4. Conspirators

           KikiArudidn’tknowmuchaboutOzanddidn’tknowmuchaboutthebeastswholivedthere,buttheoldNome’splanseemedtohimtobequitereasonable.HehadafaintsuspicionthatRuggedomeanttogetthebestofhiminsomeway,andheresolvedtokeepaclosewatchonhisfellow-conspirator.Aslongashekepttohimselfthesecretwordofthetransformations,Ruggedowouldnotdaretoharmhim,andhepromisedhimselfthatassoonastheyhadconqueredOz,hewouldtransformtheoldNomeintoamarblestatueandkeephiminthatformforever.

           Ruggedo,onhispart,decidedthathecould,bycarefulwatchingandlistening,surprisetheboy’ssecret,andwhenhehadlearnedthemagicwordhewouldtransformKikiAruintoabundleoffaggotsandburnhimupandsoberidofhim.

           Thisisalwaysthewaywithwickedpeople.Theycannotbetrustedevenbyoneanother.RuggedothoughthewasfoolingKiki,andKikithoughthewasfoolingRuggedo;sobothwerepleased.

           "It’salongwayacrosstheDesert,"remarkedtheboy,"andthesandsarehotandsenduppoisonousvapors.Letuswaituntileveningandthenflyacrossinthenightwhenitwillbecooler."

           TheformerNomeKingagreedtothis,andthetwospenttherestofthatdayintalkingovertheirplans.Wheneveningcametheypaidtheinn-keeperandwalkedouttoalittlegroveoftreesthatstoodnearby.

           "RemainhereforafewminutesandI’llsoonbeback,"saidKiki,andwalkingswiftlyaway,helefttheNomestandinginthegrove.