The Princess, who had been silent all this time, came very unexpectedly to the rescue. “Revered parent,” she said,—for that was what the Wicked King liked her to call him,—“I beg you to first take me back to my tower, from which these creatures have dragged me against my will!” The Wicked King looked at her sharply. He was not at all sure that she had been dragged away! However, she looked as innocent as possible, and he called two men-at-arms to him. “Escort the Princess back to her tower!” he commanded. “Now, Creatures, tell your story!” But just then, when everything seemed most hopeless, a big bird was seen flying toward them, quite high up in the air; and the next moment Bizzybuzz’s head appeared over the wall, and he whispered excitedly: “Meg is coming with the spell! Hold out a minute longer!” All this time Humpty Dumpty had not said a word. In fact, he could not see even what was going on, because his back was turned to the others. But at the word “spell” he suddenly lifted up his voice, and shouted wildly: “The spell! The spell! Now I shall be free! Oh, Princess Star, Princess Star! Do you hear? I shall be free!” “I hear, I hear, dear Humpty!” cried Princess Star. “And I shall be free too; for I am sure that a really good spell can rescue us both!” “Undutiful daughter!” shouted the Wicked King, waving his sword. “How dare you talk like that with an—an egg?” He spoke with contempt as well as rage. “He—is—not—an—egg!” sobbed the Princess, hiding her face in her satin sleeve and spoiling the embroidery with her tears. “He’s my—own—poor—angel—Humpty Dumpty! And I’ll talk to—him—just exactly—as much—as—much—as—I ch-choose!” The big bird had been drawing nearer and nearer all this time, and now swooped down to the top of the wall. It alighted close to Humpty Dumpty. Dick and Bab could see that it was Moon-Eyes, the Owl, and that he bore upon his back their sister Meg! As they watched, she waved a bright blue paper, and cried: “Dick! Bab! I’m here! Are you both quite safe?” With his sword upraised, the Wicked King rushed forward upon the two children. Wiggles barked and snapped at his legs, all the men-at-arms shouted, and the Princess screamed loudly. “Now!” cried one of the men. “Watch their heads drop off!” But at that moment Bab threw the scrap of wood that she had straight in the Wicked King’s face! And he stopped stock-still, his hand still up in the air. The sword dropped to the earth. Everyone cried out, “What has happened?” The Wicked King’s face got queerer and queerer, stiffer and stiffer; his eyes stared, his wicked smile was frozen on his lips.... The Wicked King was turned to wood! “Run, run!” cried Dick, seeing that now they had but one chance. “Follow Meg with the spell!” he shouted, and he and Bab and the Princess ran like the wind along the city wall. Just then Mudge came flying down the city street. “Oh, please,” he called at the top of his lungs, “don’t forget that you are going to save me too!”