3. Two Bad Ones

           Kikiturnedaroundandsawaqueeroldmanstandingnear.Hedidn’tstandstraight,forhewascrooked.Hehadafatbodyandthinlegsandarms.Hehadabig,roundfacewithbushy,whitewhiskersthatcametoapointbelowhiswaist,andwhitehairthatcametoapointontopofhishead.Heworedull-grayclothesthatweretightfitting,andhispocketswereallbunchedoutasifstuffedfullofsomething.

           "Ididn’tknowyouwerehere,"saidKiki.

           "Ididn’tcomeuntilafteryoudid,"saidthequeeroldman.

           "Whoareyou?"askedKiki.

           "Myname’sRuggedo.IusedtobetheNomeKing;butIgotkickedoutofmycountry,andnowI’mawanderer."

           "Whatmadethemkickyouout?"inquiredtheHyupboy.

           "Well,it’sthefashiontokickkingsnowadays.IwasaprettygoodKing—tomyself—butthosedreadfulOzpeoplewouldn’tletmealone.SoIhadtoabdicate."

           "Whatdoesthatmean?"

           "Itmeanstobekickedout.Butlet’stalkaboutsomethingpleasant.Whoareyouandwheredidyoucomefrom?"

           "I’mcalledKikiAru.IusedtoliveonMountMunchintheLandofOz,butnowI’mawandererlikeyourself."

           TheNomeKinggavehimashrewdlook.

           "Iheardthatbirdsaythatyoutransformedyourselfintoamagpieandbackagain.Isthattrue?"

           Kikihesitated,butsawnoreasontodenyit.Hefeltthatitwouldmakehimappearmoreimportant.

           "Well—yes,"hesaid.

           "Thenyou’reawizard?"

           "No;Ionlyunderstandtransformations,"headmitted.

           "Well,that’sprettygoodmagic,anyhow,"declaredoldRuggedo."Iusedtohavesomeveryfinemagic,myself,butmyenemiestookitallawayfromme.