The moment Betsy saw it she began to like the
Shaggy Man better than before. Hank also saw
the Magnet and crept up to Shaggy to rub his
head lovingly against the man's knee.

But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener,
who stuck his head into the greenhouse and shouted
angrily:

"You are all condemned to death! Your only
chance to escape is to leave here instantly."

This startled little Betsy, but the Shaggy Man
merely waved the Magnet toward the Gardener, who,
seeing it, rushed forward and threw himself at
Shaggy's feet, murmuring in honeyed words:

"Oh, you lovely, lovely man! How fond I am of
you! Every shag and bobtail that decorates you is
dear to me--all I have is yours! But for goodness'
sake get out of here before you die the death."

"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man.

"You must. It's the Law," exclaimed the
Gardener, beginning to weep real tears. "It breaks
my heart to tell you this bad news, but the Law
says that all strangers must be condemned by the
Ruler to die the death."