Chapter 17, Unwelcoming Committee Summary

Milo, Tock and the Humbug work at their tasks for hours without tiring, but without seeming to get anywhere, either. Tock suggests that Milo use his magic staff (the pencil that the Mathemagician gave him) to find out how long it will take them to finish. Milo calculates the answer as 837 years. Milo asks the man with no face whether these jobs are really important enough to devote that much time to them. The man becomes angry and insists that nothing is more important than the unimportant. Milo recognizes the man as the Terrible Trivium, demon of worthless jobs and petty tasks. Just before Milo and his friends become lifelong captives of the Trivium, a voice calls, "RUN, RUN!" and they flee.

The three friends follow the sound of the voice and escape the Trivium, but are led along...