“Oh, a thousand things _might_ happen,” returned the queen; “but we need not make ourselves unhappy imagining them. Let us hope the miller’s son will soon return and restore to us the missing patch.” Which showed that Zixi had not lived six hundred and eighty-three years without gaining some wisdom. [Illustration: “QUEEN ZIXI TIED THE SILVER VIAL TO THE DOG’S NECK.”] Chapter XXII. RUFFLES CARRIES THE SILVER VIAL. When they were back at the witch-queen’s palace in the city of Ix, the queen insisted that Bud and Fluff, with their Aunt Rivette, should remain her guests until the cloak could be restored to its former complete state. And, for fear something else might happen to the precious garment, a silver chest was placed in Princess Fluff’s room and the magic cloak safely locked therein, the key being carried upon the chain around the girl’s neck. But their plans to wait patiently were soon interfered with by the arrival at Zixi’s court of the talking dog, Ruffles, which had with much difficulty escaped from the Roly-Rogues. Ruffles brought to them so sad and harrowing a tale of the sufferings of the five high counselors and all the people of Noland at the hands of the fierce Roly-Rogues, that Princess Fluff wept bitterly for her friends, and Bud became so cross and disagreeable that even Zixi was provoked with him. “Something really must be done,” declared the queen. “I’ll brew a magical mess in my witch-kettle to-night, and see if I can find a way to destroy those detestable Roly-Rogues.” Indeed, she feared the creatures would some day find their way into Ix; so when all the rest of those in the palace were sound asleep, Zixi worked her magic spell, and from the imps she summoned she obtained advice how to act in order to get rid of the Roly-Rogues. Next morning she questioned Ruffles carefully. “What do the Roly-Rogues eat?” she asked. “Everything,” said the dog; “for they have no judgment, and consume buttons and hairpins as eagerly as they do food. But there is one thing they are really fond of, and that is soup. They oblige old Tollydob, the lord high general, who works in the palace kitchen, to make them a kettle of soup every morning; and this they all eat as if they were half starving.” “Very good!” exclaimed the witch-queen, with pleasure. “I think I see a way of ridding all Noland of these monsters. Here is a Silver Vial filled with a magic liquid. I will tie it around your neck, and you must return to the city of Nole and carry the vial to Tollydob, the lord high general. Tell him that on Thursday morning, when he makes the kettle of soup, he must put the contents of the vial into the compound. But let no one taste it afterward except the Roly-Rogues.” “And what then?” asked Ruffles, curiously. “Then I will myself take charge of the monsters; and I have reason to believe the good citizens of Noland will no longer find themselves slaves.”