"Star! Picture! Queen!" choked Pajuka, gazing from one to the other in bewilderment. "What does this mean? Woman, woman what have you done to the King?" He turned accusingly to Mombi, but Mombi, brushing him roughly aside, had run up to Humpy and was examining him carefully from all sides. Catching sight of a white tape protruding from the collar of his robe, the old witch jerked him sideways and after one triumphant look at the number on the tape, began to jump up and down like a child on a pogo stick. "The King!" shrilled Mombi, throwing up her stick. "It is the King of Oz himself! And I am the only one who can restore him to himself and to the throne." She looked sharply at Dorothy, whom she had already recognized, as if daring her to contradict this statement. "But I don't see how a dummy could be a king," objected Dorothy, still trying to puzzle out the mystery. "That's because you are only a little girl," explained Pajuka gently. "I suppose you don't see how a goose could be a prime minister either, or how that wicked old woman would dare to turn her King to a stuffed man and his trusted councillor to a goose, or throw an innocent little boy down a well," hissed Pajuka, with an angry glare at Mombi. "A meddlesome little vagabond," mumbled Mombi, holding her ground stubbornly. She was not going to be frightened out of her reward by anyone now, and stared defiantly at the little company. "But how did you get out of the well and who are all these people?" puffed Pajuka, looking curiously from Tora to Kabumpo and then letting his eyes rest fondly on the King. Mombi scarcely listened as Snip told of his fall into Blankenburg, his escape with the tailor and their meeting with Dorothy, Kabumpo and the dummy. She was hurriedly turning over a plan to get Humpy away from his friends. While Pajuka, in his turn, told how he had tried to fly down the well, how he had been caught and tied up by the old witch and forced to accompany her until now, Mombi dropped the rope that was tied to his neck and made a sly move toward the King. "Your Majesty," whispered Mombi craftily, "may I have a few words with you?" "Certainly. Certainly!" puffed the dummy King, stepping along pompously at her side. Tora, Snip and Dorothy were so interested in Pajuka's story that they did not notice Mombi's move, but Kabumpo, who had been keeping an astonished eye and ear upon the whole proceeding, stepped noiselessly after the two. Here, reasoned Kabumpo anxiously, was an opportunity to make up for his rude speeches and restore himself to favor with this impossible person who was turning out to be the King. No sooner had Mombi put a few trees between herself and the others than she grasped Humpy by his hand and began running like the wind.