“Your magic cloak seems to be a fraud.”
“It does not grant foolish wishes,” returned the princess, as she dismissed her.
When the maid had gone Zixi asked:
“Well, are you satisfied?”
“Yes,” acknowledged Fluff. “The cloak will not grant wishes unless it is complete. We must wait for the sailorman’s necktie.”
“Then my army shall march to-morrow morning,” said the queen, and she went away to give the order to her generals.
Chapter XXIII.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MONSTERS.
It was Tuesday when the army of Ix started upon its second march into Noland. With it were the witch-queen, King Bud, Princess Fluff, and Aunt Rivette. At evening they encamped on the bank of the river, and on Wednesday the army was ferried across, and marched up the side of the mountain that separated them from the valley of Noland. By night they had reached the summit of the mountain; but they did not mount upon the ridge, for fear they might be seen by the Roly-Rogues.
Zixi commanded them all to remain quietly behind the ridge, and they lighted no fires and spoke only in whispers.
And, although so many thousands of men lay close to the valley of Noland, not a sound came from them to warn the monsters that an enemy was near.