Meg, riding furiously upon Moon-Eyes, had reached the gate. The men-at-arms and courtiers and gentlemen-in-waiting, and all the other citizens of the Red City, had started in pursuit, and were gaining on them every moment. “Come with us, Mudge!” shouted Dick; and Mudge brought up the rear of the flying procession. Behind them on the wall Humpty Dumpty was shrieking, “You aren’t all going off without rescuing me, after all!” “The gate!” cried Bizzybuzz to Dick. “Meg’s spell will open it!” As they all rushed toward the big iron gate, Meg hastily unrolled the scroll of sky-blue paper, and read out at the top of her voice, and so fast that no one could understand a word, the lines of the Fairy Queen’s spell. And when she came to the words “Shot bolt, shut gate, Yield up your contents straight,” there was a queer, clicking, clattering, creaking sound. The great gate of the Red City swung slowly open! The fugitives dashed out, and closed it behind them with a crash, and stood there on the safe side, panting and gasping, as their pursuers came shouting up to the gate on the inside. It must have been a very strong gate, for nearly all the inhabitants of the Red City threw themselves against it and shook it, but it would not give a hair’s breadth. They all howled with fury, but the children were safe. Then suddenly they all turned and dashed back the way they had come. “Look out for Humpty Dumpty!” shouted Dick “They’ll try to do something to harm him if we don’t take care!” “Oh, my poor angel!” wailed the Princess. “What shall we do!” “Pile onto Moon-Eyes!” cried Dick to Bab and Mudge. The three children sprang onto the owl, and the Princess and Wiggles hurried along the ground. Bizzybuzz darted ahead, his wings humming like little electric fans. “Here is the spell!” cried Meg, giving Dick the blue paper. “You only have to read it over him, and you must strike him with something hard and sharp at the same time!” Dick seized the paper, and pulled his jack-knife out of his pocket. Then he stood up on Moon-Eyes’ back, so that he could be ready to jump the moment they were anywhere near the wall and Humpty Dumpty. When they reached the poor Egg, he was almost cracked with terror. His agonized expression had made big creases in the egg-shell, and he was squeaking, “Help! help! help!” in a high faint voice. The men were just climbing up the wall on the inside, so really there was some excuse for his fear. “Quick!” cried Bab and Meg, speaking both at once. And Dick took a flying leap from the back of the owl to the top of the city wall. “Don’t forget to break the shell!” cried Meg. He held up his knife, to show her that he was prepared. The head of one of the men-at-arms appeared over the edge of the wall. His hand was outstretched. Dick jabbed the huge egg-shell with his jack-knife, and began to read the spell so rapidly that it was a wonder that it could work at all!