“Beneath you,” said the Scarecrow, clutching at a wisp of straw that stuck out of his head. “Say! Some one wind up Tik Tok. There’s a lot of thinking to be done here and his head works very well, even if it has wheels inside.” Sir Hokus, though still a bit dizzy, hastened to wind up all the Copper Man’s keys. “Thanks,” said Tik Tok immediately. “Give me a lift up, Ho-kus.” The Knight obligingly helped the Copper Man to his feet. Then both stared in amazement at the topsy turvy room. Even in the dim candle light they could see that something very serious had occurred. Jack Pumpkinhead picked himself up out of a corner, looking very much dazed. [Illustration: Jack Pumpkinhead] Just then Dorothy opened her eyes, and Betsy and Trot, spluttering from the water the Patch Work Girl was pouring on their heads, sat up and wanted to know what had happened. In a few words Ozma told them what the magic picture had revealed. “Ruggedo to a giant’s grown And set us on his head. We’ve made some headway, you’ll admit, Since we have gone to bed!” —shouted Scraps, who was growing more and more excited. “Rug-ge-do will nev-er re-form,” ticked the Copper Man sadly. “But what are we going to do?” wailed Dorothy. “Suppose he leans over and spills us all out?” “I shall take my sword,” said Sir Hokus, speaking very determinedly, and backing toward the window as he spoke, “climb down, and slay the villain.” He threw one leg over the sill. “Come back!” cried Ozma. “Dear Sir Hokus, don’t you realize that if you kill Ruggedo he will fall down and break us to pieces? Besides, wicked as he is, I could not have him killed.” “Yes, we should be all broken up if you did that,” sighed the Scarecrow. “We must try something else.” Reluctantly, the Knight dropped back into the room. “Close the windows,” ordered Ozma with a little shudder. “I’ve thought of a plan,” said Tik Tok, in his slow, painstaking way. “A ve-ry good plan.” “Tell us what it is,” begged Dorothy. “And Oh, Tik Tok, hurry!” “Eggs,” said the Copper Man solemnly. “Oh!” gasped Dorothy, “I remember. Eggs are the only things in Oz that Ruggedo is afraid of; for if an egg touches a gnome he shrivels up and disappears.” “Then where are the eggs?” demanded Sir Hokus gloomily. “In faith, this sounds more like an omelet than a battle. But if we’re to fight with eggs instead of swords, let us draw them at once.” “You mean throw them,” corrected Dorothy. But Tik Tok shook his head violently. “Not throw them,” said the Copper Man slowly, “threat-en to throw them.” “But how can we threaten a giant so far below us?” asked Ozma. “Print a sign,” directed Tik Tok calmly, “and low-er it down to him.” “Tik Tok,” cried the Scarecrow, rushing forward and embracing him impulsively, “your patent-action-double-guaranteed brains are marvels. I couldn’t have thought up a better plan myself.” [Illustration: (unlabelled)]