I am positive, Kaliko, that mortals are this very minute on their way here to annoy me--and I hate mortals more than I do catnip tea!" "Well, what's to be done ?" demanded the nome.
"Look through your spyglass, and see where the invaders are," commanded the King.
So Kaliko went to a tube in the wall of rock and put his eye to it.

The tube ran from the cavern up to the side of the mountain and turned several curves and corners, but as it was a magic spyglass Kaliko was able to see through it just as easily as if it had been straight.
"Ho--hum," said he.

"I see 'em, Your Majesty." "What do they look like ?" inquired the Monarch.
"That's a hard question to answer, for a queerer assortment of creatures I never yet beheld," replied the nome.

"However, such a collection of curiosities may prove dangerous.

There's a copper man, worked by machinery--" "Bah! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo.