“That suits me,” said Tik-Tok. “But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther side of the world where he is a-way out of your reach.”
The Citizen drew himself up proudly.
“Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of the reach of the Great Jinjin?” he asked.
“Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?” inquired Tik-Tok.
“I am.”
“Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?”
“It is.”
Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so disturbed that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the first time, while Files put his arms around the Rose Princess as if to protect her. As for the officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them moaning and weeping at a great rate and every one fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions so disturbed, but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved at the discovery.
“Then,” said he, “if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of the Nomes.”