However, Chex had a pressing problem of her own at the moment. "Then Queen Irene—"

"She went with him. She wanted to meet King Nabob and Nada's handsome big brother, Naldo."

"Then Princess Ivy—"

"She's off with Grey Murphy at the Good Magician's Castle."

"There must be somebody in charge!" Chex exclaimed, exasperated.

"Oh, sure. Magician Murphy."

"Then I'd better see him." Chex wasn't quite satisfied with this as she had never completely trusted Murphy, but she couldn't wait for one of the others to return to the palace.

Magician Murphy was a graying but otherwise ordinary older man. "Yes, I can help you, Centaur," he said. "First, I will organize a search for your missing foal. Second, I will set my curse on the party responsible for the abduction, so that that effort will foul up in devious ways. That should provide additional time for the searchers to complete their mission."

This was more than Chex had expected of this man. But she reminded herself that on occasion evil magicians did become good ones. King Emeritus Trent was the most notable example. Murphy had sworn to uphold the current order, and if King Dor trusted him, she could do no less. "Thank you, Magician," she said.

Murphy spoke to a magic mirror. "Now hear this," he said. "This is King pro-tem Murphy speaking. Chex Centaur's foal has been abducted by a party unknown, and must be found and rescued ASAP. All personnel not otherwise occupied get your butts to the castle pronto for organization into search parties. That is all."

Chex listened with a certain surprise. Evidently Murphy had picked up some Mundanish terms during his exile. However, his general meaning came through.

They walked to the front of the castle. From every direction folk were coming: shoe tree farmers, milkweed maids, P and Q nut growers, and even a young ogre who was evidently tired of twisting trees into pretzels. Some were coming from the castle, too: Prince Dolph, Nada Naga, Grundy Golem, and a ghost or two. There was even a puff of steam from the direction of the Gap Chasm: Stanley Steamer was coming in. It seemed that everyone wanted to help.

"Very well," Murphy said when a suitable group had assembled. "We have no idea where Che may have been taken, but we have reason to believe that nothing bad will happen to him for a while. Our best course is to cover as much of Xanth as we can in the next few hours. Because it is not safe for folk to go alone into the jungle—" He paused, for the ogre was looking perplexed. "Ogre's excepted of course," he said, and the ogre's confusion eased. "Most parties will consist of two or more folk, at least one of whom should be able to defend them until help can come. Here are magic whistles from the castle armory; these can be heard far and wide, so each person will carry one and use it if threatened."