"
Rango the Gray Ape turned at once and glided swiftly through the
forest on his mission. The Bear gave a grunt and walked away. Gugu
the King rose and stretched himself. Then he said to Ruggedo: "Meet us
at sunrise to-morrow," and with stately stride vanished among the trees.
The man-unicorn, left alone with the strangers, suddenly stopped his
foolish prancing.
"You'd better make me a Unicorn again," he said. "I like being a
man, but the forest beasts won't know I'm their friend, Loo, and they
might tear me in pieces before morning."
So Kiki changed him back to his former shape, and the Unicorn
departed to join his people.
Ruggedo the Nome was much pleased with his success.
"To-morrow," he said to Kiki Aru, "we'll win over these beasts and
set them to fight and conquer the Oz people. Then I will have my
revenge on Ozma and Dorothy and all the rest of my enemies."
"But I am doing all the work," said Kiki.
"Never mind; you're going to be King of Oz," promised Ruggedo.
"Will the big Leopard let me be King?" asked the boy anxiously.
The Nome came close to him and whispered:
"If Gugu the Leopard opposes us, you will transform him into a tree,
and then he will be helpless.
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