“My or-ders were to con-quer you,” replied Tik-Tok, “and my ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those or-ders.”
Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely by General Guph.
“Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work hammering gold,” commanded the King. “Being run by machinery he ought to be a steady worker. He ought never to have been made, but since he exists I shall hereafter put him to good use.”
“If you try to cap-ture me,” said Tik-Tok, “I shall fight.”
“Don’t do that!” exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, “for it will be useless to resist and you might hurt some one.”
But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what damage the gun might do the nomes were afraid to face it.
While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high officials, Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank the mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting for “something to happen” and so had come to see if Ruggedo had been conquered.