the goose, although it is I who wear the goose's shape. I will

be gentle with him now, and fierce with him when I have him in my

power." Then he said aloud to Kiki:

Well, hereafter I will be content to acknowledge you the master. You

bungled things, as I said, but we can still conquer Oz."

How?" asked the boy.

First give me back the shape of the Li-Mon-Eag, and then we can talk

together more conveniently," suggested the Nome.

Wait a moment, then," said Kiki, and climbed higher up the tree.

There he whispered the Magic Word and the Goose became a Li-Mon-Eag,

as he had been before.

Good!" said the Nome, well pleased, as Kiki joined him by dropping

down from the tree. "Now let us find a quiet place where we can talk

without being overheard by the beasts."

So the two started away and crossed the forest until they came to a

place where the trees were not so tall nor so close together, and among

these scattered trees was another clearing, not so large as the first one,

where the meeting of the beasts had been held. Standing on the edge of

this clearing and looking across it, they saw the trees on the farther side

full of monkeys, who were chattering together at a great rate of the sights

they had witnessed at the meeting.

The old Nome whispered to Kiki not to enter the clearing or allow the

monkeys to see them.