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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/956-h.zip b/956-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..813218d --- /dev/null +++ b/956-h.zip diff --git a/956-h/956-h.htm b/956-h/956-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a6e03e --- /dev/null +++ b/956-h/956-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9898 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum + +<table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto" cellpadding="4" border="3"> +<tr> +<td> +THIS EBOOK WAS ONE OF PROJECT GUTENBERG'S EARLY FILES, THERE IS +AN IMPROVED ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THIS TITLE WHICH MAY VIEWED AT EBOOK <big><b><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/52176/52176-h/52176-h.htm"> +[ #52176 ]</a></b></big> +</td> +</tr> +</table> + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tik-Tok of Oz + +Author: L. Frank Baum + +Release Date: June, 1997 +Posting Date: March 23, 2009 [EBook #956] +Most recently updated: May 29, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TIK-TOK OF OZ *** + + + + +Produced by Anthony Matonac and Paul Selkirk. + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TIK-TOK OF OZ +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +by +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +L. FRANK BAUM +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> + To Louis F. Gottschalk,<BR> + whose sweet and dainty melodies<BR> + breathe the true spirit of fairyland,<BR> + this book is affectionately dedicated<BR> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +To My Readers +</H3> + +<P> +The very marked success of my last year's fairy book, "The Patchwork +Girl of Oz," convinces me that my readers like the Oz stories "best of +all," as one little girl wrote me. So here, my dears, is a new Oz story +in which is introduced Ann Soforth, the Queen of Oogaboo, whom Tik-Tok +assisted in conquering our old acquaintance, the Nome King. It also +tells of Betsy Bobbin and how, after many adventures, she finally +reached the marvelous Land of Oz. +</P> + +<P> +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," but it is not like this +story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," although some of the adventures recorded in +this book, as well as those in several other Oz books, are included in +the play. Those who have seen the play and those who have read the +other Oz books will find in this story a lot of strange characters and +adventures that they have never heard of before. +</P> + +<P> +In the letters I receive from children there has been an urgent appeal +for me to write a story that will take Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land +of Oz, where they will meet Dorothy and Ozma. Also they think +Button-Bright ought to get acquainted with Ojo the Lucky. As you know, +I am obliged to talk these matters over with Dorothy by means of the +"wireless," for that is the only way I can communicate with the Land of +Oz. When I asked her about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you +heard?" I said "No." "Well," came the message over the wireless, "I'll +tell you all about it, by and by, and then you can make a book of that +story for the children to read." +</P> + +<P> +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted to write another Oz +book, you will probably discover how all these characters came together +in the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell all my little +friends—whose numbers are increasing by many thousands every +year—that I am very grateful for the favor they have shown my books +and for the delightful little letters I am constantly receiving. I am +almost sure that I have as many friends among the children of America +as any story writer alive; and this, of course, makes me very proud and +happy. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +L. Frank Baum. +<BR><BR> +"OZCOT"<BR> + at HOLLYWOOD<BR> + in CALIFORNIA,<BR> + 1914.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +LIST OF CHAPTERS +</H2> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="80%"> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">1 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">Ann's Army</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">2 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">Out of Oogaboo</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">3 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">Magic Mystifies the Marchers</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">4 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">Betsy Braves the Bellows</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">5 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">The Roses Repulse the Refugees</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">6 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">Shaggy Seeks His Stray Brother</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">7 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">Polychrome's Pitiful Plight</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">8 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">9 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">10 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">11 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">The Famous Fellowship of Fairies</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">12 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">The Lovely Lady of Light</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">13 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap13">The Jinjin's Just Judgment</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">14 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap14">The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">15 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap15">The Dragon Defies Danger</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">16 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap16">The Naughty Nome</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">17 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap17">A Tragic Transformation</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">18 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap18">A Clever Conquest</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">19 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap19">King Kaliko</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">20 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap20">Quox Quietly Quits</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">21 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap21">A Bashful Brother</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">22 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap22">Kindly Kisses</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">23 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap23">Ruggedo Reforms</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">24 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap24">Dorothy is Delighted</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">25 - </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap25">The Land of Love</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TIK-TOK of OZ +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter One +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Ann's Army +</H3> + +<P> +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It is beneath my +dignity." +</P> + +<P> +"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye; "else we +shall soon be wading in dust. And you are the eldest, and the head of +the family." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. "But," she added with a +sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the Land of +Oz." +</P> + +<P> +This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, in a far corner of the +beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is named Oogaboo, +and in this valley lived a few people who were usually happy and +contented and never cared to wander over the mountain pass into the +more settled parts of the land. They knew that all of Oz, including +their own territory, was ruled by a beautiful Princess named Ozma, who +lived in the splendid Emerald City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo +never visited Ozma. They had a royal family of their own—not +especially to rule over them, but just as a matter of pride. Ozma +permitted the various parts of her country to have their Kings and +Queens and Emperors and the like, but all were ruled over by the lovely +girl Queen of the Emerald City. +</P> + +<P> +The King of Oogaboo used to be a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth, who for +many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and telling his +people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions. But the King's wife +had a sharp tongue and small respect for the King, her husband; +therefore one night King Jol crept over the pass into the Land of Oz +and disappeared from Oogaboo for good and all. The Queen waited a few +years for him to return and then started in search of him, leaving her +eldest daughter, Ann Soforth, to act as Queen. +</P> + +<P> +Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that meant a +party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite forgotten how many +years the birthdays marked. In a land where people live always, this is +not considered a cause for regret, so we may justly say that Queen Ann +of Oogaboo was old enough to make jelly—and let it go at that. +</P> + +<P> +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than she +could help. She was an ambitious woman and constantly resented the fact +that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so stupid and +unenterprising. Often she wondered what had become of her father and +mother, out beyond the pass, in the wonderful Land of Oz, and the fact +that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann to suspect that they had +found a better place to live. So, when Salye refused to sweep the floor +of the living room in the palace, and Ann would not sweep it, either, +she said to her sister: +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me." +</P> + +<P> +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you are very foolish to +leave this place." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be a +nobody, while here you are a Queen." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and forty-four +children!" returned Ann bitterly. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great Land of +Oz," laughed Salye. "Why don't you raise an army and conquer them, and +be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt Ann and so to anger +her. Then she made a face at her sister and went into the back yard to +swing in the hammock. +</P> + +<P> +Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea. She reflected +that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma a mere girl who +ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed because her people loved +her. Even in Oogaboo the story was told that Ozma's sole army consisted +of twenty-seven fine officers, who wore beautiful uniforms but carried +no weapons, because there was no one to fight. Once there had been a +private soldier, besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a +Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it might accidentally +hurt some one. +</P> + +<P> +The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced it +would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in +Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. Afterward she could +go out into the world and conquer other lands, and then perhaps she +could find a way to the moon, and conquer that. She had a warlike +spirit that preferred trouble to idleness. +</P> + +<P> +It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted in her +mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly eighteen of +them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, but by surprising +Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily subdue them. "Gentle +people are always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told herself. "I +don't wish to shed any blood, for that would shock my nerves and I +might faint; but if we threaten and flash our weapons I am sure the +people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me and surrender." +</P> + +<P> +This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, finally +determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the audacious venture. +</P> + +<P> +"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more unhappy than my +staying shut up in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and +quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will venture all, and win what I +may." +</P> + +<P> +That very day she started out to organize her Army. +</P> + +<P> +The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he had an +apple orchard. +</P> + +<P> +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you to +join my Army." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely refuse Your +Majesty," said Jo Apple. +</P> + +<P> +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen of +Oogaboo, to join," said Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a sad +voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important citizen, +and for that reason am entitled to an office of high rank." +</P> + +<P> +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he owned an +orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns, in great variety, both hot +and cold, grew on the trees. +</P> + +<P> +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command you to +join my Army." +</P> + +<P> +"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to be picked." +</P> + +<P> +"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he protested. +</P> + +<P> +"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals, and wear a cocked hat +with gold braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a long sword," she +promised. +</P> + +<P> +So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the Queen walked +on to the next cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so called because the trees +in his orchard bore crops of excellent ice-cream cones. +</P> + +<P> +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must join my +Army." +</P> + +<P> +"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a bad fighter. My good wife +conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than I. Take her, Your +Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for the favor." +</P> + +<P> +"This must be an army of men—fierce, ferocious warriors," declared +Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man. +</P> + +<P> +"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; and make you a General." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo Clock, +who had an orchard of clock-trees. This man at first insisted that he +would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise to make him a General +finally won his consent. +</P> + +<P> +"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Four, so far," replied Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"And how big will the army be?" was his next question. +</P> + +<P> +"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo join it," +she said. +</P> + +<P> +"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock. "I advise you to +make the rest of them Colonels." +</P> + +<P> +Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four men she visited—who were +Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named after the trees in their +orchards—she made Colonels of her Army; but the fifth one, Jo Nails, +said Colonels and Generals were getting to be altogether too common in +the Army of Oogaboo and he preferred to be a Major. So Jo Nails, Jo +Cake, Jo Ham and Jo Stockings were all four made Majors, while the next +four—Jo Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons—were +appointed Captains of the Army. +</P> + +<P> +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There remained but two other men +in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while there were +four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four Generals, there was +likely to be jealousy in her army, and perhaps mutiny and desertions. +</P> + +<P> +One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go at all. No +promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him. He said he must +remain at home to harvest his crop of jackson-balls, lemon-drops, +bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he had large fields of crackerjack +and buttered pop corn to be mowed and threshed, and he was determined +not to disappoint the children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the +world and so let the candy crop spoil. +</P> + +<P> +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way and +continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last man in +Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files. This Files had twelve +trees which bore steel files of various sorts; but also he had nine +book-trees, on which grew a choice selection of story-books. In case +you have never seen books growing upon trees, I will explain that those +in Jo Files' orchard were enclosed in broad green husks which, when +fully ripe, turned to a deep red color. Then the books were picked and +husked and were ready to read. If they were picked too soon, the +stories were found to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling +bad. However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine +reading and the spelling and grammar excellent. +</P> + +<P> +Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the people of +Oogaboo cared little for books and so he had to read most of them +himself, before they spoiled. For, as you probably know, as soon as the +books were read the words disappeared and the leaves withered and +faded—which is the worst fault of all books which grow upon trees. +</P> + +<P> +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both intelligent +and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great fun to conquer the +world. But he called her attention to the fact that he was far superior +to the other men of her army. Therefore, he would not be one of her +Generals or Colonels or Majors or Captains, but claimed the honor of +being sole Private. +</P> + +<P> +Ann did not like this idea at all. +</P> + +<P> +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army," she said; "they're so +common. I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private soldier, but +she made him her Captain-General, which is good evidence that the +private was unnecessary." +</P> + +<P> +"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; "but your army must fight +like fury in order to conquer the world. I have read in my books that +it is always the private soldiers who do the fighting, for no officer +is ever brave enough to face the foe. Also, it stands to reason that +your officers must have some one to command and to issue their orders +to; therefore I'll be the one. I long to slash and slay the enemy and +become a hero. Then, when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the +marbles away from the children and melt them up and make a marble +statue of myself for all to look upon and admire." +</P> + +<P> +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He seemed indeed to be such a +warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of success took +a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a gun-tree grew and +would go there at once and pick the ripest and biggest musket the tree +bore. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Two +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Out of Oogaboo +</H3> + +<P> +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the square in +front of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were attired in +gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering swords. The Private had +picked his gun and, although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried +to look fierce and succeeded so well that all his commanding officers +were secretly afraid of him. +</P> + +<P> +The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth had no right to +take their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann commanded them to +keep silent, and that was the hardest order to obey they had ever +received. +</P> + +<P> +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform of +green, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap with a +purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that everyone in +Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The Army was sorry she +was not going alone. +</P> + +<P> +"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice. +</P> + +<P> +Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed. +</P> + +<P> +"I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she observed. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking for +trouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the less +fighting we get, the better we shall like our work." +</P> + +<P> +"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to anything. The +only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say +that the easiest way to conquer is to fight." +</P> + +<P> +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to conquer +and to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder is to become +a hero. With such noble determination to back me, the world is mine! +Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be rich and famous. Come, +Generals; let us march." +</P> + +<P> +At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their chests. Then +they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles and cried to the +Colonels: +</P> + +<P> +"For-ward March!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For-ward March!" and the +Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the Captains +screamed to the Private: +</P> + +<P> +"For-ward March!" +</P> + +<P> +So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the officers +followed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, rejoicing in her noble +army and wondering why she had not decided long ago to conquer the +world. +</P> + +<P> +In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the narrow +mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Three +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Magic Mystifies the Marchers +</H3> + +<P> +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by their +ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom. The beautiful +girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her subjects and had no +time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal plans. But there was one +who constantly guarded the peace and happiness of the Land of Oz and +this was the Official Sorceress of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. +</P> + +<P> +In her magnificent castle, which stands far north of the Emerald City +where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record Book, +in which is printed every event that takes place anywhere, just as soon +as it happens. +</P> + +<P> +The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in this +book. If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads about it; if a +city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in her book. +</P> + +<P> +The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so it was she +knew that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an +army of sixteen officers and one private soldier, with which she +intended to invade and conquer the Land of Oz. +</P> + +<P> +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of +Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz—both her firm +friends—could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; but +it would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by any sort of +quarreling or fighting. So Glinda did not even mention the matter to +Ozma, or to anyone else. She merely went into a great chamber of her +castle, known as the Magic Room, where she performed a magical ceremony +which caused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo to make several +turns and twists. The result was that when Ann and her army came to the +end of the pass they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an +adjoining territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and +separated from Oz by an invisible barrier. +</P> + +<P> +As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they had +traversed disappeared behind them and it was not likely they would ever +find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They were greatly +puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not know which way to +go. None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took them some time to +discover they were not in Oz at all, but in an unknown country. +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment; "we have +started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it. In time, as +we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come to Oz; but, +until we get there, we may as well conquer whatever land we find +ourselves in." +</P> + +<P> +"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously inquired Major +Cake. +</P> + +<P> +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no people, as yet, but when we +do, we will inform them that they are our slaves." +</P> + +<P> +"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions," added +General Apple. +</P> + +<P> +"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files; "but I hope +they will fight us, just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be any +fun at all." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't worry," said the Queen. "<i>We</i> can fight, whether our foes do or +not; and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have the enemy +surrender promptly." +</P> + +<P> +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in. Moreover, +there was little for them to eat, and as the officers became hungry +they became fretful. Many would have deserted had they been able to +find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people were now hopelessly lost +in a strange country they considered it more safe to keep together than +to separate. +</P> + +<P> +Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and irritable as +she and her army tramped over the rocky roads without encountering +either people or plunder. She scolded her officers until they became +surly, and a few of them were disloyal enough to ask her to hold her +tongue. Others began to reproach her for leading them into difficulties +and in the space of three unhappy days every man was mourning for his +orchard in the pretty valley of Oogaboo. +</P> + +<P> +Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he +encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the officers +were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His pleasant +disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before long she +consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did his superiors. +</P> + +<P> +It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they encountered their +first adventure. Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkened and Major +Nails exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"A fog is coming toward us." +</P> + +<P> +"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with interest at +the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak." +</P> + +<P> +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully. +</P> + +<P> +"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the soldier, +growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be +sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that grew in my +orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful monsters, we are +not likely to conquer the world." +</P> + +<P> +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered closer +about their soldier. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the thing like?" asked one. +</P> + +<P> +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather +blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when it was +picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a deer and +swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace of fire, and the +Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, which darkens the sky for +miles around, wherever it goes. It is bigger than a hundred men and +feeds on any living thing." +</P> + +<P> +The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files tried to +cheer them, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and you +must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of the +fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed." +</P> + +<P> +"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, and chews +us up into small pieces, and swallows us—what will happen then?" +</P> + +<P> +"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files. +</P> + +<P> +"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. "A +hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or not!" +</P> + +<P> +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will know, +when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a Rak or not. +If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but if it has an odor +of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must prepare for a desperate +fight." +</P> + +<P> +They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached the +frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose sniffed the +cloud—and every one detected in it the odor of salt and pepper. +</P> + +<P> +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the +sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in anguish. +Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more bravely, +although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his +gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldier should. +</P> + +<P> +They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which covered the sky +and the setting sun was black as ink. Then through the gloom appeared +two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once decided these must +be the monster's eyes. +</P> + +<P> +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. +</P> + +<P> +There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an excellent +bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. They flew toward +the monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry the Rak came +fluttering down and its huge body fell plump upon the forms of the +sixteen officers, who thereupon screamed louder than before. +</P> + +<P> +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that dangerous +gun of yours!" +</P> + +<P> +"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your breath +darkens my sight!" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, reproachfully, +as it still flapped its wings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim you +didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you very +badly?" +</P> + +<P> +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will notice +that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I have to talk +with my teeth set close together. Another bullet broke my left wing, so +that I can't fly; and still another broke my right leg, so that I can't +walk. It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!" +</P> + +<P> +"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding officers?" +inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your great weight is +crushing them." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if possible, +for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'd eat +all of you, although my appetite is poorly this warm weather." +</P> + +<P> +With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so as to +crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled completely +off from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to their feet and made +off as fast as they could run. +</P> + +<P> +Private Files could not see them go but he knew from the sound of their +voices that they had escaped, so he ceased to worry about them. +</P> + +<P> +"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he said to the Rak. "The parting +is caused by our desire to continue our journey. If you die, do not +blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a matter of +self-protection." +</P> + +<P> +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed life. +But I beg you not to leave me!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why not?" asked Files. +</P> + +<P> +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I shall be +able to eat you. My wing will heal in a day and my leg will heal in a +week, when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot me, and so caused me +all this annoyance, it is only fair and just that you remain here and +allow me to eat you as soon as I can open my jaws." +</P> + +<P> +"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly. "I have made +an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her conquer the world, +and I cannot break my word for the sake of being eaten by a Rak." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If you've an engagement, +don't let me detain you." +</P> + +<P> +So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the trembling +Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak. They stumbled +over the stones for a way but presently began to see dimly the path +ahead of them, as they got farther and farther away from the dreadful +spot where the wounded monster lay. By and by they reached a little +hill and could see the last rays of the sun flooding a pretty valley +beyond, for now they had passed beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak. +Here were huddled the sixteen officers, still frightened and panting +from their run. They had halted only because it was impossible for them +to run any farther. +</P> + +<P> +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the same +time praising Files for his courage. +</P> + +<P> +"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for by +running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering the +world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, he would have deserted +your Army." +</P> + +<P> +After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as they +were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party rose +quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of which Queen +Ann commanded them to make camp for the night. +</P> + +<P> +Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, when placed +upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was large enough to +permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas walls. Files +was obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was not only his own tent but +an elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair and a +magic table. This table, when set upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, +became of large size, and in a drawer of the table was contained the +Queen's supply of extra clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and +other necessary things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the +officers and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent poles. +</P> + +<P> +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of +Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to show +that the country they were in had been conquered by the Queen of +Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the flag, but Ann was +pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and considered herself already +a famous conqueror. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Four +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Betsy Braves the Billows +</H3> + +<P> +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and +the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the deck and +the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell with a splash +into the dark blue water. The same shock caught Hank, a thin little, +sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into the sea, far from the ship's +side. +</P> + +<P> +When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge had +surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair. +At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but presently she heard +a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding fast to the end of Hank's +tail. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now in the +far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a mass of +wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail and seized +the rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode upon it in safety. +Hank also saw the raft and swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never +would have been able to climb upon it had not Betsy helped him to get +aboard. +</P> + +<P> +They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a +hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well +and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from drowning. +</P> + +<P> +The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. Blinding +bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the clamor of deep +thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves tossed the little raft +here and there as a child tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a solemn +feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every direction there was +no living thing besides herself and the small donkey. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose +against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, +as if to comfort her. +</P> + +<P> +"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried helplessly, and +the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that meant a promise. +</P> + +<P> +On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when the +sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, while the +girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in this dreadful +emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a mule's power to +guard her safety. +</P> + +<P> +All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out and +passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had grown smaller +and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet raft and +fell asleep. +</P> + +<P> +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard Betsy. +Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and +watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over the sea. +</P> + +<P> +The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and stared +across the water. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice. +</P> + +<P> +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and as +they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing brightly +between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at all. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Five +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Roses Repulse the Refugees +</H3> + +<P> +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily waded +ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was now shining +and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of roses. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling more +cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the flowers, +although they do smell mighty good." +</P> + +<P> +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the top of +the bank. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A little way +off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of crystal panes +glittering in the sunlight. +</P> + +<P> +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy +thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. I'm +getting hungrier ev'ry minute." +</P> + +<P> +So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its entrance +without meeting with anyone at all. A door stood ajar, so Hank went in +first, thinking if there was any danger he could back out and warn his +companion. But Betsy was close at his heels and the moment she entered +was lost in amazement at the wonderful sight she saw. +</P> + +<P> +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all growing in +big pots. On the central stem of each bush bloomed a splendid Rose, +gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and in the center of each +Rose was the face of a lovely girl. +</P> + +<P> +As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were drooping and +their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that +he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound of his harsh voice the +rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised their heads and a hundred +startled eyes were instantly fixed upon the intruders. +</P> + +<P> +"I—I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused. +</P> + +<P> +"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing chorus; and one of +them added: "What a horrid noise!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the truth of +her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!" +</P> + +<P> +At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they were able +and trembled as if some one were shaking their bushes. A dainty Moss +Rose gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully dreadful!" +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant. "When you +get used to Hank's voice it will put you to sleep." +</P> + +<P> +The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully and one of them asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," answered the girl, twining +her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him tight. "Aren't +you, Hank?" +</P> + +<P> +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the Roses +shivered again. +</P> + +<P> +"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see you're frightening us out +of a week's growth?" +</P> + +<P> +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to go. We've just been +wrecked." +</P> + +<P> +"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came and wrecked it," +explained the girl. "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and floated +ashore to this place, and—we're tired and hungry. What country <i>is</i> +this, please?" +</P> + +<P> +"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, "and it +is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses grown." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms. +</P> + +<P> +"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea Rose, +bending her brows in a frown; "therefore you must go away before the +Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the sea." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure." +</P> + +<P> +"And is he a Rose, also?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course not; he's a man—a wonderful man," was the reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much relieved, and +even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse—a +spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the other. +</P> + +<P> +He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose-colored costume, with +ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. +His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and his face puckered +and deeply lined. +</P> + +<P> +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his greenhouse, +and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over +the mule's head and danced around with his fork, in such agitation that +presently he fell over the handle of the implement and sprawled at full +length upon the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's head. The +little mule was angry at the treatment he had received and backed +toward the Gardener threateningly. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly and the Gardener +scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses. +</P> + +<P> +"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking out his head to glare +at the girl and the mule. +</P> + +<P> +"What Law?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in these +domains." +</P> + +<P> +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. +</P> + +<P> +"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal Gardener, and he +was about to say more when suddenly there was a crash of glass and a +man came tumbling through the roof of the greenhouse and fell plump to +the ground. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Six +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother +</H3> + +<P> +This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, dressed all in garments so +shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must be some animal. But the +stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and then the girl saw it +was really a man. He held an apple in his hand, which he had evidently +been eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred or flustered by +the accident that he continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked +around him. +</P> + +<P> +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. "Who <i>are</i> you, and +where did you come from?" +</P> + +<P> +"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the apple. +"Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming haste." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way and—here I am." +</P> + +<P> +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to +Hank—who ate it greedily—and then stood up to bow politely to Betsy +and the Roses. +</P> + +<P> +The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the crash of +glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, but +now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in his squeaky voice: +</P> + +<P> +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the Law!" +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy stared at him solemnly. +</P> + +<P> +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the Gardener, +angrily. "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking +the Law." +</P> + +<P> +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming forward and +taking a small book from his pocket. "Page thirteen. Here it is: 'If +any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at once be condemned by +the Ruler and put to death.' So you see, strangers," he continued +triumphantly, "it's death for you all and your time has come!" +</P> + +<P> +But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing toward +the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's heels shot out +and struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up like the letter +"U" and flew out of the door so swiftly—never touching the +ground—that he was gone before Betsy had time to wink. +</P> + +<P> +But the mule's attack frightened the girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his hand; +"let's go somewhere else. They'll surely kill us if we stay here!" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's head. "I'm +not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love Magnet." +</P> + +<P> +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of everyone who +looks upon it," was the reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over the +gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; but when I started on +this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take it with +me." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are you really from the +wonderful Land of Oz?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?" +</P> + +<P> +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?" +</P> + +<P> +"Very well indeed." +</P> + +<P> +"And—and Princess Dorothy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did you ever leave such a +beautiful land as Oz?" +</P> + +<P> +"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. "I'm trying to +find my dear little brother." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the poor man. +</P> + +<P> +"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, taking out a handkerchief +and wiping a tear from his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I +saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of the Sorceress Glinda, in +the Land of Oz. So now I'm trying to find him." +</P> + +<P> +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically. +</P> + +<P> +"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. Brother +was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went into his mine +and never came out. They searched for him, but he was not there. +Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably. +</P> + +<P> +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of him?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking another apple +from his pocket and eating it to relieve his misery. "The Nome King +probably got him." +</P> + +<P> +"The Nome King! Who is he?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is Ruggedo. +Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to own all the metals hidden +in the earth. Don't ask me why." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" +</P> + +<P> +"'Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if anyone +digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that he captured +brother and carried him off to his underground kingdom. No—don't ask +me why. I see you're dying to ask me why. But I don't know." +</P> + +<P> +"But—dear me!—in that case you will never find your lost brother!" +exclaimed the girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy. "I've wandered +so far without finding him, but that only proves he is not where I've +been looking. What I seek now is the hidden passage to the underground +cavern of the terrible Metal Monarch." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever manage +to get there the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner." +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. "You mustn't forget the Love +Magnet." +</P> + +<P> +"What about it?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will love me +dearly and do anything I ask." +</P> + +<P> +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. +</P> + +<P> +"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it to you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and drew +out a small silver magnet, shaped like a horseshoe. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener, who stuck his head +into the greenhouse and shouted angrily: +</P> + +<P> +"You are all condemned to death! Your only chance to escape is to leave +here instantly." +</P> + +<P> +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: +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man. +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't even seen the Ruler of the +Rose Kingdom." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in a perplexed tone of +voice, "we haven't any real Ruler, just now. You see, all our Rulers +grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we had got +mildewed and withered before his time. So we had to plant him, and at +this time there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes who is ripe +enough to pick." +</P> + +<P> +"How do you know?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of royalties are growing, I admit; +but just now they are all green. Until one ripens, I am supposed to +rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its Laws are obeyed. +Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you to death." +</P> + +<P> +"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to see those Royal Gardens +before I die." +</P> + +<P> +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, Gardener." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. But Shaggy again showed +him the Love Magnet and after one glance at it the Gardener could no +longer resist. +</P> + +<P> +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the great greenhouse and +carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this they came into +the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom. +</P> + +<P> +It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within the enclosure grew +several enormous rosebushes having thick green leaves of the texture of +velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the Royal Family of the +Rose Kingdom—men, women and children in all stages of maturity. They +all seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or not fully +developed, their flesh and clothing being alike green. They stood +perfectly lifeless upon their branches, which swayed softly in the +breeze, and their wide open eyes stared straight ahead, unseeing and +unintelligent. +</P> + +<P> +While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind a big +central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise and +pleasure. For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, stood a Royal +Princess, whose beauty was amazing. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside some of the broad leaves +to observe her more clearly. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the girl's +side; "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a Ruler." +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around Betsy +discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the greenhouse and +were now grouped before the entrance. +</P> + +<P> +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom don't +want a girl Ruler. They want a King." +</P> + +<P> +"A King! We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses. +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. This Princess is named Ozga, +as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were she but a man, we +would joyfully hail her as our Ruler." +</P> + +<P> +The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses and Betsy +whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has the right to rule this +Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surely protect us and prevent our +being hurt, or driven away." +</P> + +<P> +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the beautiful Rose Princess and +a little twist of her feet set her free of the branch upon which she +grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from the bush to the ground, +where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy and said in a delightfully +sweet voice: "I thank you." +</P> + +<P> +But at the sound of these words the Gardener and the Roses turned and +discovered that the Princess had been picked, and was now alive. Over +every face flashed an expression of resentment and anger, and one of +the Roses cried aloud. +</P> + +<P> +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" +</P> + +<P> +"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy, cheerfully. +</P> + +<P> +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque Rose, and +another added with a voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over us!" +</P> + +<P> +The newly-picked Princess looked from one to another of her rebellious +subjects in astonishment. A grieved look came over her exquisite +features. +</P> + +<P> +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked gently. "Have I +not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?" +</P> + +<P> +"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the Moss +Rose, coldly; "so we refuse to allow you to rule us." +</P> + +<P> +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose. +</P> + +<P> +"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet from his +pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Princess. Here—take it in +your hand and let the roses see it." +</P> + +<P> +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes of her +subjects; but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise. "The Magnet +never failed to work before!" +</P> + +<P> +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. "These Roses have no +hearts." +</P> + +<P> +"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're pretty, and sweet, and +alive; but still they are Roses. Their stems have thorns, but no +hearts." +</P> + +<P> +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man. +</P> + +<P> +"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses. "We +will have no Ruler until a man-rose—a King—is ripe enough to pick." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must excuse me, my dear +Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, including +Ozga, must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not before." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying the +Magnet. +</P> + +<P> +"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly; "but no true +man will neglect his duty for the sake of love. My duty is to drive you +out, so—out you go!" +</P> + +<P> +With this he seized a garden fork and began jabbing it at the +strangers, in order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not +afraid of the fork and when he got his heels near to the Gardener the +man fell back to avoid a kick. +</P> + +<P> +But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts and it was soon +discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many sharp +thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. Neither Betsy nor +Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those thorns and when they +pressed away from them they found themselves slowly driven through the +garden door into the greenhouse. From there they were forced out at the +entrance and so through the territory of the flower-strewn Rose +Kingdom, which was not of very great extent. +</P> + +<P> +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy was indignant and angry; +Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man whistled softly to +himself. +</P> + +<P> +The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there was a +drawbridge in one place and this the Royal Gardener let down until the +outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up again and returned with +his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the four queerly assorted comrades +to wander into the bleak and unknown country that lay beyond. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led the way over the +stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-lost little +brother, anyhow, so it won't matter where I go." +</P> + +<P> +"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in her most +cheerful voice. "I'm so far away from home now that I don't s'pose I'll +ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, it's more fun traveling +around and having adventures than sticking at home. Don't you think so, +Hank?" +</P> + +<P> +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both. +</P> + +<P> +"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, with a gentle sigh, "I +must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, too, will be glad to +help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother." +</P> + +<P> +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. "But unless I can find +the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I shall never +find poor brother." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +(This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he drank of the +"Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name and had to take another.) +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"<i>Some</i> one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply. "But we are not +the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going until we find +a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern." +</P> + +<P> +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy. "Who +knows?" +</P> + +<P> +"No one knows that, except the person who's writing this story," said +Shaggy. "But we won't find anything—not even supper—unless we travel +on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see where it leads to." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Seven +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight +</H3> + +<P> +The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some over the +brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the country—a real hard +shower, for a time—and sent the Rainbow scampering to the place to +show the gorgeous colors of his glorious bow as soon as the mist of +rain had passed and the sky was clear. +</P> + +<P> +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, yet +few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far distant +that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and that is why we +seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the Rainbow. +</P> + +<P> +In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there appeared to +be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, just the same, and +dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's Daughters, led by the +fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that no girl has +ever quite equalled her in loveliness. +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the bow to +the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and gleeful, +they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; but all the +Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a dangerous pastime, so +they quickly climbed upon their bow again. +</P> + +<P> +All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them all, she +was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an unusual sensation +to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. Before she realized it +the bow had lifted and disappeared in the billowy blue sky, and here +was Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her gauzy draperies +floating about her like brilliant cobwebs and not a soul—fairy or +mortal—to help her regain her lost bow! +</P> + +<P> +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, "I'm +caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has left me on +earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. The first time I +enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a lonely, forsaken +country and I shall be very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I +can climb aboard. Let me think what is best to be done." +</P> + +<P> +She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about her and +bowed her head. +</P> + +<P> +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied Polychrome as she came +along the stony path, followed by Hank, the Princess and Shaggy. At +once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the Rainbow and +exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!" +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome raised her golden head. There were tears in her blue eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she sobbed. +</P> + +<P> +The others gathered around her. +</P> + +<P> +"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the Princess. +</P> + +<P> +"I—I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. +</P> + +<P> +"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic tone, thinking she +meant "beau" instead of "bow." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot imperiously; "I +want my <i>Rain</i>bow." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to forget it. When I was +young I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I couldn't have it. +Looks as if <i>you</i> couldn't have it, either; so please don't cry." +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't like you," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket; "not a +little bit?—just a wee speck of a like?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as she gazed +at the enchanted talisman; "I love you, Shaggy Man!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't take any credit for +it. It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm. But you seem quite alone and +friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join our party until you +find your father and sisters again?" +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand; "but we're +trying to find Shaggy's long-lost brother, who has been captured by the +terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, and help us?" +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of travelers +and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face. +</P> + +<P> +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a Shaggy Man!" she +exclaimed. "Surely you need help, if you intend to face Ruggedo." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface, where +no Rainbow can ever penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal Monarch. He +is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has made trouble for a +good many people—mortals and fairies—in his time," said Polychrome. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome proudly. +"I'm a sky fairy." +</P> + +<P> +"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able to tell us the way to +Ruggedo's cavern." +</P> + +<P> +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I +cannot do. But I will gladly go with you and help you search for the +place." +</P> + +<P> +This promise delighted all the wanderers and after the Shaggy Man had +found the path again they began moving along it in a more happy mood. +The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky trail, no longer +sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in smiles. Shaggy came +next, walking steadily and now and then supporting the Rose Princess, +who followed him. Betsy and Hank brought up the rear, and if she tired +with walking the girl got upon Hank's back and let the stout little +donkey carry her for awhile. +</P> + +<P> +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny brook and +here they made camp and rested until morning. Then away they tramped, +finding berries and fruits here and there which satisfied the hunger of +Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were well content with their lot. +</P> + +<P> +It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their food, for +she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this to Polychrome, +the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga was driven out of her +Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and would never again be more +than a mere mortal. Polychrome, however, was a fairy wherever she +happened to be, and if she sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for +refreshment no one ever saw her do it. +</P> + +<P> +As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very little +to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange country. Shaggy +said it would be best to go toward the mountains, as the natural +entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was likely to be hidden in +some rocky, deserted place; but mountains seemed all around them except +in the one direction that they had come from, which led to the Rose +Kingdom and the sea. Therefore it mattered little which way they +traveled. +</P> + +<P> +By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path and after +following this for some time they reached a crossroads. Here were many +paths, leading in various directions, and there was a signpost so old +that there were now no words upon the sign. At one side was an old +well, with a chain windlass for drawing water, yet there was no house +or other building anywhere in sight. +</P> + +<P> +While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule +approached the well and tried to look into it. +</P> + +<P> +"He's thirsty," said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably there has been no water +in it for many years. But, come; let us decide which way to travel." +</P> + +<P> +No one seemed able to decide that. They sat down in a group and tried +to consider which road might be the best to take. Hank, however, could +not keep away from the well and finally he reared up on his hind legs, +got his head over the edge and uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy watched +her animal friend curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she said. +</P> + +<P> +At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate, and +Betsy went with him. The Princess and Polychrome, who had become fast +friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the roads, to find an +easy path. +</P> + +<P> +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at the bottom +of this old well." +</P> + +<P> +"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked the girl. +</P> + +<P> +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there was a +big hook that at one time was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy let down +this hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then pulled it up. An +old hoopskirt came with it, and Betsy laughed and threw it away. The +thing frightened Hank, who had never seen a hoopskirt before, and he +kept a good distance away from it. +</P> + +<P> +Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook and drew +up, but none of these was important. +</P> + +<P> +"This well seems to have been the dump for all the old rubbish in the +country," he said, letting down the hook once more. "I guess I've +captured everything now. No—the hook has caught again. Help me, Betsy! +Whatever this thing is, it's heavy." +</P> + +<P> +She ran up and helped him turn the windlass and after much effort a +confused mass of copper came in sight. +</P> + +<P> +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is a surprise, indeed!" +</P> + +<P> +"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and panting for +breath. +</P> + +<P> +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and dumped it +upon the ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over with his +foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment the thing proved to be +a copper man. +</P> + +<P> +"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object. "But +unless there are two copper men in the world this is the most +astonishing thing I ever came across." +</P> + +<P> +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the Rose Princess approached +them, and Polychrome said: +</P> + +<P> +"What have you found, Shaggy One?" +</P> + +<P> +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt down to +examine the man. "Dear me; how funny! Listen to this." +</P> + +<P> +Then she read the following words, engraved upon the copper plates of +the man's body: +</P> + +<PRE> + SMITH & TINKER'S + Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, + Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking + MECHANICAL MAN + Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. + Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live. +</PRE> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved plate: +</P> + +<BR> + +<PRE> + DIRECTIONS FOR USING: + + For THINKING:—Wind the Clockwork + Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). + For SPEAKING:—Wind the Clockwork + Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). + For WALKING and ACTION:—Wind Clockwork Man + in the middle of his back, (marked No. 3). + + N. B.—This Mechanism is guaranteed to + work perfectly for a thousand years. +</PRE> + +<BR> + +<P> +"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, "he ought +to work yet." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." +</P> + +<P> +In order to do this they were obliged to set the copper man upon his +feet, in an upright position, and this was no easy task. He was +inclined to topple over, and had to be propped again and again. The +girls assisted Shaggy, and at last Tik-Tok seemed to be balanced and +stood alone upon his broad feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this must be, +indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking merrily in the Land +of Oz. But how he came to this lonely place, and got into that old +well, is surely a mystery." +</P> + +<P> +"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy. "Here's the +key, hanging to a hook on his back. What part of him shall I wind up +first?" +</P> + +<P> +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires thought to +speak or move intelligently." +</P> + +<P> +So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little flashes of +light began to show in the top of his head, which was proof that he had +begun to think. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph." +</P> + +<P> +"What's that?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may be interesting, but they +don't tell us anything." +</P> + +<P> +So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then from the +interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the words: "Ma-ny +thanks!" +</P> + +<P> +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the back +in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance and +tumbled to the ground in a heap. But the clockwork that enabled him to +speak had been wound up and he kept saying: "Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! +Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised him and balanced him upon his +feet, when he added politely: "Ma-ny thanks!" +</P> + +<P> +"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action," remarked +Shaggy; so Betsy wound it, as tight as she could—for the key turned +rather hard—and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, marched around in a +circle and ended by stopping before the group and making them all a low +bow. +</P> + +<P> +"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left you +safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a few +words. Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma saw you +wan-der-ing in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her mag-ic +pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome King's cavern; so +she sent me to tell you where to find your broth-er and told me to help +you if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to +this place in the wink of an eye; but here I met the Nome King +him-self—old Rug-ge-do, who is called in these parts the Met-al +Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what I had come for, and he was so an-gry that +he threw me down the well. Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less +un-til you came a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny thanks." +</P> + +<P> +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I suspected that my brother +was the prisoner of Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, Tik-Tok, how +shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?" +</P> + +<P> +"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We might crawl, or jump, or +roll o-ver and o-ver until we get there; but the best way is to walk." +</P> + +<P> +"I know; but which road shall we take?" +</P> + +<P> +"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"There is more than one entrance to the underground cavern," said +Polychrome; "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every opening, so +that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. If we find our way +underground at all, it will be by chance." +</P> + +<P> +"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and see where +it leads us." +</P> + +<P> +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. "It may require a lot of +time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than anything else." +</P> + +<P> +"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a thou-sand +years." +</P> + +<P> +"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added Shaggy, +looking first at one road and then at another. +</P> + +<P> +But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached their ears—a +sound like the tramping of many feet. +</P> + +<P> +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she ran to the left-hand road +and glanced along the path. "Why, it's an army!" she exclaimed. "What +shall we do, hide or run?" +</P> + +<P> +"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid of an army. If they +prove to be friendly, they can help us; if they are enemies, I'll show +them the Love Magnet." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Eight +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task +</H3> + +<P> +While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at one side, +the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, the tramp of +their feet being now and then accompanied by a dismal groan as one of +the officers stepped on a sharp stone or knocked his funnybone against +his neighbor's sword-handle. +</P> + +<P> +Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the banner +of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole. This pole he stuck in the +ground just in front of the well and then he cried in a loud voice: +</P> + +<P> +"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann Soforth of +Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I proclaim her slaves!" +</P> + +<P> +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Is the coast clear, Private Files?" +</P> + +<P> +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering courage to +advance to the well; but just then he caught a glimpse of Tik-Tok and +Shaggy and at once fell upon his knees, trembling and frightened and +cried out: +</P> + +<P> +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and we will be your slaves +forever!" +</P> + +<P> +The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing, likewise +fell upon their knees and begged for mercy. +</P> + +<P> +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers for the first time, +examined them with much curiosity. Then, discovering that three of the +party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a polite bow. +</P> + +<P> +"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as Queen Ann reached the +place and beheld her kneeling army. +</P> + +<P> +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping forward. +"This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man—who works better than some meat +people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, just now unfortunately +exiled from her Kingdom of Roses. I next present Polychrome, a sky +fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident and can't find her way home. The +small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, from some unknown earthly paradise +called Oklahoma, and with her you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long tail +and a short temper." +</P> + +<P> +"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of vagabonds you are, +indeed; all lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a Queen's +plundering. I'm sorry I've conquered you." +</P> + +<P> +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly. +</P> + +<P> +"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my officers will kindly +command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after which we can +stop arguing and converse more at our ease." +</P> + +<P> +The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed the +dust from their trousers. To them the enemy did not look very fierce, +so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains gained courage to +face them and began strutting in their most haughty manner. +</P> + +<P> +"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of Oogaboo, and +this is my invincible Army. We are busy conquering the world, and since +you seem to be a part of the world, and are obstructing our journey, it +is necessary for us to conquer you—unworthy though you may be of such +high honor." +</P> + +<P> +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us as often as you like. +We don't mind." +</P> + +<P> +"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, positively. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, angrily. "Advance, Private +Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!" +</P> + +<P> +But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating Polychrome and +the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted. +</P> + +<P> +"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey orders." +</P> + +<P> +"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the Private. +</P> + +<P> +But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the prisoners!" and +the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the command, yelling it +as loud as they could. +</P> + +<P> +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing the Army of Oogaboo +with strong disfavor. The mule now dashed forward and began backing +upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous heels at them. The +attack was so sudden that the officers scattered like dust in a +whirlwind, dropping their swords as they ran and trying to seek refuge +behind the trees and bushes. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble army," and +Polychrome danced with glee. But Ann was furious at this ignoble defeat +of her gallant forces by one small mule. +</P> + +<P> +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" she cried again, and +then she herself ducked to escape the mule's heels—for Hank made no +distinction in favor of a lady who was an open enemy. Betsy grabbed her +champion by the forelock, however, and so held him fast, and when the +officers saw that the mule was restrained from further attacks they +crept fearfully back and picked up their discarded swords. +</P> + +<P> +"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack which +was strapped to his back, "I resign my position as the Army of Oogaboo. +I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but if you want some +one to bind harmless girls you will have to hire another Private." +</P> + +<P> +Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy and +Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry. +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to resign if I want to." +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If you resign it will break +up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world." She now turned to the +officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a favor. I know it is +undignified in officers to fight, but unless you immediately capture +Private Files and force him to obey my orders there will be no plunder +for any of us. Also it is likely you will all suffer the pangs of +hunger, and when we meet a powerful foe you are liable to be captured +and made slaves." +</P> + +<P> +The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers that they +drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood beside Shaggy, in a +truly ferocious manner. The next instant, however, they halted and +again fell upon their knees; for there, before them, was the glistening +Love Magnet, held in the hand of the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight +of this magic talisman at once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even +Ann saw the Love Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and anger threw +herself upon Shaggy and embraced him lovingly. +</P> + +<P> +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet, Shaggy +disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and quickly hid the +talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from Oogaboo were now his firm +friends, and there was no more talk about conquering and binding any of +his party. +</P> + +<P> +"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may march with +me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer the world, as you +have set out to do, you must conquer everyone under its surface as well +as those upon its surface, and no one in all the world needs conquering +so much as Ruggedo." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is he?" asked Ann. +</P> + +<P> +"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes." +</P> + +<P> +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all the metal that lies +underground—gold, silver, copper, brass and tin. He has an idea he +also owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal was once a +part of his kingdom. So, by conquering the Metal Monarch, you will win +all the riches in the world." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would be +plunder worth our while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next to the +lovely Princess and whispering in her ear. +</P> + +<P> +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. I have plenty of brave +officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to command. Therefore +I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his wealth." +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked Shaggy; +but at once every officer began to protest and the Queen of Oogaboo +shook her head as she replied: +</P> + +<P> +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a terrible fighter, and +my officers are unable to fight. They are exceptionally brave in +commanding others to fight, but could not themselves meet the enemy and +conquer." +</P> + +<P> +"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, eagerly. "There are many +kinds of bravery and one cannot be expected to possess them all. I +myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes to fighting, but +then my nature revolts. Fighting is unkind and liable to be injurious +to others; so, being a gentleman, I never fight." +</P> + +<P> +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. +</P> + +<P> +"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not Private Files proved +himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have conquered this +Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is like a bee without a +stinger." +</P> + +<P> +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files. "I resigned in a +proper manner, not liking the job. But there are plenty of people to +take my place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private soldier?" +</P> + +<P> +"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, "for he is +mortal, and able to die. If anything happened to him, it would break my +heart." +</P> + +<P> +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy. "You must admit, +Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for it is my +brother we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and my companions +would like the assistance of your Army, and if you help us to conquer +Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from captivity we will allow you to +keep all the gold and jewels and other plunder you may find." +</P> + +<P> +This prospect was so tempting that the officers began whispering +together and presently Colonel Cheese said: "Your Majesty, by combining +our brains we have just evolved a most brilliant idea. We will make the +Clockwork Man the private soldier!" +</P> + +<P> +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond! I can-not fight, +and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw me in the +well." +</P> + +<P> +"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. "But if you join the +Army of Oogaboo you will carry the gun that Mr. Files used." +</P> + +<P> +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested +Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could nei-ther +run nor fight." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "Tik-Tok will make an ideal +soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer. And, since +a private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, Tik-Tok is the +only one of our party fitted to undertake the job." +</P> + +<P> +"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers command you to do +anything, you must do it; that is all." +</P> + +<P> +"And that's enough, too," said Files. +</P> + +<P> +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder goes to Queen Ann, the +other half is divided among the officers, and the Private gets the +rest." +</P> + +<P> +"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, picking up the gun and +examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen such a weapon. +</P> + +<P> +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said: "Now +we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. Officers, +give the command to march." +</P> + +<P> +"Fall—in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords. +</P> + +<P> +"Fall—in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords. +</P> + +<P> +"Fall—in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords. +</P> + +<P> +"Fall—in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords. +</P> + +<P> +Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order." +</P> + +<P> +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork Man. +</P> + +<P> +"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files; so Tik-Tok +held the gun straight and stood still. +</P> + +<P> +"What next?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +The Queen turned to Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's cavern?" +</P> + +<P> +"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply. +</P> + +<P> +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. "If we can't get to +Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him." +</P> + +<P> +"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did not say we could not get +to him. We have only to discover the way, and that was the matter we +were considering when you and your magnificent Army arrived here." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +That was no easy task. They all stood looking from one road to another +in perplexity. The paths radiated from the little clearing like the +rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the others. +</P> + +<P> +Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good friends, +advanced a little way along one of the roads and found that it was +bordered by pretty wild flowers. +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the way?" he said to his +companion. +</P> + +<P> +"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the question. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must be second-cousins to a +Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them they will tell you." +</P> + +<P> +She looked more closely at the flowers. There were hundreds of white +daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing by the +roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its slender but +stout stem. There were even a few wild roses scattered here and there +and perhaps it was the sight of these that gave the Princess courage to +ask the important question. +</P> + +<P> +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both her +arms pleadingly toward them. +</P> + +<P> +"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle voice, "which +way will lead us to the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?" +</P> + +<P> +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the right and the flower heads +nodded once—twice—thrice in that direction. +</P> + +<P> +"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we know the way." +</P> + +<P> +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the field-flowers, +which had now resumed their upright position. +</P> + +<P> +"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked in a low whisper. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a breath of wind stirring. +But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and answered your +question at once, as I knew they would." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Nine +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless +</H3> + +<P> +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and wound +here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless. But always it drew +nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more than once that +he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern would be found among +these rugged hills. +</P> + +<P> +In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the nearest mountain was a +gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the walls and roof of +which glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels. Here, on a throne +of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome King, dressed in splendid robes and +wearing a superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the +Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white beard, a +red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his forehead. One +would think, to look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might +think, considering his enormous wealth, that he ought to be happy; but +this was not the case. The Metal Monarch was surly and cross because +mortals had dug so much treasure out of the earth and kept it above +ground, where all the power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to +recover it. He hated not only the mortals but also the fairies who live +upon the earth or above it, and instead of being content with the +riches he still possessed he was unhappy because he did not own all the +gold and jewels in the world. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when suddenly he +sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge gong +that stood beside him. +</P> + +<P> +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns beyond, +where countless thousands of nomes were working at their unending +tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or melting ores +in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems. The nomes trembled at +the sound of the King's gong and whispered fearfully to one another +that something unpleasant was sure to happen; but none dared pause in +his task. +</P> + +<P> +The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside and Kaliko, the +King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal presence. +</P> + +<P> +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had just +wakened. +</P> + +<P> +"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously. "Those foolish +mortals are up, that's what! And they want to come down." +</P> + +<P> +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes!" +</P> + +<P> +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again. +</P> + +<P> +"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can always feel it when those +hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom. 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!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what's to be done?" demanded the nome. +</P> + +<P> +"Look through your spyglass, and see where the invaders are," commanded +the King. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho—hum," said he. "I see 'em, Your Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +"What do they look like?" inquired the Monarch. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"Bah! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo. "I'm not afraid of him. Why, +only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a well." +</P> + +<P> +"Then some one must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko. "And +there's a little girl—" +</P> + +<P> +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. +</P> + +<P> +"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several girls, of various +sizes; but Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma." +</P> + +<P> +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief. +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass. +</P> + +<P> +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. They are all officers +and carry swords. And there is a Shaggy Man—who seems very +harmless—and a little donkey with big ears." +</P> + +<P> +"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn. "I've no fear of +such a mob as that. A dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in a +jiffy." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The people of Oogaboo are hard +to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. As for +Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter cannot be +injured by a nome." +</P> + +<P> +"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; I have just recognized her." +</P> + +<P> +"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," declared +Ruggedo, scowling fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes here on a +peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody hates me!" +</P> + +<P> +"Very true," said Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my dominions. +Where are they now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?" +</P> + +<P> +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal Will that we have some +fun with these invaders?" +</P> + +<P> +"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach them a lesson they will +never forget." +</P> + +<P> +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had any of +his companions. They noticed that everything around them was of a dull +gray color and that the path upon which they walked was soft and +springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were rubber +and even the path they trod was made of rubber. +</P> + +<P> +Presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed through a +deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far down the +mountain-side. Across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed that +travelers might easily leap from one to another and in that manner +cross the water to the farther bank. +</P> + +<P> +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen Ann. +After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and last +of all the Rose Princess with Files. The Clockwork Man saw the stream +and the stepping-stones and, without making a pause, placed his foot +upon the first stone. +</P> + +<P> +The result was astonishing. First he sank down in the soft rubber, +which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the air, where he +turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon a rubber rock far +in the rear of the party. +</P> + +<P> +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he disappeared; +therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you will guess was +connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and instantly shot upward +like an arrow. General Cone came next and met with a like fate, but the +others now noticed that something was wrong and with one accord they +halted the column and looked back along the path. +</P> + +<P> +There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to another, each +time rising a less distance from the ground. And there was General +Apple, bounding away in another direction, his three-cornered hat +jammed over his eyes and his long sword thumping him upon the arms and +head as it swung this way and that. And there, also, appeared General +Cone, who had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up +that his round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a +man. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed her +laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became +angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo bounding +around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them to stop, but +they were unable to obey, even though they would have been glad to do +so. Finally, however, they all ceased bounding and managed to get upon +their feet and rejoin the Army. +</P> + +<P> +"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would ask them +why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. Those stones are +rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks around us are +rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. Even this path is not a path; +it's rubber. Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are all +likely to get the bounce, just as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did." +</P> + +<P> +"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom; but +Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, so she began +dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into the air, so that +she resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly. Presently she made a +great bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and +steadily on the other side. +</P> + +<P> +"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you all +try to bound over the stream, without touching the stepping-stones." +</P> + +<P> +Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky +adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion and +began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as +high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned forward and the +next bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by the +side of the Rainbow's Daughter. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. He +managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across the +stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into the middle +of the water. +</P> + +<P> +"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy rushed +forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely beside her she +was amazed to find he was not wet at all. +</P> + +<P> +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the stream and +showing how the water fell from it and left it perfectly dry. +</P> + +<P> +"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the water." +</P> + +<P> +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the water +was shallow and would not wet them. At once they followed her advice, +avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the crossing with ease. +This encouraged the entire party to wade through the dry water, and in +a few minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed their journey +along the path that led to the Nome King's dominions. +</P> + +<P> +When Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have passed the Rubber +Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your caverns." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his anger was so great that +several times, as he strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused +to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so sensitive that the poor +nome howled with pain. Finally the King said: +</P> + +<P> +"There's no help for it; we must drop these audacious invaders down the +Hollow Tube." +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his master wonderingly. +</P> + +<P> +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make Tititi-Hoochoo +very angry." +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "Tititi-Hoochoo lives on the other +side of the world, so what do I care for his anger?" +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. +</P> + +<P> +"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that he +warned you, the last time you slid people through the Hollow Tube, that +if you did it again he would take vengeance upon you." +</P> + +<P> +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply. +</P> + +<P> +"Of two dangers," said he, "it is wise to choose the least. What do you +suppose these invaders want?" +</P> + +<P> +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous ears, +who bowed low before the King. +</P> + +<P> +"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and I wish to know their +errand. Listen carefully to their talk and tell me why they are coming +here, and what for." +</P> + +<P> +The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them gently +up and down and back and forth. For half an hour he stood silent, in an +attitude of listening, while both the King and Kaliko grew impatient at +the delay. At last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke: +</P> + +<P> +"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his brother from captivity," said +he. +</P> + +<P> +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, Shaggy Man may have his +ugly brother, for all I care. He's too lazy to work and is always +getting in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" +</P> + +<P> +"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner you commanded me +to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did. I suppose he is still +there." +</P> + +<P> +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal +Forest," said the King, with a grin of malicious delight, "for half the +time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the forest and made every +tree, out of gold and silver, so as to keep the precious metals in a +safe place and out of the reach of mortals. But tell me, Hearer, do the +strangers want anything else?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The Army of Oogaboo is +determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in your +kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to divide the +spoils and carry them away." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began dancing +up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth together and swinging +his arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of anger he seized the long +ears of the Hearer and pulled and twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko +grabbed up the King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles with it, +so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began to chase his Royal +Chamberlain around the throne. +</P> + +<P> +The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip away from the +cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself out chasing +Kaliko he threw himself into his throne and panted for breath, while he +glared wickedly at his defiant subject. +</P> + +<P> +"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested Kaliko. +"There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets here." +</P> + +<P> +"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and panting. +"I'll drop 'em down the Hollow Tube—every man Jack and every girl Jill +of 'em!" +</P> + +<P> +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn the path +toward the Hollow Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube invisible, so +they'll all fall into it." +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought Ruggedo was making a +great mistake. He found the Magician and had the path twisted so that +it led directly to the opening of the Hollow Tube, and this opening he +made invisible. +</P> + +<P> +Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain went to +his private room and began to write letters of recommendation of +himself, stating that he was an honest man, a good servant and a small +eater. +</P> + +<P> +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for another +job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by this reckless +defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in seeking a job nothing is +so effective as a letter of recommendation." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Ten +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube +</H3> + +<P> +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army, might +have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician +had they known that danger lay in their pathway; for the Rainbow's +Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is a part of the Land of Oz its +inhabitants cannot easily be deceived by such common magic as the Nome +King could command. But no one suspected any especial danger until +after they had entered Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying +along in quite a contented manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, +suddenly disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they kept on +their way and all of them likewise disappeared—one after another. +Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening forward to +learn the reason she also vanished from sight. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding upon +the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and talking to +Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly Hank pitched +forward and began falling and Betsy would have tumbled over his head +had she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and held on +for dear life. +</P> + +<P> +All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly downward +but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs were +resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid with the +swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew up and struck a similar +substance overhead. They were, indeed, descending the "Hollow Tube" +that led to the other side of the world. +</P> + +<P> +"Stop, Hank—stop!" cried the girl; but Hank only uttered a plaintive +"Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for him to obey. +</P> + +<P> +After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen them, Betsy +gained courage. She could see nothing at all, nor could she hear +anything except the rush of air past her ears as they plunged downward +along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were alone, or the others were +with them, she could not tell. But had some one been able to take a +flash-light photograph of the Tube at that time a most curious picture +would have resulted. There was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding +headforemost down the incline. And there were the Officers of the Army +of Oogaboo, all tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and +trying to shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung back +and forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within their +reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a sitting +position and went flying along with a dash and abandon that thoroughly +bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to her. +Then, a little distance away, but unseen by the others in the inky +darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and +Polychrome and finally Files and the Princess. +</P> + +<P> +When first they tumbled into the Tube all were too dazed to think +clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity led straight +through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's dominions, +and long before the adventurers got to the end they had begun to +recover their wits. +</P> + +<P> +"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen Ann heard +her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe when +she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she +added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your Maj'sty?" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not too far +away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, either." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," replied +Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken him and +was now sitting on his head. +</P> + +<P> +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was this +joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a mild +and sympathetic tone of voice. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same," +exclaimed the little girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But isn't +this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making a +journey through the center of the earth—where I never expected to be!" +</P> + +<P> +"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked Betsy, her +voice trembling a little through nervousness. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I have often +heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician who was a +great traveler. He thought it would save him the bother of going around +the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the Tube so fast that he +shot out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, which at once +exploded." +</P> + +<P> +"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." +</P> + +<P> +"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl. +</P> + +<P> +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I don't think it matters +much." +</P> + +<P> +"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the stars when we come out," +said Queen Ann, with a moan. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe the Magician was going +the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are going." +</P> + +<P> +"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently removing +Polychrome's heel from his left eye. "Couldn't you manage to fall all +by yourself, my dear?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. +</P> + +<P> +All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and it was +not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you read their +words. But although they were so helpless and altogether in the dark as +to their fate, the fact that they were able to converse at all cheered +them, considerably. +</P> + +<P> +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung tightly to one +another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure the Princess, +although he was terribly frightened, both on her account and on his own. +</P> + +<P> +An hour, under such trying circumstances, is a very long time, and for +more than an hour they continued their fearful journey. Then, just as +they began to fear the Tube would never end, Tik-Tok popped out into +broad daylight and, after making a graceful circle in the air, fell +with a splash into a great marble fountain. +</P> + +<P> +Out came the officers, in quick succession, tumbling heels over head +and striking the ground in many undignified attitudes. +</P> + +<P> +"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who was hoeing +pink violets in a garden. "What can all this mean?" +</P> + +<P> +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride through the +air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on top of the +Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over his eyes and +tumbling him to the ground. +</P> + +<P> +The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he did not +go so high up. Fortunately for his little rider he struck the ground +upon his four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not hurt and when she +looked around her she saw the Queen and the Peculiar Person struggling +together upon the ground, where the man was trying to choke Ann and she +had both hands in his bushy hair and was pulling with all her might. +Some of the officers, when they got upon their feet, hastened to +separate the combatants and sought to restrain the Peculiar Person so +that he could not attack their Queen again. +</P> + +<P> +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived and +were curiously examining the strange country in which they found +themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side of +the world from the place where they had fallen into the Tube. It was a +lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be the garden of some great Prince, +for through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be seen the towers +of an immense castle. But as yet the only inhabitant to greet them was +the Peculiar Person just mentioned, who had shaken off the grasp of the +officers without effort and was now trying to pull the battered crown +from off his eyes. +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this and when the man +was free and could see again he looked at his visitors with evident +amazement. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from and how did +you get here?" +</P> + +<P> +Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and silent. +</P> + +<P> +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, 'cause I don't know the name +of the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was through the +Hollow Tube." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the Peculiar Person +in an irritated tone of voice. "If it's a tube, it's sure to be hollow." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Because all tubes are made that way. But this Tube is private property +and everyone is forbidden to fall into it." +</P> + +<P> +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome added: "I +am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down that Tube." +</P> + +<P> +"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming much +excited. +</P> + +<P> +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is right. +We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell into +the Tube." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the peculiar Person. +</P> + +<P> +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the question, +"'cause we don't know him at all; but we started out to conquer him, +which isn't as friendly as it might be." +</P> + +<P> +"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully from one to another of +them for a while and then he turned his head over his shoulder and +said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good brothers. It will be +best to take these strangers to the Private Citizen." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that +seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible. +</P> + +<P> +All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even Polychrome was so startled +that her gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze. Shaggy +shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked very unhappy; the officers +clung to each other, trembling violently. +</P> + +<P> +But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar +Person. As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary +land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you what he looked +like. +</P> + +<P> +His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. His eyes were large and +blue in color and his teeth finely formed and white as snow. His hair +was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at the ends. So far no +one could find any fault with his appearance. He wore a robe of +scarlet, which did not cover his arms and extended no lower than his +bare knees. On the bosom of the robe was embroidered a terrible +dragon's head, as horrible to look at as the man was beautiful. His +arms and legs were left bare and the skin of one arm was bright yellow +and the skin of the other arm a vivid green. He had one blue leg and +one pink one, while both his feet—which showed through the open +sandals he wore—were jet black. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or the +natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over the man +who had been called "Tubekins" said: +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me to the Residence—all of you!" +</P> + +<P> +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them, Tubekins, +lying in the water of the fountain." +</P> + +<P> +"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, and he'll drown." +</P> + +<P> +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyhow," agreed Shaggy, as +with one accord they all started for the fountain. But before they +could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the marble basin +and set him upon his feet beside it, water dripping from every joint of +his copper body. +</P> + +<P> +"Ma—ny tha—tha—tha—thanks!" he said; and then his copper jaws +clicked together and he could say no more. He next made an attempt to +walk but after several awkward trials found he could not move his +joints. +</P> + +<P> +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's +failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very +uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around them who +were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very sorry for Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs oiling," replied Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with his eyes +by some unseen hand. Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's +joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of warm air was directed +against the copper man which quickly dried him. Soon he was able to say +"Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and his joints worked fairly well. +</P> + +<P> +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he walked up +the path toward the castle. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but just then she received +a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head; so she decided to +go. The officers who hesitated received several energetic kicks, but +could not see who delivered them; therefore they also decided—very +wisely—to go. The others followed willingly enough, for unless they +ventured upon another terrible journey through the Tube they must make +the best of the unknown country they were in, and the best seemed to be +to obey orders. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Eleven +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies +</H3> + +<P> +After a short walk through very beautiful gardens they came to the +castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a great +domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated. +</P> + +<P> +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought this man must be the +King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all the +strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a high +throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant throne and in a flash +became invisible and disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +The hall was an immense place, but there seemed to be no one in it +beside themselves. Presently, however, they heard a low cough near +them, and here and there was the faint rustling of a robe and a slight +patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly there rang out the clear tone of +a bell and at the sound all was changed. +</P> + +<P> +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw that it was filled with +hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces and staring blue +eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon their heads. +In fact, these people seemed exact duplicates of Tubekins and it was +difficult to find any mark by which to tell them apart. +</P> + +<P> +"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to Polychrome, +who sat beside her and appeared much interested in the scene but not a +bit worried. +</P> + +<P> +"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply; "but I +cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one +country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was Master." +</P> + +<P> +One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark turned to her +and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only to +himself. In this favored land all Kings and Queens are equal, and it is +our privilege to bow before one supreme Ruler—the Private Citizen." +</P> + +<P> +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang out and +instantly there appeared seated in the throne the man who was lord and +master of all these royal ones. This fact was evident when with one +accord they fell upon their knees and touched their foreheads to the +floor. +</P> + +<P> +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, except that his eyes +were black instead of blue and in the centers of the black irises +glowed red sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his features were +very beautiful and dignified and his manner composed and stately. +Instead of the prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, and the +same dragon's head that decorated the others was embroidered upon its +bosom. +</P> + +<P> +"What charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, +even tones. +</P> + +<P> +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the reply. +</P> + +<P> +"You see, it was this way," said Betsy. "We were marching to the Nome +King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when on a sudden—" +</P> + +<P> +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly. +</P> + +<P> +"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and—" +</P> + +<P> +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen. +</P> + +<P> +"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and—" +</P> + +<P> +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the leader?" +</P> + +<P> +No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn stood up. +</P> + +<P> +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see that sixteen of you are +merely officers, and of no account." +</P> + +<P> +"But we have an Army," said General Clock, blusteringly, for he didn't +like to be told he was of no account. +</P> + +<P> +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. +</P> + +<P> +"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty. "I'm the +on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty." +</P> + +<P> +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the Clockwork +Man. +</P> + +<P> +"Pardon me for not realizing your importance before," said he. "Will +you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?" +</P> + +<P> +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and Queens +making way for him. Then with clanking steps he mounted the platform +and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen. +</P> + +<P> +Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the humble +Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old friend's +importance had been recognized by the ruler of this remarkable country. +The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, who told in his mechanical +voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how Ozma of Oz had +sent the Clockwork Man to assist him, and how they had fallen in with +Queen Ann and her people from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy and Hank +and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had happened to join their party. +</P> + +<P> +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the +Nomes?" asked the Citizen. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's reply. +"But he was too clev-er for us. When we got close to his cav-ern he +made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in-vis-i-ble, so +that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was there. It was an eas-y +way to get rid of us and now Rug-gedo is safe and we are far a-way in a +strange land." +</P> + +<P> +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking. Then he said: +</P> + +<P> +"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the laws of our +country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube must be tortured +for nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into the Tube. But it +is wise to disregard laws when they conflict with justice, and it seems +that you and your followers did not disobey our laws willingly, being +forced into the Tube by Ruggedo. Therefore the Nome King is alone to +blame, and he alone must be punished." +</P> + +<P> +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther side of +the world where he is a-way out of your reach." +</P> + +<P> +The Citizen drew himself up proudly. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of the +reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"I am." +</P> + +<P> +"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?" +</P> + +<P> +"It is." +</P> + +<P> +Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so disturbed +that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his +brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the first time, while +Files put his arms around the Rose Princess as if to protect her. As +for the officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them moaning and +weeping at a great rate and every one fell upon his knees before the +throne, begging for mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions +so disturbed, but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was +unmoved at the discovery. +</P> + +<P> +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think Rug-ge-do is +to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of +the Nomes." +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +The Private Citizen—otherwise known as Tititi-Hoochoo, the Great +Jinjin—looked at the little girl steadily. +</P> + +<P> +"I will presently decide what is to happen to Ruggedo," said he in a +hard, stern voice. Then, turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he +continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his machinery will not allow +him to lie, nor will it allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore +these people are not our enemies and must be treated with consideration +and justice. Take them to your palaces and entertain them as guests +until to-morrow, when I command that they be brought again to my +Residence. By then I shall have formed my plans." +</P> + +<P> +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from sight. +Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise disappeared. +But several of them remained visible and approached the strangers with +great respect. One of the lovely Queens said to Betsy: +</P> + +<P> +"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I am Erma, Queen of +Light." +</P> + +<P> +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. +</P> + +<P> +"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply. "But do +not fear for him, for he will be treated royally. All of your party +will be reunited on the morrow." +</P> + +<P> +"I—I'd like to have <i>some</i> one with me," said Betsy, pleadingly. +</P> + +<P> +Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome. +</P> + +<P> +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl. +</P> + +<P> +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the Queen of Light, while +other beautiful Kings and Queens took charge of the others of the party. +</P> + +<P> +The two girls followed Erma out of the hall and through the gardens of +the Residence to a village of pretty dwellings. None of these was so +large or imposing as the castle of the Private Citizen, but all were +handsome enough to be called palaces—as, in fact, they really were. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twelve +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Lovely Lady of Light +</H3> + +<P> +The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and was a +mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they +entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens, evidently +of high degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a +wand in her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their costumes +were also emblematic of the lights they represented. Erma introduced +them to her guests and each made a graceful and courteous +acknowledgment. +</P> + +<P> +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second was +Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came +Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. These +three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white. The fourth was +Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, who +wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy +flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very +attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of +all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight +regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her. +</P> + +<P> +But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to +regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered +around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regal +drawing-room. +</P> + +<P> +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery being of +many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves +upon the downy divans after their strenuous adventures of the day. +</P> + +<P> +The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight +was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired to +another part of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms +and did not intrude themselves at all. +</P> + +<P> +The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which is +one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of +mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry, +they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the +country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a +Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name +of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that he +had no heart. But instead of this he possessed a high degree of Reason +and Justice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never +punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers Tititi-Hoochoo was +as terrible as he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil +had nothing to fear from him. +</P> + +<P> +All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to Jinjin, +for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey +the one in authority over them. +</P> + +<P> +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this +fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the +faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the +first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story +was all new, and she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she +no longer feared. +</P> + +<P> +Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed that +Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight. +</P> + +<P> +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's +head embroidered on your gowns?" +</P> + +<P> +Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered: +</P> + +<P> +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever made; +therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. By good +fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this +land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. He is +old as the world and remembers everything that has happened since the +world was created." +</P> + +<P> +"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, not +understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this +country. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we +have great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the +emblem of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who +alone have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost +equals the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it." +</P> + +<P> +"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her +lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present +interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way +to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, +and with her coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the +room. Polychrome, being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask +about the various Kings and Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded +place, and before Erma had finished answering them a rosy glow filled +the room and Firelight took her place beside the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing features +made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. Thereupon +Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own. +</P> + +<P> +"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is spread." +</P> + +<P> +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, I'm +awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." +</P> + +<P> +The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside a heavy +drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before her +a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen and +crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma +and beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was +placed on the Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other +five messengers of light now waited upon them, and each person was +supplied with just the food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish +of dewdrops, all fresh and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly +served that she decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half +so good. +</P> + +<P> +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest +of all these girls." +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile. +</P> + +<P> +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edison +discover it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. +"But electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and +therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally +beneficent to mortals and fairies alike." +</P> + +<P> +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at +the six messengers of light: +</P> + +<P> +"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?" +</P> + +<P> +Erma laughed softly. "<i>I</i> couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I think +mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take +the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlight is +of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires to rest. +If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim, and my +sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for the +skies always lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss much of +our warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of houses +encompass us. But always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious +Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I +love all my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true." +</P> + +<P> +"I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm <i>real</i> sleepy, +I can get along without any light at all." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended. +</P> + +<P> +"A little," admitted the girl. +</P> + +<P> +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, white +bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a +shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the +light-maid bade her good night and opened the door. +</P> + +<P> +When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six winks the +little girl was fast asleep. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Thirteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Jinjin's Just Judgment +</H3> + +<P> +All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were brought +from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and ushered +into the great Hall of State. +</P> + +<P> +As before, no one was visible except our friends and their escorts +until the first bell sounded. Then in a flash the room was seen to be +filled with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the land. The second bell +marked the appearance in the throne of the mighty Jinjin, whose +handsome countenance was as composed and expressionless as ever. +</P> + +<P> +All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly murmured: "We greet the +Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law and whose Law +is just." +</P> + +<P> +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. Then, looking around the +brilliant assemblage, and at the little group of adventurers before +him, he said: +</P> + +<P> +"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of other lands than ours, +who are different from ourselves in many ways, have been thrust upon us +through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our people foolishly made +years ago and was properly punished for his folly. But these strangers +had no desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into the Tube by a +cruel King on the other side of the world, named Ruggedo. This King is +an immortal, but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind more +than they benefit them. Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's +brother a prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting of +both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to punish +him. Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King misled them so +that they fell into the Tube. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that if ever +he used this Forbidden Tube in any way he would be severely punished. I +find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this King's servant, a +nome named Kaliko, begged his master not to do such a wrong act as to +drop these people into the Tube and send them tumbling into our +country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders. +</P> + +<P> +"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any wrong. It is only +Ruggedo who deserves punishment, and I will punish him." He paused a +moment and then continued in the same cold, merciless voice: +</P> + +<P> +"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side of the +world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant than it was +before. Also I shall send with them an Instrument of Vengeance, who in +my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground caverns, take away his +magic powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the face of the +earth—a place he detests." +</P> + +<P> +There was a little murmur of horror from the Kings and Queens at the +severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a protest, for all +realized that the sentence was just. +</P> + +<P> +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on Tititi-Hoochoo, "I +have realized that this will be an unpleasant mission. Therefore no one +of us who is blameless should be forced to undertake it. In this +wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty of wrong, even in the +slightest degree, and on examining the Records I found no King or Queen +had erred. Nor had any among their followers or servants done any +wrong. But finally I came to the Dragon Family, which we highly +respect, and then it was that I discovered the error of Quox. +</P> + +<P> +"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who has not yet acquired the +wisdom of his race. Because of this lack, he has been disrespectful +toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original Dragon, telling him once +to mind his own business and again saying that the Ancient One had +grown foolish with age. We are aware that dragons are not the same as +fairies and cannot be altogether guided by our laws, yet such +disrespect as Quox has shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore I +have selected Quox as my royal Instrument of Vengeance and he shall go +through the Tube with these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed." +</P> + +<P> +All had listened quietly to this speech and now the Kings and Queens +bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's judgment. +</P> + +<P> +Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins. +</P> + +<P> +"I command you," said he, "to escort these strangers to the Tube and +see that they all enter it." +</P> + +<P> +The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and brought +them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. As he did so, +the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly disappeared and only +Tubekins remained visible. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't mind going back so <i>very</i> +much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it easy for us." +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who looked solemn +and seemed to fear the return journey. One thing that bothered Ann was +her failure to conquer this land of Tititi-Hoochoo. As they followed +their guide through the gardens to the mouth of the Tube she said to +Shaggy: +</P> + +<P> +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away and leave this rich country +unconquered?" +</P> + +<P> +"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, please, for if you don't +know I can't inform you." +</P> + +<P> +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no attention to the question. +</P> + +<P> +This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around it was a gold railing +to which was attached a sign that read. +</P> + +<PRE> + "IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. + IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." +</PRE> + +<BR> + +<P> +On a little silver plate just inside the Tube was engraved the words: +</P> + +<BR> + +<PRE> + "Burrowed and built by + Hiergargo the Magician, + In the Year of the World + 1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 + For his own exclusive uses." +</PRE> + +<BR> + +<P> +"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy, when she had read +the inscription; "but if he had known about that star I guess he'd have +spent his time playing solitaire." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was impatient to +start. +</P> + +<P> +"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear him coming." +</P> + +<P> +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a live +dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. "You'll see him in a +minute; but before you part company I'm sure you'll wish he <i>was</i> +invisible." +</P> + +<P> +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. +</P> + +<P> +"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, "and I +prefer his room to his company." +</P> + +<P> +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, drawing nearer and nearer +until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, who +approached the party, nodded his head and said: "Good morning." +</P> + +<P> +Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would have felt uncomfortable +at the astonished stare of every eye in the group—except Tubekins, of +course, who was not astonished because he had seen Quox so often. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet here was +one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full grown, if not +overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color and it was thickly +set with glittering silver scales, each one as big as a serving-tray. +Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under his left ear, +and below the ribbon appeared a chain of pearls to which was attached a +golden locket about as large around as the end of a bass drum. This +locket was set with many large and beautiful jewels. +</P> + +<P> +The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly, when you consider +that he was a dragon; but his eyes were so large that it took him a +long time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and terrible when +they showed, which they did whenever the beast smiled. Also his +nostrils were quite large and wide, and those who stood near him were +liable to smell brimstone—especially when he breathed out fire, as it +is the nature of dragons to do. To the end of his long tail was +attached a big electric light. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's appearance at this +time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached to his back, one +seat for each member of the party. These seats were double, with curved +backs, so that two could sit in them, and there were twelve of these +double seats, all strapped firmly around the dragon's thick body and +placed one behind the other, in a row that extended from his shoulders +nearly to his tail. +</P> + +<P> +"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that Tititi-Hoochoo has transformed +Quox into a carryall." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. Dragon, you won't mind our +riding on your back." +</P> + +<P> +"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just now, you know, and the +only way to redeem my good name is to obey the orders of the Jinjin. If +he makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of my punishment, and +I must bear it like a dragon. I don't blame you people at all, and I +hope you'll enjoy the ride. Hop on, please. All aboard for the other +side of the world!" +</P> + +<P> +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the front seat with Betsy, +so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's head. Behind +them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the Princess, and Queen +Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the rear seats. When all had +mounted to their places the dragon looked very like one of those +sightseeing wagons so common in big cities—only he had legs instead of +wheels. +</P> + +<P> +"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he crawled to the +mouth of the Tube and put his head in. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one thought +to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great body into the +Tube and the journey to the other side of the world had begun. +</P> + +<P> +At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch their +breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort of cackling +laugh: +</P> + +<P> +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy and +fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to the other +side of the world?" +</P> + +<P> +"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I was +born." +</P> + +<P> +"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. If I +had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated my three +thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother was going to +make me a birthday cake with three thousand and fifty-six candles on +it; but now, of course, there will be no celebration, for I fear I +shall not get home in time for it." +</P> + +<P> +"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had no idea +anything could live that long!" +</P> + +<P> +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if I had +not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with him," said +Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and insists on telling +us stories of things that happened fifty thousand years ago, which are +of no interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, Grandpa isn't up +to date. He lives altogether in the past, so I can't see any good +reason for his being alive to-day.... Are you people able to see your +way, or shall I turn on more light?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing to see but +ourselves," answered Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an +automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled +his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of it enabled +them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube itself was only +dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same from one of its ends +to the other. Therefore there was no scenery of interest to beguile the +journey. +</P> + +<P> +They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving entirely +comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but this meant a +longer journey and the only way they could make time pass was to engage +in conversation. The dragon seemed a willing and persistent talker and +he was of so much interest to them that they encouraged him to chatter. +His voice was a little gruff but not unpleasant when one became used to +it. +</P> + +<P> +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this constant sliding over +the surface of the Tube will dull my claws. You see, this hole isn't +straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of tumbling freely +through the air I must skate along the Tube. Fortunately, there is a +file in my tool-kit, and if my claws get dull they can be sharpened +again." +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have been +sent to conquer Ruggedo." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann, in her most +haughty manner; "for when we get to Ruggedo I and my invincible Army +can conquer him without your assistance." +</P> + +<P> +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. "That will save me a lot +of bother—if you succeed. But I think I shall file my claws, just the +same." +</P> + +<P> +He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a sheet of flame, several +feet in length, shot from his mouth. Betsy shuddered and Hank said +"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in terror. But the +dragon did not notice that he had done anything unusual. +</P> + +<P> +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a dragon would I be if my +fire went out?" +</P> + +<P> +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. +</P> + +<P> +"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said Quox. "The fire keeps me +alive and enables me to move; also to think and speak." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said Tik-Tok. "The on-ly +dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by fire." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must confess," +retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are not a live thing; you're a dummy." +</P> + +<P> +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon. "But if you run down, +you are helpless." +</P> + +<P> +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?" inquired +Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't use gasoline." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." +</P> + +<P> +"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox. "My +great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, and he +has never once run out of fire to keep him going. But I will confide to +you that as he gets older he shows more smoke and less fire. As for +Tik-Tok, he's well enough in his way, but he's merely copper. And the +Metal Monarch knows copper through and through. I wouldn't be surprised +if Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made copper +pennies of him." +</P> + +<P> +"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok, calmly. +</P> + +<P> +"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully. +</P> + +<P> +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with irritation. "Tik-Tok is my +great Army—all but the officers—and I believe he will be able to +conquer Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, Polychrome?" +</P> + +<P> +"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daughter, with her +sweet ringing laugh, that sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells. "And +if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire-breathing dragon to fall +back on." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his mouth +and nostrils; "it's a wise little girl, this Polychrome. Anyone would +know she is a fairy." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Fourteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening +</H3> + +<P> +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the Nomes, was +trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard +work for Ruggedo to find amusement to-day, for all the nomes were +behaving well and there was no one to scold or to punish. The King had +thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him once. Not +that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On the contrary, he had obeyed the +King in every way but one: he would not stand still, when commanded to +do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him. +</P> + +<P> +We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel Ruggedo forgave +him; for he knew very well that if he mashed his Royal Chamberlain he +could never find another so intelligent and obedient. Kaliko could make +the nomes work when their King could not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo +and there were so many thousands of the quaint little underground +people that they could easily have rebelled and defied the King had +they dared to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them worse than +usual, they grew sullen and threw down their hammers and picks. Then, +however hard the King scolded or whipped them, they would not work +until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko was one of themselves +and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series of +caverns. +</P> + +<P> +But to-day all the little people were working industriously at their +tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for +the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen carefully and report what +was going on in the big world. +</P> + +<P> +"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that the +women in America have clubs." +</P> + +<P> +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning. +</P> + +<P> +"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Then their clubs are not as good as my sceptre. What else do you hear?' +</P> + +<P> +"There's a war. +</P> + +<P> +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" +</P> + +<P> +For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and spreading out his +big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said: +</P> + +<P> +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are arguing +as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive +him from his dominions." +</P> + +<P> +"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his throne. +</P> + +<P> +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." +</P> + +<P> +"Where are they now?" +</P> + +<P> +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down the cavern. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside down, they +would be falling the other way, Your Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the Tube +upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun at him. +Presently he asked: +</P> + +<P> +"How far away are those people now?" +</P> + +<P> +"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen furlongs, +eight feet and four inches—as nearly as I can judge from the sound of +their voices," replied the Hearer. +</P> + +<P> +"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said Ruggedo, "and +when they get here I shall be ready to receive them." +</P> + +<P> +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko came +bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was +just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling lake of the +Underground Kingdom. +</P> + +<P> +"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming back +again!" he exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on the +other shoe. "Tititi-Hoochoo would not allow them to remain in his +kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for some time. +That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug." +</P> + +<P> +"What, to throw them down the Tube?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into the +Tube." +</P> + +<P> +"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo scornfully. "He +never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the other side of the world." +</P> + +<P> +"True; but he might send some one through the Tube to punish you," +suggested Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my thousands of nomes?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright," answered +Kaliko with a grin. "Once I saw you running from a little girl named +Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really afraid." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I <i>was</i> afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King, with a deep +sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!" +</P> + +<P> +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered, and so +did the Long-Eared Hearer; for eggs are the only things that the nomes +greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs belong on the earth's +surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts live, and there is something +about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome with horror. If by +chance the inside of an egg touches one of these underground people, he +withers up and blows away and that is the end of him—unless he manages +quickly to speak a magical word which only a few of the nomes know. +Therefore Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to shudder at +the mere mention of eggs. +</P> + +<P> +"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of invaders; nor +is the Yellow Hen. As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing +that we are afraid of eggs." +</P> + +<P> +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him. "Tititi-Hoochoo +knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his powers are far +superior to any we can boast." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer. +</P> + +<P> +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming through the +Tube." +</P> + +<P> +The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head. But Kaliko laughed +at the King. +</P> + +<P> +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he. "The only way to +discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass." +</P> + +<P> +"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I think of it before? Look at +once, Kaliko!" +</P> + +<P> +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he +caused the other end of it to twist around, so that it pointed down the +opening of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and was able to +gaze along all the turns and windings of the Magic Spyglass and then +deep into the Tube, to where our friends were at that time falling. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon." +</P> + +<P> +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. +</P> + +<P> +"A monster. He has an electric light on the end of his tail, so I can +see him very plainly. And the other people are all riding upon his +back." +</P> + +<P> +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko looked again. +</P> + +<P> +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I imagine that the dragon is +as dangerous as eggs. Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to +punish you for dropping those strangers into the Forbidden Tube. I +warned you not to do it, Your Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few minutes he paced up and +down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all his might. After +this he turned to Kaliko and said: +</P> + +<P> +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with his claws and bite +with his teeth." +</P> + +<P> +"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko earnestly. +"On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon, because he's the toughest +creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could smash a hundred nomes +to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he could tear even you or me into +small bits, so that it would be almost impossible to put us together +again. Once, a few hundred years ago, while wandering through some +deserted caverns, I came upon a small piece of a nome lying on the +rocky floor. I asked the piece of nome what had happened to it. +Fortunately the mouth was a part of this piece—the mouth and the left +eye—so it was able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the cause. It +had attacked the poor nome and scattered him in every direction, and as +there was no friend near to collect his pieces and put him together, +they had been separated for a great many years. So you see, Your +Majesty, it is not in good taste to sneer at a dragon." +</P> + +<P> +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. Said he: +</P> + +<P> +"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon which Tititi-Hoochoo +has sent here, in order to prevent his reaching us with his claws and +teeth." +</P> + +<P> +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. +</P> + +<P> +"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" +</P> + +<P> +"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I could defeat them +single-handed; but I won't try to. I'll summon my army of nomes to +drive the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any of them I +intend to stick needles into them until they hop with pain." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch. "And that braying +Mule I'll make into hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, that it may add +to their strength." +</P> + +<P> +"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the Shaggy +Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Never!" +</P> + +<P> +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you don't want the Ugly One." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't allow anybody to order me +around. I'm King of the Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I shall do +as I please and what I please and when I please!" +</P> + +<P> +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head, aiming it +so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the floor in +order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see the sceptre coming and +it swept past his head so closely that it broke off the tip of one of +his long ears. He gave a dreadful yell that quite startled Ruggedo, and +the King was sorry for the accident because those long ears of the +Hearer were really valuable to him. +</P> + +<P> +So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered his +Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and have them +properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the Tube, where +they could seize the travelers as soon as they appeared. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Fifteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Dragon Defies Danger +</H3> + +<P> +Although the journey through the Tube was longer, this time, than +before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our friends minded +it at all. They talked together most of the time and as they found the +dragon good-natured and fond of the sound of his own voice they soon +became well acquainted with him and accepted him as a companion. +</P> + +<P> +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox is on our side, and +therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, +instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very much, for his +breath smells of brimstone, he is very conceited and he is so strong +and fierce that he would prove a dangerous foe." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech with +pleasure; "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living thing. I am +glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my good qualities. +As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really can't help it, and I +once met a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I consider far +worse." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. +</P> + +<P> +"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us quarrel +over one another's peculiarities." +</P> + +<P> +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty feet from +his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the +onions and said nothing. +</P> + +<P> +They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of the earth, +nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the little girl +remarked: +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole. And isn't it funny, +Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top when we fell +the other way?" +</P> + +<P> +"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall both ways." +</P> + +<P> +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is be-cause the world is round." +</P> + +<P> +"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in fine +working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as +the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything toward the center +of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, and why everything clings +to the surface of the earth." +</P> + +<P> +"Then why doesn't everything go on down to the center of the earth?" +inquired the little girl. +</P> + +<P> +"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy in a sad +tone. "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so solid that other +solid things can't get through it. But when there's a hole, as there is +in this case, we drop right down to the center of the world." +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry us right +up to the other end." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to figure it +out," she said after some thought. "One thing draws us to the center +and another thing pushes us away from it. But—" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "If you can't +understand it, let it go at that." +</P> + +<P> +"Do <i>you</i> understand it?" she inquired. +</P> + +<P> +"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely. "There's lots of +magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the United States, +where you and I once lived, as you can here." +</P> + +<P> +"I never did," she replied. +</P> + +<P> +"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it was +magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow and +blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? The cows +that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable as +that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that—" +</P> + +<P> +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light of +day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped +them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for +he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far away +from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a +mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns of +the Nome King. +</P> + +<P> +Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck the +ground, but most of the dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. All +were glad to be on solid earth again and they at once dismounted and +began to look about them. Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the +dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monster's back disappeared, +and this probably happened because there was no further use for them +and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his silver scales. +Of course he still wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as +well as the great locket, but these only made him look "dressed up," as +Betsy remarked. +</P> + +<P> +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of the +Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as +they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and +they were led by Guph, their most famous General. But they did not +expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so +suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the nomes had rubbed the +astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they discovered +the dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far above their heads, +while the other strangers were standing in a group and calmly looking +down upon them. +</P> + +<P> +General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's fault but +his own. +</P> + +<P> +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at them. +</P> + +<P> +"Come up here and capture us—if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, who was +winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could fight more +briskly. +</P> + +<P> +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he turned +and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed with sharp +spears and with one accord they raised these spears and threw them +straight at their foes, so that they rushed through the air in a +perfect cloud of flying weapons. +</P> + +<P> +Some damage might have been done had not the dragon quickly crawled +before the others, his body being so big that it shielded every one of +them, including Hank. The spears rattled against the silver scales of +Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground. They were magic spears, of +course, and all straightway bounded back into the hands of those who +had thrown them, but even Guph could see that it was useless to repeat +the attack. +</P> + +<P> +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled +"For—ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated +the command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which seemed to be +composed mainly of Tik-Tok, marched forward in single column toward the +nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and Hank gave a loud +"Hee-haw!" and Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed: "At +'em, Tik-Tok—at 'em!" +</P> + +<P> +The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack but in a twinkling +disappeared into the underground caverns. They made a great mistake in +being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen steps before he +stubbed his copper toe on a rock and fell flat to the ground, where he +cried: "Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick me up!" until Shaggy and Files ran +forward and raised him to his feet again. +</P> + +<P> +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he scratched his left ear with +his hind claw, but no one was paying much attention to Quox just then. +</P> + +<P> +It was evident to Ann and her officers that there could be no fighting +unless the enemy was present, and in order to find the enemy they must +boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the nomes. So bold a step +demanded a council of war. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the orders of +the Jinjin?" asked Quox. +</P> + +<P> +"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have already put the army of +nomes to flight and all that yet remains is to force our way into those +caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his people." +</P> + +<P> +"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing his +eyes sleepily. "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for you. +Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one who lives thousands of +years the delay of a few days means nothing at all, and I shall +probably sleep until the time comes for me to act." +</P> + +<P> +Ann was provoked at this speech. +</P> + +<P> +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for the +Nome King is as good as conquered already." +</P> + +<P> +But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Sixteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Naughty Nome +</H3> + +<P> +Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between Queen Ann +and Quox, for the simple reason that he did not consider the matter +worth an argument. Safe within his pocket reposed the Love Magnet, +which had never failed to win every heart. The nomes, he knew, were not +like the heartless Roses and therefore could be won to his side as soon +as he exhibited the magic talisman. +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom and now that +the entrance lay before him he was confident he would be able to rescue +his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon quarrel as to who should +conquer the nomes, if they liked; Shaggy would let them try, and if +they failed he had the means of conquest in his own pocket. +</P> + +<P> +But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she thought her Army could +do anything. So she called the officers together and told them how to +act, and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and what to say. +</P> + +<P> +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she added, "for +I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any blood—unless it is absolutely +necessary." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not think Rug-ge-do would bleed +if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der press." +</P> + +<P> +Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and then the +four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains. They drew +their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, which he did. +Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough rocks, but when he +struck the smooth path he got along better. Into the gloomy mouth of +the cavern entrance he stepped without hesitation, and after him +proudly pranced the officers and Queen Ann. The others held back a +little, waiting to see what would happen. +</P> + +<P> +Of course the Nome King knew they were coming and was prepared to +receive them. Just within the rocky passage that led to the jeweled +throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually covered. Ruggedo had +ordered the cover removed and it now stood open, scarcely visible in +the gloom. +</P> + +<P> +The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage and there +was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close to the rock +walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the pit clearly and he +avoided it; but the officers marched straight into the hole and tumbled +in a heap on the bottom. An instant later Queen Ann also walked into +the pit, for she had her chin in the air and was careless where she +placed her feet. Then one of the nomes pulled a lever which replaced +the cover on the pit and made the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen +fast prisoners. +</P> + +<P> +As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the cavern where Ruggedo sat in +his throne and there he faced the Nome King and said: +</P> + +<P> +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of Oo-ga-boo, +whose Ar-my I am, and I de-clare that you are her pris-on-er!" +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo laughed at him. +</P> + +<P> +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. "Per-haps she stopped to +tie her shoe-string." +</P> + +<P> +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, in a stern voice, "I've +had enough of this nonsense. Your Queen and her officers are all +prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll tell me what +you mean to do." +</P> + +<P> +"My or-ders were to con-quer you," replied Tik-Tok, "and my +ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those +or-ders." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely by +General Guph. +</P> + +<P> +"Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work hammering +gold," commanded the King. "Being run by machinery he ought to be a +steady worker. He ought never to have been made, but since he exists I +shall hereafter put him to good use." +</P> + +<P> +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, "for it will be +useless to resist and you might hurt some one." +</P> + +<P> +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what damage the +gun might do the nomes were afraid to face it. +</P> + +<P> +While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high officials, Betsy +Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank +the mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting for "something to +happen" and so had come to see if Ruggedo had been conquered. +</P> + +<P> +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how dare you bring that beast +here and enter my presence unannounced?" +</P> + +<P> +"There wasn't anybody to announce me," replied Betsy. "I guess your +folks were all busy. Are you conquered yet?" +</P> + +<P> +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage. +</P> + +<P> +"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry," said the +girl. "You see, this conquering business is a good deal like waiting +for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get around and don't +amount to much anyhow." +</P> + +<P> +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech that for a time they +could only glare at her silently, not finding words to reply. The King +finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: +</P> + +<P> +"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty shall be your +death-warrant. You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal from +living is so easy a thing to do that I will not keep you waiting half +so long as you did for my conquest." +</P> + +<P> +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, getting +off Hank's back and standing beside him. "And it would be a pretty +cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry. If you'll give me +something to eat, I'll talk this killing business over with you +afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't approve of it, and never +will." +</P> + +<P> +Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, although he bore +an intense hatred toward all mortals. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of hard-boiled eggs—" +</P> + +<P> +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering till +their teeth chattered. +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. "Are eggs as high here as +they are at home?" +</P> + +<P> +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his General, +"let us destroy this rash mortal at once! Seize her and take her to the +Slimy Cave and lock her in." +</P> + +<P> +Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just then +Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his knee-joints so +that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to the floor, his +gun falling from his grasp. +</P> + +<P> +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab at Betsy. At the same +time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where his belt +was buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannon-ball, struck the +Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the wall of rock on +the opposite side of the cavern. Together they fell to the floor in a +dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy: +</P> + +<P> +"Come with me—quick!—and I will save you." +</P> + +<P> +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed honest +and good-natured, so she decided to follow him. He led her and the mule +through several passages and into a small cavern very nicely and +comfortably furnished. +</P> + +<P> +"This is my own room," said he, "but you are quite welcome to use it. +Wait here a minute and I'll get you something to eat." +</P> + +<P> +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray containing some broiled +mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the mushrooms +delicious. +</P> + +<P> +"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock yourself in." +</P> + +<P> +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?" she +asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll see. Where are they?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said Kaliko; "but +don't let anyone in unless they give the three raps." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern she +closed and locked the door. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves prisoners in +the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were tired out, but no one +had come to their assistance. It was very dark and damp in the pit and +they could not climb out because the walls were higher than their heads +and the cover was on. The Queen was first angry and then annoyed and +then discouraged; but the officers were only afraid. Every one of the +poor fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for his +orchard, and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for +causing them all this trouble and danger. +</P> + +<P> +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the pit and leaned her back +against the wall. By good luck her sharp elbow touched a secret spring +in the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann fell over backward, +but the next instant she jumped up and cried to the others: +</P> + +<P> +"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, and we may yet escape." +</P> + +<P> +Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark and dank +as the pit, and the officers followed her in single file. They crawled, +and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, for the passage was not +big enough to allow them to stand upright. It turned this way and +twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but +seldom ran for long in a straight line. +</P> + +<P> +"It will never end—never!" moaned the officers, who were rubbing all +the skin off their knees on the rough rocks. +</P> + +<P> +"It <i>must</i> end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have been +made. We don't know where it will lead us to, but any place is better +than that loathsome pit." +</P> + +<P> +So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, and while they were +crawling through this awful underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy +and Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing outside the entrance +to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what had become of them. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Seventeen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Tragic Transformation +</H3> + +<P> +"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it may take +the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to do +everything in his slow, mechanical way." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose Princess. +</P> + +<P> +"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a powerful +fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen +commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint-hearted officers." +</P> + +<P> +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, +dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful +draperies. "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for +when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her +ambitions." +</P> + +<P> +"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga. +</P> + +<P> +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may see him +from here. He said he would take a little nap while we were mixing up +with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into trouble he +would wake up and conquer the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the +Jinjin has ordered him to do." +</P> + +<P> +"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall need his +services; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her +army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the caverns and show +the King my Love Magnet. That he cannot resist; therefore the conquest +will be made with ease." +</P> + +<P> +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared Hearer, who +was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For when the King and +Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves up, their +first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his back and put a heavy diamond on +top of him, so that he could not get up again. Then they carefully put +his gun in a corner of the cavern and the King sent Guph to fetch the +Long-Eared Hearer. +</P> + +<P> +The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, but he +acknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready to obey his +commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to the King, who at +once realized that his Kingdom was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew of +the Love Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the thought that +Shaggy might show him the magic talisman and turn all the hatred in his +heart into love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred love of +any sort. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Really," said he, "I'd rather be conquered and lose my wealth and my +Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent +the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this question, and +being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he answered by saying: +</P> + +<P> +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his body, he +could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket." +</P> + +<P> +"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the problem. +"Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them in the passage +where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he enters." +</P> + +<P> +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance were +growing more and more uneasy about their friends. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, who +had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for they +could not be killed, even though Ruggedo might cause them much +suffering and perhaps destroy them utterly. But we should not have +allowed Betsy and Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl is +mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures +her she will be wholly at his mercy." +</P> + +<P> +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have +anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right +away and put an end to all this worry." +</P> + +<P> +"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of the Love +Magnet, you can soon bring the Nome King to reason." +</P> + +<P> +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the entrance +first, and after him came the others. They had no thought of danger to +themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with his hands thrust into +his pockets, was much surprised when a rope shot out from the darkness +and twined around his body, pinning down his arms so securely that he +could not even withdraw his hands from the pockets. Then appeared +several grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then +led the prisoner along the passage to the cavern. No attention was paid +to the others, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy, +determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an opportunity +might arise to rescue him. +</P> + +<P> +As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had overtaken Shaggy +she turned and ran lightly back through the passage and out of the +entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock until she paused +beside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep. +</P> + +<P> +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act." +</P> + +<P> +But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, absolutely +motionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The eyelids had big +silver scales on them, like all the rest of his body. +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known that +dragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge body +swelling as he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and pounded +against his eyelids with it, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"Wake up, Quox—wake up!" But he would not waken. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "I +wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All our +friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast lies +asleep." +</P> + +<P> +She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover some +tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might be felt; but he +lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon the ground and his +legs drawn underneath his body, and all that one could see was his +thick sky-blue skin—thicker than that of a rhinoceros—and his silver +scales. +</P> + +<P> +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over the +fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and +hurried along the passage into the Nome King's cavern. +</P> + +<P> +Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a long pipe. +Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged before the King +were the Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok still lay +upon the floor, weighted down by the big diamond. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he had +met the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet was +indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from the King, but +Shaggy was powerless to show it and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the +talisman it could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he +believed Kaliko had placed them in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her +officers he thought safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear +of Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he had ordered golden +handcuffs placed upon their wrists. These did not cause them any great +annoyance but prevented them from making an attack, had they been +inclined to do so. +</P> + +<P> +The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the situation, was +laughing and jeering at his prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely +beautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern. +</P> + +<P> +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he stared +hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and pulled the +wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers. "On my word," said +he, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you are +a fairy." +</P> + +<P> +"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate +everybody—but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautiful +cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls have every tint +and color of your Rainbow—and they are not so elusive. I'll have fresh +dewdrops gathered for your feasting every day and you shall be Queen of +all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like." +</P> + +<P> +"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, and I'm +only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why +my friends have been wound with cords and bound with chains?" +</P> + +<P> +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know how +powerful I am." +</P> + +<P> +"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send them +back to the earth's surface?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer for their invasion. But +I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with me +and I'll set all these people free. You shall be my daughter or my wife +or my aunt or grandmother—whichever you like—only stay here to +brighten my gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to Shaggy and +asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something of a +Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome." +</P> + +<P> +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my friends +would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long the society +of such a wicked monster as you." +</P> + +<P> +"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also are in +my power." +</P> + +<P> +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of your +spite or malice." +</P> + +<P> +"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang forward +to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to +clutch her his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was in +another part of the room, as smiling and composed as before. +</P> + +<P> +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even came down +from his throne to assist his General; but never could they lay hands +upon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there with the +swiftness of light and constantly defied them with her merry laughter +as she evaded their efforts. +</P> + +<P> +So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned to his +throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a finely-woven +handkerchief of cloth-of-gold. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," replied +the Nome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the executioners." +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of nomes, +all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated master. They +bore great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and clamps and chains +and various wicked-looking instruments, all made of precious metals and +set with diamonds and rubies. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the executioners, +"fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the pit and torture +them here in my presence—as well as in the presence of their friends. +It will be great sport." +</P> + +<P> +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, and went +with his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he returned and bowed +to Ruggedo. +</P> + +<P> +"They're all gone," said he. +</P> + +<P> +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" +</P> + +<P> +"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the pit." +</P> + +<P> +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?" +</P> + +<P> +"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners were not +under it." +</P> + +<P> +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his disappointment, +"go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl and the donkey. And +while we are torturing them Kaliko must take a hundred nomes and search +for the escaped prisoners—the Queen of Oogaboo and her officers. If he +does not find them, I will torture Kaliko." +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the King was +cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang and the +executioners also went away, in another direction, but when they came +back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was Hank. +</P> + +<P> +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang. +</P> + +<P> +"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are you sure +you found the right cave?" +</P> + +<P> +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," returned Pang +positively. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, these +disappointments but made him the more vindictive and he cast an evil +look at the other prisoners and said: +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who +cannot escape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind +about Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, seething heat, +and then we'll dump the copper man into it and melt him up." +</P> + +<P> +"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the room +after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo people, "you +must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and interesting machine. +It would be a shame to deprive the world of such a clever contrivance." +</P> + +<P> +"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" roared the +King. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you know +I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga-chips of you! The next to +consider," he added more mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he owns the +Love Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, and then we can +practice shooting at him with Tik-Tok's gun. Now, this is a very +interesting ceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and see that +I've nothing up my sleeve." +</P> + +<P> +He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and then he +waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles over his victim's +head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the magic wugwa: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo!<BR> + Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead of the +Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings +confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave an order to +Pang, who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove +quickly flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the Rose Princess, +who stroked it tenderly. +</P> + +<P> +"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands gleefully +together. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the others." +</P> + +<P> +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above +transformation; for, although the exact magical formula has been +described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone to +transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo used. +There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing this +transformation, but if it should be attempted in any other country, and +the magic worked, the magician would be severely punished.) +</P> + +<P> +When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and realized +that Ruggedo was about to do something as dreadful to the Princess and +Files, and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a crucible, she turned +and ran from the cavern, through the passage and back to the place +where Quox lay asleep. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Eighteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Clever Conquest +</H3> + +<P> +The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even snoring in a +manner that resembled distant thunder; but Polychrome was now +desperate, because any further delay meant the destruction of her +friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to which was attached the great +locket, and jerked it with all her strength. +</P> + +<P> +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped snoring and his eyelids +flickered. So Polychrome jerked again—and again—till slowly the great +lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. Said he, in a sleepy +tone: +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter, little Rainbow?" +</P> + +<P> +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has captured all our +friends and is about to destroy them." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would happen. Step a little +out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the Nome King's +cavern." +</P> + +<P> +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised himself on his stout legs, +whisked his long tail and in an instant had slid down the rocks and +made a dive through the entrance. +</P> + +<P> +Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it with his immense body, +and now he poked his head into the jeweled cavern of Ruggedo. +</P> + +<P> +But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the dragon, +whenever he might appear. No sooner did Quox stick his head into the +room than a thick chain fell from above and encircled his neck. Then +the ends of the chain were drawn tight—for in an adjoining cavern a +thousand nomes were pulling on them—and so the dragon could advance no +further toward the King. He could not use his teeth or his claws and as +his body was still in the passage he had not even room to strike his +foes with his terrible tail. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his stratagem. He had just +transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was about to transform +Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon appeared to interrupt him. So +he called out: +</P> + +<P> +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal entertainment. Since you are here, +you shall witness some very neat magic, and after I have finished with +Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a tiny lizard—one of +the chameleon sort—and you shall live in my cavern and amuse me." +</P> + +<P> +"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a quiet +voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic." +</P> + +<P> +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around my neck?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such a +silly thing." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little chuckle of +amusement. +</P> + +<P> +"I do," declared Ruggedo. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as helpless as +a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, +enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever Your Majesty looked +upon it all knowledge of magic would desert you instantly, nor will any +magical formula you can remember ever perform your bidding." +</P> + +<P> +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half frightened, +nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried to transform him +into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the right words or the +right pass of the hands and after several trials he finally gave up the +attempt. +</P> + +<P> +By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly shaking +in his shoes. +</P> + +<P> +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and now you +see the result of your disobedience." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, who dodged +it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to +swagger: +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these invaders; +fire and the sword will do the business and I am still King of the +Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" +</P> + +<P> +"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The Great Jinjin +commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom and seek the earth's +surface, where you will wander for all time to come, without a home or +country, without a friend or follower, and without any more riches than +you can carry with you in your pockets. The Great Jinjin is so generous +that he will allow you to fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but +you must take nothing more." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. +</P> + +<P> +"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a hoarse +voice. +</P> + +<P> +"He does," said Quox. +</P> + +<P> +"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden Tube?" +</P> + +<P> +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do it, +either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King of the Nomes, +until the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi-Hoochoo and all his +fairies—as well as his clumsy messenger, whom I have been obliged to +chain up!" +</P> + +<P> +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that made +Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so cold and +merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome King +trembled and was sick at heart. +</P> + +<P> +There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the dragon was +now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared at the immense +head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the old King's eyes +as he watched his enemy's movements. +</P> + +<P> +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had something +to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he raised one claw, +touched the catch of the great jeweled locket that was suspended around +his neck, and at once it opened wide. +</P> + +<P> +Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out upon +the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. But the effect +upon the nomes of this simple thing was astounding. General Guph, +Kaliko, Pang and his band of executioners were all standing close to +the door that led to the vast series of underground caverns which +constituted the dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw the +eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through the +door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped upon +the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily +toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and crafty +Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled +directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne where he had +taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the seat. +</P> + +<P> +This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was real and +absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the center of the room +and then ran to a far corner. +</P> + +<P> +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction. +Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then he +drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the advancing +eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer. +The King stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until they were +but half a yard distant; then with an agile leap he jumped clear over +them and made a rush for the passage that led to the outer entrance. +</P> + +<P> +Of course the dragon was in his way, being chained in the passage with +his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King making toward him he +crouched as low as he could and dropped his chin to the floor, leaving +a small space between his body and the roof of the passage. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled by fear, he leaped to the +dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he succeeded in +squeezing himself through the opening. After the head was passed there +was more room and he slid along the dragon's scales to his tail and +then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the entrance. Not +pausing here, so great was his fright, the King dashed on down the +mountain path, but before he had gone very far he stumbled and fell. +</P> + +<P> +When he picked himself up he observed that no one was following him, +and while he recovered his breath he happened to think of the decree of +the Jinjin—that he should be driven from his Kingdom and made a +wanderer on the face of the earth. Well, here he was, driven from his +cavern in truth; driven by those dreadful eggs; but he would go back +and defy them; he would not submit to losing his precious Kingdom and +his tyrannical powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must. +</P> + +<P> +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back along +the path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six eggs +lying in a row just before the arched opening. +</P> + +<P> +At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, for the +eggs were now motionless. While he was wondering what could be done, he +remembered there was a magical charm which would destroy eggs and +render them harmless to nomes. There were nine passes to be made and +six verses of incantation to be recited; but Ruggedo knew them all. Now +that he had ample time to be exact, he carefully went through the +entire ceremony. +</P> + +<P> +But nothing happened. The eggs did not disappear, as he had expected; +so he repeated the charm a second time. When that also failed, he +remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic power had been taken +away from him and in the future he could do no more than any common +mortal. +</P> + +<P> +And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom which he +had ruled so long with absolute sway! He threw rocks at them, but could +not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and tore his hair and beard, +and danced in helpless passion, but that did nothing to avert the just +judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil deeds had brought upon +him. +</P> + +<P> +From this time on he was an outcast—a wanderer upon the face of the +earth—and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with gold and +jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Nineteen +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +King Kaliko +</H3> + +<P> +After the King had made good his escape Files said to the dragon, in a +sad voice: +</P> + +<P> +"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you were sleeping instead +of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a fiddle without a +bow, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, and I +have my orders from the Great Jinjin himself. Bring the fiddle here and +touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." +</P> + +<P> +Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the Nome +King's charm was broken and the Rose Princess herself stood before them +as sweet and smiling as ever. +</P> + +<P> +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had seen and heard all +this, so without being told what to do it flew straight to the dragon +and alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was himself again and +Quox said to him grumblingly: +</P> + +<P> +"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more particular where +you step." +</P> + +<P> +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his natural +form. Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest and to +assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the wicked King who want-ed to +melt me in a cru-ci-ble?" +</P> + +<P> +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had managed +to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had witnessed the +occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder where Betsy Bobbin and +Hank can be, and if any harm has befallen them." +</P> + +<P> +"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared Shaggy; but +when he went to the door leading to the other caverns he found it shut +and barred. +</P> + +<P> +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I believe I +can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold." +</P> + +<P> +"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened in +some other room, so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a prisoner +only because I wished to be one," and with this he stepped forward and +burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been threads. +</P> + +<P> +But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty +strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted +himself in a corner to think of a better way. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's big +gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening. +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo +and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he +heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the +King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious; so he +took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern. +</P> + +<P> +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments +removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and +so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo's +messenger, and bowed humbly before the beast. +</P> + +<P> +"What is your will?" he inquired. +</P> + +<P> +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. +</P> + +<P> +"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. +</P> + +<P> +So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the door. The +little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the door. +</P> + +<P> +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in disgrace and +your friends are asking for you." +</P> + +<P> +So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the throne +cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends. They told +her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind Kaliko had +been to her. Quox did not have much to say until the conversation was +ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has done?" +</P> + +<P> +"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the question. +"Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure." +</P> + +<P> +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they did +Ruggedo." +</P> + +<P> +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes, and +Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said +Quox. +</P> + +<P> +"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I salute Your +Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom!" +</P> + +<P> +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made haste +to congratulate the new King. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo long +ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered to help +your brother to escape, but he would not go." +</P> + +<P> +"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of our +family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he added +anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in these +dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it +worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has only to amuse +himself." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or when he +pleases, and is not his own master." +</P> + +<P> +"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"In the Metal Forest." +</P> + +<P> +"Where is that?" +</P> + +<P> +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in all our +dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out of doors, it +is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse himself, as +well as to tire out his hard-working nomes. All the trees are gold and +silver and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so it is a sort +of treasury." +</P> + +<P> +"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded Shaggy +earnestly. +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko hesitated. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made three +secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the location of +these passages every week, so that no one can get to the Metal Forest +without his permission. However, if we look sharp, we may be able to +discover one of these secret ways." +</P> + +<P> +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the Officers +of Oogaboo," said Files. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit in the +passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but when the +executioners went to look for them they had all disappeared from the +pit and we could find no trace of them." +</P> + +<P> +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann knew +any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear like that +<i>seems</i> like magic; now, doesn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the mystery. +</P> + +<P> +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we cannot +help them or be helped by them. And the important thing just now is to +rescue my dear brother from captivity." +</P> + +<P> +"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I cannot remember his looks very +well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our family are +noted for their handsome faces." +</P> + +<P> +Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome relieved +his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but +lovely in disposition." +</P> + +<P> +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, "is +to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest." +</P> + +<P> +"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief nomes of +my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am their new King. +Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for the secret passages. +</P> + +<P> +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting sleepy +again. +</P> + +<P> +Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo used to +do; but no one answered the summons. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he had +seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain, +and will be until I appoint another in my place." +</P> + +<P> +So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to answer the +summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the royal cavern, Kaliko +first pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, wearing Ruggedo's +discarded ruby crown and holding in his hand the sceptre which Ruggedo +had so often thrown at his head. +</P> + +<P> +When Guph entered he was amazed. +</P> + +<P> +"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," he said +warningly. +</P> + +<P> +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his +stead," announced Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of those who +stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new King. +</P> + +<P> +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a hard +master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph +that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw +the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it. +</P> + +<P> +All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went away to +tell the news to all the nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one of +whom would be delighted with the change in Kings. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Quox Quietly Quits +</H3> + +<P> +When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully +saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kaliko +questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all +had assisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search +carefully for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as +they had found it. +</P> + +<P> +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so +regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and there +he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. The others of +the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns of the nomes +afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for his +promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could. +</P> + +<P> +Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of the +sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, +nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading to +the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all +were curious to know what had become of them. +</P> + +<P> +On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said +to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished +and I must depart for the other side of the world, where I belong." +</P> + +<P> +"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to +talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as +soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out +at the other end I will wake up at home." +</P> + +<P> +They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasant +journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just +condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quox +yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which he +slid headforemost and disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had been +both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but +they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. So they went +back to the caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that +led to the forest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved +in vain. +</P> + +<P> +It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch +for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering +upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces. +And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock, +whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo! +</P> + +<P> +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn +and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left +his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer +seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman. +</P> + +<P> +Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only to +find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must +accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret +now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. +He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much +better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the +caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a +chance to fill his pockets. +</P> + +<P> +That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest. +</P> + +<P> +"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and +once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the +world." +</P> + +<P> +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. +Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew +of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so +he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying +her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger. +The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as +many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could. +</P> + +<P> +Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around to +make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it +swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered, +swinging the rock in place behind him. +</P> + +<P> +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have done, +for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her clear eyes +marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hidden +spring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko +and her friends of her discovery. +</P> + +<P> +"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimed +Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor +brother!" +</P> + +<P> +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes to +assist them by carrying torches to light their way. +</P> + +<P> +"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but the +passage across the valley is likely to be dark." +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in less +than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the passage and +following swiftly after the former King. +</P> + +<P> +"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he will find +he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomes +throw him out." +</P> + +<P> +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he +deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights +square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into Slimy +Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any sympathy. But +you'll have to let him take as much treasure as he can get in his +pockets, Kaliko." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is more +treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in their +pockets." +</P> + +<P> +It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially when the +torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But it proved to +be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with walking and was +seated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a sharp turn and +a wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The next moment they +were all standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal Forest. +</P> + +<P> +It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed cavern, the +roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In this space the +industrious nomes had built, during many years of labor, the most +beautiful forest in the world. The trees—trunks, branches and +leaves—were all of solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were +formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees towered as high as +natural live oaks do and were of exquisite workmanship. +</P> + +<P> +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size, +while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut +diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more treasure was +gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the +world—if we except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is equalled +in the famous Emerald City. +</P> + +<P> +Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they stood +gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in this +place?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or three +years, to my positive knowledge." +</P> + +<P> +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully swell +place to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and di'monds, or +even gold." +</P> + +<P> +"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal Forest +does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. Beyond these gold +and silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear foods +very nice to eat. Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite sure we +will find Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather than in +this." +</P> + +<P> +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at every +step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the +golden trees with their glittering foliage. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every direction as +some one hidden among the bushes scampered away before them. Then a +loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty-One +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Bashful Brother +</H3> + +<P> +With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a group of +stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing scene. +</P> + +<P> +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a dozen of +whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast in spite of his +efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, looking grimly upon the +scene of strife; but when she observed her former companions +approaching she turned away in a shamefaced manner. +</P> + +<P> +For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her Majesty's +clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds +by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, had led her +directly into the Metal Forest. It was, indeed, one of the three secret +passages, and by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had not only +torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her crown had become bent and +battered and even her shoes were so cut and slashed that they were +ready to fall from her feet. +</P> + +<P> +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for holes were +worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp points of rock in the +roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every inch of their once +brilliant uniforms. A more tattered and woeful army never came out of a +battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky passage. But it had +seemed their only means of escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had +crawled on, regardless of their sufferings. +</P> + +<P> +When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more plunder than +they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in this huge dome and +could not escape with the riches heaped about them. Perhaps a more +unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed than this band +from Oogaboo. +</P> + +<P> +After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they were +frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. Rendered +desperate by their sad condition, the officers exhibited courage for +the first time since they left home and, ignorant of the fact that +Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they threw themselves upon him +and had just succeeded in capturing him when their fellow adventurers +reached the spot. +</P> + +<P> +"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you all?" +</P> + +<P> +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant. +</P> + +<P> +"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small tunnel, which +was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our +clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we are +stiff and lame in every joint. To add to our troubles we find we are +still prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in capturing the wicked +Metal Monarch we shall force him to grant us our liberty." +</P> + +<P> +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files +informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox; +but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am pleased to +assure Your Majesty that he is our friend." +</P> + +<P> +"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as +courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment. +</P> + +<P> +The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo free; but, +as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his former servant, who +was now King in his place, in a humble and pleading manner. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my pockets," +replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb Your +Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes forever!" +declared Kaliko. +</P> + +<P> +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said +Ruggedo, meekly. +</P> + +<P> +"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by the +handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were heavy +things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and the +like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering with the weight he bore, +while the pockets were not yet filled. When he could no longer stoop +over without falling, Betsy and Polychrome and the Rose Princess came +to his assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking them into his +pockets. +</P> + +<P> +At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical sight, +for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any at all filled +with such a choice collection of precious stones. He neglected to thank +the young ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly nod of +farewell and staggered down the path by the way he had come. They let +him depart in silence, for with all he had taken, the masses of jewels +upon the ground seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous +were they. Also they hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he doesn't +get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a +bank when he gets to Oklahoma." +</P> + +<P> +"But my brother—my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired Shaggy +anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?" +</P> + +<P> +"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen. +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the Ugly One. +Perhaps you'll know him by that." +</P> + +<P> +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run away +from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, among the +trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to catch sight of +his face. So I cannot tell whether he is ugly or not." +</P> + +<P> +"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this splendid +dome, so there can be no mistake." +</P> + +<P> +"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of enjoying all +these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, "and I +remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep in. As for +these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very pretty at first +sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as well as the rich jewels +scattered beneath them; but if one has to look at them always, they +become pretty tame." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is very +wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; let us go +there and find him." +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others followed +him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his long-sought, +long-lost brother. +</P> + +<P> +Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, cleverly +made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As they approached +the place they caught a glimpse of a form that darted into the hut and +slammed the door tight shut after him. +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: +</P> + +<P> +"Brother! Brother!" +</P> + +<P> +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within. +</P> + +<P> +"It is Shaggy—your own loving brother—who has been searching for you +a long time and has now come to rescue you." +</P> + +<P> +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is a new +King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has +promised you shall go free." +</P> + +<P> +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of despair. +</P> + +<P> +"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through the +closed door. +</P> + +<P> +"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?" +</P> + +<P> +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you +remember, Shaggy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. But I +remember that mother thought you were beautiful." +</P> + +<P> +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. "But +Ruggedo wanted to injure me—to make me ugly in the eyes of all the +world—so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed +beautiful—or you might say handsome—to be very modest I will merely +claim that I was good-looking—and I wakened the next morning the +homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive that when I look in a +mirror I frighten myself." +</P> + +<P> +"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were silent from +sympathy. +</P> + +<P> +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's +brother, "that I tried to hide; but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me to +appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: 'Behold the +Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my face they all fell to laughing and +jeering, which prevented them from working at their tasks. Seeing this, +Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a tunnel, closing the rock +entrance so that I could not get out. I followed the length of the +tunnel until I reached this huge dome, where the marvelous Metal Forest +stands, and here I have remained ever since." +</P> + +<P> +"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you now to come forth and +face us, who are your friends. None here will laugh or jeer, however +unhandsome you may be." +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. +</P> + +<P> +But the Ugly One refused the invitation. +</P> + +<P> +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I am." +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him. +</P> + +<P> +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. "I cannot leave my dear +brother here, and he refuses to come out of that house and face us." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on a mask." +</P> + +<P> +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully; and then he +called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then none of us +can see what your features are like." +</P> + +<P> +"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One. +</P> + +<P> +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my handkerchief." +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough to +hide a man's face. But he can use mine." +</P> + +<P> +Saying this he took from his pocket his own handkerchief and went to +the door of the hut. +</P> + +<P> +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this handkerchief and make a mask +of it. I will also pass you my knife, so that you may cut holes for the +eyes, and then you must tie it over your face." +</P> + +<P> +The door slowly opened, just far enough for the Ugly One to thrust out +his hand and take the handkerchief and the knife. Then it closed again. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy. "You must breathe, +you know." +</P> + +<P> +For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her army sat down upon the +ground to rest. Betsy sat on Hank's back. Polychrome danced lightly up +and down the jeweled paths while Files and the Princess wandered +through the groves arm in arm. Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood +motionless. +</P> + +<P> +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was thrown open to allow +the Ugly One to step forth. +</P> + +<P> +Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how sensitive to +ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief with which he had +masked his features was a red one covered with big white polka dots. In +this two holes had been cut—in front of the eyes—while two smaller +ones before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe freely. The cloth +was then tightly drawn over the Ugly One's face and knotted at the back +of his neck. +</P> + +<P> +He was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were sadly +worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and his shoes +were stub-toed and needed blackening. "But what can you expect," +whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner for so many +years?" +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found brother with +both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him +forward and introduced him to all the assembled company. +</P> + +<P> +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He is our +friend, and has granted you your freedom." +</P> + +<P> +"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I dread to +go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I remain forever +masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop all the +clocks." +</P> + +<P> +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was fond +of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes know +nothing of." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," suggested +Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to escape." +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am very +happy to have found you again, although I may never see your face. So +let us make the most of this joyful reunion." +</P> + +<P> +The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and the tears +began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them away +with his coat sleeve. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty-Two +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Kindly Kisses +</H3> + +<P> +"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" Betsy asked +the Ugly One. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless things, +and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness had I not found +this natural forest at the edge of the artificial one. Anyhow, without +these real trees I should soon have starved to death." +</P> + +<P> +Betsy looked around at the quaint trees. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you find to +eat here?" +</P> + +<P> +"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that grove at +your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do +not grow in your country, or in any other place but this cavern. I have +named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a certain kind of table +d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.'" +</P> + +<P> +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' like?" +</P> + +<P> +"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the Ugly One. "All +you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down and eat your +dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a cupfull of good soup. +After you've eaten that, you unscrew the middle part and find a hollow +filled with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine salad. Eat that, +and unscrew the next section, and you come to the dessert in the bottom +of the nut. That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and +raisins. The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in flavor or +in contents, but they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner." +</P> + +<P> +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which grow over there at the +right. They bear nuts, like the others, only the nuts contain coffee or +chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal instead of meat-and-potatoes, and +fruits instead of dessert. Sad as has been my life in this wonderful +prison, I must admit that no one could live more luxuriously in the +best hotel in the world than I have lived here; but I will be glad to +get into the open air again and see the good old sun and the silvery +moon and the soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed by the +morning dew. Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things than the +glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little boy who wanted to catch +the measles, because all the little boys in his neighborhood but him +had had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't catch 'em, +try as he would. So I'm pretty certain that the things we want, and +can't have, are not good for us. Isn't that true, Shaggy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If we didn't want anything, +we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our longings are +natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go far wrong." +</P> + +<P> +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a dreary +place without the gold and jewels." +</P> + +<P> +"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; "but we may have too +much of any good thing. And I have noticed that the value of anything +depends upon how scarce it is, and how difficult it is to obtain." +</P> + +<P> +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to their +side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother I would like to +return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the Nomes, it is my duty +to look after my restless subjects and see that they behave themselves." +</P> + +<P> +So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest to the +other side of the great domed cave, where they had first entered it. +Shaggy and his brother walked side by side and both seemed rejoiced +that they were together after their long separation. Betsy didn't dare +look at the polka dot handkerchief, for fear she would laugh aloud; so +she walked behind the two brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his +left ear. +</P> + +<P> +When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the outer +world, Queen Ann said, in a hesitating way that was unusual with her: +</P> + +<P> +"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do I expect to do so; but +I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels before I leave this +place." +</P> + +<P> +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the officers of +the Army took advantage of his royal permission and began filling their +pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big handkerchief. +</P> + +<P> +This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes going first +to light the way with their torches. They had not proceeded far when +Betsy exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" +</P> + +<P> +All eyes were turned upon the ground and they found a regular trail of +jewels strewn along the rock floor. +</P> + +<P> +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I must send some of my +nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal Forest, +where they belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" +</P> + +<P> +All the way along the passage they found this trail of jewels, but when +they neared the end the mystery was explained. For there, squatted upon +the floor with his back to the rock wall, sat old Ruggedo, puffing and +blowing as if he was all tired out. Then they realized it was he who +had scattered the jewels, from his many pockets, which one by one had +burst with the weight of their contents as he had stumbled along the +passage. +</P> + +<P> +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep sigh. "I now realize that +I could not have carried such a weighty load very far, even had I +managed to escape from this passage with it. The woman who sewed the +pockets on my robe used poor thread, for which I shall thank her." +</P> + +<P> +"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +He glanced into some of the remaining pockets. +</P> + +<P> +"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient to supply my wants, and +I no longer have any desire to be rich. If some of you will kindly help +me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, for I know you all +despise me and prefer my room to my company." +</P> + +<P> +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was +confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first time. +The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so startled Ruggedo +that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble, as if he had seen a ghost. +</P> + +<P> +"Wh—wh—who is this?" he faltered. +</P> + +<P> +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed from a +handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother, in a voice +of stern reproach. +</P> + +<P> +"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of that mean +trick." +</P> + +<P> +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble as +formerly he had been cruel and vindictive. +</P> + +<P> +"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic and give +the poor man his own face again." +</P> + +<P> +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but you must remember that +Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers. However, I never +took the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I cast over +Shaggy's brother, for I intended he should always remain ugly." +</P> + +<P> +"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote; and, if +you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to +dispel it." +</P> + +<P> +He shook his head. +</P> + +<P> +"If I did, I—I've forgotten," he stammered regretfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. "<i>Please</i> try to think!" +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his chest, +rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group. +</P> + +<P> +"I've a faint recollection that there <i>was</i> one thing that would break +the charm," said he; "but misfortune has so addled my brain that I +can't remember what it was." +</P> + +<P> +"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've treated you pretty +well, so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if you know +what's good for yourself you'll think of that charm!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. He's dreadfully ashamed +of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for it. Fact is, +Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life that it won't hurt +you to do a kind act now." +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and then tried very hard to +think. +</P> + +<P> +"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of a kiss +will break the charm of ugliness." +</P> + +<P> +"What kind of a kiss?" +</P> + +<P> +"What kind? Why, it was—it was—it was either the kiss of a Mortal +Maid; or—or—the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy; +or—or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't remember which. +But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would ever consent to kiss a +person so ugly—so dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly—as Shaggy's +brother." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with admirable courage; "I'm a +Mortal Maid, and if it is <i>my</i> kiss that will break this awful charm, +I—I'll do it!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I would be obliged to +remove my mask, and when you saw my face, nothing could induce you to +kiss me, generous as you are." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your face at +all. Here's my plan: You stay in this dark passage, and we'll send away +the nomes with their torches. Then you'll take off the handkerchief, +and I—I'll kiss you." +</P> + +<P> +"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said Shaggy, gratefully. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; "and, if it makes you and +your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances." +</P> + +<P> +So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, which they +did by going through the rock opening. Queen Ann and her army also went +out; but the others were so interested in Betsy's experiment that they +remained grouped at the mouth of the passageway. When the big rock +swung into place, closing tight the opening, they were left in total +darkness. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got that +handkerchief off your face, Ugly?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," he replied. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms. +</P> + +<P> +"Here," said he. +</P> + +<P> +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." +</P> + +<P> +He found her hands and clasping them in his own stooped until his face +was near to that of the little girl. The others heard a clear, smacking +kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" +</P> + +<P> +"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" asked Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or it may not be. I cannot +tell." +</P> + +<P> +"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"I have several," said Shaggy. +</P> + +<P> +"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at your brother's face, +while we all turn our backs. Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I guess +he can stand the horror of looking at him, if the charm isn't broken." +</P> + +<P> +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it. He gave one +look and then blew out the match. +</P> + +<P> +"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it wasn't the kiss of a +Mortal Maid, after all." +</P> + +<P> +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her sweet voice. "I am a +Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break the charm." +</P> + +<P> +Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous to +interfere. So the Rose Princess felt her way through the darkness to +Shaggy's brother and kissed him. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all turned away. +</P> + +<P> +"No," announced the former King; "that didn't break the charm, either. +It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required—or else my memory has +failed me altogether." +</P> + +<P> +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't <i>you</i> try?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a merry laugh. "I've +never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I have existed, +but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, whose unselfish +affection for his ugly brother deserves to be rewarded." +</P> + +<P> +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped lightly to the side of the +Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, thank you—thank you!" he fervently cried. "I've changed, this +time, I know. I can feel it! I'm different. Shaggy—dear Shaggy—I am +myself again!" +</P> + +<P> +Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring that released the +big rock and it suddenly swung backward and let in a flood of daylight. +</P> + +<P> +Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's brother, who, no +longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their gaze with a glad +smile. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing a +long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my +dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, the face that belongs +to you is no more handsome than it ought to be." +</P> + +<P> +"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at the man +critically. +</P> + +<P> +"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really +beautiful. You, who never beheld his ugliness, may not understand that; +but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many times, and I say +again that, in comparison with what he was, the man is now beautiful." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll take your word for it, +Kaliko. And now let us get out of this tunnel and into the world again." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap23"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty-Three +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Ruggedo Reforms +</H3> + +<P> +It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the Nome King, +where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest refreshments the place +afforded. +</P> + +<P> +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and while +no one paid any attention to the old King they did not offer any +objection to his presence or command him to leave them. He looked +fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the entrance, but they +had now disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the others and +humbly squatted down in a corner of the room. +</P> + +<P> +There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's companions were +now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the +laughter and merriment seemed so general, that Betsy's heart softened +toward the friendless old man who had once been their bitter enemy, and +she carried to him some of the food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes filled +with tears at this unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in his +own and pressed it gratefully. +</P> + +<P> +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's the +use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't +do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so badly to +everybody." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former master. +</P> + +<P> +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm +harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top of the +ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place but +underground." +</P> + +<P> +"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here as long +as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly again, I shall +drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and you'll have to +wander." +</P> + +<P> +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work being a +King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I am a common +nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life." +</P> + +<P> +They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo had really +reformed. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if he +gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko +will have to 'tend to the old nome himself." +</P> + +<P> +Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or two. The +lovely Daughter of the Rainbow knew that she had now done all in her +power to assist her earth friends, and so she began to long for her sky +home. +</P> + +<P> +"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is beginning to +rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read my +thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I must take a look at the sky +and make sure." +</P> + +<P> +So she jumped up and ran through the passage to the outer entrance, and +they all followed after her and grouped themselves on a ledge of the +mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had filled the sky and a slow, +drizzling rain had set in. +</P> + +<P> +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when it +stops we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to love. +Alas," he continued, after a moment, "the clouds are already breaking +in the west, and—see!—isn't that the Rainbow coming?" +</P> + +<P> +Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose happy, +smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to take her to +the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of sunshine flooded the +mountain and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared. +</P> + +<P> +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and held +out her arms. Straightway the Rainbow descended until its end was at +her very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang upon it and was at +once clasped in the arms of her radiant sisters, the Daughters of the +Rainbow. But Polychrome released herself to lean over the edge of the +glowing arch and nod, and smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late +comrades. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted "Good-bye!" in return and +waved their hands to their pretty friend. +</P> + +<P> +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted into the sky, until the +eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting across the +blue. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who felt like +crying; "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters in +the sky palaces." +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. "It's her home, you +know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home, can +realize what that means to her." +</P> + +<P> +"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, I've only—only—dear old +Hank!" +</P> + +<P> +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not human, and he +said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her mood. And the +shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's head tenderly and said: +"You're wrong about that, Betsy, dear. I will never desert you." +</P> + +<P> +"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest tones. +</P> + +<P> +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled +through their tears. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so let's go back into the +cavern." +</P> + +<P> +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and would miss her, they +reentered the dominions of the Nome King. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap24"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty-Four +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Dorothy is Delighted +</H3> + +<P> +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated in Kaliko's royal +cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next. If I could find my way back to +Oogaboo I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and tired of these +dreadful hardships." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The world +is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with my own +people in Oogaboo. I wish—Oh, how earnestly I wish—that I was back +there this minute!" +</P> + +<P> +"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone. +</P> + +<P> +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land of Oz +the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures of her Shaggy +Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. Day by day Ozma, +with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside her, had gazed upon a +Magic Picture in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the Ruler's +cosy boudoir in the palace of the Emerald City. The singular thing +about this Magic Picture was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished +to see, with the figures all in motion, just as it was taking place. So +Ozma and the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from +the time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose Kingdom, +at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of Ozma, had been +exiled by her heartless subjects. +</P> + +<P> +When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to Oogaboo, Ozma +was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the Land +of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, +Wizard?" +</P> + +<P> +"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard. +</P> + +<P> +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided effort to +conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the +undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in her own +little Kingdom. Please send her there, Wizard, and with her the +officers and Files." +</P> + +<P> +"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard. +</P> + +<P> +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. "They have become such +good friends that I am sure it would make them unhappy to separate +them." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery whatever +he performed a magical rite that was simple and effective. Therefore +those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both startled and amazed +when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly disappeared from the room, and +with them the Rose Princess. At first they could not understand it at +all; but presently Shaggy suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma +was now taking an interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny +instrument which he placed against his ear. +</P> + +<P> +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught up a +similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to her own ear. +The two instruments recorded the same delicate vibrations of sound and +formed a wireless telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those +separated by any distance were thus enabled to converse together with +perfect ease and without any wire connection. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. +</P> + +<P> +"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little valley," +announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their disappearance." +</P> + +<P> +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must +permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have found +my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the enchantment of +ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has served me and my +comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope you will +now transport the Clockwork Man back to your fairyland of Oz." +</P> + +<P> +"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, Shaggy?" +</P> + +<P> +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others forces +me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take care of my +new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade in a dear +little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home to go to, and no other +friends but me and a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy +never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, and so I must give +up the delights of the Land of Oz forever." +</P> + +<P> +He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but laid the +tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all further +communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz still +watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful expression upon her face, +and the little Wizard of Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself. +</P> + +<P> +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless telephone +in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful a voice as he +could muster: +</P> + +<P> +"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face. "I'm kind +of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that +Queen Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is gone, and—dear +me!—where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" +</P> + +<P> +"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the cavern and +nodding wisely. "By this time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of Oz, +which is his home." +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. +</P> + +<P> +"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is wherever you and my brother +are. We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick together I am sure we +shall have a good time." +</P> + +<P> +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy, underground +cavern and go in search of new adventures. I'm sure it has stopped +raining." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, +and thanked him for his assistance, and went out to the mouth of the +passage. +</P> + +<P> +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color; the sun shone +brightly and even this rugged, rocky country seemed delightful after +their confinement underground. There were but four of them now—Betsy +and Hank, and Shaggy and his brother—and the little party made their +way down the mountain and followed a faint path that led toward the +southwest. +</P> + +<P> +During this time Ozma had been holding a conference with the Wizard, +and later with Tik-Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly +transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only words of praise for +Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy +her-self." +</P> + +<P> +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite maid, +who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request Princess Dorothy to +attend her at once. So a few moments later Dorothy entered Ozma's room +and greeted her and the Wizard and Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile +and simple manner that had won for the little girl the love of everyone +she met. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll do the +best I can. What is it all about, Ozma?" +</P> + +<P> +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three friends, +"what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into this fairyland of +Oz. It is true I have invited several mortals to make their home here, +and all of them have proved true and loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of +you three was a native of Oz. Dorothy and the Wizard came here from the +United States, and Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev. But of course he +is not a mortal. Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of all +my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and desert the new +friends he has found in his recent adventures, because he believes they +need his services." +</P> + +<P> +"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy. "But who are +these new friends he has found?" +</P> + +<P> +"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of the Nome +King, our old enemy Ruggedo. This brother seems a kindly, honest +fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to a home in the Land of +Oz." +</P> + +<P> +"Who else?" asked Dorothy. +</P> + +<P> +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was +shipwrecked—in much the same way you once were—and has since been +following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother. You +remember her, do you not?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often watched her and Hank in the +Magic Picture, you know. She's a dear little girl, and old Hank is a +darling! Where are they now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's enthusiasm. +</P> + +<P> +Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, with Shaggy +and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a barren country. +</P> + +<P> +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that they're a good way from any +place to sleep, or any nice things to eat." +</P> + +<P> +"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in that coun-try, and it is +a wil-der-ness." +</P> + +<P> +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are so +mischievous that no one cares to live near them. I'm afraid Shaggy and +his friends will endure many hardships before they get out of that +rocky place, unless—" +</P> + +<P> +He turned to Ozma and smiled. +</P> + +<P> +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, your Highness." +</P> + +<P> +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. +</P> + +<P> +"I think so," said the Wizard. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned, I'd like +to have them here in Oz. It would be such fun to have a girl playmate +of my own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear little mule!" +</P> + +<P> +Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and then she +drew Dorothy to her and kissed her. +</P> + +<P> +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +Dorothy flushed. +</P> + +<P> +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she cried. "But you're so busy +ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't always be together." +</P> + +<P> +"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it would be +a delight to us all to have Betsy with us. There's a pretty suite of +rooms just opposite your own where she can live, and I'll build a +golden stall for Hank in the stable where the Sawhorse lives. Then +we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and +I'm sure they will soon become firm friends. But I cannot very well +admit Betsy and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's brother." +</P> + +<P> +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor Shaggy, +whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok. +</P> + +<P> +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress," explained +Ozma. "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but his brother has no +claim on me." +</P> + +<P> +"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, Wizard?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all." +</P> + +<P> +"And you, Tik-Tok?" +</P> + +<P> +"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare Shag-gy." +</P> + +<P> +"So, then; the question is settled," decided Ozma. "Perform your magic, +Wizard!" +</P> + +<P> +He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and pouring +upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was contained in a +crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult incantation which the +sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, and it all ended in a puff of +perfumed smoke from the silver plate. This smoke was so pungent that it +made both Ozma and Dorothy rub their eyes for a moment. +</P> + +<P> +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the Wizard. "I assure +you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry." +</P> + +<P> +"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture; "they're gone! +All of them are gone." +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as before, but +the three people and the mule had disappeared from it. +</P> + +<P> +"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate and +wrapping it in a fine cloth, "because they are here." +</P> + +<P> +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. +</P> + +<P> +"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another man are +in the waiting room and ask to pay their respects to you. Shaggy is +crying like a baby, but he says they are tears of joy." +</P> + +<P> +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma. +</P> + +<P> +"Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small-sized mule have +mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are or how +they came here. Shall I send them here, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her chair; "I'll +go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful strange in this big +palace." +</P> + +<P> +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new friend, +Betsy Bobbin. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap25"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twenty-Five +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Land of Love +</H3> + +<P> +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the Sawhorse, as +he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly wagged the branch that +served him for a tail. +</P> + +<P> +They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of Ozma's palace, where the +wooden Sawhorse—very much alive—lived in a gold-paneled stall, and +where there were rooms for the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, +which were filled with soft cushions for them to lie upon and golden +troughs for them to eat from. +</P> + +<P> +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for Hank, the +mule. This was not quite so beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse +was Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of cushions for a bed +(which the Sawhorse did not need because he never slept) and all this +luxury was so strange to the little mule that he could only stand still +and regard his surroundings and his queer companions with wonder and +amazement. +</P> + +<P> +The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out upon the +marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and critical gaze, +while near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed equally +interested in the new animal that had just arrived. The Sawhorse, +standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his question: +</P> + +<P> +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" +</P> + +<P> +Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner. +</P> + +<P> +"I have never said anything else, until now," he replied; and then he +began to tremble with fright to hear himself talk. +</P> + +<P> +"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his great head +with a swaying motion. "Strange things happen in this Land of Oz, as +they do everywhere else. I believe you came here from the cold, +civilized, outside world, did you not?" +</P> + +<P> +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside of Oz—and the next +minute I was inside! That was enough to give me a nervous shock, as you +may guess; but to find myself able to talk, as Betsy does, is a marvel +that staggers me." +</P> + +<P> +"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the Sawhorse. "All +animals talk, in this favored country, and you must admit it is more +sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' which nobody can +understand." +</P> + +<P> +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in your outside world," +said the Tiger, yawning sleepily. +</P> + +<P> +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. "Are you the only Tiger +in Oz?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in the +Jungle Country; but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald City." +</P> + +<P> +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; "but I am the only +horse, of any description, in this favored Land." +</P> + +<P> +"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger. "You must +understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because he is +shod with plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +likes to ride upon his back." +</P> + +<P> +"Betsy rides upon <i>my</i> back," declared Hank proudly. +</P> + +<P> +"Who is Betsy?" +</P> + +<P> +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" +</P> + +<P> +The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet. The Tiger +crouched and growled. Slowly the great Lion rose to his feet, his mane +bristling. +</P> + +<P> +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in judgment or you are +willfully trying to deceive us. The dearest, sweetest girl in the world +is our Dorothy, and I will fight anyone—animal or human—who dares to +deny it!" +</P> + +<P> +"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous white +teeth. +</P> + +<P> +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn. "No +girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" +</P> + +<P> +Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the others. Then +he said stubbornly: +</P> + +<P> +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I admit there can be a +sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin. If you want to fight, come +on—I'm ready for you!" +</P> + +<P> +While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry peal of +laughter startled the animals and turning their heads they beheld three +lovely girls standing just within the richly carved entrance to the +stable. In the center was Ozma, her arms encircling the waists of +Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either side of her. Ozma was nearly +half a head taller than the two other girls, who were almost of one +size. Unobserved, they had listened to the talk of the animals, which +was a very strange experience indeed to little Betsy Bobbin. +</P> + +<P> +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, in a gentle but +chiding tone of voice. "Why should you fight to defend us, who are all three +loving friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she continued, as +they bowed their heads sheepishly. +</P> + +<P> +"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," pleaded the +Lion. +</P> + +<P> +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am glad you and the Hungry +Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and companion. +Also I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for together we have +endured both joy and sorrow. Hank has proved his faith and loyalty by +defending his own little mistress; and so you are all right in one way, +but wrong in another. Our Land of Oz is a Land of Love, and here +friendship outranks every other quality. Unless you can all be friends, +you cannot retain our love." +</P> + +<P> +They accepted this rebuke very meekly. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite cheerfully; "shake hoofs, friend +Mule." +</P> + +<P> +Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden horse. +</P> + +<P> +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger. So Hank modestly +rubbed noses with the big beast. +</P> + +<P> +The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the mule: +</P> + +<P> +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the +Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover your case. If ever you need help or +advice, friend Hank, call on me." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to see them +so fully reconciled. Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my +dears, let us resume our walk." +</P> + +<P> +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: +</P> + +<P> +"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?" +</P> + +<P> +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a Yellow Hen here, and she can +talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs in my +room who talks very nicely; but I've a little fuzzy black dog, named +Toto, who has been with me in Oz a long time, and he's never said a +single word but 'Bow-wow!'" +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know why?" asked Ozma. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's different from these fairy +animals," replied Dorothy. +</P> + +<P> +"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, "yet as +soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found he could +talk. It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you brought +here at one time. The same spell has affected Toto, I assure you; but +he's a wise little dog and while he knows everything that is said to +him he prefers not to talk." +</P> + +<P> +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never s'pected Toto was fooling me +all this time." Then she drew a small silver whistle from her pocket +and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later there was a sound of +scurrying footsteps, and a shaggy black dog came running up the path. +</P> + +<P> +Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her finger just above his +nose she said: +</P> + +<P> +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" +</P> + +<P> +Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes and wagged his tail. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as well as +Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the tone of Toto's +voice. +</P> + +<P> +"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would you like it, Toto, if I +said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?" +</P> + +<P> +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but otherwise he was silent. +</P> + +<P> +"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and his tail +just as well as we can. Don't you understand such dog language?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's got to be more sociable. +See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog, "I've just learned, +for the first time, that you can say words—if you want to. Don't you +want to, Toto?" +</P> + +<P> +"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant "no." +</P> + +<P> +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as any other animal in Oz?" +</P> + +<P> +"Woof!" +</P> + +<P> +"Just one word, Toto—and then you may run away." +</P> + +<P> +He looked at her steadily a moment. +</P> + +<P> +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away as swift as an arrow. +</P> + +<P> +Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while Betsy and Ozma both laughed +heartily at her pleasure and the success of her experiment. Arm in arm +they sauntered away through the beautiful gardens of the palace, where +magnificent flowers bloomed in abundance and fountains shot their +silvery sprays far into the air. And by and by, as they turned a +corner, they came upon Shaggy Man and his brother, who were seated +together upon a golden bench. +</P> + +<P> +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached them. +</P> + +<P> +"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma asked the stranger. +</P> + +<P> +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother. "Also +I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this delightful +place." +</P> + +<P> +"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. "Being his brother, I have +made you welcome here." +</P> + +<P> +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will be +glad he has become one of your loyal subjects. I am just getting +acquainted with him myself and I find much in his character to admire." +</P> + +<P> +Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk. +Presently Betsy exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz as <i>I</i> am. Do you know, +Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl could ever have such a good +time—<i>anywhere</i>—as I'm having now?" +</P> + +<P> +"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way myself, lots of times." +</P> + +<P> +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every little girl in the +world could live in the Land of Oz; and every little boy, too!" +</P> + +<P> +Ozma laughed at this. +</P> + +<P> +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your wish cannot be +granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and boys would crowd us +so that we would have to move away." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I guess that's true." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="finis"> +THE END +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H4> +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum +</H4> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> + THE WIZARD OF OZ<BR> + THE LAND OF OZ<BR> + OZMA OF OZ<BR> + DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ<BR> + THE ROAD TO OZ<BR> + THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ<BR> + THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ<BR> + TIK-TOK OF OZ<BR> + THE SCARECROW OF OZ<BR> + RINKITINK IN OZ<BR> + THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ<BR> + THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ<BR> + THE MAGIC OF OZ<BR> + GLINDA OF OZ<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. 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Frank Baum + +Release Date: June, 1997 +Posting Date: March 23, 2009 [EBook #956] +Most recently updated: May 29, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TIK-TOK OF OZ *** + + + + +Produced by Anthony Matonac and Paul Selkirk. + + + + + + + + + +TIK-TOK OF OZ + + +by + +L. FRANK BAUM + + + + To Louis F. Gottschalk, + whose sweet and dainty melodies + breathe the true spirit of fairyland, + this book is affectionately dedicated + + + +To My Readers + +The very marked success of my last year's fairy book, "The Patchwork +Girl of Oz," convinces me that my readers like the Oz stories "best of +all," as one little girl wrote me. So here, my dears, is a new Oz story +in which is introduced Ann Soforth, the Queen of Oogaboo, whom Tik-Tok +assisted in conquering our old acquaintance, the Nome King. It also +tells of Betsy Bobbin and how, after many adventures, she finally +reached the marvelous Land of Oz. + +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," but it is not like this +story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," although some of the adventures recorded in +this book, as well as those in several other Oz books, are included in +the play. Those who have seen the play and those who have read the +other Oz books will find in this story a lot of strange characters and +adventures that they have never heard of before. + +In the letters I receive from children there has been an urgent appeal +for me to write a story that will take Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land +of Oz, where they will meet Dorothy and Ozma. Also they think +Button-Bright ought to get acquainted with Ojo the Lucky. As you know, +I am obliged to talk these matters over with Dorothy by means of the +"wireless," for that is the only way I can communicate with the Land of +Oz. When I asked her about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you +heard?" I said "No." "Well," came the message over the wireless, "I'll +tell you all about it, by and by, and then you can make a book of that +story for the children to read." + +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted to write another Oz +book, you will probably discover how all these characters came together +in the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell all my little +friends--whose numbers are increasing by many thousands every +year--that I am very grateful for the favor they have shown my books +and for the delightful little letters I am constantly receiving. I am +almost sure that I have as many friends among the children of America +as any story writer alive; and this, of course, makes me very proud and +happy. + +L. Frank Baum. + +"OZCOT" + at HOLLYWOOD + in CALIFORNIA, + 1914. + + + + +LIST OF CHAPTERS + + 1 - Ann's Army + 2 - Out of Oogaboo + 3 - Magic Mystifies the Marchers + 4 - Betsy Braves the Bellows + 5 - The Roses Repulse the Refugees + 6 - Shaggy Seeks His Stray Brother + 7 - Polychrome's Pitiful Plight + 8 - Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task + 9 - Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless + 10 - A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube + 11 - The Famous Fellowship of Fairies + 12 - The Lovely Lady of Light + 13 - The Jinjin's Just Judgment + 14 - The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening + 15 - The Dragon Defies Danger + 16 - The Naughty Nome + 17 - A Tragic Transformation + 18 - A Clever Conquest + 19 - King Kaliko + 20 - Quox Quietly Quits + 21 - A Bashful Brother + 22 - Kindly Kisses + 23 - Ruggedo Reforms + 24 - Dorothy is Delighted + 25 - The Land of Love + + + + +TIK-TOK of OZ + + + + +Chapter One + +Ann's Army + + +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It is beneath my +dignity." + +"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye; "else we +shall soon be wading in dust. And you are the eldest, and the head of +the family." + +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. "But," she added with a +sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the Land of +Oz." + +This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, in a far corner of the +beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is named Oogaboo, +and in this valley lived a few people who were usually happy and +contented and never cared to wander over the mountain pass into the +more settled parts of the land. They knew that all of Oz, including +their own territory, was ruled by a beautiful Princess named Ozma, who +lived in the splendid Emerald City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo +never visited Ozma. They had a royal family of their own--not +especially to rule over them, but just as a matter of pride. Ozma +permitted the various parts of her country to have their Kings and +Queens and Emperors and the like, but all were ruled over by the lovely +girl Queen of the Emerald City. + +The King of Oogaboo used to be a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth, who for +many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and telling his +people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions. But the King's wife +had a sharp tongue and small respect for the King, her husband; +therefore one night King Jol crept over the pass into the Land of Oz +and disappeared from Oogaboo for good and all. The Queen waited a few +years for him to return and then started in search of him, leaving her +eldest daughter, Ann Soforth, to act as Queen. + +Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that meant a +party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite forgotten how many +years the birthdays marked. In a land where people live always, this is +not considered a cause for regret, so we may justly say that Queen Ann +of Oogaboo was old enough to make jelly--and let it go at that. + +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than she +could help. She was an ambitious woman and constantly resented the fact +that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so stupid and +unenterprising. Often she wondered what had become of her father and +mother, out beyond the pass, in the wonderful Land of Oz, and the fact +that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann to suspect that they had +found a better place to live. So, when Salye refused to sweep the floor +of the living room in the palace, and Ann would not sweep it, either, +she said to her sister: + +"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me." + +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you are very foolish to +leave this place." + +"Why?" asked Ann. + +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be a +nobody, while here you are a Queen." + +"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and forty-four +children!" returned Ann bitterly. + +"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great Land of +Oz," laughed Salye. "Why don't you raise an army and conquer them, and +be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt Ann and so to anger +her. Then she made a face at her sister and went into the back yard to +swing in the hammock. + +Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea. She reflected +that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma a mere girl who +ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed because her people loved +her. Even in Oogaboo the story was told that Ozma's sole army consisted +of twenty-seven fine officers, who wore beautiful uniforms but carried +no weapons, because there was no one to fight. Once there had been a +private soldier, besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a +Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it might accidentally +hurt some one. + +The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced it +would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in +Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. Afterward she could +go out into the world and conquer other lands, and then perhaps she +could find a way to the moon, and conquer that. She had a warlike +spirit that preferred trouble to idleness. + +It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted in her +mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly eighteen of +them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, but by surprising +Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily subdue them. "Gentle +people are always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told herself. "I +don't wish to shed any blood, for that would shock my nerves and I +might faint; but if we threaten and flash our weapons I am sure the +people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me and surrender." + +This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, finally +determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the audacious venture. + +"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more unhappy than my +staying shut up in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and +quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will venture all, and win what I +may." + +That very day she started out to organize her Army. + +The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he had an +apple orchard. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you to +join my Army." + +"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely refuse Your +Majesty," said Jo Apple. + +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen of +Oogaboo, to join," said Ann. + +"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a sad +voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important citizen, +and for that reason am entitled to an office of high rank." + +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. + +"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked. + +"Of course," said the Queen. + +Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he owned an +orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns, in great variety, both hot +and cold, grew on the trees. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command you to +join my Army." + +"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to be picked." + +"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann. + +"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he protested. + +"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals, and wear a cocked hat +with gold braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a long sword," she +promised. + +So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the Queen walked +on to the next cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so called because the trees +in his orchard bore crops of excellent ice-cream cones. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must join my +Army." + +"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a bad fighter. My good wife +conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than I. Take her, Your +Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for the favor." + +"This must be an army of men--fierce, ferocious warriors," declared +Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man. + +"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked. + +"Yes; and make you a General." + +"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo Clock, +who had an orchard of clock-trees. This man at first insisted that he +would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise to make him a General +finally won his consent. + +"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked. + +"Four, so far," replied Ann. + +"And how big will the army be?" was his next question. + +"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo join it," +she said. + +"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock. "I advise you to +make the rest of them Colonels." + +Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four men she visited--who were +Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named after the trees in their +orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; but the fifth one, Jo Nails, +said Colonels and Generals were getting to be altogether too common in +the Army of Oogaboo and he preferred to be a Major. So Jo Nails, Jo +Cake, Jo Ham and Jo Stockings were all four made Majors, while the next +four--Jo Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons--were +appointed Captains of the Army. + +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There remained but two other men +in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while there were +four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four Generals, there was +likely to be jealousy in her army, and perhaps mutiny and desertions. + +One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go at all. No +promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him. He said he must +remain at home to harvest his crop of jackson-balls, lemon-drops, +bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he had large fields of crackerjack +and buttered pop corn to be mowed and threshed, and he was determined +not to disappoint the children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the +world and so let the candy crop spoil. + +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way and +continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last man in +Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files. This Files had twelve +trees which bore steel files of various sorts; but also he had nine +book-trees, on which grew a choice selection of story-books. In case +you have never seen books growing upon trees, I will explain that those +in Jo Files' orchard were enclosed in broad green husks which, when +fully ripe, turned to a deep red color. Then the books were picked and +husked and were ready to read. If they were picked too soon, the +stories were found to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling +bad. However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine +reading and the spelling and grammar excellent. + +Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the people of +Oogaboo cared little for books and so he had to read most of them +himself, before they spoiled. For, as you probably know, as soon as the +books were read the words disappeared and the leaves withered and +faded--which is the worst fault of all books which grow upon trees. + +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both intelligent +and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great fun to conquer the +world. But he called her attention to the fact that he was far superior +to the other men of her army. Therefore, he would not be one of her +Generals or Colonels or Majors or Captains, but claimed the honor of +being sole Private. + +Ann did not like this idea at all. + +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army," she said; "they're so +common. I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private soldier, but +she made him her Captain-General, which is good evidence that the +private was unnecessary." + +"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; "but your army must fight +like fury in order to conquer the world. I have read in my books that +it is always the private soldiers who do the fighting, for no officer +is ever brave enough to face the foe. Also, it stands to reason that +your officers must have some one to command and to issue their orders +to; therefore I'll be the one. I long to slash and slay the enemy and +become a hero. Then, when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the +marbles away from the children and melt them up and make a marble +statue of myself for all to look upon and admire." + +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He seemed indeed to be such a +warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of success took +a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a gun-tree grew and +would go there at once and pick the ripest and biggest musket the tree +bore. + + + + +Chapter Two + +Out of Oogaboo + + +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the square in +front of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were attired in +gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering swords. The Private had +picked his gun and, although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried +to look fierce and succeeded so well that all his commanding officers +were secretly afraid of him. + +The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth had no right to +take their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann commanded them to +keep silent, and that was the hardest order to obey they had ever +received. + +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform of +green, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap with a +purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that everyone in +Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The Army was sorry she +was not going alone. + +"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice. + +Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed. + +"I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she observed. + +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking for +trouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the less +fighting we get, the better we shall like our work." + +"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to anything. The +only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say +that the easiest way to conquer is to fight." + +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to conquer +and to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder is to become +a hero. With such noble determination to back me, the world is mine! +Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be rich and famous. Come, +Generals; let us march." + +At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their chests. Then +they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles and cried to the +Colonels: + +"For-ward March!" + +Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For-ward March!" and the +Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the Captains +screamed to the Private: + +"For-ward March!" + +So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the officers +followed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, rejoicing in her noble +army and wondering why she had not decided long ago to conquer the +world. + +In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the narrow +mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. + + + + +Chapter Three + +Magic Mystifies the Marchers + + +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by their +ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom. The beautiful +girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her subjects and had no +time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal plans. But there was one +who constantly guarded the peace and happiness of the Land of Oz and +this was the Official Sorceress of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. + +In her magnificent castle, which stands far north of the Emerald City +where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record Book, +in which is printed every event that takes place anywhere, just as soon +as it happens. + +The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in this +book. If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads about it; if a +city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in her book. + +The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so it was she +knew that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an +army of sixteen officers and one private soldier, with which she +intended to invade and conquer the Land of Oz. + +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of +Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz--both her firm +friends--could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; but +it would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by any sort of +quarreling or fighting. So Glinda did not even mention the matter to +Ozma, or to anyone else. She merely went into a great chamber of her +castle, known as the Magic Room, where she performed a magical ceremony +which caused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo to make several +turns and twists. The result was that when Ann and her army came to the +end of the pass they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an +adjoining territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and +separated from Oz by an invisible barrier. + +As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they had +traversed disappeared behind them and it was not likely they would ever +find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They were greatly +puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not know which way to +go. None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took them some time to +discover they were not in Oz at all, but in an unknown country. + +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment; "we have +started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it. In time, as +we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come to Oz; but, +until we get there, we may as well conquer whatever land we find +ourselves in." + +"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously inquired Major +Cake. + +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no people, as yet, but when we +do, we will inform them that they are our slaves." + +"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions," added +General Apple. + +"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files; "but I hope +they will fight us, just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be any +fun at all." + +"Don't worry," said the Queen. "_We_ can fight, whether our foes do or +not; and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have the enemy +surrender promptly." + +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in. Moreover, +there was little for them to eat, and as the officers became hungry +they became fretful. Many would have deserted had they been able to +find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people were now hopelessly lost +in a strange country they considered it more safe to keep together than +to separate. + +Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and irritable as +she and her army tramped over the rocky roads without encountering +either people or plunder. She scolded her officers until they became +surly, and a few of them were disloyal enough to ask her to hold her +tongue. Others began to reproach her for leading them into difficulties +and in the space of three unhappy days every man was mourning for his +orchard in the pretty valley of Oogaboo. + +Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he +encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the officers +were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His pleasant +disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before long she +consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did his superiors. + +It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they encountered their +first adventure. Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkened and Major +Nails exclaimed: + +"A fog is coming toward us." + +"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with interest at +the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak." + +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully. + +"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the soldier, +growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be +sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that grew in my +orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful monsters, we are +not likely to conquer the world." + +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered closer +about their soldier. + +"What is the thing like?" asked one. + +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather +blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when it was +picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a deer and +swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace of fire, and the +Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, which darkens the sky for +miles around, wherever it goes. It is bigger than a hundred men and +feeds on any living thing." + +The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files tried to +cheer them, saying: + +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and you +must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of the +fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed." + +"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, and chews +us up into small pieces, and swallows us--what will happen then?" + +"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files. + +"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. "A +hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or not!" + +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will know, +when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a Rak or not. +If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but if it has an odor +of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must prepare for a desperate +fight." + +They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached the +frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose sniffed the +cloud--and every one detected in it the odor of salt and pepper. + +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the +sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in anguish. +Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more bravely, +although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his +gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldier should. + +They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which covered the sky +and the setting sun was black as ink. Then through the gloom appeared +two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once decided these must +be the monster's eyes. + +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. + +There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an excellent +bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. They flew toward +the monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry the Rak came +fluttering down and its huge body fell plump upon the forms of the +sixteen officers, who thereupon screamed louder than before. + +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that dangerous +gun of yours!" + +"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your breath +darkens my sight!" + +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, reproachfully, +as it still flapped its wings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim you +didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!" + +"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you very +badly?" + +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will notice +that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I have to talk +with my teeth set close together. Another bullet broke my left wing, so +that I can't fly; and still another broke my right leg, so that I can't +walk. It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!" + +"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding officers?" +inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your great weight is +crushing them." + +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if possible, +for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'd eat +all of you, although my appetite is poorly this warm weather." + +With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so as to +crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled completely +off from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to their feet and made +off as fast as they could run. + +Private Files could not see them go but he knew from the sound of their +voices that they had escaped, so he ceased to worry about them. + +"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he said to the Rak. "The parting +is caused by our desire to continue our journey. If you die, do not +blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a matter of +self-protection." + +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed life. +But I beg you not to leave me!" + +"Why not?" asked Files. + +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I shall be +able to eat you. My wing will heal in a day and my leg will heal in a +week, when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot me, and so caused me +all this annoyance, it is only fair and just that you remain here and +allow me to eat you as soon as I can open my jaws." + +"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly. "I have made +an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her conquer the world, +and I cannot break my word for the sake of being eaten by a Rak." + +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If you've an engagement, +don't let me detain you." + +So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the trembling +Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak. They stumbled +over the stones for a way but presently began to see dimly the path +ahead of them, as they got farther and farther away from the dreadful +spot where the wounded monster lay. By and by they reached a little +hill and could see the last rays of the sun flooding a pretty valley +beyond, for now they had passed beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak. +Here were huddled the sixteen officers, still frightened and panting +from their run. They had halted only because it was impossible for them +to run any farther. + +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the same +time praising Files for his courage. + +"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for by +running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering the +world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, he would have deserted +your Army." + +After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as they +were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party rose +quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of which Queen +Ann commanded them to make camp for the night. + +Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, when placed +upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was large enough to +permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas walls. Files +was obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was not only his own tent but +an elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair and a +magic table. This table, when set upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, +became of large size, and in a drawer of the table was contained the +Queen's supply of extra clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and +other necessary things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the +officers and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent poles. + +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of +Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to show +that the country they were in had been conquered by the Queen of +Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the flag, but Ann was +pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and considered herself already +a famous conqueror. + + + + +Chapter Four + +Betsy Braves the Billows + + +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and +the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the deck and +the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell with a splash +into the dark blue water. The same shock caught Hank, a thin little, +sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into the sea, far from the ship's +side. + +When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge had +surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair. +At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but presently she heard +a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding fast to the end of Hank's +tail. + +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now in the +far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves. + +Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a mass of +wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail and seized +the rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode upon it in safety. +Hank also saw the raft and swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never +would have been able to climb upon it had not Betsy helped him to get +aboard. + +They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a +hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well +and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from drowning. + +The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. Blinding +bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the clamor of deep +thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves tossed the little raft +here and there as a child tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a solemn +feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every direction there was +no living thing besides herself and the small donkey. + +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose +against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, +as if to comfort her. + +"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried helplessly, and +the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that meant a promise. + +On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when the +sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, while the +girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in this dreadful +emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a mule's power to +guard her safety. + +All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out and +passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had grown smaller +and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet raft and +fell asleep. + +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard Betsy. +Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and +watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over the sea. + +The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and stared +across the water. + +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. + +"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice. + +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and as +they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing brightly +between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at all. + + + + +Chapter Five + +The Roses Repulse the Refugees + + +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily waded +ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was now shining +and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of roses. + +"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling more +cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the flowers, +although they do smell mighty good." + +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the top of +the bank. + +Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A little way +off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of crystal panes +glittering in the sunlight. + +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy +thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. I'm +getting hungrier ev'ry minute." + +So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its entrance +without meeting with anyone at all. A door stood ajar, so Hank went in +first, thinking if there was any danger he could back out and warn his +companion. But Betsy was close at his heels and the moment she entered +was lost in amazement at the wonderful sight she saw. + +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all growing in +big pots. On the central stem of each bush bloomed a splendid Rose, +gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and in the center of each +Rose was the face of a lovely girl. + +As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were drooping and +their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that +he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound of his harsh voice the +rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised their heads and a hundred +startled eyes were instantly fixed upon the intruders. + +"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused. + +"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing chorus; and one of +them added: "What a horrid noise!" + +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the truth of +her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!" + +At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they were able +and trembled as if some one were shaking their bushes. A dainty Moss +Rose gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully dreadful!" + +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant. "When you +get used to Hank's voice it will put you to sleep." + +The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully and one of them asked: + +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" + +"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," answered the girl, twining +her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him tight. "Aren't +you, Hank?" + +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the Roses +shivered again. + +"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see you're frightening us out +of a week's growth?" + +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to go. We've just been +wrecked." + +"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus. + +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came and wrecked it," +explained the girl. "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and floated +ashore to this place, and--we're tired and hungry. What country _is_ +this, please?" + +"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, "and it +is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses grown." + +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms. + +"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea Rose, +bending her brows in a frown; "therefore you must go away before the +Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the sea." + +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy. + +"To be sure." + +"And is he a Rose, also?" + +"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man," was the reply. + +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much relieved, and +even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse--a +spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the other. + +He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose-colored costume, with +ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. +His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and his face puckered +and deeply lined. + +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his greenhouse, +and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over +the mule's head and danced around with his fork, in such agitation that +presently he fell over the handle of the implement and sprawled at full +length upon the ground. + +Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's head. The +little mule was angry at the treatment he had received and backed +toward the Gardener threateningly. + +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly and the Gardener +scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses. + +"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking out his head to glare +at the girl and the mule. + +"What Law?" asked Betsy. + +"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in these +domains." + +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. + +"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal Gardener, and he +was about to say more when suddenly there was a crash of glass and a +man came tumbling through the roof of the greenhouse and fell plump to +the ground. + + + + +Chapter Six + +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother + + +This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, dressed all in garments so +shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must be some animal. But the +stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and then the girl saw it +was really a man. He held an apple in his hand, which he had evidently +been eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred or flustered by +the accident that he continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked +around him. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. "Who _are_ you, and +where did you come from?" + +"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the apple. +"Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming haste." + +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy. + +"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way and--here I am." + +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to +Hank--who ate it greedily--and then stood up to bow politely to Betsy +and the Roses. + +The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the crash of +glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, but +now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in his squeaky voice: + +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the Law!" + +Shaggy stared at him solemnly. + +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he asked. + +"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the Gardener, +angrily. "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking +the Law." + +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. + +"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming forward and +taking a small book from his pocket. "Page thirteen. Here it is: 'If +any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at once be condemned by +the Ruler and put to death.' So you see, strangers," he continued +triumphantly, "it's death for you all and your time has come!" + +But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing toward +the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's heels shot out +and struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up like the letter +"U" and flew out of the door so swiftly--never touching the +ground--that he was gone before Betsy had time to wink. + +But the mule's attack frightened the girl. + +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his hand; +"let's go somewhere else. They'll surely kill us if we stay here!" + +"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's head. "I'm +not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love Magnet." + +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked Betsy. + +"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of everyone who +looks upon it," was the reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over the +gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; but when I started on +this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take it with +me." + +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are you really from the +wonderful Land of Oz?" + +"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?" + +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?" + +"Very well indeed." + +"And--and Princess Dorothy?" + +"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy. + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did you ever leave such a +beautiful land as Oz?" + +"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. "I'm trying to +find my dear little brother." + +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the poor man. + +"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, taking out a handkerchief +and wiping a tear from his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I +saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of the Sorceress Glinda, in +the Land of Oz. So now I'm trying to find him." + +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically. + +"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. Brother +was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went into his mine +and never came out. They searched for him, but he was not there. +Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably. + +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of him?" she asked. + +"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking another apple +from his pocket and eating it to relieve his misery. "The Nome King +probably got him." + +"The Nome King! Who is he?" + +"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is Ruggedo. +Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to own all the metals hidden +in the earth. Don't ask me why." + +"Why?" + +"'Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if anyone +digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that he captured +brother and carried him off to his underground kingdom. No--don't ask +me why. I see you're dying to ask me why. But I don't know." + +"But--dear me!--in that case you will never find your lost brother!" +exclaimed the girl. + +"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy. "I've wandered +so far without finding him, but that only proves he is not where I've +been looking. What I seek now is the hidden passage to the underground +cavern of the terrible Metal Monarch." + +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever manage +to get there the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner." + +"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. "You mustn't forget the Love +Magnet." + +"What about it?" she asked. + +"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will love me +dearly and do anything I ask." + +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. + +"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it to you?" + +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and drew +out a small silver magnet, shaped like a horseshoe. + +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." + +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. + +"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't even seen the Ruler of the +Rose Kingdom." + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in a perplexed tone of +voice, "we haven't any real Ruler, just now. You see, all our Rulers +grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we had got +mildewed and withered before his time. So we had to plant him, and at +this time there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes who is ripe +enough to pick." + +"How do you know?" asked Betsy. + +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of royalties are growing, I admit; +but just now they are all green. Until one ripens, I am supposed to +rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its Laws are obeyed. +Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you to death." + +"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to see those Royal Gardens +before I die." + +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, Gardener." + +"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. But Shaggy again showed +him the Love Magnet and after one glance at it the Gardener could no +longer resist. + +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the great greenhouse and +carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this they came into +the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom. + +It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within the enclosure grew +several enormous rosebushes having thick green leaves of the texture of +velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the Royal Family of the +Rose Kingdom--men, women and children in all stages of maturity. They +all seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or not fully +developed, their flesh and clothing being alike green. They stood +perfectly lifeless upon their branches, which swayed softly in the +breeze, and their wide open eyes stared straight ahead, unseeing and +unintelligent. + +While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind a big +central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise and +pleasure. For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, stood a Royal +Princess, whose beauty was amazing. + +"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside some of the broad leaves +to observe her more clearly. + +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the girl's +side; "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a Ruler." + +"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around Betsy +discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the greenhouse and +were now grouped before the entrance. + +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom don't +want a girl Ruler. They want a King." + +"A King! We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses. + +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess. + +"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. This Princess is named Ozga, +as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were she but a man, we +would joyfully hail her as our Ruler." + +The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses and Betsy +whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy." + +"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has the right to rule this +Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surely protect us and prevent our +being hurt, or driven away." + +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the beautiful Rose Princess and +a little twist of her feet set her free of the branch upon which she +grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from the bush to the ground, +where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy and said in a delightfully +sweet voice: "I thank you." + +But at the sound of these words the Gardener and the Roses turned and +discovered that the Princess had been picked, and was now alive. Over +every face flashed an expression of resentment and anger, and one of +the Roses cried aloud. + +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" + +"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy, cheerfully. + +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque Rose, and +another added with a voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over us!" + +The newly-picked Princess looked from one to another of her rebellious +subjects in astonishment. A grieved look came over her exquisite +features. + +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked gently. "Have I +not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?" + +"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the Moss +Rose, coldly; "so we refuse to allow you to rule us." + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose. + +"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet from his +pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Princess. Here--take it in +your hand and let the roses see it." + +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes of her +subjects; but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain. + +"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise. "The Magnet +never failed to work before!" + +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. "These Roses have no +hearts." + +"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're pretty, and sweet, and +alive; but still they are Roses. Their stems have thorns, but no +hearts." + +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man. + +"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully. + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses. "We +will have no Ruler until a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough to pick." + +"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must excuse me, my dear +Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, including +Ozga, must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not before." + +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying the +Magnet. + +"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly; "but no true +man will neglect his duty for the sake of love. My duty is to drive you +out, so--out you go!" + +With this he seized a garden fork and began jabbing it at the +strangers, in order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not +afraid of the fork and when he got his heels near to the Gardener the +man fell back to avoid a kick. + +But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts and it was soon +discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many sharp +thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. Neither Betsy nor +Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those thorns and when they +pressed away from them they found themselves slowly driven through the +garden door into the greenhouse. From there they were forced out at the +entrance and so through the territory of the flower-strewn Rose +Kingdom, which was not of very great extent. + +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy was indignant and angry; +Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man whistled softly to +himself. + +The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there was a +drawbridge in one place and this the Royal Gardener let down until the +outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up again and returned with +his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the four queerly assorted comrades +to wander into the bleak and unknown country that lay beyond. + +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led the way over the +stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-lost little +brother, anyhow, so it won't matter where I go." + +"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in her most +cheerful voice. "I'm so far away from home now that I don't s'pose I'll +ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, it's more fun traveling +around and having adventures than sticking at home. Don't you think so, +Hank?" + +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both. + +"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, with a gentle sigh, "I +must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, too, will be glad to +help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother." + +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. "But unless I can find +the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I shall never +find poor brother." + + +(This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he drank of the +"Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name and had to take another.) + + +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy. + +"_Some_ one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply. "But we are not +the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going until we find +a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern." + +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy. "Who +knows?" + +"No one knows that, except the person who's writing this story," said +Shaggy. "But we won't find anything--not even supper--unless we travel +on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see where it leads to." + + + + +Chapter Seven + +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight + + +The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some over the +brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the country--a real hard +shower, for a time--and sent the Rainbow scampering to the place to +show the gorgeous colors of his glorious bow as soon as the mist of +rain had passed and the sky was clear. + +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, yet +few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far distant +that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and that is why we +seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the Rainbow. + +In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there appeared to +be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, just the same, and +dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's Daughters, led by the +fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that no girl has +ever quite equalled her in loveliness. + +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the bow to +the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and gleeful, +they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; but all the +Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a dangerous pastime, so +they quickly climbed upon their bow again. + +All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them all, she +was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an unusual sensation +to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. Before she realized it +the bow had lifted and disappeared in the billowy blue sky, and here +was Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her gauzy draperies +floating about her like brilliant cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or +mortal--to help her regain her lost bow! + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, "I'm +caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has left me on +earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. The first time I +enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a lonely, forsaken +country and I shall be very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I +can climb aboard. Let me think what is best to be done." + +She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about her and +bowed her head. + +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied Polychrome as she came +along the stony path, followed by Hank, the Princess and Shaggy. At +once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the Rainbow and +exclaimed: + +"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!" + +Polychrome raised her golden head. There were tears in her blue eyes. + +"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she sobbed. + +The others gathered around her. + +"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the Princess. + +"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. + +"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic tone, thinking she +meant "beau" instead of "bow." + +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot imperiously; "I +want my _Rain_bow." + +"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to forget it. When I was +young I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I couldn't have it. +Looks as if _you_ couldn't have it, either; so please don't cry." + +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. + +"I don't like you," she said. + +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket; "not a +little bit?--just a wee speck of a like?" + +"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as she gazed +at the enchanted talisman; "I love you, Shaggy Man!" + +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't take any credit for +it. It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm. But you seem quite alone and +friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join our party until you +find your father and sisters again?" + +"Where are you going?" she asked. + +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand; "but we're +trying to find Shaggy's long-lost brother, who has been captured by the +terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, and help us?" + +Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of travelers +and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face. + +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a Shaggy Man!" she +exclaimed. "Surely you need help, if you intend to face Ruggedo." + +"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy. + +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface, where +no Rainbow can ever penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal Monarch. He +is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has made trouble for a +good many people--mortals and fairies--in his time," said Polychrome. + +"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, anxiously. + +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome proudly. +"I'm a sky fairy." + +"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able to tell us the way to +Ruggedo's cavern." + +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I +cannot do. But I will gladly go with you and help you search for the +place." + +This promise delighted all the wanderers and after the Shaggy Man had +found the path again they began moving along it in a more happy mood. +The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky trail, no longer +sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in smiles. Shaggy came +next, walking steadily and now and then supporting the Rose Princess, +who followed him. Betsy and Hank brought up the rear, and if she tired +with walking the girl got upon Hank's back and let the stout little +donkey carry her for awhile. + +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny brook and +here they made camp and rested until morning. Then away they tramped, +finding berries and fruits here and there which satisfied the hunger of +Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were well content with their lot. + +It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their food, for +she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this to Polychrome, +the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga was driven out of her +Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and would never again be more +than a mere mortal. Polychrome, however, was a fairy wherever she +happened to be, and if she sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for +refreshment no one ever saw her do it. + +As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very little +to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange country. Shaggy +said it would be best to go toward the mountains, as the natural +entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was likely to be hidden in +some rocky, deserted place; but mountains seemed all around them except +in the one direction that they had come from, which led to the Rose +Kingdom and the sea. Therefore it mattered little which way they +traveled. + +By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path and after +following this for some time they reached a crossroads. Here were many +paths, leading in various directions, and there was a signpost so old +that there were now no words upon the sign. At one side was an old +well, with a chain windlass for drawing water, yet there was no house +or other building anywhere in sight. + +While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule +approached the well and tried to look into it. + +"He's thirsty," said Betsy. + +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably there has been no water +in it for many years. But, come; let us decide which way to travel." + +No one seemed able to decide that. They sat down in a group and tried +to consider which road might be the best to take. Hank, however, could +not keep away from the well and finally he reared up on his hind legs, +got his head over the edge and uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy watched +her animal friend curiously. + +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she said. + +At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate, and +Betsy went with him. The Princess and Polychrome, who had become fast +friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the roads, to find an +easy path. + +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at the bottom +of this old well." + +"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked the girl. + +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there was a +big hook that at one time was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy let down +this hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then pulled it up. An +old hoopskirt came with it, and Betsy laughed and threw it away. The +thing frightened Hank, who had never seen a hoopskirt before, and he +kept a good distance away from it. + +Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook and drew +up, but none of these was important. + +"This well seems to have been the dump for all the old rubbish in the +country," he said, letting down the hook once more. "I guess I've +captured everything now. No--the hook has caught again. Help me, Betsy! +Whatever this thing is, it's heavy." + +She ran up and helped him turn the windlass and after much effort a +confused mass of copper came in sight. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is a surprise, indeed!" + +"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and panting for +breath. + +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and dumped it +upon the ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over with his +foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment the thing proved to be +a copper man. + +"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object. "But +unless there are two copper men in the world this is the most +astonishing thing I ever came across." + +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the Rose Princess approached +them, and Polychrome said: + +"What have you found, Shaggy One?" + +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied. + +"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt down to +examine the man. "Dear me; how funny! Listen to this." + +Then she read the following words, engraved upon the copper plates of +the man's body: + + SMITH & TINKER'S + Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, + Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking + MECHANICAL MAN + Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. + Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live. + + +"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess. + +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved plate: + + + DIRECTIONS FOR USING: + + For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork + Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). + For SPEAKING:--Wind the Clockwork + Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). + For WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man + in the middle of his back, (marked No. 3). + + N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to + work perfectly for a thousand years. + + +"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, "he ought +to work yet." + +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." + +In order to do this they were obliged to set the copper man upon his +feet, in an upright position, and this was no easy task. He was +inclined to topple over, and had to be propped again and again. The +girls assisted Shaggy, and at last Tik-Tok seemed to be balanced and +stood alone upon his broad feet. + +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this must be, +indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking merrily in the Land +of Oz. But how he came to this lonely place, and got into that old +well, is surely a mystery." + +"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy. "Here's the +key, hanging to a hook on his back. What part of him shall I wind up +first?" + +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires thought to +speak or move intelligently." + +So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little flashes of +light began to show in the top of his head, which was proof that he had +begun to think. + +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph." + +"What's that?" she asked. + +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may be interesting, but they +don't tell us anything." + +So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then from the +interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the words: "Ma-ny +thanks!" + +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the back +in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance and +tumbled to the ground in a heap. But the clockwork that enabled him to +speak had been wound up and he kept saying: "Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! +Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised him and balanced him upon his +feet, when he added politely: "Ma-ny thanks!" + +"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action," remarked +Shaggy; so Betsy wound it, as tight as she could--for the key turned +rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, marched around in a +circle and ended by stopping before the group and making them all a low +bow. + +"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left you +safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy. + +"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a few +words. Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma saw you +wan-der-ing in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her mag-ic +pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome King's cavern; so +she sent me to tell you where to find your broth-er and told me to help +you if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to +this place in the wink of an eye; but here I met the Nome King +him-self--old Rug-ge-do, who is called in these parts the Met-al +Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what I had come for, and he was so an-gry that +he threw me down the well. Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less +un-til you came a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny thanks." + +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I suspected that my brother +was the prisoner of Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, Tik-Tok, how +shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?" + +"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We might crawl, or jump, or +roll o-ver and o-ver until we get there; but the best way is to walk." + +"I know; but which road shall we take?" + +"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied Tik-Tok. + +"There is more than one entrance to the underground cavern," said +Polychrome; "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every opening, so +that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. If we find our way +underground at all, it will be by chance." + +"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and see where +it leads us." + +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. "It may require a lot of +time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than anything else." + +"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a thou-sand +years." + +"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added Shaggy, +looking first at one road and then at another. + +But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached their ears--a +sound like the tramping of many feet. + +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she ran to the left-hand road +and glanced along the path. "Why, it's an army!" she exclaimed. "What +shall we do, hide or run?" + +"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid of an army. If they +prove to be friendly, they can help us; if they are enemies, I'll show +them the Love Magnet." + + + + +Chapter Eight + +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task + + +While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at one side, +the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, the tramp of +their feet being now and then accompanied by a dismal groan as one of +the officers stepped on a sharp stone or knocked his funnybone against +his neighbor's sword-handle. + +Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the banner +of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole. This pole he stuck in the +ground just in front of the well and then he cried in a loud voice: + +"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann Soforth of +Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I proclaim her slaves!" + +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and asked: + +"Is the coast clear, Private Files?" + +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well." + +"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering courage to +advance to the well; but just then he caught a glimpse of Tik-Tok and +Shaggy and at once fell upon his knees, trembling and frightened and +cried out: + +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and we will be your slaves +forever!" + +The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing, likewise +fell upon their knees and begged for mercy. + +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers for the first time, +examined them with much curiosity. Then, discovering that three of the +party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a polite bow. + +"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as Queen Ann reached the +place and beheld her kneeling army. + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping forward. +"This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man--who works better than some meat +people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, just now unfortunately +exiled from her Kingdom of Roses. I next present Polychrome, a sky +fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident and can't find her way home. The +small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, from some unknown earthly paradise +called Oklahoma, and with her you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long tail +and a short temper." + +"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of vagabonds you are, +indeed; all lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a Queen's +plundering. I'm sorry I've conquered you." + +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly. + +"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my officers will kindly +command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after which we can +stop arguing and converse more at our ease." + +The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed the +dust from their trousers. To them the enemy did not look very fierce, +so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains gained courage to +face them and began strutting in their most haughty manner. + +"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of Oogaboo, and +this is my invincible Army. We are busy conquering the world, and since +you seem to be a part of the world, and are obstructing our journey, it +is necessary for us to conquer you--unworthy though you may be of such +high honor." + +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us as often as you like. +We don't mind." + +"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, positively. + +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, angrily. "Advance, Private +Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!" + +But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating Polychrome and +the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his head. + +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted. + +"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey orders." + +"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the Private. + +But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the prisoners!" and +the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the command, yelling it +as loud as they could. + +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing the Army of Oogaboo +with strong disfavor. The mule now dashed forward and began backing +upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous heels at them. The +attack was so sudden that the officers scattered like dust in a +whirlwind, dropping their swords as they ran and trying to seek refuge +behind the trees and bushes. + +Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble army," and +Polychrome danced with glee. But Ann was furious at this ignoble defeat +of her gallant forces by one small mule. + +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" she cried again, and +then she herself ducked to escape the mule's heels--for Hank made no +distinction in favor of a lady who was an open enemy. Betsy grabbed her +champion by the forelock, however, and so held him fast, and when the +officers saw that the mule was restrained from further attacks they +crept fearfully back and picked up their discarded swords. + +"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the Queen. + +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack which +was strapped to his back, "I resign my position as the Army of Oogaboo. +I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but if you want some +one to bind harmless girls you will have to hire another Private." + +Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy and +Tik-Tok. + +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry. + +"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to resign if I want to." + +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If you resign it will break +up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world." She now turned to the +officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a favor. I know it is +undignified in officers to fight, but unless you immediately capture +Private Files and force him to obey my orders there will be no plunder +for any of us. Also it is likely you will all suffer the pangs of +hunger, and when we meet a powerful foe you are liable to be captured +and made slaves." + +The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers that they +drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood beside Shaggy, in a +truly ferocious manner. The next instant, however, they halted and +again fell upon their knees; for there, before them, was the glistening +Love Magnet, held in the hand of the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight +of this magic talisman at once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even +Ann saw the Love Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and anger threw +herself upon Shaggy and embraced him lovingly. + +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet, Shaggy +disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and quickly hid the +talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from Oogaboo were now his firm +friends, and there was no more talk about conquering and binding any of +his party. + +"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may march with +me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer the world, as you +have set out to do, you must conquer everyone under its surface as well +as those upon its surface, and no one in all the world needs conquering +so much as Ruggedo." + +"Who is he?" asked Ann. + +"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes." + +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice. + +"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all the metal that lies +underground--gold, silver, copper, brass and tin. He has an idea he +also owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal was once a +part of his kingdom. So, by conquering the Metal Monarch, you will win +all the riches in the world." + +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would be +plunder worth our while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." + +The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next to the +lovely Princess and whispering in her ear. + +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. I have plenty of brave +officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to command. Therefore +I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his wealth." + +"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked Shaggy; +but at once every officer began to protest and the Queen of Oogaboo +shook her head as she replied: + +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a terrible fighter, and +my officers are unable to fight. They are exceptionally brave in +commanding others to fight, but could not themselves meet the enemy and +conquer." + +"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, eagerly. "There are many +kinds of bravery and one cannot be expected to possess them all. I +myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes to fighting, but +then my nature revolts. Fighting is unkind and liable to be injurious +to others; so, being a gentleman, I never fight." + +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. + +"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not Private Files proved +himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have conquered this +Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is like a bee without a +stinger." + +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files. "I resigned in a +proper manner, not liking the job. But there are plenty of people to +take my place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private soldier?" + +"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, "for he is +mortal, and able to die. If anything happened to him, it would break my +heart." + +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy. "You must admit, +Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for it is my +brother we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and my companions +would like the assistance of your Army, and if you help us to conquer +Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from captivity we will allow you to +keep all the gold and jewels and other plunder you may find." + +This prospect was so tempting that the officers began whispering +together and presently Colonel Cheese said: "Your Majesty, by combining +our brains we have just evolved a most brilliant idea. We will make the +Clockwork Man the private soldier!" + +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond! I can-not fight, +and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw me in the +well." + +"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. "But if you join the +Army of Oogaboo you will carry the gun that Mr. Files used." + +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested +Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could nei-ther +run nor fight." + +"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy. + +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "Tik-Tok will make an ideal +soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer. And, since +a private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, Tik-Tok is the +only one of our party fitted to undertake the job." + +"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok. + +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers command you to do +anything, you must do it; that is all." + +"And that's enough, too," said Files. + +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. + +"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen. + +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder goes to Queen Ann, the +other half is divided among the officers, and the Private gets the +rest." + +"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, picking up the gun and +examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen such a weapon. + +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said: "Now +we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. Officers, +give the command to march." + +"Fall--in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords. + +"Fall--in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords. + +"Fall--in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords. + +"Fall--in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords. + +Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise. + +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. + +"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order." + +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork Man. + +"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files; so Tik-Tok +held the gun straight and stood still. + +"What next?" he asked. + +The Queen turned to Shaggy. + +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's cavern?" + +"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply. + +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. "If we can't get to +Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him." + +"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did not say we could not get +to him. We have only to discover the way, and that was the matter we +were considering when you and your magnificent Army arrived here." + +"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen. + +That was no easy task. They all stood looking from one road to another +in perplexity. The paths radiated from the little clearing like the +rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the others. + +Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good friends, +advanced a little way along one of the roads and found that it was +bordered by pretty wild flowers. + +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the way?" he said to his +companion. + +"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the question. + +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must be second-cousins to a +Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them they will tell you." + +She looked more closely at the flowers. There were hundreds of white +daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing by the +roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its slender but +stout stem. There were even a few wild roses scattered here and there +and perhaps it was the sight of these that gave the Princess courage to +ask the important question. + +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both her +arms pleadingly toward them. + +"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle voice, "which +way will lead us to the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?" + +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the right and the flower heads +nodded once--twice--thrice in that direction. + +"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we know the way." + +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the field-flowers, +which had now resumed their upright position. + +"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked in a low whisper. + +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a breath of wind stirring. +But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and answered your +question at once, as I knew they would." + + + + +Chapter Nine + +Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless + + +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and wound +here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless. But always it drew +nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more than once that +he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern would be found among +these rugged hills. + +In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the nearest mountain was a +gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the walls and roof of +which glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels. Here, on a throne +of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome King, dressed in splendid robes and +wearing a superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby. + +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the +Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white beard, a +red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his forehead. One +would think, to look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might +think, considering his enormous wealth, that he ought to be happy; but +this was not the case. The Metal Monarch was surly and cross because +mortals had dug so much treasure out of the earth and kept it above +ground, where all the power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to +recover it. He hated not only the mortals but also the fairies who live +upon the earth or above it, and instead of being content with the +riches he still possessed he was unhappy because he did not own all the +gold and jewels in the world. + +Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when suddenly he +sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge gong +that stood beside him. + +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns beyond, +where countless thousands of nomes were working at their unending +tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or melting ores +in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems. The nomes trembled at +the sound of the King's gong and whispered fearfully to one another +that something unpleasant was sure to happen; but none dared pause in +his task. + +The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside and Kaliko, the +King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal presence. + +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had just +wakened. + +"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously. "Those foolish +mortals are up, that's what! And they want to come down." + +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. + +"Yes!" + +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again. + +"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can always feel it when those +hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom. 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. "I'm not afraid of him. Why, +only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a well." + +"Then some one must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko. "And +there's a little girl--" + +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. + +"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several girls, of various +sizes; but Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma." + +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief. + +Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass. + +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. They are all officers +and carry swords. And there is a Shaggy Man--who seems very +harmless--and a little donkey with big ears." + +"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn. "I've no fear of +such a mob as that. A dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in a +jiffy." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The people of Oogaboo are hard +to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. As for +Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter cannot be +injured by a nome." + +"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King. + +"Yes; I have just recognized her." + +"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," declared +Ruggedo, scowling fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes here on a +peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody hates me!" + +"Very true," said Kaliko. + +"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my dominions. +Where are they now?" + +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty." + +"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?" + +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal Will that we have some +fun with these invaders?" + +"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach them a lesson they will +never forget." + +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had any of +his companions. They noticed that everything around them was of a dull +gray color and that the path upon which they walked was soft and +springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were rubber +and even the path they trod was made of rubber. + +Presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed through a +deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far down the +mountain-side. Across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed that +travelers might easily leap from one to another and in that manner +cross the water to the farther bank. + +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen Ann. +After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and last +of all the Rose Princess with Files. The Clockwork Man saw the stream +and the stepping-stones and, without making a pause, placed his foot +upon the first stone. + +The result was astonishing. First he sank down in the soft rubber, +which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the air, where he +turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon a rubber rock far +in the rear of the party. + +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he disappeared; +therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you will guess was +connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and instantly shot upward +like an arrow. General Cone came next and met with a like fate, but the +others now noticed that something was wrong and with one accord they +halted the column and looked back along the path. + +There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to another, each +time rising a less distance from the ground. And there was General +Apple, bounding away in another direction, his three-cornered hat +jammed over his eyes and his long sword thumping him upon the arms and +head as it swung this way and that. And there, also, appeared General +Cone, who had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up +that his round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a +man. + +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed her +laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became +angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo bounding +around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them to stop, but +they were unable to obey, even though they would have been glad to do +so. Finally, however, they all ceased bounding and managed to get upon +their feet and rejoin the Army. + +"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked. + +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would ask them +why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. Those stones are +rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks around us are +rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. Even this path is not a path; +it's rubber. Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are all +likely to get the bounce, just as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did." + +"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom; but +Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, so she began +dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into the air, so that +she resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly. Presently she made a +great bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and +steadily on the other side. + +"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you all +try to bound over the stream, without touching the stepping-stones." + +Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky +adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion and +began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as +high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned forward and the +next bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by the +side of the Rainbow's Daughter. + +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. He +managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across the +stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into the middle +of the water. + +"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy rushed +forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely beside her she +was amazed to find he was not wet at all. + +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the stream and +showing how the water fell from it and left it perfectly dry. + +"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the water." + +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the water +was shallow and would not wet them. At once they followed her advice, +avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the crossing with ease. +This encouraged the entire party to wade through the dry water, and in +a few minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed their journey +along the path that led to the Nome King's dominions. + +When Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he exclaimed: + +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have passed the Rubber +Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your caverns." + +Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his anger was so great that +several times, as he strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused +to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so sensitive that the poor +nome howled with pain. Finally the King said: + +"There's no help for it; we must drop these audacious invaders down the +Hollow Tube." + +Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his master wonderingly. + +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make Tititi-Hoochoo +very angry." + +"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "Tititi-Hoochoo lives on the other +side of the world, so what do I care for his anger?" + +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. + +"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that he +warned you, the last time you slid people through the Hollow Tube, that +if you did it again he would take vengeance upon you." + +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply. + +"Of two dangers," said he, "it is wise to choose the least. What do you +suppose these invaders want?" + +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko. + +"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly. + +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous ears, +who bowed low before the King. + +"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and I wish to know their +errand. Listen carefully to their talk and tell me why they are coming +here, and what for." + +The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them gently +up and down and back and forth. For half an hour he stood silent, in an +attitude of listening, while both the King and Kaliko grew impatient at +the delay. At last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke: + +"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his brother from captivity," said +he. + +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, Shaggy Man may have his +ugly brother, for all I care. He's too lazy to work and is always +getting in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" + +"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner you commanded me +to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did. I suppose he is still +there." + +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal +Forest," said the King, with a grin of malicious delight, "for half the +time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the forest and made every +tree, out of gold and silver, so as to keep the precious metals in a +safe place and out of the reach of mortals. But tell me, Hearer, do the +strangers want anything else?" + +"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The Army of Oogaboo is +determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in your +kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to divide the +spoils and carry them away." + +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began dancing +up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth together and swinging +his arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of anger he seized the long +ears of the Hearer and pulled and twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko +grabbed up the King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles with it, +so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began to chase his Royal +Chamberlain around the throne. + +The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip away from the +cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself out chasing +Kaliko he threw himself into his throne and panted for breath, while he +glared wickedly at his defiant subject. + +"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested Kaliko. +"There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets here." + +"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and panting. +"I'll drop 'em down the Hollow Tube--every man Jack and every girl Jill +of 'em!" + +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. + +"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn the path +toward the Hollow Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube invisible, so +they'll all fall into it." + +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought Ruggedo was making a +great mistake. He found the Magician and had the path twisted so that +it led directly to the opening of the Hollow Tube, and this opening he +made invisible. + +Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain went to +his private room and began to write letters of recommendation of +himself, stating that he was an honest man, a good servant and a small +eater. + +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for another +job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by this reckless +defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in seeking a job nothing is +so effective as a letter of recommendation." + + + + +Chapter Ten + +A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube + + +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army, might +have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician +had they known that danger lay in their pathway; for the Rainbow's +Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is a part of the Land of Oz its +inhabitants cannot easily be deceived by such common magic as the Nome +King could command. But no one suspected any especial danger until +after they had entered Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying +along in quite a contented manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, +suddenly disappeared. + +The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they kept on +their way and all of them likewise disappeared--one after another. +Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening forward to +learn the reason she also vanished from sight. + +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding upon +the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and talking to +Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly Hank pitched +forward and began falling and Betsy would have tumbled over his head +had she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and held on +for dear life. + +All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly downward +but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs were +resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid with the +swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew up and struck a similar +substance overhead. They were, indeed, descending the "Hollow Tube" +that led to the other side of the world. + +"Stop, Hank--stop!" cried the girl; but Hank only uttered a plaintive +"Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for him to obey. + +After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen them, Betsy +gained courage. She could see nothing at all, nor could she hear +anything except the rush of air past her ears as they plunged downward +along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were alone, or the others were +with them, she could not tell. But had some one been able to take a +flash-light photograph of the Tube at that time a most curious picture +would have resulted. There was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding +headforemost down the incline. And there were the Officers of the Army +of Oogaboo, all tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and +trying to shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung back +and forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within their +reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a sitting +position and went flying along with a dash and abandon that thoroughly +bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to her. +Then, a little distance away, but unseen by the others in the inky +darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and +Polychrome and finally Files and the Princess. + +When first they tumbled into the Tube all were too dazed to think +clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity led straight +through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's dominions, +and long before the adventurers got to the end they had begun to +recover their wits. + +"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen Ann heard +her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?" + +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe when +she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she +added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your Maj'sty?" + +"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not too far +away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, either." + +"Why?" said Betsy. + +"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," replied +Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken him and +was now sitting on his head. + +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was this +joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a mild +and sympathetic tone of voice. + +"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same," +exclaimed the little girl. + +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But isn't +this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making a +journey through the center of the earth--where I never expected to be!" + +"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked Betsy, her +voice trembling a little through nervousness. + +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I have often +heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician who was a +great traveler. He thought it would save him the bother of going around +the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the Tube so fast that he +shot out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, which at once +exploded." + +"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly. + +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." + +"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl. + +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I don't think it matters +much." + +"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the stars when we come out," +said Queen Ann, with a moan. + +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe the Magician was going +the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are going." + +"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently removing +Polychrome's heel from his left eye. "Couldn't you manage to fall all +by yourself, my dear?" + +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. + +All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and it was +not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you read their +words. But although they were so helpless and altogether in the dark as +to their fate, the fact that they were able to converse at all cheered +them, considerably. + +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung tightly to one +another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure the Princess, +although he was terribly frightened, both on her account and on his own. + +An hour, under such trying circumstances, is a very long time, and for +more than an hour they continued their fearful journey. Then, just as +they began to fear the Tube would never end, Tik-Tok popped out into +broad daylight and, after making a graceful circle in the air, fell +with a splash into a great marble fountain. + +Out came the officers, in quick succession, tumbling heels over head +and striking the ground in many undignified attitudes. + +"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who was hoeing +pink violets in a garden. "What can all this mean?" + +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride through the +air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on top of the +Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over his eyes and +tumbling him to the ground. + +The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he did not +go so high up. Fortunately for his little rider he struck the ground +upon his four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not hurt and when she +looked around her she saw the Queen and the Peculiar Person struggling +together upon the ground, where the man was trying to choke Ann and she +had both hands in his bushy hair and was pulling with all her might. +Some of the officers, when they got upon their feet, hastened to +separate the combatants and sought to restrain the Peculiar Person so +that he could not attack their Queen again. + +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived and +were curiously examining the strange country in which they found +themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side of +the world from the place where they had fallen into the Tube. It was a +lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be the garden of some great Prince, +for through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be seen the towers +of an immense castle. But as yet the only inhabitant to greet them was +the Peculiar Person just mentioned, who had shaken off the grasp of the +officers without effort and was now trying to pull the battered crown +from off his eyes. + +Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this and when the man +was free and could see again he looked at his visitors with evident +amazement. + +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from and how did +you get here?" + +Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and silent. + +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, 'cause I don't know the name +of the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was through the +Hollow Tube." + +"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the Peculiar Person +in an irritated tone of voice. "If it's a tube, it's sure to be hollow." + +"Why?" asked Betsy. + +"Because all tubes are made that way. But this Tube is private property +and everyone is forbidden to fall into it." + +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome added: "I +am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down that Tube." + +"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming much +excited. + +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is right. +We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell into +the Tube." + +"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the peculiar Person. + +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the question, +"'cause we don't know him at all; but we started out to conquer him, +which isn't as friendly as it might be." + +"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully from one to another of +them for a while and then he turned his head over his shoulder and +said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good brothers. It will be +best to take these strangers to the Private Citizen." + +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that +seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible. + +All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even Polychrome was so startled +that her gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze. Shaggy +shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked very unhappy; the officers +clung to each other, trembling violently. + +But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar +Person. As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary +land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you what he looked +like. + +His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. His eyes were large and +blue in color and his teeth finely formed and white as snow. His hair +was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at the ends. So far no +one could find any fault with his appearance. He wore a robe of +scarlet, which did not cover his arms and extended no lower than his +bare knees. On the bosom of the robe was embroidered a terrible +dragon's head, as horrible to look at as the man was beautiful. His +arms and legs were left bare and the skin of one arm was bright yellow +and the skin of the other arm a vivid green. He had one blue leg and +one pink one, while both his feet--which showed through the open +sandals he wore--were jet black. + +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or the +natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over the man +who had been called "Tubekins" said: + +"Follow me to the Residence--all of you!" + +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them, Tubekins, +lying in the water of the fountain." + +"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, and he'll drown." + +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyhow," agreed Shaggy, as +with one accord they all started for the fountain. But before they +could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the marble basin +and set him upon his feet beside it, water dripping from every joint of +his copper body. + +"Ma--ny tha--tha--tha--thanks!" he said; and then his copper jaws +clicked together and he could say no more. He next made an attempt to +walk but after several awkward trials found he could not move his +joints. + +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's +failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very +uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around them who +were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. + +"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very sorry for Tik-Tok. + +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs oiling," replied Shaggy. + +At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with his eyes +by some unseen hand. Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's +joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of warm air was directed +against the copper man which quickly dried him. Soon he was able to say +"Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and his joints worked fairly well. + +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he walked up +the path toward the castle. + +"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but just then she received +a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head; so she decided to +go. The officers who hesitated received several energetic kicks, but +could not see who delivered them; therefore they also decided--very +wisely--to go. The others followed willingly enough, for unless they +ventured upon another terrible journey through the Tube they must make +the best of the unknown country they were in, and the best seemed to be +to obey orders. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies + + +After a short walk through very beautiful gardens they came to the +castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a great +domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated. + +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought this man must be the +King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all the +strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a high +throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant throne and in a flash +became invisible and disappeared. + +The hall was an immense place, but there seemed to be no one in it +beside themselves. Presently, however, they heard a low cough near +them, and here and there was the faint rustling of a robe and a slight +patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly there rang out the clear tone of +a bell and at the sound all was changed. + +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw that it was filled with +hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces and staring blue +eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon their heads. +In fact, these people seemed exact duplicates of Tubekins and it was +difficult to find any mark by which to tell them apart. + +"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to Polychrome, +who sat beside her and appeared much interested in the scene but not a +bit worried. + +"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply; "but I +cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one +country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was Master." + +One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark turned to her +and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only to +himself. In this favored land all Kings and Queens are equal, and it is +our privilege to bow before one supreme Ruler--the Private Citizen." + +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. + +As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang out and +instantly there appeared seated in the throne the man who was lord and +master of all these royal ones. This fact was evident when with one +accord they fell upon their knees and touched their foreheads to the +floor. + +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, except that his eyes +were black instead of blue and in the centers of the black irises +glowed red sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his features were +very beautiful and dignified and his manner composed and stately. +Instead of the prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, and the +same dragon's head that decorated the others was embroidered upon its +bosom. + +"What charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, +even tones. + +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the reply. + +"You see, it was this way," said Betsy. "We were marching to the Nome +King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when on a sudden--" + +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly. + +"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--" + +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen. + +"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--" + +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the leader?" + +No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn stood up. + +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see that sixteen of you are +merely officers, and of no account." + +"But we have an Army," said General Clock, blusteringly, for he didn't +like to be told he was of no account. + +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. + +"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty. "I'm the +on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty." + +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the Clockwork +Man. + +"Pardon me for not realizing your importance before," said he. "Will +you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?" + +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and Queens +making way for him. Then with clanking steps he mounted the platform +and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen. + +Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the humble +Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old friend's +importance had been recognized by the ruler of this remarkable country. +The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, who told in his mechanical +voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how Ozma of Oz had +sent the Clockwork Man to assist him, and how they had fallen in with +Queen Ann and her people from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy and Hank +and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had happened to join their party. + +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the +Nomes?" asked the Citizen. + +"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's reply. +"But he was too clev-er for us. When we got close to his cav-ern he +made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in-vis-i-ble, so +that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was there. It was an eas-y +way to get rid of us and now Rug-gedo is safe and we are far a-way in a +strange land." + +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking. Then he said: + +"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the laws of our +country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube must be tortured +for nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into the Tube. But it +is wise to disregard laws when they conflict with justice, and it seems +that you and your followers did not disobey our laws willingly, being +forced into the Tube by Ruggedo. Therefore the Nome King is alone to +blame, and he alone must be punished." + +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther side of +the world where he is a-way out of your reach." + +The Citizen drew himself up proudly. + +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of the +reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked. + +"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok. + +"I am." + +"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?" + +"It is." + +Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so disturbed +that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his +brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the first time, while +Files put his arms around the Rose Princess as if to protect her. As +for the officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them moaning and +weeping at a great rate and every one fell upon his knees before the +throne, begging for mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions +so disturbed, but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was +unmoved at the discovery. + +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think Rug-ge-do is +to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of +the Nomes." + +"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy. + +The Private Citizen--otherwise known as Tititi-Hoochoo, the Great +Jinjin--looked at the little girl steadily. + +"I will presently decide what is to happen to Ruggedo," said he in a +hard, stern voice. Then, turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he +continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his machinery will not allow +him to lie, nor will it allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore +these people are not our enemies and must be treated with consideration +and justice. Take them to your palaces and entertain them as guests +until to-morrow, when I command that they be brought again to my +Residence. By then I shall have formed my plans." + +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from sight. +Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise disappeared. +But several of them remained visible and approached the strangers with +great respect. One of the lovely Queens said to Betsy: + +"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I am Erma, Queen of +Light." + +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. + +"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply. "But do +not fear for him, for he will be treated royally. All of your party +will be reunited on the morrow." + +"I--I'd like to have _some_ one with me," said Betsy, pleadingly. + +Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome. + +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl. + +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the Queen of Light, while +other beautiful Kings and Queens took charge of the others of the party. + +The two girls followed Erma out of the hall and through the gardens of +the Residence to a village of pretty dwellings. None of these was so +large or imposing as the castle of the Private Citizen, but all were +handsome enough to be called palaces--as, in fact, they really were. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + +The Lovely Lady of Light + + +The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and was a +mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they +entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens, evidently +of high degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a +wand in her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their costumes +were also emblematic of the lights they represented. Erma introduced +them to her guests and each made a graceful and courteous +acknowledgment. + +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second was +Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came +Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. These +three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white. The fourth was +Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, who +wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy +flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very +attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of +all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight +regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her. + +But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to +regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered +around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regal +drawing-room. + +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery being of +many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves +upon the downy divans after their strenuous adventures of the day. + +The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight +was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired to +another part of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms +and did not intrude themselves at all. + +The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which is +one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of +mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry, +they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the +country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a +Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name +of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that he +had no heart. But instead of this he possessed a high degree of Reason +and Justice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never +punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers Tititi-Hoochoo was +as terrible as he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil +had nothing to fear from him. + +All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to Jinjin, +for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey +the one in authority over them. + +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this +fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the +faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the +first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story +was all new, and she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she +no longer feared. + +Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed that +Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight. + +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's +head embroidered on your gowns?" + +Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered: + +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever made; +therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. By good +fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this +land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. He is +old as the world and remembers everything that has happened since the +world was created." + +"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl. + +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, not +understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this +country. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we +have great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the +emblem of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who +alone have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost +equals the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it." + +"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her +lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present +interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way +to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, +and with her coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the +room. Polychrome, being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask +about the various Kings and Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded +place, and before Erma had finished answering them a rosy glow filled +the room and Firelight took her place beside the Queen. + +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing features +made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. Thereupon +Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own. + +"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is spread." + +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, I'm +awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." + +The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside a heavy +drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before her +a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen and +crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma +and beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was +placed on the Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other +five messengers of light now waited upon them, and each person was +supplied with just the food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish +of dewdrops, all fresh and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly +served that she decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half +so good. + +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest +of all these girls." + +"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile. + +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edison +discover it?" + +"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. +"But electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and +therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally +beneficent to mortals and fairies alike." + +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at +the six messengers of light: + +"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?" + +Erma laughed softly. "_I_ couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I think +mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take +the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlight is +of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires to rest. +If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim, and my +sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for the +skies always lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss much of +our warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of houses +encompass us. But always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious +Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I +love all my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true." + +"I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm _real_ +sleepy, I can get along without any light at all." + +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended. + +"A little," admitted the girl. + +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, white +bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a +shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the +light-maid bade her good night and opened the door. + +When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six winks the +little girl was fast asleep. + + + + +Chapter Thirteen + +The Jinjin's Just Judgment + + +All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were brought +from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and ushered +into the great Hall of State. + +As before, no one was visible except our friends and their escorts +until the first bell sounded. Then in a flash the room was seen to be +filled with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the land. The second bell +marked the appearance in the throne of the mighty Jinjin, whose +handsome countenance was as composed and expressionless as ever. + +All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly murmured: "We greet the +Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law and whose Law +is just." + +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. Then, looking around the +brilliant assemblage, and at the little group of adventurers before +him, he said: + +"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of other lands than ours, +who are different from ourselves in many ways, have been thrust upon us +through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our people foolishly made +years ago and was properly punished for his folly. But these strangers +had no desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into the Tube by a +cruel King on the other side of the world, named Ruggedo. This King is +an immortal, but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind more +than they benefit them. Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's +brother a prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting of +both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to punish +him. Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King misled them so +that they fell into the Tube. + +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that if ever +he used this Forbidden Tube in any way he would be severely punished. I +find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this King's servant, a +nome named Kaliko, begged his master not to do such a wrong act as to +drop these people into the Tube and send them tumbling into our +country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders. + +"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any wrong. It is only +Ruggedo who deserves punishment, and I will punish him." He paused a +moment and then continued in the same cold, merciless voice: + +"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side of the +world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant than it was +before. Also I shall send with them an Instrument of Vengeance, who in +my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground caverns, take away his +magic powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the face of the +earth--a place he detests." + +There was a little murmur of horror from the Kings and Queens at the +severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a protest, for all +realized that the sentence was just. + +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on Tititi-Hoochoo, "I +have realized that this will be an unpleasant mission. Therefore no one +of us who is blameless should be forced to undertake it. In this +wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty of wrong, even in the +slightest degree, and on examining the Records I found no King or Queen +had erred. Nor had any among their followers or servants done any +wrong. But finally I came to the Dragon Family, which we highly +respect, and then it was that I discovered the error of Quox. + +"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who has not yet acquired the +wisdom of his race. Because of this lack, he has been disrespectful +toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original Dragon, telling him once +to mind his own business and again saying that the Ancient One had +grown foolish with age. We are aware that dragons are not the same as +fairies and cannot be altogether guided by our laws, yet such +disrespect as Quox has shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore I +have selected Quox as my royal Instrument of Vengeance and he shall go +through the Tube with these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed." + +All had listened quietly to this speech and now the Kings and Queens +bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's judgment. + +Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins. + +"I command you," said he, "to escort these strangers to the Tube and +see that they all enter it." + +The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and brought +them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. As he did so, +the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly disappeared and only +Tubekins remained visible. + +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't mind going back so +_very_ much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it easy for us." + +Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who looked solemn +and seemed to fear the return journey. One thing that bothered Ann was +her failure to conquer this land of Tititi-Hoochoo. As they followed +their guide through the gardens to the mouth of the Tube she said to +Shaggy: + +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away and leave this rich country +unconquered?" + +"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, please, for if you don't +know I can't inform you." + +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no attention to the question. + +This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around it was a gold railing +to which was attached a sign that read. + + "IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. + IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." + + +On a little silver plate just inside the Tube was engraved the words: + + + "Burrowed and built by + Hiergargo the Magician, + In the Year of the World + 1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 + For his own exclusive uses." + + +"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy, when she had read +the inscription; "but if he had known about that star I guess he'd have +spent his time playing solitaire." + +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was impatient to +start. + +"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear him coming." + +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a live +dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one. + +"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. "You'll see him in a +minute; but before you part company I'm sure you'll wish he _was_ +invisible." + +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. + +"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, "and I +prefer his room to his company." + +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, drawing nearer and nearer +until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, who +approached the party, nodded his head and said: "Good morning." + +Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would have felt uncomfortable +at the astonished stare of every eye in the group--except Tubekins, of +course, who was not astonished because he had seen Quox so often. + +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet here was +one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full grown, if not +overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color and it was thickly +set with glittering silver scales, each one as big as a serving-tray. +Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under his left ear, +and below the ribbon appeared a chain of pearls to which was attached a +golden locket about as large around as the end of a bass drum. This +locket was set with many large and beautiful jewels. + +The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly, when you consider +that he was a dragon; but his eyes were so large that it took him a +long time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and terrible when +they showed, which they did whenever the beast smiled. Also his +nostrils were quite large and wide, and those who stood near him were +liable to smell brimstone--especially when he breathed out fire, as it +is the nature of dragons to do. To the end of his long tail was +attached a big electric light. + +Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's appearance at this +time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached to his back, one +seat for each member of the party. These seats were double, with curved +backs, so that two could sit in them, and there were twelve of these +double seats, all strapped firmly around the dragon's thick body and +placed one behind the other, in a row that extended from his shoulders +nearly to his tail. + +"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that Tititi-Hoochoo has transformed +Quox into a carryall." + +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. Dragon, you won't mind our +riding on your back." + +"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just now, you know, and the +only way to redeem my good name is to obey the orders of the Jinjin. If +he makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of my punishment, and +I must bear it like a dragon. I don't blame you people at all, and I +hope you'll enjoy the ride. Hop on, please. All aboard for the other +side of the world!" + +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the front seat with Betsy, +so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's head. Behind +them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the Princess, and Queen +Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the rear seats. When all had +mounted to their places the dragon looked very like one of those +sightseeing wagons so common in big cities--only he had legs instead of +wheels. + +"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he crawled to the +mouth of the Tube and put his head in. + +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one thought +to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great body into the +Tube and the journey to the other side of the world had begun. + +At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch their +breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort of cackling +laugh: + +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy and +fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to the other +side of the world?" + +"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired Shaggy. + +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I was +born." + +"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy. + +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. If I +had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated my three +thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother was going to +make me a birthday cake with three thousand and fifty-six candles on +it; but now, of course, there will be no celebration, for I fear I +shall not get home in time for it." + +"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had no idea +anything could live that long!" + +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if I had +not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with him," said +Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and insists on telling +us stories of things that happened fifty thousand years ago, which are +of no interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, Grandpa isn't up +to date. He lives altogether in the past, so I can't see any good +reason for his being alive to-day.... Are you people able to see your +way, or shall I turn on more light?" + +"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing to see but +ourselves," answered Betsy. + +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an +automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled +his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of it enabled +them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube itself was only +dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same from one of its ends +to the other. Therefore there was no scenery of interest to beguile the +journey. + +They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving entirely +comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but this meant a +longer journey and the only way they could make time pass was to engage +in conversation. The dragon seemed a willing and persistent talker and +he was of so much interest to them that they encouraged him to chatter. +His voice was a little gruff but not unpleasant when one became used to +it. + +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this constant sliding over +the surface of the Tube will dull my claws. You see, this hole isn't +straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of tumbling freely +through the air I must skate along the Tube. Fortunately, there is a +file in my tool-kit, and if my claws get dull they can be sharpened +again." + +"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy. + +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have been +sent to conquer Ruggedo." + +"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann, in her most +haughty manner; "for when we get to Ruggedo I and my invincible Army +can conquer him without your assistance." + +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. "That will save me a lot +of bother--if you succeed. But I think I shall file my claws, just the +same." + +He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a sheet of flame, several +feet in length, shot from his mouth. Betsy shuddered and Hank said +"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in terror. But the +dragon did not notice that he had done anything unusual. + +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. + +"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a dragon would I be if my +fire went out?" + +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. + +"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said Quox. "The fire keeps me +alive and enables me to move; also to think and speak." + +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said Tik-Tok. "The on-ly +dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by fire." + +"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must confess," +retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are not a live thing; you're a dummy." + +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok. + +"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon. "But if you run down, +you are helpless." + +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?" inquired +Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend. + +"I don't use gasoline." + +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." + +"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox. "My +great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, and he +has never once run out of fire to keep him going. But I will confide to +you that as he gets older he shows more smoke and less fire. As for +Tik-Tok, he's well enough in his way, but he's merely copper. And the +Metal Monarch knows copper through and through. I wouldn't be surprised +if Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made copper +pennies of him." + +"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok, calmly. + +"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully. + +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with irritation. "Tik-Tok is my +great Army--all but the officers--and I believe he will be able to +conquer Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, Polychrome?" + +"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daughter, with her +sweet ringing laugh, that sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells. "And +if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire-breathing dragon to fall +back on." + +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his mouth +and nostrils; "it's a wise little girl, this Polychrome. Anyone would +know she is a fairy." + + + + +Chapter Fourteen + +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening + + +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the Nomes, was +trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard +work for Ruggedo to find amusement to-day, for all the nomes were +behaving well and there was no one to scold or to punish. The King had +thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him once. Not +that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On the contrary, he had obeyed the +King in every way but one: he would not stand still, when commanded to +do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him. + +We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel Ruggedo forgave +him; for he knew very well that if he mashed his Royal Chamberlain he +could never find another so intelligent and obedient. Kaliko could make +the nomes work when their King could not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo +and there were so many thousands of the quaint little underground +people that they could easily have rebelled and defied the King had +they dared to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them worse than +usual, they grew sullen and threw down their hammers and picks. Then, +however hard the King scolded or whipped them, they would not work +until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko was one of themselves +and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series of +caverns. + +But to-day all the little people were working industriously at their +tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for +the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen carefully and report what +was going on in the big world. + +"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that the +women in America have clubs." + +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning. + +"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply. + +"Then their clubs are not as good as my sceptre. What else do you hear?' + +"There's a war. + +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" + +For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and spreading out his +big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said: + +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are arguing +as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive +him from his dominions." + +"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his throne. + +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." + +"Where are they now?" + +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer. + +Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down the cavern. + +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused. + +"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside down, they +would be falling the other way, Your Majesty." + +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the Tube +upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun at him. +Presently he asked: + +"How far away are those people now?" + +"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen furlongs, +eight feet and four inches--as nearly as I can judge from the sound of +their voices," replied the Hearer. + +"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said Ruggedo, "and +when they get here I shall be ready to receive them." + +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko came +bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was +just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling lake of the +Underground Kingdom. + +"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming back +again!" he exclaimed. + +"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on the +other shoe. "Tititi-Hoochoo would not allow them to remain in his +kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for some time. +That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug." + +"What, to throw them down the Tube?" + +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into the +Tube." + +"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo scornfully. "He +never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the other side of the world." + +"True; but he might send some one through the Tube to punish you," +suggested Kaliko. + +"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my thousands of nomes?" + +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright," answered +Kaliko with a grin. "Once I saw you running from a little girl named +Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really afraid." + +"Well, I _was_ afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King, with a deep +sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!" + +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered, and so +did the Long-Eared Hearer; for eggs are the only things that the nomes +greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs belong on the earth's +surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts live, and there is something +about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome with horror. If by +chance the inside of an egg touches one of these underground people, he +withers up and blows away and that is the end of him--unless he manages +quickly to speak a magical word which only a few of the nomes know. +Therefore Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to shudder at +the mere mention of eggs. + +"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of invaders; nor +is the Yellow Hen. As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing +that we are afraid of eggs." + +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him. "Tititi-Hoochoo +knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his powers are far +superior to any we can boast." + +Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer. + +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming through the +Tube." + +The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head. But Kaliko laughed +at the King. + +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he. "The only way to +discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass." + +"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I think of it before? Look at +once, Kaliko!" + +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he +caused the other end of it to twist around, so that it pointed down the +opening of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and was able to +gaze along all the turns and windings of the Magic Spyglass and then +deep into the Tube, to where our friends were at that time falling. + +"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon." + +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. + +"A monster. He has an electric light on the end of his tail, so I can +see him very plainly. And the other people are all riding upon his +back." + +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. + +Kaliko looked again. + +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I imagine that the dragon is +as dangerous as eggs. Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to +punish you for dropping those strangers into the Forbidden Tube. I +warned you not to do it, Your Majesty." + +This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few minutes he paced up and +down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all his might. After +this he turned to Kaliko and said: + +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with his claws and bite +with his teeth." + +"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko earnestly. +"On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon, because he's the toughest +creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could smash a hundred nomes +to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he could tear even you or me into +small bits, so that it would be almost impossible to put us together +again. Once, a few hundred years ago, while wandering through some +deserted caverns, I came upon a small piece of a nome lying on the +rocky floor. I asked the piece of nome what had happened to it. +Fortunately the mouth was a part of this piece--the mouth and the left +eye--so it was able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the cause. It +had attacked the poor nome and scattered him in every direction, and as +there was no friend near to collect his pieces and put him together, +they had been separated for a great many years. So you see, Your +Majesty, it is not in good taste to sneer at a dragon." + +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. Said he: + +"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon which Tititi-Hoochoo +has sent here, in order to prevent his reaching us with his claws and +teeth." + +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. + +"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo. + +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" + +"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I could defeat them +single-handed; but I won't try to. I'll summon my army of nomes to +drive the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any of them I +intend to stick needles into them until they hop with pain." + +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko. + +"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch. "And that braying +Mule I'll make into hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, that it may add +to their strength." + +"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the Shaggy +Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko. + +"Never!" + +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you don't want the Ugly One." + +"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't allow anybody to order me +around. I'm King of the Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I shall do +as I please and what I please and when I please!" + +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head, aiming it +so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the floor in +order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see the sceptre coming and +it swept past his head so closely that it broke off the tip of one of +his long ears. He gave a dreadful yell that quite startled Ruggedo, and +the King was sorry for the accident because those long ears of the +Hearer were really valuable to him. + +So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered his +Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and have them +properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the Tube, where +they could seize the travelers as soon as they appeared. + + + + +Chapter Fifteen + +The Dragon Defies Danger + + +Although the journey through the Tube was longer, this time, than +before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our friends minded +it at all. They talked together most of the time and as they found the +dragon good-natured and fond of the sound of his own voice they soon +became well acquainted with him and accepted him as a companion. + +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox is on our side, and +therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, +instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very much, for his +breath smells of brimstone, he is very conceited and he is so strong +and fierce that he would prove a dangerous foe." + +"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech with +pleasure; "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living thing. I am +glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my good qualities. +As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really can't help it, and I +once met a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I consider far +worse." + +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. + +"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us quarrel +over one another's peculiarities." + +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty feet from +his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the +onions and said nothing. + +They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of the earth, +nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the little girl +remarked: + +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole. And isn't it funny, +Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top when we fell +the other way?" + +"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall both ways." + +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is be-cause the world is round." + +"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in fine +working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as +the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything toward the center +of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, and why everything clings +to the surface of the earth." + +"Then why doesn't everything go on down to the center of the earth?" +inquired the little girl. + +"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy in a sad +tone. "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so solid that other +solid things can't get through it. But when there's a hole, as there is +in this case, we drop right down to the center of the world." + +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. + +"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry us right +up to the other end." + +"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to figure it +out," she said after some thought. "One thing draws us to the center +and another thing pushes us away from it. But--" + +"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "If you can't +understand it, let it go at that." + +"Do _you_ understand it?" she inquired. + +"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely. "There's lots of +magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the United States, +where you and I once lived, as you can here." + +"I never did," she replied. + +"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it was +magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow and +blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? The cows +that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable as +that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that--" + +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light of +day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped +them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for +he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far away +from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a +mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns of +the Nome King. + +Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck the +ground, but most of the dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. All +were glad to be on solid earth again and they at once dismounted and +began to look about them. Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the +dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monster's back disappeared, +and this probably happened because there was no further use for them +and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his silver scales. +Of course he still wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as +well as the great locket, but these only made him look "dressed up," as +Betsy remarked. + +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of the +Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as +they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and +they were led by Guph, their most famous General. But they did not +expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so +suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the nomes had rubbed the +astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they discovered +the dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far above their heads, +while the other strangers were standing in a group and calmly looking +down upon them. + +General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's fault but +his own. + +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at them. + +"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, who was +winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could fight more +briskly. + +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he turned +and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed with sharp +spears and with one accord they raised these spears and threw them +straight at their foes, so that they rushed through the air in a +perfect cloud of flying weapons. + +Some damage might have been done had not the dragon quickly crawled +before the others, his body being so big that it shielded every one of +them, including Hank. The spears rattled against the silver scales of +Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground. They were magic spears, of +course, and all straightway bounded back into the hands of those who +had thrown them, but even Guph could see that it was useless to repeat +the attack. + +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled +"For--ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated +the command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which seemed to be +composed mainly of Tik-Tok, marched forward in single column toward the +nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and Hank gave a loud +"Hee-haw!" and Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed: "At +'em, Tik-Tok--at 'em!" + +The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack but in a twinkling +disappeared into the underground caverns. They made a great mistake in +being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen steps before he +stubbed his copper toe on a rock and fell flat to the ground, where he +cried: "Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick me up!" until Shaggy and Files ran +forward and raised him to his feet again. + +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he scratched his left ear with +his hind claw, but no one was paying much attention to Quox just then. + +It was evident to Ann and her officers that there could be no fighting +unless the enemy was present, and in order to find the enemy they must +boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the nomes. So bold a step +demanded a council of war. + +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the orders of +the Jinjin?" asked Quox. + +"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have already put the army of +nomes to flight and all that yet remains is to force our way into those +caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his people." + +"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing his +eyes sleepily. "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for you. +Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one who lives thousands of +years the delay of a few days means nothing at all, and I shall +probably sleep until the time comes for me to act." + +Ann was provoked at this speech. + +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for the +Nome King is as good as conquered already." + +But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait." + + + + +Chapter Sixteen + +The Naughty Nome + + +Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between Queen Ann +and Quox, for the simple reason that he did not consider the matter +worth an argument. Safe within his pocket reposed the Love Magnet, +which had never failed to win every heart. The nomes, he knew, were not +like the heartless Roses and therefore could be won to his side as soon +as he exhibited the magic talisman. + +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom and now that +the entrance lay before him he was confident he would be able to rescue +his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon quarrel as to who should +conquer the nomes, if they liked; Shaggy would let them try, and if +they failed he had the means of conquest in his own pocket. + +But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she thought her Army could +do anything. So she called the officers together and told them how to +act, and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and what to say. + +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she added, "for +I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any blood--unless it is absolutely +necessary." + +"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not think Rug-ge-do would bleed +if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der press." + +Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and then the +four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains. They drew +their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, which he did. +Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough rocks, but when he +struck the smooth path he got along better. Into the gloomy mouth of +the cavern entrance he stepped without hesitation, and after him +proudly pranced the officers and Queen Ann. The others held back a +little, waiting to see what would happen. + +Of course the Nome King knew they were coming and was prepared to +receive them. Just within the rocky passage that led to the jeweled +throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually covered. Ruggedo had +ordered the cover removed and it now stood open, scarcely visible in +the gloom. + +The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage and there +was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close to the rock +walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the pit clearly and he +avoided it; but the officers marched straight into the hole and tumbled +in a heap on the bottom. An instant later Queen Ann also walked into +the pit, for she had her chin in the air and was careless where she +placed her feet. Then one of the nomes pulled a lever which replaced +the cover on the pit and made the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen +fast prisoners. + +As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the cavern where Ruggedo sat in +his throne and there he faced the Nome King and said: + +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of Oo-ga-boo, +whose Ar-my I am, and I de-clare that you are her pris-on-er!" + +Ruggedo laughed at him. + +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. + +"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. "Per-haps she stopped to +tie her shoe-string." + +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, in a stern voice, "I've +had enough of this nonsense. Your Queen and her officers are all +prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll tell me what +you mean to do." + +"My or-ders were to con-quer you," replied Tik-Tok, "and my +ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those +or-ders." + +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely by +General Guph. + +"Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work hammering +gold," commanded the King. "Being run by machinery he ought to be a +steady worker. He ought never to have been made, but since he exists I +shall hereafter put him to good use." + +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight." + +"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, "for it will be +useless to resist and you might hurt some one." + +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what damage the +gun might do the nomes were afraid to face it. + +While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high officials, Betsy +Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank +the mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting for "something to +happen" and so had come to see if Ruggedo had been conquered. + +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how dare you bring that beast +here and enter my presence unannounced?" + +"There wasn't anybody to announce me," replied Betsy. "I guess your +folks were all busy. Are you conquered yet?" + +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage. + +"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry," said the +girl. "You see, this conquering business is a good deal like waiting +for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get around and don't +amount to much anyhow." + +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech that for a time they +could only glare at her silently, not finding words to reply. The King +finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: + +"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty shall be your +death-warrant. You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal from +living is so easy a thing to do that I will not keep you waiting half +so long as you did for my conquest." + +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, getting +off Hank's back and standing beside him. "And it would be a pretty +cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry. If you'll give me +something to eat, I'll talk this killing business over with you +afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't approve of it, and never +will." + +Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, although he bore +an intense hatred toward all mortals. + +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. + +"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of hard-boiled eggs--" + +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering till +their teeth chattered. + +"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. "Are eggs as high here as +they are at home?" + +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his General, +"let us destroy this rash mortal at once! Seize her and take her to the +Slimy Cave and lock her in." + +Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just then +Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his knee-joints so +that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to the floor, his +gun falling from his grasp. + +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab at Betsy. At the same +time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where his belt +was buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannon-ball, struck the +Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the wall of rock on +the opposite side of the cavern. Together they fell to the floor in a +dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy: + +"Come with me--quick!--and I will save you." + +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed honest +and good-natured, so she decided to follow him. He led her and the mule +through several passages and into a small cavern very nicely and +comfortably furnished. + +"This is my own room," said he, "but you are quite welcome to use it. +Wait here a minute and I'll get you something to eat." + +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray containing some broiled +mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the mushrooms +delicious. + +"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock yourself in." + +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?" she +asked. + +"I'll see. Where are they?" + +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. + +"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said Kaliko; "but +don't let anyone in unless they give the three raps." + +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern she +closed and locked the door. + +In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves prisoners in +the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were tired out, but no one +had come to their assistance. It was very dark and damp in the pit and +they could not climb out because the walls were higher than their heads +and the cover was on. The Queen was first angry and then annoyed and +then discouraged; but the officers were only afraid. Every one of the +poor fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for his +orchard, and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for +causing them all this trouble and danger. + +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the pit and leaned her back +against the wall. By good luck her sharp elbow touched a secret spring +in the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann fell over backward, +but the next instant she jumped up and cried to the others: + +"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, and we may yet escape." + +Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark and dank +as the pit, and the officers followed her in single file. They crawled, +and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, for the passage was not +big enough to allow them to stand upright. It turned this way and +twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but +seldom ran for long in a straight line. + +"It will never end--never!" moaned the officers, who were rubbing all +the skin off their knees on the rough rocks. + +"It _must_ end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have +been made. We don't know where it will lead us to, but any place is +better than that loathsome pit." + +So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, and while they were +crawling through this awful underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy +and Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing outside the entrance +to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what had become of them. + + + + +Chapter Seventeen + +A Tragic Transformation + + +"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it may take +the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to do +everything in his slow, mechanical way." + +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose Princess. + +"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a powerful +fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen +commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint-hearted officers." + +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, +dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful +draperies. "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for +when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her +ambitions." + +"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga. + +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may see him +from here. He said he would take a little nap while we were mixing up +with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into trouble he +would wake up and conquer the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the +Jinjin has ordered him to do." + +"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall need his +services; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her +army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the caverns and show +the King my Love Magnet. That he cannot resist; therefore the conquest +will be made with ease." + +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared Hearer, who +was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For when the King and +Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves up, their +first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his back and put a heavy diamond on +top of him, so that he could not get up again. Then they carefully put +his gun in a corner of the cavern and the King sent Guph to fetch the +Long-Eared Hearer. + +The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, but he +acknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready to obey his +commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to the King, who at +once realized that his Kingdom was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew of +the Love Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the thought that +Shaggy might show him the magic talisman and turn all the hatred in his +heart into love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred love of +any sort. + + +"Really," said he, "I'd rather be conquered and lose my wealth and my +Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent +the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" + +Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this question, and +being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he answered by saying: + +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his body, he +could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket." + +"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the problem. +"Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them in the passage +where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he enters." + +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance were +growing more and more uneasy about their friends. + +"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, who +had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for they +could not be killed, even though Ruggedo might cause them much +suffering and perhaps destroy them utterly. But we should not have +allowed Betsy and Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl is +mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures +her she will be wholly at his mercy." + +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have +anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right +away and put an end to all this worry." + +"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of the Love +Magnet, you can soon bring the Nome King to reason." + +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the entrance +first, and after him came the others. They had no thought of danger to +themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with his hands thrust into +his pockets, was much surprised when a rope shot out from the darkness +and twined around his body, pinning down his arms so securely that he +could not even withdraw his hands from the pockets. Then appeared +several grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then +led the prisoner along the passage to the cavern. No attention was paid +to the others, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy, +determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an opportunity +might arise to rescue him. + +As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had overtaken Shaggy +she turned and ran lightly back through the passage and out of the +entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock until she paused +beside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep. + +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act." + +But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, absolutely +motionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The eyelids had big +silver scales on them, like all the rest of his body. + +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known that +dragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge body +swelling as he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and pounded +against his eyelids with it, saying: + +"Wake up, Quox--wake up!" But he would not waken. + +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "I +wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All our +friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast lies +asleep." + +She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover some +tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might be felt; but he +lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon the ground and his +legs drawn underneath his body, and all that one could see was his +thick sky-blue skin--thicker than that of a rhinoceros--and his silver +scales. + +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over the +fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and +hurried along the passage into the Nome King's cavern. + +Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a long pipe. +Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged before the King +were the Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok still lay +upon the floor, weighted down by the big diamond. + +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he had +met the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet was +indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from the King, but +Shaggy was powerless to show it and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the +talisman it could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he +believed Kaliko had placed them in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her +officers he thought safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear +of Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he had ordered golden +handcuffs placed upon their wrists. These did not cause them any great +annoyance but prevented them from making an attack, had they been +inclined to do so. + +The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the situation, was +laughing and jeering at his prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely +beautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern. + +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he stared +hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and pulled the +wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers. "On my word," said +he, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you are +a fairy." + +"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly. + +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate +everybody--but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautiful +cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls have every tint +and color of your Rainbow--and they are not so elusive. I'll have fresh +dewdrops gathered for your feasting every day and you shall be Queen of +all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like." + +"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, and I'm +only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why +my friends have been wound with cords and bound with chains?" + +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know how +powerful I am." + +"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send them +back to the earth's surface?" + +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer for their invasion. But +I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with me +and I'll set all these people free. You shall be my daughter or my wife +or my aunt or grandmother--whichever you like--only stay here to +brighten my gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" + +Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to Shaggy and +asked: + +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" + +"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something of a +Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome." + +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my friends +would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long the society +of such a wicked monster as you." + +"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also are in +my power." + +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of your +spite or malice." + +"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang forward +to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to +clutch her his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was in +another part of the room, as smiling and composed as before. + +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even came down +from his throne to assist his General; but never could they lay hands +upon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there with the +swiftness of light and constantly defied them with her merry laughter +as she evaded their efforts. + +So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned to his +throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a finely-woven +handkerchief of cloth-of-gold. + +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?" + +"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," replied +the Nome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the executioners." + +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of nomes, +all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated master. They +bore great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and clamps and chains +and various wicked-looking instruments, all made of precious metals and +set with diamonds and rubies. + +"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the executioners, +"fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the pit and torture +them here in my presence--as well as in the presence of their friends. +It will be great sport." + +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, and went +with his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he returned and bowed +to Ruggedo. + +"They're all gone," said he. + +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" + +"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the pit." + +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?" + +"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners were not +under it." + +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his disappointment, +"go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl and the donkey. And +while we are torturing them Kaliko must take a hundred nomes and search +for the escaped prisoners--the Queen of Oogaboo and her officers. If he +does not find them, I will torture Kaliko." + +Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the King was +cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang and the +executioners also went away, in another direction, but when they came +back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was Hank. + +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang. + +"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are you sure +you found the right cave?" + +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," returned Pang +positively. + +Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, these +disappointments but made him the more vindictive and he cast an evil +look at the other prisoners and said: + +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who +cannot escape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind +about Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, seething heat, +and then we'll dump the copper man into it and melt him up." + +"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the room +after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo people, "you +must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and interesting machine. +It would be a shame to deprive the world of such a clever contrivance." + +"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" roared the +King. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you know +I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga-chips of you! The next to +consider," he added more mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he owns the +Love Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, and then we can +practice shooting at him with Tik-Tok's gun. Now, this is a very +interesting ceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and see that +I've nothing up my sleeve." + +He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and then he +waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles over his victim's +head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the magic wugwa: + + "Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! + Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!" + +The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead of the +Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings +confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave an order to +Pang, who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove +quickly flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the Rose Princess, +who stroked it tenderly. + +"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands gleefully +together. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the others." + +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above +transformation; for, although the exact magical formula has been +described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone to +transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo used. +There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing this +transformation, but if it should be attempted in any other country, and +the magic worked, the magician would be severely punished.) + +When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and realized +that Ruggedo was about to do something as dreadful to the Princess and +Files, and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a crucible, she turned +and ran from the cavern, through the passage and back to the place +where Quox lay asleep. + + + + +Chapter Eighteen + +A Clever Conquest + + +The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even snoring in a +manner that resembled distant thunder; but Polychrome was now +desperate, because any further delay meant the destruction of her +friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to which was attached the great +locket, and jerked it with all her strength. + +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped snoring and his eyelids +flickered. So Polychrome jerked again--and again--till slowly the great +lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. Said he, in a sleepy +tone: + +"What's the matter, little Rainbow?" + +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has captured all our +friends and is about to destroy them." + +"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would happen. Step a little +out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the Nome King's +cavern." + +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised himself on his stout legs, +whisked his long tail and in an instant had slid down the rocks and +made a dive through the entrance. + +Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it with his immense body, +and now he poked his head into the jeweled cavern of Ruggedo. + +But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the dragon, +whenever he might appear. No sooner did Quox stick his head into the +room than a thick chain fell from above and encircled his neck. Then +the ends of the chain were drawn tight--for in an adjoining cavern a +thousand nomes were pulling on them--and so the dragon could advance no +further toward the King. He could not use his teeth or his claws and as +his body was still in the passage he had not even room to strike his +foes with his terrible tail. + +Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his stratagem. He had just +transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was about to transform +Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon appeared to interrupt him. So +he called out: + +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal entertainment. Since you are here, +you shall witness some very neat magic, and after I have finished with +Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a tiny lizard--one of +the chameleon sort--and you shall live in my cavern and amuse me." + +"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a quiet +voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic." + +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. + +"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around my neck?" + +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such a +silly thing." + +"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little chuckle of +amusement. + +"I do," declared Ruggedo. + +"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as helpless as +a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, +enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever Your Majesty looked +upon it all knowledge of magic would desert you instantly, nor will any +magical formula you can remember ever perform your bidding." + +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half frightened, +nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried to transform him +into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the right words or the +right pass of the hands and after several trials he finally gave up the +attempt. + +By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly shaking +in his shoes. + +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and now you +see the result of your disobedience." + +Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, who dodged +it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to +swagger: + +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these invaders; +fire and the sword will do the business and I am still King of the +Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" + +"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The Great Jinjin +commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom and seek the earth's +surface, where you will wander for all time to come, without a home or +country, without a friend or follower, and without any more riches than +you can carry with you in your pockets. The Great Jinjin is so generous +that he will allow you to fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but +you must take nothing more." + +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. + +"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a hoarse +voice. + +"He does," said Quox. + +"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden Tube?" + +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice. + +"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do it, +either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King of the Nomes, +until the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi-Hoochoo and all his +fairies--as well as his clumsy messenger, whom I have been obliged to +chain up!" + +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that made +Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so cold and +merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome King +trembled and was sick at heart. + +There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the dragon was +now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared at the immense +head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the old King's eyes +as he watched his enemy's movements. + +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had something +to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he raised one claw, +touched the catch of the great jeweled locket that was suspended around +his neck, and at once it opened wide. + +Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out upon +the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. But the effect +upon the nomes of this simple thing was astounding. General Guph, +Kaliko, Pang and his band of executioners were all standing close to +the door that led to the vast series of underground caverns which +constituted the dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw the +eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through the +door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it. + +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped upon +the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily +toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and crafty +Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled +directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne where he had +taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the seat. + +This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was real and +absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the center of the room +and then ran to a far corner. + +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction. +Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then he +drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the advancing +eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer. +The King stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until they were +but half a yard distant; then with an agile leap he jumped clear over +them and made a rush for the passage that led to the outer entrance. + +Of course the dragon was in his way, being chained in the passage with +his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King making toward him he +crouched as low as he could and dropped his chin to the floor, leaving +a small space between his body and the roof of the passage. + +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled by fear, he leaped to the +dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he succeeded in +squeezing himself through the opening. After the head was passed there +was more room and he slid along the dragon's scales to his tail and +then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the entrance. Not +pausing here, so great was his fright, the King dashed on down the +mountain path, but before he had gone very far he stumbled and fell. + +When he picked himself up he observed that no one was following him, +and while he recovered his breath he happened to think of the decree of +the Jinjin--that he should be driven from his Kingdom and made a +wanderer on the face of the earth. Well, here he was, driven from his +cavern in truth; driven by those dreadful eggs; but he would go back +and defy them; he would not submit to losing his precious Kingdom and +his tyrannical powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must. + +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back along +the path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six eggs +lying in a row just before the arched opening. + +At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, for the +eggs were now motionless. While he was wondering what could be done, he +remembered there was a magical charm which would destroy eggs and +render them harmless to nomes. There were nine passes to be made and +six verses of incantation to be recited; but Ruggedo knew them all. Now +that he had ample time to be exact, he carefully went through the +entire ceremony. + +But nothing happened. The eggs did not disappear, as he had expected; +so he repeated the charm a second time. When that also failed, he +remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic power had been taken +away from him and in the future he could do no more than any common +mortal. + +And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom which he +had ruled so long with absolute sway! He threw rocks at them, but could +not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and tore his hair and beard, +and danced in helpless passion, but that did nothing to avert the just +judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil deeds had brought upon +him. + +From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer upon the face of the +earth--and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with gold and +jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom! + + + + +Chapter Nineteen + +King Kaliko + + +After the King had made good his escape Files said to the dragon, in a +sad voice: + +"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you were sleeping instead +of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a fiddle without a +bow, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!" + +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, and I +have my orders from the Great Jinjin himself. Bring the fiddle here and +touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." + +Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the Nome +King's charm was broken and the Rose Princess herself stood before them +as sweet and smiling as ever. + +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had seen and heard all +this, so without being told what to do it flew straight to the dragon +and alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was himself again and +Quox said to him grumblingly: + +"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more particular where +you step." + +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his natural +form. Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest and to +assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. + +"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the wicked King who want-ed to +melt me in a cru-ci-ble?" + +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had managed +to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had witnessed the +occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder where Betsy Bobbin and +Hank can be, and if any harm has befallen them." + +"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared Shaggy; but +when he went to the door leading to the other caverns he found it shut +and barred. + +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I believe I +can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold." + +"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened in +some other room, so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously. + +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a prisoner +only because I wished to be one," and with this he stepped forward and +burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been threads. + +But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty +strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted +himself in a corner to think of a better way. + +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's big +gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening. + +Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo +and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he +heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the +King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious; so he +took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern. + +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments +removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and +so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo's +messenger, and bowed humbly before the beast. + +"What is your will?" he inquired. + +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. + +"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko. + +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. + +So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the door. The +little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the door. + +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in disgrace and +your friends are asking for you." + +So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the throne +cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends. They told +her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind Kaliko had +been to her. Quox did not have much to say until the conversation was +ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked: + +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has done?" + +"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the question. +"Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure." + +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. + +"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they did +Ruggedo." + +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes, and +Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said +Quox. + +"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I salute Your +Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom!" + +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made haste +to congratulate the new King. + +"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy. + +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo long +ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered to help +your brother to escape, but he would not go." + +"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of our +family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he added +anxiously. + +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King. + +"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy. + +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in these +dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it +worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has only to amuse +himself." + +"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy. + +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or when he +pleases, and is not his own master." + +"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy. + +"In the Metal Forest." + +"Where is that?" + +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in all our +dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out of doors, it +is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse himself, as +well as to tire out his hard-working nomes. All the trees are gold and +silver and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so it is a sort +of treasury." + +"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded Shaggy +earnestly. + +Kaliko hesitated. + +"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made three +secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the location of +these passages every week, so that no one can get to the Metal Forest +without his permission. However, if we look sharp, we may be able to +discover one of these secret ways." + +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the Officers +of Oogaboo," said Files. + +"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko. + +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" + +"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit in the +passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but when the +executioners went to look for them they had all disappeared from the +pit and we could find no trace of them." + +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann knew +any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear like that +_seems_ like magic; now, doesn't it?" + +They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the mystery. + +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we cannot +help them or be helped by them. And the important thing just now is to +rescue my dear brother from captivity." + +"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy. + +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I cannot remember his looks very +well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our family are +noted for their handsome faces." + +Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome relieved +his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but +lovely in disposition." + +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, "is +to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest." + +"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief nomes of +my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am their new King. +Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for the secret passages. + +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting sleepy +again. + +Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo used to +do; but no one answered the summons. + +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he had +seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain, +and will be until I appoint another in my place." + +So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to answer the +summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the royal cavern, Kaliko +first pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, wearing Ruggedo's +discarded ruby crown and holding in his hand the sceptre which Ruggedo +had so often thrown at his head. + +When Guph entered he was amazed. + +"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," he said +warningly. + +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his +stead," announced Kaliko. + +"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of those who +stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new King. + +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a hard +master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph +that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw +the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it. + +All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went away to +tell the news to all the nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one of +whom would be delighted with the change in Kings. + + + + +Chapter Twenty + +Quox Quietly Quits + + +When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully +saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kaliko +questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all +had assisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search +carefully for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as +they had found it. + +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so +regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and there +he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. The others of +the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns of the nomes +afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for his +promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could. + +Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of the +sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, +nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading to +the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all +were curious to know what had become of them. + +On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said +to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished +and I must depart for the other side of the world, where I belong." + +"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy. + +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to +talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as +soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out +at the other end I will wake up at home." + +They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasant +journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just +condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quox +yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which he +slid headforemost and disappeared. + +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had been +both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but +they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. So they went +back to the caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that +led to the forest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved +in vain. + +It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch +for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering +upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces. +And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock, +whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo! + +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn +and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left +his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer +seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman. + +Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only to +find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must +accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret +now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. +He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much +better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the +caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a +chance to fill his pockets. + +That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest. + +"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and +once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the +world." + +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. +Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew +of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so +he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying +her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger. +The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as +many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could. + +Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around to +make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it +swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered, +swinging the rock in place behind him. + +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have done, +for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her clear eyes +marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hidden +spring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko +and her friends of her discovery. + +"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimed +Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor +brother!" + +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes to +assist them by carrying torches to light their way. + +"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but the +passage across the valley is likely to be dark." + +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in less +than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the passage and +following swiftly after the former King. + +"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he will find +he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomes +throw him out." + +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he +deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights +square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into Slimy +Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any sympathy. But +you'll have to let him take as much treasure as he can get in his +pockets, Kaliko." + +"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is more +treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in their +pockets." + +It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially when the +torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But it proved to +be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with walking and was +seated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a sharp turn and +a wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The next moment they +were all standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal Forest. + +It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed cavern, the +roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In this space the +industrious nomes had built, during many years of labor, the most +beautiful forest in the world. The trees--trunks, branches and +leaves--were all of solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were +formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees towered as high as +natural live oaks do and were of exquisite workmanship. + +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size, +while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut +diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more treasure was +gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the +world--if we except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is equalled +in the famous Emerald City. + +Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they stood +gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed. + +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in this +place?" + +"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or three +years, to my positive knowledge." + +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully swell +place to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and di'monds, or +even gold." + +"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal Forest +does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. Beyond these gold +and silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear foods +very nice to eat. Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite sure we +will find Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather than in +this." + +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at every +step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the +golden trees with their glittering foliage. + +Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every direction as +some one hidden among the bushes scampered away before them. Then a +loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-One + +A Bashful Brother + + +With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a group of +stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing scene. + +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a dozen of +whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast in spite of his +efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, looking grimly upon the +scene of strife; but when she observed her former companions +approaching she turned away in a shamefaced manner. + +For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her Majesty's +clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds +by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, had led her +directly into the Metal Forest. It was, indeed, one of the three secret +passages, and by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had not only +torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her crown had become bent and +battered and even her shoes were so cut and slashed that they were +ready to fall from her feet. + +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for holes were +worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp points of rock in the +roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every inch of their once +brilliant uniforms. A more tattered and woeful army never came out of a +battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky passage. But it had +seemed their only means of escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had +crawled on, regardless of their sufferings. + +When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more plunder than +they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in this huge dome and +could not escape with the riches heaped about them. Perhaps a more +unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed than this band +from Oogaboo. + +After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they were +frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. Rendered +desperate by their sad condition, the officers exhibited courage for +the first time since they left home and, ignorant of the fact that +Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they threw themselves upon him +and had just succeeded in capturing him when their fellow adventurers +reached the spot. + +"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you all?" + +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant. + +"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small tunnel, which +was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our +clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we are +stiff and lame in every joint. To add to our troubles we find we are +still prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in capturing the wicked +Metal Monarch we shall force him to grant us our liberty." + +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files +informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox; +but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am pleased to +assure Your Majesty that he is our friend." + +"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as +courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment. + +The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo free; but, +as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his former servant, who +was now King in his place, in a humble and pleading manner. + +"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly. + +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my pockets," +replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb Your +Majesty." + +"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes forever!" +declared Kaliko. + +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said +Ruggedo, meekly. + +"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King. + +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by the +handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were heavy +things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and the +like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering with the weight he bore, +while the pockets were not yet filled. When he could no longer stoop +over without falling, Betsy and Polychrome and the Rose Princess came +to his assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking them into his +pockets. + +At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical sight, +for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any at all filled +with such a choice collection of precious stones. He neglected to thank +the young ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly nod of +farewell and staggered down the path by the way he had come. They let +him depart in silence, for with all he had taken, the masses of jewels +upon the ground seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous +were they. Also they hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King. + +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he doesn't +get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a +bank when he gets to Oklahoma." + +"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired Shaggy +anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?" + +"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen. + +Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the Ugly One. +Perhaps you'll know him by that." + +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run away +from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, among the +trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to catch sight of +his face. So I cannot tell whether he is ugly or not." + +"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy. + +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this splendid +dome, so there can be no mistake." + +"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of enjoying all +these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy. + +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, "and I +remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep in. As for +these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very pretty at first +sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as well as the rich jewels +scattered beneath them; but if one has to look at them always, they +become pretty tame." + +"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is very +wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; let us go +there and find him." + +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others followed +him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his long-sought, +long-lost brother. + +Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, cleverly +made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As they approached +the place they caught a glimpse of a form that darted into the hut and +slammed the door tight shut after him. + +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: + +"Brother! Brother!" + +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within. + +"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has been searching for you +a long time and has now come to rescue you." + +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now." + +"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is a new +King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has +promised you shall go free." + +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of despair. + +"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously. + +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through the +closed door. + +"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?" + +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you +remember, Shaggy?" + +"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. But I +remember that mother thought you were beautiful." + +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. "But +Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to make me ugly in the eyes of all the +world--so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed +beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very modest I will merely +claim that I was good-looking--and I wakened the next morning the +homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive that when I look in a +mirror I frighten myself." + +"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were silent from +sympathy. + +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's +brother, "that I tried to hide; but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me to +appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: 'Behold the +Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my face they all fell to laughing and +jeering, which prevented them from working at their tasks. Seeing this, +Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a tunnel, closing the rock +entrance so that I could not get out. I followed the length of the +tunnel until I reached this huge dome, where the marvelous Metal Forest +stands, and here I have remained ever since." + +"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you now to come forth and +face us, who are your friends. None here will laugh or jeer, however +unhandsome you may be." + +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. + +But the Ugly One refused the invitation. + +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I am." + +Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him. + +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. "I cannot leave my dear +brother here, and he refuses to come out of that house and face us." + +"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on a mask." + +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully; and then he +called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then none of us +can see what your features are like." + +"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One. + +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my handkerchief." + +Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his head. + +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough to +hide a man's face. But he can use mine." + +Saying this he took from his pocket his own handkerchief and went to +the door of the hut. + +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this handkerchief and make a mask +of it. I will also pass you my knife, so that you may cut holes for the +eyes, and then you must tie it over your face." + +The door slowly opened, just far enough for the Ugly One to thrust out +his hand and take the handkerchief and the knife. Then it closed again. + +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy. "You must breathe, +you know." + +For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her army sat down upon the +ground to rest. Betsy sat on Hank's back. Polychrome danced lightly up +and down the jeweled paths while Files and the Princess wandered +through the groves arm in arm. Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood +motionless. + +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. + +"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy. + +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was thrown open to allow +the Ugly One to step forth. + +Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how sensitive to +ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief with which he had +masked his features was a red one covered with big white polka dots. In +this two holes had been cut--in front of the eyes--while two smaller +ones before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe freely. The cloth +was then tightly drawn over the Ugly One's face and knotted at the back +of his neck. + +He was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were sadly +worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and his shoes +were stub-toed and needed blackening. "But what can you expect," +whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner for so many +years?" + +Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found brother with +both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him +forward and introduced him to all the assembled company. + +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He is our +friend, and has granted you your freedom." + +"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I dread to +go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I remain forever +masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop all the +clocks." + +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy. + +Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head. + +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was fond +of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes know +nothing of." + +"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," suggested +Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to escape." + +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am very +happy to have found you again, although I may never see your face. So +let us make the most of this joyful reunion." + +The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and the tears +began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them away +with his coat sleeve. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Two + +Kindly Kisses + + +"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" Betsy asked +the Ugly One. + +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless things, +and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness had I not found +this natural forest at the edge of the artificial one. Anyhow, without +these real trees I should soon have starved to death." + +Betsy looked around at the quaint trees. + +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you find to +eat here?" + +"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that grove at +your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do +not grow in your country, or in any other place but this cavern. I have +named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a certain kind of table +d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.'" + +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' like?" + +"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the Ugly One. "All +you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down and eat your +dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a cupfull of good soup. +After you've eaten that, you unscrew the middle part and find a hollow +filled with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine salad. Eat that, +and unscrew the next section, and you come to the dessert in the bottom +of the nut. That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and +raisins. The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in flavor or +in contents, but they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner." + +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. + +"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which grow over there at the +right. They bear nuts, like the others, only the nuts contain coffee or +chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal instead of meat-and-potatoes, and +fruits instead of dessert. Sad as has been my life in this wonderful +prison, I must admit that no one could live more luxuriously in the +best hotel in the world than I have lived here; but I will be glad to +get into the open air again and see the good old sun and the silvery +moon and the soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed by the +morning dew. Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things than the +glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!" + +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little boy who wanted to catch +the measles, because all the little boys in his neighborhood but him +had had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't catch 'em, try as +he would. So I'm pretty certain that the things we want, and can't +have, are not good for us. Isn't that true, Shaggy?" + +"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If we didn't want anything, +we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our longings are +natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go far wrong." + +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a dreary +place without the gold and jewels." + +"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; "but we may have too +much of any good thing. And I have noticed that the value of anything +depends upon how scarce it is, and how difficult it is to obtain." + +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to their +side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother I would like to +return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the Nomes, it is my duty +to look after my restless subjects and see that they behave themselves." + +So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest to the +other side of the great domed cave, where they had first entered it. +Shaggy and his brother walked side by side and both seemed rejoiced +that they were together after their long separation. Betsy didn't dare +look at the polka dot handkerchief, for fear she would laugh aloud; so +she walked behind the two brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his +left ear. + +When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the outer +world, Queen Ann said, in a hesitating way that was unusual with her: + +"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do I expect to do so; but +I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels before I leave this +place." + +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the officers of +the Army took advantage of his royal permission and began filling their +pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big handkerchief. + +This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes going first +to light the way with their torches. They had not proceeded far when +Betsy exclaimed: + +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" + +All eyes were turned upon the ground and they found a regular trail of +jewels strewn along the rock floor. + +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I must send some of my +nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal Forest, +where they belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" + +All the way along the passage they found this trail of jewels, but when +they neared the end the mystery was explained. For there, squatted upon +the floor with his back to the rock wall, sat old Ruggedo, puffing and +blowing as if he was all tired out. Then they realized it was he who +had scattered the jewels, from his many pockets, which one by one had +burst with the weight of their contents as he had stumbled along the +passage. + +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep sigh. "I now realize that +I could not have carried such a weighty load very far, even had I +managed to escape from this passage with it. The woman who sewed the +pockets on my robe used poor thread, for which I shall thank her." + +"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy. + +He glanced into some of the remaining pockets. + +"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient to supply my wants, and +I no longer have any desire to be rich. If some of you will kindly help +me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, for I know you all +despise me and prefer my room to my company." + +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was +confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first time. +The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so startled Ruggedo +that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble, as if he had seen a ghost. + +"Wh--wh--who is this?" he faltered. + +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed from a +handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother, in a voice +of stern reproach. + +"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of that mean +trick." + +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble as +formerly he had been cruel and vindictive. + +"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic and give +the poor man his own face again." + +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but you must remember that +Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers. However, I never +took the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I cast over +Shaggy's brother, for I intended he should always remain ugly." + +"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote; and, if +you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to +dispel it." + +He shook his head. + +"If I did, I--I've forgotten," he stammered regretfully. + +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. "_Please_ try to think!" + +Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his chest, +rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group. + +"I've a faint recollection that there _was_ one thing that would break +the charm," said he; "but misfortune has so addled my brain that I +can't remember what it was." + +"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've treated you pretty +well, so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if you know +what's good for yourself you'll think of that charm!" + +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little girl. + +"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. He's dreadfully ashamed +of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for it. Fact is, +Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life that it won't hurt +you to do a kind act now." + +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and then tried very hard to +think. + +"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of a kiss +will break the charm of ugliness." + +"What kind of a kiss?" + +"What kind? Why, it was--it was--it was either the kiss of a Mortal +Maid; or--or--the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy; +or--or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't remember which. +But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would ever consent to kiss a +person so ugly--so dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly--as Shaggy's +brother." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with admirable courage; "I'm a +Mortal Maid, and if it is _my_ kiss that will break this awful charm, +I--I'll do it!" + +"Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I would be obliged to +remove my mask, and when you saw my face, nothing could induce you to +kiss me, generous as you are." + +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your face at +all. Here's my plan: You stay in this dark passage, and we'll send away +the nomes with their torches. Then you'll take off the handkerchief, +and I--I'll kiss you." + +"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said Shaggy, gratefully. + +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; "and, if it makes you and +your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances." + +So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, which they +did by going through the rock opening. Queen Ann and her army also went +out; but the others were so interested in Betsy's experiment that they +remained grouped at the mouth of the passageway. When the big rock +swung into place, closing tight the opening, they were left in total +darkness. + +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got that +handkerchief off your face, Ugly?" + +"Yes," he replied. + +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms. + +"Here," said he. + +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." + +He found her hands and clasping them in his own stooped until his face +was near to that of the little girl. The others heard a clear, smacking +kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed: + +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" + +"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" asked Shaggy. + +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or it may not be. I cannot +tell." + +"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy. + +"I have several," said Shaggy. + +"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at your brother's face, +while we all turn our backs. Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I guess +he can stand the horror of looking at him, if the charm isn't broken." + +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it. He gave one +look and then blew out the match. + +"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it wasn't the kiss of a +Mortal Maid, after all." + +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her sweet voice. "I am a +Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break the charm." + +Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous to +interfere. So the Rose Princess felt her way through the darkness to +Shaggy's brother and kissed him. + +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all turned away. + +"No," announced the former King; "that didn't break the charm, either. +It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required--or else my memory has +failed me altogether." + +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't _you_ try?" + +"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a merry laugh. "I've +never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I have existed, +but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, whose unselfish +affection for his ugly brother deserves to be rewarded." + +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped lightly to the side of the +Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips. + +"Oh, thank you--thank you!" he fervently cried. "I've changed, this +time, I know. I can feel it! I'm different. Shaggy--dear Shaggy--I am +myself again!" + +Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring that released the +big rock and it suddenly swung backward and let in a flood of daylight. + +Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's brother, who, no +longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their gaze with a glad +smile. + +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing a +long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my +dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, the face that belongs +to you is no more handsome than it ought to be." + +"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at the man +critically. + +"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really +beautiful. You, who never beheld his ugliness, may not understand that; +but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many times, and I say +again that, in comparison with what he was, the man is now beautiful." + +"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll take your word for it, +Kaliko. And now let us get out of this tunnel and into the world again." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Three + +Ruggedo Reforms + + +It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the Nome King, +where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest refreshments the place +afforded. + +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and while +no one paid any attention to the old King they did not offer any +objection to his presence or command him to leave them. He looked +fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the entrance, but they +had now disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the others and +humbly squatted down in a corner of the room. + +There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's companions were +now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the +laughter and merriment seemed so general, that Betsy's heart softened +toward the friendless old man who had once been their bitter enemy, and +she carried to him some of the food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes filled +with tears at this unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in his +own and pressed it gratefully. + +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's the +use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't +do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so badly to +everybody." + +"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former master. + +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm +harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top of the +ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place but +underground." + +"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here as long +as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly again, I shall +drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and you'll have to +wander." + +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work being a +King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I am a common +nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life." + +They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo had really +reformed. + +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if he +gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko +will have to 'tend to the old nome himself." + +Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or two. The +lovely Daughter of the Rainbow knew that she had now done all in her +power to assist her earth friends, and so she began to long for her sky +home. + +"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is beginning to +rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read my +thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I must take a look at the sky +and make sure." + +So she jumped up and ran through the passage to the outer entrance, and +they all followed after her and grouped themselves on a ledge of the +mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had filled the sky and a slow, +drizzling rain had set in. + +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when it +stops we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to love. +Alas," he continued, after a moment, "the clouds are already breaking +in the west, and--see!--isn't that the Rainbow coming?" + +Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose happy, +smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to take her to +the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of sunshine flooded the +mountain and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared. + +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and held +out her arms. Straightway the Rainbow descended until its end was at +her very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang upon it and was at +once clasped in the arms of her radiant sisters, the Daughters of the +Rainbow. But Polychrome released herself to lean over the edge of the +glowing arch and nod, and smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late +comrades. + +"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted "Good-bye!" in return and +waved their hands to their pretty friend. + +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted into the sky, until the +eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting across the +blue. + +"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who felt like +crying; "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters in +the sky palaces." + +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. "It's her home, you +know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home, can +realize what that means to her." + +"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, I've only--only--dear old +Hank!" + +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not human, and he +said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her mood. And the +shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's head tenderly and said: +"You're wrong about that, Betsy, dear. I will never desert you." + +"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest tones. + +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled +through their tears. + +"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so let's go back into the +cavern." + +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and would miss her, they +reentered the dominions of the Nome King. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Four + +Dorothy is Delighted + + +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated in Kaliko's royal +cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next. If I could find my way back to +Oogaboo I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and tired of these +dreadful hardships." + +"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy. + +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The world +is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with my own +people in Oogaboo. I wish--Oh, how earnestly I wish--that I was back +there this minute!" + +"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone. + +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land of Oz +the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures of her Shaggy +Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. Day by day Ozma, +with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside her, had gazed upon a +Magic Picture in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the Ruler's +cosy boudoir in the palace of the Emerald City. The singular thing +about this Magic Picture was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished +to see, with the figures all in motion, just as it was taking place. So +Ozma and the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from +the time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose Kingdom, +at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of Ozma, had been +exiled by her heartless subjects. + +When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to Oogaboo, Ozma +was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the Land +of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked: + +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, +Wizard?" + +"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard. + +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided effort to +conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the +undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in her own +little Kingdom. Please send her there, Wizard, and with her the +officers and Files." + +"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard. + +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. "They have become such +good friends that I am sure it would make them unhappy to separate +them." + +"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery whatever +he performed a magical rite that was simple and effective. Therefore +those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both startled and amazed +when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly disappeared from the room, and +with them the Rose Princess. At first they could not understand it at +all; but presently Shaggy suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma +was now taking an interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny +instrument which he placed against his ear. + +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught up a +similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to her own ear. +The two instruments recorded the same delicate vibrations of sound and +formed a wireless telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those +separated by any distance were thus enabled to converse together with +perfect ease and without any wire connection. + +"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma. + +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. + +"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little valley," +announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their disappearance." + +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must +permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have found +my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the enchantment of +ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has served me and my +comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope you will +now transport the Clockwork Man back to your fairyland of Oz." + +"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, Shaggy?" + +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others forces +me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take care of my +new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade in a dear +little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home to go to, and no other +friends but me and a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy +never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, and so I must give +up the delights of the Land of Oz forever." + +He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but laid the +tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all further +communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz still +watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful expression upon her face, +and the little Wizard of Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself. + +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless telephone +in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful a voice as he +could muster: + +"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face. "I'm kind +of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that +Queen Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is gone, and--dear +me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" + +"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the cavern and +nodding wisely. "By this time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of Oz, +which is his home." + +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. + +"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is wherever you and my brother +are. We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick together I am sure we +shall have a good time." + +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy, underground +cavern and go in search of new adventures. I'm sure it has stopped +raining." + +"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, +and thanked him for his assistance, and went out to the mouth of the +passage. + +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color; the sun shone +brightly and even this rugged, rocky country seemed delightful after +their confinement underground. There were but four of them now--Betsy +and Hank, and Shaggy and his brother--and the little party made their +way down the mountain and followed a faint path that led toward the +southwest. + +During this time Ozma had been holding a conference with the Wizard, +and later with Tik-Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly +transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only words of praise for +Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy +her-self." + +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite maid, +who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request Princess Dorothy to +attend her at once. So a few moments later Dorothy entered Ozma's room +and greeted her and the Wizard and Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile +and simple manner that had won for the little girl the love of everyone +she met. + +"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked. + +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice." + +"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll do the +best I can. What is it all about, Ozma?" + +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three friends, +"what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into this fairyland of +Oz. It is true I have invited several mortals to make their home here, +and all of them have proved true and loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of +you three was a native of Oz. Dorothy and the Wizard came here from the +United States, and Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev. But of course he +is not a mortal. Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of all +my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and desert the new +friends he has found in his recent adventures, because he believes they +need his services." + +"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy. "But who are +these new friends he has found?" + +"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of the Nome +King, our old enemy Ruggedo. This brother seems a kindly, honest +fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to a home in the Land of +Oz." + +"Who else?" asked Dorothy. + +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was +shipwrecked--in much the same way you once were--and has since been +following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother. You +remember her, do you not?" + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often watched her and Hank in the +Magic Picture, you know. She's a dear little girl, and old Hank is a +darling! Where are they now?" + +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's enthusiasm. + +Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, with Shaggy +and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a barren country. + +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that they're a good way from any +place to sleep, or any nice things to eat." + +"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in that coun-try, and it is +a wil-der-ness." + +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are so +mischievous that no one cares to live near them. I'm afraid Shaggy and +his friends will endure many hardships before they get out of that +rocky place, unless--" + +He turned to Ozma and smiled. + +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked. + +"Yes, your Highness." + +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. + +"I think so," said the Wizard. + +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned, I'd like +to have them here in Oz. It would be such fun to have a girl playmate +of my own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear little mule!" + +Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and then she +drew Dorothy to her and kissed her. + +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. + +Dorothy flushed. + +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she cried. "But you're so busy +ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't always be together." + +"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it would be +a delight to us all to have Betsy with us. There's a pretty suite of +rooms just opposite your own where she can live, and I'll build a +golden stall for Hank in the stable where the Sawhorse lives. Then +we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and +I'm sure they will soon become firm friends. But I cannot very well +admit Betsy and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's brother." + +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor Shaggy, +whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard. + +"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok. + +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress," explained +Ozma. "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but his brother has no +claim on me." + +"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy. + +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma. + +"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?" + +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, Wizard?" + +"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all." + +"And you, Tik-Tok?" + +"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare Shag-gy." + +"So, then; the question is settled," decided Ozma. "Perform your magic, +Wizard!" + +He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and pouring +upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was contained in a +crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult incantation which the +sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, and it all ended in a puff of +perfumed smoke from the silver plate. This smoke was so pungent that it +made both Ozma and Dorothy rub their eyes for a moment. + +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the Wizard. "I assure +you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry." + +"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture; "they're gone! +All of them are gone." + +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as before, but +the three people and the mule had disappeared from it. + +"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate and +wrapping it in a fine cloth, "because they are here." + +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. + +"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another man are +in the waiting room and ask to pay their respects to you. Shaggy is +crying like a baby, but he says they are tears of joy." + +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma. + +"Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small-sized mule have +mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are or how +they came here. Shall I send them here, too?" + +"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her chair; "I'll +go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful strange in this big +palace." + +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new friend, +Betsy Bobbin. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Five + +The Land of Love + + +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the Sawhorse, as +he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly wagged the branch that +served him for a tail. + +They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of Ozma's palace, where the +wooden Sawhorse--very much alive--lived in a gold-paneled stall, and +where there were rooms for the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, +which were filled with soft cushions for them to lie upon and golden +troughs for them to eat from. + +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for Hank, the +mule. This was not quite so beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse +was Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of cushions for a bed +(which the Sawhorse did not need because he never slept) and all this +luxury was so strange to the little mule that he could only stand still +and regard his surroundings and his queer companions with wonder and +amazement. + +The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out upon the +marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and critical gaze, +while near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed equally +interested in the new animal that had just arrived. The Sawhorse, +standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his question: + +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" + +Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner. + +"I have never said anything else, until now," he replied; and then he +began to tremble with fright to hear himself talk. + +"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his great head +with a swaying motion. "Strange things happen in this Land of Oz, as +they do everywhere else. I believe you came here from the cold, +civilized, outside world, did you not?" + +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside of Oz--and the next +minute I was inside! That was enough to give me a nervous shock, as you +may guess; but to find myself able to talk, as Betsy does, is a marvel +that staggers me." + +"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the Sawhorse. "All +animals talk, in this favored country, and you must admit it is more +sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' which nobody can +understand." + +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. + +"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in your outside world," +said the Tiger, yawning sleepily. + +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. "Are you the only Tiger +in Oz?" + +"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in the +Jungle Country; but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald City." + +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; "but I am the only +horse, of any description, in this favored Land." + +"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger. "You must +understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because he is +shod with plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +likes to ride upon his back." + +"Betsy rides upon _my_ back," declared Hank proudly. + +"Who is Betsy?" + +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" + +The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet. The Tiger +crouched and growled. Slowly the great Lion rose to his feet, his mane +bristling. + +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in judgment or you are +willfully trying to deceive us. The dearest, sweetest girl in the world +is our Dorothy, and I will fight anyone--animal or human--who dares to +deny it!" + +"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous white +teeth. + +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn. "No +girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" + +Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the others. Then +he said stubbornly: + +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I admit there can be a +sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin. If you want to fight, come +on--I'm ready for you!" + +While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry peal of +laughter startled the animals and turning their heads they beheld three +lovely girls standing just within the richly carved entrance to the +stable. In the center was Ozma, her arms encircling the waists of +Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either side of her. Ozma was nearly +half a head taller than the two other girls, who were almost of one +size. Unobserved, they had listened to the talk of the animals, which +was a very strange experience indeed to little Betsy Bobbin. + +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, in a gentle but +chiding tone of voice. "Why should you fight to defend us, who are +all three loving friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she +continued, as they bowed their heads sheepishly. + +"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," pleaded the +Lion. + +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am glad you and the Hungry +Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and companion. +Also I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for together we have +endured both joy and sorrow. Hank has proved his faith and loyalty by +defending his own little mistress; and so you are all right in one way, +but wrong in another. Our Land of Oz is a Land of Love, and here +friendship outranks every other quality. Unless you can all be friends, +you cannot retain our love." + +They accepted this rebuke very meekly. + +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite cheerfully; "shake hoofs, friend +Mule." + +Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden horse. + +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger. So Hank modestly +rubbed noses with the big beast. + +The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the mule: + +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the +Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover your case. If ever you need help or +advice, friend Hank, call on me." + +"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to see them +so fully reconciled. Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my +dears, let us resume our walk." + +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: + +"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?" + +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a Yellow Hen here, and she can +talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs in my +room who talks very nicely; but I've a little fuzzy black dog, named +Toto, who has been with me in Oz a long time, and he's never said a +single word but 'Bow-wow!'" + +"Do you know why?" asked Ozma. + +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's different from these fairy +animals," replied Dorothy. + +"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, "yet as +soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found he could +talk. It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you brought +here at one time. The same spell has affected Toto, I assure you; but +he's a wise little dog and while he knows everything that is said to +him he prefers not to talk." + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never s'pected Toto was fooling me +all this time." Then she drew a small silver whistle from her pocket +and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later there was a sound of +scurrying footsteps, and a shaggy black dog came running up the path. + +Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her finger just above his +nose she said: + +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" + +Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes and wagged his tail. + +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as well as +Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the tone of Toto's +voice. + +"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would you like it, Toto, if I +said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?" + +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but otherwise he was silent. + +"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and his tail +just as well as we can. Don't you understand such dog language?" + +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's got to be more sociable. +See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog, "I've just learned, +for the first time, that you can say words--if you want to. Don't you +want to, Toto?" + +"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant "no." + +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as any other animal in Oz?" + +"Woof!" + +"Just one word, Toto--and then you may run away." + +He looked at her steadily a moment. + +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away as swift as an arrow. + +Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while Betsy and Ozma both laughed +heartily at her pleasure and the success of her experiment. Arm in arm +they sauntered away through the beautiful gardens of the palace, where +magnificent flowers bloomed in abundance and fountains shot their +silvery sprays far into the air. And by and by, as they turned a +corner, they came upon Shaggy Man and his brother, who were seated +together upon a golden bench. + +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached them. + +"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma asked the stranger. + +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother. "Also +I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this delightful +place." + +"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. "Being his brother, I have +made you welcome here." + +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will be +glad he has become one of your loyal subjects. I am just getting +acquainted with him myself and I find much in his character to admire." + +Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk. +Presently Betsy exclaimed: + +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz as _I_ am. Do you know, +Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl could ever have such a good +time--_anywhere_--as I'm having now?" + +"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way myself, lots of times." + +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every little girl in the +world could live in the Land of Oz; and every little boy, too!" + +Ozma laughed at this. + +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your wish cannot be +granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and boys would crowd us +so that we would have to move away." + +"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I guess that's true." + +THE END + + + + + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum + + THE WIZARD OF OZ + THE LAND OF OZ + OZMA OF OZ + DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ + THE ROAD TO OZ + THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ + THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ + TIK-TOK OF OZ + THE SCARECROW OF OZ + RINKITINK IN OZ + THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ + THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ + THE MAGIC OF OZ + GLINDA OF OZ + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. 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Gottschalk, +Whose sweet and dainty melodies +breathe the true spirit of fairyland, +this book is affectionately dedicated + + +To My Readers + +The very marked success of my last year's fairy +book, "The Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me +that my readers like the Oz stories "best of all," as +one little girl wrote me. So here, my dears, is a +new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth, +the Queen of Oogahoo, whom Tik-Tok assisted +in conquering our old acquaintance, the Nome Kin. +It also tells of Betsy Bobin and how, after many +adventures, she finally reached the marvelous +Land of Oz. + +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," +hut it is not like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," +although some of the adventures recorded in this +book, as well as those in several other Oz hooks, +are included in the play. Those who have seen the +play and those who have read the other Oz hooks +will find in this story a lot of strange +characters and adventures that they have never +heard of before. + +In the letters I receive from children there has +been an urgent appeal for me to write a story that +will take Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz, +where they will meet Dorothy and Ozma. Also +they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted +with Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged +to talk these matters over with Dorothy by means +of the "wireless," for that is the only way I can +communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked +her about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you +heard?" I said "No." "Well," came the message over +the wireless, "I'll tell you all about it, by and +by, and then you can make a hook of that story for +the children to read." + +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted +to write another Oz hook, you will probably +discover how all these characters came together in +the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell +all my little friends--whose numbers are increasing +by many thousands every year--that I am very +grateful for the favor they have shown my hooks and +for the delightful little letters I am constantly +receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends +among the children of America as any story writer +alive; and this, of course, makes me very proud and +happy. + +L. Frank Baum. + +"OZCOT" +at HOLLYWOOD +in CALIFORNIA, 1914. + + + + +LIST OF CHAPTERS +1 - Ann's Army +2 - Out of Oogaboo +3 - Magic Mystifies the Marchers +4 - Betsy braves the Bellows +5 - The Roses Repulse the Refugees +6 - Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother +7 - Polychrome's pitiful Plight +8 - Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough task +9 - Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless +10 - A terrible Tumble Through a Tube +11 - A Famous Fellowship of Fairies +12 - The Lovely Lady of Light +13 - The Jinjin's Just Judgment +14 - The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening +15 - The Dragon Defies Danger +16 - The Naughty Nome +17 - A Tragic Transformation +18 - A Cleaver Conquest +19 - King Kaliko +20 - Quok Quietly Quits +21 - A Bashful Brother +22 - kindly Kisses +23 - Ruggedo Reforms +24 - Dorothy is Delighted +25 - The Land of Love + + + + +TIK-TOK of OZ + + + + +Chapter One + +Ann's Army + + +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It +is beneath my dignity." + +"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger +sister, Salye; "else we shall soon he wading in +dust. And you are the eldest, and the head of the +family." + +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. +"But," she added with a sigh, "my kingdom is the +smallest and the poorest in all the Land of Oz." + +This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, +in a far corner of the beautiful fairyland of Oz, +lies a small valley which is named Oogaboo, and in +this valley lived a few people who were usually +happy and contented and never cared to wander over +the mountain pass into the more settled parts of +the land. They knew that all of Oz, including +their own territory, was ruled by a beautiful +Princess named Ozma, who lived in the splendid +Emerald City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo +never visited Ozma. They had a royal family of +their own--not especially to rule over them, but +just as a matter of pride. Ozma permitted the +various parts of her country to have their Kings +and Queens and Emperors and the like, but all were +ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the Emerald +City. + +The King of Oogaboo used to he a man named +Jol Jemkiph Soforth, who for many years did +all the drudgery of deciding disputes and telling +his people when to plant cabbages and pickle +onions. But the King's wife had a sharp tongue +and small respect for the King, her husband; +therefore one night King Jol crept over the pass +into the Land of Oz and disappeared from +Oogaboo for good and all. The Queen waited +a few years for him to return and then started +in search of him, leaving her eldest daughter, +Ann Soforth, to act as Queen. + +Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday +came, for that meant a party and feasting and +dancing, but she had quite forgotten how many +years the birthdays marked. In a land where people +live always, this is not considered a cause for +regret, so we may justly say that Queen Ann of +Oogaboo was old enough to make jelly--and let it go +at that. + +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the +housework than she could help. She was an +ambitious woman and constantly resented the fact +that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so +stupid and unenterprising. Often she wondered what +had become of her father and mother, out beyond +the pass, in the wonderful Land of Oz, and the +fact that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann +to suspect that they bad found a better place to +live. So, when Salye refused to sweep the floor of +the living room in the palace, and Ann would not +sweep it, either, she said to her sister: + +"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo +tires me." + +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you +are very foolish to leave this place." + +"Why?" asked Ann. + +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's +country, you will be a nobody, while here you +are a Queen." + +"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven +women and forty-four children!" returned Ann +bitterly. + +"Well, there are certainly more people than that +in the great Land of Oz," laughed Salye. "Why +don't you raise an army and conquer them, and be +Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt Ann +and so to anger her. Then she made a face at her +sister and went into the back yard to swing in the +hammock. + +Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann +an idea. She reflected that Oz was reported to be +a peaceful country and Ozma a mere girl who ruled +with gentleness to all and was obeyed because her +people loved her. Even in Oogaboo the story was +told that Ozma's sole army consisted of twenty- +seven fine officers, who wore beautiful uniforms +but carried no weapons, because there was no one +to fight. Once there had been a private soldier, +besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a +Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it +might accidentally hurt some one. + +The more Ann thought about the matter the more +she was convinced it would be easy to conquer the +Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in Ozma's +place, if she but had an Army to do it with. +Afterward she could go out into the world and +conquer other lands, and then perhaps she could +find a way to the moon, and conquer that. She had +a warlike spirit that preferred trouble to +idleness. + +It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She +carefully counted in her mind all the men of her +kingdom. Yes; there were exactly eighteen of them, +all told. That would not make a very big Army, but +by surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men +might easily subdue them. "Gentle people are +always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told +herself. "I don't wish to shed any blood, for that +would shock my nerves and I might faint; but if we +threaten and flash our weapons I am sure the +people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me +and surrender." + +This argument, which she repeated to herself +more than once, finally determined the Queen of +Oogaboo to undertake the audacious venture. + +"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make +me no more unhappy than my staying shut up +in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and +quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will venture +all, and win what I may." + +That very day she started out to organize her +Army. + +The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so +called because he had an apple orchard. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and I want you to join my Army." + +"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I +must politely refuse Your Majesty," said Jo +Apple." + +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall +command you, as Queen of Oogaboo, to join," said +Ann. + +"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man +remarked, in a sad voice. "But I pray you to +consider that I am a very important citizen, and +for that reason am entitled to an office of high +rank." + +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. + +"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked. + +"Of course," said the Queen. + +Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo +Bunn, as he owned an orchard where graham-buns and +wheat-buns, in great variety, both hot and cold, +grew on the trees. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and I command you to join my Army." + +"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to +be picked." + +"Let your wife and children do the picking," +said Ann. + +"But I'm a man of great importance, Your +Majesty," he protested. + +"For that reason you shall be one of my +Generals, and wear a cocked hat with gold +braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a long +sword," she promised. + +So he consented, although sorely against his +will, and the Queen walked on to the next +cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so called because +the trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent +ice-cream cones. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and you must join my Army." + +"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a +bad fighter. My good wife conquered me years +ago, for she can fight better than I. Take her, +Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you +for the favor." + +"This must be an army of men-fierce, ferocious +warriors," declared Ann, looking sternly upon the +mild little man. + +"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he +asked. + +"Yes; and make you a General." + +"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to +the cottage of Jo Clock, who had an orchard of +clock-trees. This man at first insisted that he +would not join the army, but Queen Ann's +promise to make him a General finally won his +consent. + +"How many Generals are there in your army?" +he asked. + +"Four, so far," replied Ann. + +"And how big will the army he?" was his next +question. + +"I intend to make every one of the eighteen +men in Oogaboo join it," she said. + +"Then four Generals are enough," announced +Jo Clock. "I advise you to make the rest of them +Colonels." + +Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four +men she visited--who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo +Banjo and Jo Cheese, named after the trees in +their orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; but +the fifth one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and +Generals were getting to be altogether too common +in the Army of Oogaboo and he preferred to be a +Major. So Jo Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo +Stockings were all four made Majors, while the +next four--Jo Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and +Jo Buttons--were appointed Captains of the Army. + +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There +remained but two other men in all Oogaboo, +and if she made these two Lieutenants, while +there were four Captains, four Majors, four +Colonels and four Generals, there was likely to +be jealousy in her army, and perhaps mutiny +and desertions. + +One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he +would not go at all. No promises could tempt him, +nor could threats move him. He said he must remain +at home to harvest his crop of jackson-balls, +lemon-drops, bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he +had large fields of cracker-jack and buttered +popcorn to be mowed and threshed, and he was +determined not to disappoint the children of +Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world and so +let the candy crop spoil. + +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann +let him have his own way and continued her +journey to the house of the eighteenth and last +man in Oogaboo, who was a young fellow +named Jo Files. This Files had twelve trees +which bore steel files of various sorts; but also +he had nine book-trees, on which grew a choice +selection of story-books. In case you have never +seen books growing upon trees, I will explain +that those in Jo Files' orchard were enclosed +in broad green husks which, when fully ripe, +turned to a deep red color. Then the books were +picked and husked and were ready to read. If +they were picked too soon, the stories were found +to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling +bad. However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the +stories were fine reading and the spelling and +grammar excellent. + +Files freely gave his books to all who wanted +them, but the people of Oogaboo cared little for +books and so he had to read most of them himself, +before they spoiled. For, as you probably know, as +soon as the books were read the words disappeared +and the leaves withered and faded--which is the +worst fault of all books which grow upon trees. + +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, +who was both intelligent and ambitious, he said he +thought it would be great fun to conquer the +world. But he called her attention to the fact +that he was far superior to the other men of her +army. Therefore, he would not be one of her +Generals or Colonels or Majors or Captains, but +claimed the honor of being sole Private. + +Ann did not like this idea at all. + +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army, +she said; "they're so common. I am told that +Princess Ozma once had a private soldier, but +she made him her Captain-General, which is +good evidence that the private was unnecessary. + +"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; +"but your army must fight like fury in order to +conquer the world. I have read in my books that it +is always the private soldiers who do the +fighting, for no officer is ever brave enough to +face the foe. Also, it stands to reason that your +officers must have some one to command and to +issue their orders to; therefore I'll be the one. +I long to slash and slay the enemy and become a +hero. Then, when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take +all the marbles away from the children and melt +them up and make a marble statue of myself for all +to look upon and admire." + +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He +seemed indeed to be such a warrior as she needed +in her enterprise, and her hopes of success took +a sudden bound when Files told her he knew +where a gun-tree grew and would go there at +once and pick the ripest and biggest musket the +tree bore. + + + + +Chapter Two + +Out of Oogaboo + + +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo +assembled in the square in front of the royal +palace. The sixteen officers were attired in +gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering +swords. The Private had picked his gun and, +although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried +to look fierce and succeeded so well that all his +commanding officers were secretly afraid of him. + +The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann +Soforth bad no right to take their husbands and +fathers from them; but Ann commanded them to keep +silent, and that was the hardest order to obey +they had ever received. + +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an +imposing uniform of green, covered with gold +braid. She wore a green soldier-cap with a purple +plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that +everyone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad she +was going. The Army was sorry she was not going +alone. + +"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice. + +Salye leaned out of the palace window and +laughed. + +"I believe your Army can run better than it can +fight," she observed. + +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. +"We're not looking for trouble, you know, but for +plunder. The more plunder and the less fighting we +get, the better we shall like our work." + +"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and +carnage to anything. The only way to become +a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say +that the easiest way to conquer is to fight." + +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To +fight is to conquer and to conquer is to secure +plunder and to secure plunder is to become a hero. +With such noble determination to back me, the +world is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return we +shall be rich and famous. Come, Generals; let us +march." + +At this the Generals straightened up and threw +out their chests. Then they swung their glittering +swords in rapid circles and cried to the Colonels: + +"For-ward March!" + +Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "For- +ward March!" and the Majors yelled to the +Captains: "For-ward March!" and the Captains +screamed to the Private: + +"For-ward March!" + +So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, +and all the officers followed after him. Queen Ann +came last of all, rejoicing in her noble army and +wondering why she had not decided long ago to +conquer the world. + +In this order the procession marched out of +Oogaboo and took the narrow mountain pass +which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. + + + + +Chapter Three + +Magic Mystifies the Marchers + + +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of +Oogaboo, led by their ambitious Queen, was +determined to conquer her Kingdom. The beautiful +girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her +subjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforth +and her disloyal plans. But there was one who +constantly guarded the peace and happiness of the +Land of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress of +the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. + +In her magnificent castle, which stands far +north of the Emerald City where Ozma holds her +court, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record Book, +in which is printed every event that takes place +anywhere, just as soon as it happens. + +The smallest things and the biggest things are +all recorded in this book. If a child stamps its +foot in anger, Glinda reads about it; if a city +burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in her +book. + +The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every +day, and so it was she knew that Ann Soforth, +Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an army +of sixteen officers and one private soldier, with +which she intended to invade and conquer the Land +of Or. + +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by +the magic arts of Glinda the Good and the powerful +Wizard of Oz--both her firm friends--could easily +defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; but it +would be a shame to have the peace of Oz +interrupted by any sort of quarreling or fighting. +So Glinda did not even mention the matter to Ozma, +or to anyone else. She merely went into a great +chamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room, +where she performed a magical ceremony which +caused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo to +make several turns and twists. The result was that +when Ann and her army came to the end of the pass +they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an +adjoining territory that was quite distinct from +Ozma's domain and separated from Oz by an +invisible barrier. + +As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, +the pass they had traversed disappeared behind +them and it was not likely they would ever find +their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They +were greatly puzzled, indeed, by their +surroundings and did not know which way to go. +None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took them +some time to discover they were not in Oz at all, +but in an unknown country. + +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her +disappointment; "we have started out to conquer +the world, and here is part of it. In time, as we +pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless +come to Oz; but, until we get there, we may as +well conquer whatever land we find ourselves in." + +"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" +anxiously inquired Major Cake. + +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no +people, as yet, but when we do, we will inform +them that they are our slaves." + +"And afterward we will plunder them of all +their possessions," added General Apple. + +"They may not possess anything," objected +Private Files; "but I hope they will fight us, +just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be any +fun at all." + +"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight, +whether our foes do or not; and perhaps we would +find it more comfortable to have the enemy +surrender promptly." + +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to +travel in. Moreover, there was little for them to +eat, and as the officers became hungry they became +fretful. Many would have deserted had they been +able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo +people were now hopelessly lost in a strange +country they considered it more safe to keep +together than to separate. + +Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became +sharp and irritable as she and her army tramped +over the rocky roads without encountering either +people or plunder. She scolded her officers until +they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal +enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began +to reproach her for leading them into difficulties +and in the space of three unhappy days every man +was mourning for his orchard in the pretty valley +of Oogaboo. + +Files, however, proved a different sort. The +more difficulties he encountered the more cheerful +he became, and the sighs of the officers were +answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His +pleasant disposition did much to encourage Queen +Ann and before long she consulted the Private +Soldier more often than she did his superiors. + +It was on the third day of their pilgrimage +that they encountered their first adventure. +Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkened +and Major Nails exclaimed: + +"A fog is coming toward us." + +"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, +looking with interest at the approaching cloud. +"It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak." + +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about +fearfully. + +"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," +answered the soldier, growing a little paler than +usual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be sure, but I +have read of them in the story-books that grew in +my orchard, and if this is indeed one of those +fearful monsters, we are not likely to conquer the +world." + +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried +and gathered closer about their soldier. + +"What is the thing like?" asked one. + +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a +book was rather blurred," said Files, "because the +book was not quite ripe when it was picked. But +the creature can fly in the air and run like a +deer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is a +glowing furnace of fire, and the Rak breathes in +air and breathes out smoke, which darkens the sky +for miles around, wherever it goes. It is bigger +than a hundred men and feeds on any living thing." + +The officers now began to groan and to tremble, +but Files tried to cheer them, saying: + +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see +approaching us, and you must not forget that we +people of Oogaboo, which is part of the fairyland +of Oz, cannot be killed." + +"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the +Rak catches us, and chews us up into small pieces, +and swallows us--what will happen then?" + +"Then each small piece will still be alive," +declared Files. + +"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed +Colonel Banjo. "A hamburger steak is a hamburger +steak, whether it is alive or not!" + +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted +Files. "We will know, when the cloud gets nearer, +whether it is the breath of a Rak or not. If it +has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but If +it has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and +we must prepare for a desperate fight." + +They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before +long it reached the frightened group and began +to envelop them. Every nose sniffed the cloud +--and every one detected in it the odor of salt and +pepper. + +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a +howl of despair the sixteen officers fell to the +ground, writhing and moaning in anguish. +Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the +cloud more bravely, although her heart was beating +fast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his gun +and stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldier +should. + +They were now in absolute darkness, for the +cloud which covered the sky and the setting sun +was black as ink. Then through the gloom appeared +two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once +decided these must be the monster's eyes. + +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. + +There were several bullets in the gun, all +gathered from an excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo, +and they were big and hard. They flew toward the +monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry +the Rak came fluttering down and its huge body +fell plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers, +who thereupon screamed louder than before. + +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what +you've done with that dangerous gun of yours!" + +"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud +formed by your breath darkens my sight!" + +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued +the Rak, reproachfully, as it still flapped its +wings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim you +didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!" + +"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the +bullets hurt you very badly?" + +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open +my mouth. You will notice that my voice sounds +rather harsh and husky, because I have to talk +with my teeth set close together. Another bullet +broke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and still +another broke my right leg, so that I can't walk. +It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!" + +"Can't you manage to lift your body off from +my commanding officers?" inquired Files. "From +their cries I'm afraid your great weight is +crushing them." + +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to +crush them, if possible, for I have a bad +disposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'd +eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly +this warm weather." + +With this the Rak began to roll its immense +body sidewise, so as to crush the officers more +easily; but in doing this it rolled completely off +from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to +their feet and made off as fast as they could run. + +Private Files could not see them go but he +knew from the sound of their voices that they had +escaped, so he ceased to worry about them. + +"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he +said to the Rak. "The parting is caused by our +desire to continue our journey. If you die, do +not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you +as a matter of self-protection." + +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I +bear a charmed life. But I beg you not to leave +me!" + +"Why not?" asked Files. + +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an +hour, and then I shall be able to eat you. My wing +will heal in a day and my leg will heal in a week, +when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot me, +and so caused me all this annoyance, it is only +fair and just that you remain here and allow me to +eat you as soon as I can open my jaws." + +"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier +firmly. "I have made an engagement with Queen +Ann of Oogaboo to help her conquer the world, +and I cannot break my word for the sake of being +eaten by a Rak." + +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If +you've an engagement, don't let me detain you." + +So Files felt around in the dark and grasped +the hand of the trembling Queen, whom he led +away from the flapping, sighing Rak. They +stumbled over the stones for a way but presently +began to see dimly the path ahead of them, as +they got farther and farther away from the +dreadful spot where the wounded monster lay. +By and by they reached a little hill and could +see the last rays of the sun flooding a pretty +valley beyond, for now they had passed beyond +the cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddled +the sixteen officers, still frightened and panting +from their run. They had halted only because +it was impossible for them to run any farther. + +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for +their cowardice, at the same time praising Files +for his courage. + +"We are wiser than he, however," muttered +General Clock, "for by running away we are +now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering +the world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the +Rak, he would have deserted your Army." + +After a brief rest they descended into the +valley, and as soon as they were out of sight of +the Rak the spirits of the entire party rose +quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on +the banks of which Queen Ann commanded +them to make camp for the night. + +Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white +tent. This, when placed upon the ground, quickly +grew in size until it was large enough to permit +the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas +walls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, in +which was not only his own tent but an elaborate +pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair +and a magic table. This table, when set upon the +ground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size, +and in a drawer of the table was contained the +Queen's supply of extra clothing, her manicure and +toilet articles and other necessary things. The +royal bed was the only one in the camp, the +officers and private sleeping in hammocks attached +to their tent poles. + +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing +the royal emblem of Oogaboo, and this flag Files +flew upon its staff every night, to show that the +country they were in had been conquered by the +Queen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves +had seen the flag, but Ann was pleased to see it +flutter in the breeze and considered herself +already a famous conqueror. + + + + +Chapter Four + +Betsy Braves the Billows + + +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the +thunder rolled and the ship struck a rock. Betsy +Bobbin was running across the deck and the shock +sent her flying through the air until she fell +with a splash into the dark blue water. The same +shock caught Hank, a thin little, sad-faced mule, +and tumbled him also into the sea, far from the +ship's side. + +When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because +the wet plunge had surprised her, she reached out +in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair. At first +she thought it was the end of a rope, but +presently she heard a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew +she was holding fast to the end of Hank's tail. + +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid +glare. The ship, now in the far distance, caught +fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves. + +Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then +her eye caught a mass of wreckage floating near +her and she let go the mule's tail and seized the +rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode +upon it in safety. Hank also saw the raft and +swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never would +have been able to climb upon it had not Betsy +helped him to get aboard. + +They had to crowd close together, for their +support was only a hatch-cover torn from the +ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well and +both the girl and the mule knew it would keep +them from drowning. + +The storm was not over, by any means, when the +ship went down. Blinding bolts of lightning shot +from cloud to cloud and the clamor of deep +thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves +tossed the little raft here and there as a child +tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a solemn +feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every +direction there was no living thing besides +herself and the small donkey. + +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently +rubbed his nose against the frightened girl and +said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, as if to +comfort her. + +"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she +cried helplessly, and the mule said "Hee-haw!" +again, in tones that meant a promise. + +On board the ship, during the days that preceded +the wreck, when the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank +had become good friends; so, while the girl might +have preferred a more powerful protector in this +dreadful emergency, she felt that the mule would +do all in a mule's power to guard her safety. + +All night they floated, and when the storm had +worn itself out and passed away with a few distant +growls, and the waves had grown smaller and easier +to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet +raft and fell asleep. + +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it +his duty to guard Betsy. Anyhow, he crouched +on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and +watched patiently until the first light of dawn +swept over the sea. + +The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, +rubbed her eyes and stared across the water. + +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. + +"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice. + +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very +beautiful country and as they drew near Betsy +could see banks of lovely flowers showing brightly +between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen +at all. + + + + +Chapter Five + +The Roses Repulse the Refugees + + +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then +Betsy easily waded ashore, the mule following +closely behind her. The sun was now shining and +the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of +roses. + +"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the +girl, feeling more cheerful now that she was on +dry land; "but we can't eat the flowers, although +they do smell mighty good." + +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little +pathway to the top of the bank. + +Betsy followed and from the eminence looked +around her. A little way off stood a splendid big +greenhouse, its thousands of crystal panes +glittering in the sunlight. + +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," +observed Betsy thoughtfully; "gardeners, or +somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. I'm getting +hungrier ev'ry minute." + +So they walked toward the great greenhouse and +came to its entrance without meeting with anyone +at all. A door stood ajar, so Hank went in first, +thinking if there was any danger he could back out +and warn his companion. But Betsy was close at his +heels and the moment she entered was lost in +amazement at the wonderful sight she saw. + +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent +rosebushes, all growing in big pots. On the +central stem of each bush bloomed a splendid Rose, +gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and +in the center of each Rose was the face of a +lovely girl. + +As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the +Roses were drooping and their eyelids were closed +in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that he +uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound of his +harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses +raised their heads and a hundred startled eyes +were instantly fixed upon the intruders. + +"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, +blushing and confused. + +"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing +chorus; and one of them added: "What a horrid +noise!" + +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if +to prove the truth of her words the mule uttered +another loud "Hee-haw!" + +At this all the Roses turned on their stems as +far as they were able and trembled as if some one +were shaking their hushes. A dainty Moss Rose +gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully dreadful!" + +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat +indignant. "When you get used to Hank's voice it +will put you to sleep." + +The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully +and one of them asked: + +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" + +"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true, +answered the girl, twining her arms around the +little mule's neck and hugging him tight. "Aren't +you, Hank?" + +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at +his bray the Roses shivered again. + +"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see +you're frightening us out of a week's growth?" + +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to +go. We've just been wrecked." + +"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised +chorus. + +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came +and wrecked it," explained the girl. "But Hank and +I caught hold of a raft and floated ashore to this +place, and--we're tired and hungry. What country +is this, please?" + +"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss +Rose, haughtily, "and it is devoted to the culture +of the rarest and fairest Roses grown." + +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty +blossoms. + +"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a +delicate Tea Rose, bending her brows in a frown; +"therefore you must go away before the Royal +Gardener finds you and casts you back into the +sea." + +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired +Betsy. + +"To be sure. + +"And is he a Rose, also?" + +"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man," +was the reply. + +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the +girl, much relieved, and even as she spoke the +Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse--a +spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the +other. + +He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose- +colored costume, with ribbons at his knees and +elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. His +eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and +his face puckered and deeply lined. + +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find +strangers in his greenhouse, and when Hank gave a +loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over +the mule's head and danced around with his fork, +in such agitation that presently he fell over the +handle of the implement and sprawled at full +length upon the ground. + +Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off +from Hank's head. The little mule was angry at the +treatment he had received and backed toward the +Gardener threateningly. + +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly +and the Gardener scrambled to his feet and hastily +hid behind the Roses. + +"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking +out his head to glare at the girl and the mule. + +"What Law?" asked Betsy. + +"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers +are allowed in these domains." + +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. + +"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied +the Royal Gardener, and he was about to say +more when suddenly there was a crash of glass +and a man came tumbling through the roof of +the greenhouse and fell plump to the ground. + + + + +Chapter Six + +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother + + +This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, +dressed all in garments so shaggy that Betsy at +first thought he must he some animal. But the +stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and +then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an +apple in his hand, which he had evidently been +eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred +or flustered by the accident that he continued to +munch this apple as he calmly looked around him. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching +him. "Who are you, and where did you come from?" + +"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking +another bite of the apple. "Just dropped in for a +short call. Excuse my seeming haste." + +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," +said Betsy. + +"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch +gave way and--here I am." + +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, +gave the core to Hank--who ate it greedily --and +then stood up to bow politely to Betsy and the +Roses. + +The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly +into fits by the crash of glass and the fall of +the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, but +now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in +his squeaky voice: + +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the +Law!" + +Shaggy stared at him solemnly. + +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he +asked. + +"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," +squeaked the Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude +in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking the +Law." + +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. + +"Why, it's printed in a book," said the +Gardener, coming forward and taking a small book +from his pocket. "Page thirteen. Here it is: 'If +any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at +once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death.' +So you see, strangers,' he continued triumphantly, +"it's death for you all and your time has come!" + +But just here Hank interposed. He had been +stealthily backing toward the Royal Gardener, whom +he disliked, and now the mule's heels shot out and +struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up +like the letter "U" and flew out of the door so +swiftly--never touching the ground --that he was +gone before Betsy had time to wink. + +But the mule's attack frightened the girl. + +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy +Man and taking his hand; "let's go somewhere else. +They'll surely kill us if we stay here!" + +"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting +the child's head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so +long as I have the Love Magnet." + +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked +Betsy. + +"It's a charming little enchantment that wins +the heart of everyone who looks upon it," was +the reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over +the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land +of Oz; but when I started on this journey our +beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take +it with me." + +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are +you really from the wonderful Land of Oz?" + +"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?" + +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know +Princess Ozma?" + +"Very well indeed." + +"And--and Princess Dorothy?" + +"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared +Shaggy. + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did +you ever leave such a beautiful land as Oz?" + +"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and +solemn. "I'm trying to find my dear little +brother." + +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling +very sorry for the poor man. + +"Been lost these ten years, replied Shaggy, +taking out a handkerchief and wiping a tear from +his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I +saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of +the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So +now I'm trying to find him." + +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl +sympathetically. + +"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I +went to Oz. Brother was a miner, and dug gold out +of a mine. One day he went into his mine and never +came out. They searched for him, but he was not +there. Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended +miserably. + +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of +him?" she asked. + +"There is only one explanation," replied +Shaggy, taking another apple from his pocket +and eating it to relieve his misery. "The Nome +King probably got him." + +"The Nome King! Who is he?" + +"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, +and his name is Ruggedo. Lives in some underground +cavern. Claims to own all the metals hidden in the +earth. Don't ask my why." + +"Why?" + +"Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets +wild with anger if anyone digs gold out of the +earth, and my private opinion is that he captured +brother and carried him off to his underground +kingdom. No--don't ask me why. I see you're +dying to ask me why. But I don't know." + +"But--dear me!--in that case you will never +find your lost brother!" exclaimed the girl. + +"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered +Shaggy. "I've wandered so far without finding +him, but that only proves he is not where I've +been looking. What I seek now is the hidden +passage to the underground cavern of the terrible +Metal Monarch." + +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me +that if you ever manage to get there the Metal +Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner." + +"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. +"You mustn't forget the Love Magnet." + +"What about it?" she asked. + +"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love +Magnet, he will love me dearly and do anything I +ask." + +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. + +"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it +to you?" + +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his +shaggy pocket and drew out a small silver magnet, +shaped like a horseshoe. + +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." + +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. + +"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't +even seen the Ruler of the Rose Kingdom." + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in +a perplexed tone of voice, "we haven't any real +Ruler, just now. You see, all our Rulers grow on +bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we +had got mildewed and withered before his time. So +we had to plant him, and at this time there is no +one growing on the Royal Bushes who is ripe enough +to pick." + +"How do you know?" asked Betsy. + +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of +royalties are growing, I admit; but just now they +are all green. Until one ripens, I am supposed to +rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its +Laws are obeyed. Therefore, much as I love you, +Shaggy, I must put you to death." + +"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to +see those Royal Gardens before I die." + +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, +Gardener." + +"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. +But Shaggy again showed him the Love Magnet +and after one glance at it the Gardener could +no longer resist. + +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end +of the great greenhouse and carefully unlocked +a small door. Passing through this they came +into the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose +Kingdom. + +It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within +the enclosure grew several enormous rosebushes +having thick green leaves of the texture of +velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the +Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom--men, women and +children in all stages of maturity. They all +seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or +not fully developed, their flesh and clothing +being alike green. They stood perfectly lifeless +upon their branches, which swayed softly in the +breeze, and their wide open eyes stared straight +ahead, unseeing and unintelligent. + +While examining these curious growing people, +Betsy passed behind a big central bush and at once +uttered an exclamation of surprise and pleasure. +For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, +stood a Royal Princess, whose beauty was amazing. + +"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside +some of the broad leaves to observe her more +clearly. + +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, +who had come to the girl's side; "but she's a girl, +and so we can't use her for a Ruler." + +"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, +and looking around Betsy discovered that all the +Roses had followed them from the greenhouse +and were now grouped before the entrance. + +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects +of Rose Kingdom don't want a girl Ruler. They want +a King." + +"A King! We want a King!" repeated the +chorus of Roses. + +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring +the lovely Princess. + +"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. +This Princess is named Ozga, as she is a distant +cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were she but a man, +we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler." + +The Gardener then turned away to talk with +his Roses and Betsy whispered to her companion: +"Let's pick her, Shaggy." + +"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has +the right to rule this Kingdom, and if we pick +her she will surely protect us and prevent our +being hurt, or driven away." + +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the +beautiful Rose Princess and a little twist of her +feet set her free of the branch upon which she +grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from +the bush to the ground, where she bowed low +to Betsy and Shaggy and said in a delightfully +sweet voice: "I thank you." + +But at the sound of these words the Gardener and +the Roses turned and discovered that the Princess +had been picked, and was now alive. Over every +face flashed an expression of resentment and +anger, and one of the Roses cried aloud. + +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" + +"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied +Betsy, cheerfully. + +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" +exclaimed a Jacque Rose, and another added with a +voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over us!" + +The newly-picked Princess looked from one to +another of her rebellious subjects in +astonishment. A grieved look came over her +exquisite features. + +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she +asked gently. "Have I not come from my Royal Bush +to be your Ruler?" + +"You were picked by mortals, without our +consent," replied the Moss Rose, coldly; "so we +refuse to allow you to rule us." + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried +the Tea Rose. + +"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking +the Love Magnet from his pocket. "I guess this +will win their love, Princess. Here--take it in +your hand and let the roses see it." + +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it +poised before the eyes of her subjects; but the +Roses regarded it with calm disdain. + +"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in +surprise. "The Magnet never failed to work +before!" + +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. +"These Roses have no hearts." + +"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're +pretty, and sweet, and alive; but still they are +Roses. Their stems have thorns, but no hearts." + +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet +to the Shaggy Man. + +"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully. + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" +commanded the Roses. "We will have no Ruler until +a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough to pick." + +"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must +excuse me, my dear Shaggy, for opposing your +wishes, but you and the others, including Ozga, +must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not +before." + +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, +carelessly displaying the Magnet. + +"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener +earnestly; "but no true man will neglect his duty +for the sake of love. My duty is to drive you out, +so--out you go!" + +With this he seized a garden fork and began +jabbing it at the strangers, in order to force them +to leave. Hank the mule was not afraid of the +fork and when he got his heels near to the +Gardener the man fell back to avoid a kick. + +But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts +and it was soon discovered that beneath their +draperies of green leaves were many sharp thorns +which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. +Neither Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule +cared to brave those thorns and when they pressed +away from them they found themselves slowly +driven through the garden door into the +greenhouse. From there they were forced out at the +entrance and so through the territory of the +flower-strewn Rose Kingdom, which was not of very +great extent. + +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy +was indignant and angry; Hank uttered defiant +"Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man whistled softly to +himself. + +The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep +gulf, but there was a drawbridge in one place and +this the Royal Gardener let down until the +outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up +again and returned with his Roses to the +greenhouse, leaving the four queerly assorted +comrades to wander into the bleak and unknown +country that lay beyond. + +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led +the way over the stony, barren ground. "I've got +to search for my long-lost little brother, anyhow, +so it won't matter where I go." + +"Hank and I will help you find your brother," +said Betsy in her most cheerful voice. "I'm so far +away from home now that I don't s'pose I'll ever +find my way back; and, to tell the truth, it's +more fun traveling around and having adventures +than sticking at home. Don't you think so, Hank?" + +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked +them both. + +"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, +with a gentle sigh, "I must remain forever exiled +from my Kingdom. So I, too, will be glad to help +the Shaggy Man find his lost brother." + +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. +"But unless I can find the underground cavern of +Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I shall never find +poor brother." + + +("This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he +drank of the "Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name +and had to take another.) + + +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired +Betsy. + +"Some one must know, of course," was Shaggy's +reply. "But we are not the ones. The only way to +succeed is for us to keep going until we find a +person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern." + +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," +suggested Betsy. "Who knows?" + +"No one knows that, except the person who's +writing this story," said Shaggy. "But we won't +find anything--not even supper--unless we travel +on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see where it +leads to." + + + + +Chapter Seven + +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight + + +The Rain King got too much water in his basin and +spilled some over the brim. That made it rain in a +certain part of the country--a real hard shower, +for a time--and sent the Rainbow scampering to the +place to show the gorgeous colors of his glorious +bow as soon as the mist of rain had passed and the +sky was clear. + +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous +event to earth folk, yet few have ever seen it +close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far distant +that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, +and that is why we seldom catch sight of the +dancing Daughters of the Rainbow. + +In the barren country where the rain had +just fallen there appeared to be no human +beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, just +the same, and dancing gayly upon its arch were +the Rainbow's Daughters, led by the fairylike +Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that +no girl has ever quite equalled her in loveliness. + +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down +the arch of the bow to the ground, daring her +sisters to follow her. Laughing and gleeful, they +also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; +but all the Daughters of the Rainbow knew that +this was a dangerous pastime, so they quickly +climbed upon their bow again. + +All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and +merriest of them all, she was likewise the most +reckless. Moreover, it was an unusual sensation to +pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. +Before she realized it the bow had lifted and +disappeared in the billowy blue sky, and here was +Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her +gauzy draperies floating about her like brilliant +cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or mortal--to help +her regain her lost bow! + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across +her pretty face, "I'm caught again. This is the +second time my carelessness has left me on earth +while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. The +first time I enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but +this is a lonely, forsaken country and I shall be +very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I +can climb aboard. Let me think what is best to be +done." + +She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her +draperies about her and bowed her head. + +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied +Polychrome as she came along the stony path, +followed by Hank, the Princess and Shaggy. At once +the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the +Rainbow and exclaimed: + +"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!" + +Polychrome raised her golden head. There +were tears in her blue eyes. + +"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole +world!" she sobbed. + +The others gathered around her. + +"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the +Princess. + +"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. + +"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a +sympathetic tone, thinking she meant "beau" +instead of "bow." + +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping +her foot imperiously; "I want my Rainbow." + +"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to +forget it. When I was young I used to cry for the +Rainbow myself, but I couldn't have it. Looks as +if you couldn't have it, either; so please don't +cry." + +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. + +"I don't like you," she said. + +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet +from his pocket; "not a little bit?--just a wee +speck of a like?" + +"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her +hands in ecstasy as she gazed at the enchanted +talisman; "I love you, Shaggy Man!" + +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't +take any credit for it. It's the Love Magnet's +powerful charm. But you seem quite alone and +friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join +our party until you find your father and sisters +again?" + +"Where are you going?" she asked. + +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking +her hand; "but we're trying to find Shaggy's long- +lost brother, who has been captured by the +terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, +and help us?" + +Polychrome looked from one to another of the +queer party of travelers and a bewitching smile +suddenly lighted her face. + +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a +Shaggy Man!" she exclaimed. "Surely you need help, +if you intend to face Ruggedo." + +"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy. + +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the +earth's surface, where no Rainbow can ever +penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal Monarch. He +is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has +made trouble for a good many people --mortals and +fairies--in his time," said Polychrome. + +"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, +anxiously. + +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," +said Polychrome proudly. "I'm a sky fairy." + +"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able +to tell us the way to Ruggedo's cavern." + +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, +"that is one thing I cannot do. But I will gladly,, +go with you and help you search for the place." + +This promise delighted all the wanderers and +after the Shaggy Man had found the path again +they began moving along it in a more happy +mood. The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly +over the rocky trail, no longer sad, but with her +beautiful features wreathed in smiles. Shaggy +came next, walking steadily and now and then +supporting the Rose Princess, who followed him. +Betsy and Hank brought up the rear, and if she +tired with walking the girl got upon Hank's back +and let the stout little donkey carry her for +a while. + +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew +beside a tiny brook and here they made camp and +rested until morning. Then away they tramped, +finding berries and fruits here and there which +satisfied the hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, +so that they were well content with their lot. + +It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess +partake of their food, for she considered her a +fairy; but when she mentioned this to Polychrome, +the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga +was driven out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to +be a fairy and would never again be more than a +mere mortal. Polychrome, however, was a fairy +wherever she happened to be, and if she sipped a +few dewdrops by moonlight for refreshment no one +ever saw her do it. + +As they continued their wandering journey, +direction meant very little to them, for they were +hopelessly lost in this strange country. Shaggy +said it would be best to go toward the mountains, +as the natural entrance to Ruggedo's underground +cavern was likely to be hidden in some rocky, +deserted place; but mountains seemed all around +them except in the one direction that they had +come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and the +sea. Therefore it mattered little which way they +traveled. + +By and by they espied a faint trail that looked +like a path and after following this for some time +they reached a crossroads. Here were many paths, +leading in various directions, and there was a +signpost so old that there were now no words upon +the sign. At one side was an old well, with a +chain windlass for drawing water, yet there was no +house or other building anywhere in sight. + +While the party halted, puzzled which way +to proceed, the mule approached the well and +tried to look into it. + +"He's thirsty," said Betsy. + +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably +there has been no water in it for many years. But, +come; let us decide which way to travel." + +No one seemed able to decide that. They sat +down in a group and tried to consider which +road might be the best to take. Hank, however, +could not keep away from the well and finally +he reared up on his hind legs, got his head over +the edge and uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy +watched her animal friend curiously. + +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she +said. + +At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well +to investigate, and Betsy went with him. The +Princess and Polychrome, who had become fast +friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the +roads, to find an easy path. + +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to +be something at the bottom of this old well." + +"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked +the girl. + +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass +chain, but there was a big hook that at one time +was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy let down this +hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then +pulled it up. An old hoopskirt came with it, and +Betsy laughed and threw it away. The thing +frightened Hank, who had never seen a hoopskirt +before, and he kept a good distance away from it. + +Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured +with the hook and drew up, but none of these was +important. + +"This well seems to have been the dump for +all the old rubbish in the country," he said, +letting down the hook once more. "I guess I've +captured everything now. No--the hook has caught +again. Help me, Betsy! Whatever this thing is, +it's heavy." + +She ran up and helped him turn the windlass +and after much effort a confused mass of copper +came in sight. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is +a surprise, indeed!" + +"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the +windlass and panting for breath. + +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the +bundle of copper and dumped it upon the +ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over +with his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's +astonishment the thing proved to be a copper +man. + +"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard +at the object. "But unless there are two copper +men in the world this is the most astonishing +thing I ever came across." + +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the +Rose Princess approached them, and Polychrome +said: + +"What have you found, Shaggy One?" + +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he +replied. + +"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, +who had knelt down to examine the man. "Dear me; +how funny! Listen to this." + +Then she read the following words, engraved +upon the copper plates of the man's body: + + SMITH & TINKER'S +Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, +Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking + + MECHANICAL MAN +Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. +Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything +but Live. + + +"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess. + +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading +from another engraved plate: + + +DIRECTIONS FOR USING: + +For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork + + Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). +For SPEAKING:--Wind the Clockwork + Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). +For WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man + in the middle of his back, (marked No. 3). + +N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to + work perfectly for a thousand years. + + +"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said +Polychrome, "he ought to work yet." + +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." + +In order to do this they were obliged to set the +copper man upon his feet, in an upright position, +and this was no easy task. He was inclined to +topple over, and had to be propped again and +again. The girls assisted Shaggy, and at last Tik- +Tok seemed to be balanced and stood alone upon his +broad feet. + +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man +carefully, "this must be, indeed, my old friend +Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking merrily in the +Land of Oz. But how he came to this lonely +place, and got into that old well, is surely a +mystery." + +"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," +suggested Betsy. "Here's the key, hanging to a +hook on his back. What part of him shall I wind up +first?" + +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, +"for it requires thought to speak or move +intelligently." + +So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and +at once little flashes of light began to show in +the top of his head, which was proof that he had +begun to think. + +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his +phonograph." + +"What's that?" she asked. + +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may +be interesting, but they don't tell us anything." + +So Betsy wound the copper man under his right +arm, and then from the interior of his copper body +came in jerky tones the words: "Ma-ny thanks!" + +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped +Tik-Tok upon the back in such a hearty manner that +the copper man lost his balance and tumbled to the +ground in a heap. But the clock-work that enabled +him to speak had been wound up and he kept saying: +"Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!" until they +had again raised him and balanced him upon his +feet, when he added politely: "Ma-ny thanks!" + +"He won't be self-supporting until we wind +up his action," remarked Shaggy; so Betsy +wound it, as tight as she could--for the key +turned rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his +feet, marched around in a circle and ended by +stopping before the group and making them all +a low bow. + +"How in the world did you happen to be in +that well, when I left you safe in Oz?" inquired +Shaggy. + +"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but +I'll tell it in a few words. Af-ter you had gone +in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma saw you wander- +ing in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her +mag-ic pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in +the Nome King's cavern; so she sent me to tell you +where to find your broth-er and told me to help you +if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, Glin-da the Good, +trans-port-ed me to this place in the wink of an +eye; but here I met the Nome King him-self--old +Rug-ge-do, who is called in these parts the Met-al +Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what I had come for, and +he was so an-gry that he threw me down the well. +Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less un-til you +came a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny +thanks." + +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I +suspected that my brother was the prisoner of +Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, Tik-Tok, how +shall we get to the Nome King's underground +cavern?" + +"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We +might crawl, or jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver +until we get there; but the best way is to walk." + +"I know; but which road shall we take?" + +"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," +replied Tik-Tok. + +"There is more than one entrance to the +underground cavern," said Polychrome; "but old +Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every opening, so +that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. +If we find our way underground at all, it will be +by chance." + +"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, +haphazard, and see where it leads us." + +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. +"It may require a lot of time for us to find +Ruggedo, but we have more time than anything +else." + +"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I +will last a thou-sand years." + +"Then the only question to decide is which +way to go," added Shaggy, looking first at one +road and then at another. + +But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar +sound reached their ears--a sound like the +tramping of many feet. + +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she +ran to the left-hand road and glanced along the +path. "Why, it's an army!" she exclaimed. "What +shall we do, hide or run?" + +"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid +of an army. If they prove to be friendly, they can +help us; if they are enemies, I'll show them the +Love Magnet." + + + + +Chapter Eight + +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task + + +While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a +group at one side, the Army of Oogaboo was +approaching along the pathway, the tramp of their +feet being now and then accompanied by a dismal +groan as one of the officers stepped on a sharp +stone or knocked his funnybone against his +neighbor's sword-handle. + +Then out from among the trees marched Private +Files, bearing the banner of Oogaboo, which +fluttered from a long pole. This pole he stuck in +the ground just in front of the well and then he +cried in a loud voice. + +"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of +Queen Ann Soforth of Oogaboo, and all the +inhabitants of the land I proclaim her slaves!" + +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out +of the bushes and asked: + +"Is the coast clear, Private Files?" + +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but +all's well." + +"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, +mustering courage to advance to the well; but just +then he caught a glimpse of Tik-Tok and Shaggy and +at once fell upon his knees, trembling and +frightened and cried out: + +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and +we will be your slaves forever!" + +The other officers, who had now advanced into +the clearing, likewise fell upon their knees and +begged for mercy. + +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers +for the first time, examined them with much +curiosity. Then, discovering that three of the +party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a +polite bow. + +"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as +Queen Ann reached the place and beheld her +kneeling army. + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied +Shaggy, stepping forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the +Clockwork Man--who works better than some meat +people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, +just now unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of +Roses. I next present Polychrome, a sky fairy, who +lost her Bow by an accident and can't find her way +home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, from +some unknown earthly paradise called Oklahoma, +and with her you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long +tail and a short temper. + +"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of +vagabonds you are, indeed; all lost or strayed, +I suppose, and not worth a Queen's plundering. +I'm sorry I've conquered you." + +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called +Betsy indignantly. + +"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my +officers will kindly command me to conquer you, +I will do so at once, after which we can stop +arguing and converse more at our ease." + +The officers had by this time risen from their +knees and brushed the dust from their trousers. To +them the enemy did not look very fierce, so the +Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains +gained courage to face them and began strutting in +their most haughty manner. + +"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the +Queen of Oogaboo, and this is my invincible Army. +We are busy conquering the world, and since you +seem to be a part of the world, and are +obstructing our journey, it is necessary for us to +conquer you unworthy though you may be of such +high honor." + +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us +as often as you like. We don't mind." + +"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, +positively. + +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, +angrily. "Advance, Private Files, and bind the +enemy hand and foot!" + +But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and +fascinating Polychrome and the beautiful Rose +Princess and shook his head. + +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he +asserted. + +"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey +orders." + +"I haven't received any orders from my +officers," objected the Private. + +But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind +the prisoners!" and the Colonels and Majors and +Captains repeated the command, yelling it as loud +as they could. + +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing +the Army of Oogaboo with strong disfavor. The mule +now dashed forward and began backing upon the +officers and kicking fierce and dangerous heels at +them. The attack was so sudden that the officers +scattered like dust in a whirlwind, dropping their +swords as they ran and trying to seek refuge +behind the trees and bushes. + +Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of +the "noble army," and Polychrome danced with glee. +But Ann was furious at this ignoble defeat of her +gallant forces by one small mule. + +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" +she cried again, and then she herself ducked to +escape the mule's heels--for Hank made no +distinction in favor of a lady who was an open +enemy. Betsy grabbed her champion by the forelock, +however, and so held him fast, and when the +officers saw that the mule was restrained from +further attacks they crept fearfully back and +picked up their discarded swords. + +"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" +screamed the Queen. + +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and +removing the knapsack which was strapped to his +back, "I resign my position as the Army of +Oogaboo. I enlisted to fight the enemy and become +a hero, but if you want some one to bind harmless +girls you will have to hire another Private." + +Then he walked over to the others and shook +hands with Shaggy and Tik-Tok. + +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers +echoed her cry. + +"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to +resign if I want to." + +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If +you resign it will break up my Army, and then I +cannot conquer the world." She now turned to the +officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a +favor. I know it is undignified in officers to +fight, but unless you immediately capture Private +Files and force him to obey my orders there will +be no plunder for any of us. Also it is likely you +will all suffer the pangs of hunger, and when we +meet a powerful foe you are liable to be captured +and made slaves." + +The prospect of this awful fate so frightened +the officers that they drew their swords and +rushed upon Files, who stood beside Shaggy, in a +truly ferocious manner. The next instant, however, +they halted and again fell upon their knees; for +there, before them, was the glistening Love +Magnet, held in the hand of the smiling Shaggy +Man, and the sight of this magic talisman at once +won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann saw +the Love Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and +anger threw herself upon Shaggy and embraced him +lovingly. + +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of +the Magnet, Shaggy disengaged himself from the +Queen's encircling arms and quickly hid the +talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from +Oogaboo were now his firm friends, and there was +no more talk about conquering and binding any of +his party. + +"If you insist on conquering anyone," said +Shaggy, "you may march with me to the underground +Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer the world, as you +have set out to do, you must conquer everyone +under its surface as well as those upon its +surface, and no one in all the world needs +conquering so much as Ruggedo." + +"Who is he?" asked Ann. + +"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes." + +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an +anxious voice. + +"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all +the metal that lies underground--gold, silver, +copper, brass and tin. He has an idea he also +owns all the metals above ground, for he says all +metal was once a part of his kingdom. So, by +conquering the Metal Monarch, you will win all +the riches in the world." + +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a +deep sigh, "that would be plunder worth our +while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." + +The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was +sitting next to the lovely Princess and whispering +in her ear. + +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. +I have plenty of brave officers, indeed, but no +private soldier for them to command. Therefore +I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his +wealth." + +"Why don't you make one of your officers the +Private?" asked Shaggy; but at once every officer +began to protest and the Queen of Oogaboo shook +her head as she replied: + +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a +terrible fighter, and my officers are unable to +fight. They are exceptionally brave in commanding +others to fight, but could not themselves meet +the enemy and conquer." + +"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, +eagerly. "There are many kinds of bravery and one +cannot be expected to possess them all. I myself +am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes to +fighting, but then my nature revolts. Fighting is +unkind and liable to be injurious to others; so, +being a gentleman, I never fight." + +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. + +"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not +Private Files proved himself a traitor and a +deserter, I would gladly have conquered this +Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is +like a bee without a stinger." + +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested +Files. "I resigned in a proper manner, not liking +the job. But there are plenty of people to take my +place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private +soldier?" + +"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly +at Shaggy, "for he is mortal, and able to die. If +anything happened to him, it would break my +heart." + +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared +Shaggy. "You must admit, Your Majesty, that I am +commander of this expedition, for it is my brother +we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and my +companions would like the assistance of your Army, +and if you help us to conquer Ruggedo and to +rescue my brother from captivity we will allow you +to keep all the gold and jewels and other +plunder you may find." + +This prospect was so tempting that the officers +began whispering together and presently Colonel +Cheese said: "Your Majesty, by combining our +brains we have just evolved a most brilliant idea. +We will make the Clockwork Man the private +soldier!" + +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle +sec-ond! I can-not fight, and you must not for-get +that it was Rug-ge-do who threw me in the well." + +"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. +"But if you join the Army of Oogaboo you will +carry the gun that Mr. Files used." + +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to +fight," protested Tik-Tok, "and if my works run +down, as they of-ten do, I could nei-ther run nor +fight." + +"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised +Betsy. + +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "Tik- +Tok will make an ideal soldier, for nothing can +injure him except a sledge hammer. And, since a +Private soldier seems to be necessary to this +Army, Tik-Tok is the only one of our party fitted +to undertake the job." + +"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok. + +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers +command you to do anything, you must do +it; that is all." + +"And that's enough, too," said Files. + +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. + +"You get your share of the plunder," answered +the Queen. + +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder +goes to Queen Ann, the other half is divided +among the officers, and the Private gets the +rest." + +"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, +picking up the gun and examining it wonderingly, +for he had never before seen such a weapon. + +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's +copper back and said: "Now we are ready to march +to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. Officers, +give the command to march." + +"Fall-in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall-in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall-in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall-in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their +swords. + +Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in +surprise. + +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. + +"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching +order." + +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" +asked the Clockwork Man. + +"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," +advised Files; so Tik-Tok held the gun straight +and stood still." + +"What next?" he asked. + +The Queen turned to Shaggy. + +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's +cavern?" + +"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply. + +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. +"If we can't get to Ruggedo, it is certain that we +can't conquer him." + +"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did +not say we could not get to him. We have only +to discover the way, and that was the matter we + +were considering when you and your magnificent +Army arrived here." + +"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped +the Queen. + +That was no easy task. They all stood looking +from one road to another in perplexity. The paths +radiated from the little clearing like the rays of +the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the +others. + +Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this +time become good friends, advanced a little way +along one of the roads and found that it was +bordered by pretty wild flowers. + +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the +way?" he said to his companion. + +"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised +at the question. + +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must +be second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I +believe if you ask them they will tell you." + +She looked more closely at the flowers. There +were hundreds of white daisies, golden buttercups, +bluebells and daffodils growing by the roadside, +and each flower-head was firmly set upon its +slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild +roses scattered here and there and perhaps it was +the sight of these that gave the Princess courage +to ask the important question. + +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, +and extended both her arms pleadingly toward them. + +"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her +sweet, gentle voice, "which way will lead us to +the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?" + +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the +right and the flower heads nodded once-twice- +thrice in that direction. + +"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we +know the way." + +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly +at the field-flowers, which had now resumed +their upright position. + +"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked +in a low whisper. + +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a +breath of wind stirring. But these lovely blossoms +are indeed your cousins and answered your question +at once, as I knew they would." + + + + +Chapter Nine + +Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless + + +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and +down dale and wound here and there in a fashion +that seemed aimless. But always it drew nearer to +a range of low mountains and Files said more than +once that he was certain the entrance to +Ruggedo's cavern would be found among these rugged +hills. + +In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the +nearest mountain was a gorgeous chamber hollowed +from the solid rock, the walls and roof of which +glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels. +Here, on a throne of virgin gold, sat the famous +Nome King, dressed in splendid robes and wearing a +superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby. + +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and +Precious Stones of the Underground World, +was a round little man with a flowing white +beard, a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that +covered all his forehead. One would think, to +look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might +think, considering his enormous wealth, that he +ought to be happy; but this was not the case. The +Metal Monarch was surly and cross because +mortals had dug so much treasure out of the +earth and kept it above ground, where all the +power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to +recover it. He hated not only the mortals but +also the fairies who live upon the earth or above +it, and instead of being content with the riches +he still possessed he was unhappy because he did +not own all the gold and jewels in the world. + +Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in +his chair when suddenly he sat upright, uttered +a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge +gong that stood beside him. + +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated +to many caverns beyond, where countless thousands +of nomes were working at their unending tasks, +hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or +melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing +glittering gems. The nomes trembled at the sound +of the King's gong and whispered fearfully to one +another that something unpleasant was sure to +happen; but none dared pause in his task, + +The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed +aside and Kaliko, the King's High Chamberlain, +entered the royal presence. + +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide +yawn, for he had just wakened. + +"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot +viciously. "Those foolish mortals are up, that's +what! And they want to come down." + +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. + +"Yes!" + +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, +yawning again. + +"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can +always feel it when those hateful earth-crawlers +draw near to my Kingdom. 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. +"I'm not afraid of him. Why, only the other day +I met the fellow and threw him down a well." + +"Then some one must have pulled him out again," +said Kaliko. "And there's a little girl--" + +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. + +"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several +girls, of various sizes; but Dorothy is not with +them, nor is Ozma." + +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in +relief. + +Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass. + +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. +They are all officers and carry swords. And there +is a Shaggy Man--who seems very harmless--and a +little donkey with big ears." + +"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers +in scorn. "I've no fear of such a mob as that. A +dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in a +jiffy." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The +people of Oogaboo are hard to destroy, and I +believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. As for +Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's +Daughter cannot be injured by a nome." + +"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King. + +"Yes; I have just recognized her." + +"Then these people are coming here on no +peaceful errand," declared Ruggedo, scowling +fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes here on a +peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody +hates me!" + +"Very true," said Kaliko. + +"I must in some way prevent these people from +reaching my dominions. Where are they now?" + +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, +Your Majesty." + +"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working +order?" + +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal +Will that we have some fun with these invaders?" + +"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach +them a lesson they will never forget." + +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a +Rubber Country, nor had any of his companions. +They noticed that everything around them was +of a dull gray color and that the path upon +which they walked was soft and springy, yet they +had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were +rubber and even the path they trod was made of +rubber. + +Presently they came to a brook where sparkling +water dashed through a deep channel and rushed +away between high rocks far down the mountainside. +Across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed +that travelers might easily leap from one to +another and in that manner cross the water to the +farther bank. + +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his +officers and Queen Ann. After them came Betsy +Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and last +of all the Rose Princess with Files. The Clockwork +Man saw the stream and the stepping stones and, +without making a pause, placed his foot upon the +first stone. + +The result was astonishing. First he sank +down in the soft rubber, which then rebounded +and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the air, where +he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted +upon a rubber rock far in the rear of the party. + +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so +quickly had he disappeared; therefore he also +stepped upon the stone (which you will guess was +connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and +instantly shot upward like an arrow. General Cone +came next and met with a like fate, but the others +now noticed that something was wrong and with one +accord they halted the column and looked back +along the path. + +There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one +rubber rock to another, each time rising a less +distance from the ground. And there was General +Apple, bounding away in another direction, his +three-cornered hat jammed over his eyes and his +long sword thumping him upon the arms and head as +it swung this way and that. And there, also, +appeared General Cone, who had struck a rubber +rock headforemost and was so crumpled up that his +round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than +the form of a man. + +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and +Polychrome echoed her laughter. But Ozga was +grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became +angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of +Oogaboo bounding around in so undignified a +manner. She shouted to them to stop, but they +were unable to obey, even though they would +have been glad to do so. Finally, however, they +all ceased bounding and managed to get upon +their feet and rejoin the Army. + +"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed +greatly provoked. + +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I +knew you would ask them why, but you ought not to +do it. The reason is plain. Those stones are +rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks +around us are rubber, and therefore they are not +rocks. Even this path is not a path; it's rubber. +Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are +all likely to get the bounce, just as your poor +officers and Tik-Tok did." + +"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who +was full of wisdom; but Polychrome wanted to +test the quality of the rubber, so she began +dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher +into the air, so that she resembled a big butterfly +fluttering lightly. Presently she made a great +bound and bounded way across the stream, +landing lightly and steadily on the other side. + +"There is no rubber over here," she called to +them. "Suppose you all try to bound over the +stream, without touching the stepping-stones." + +Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake +such a risky adventure, but Betsy at once grasped +the value of the suggestion and began jumping up +and down until she found herself bounding almost +as high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly +leaned forward and the next bound took her easily +across the brook, where she alighted by the side +of the Rainbow's Daughter. + +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the +donkey tried to obey. He managed to bound +pretty high but when he tried to bound across +the stream he misjudged the distance and fell +with a splash into the middle of the water. + +"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the +far bank. Betsy rushed forward to help him out, +but when the mule stood safely beside her she +was amazed to find he was not wet at all. + +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her +hand into the stream and showing how the water +fell from it and left it perfectly dry. + +"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all +walk through the water." + +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, +assuring them the water was shallow and would not +wet them. At once they followed her advice, +avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the +crossing with ease. This encouraged the entire +party to wade through the dry water, and in a few +minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed +their journey along the path that led to the Nome +King's dominions. + +When Kaliko again looked through his magic +spyglass he exclaimed: + +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have +passed the Rubber Country and now are fast +approaching the entrance to your caverns." + +Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his +anger was so great that several times, as he +strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused +to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so +sensitive that the poor nome howled with pain. +Finally the King said: + +"There's no help for it; we must drop these +audacious invaders down the Hollow Tube." + +Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his +master wonderingly. + +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you +will make Tititi-Hoochoo very angry. + +"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "Tititi- +Hoochoo lives on the other side of the world, so +what do I care for his anger?" + +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. + +"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and +remember that he warned you, the last time you +slid people through the Hollow Tube, that if you +did it again he would take vengeance upon you." + +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, +thinking deeply. + +"Of two dangers," said he, it is wise to choose +the least. What do you suppose these invaders +want?" + +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," +suggested Kaliko. + +"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo +eagerly. + +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a +nome with enormous ears, who bowed low before the +King. + +"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and +I wish to know their errand. Listen carefully to +their talk and tell me why they are coming here, +and what for." + +The nome bowed again and spread out his +great ears, swaying them gently up and down +and back and forth. For half an hour he stood +silent, in an attitude of listening, while both the +King and Kaliko grew impatient at the delay. At +last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke: + +"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his +brother from captivity," said he. + +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, +Shaggy Man may have his ugly brother, for all I +care. He's too lazy to work and is always getting +in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" + +"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over +the prisoner you commanded me to send him to +the Metal Forest, which I did. I suppose he is +still there." + +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard +time finding the Metal Forest," said the King, +with a grin of malicious delight, "for half the +time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the +forest and made every tree, out of gold and +silver, so as to keep the precious metals in a +safe place and out of the reach of mortals. But +tell me, Hearer, do the strangers want anything +else?" + +"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The +Army of Oogaboo is determined to capture all the +rich metals and rare jewels in your kingdom, and +the officers and their Queen have arranged to +divide the spoils and carry them away." + +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of +rage and began dancing up and down, rolling his +eyes, clicking his teeth together and swinging his +arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of anger he +seized the long ears of the Hearer and pulled and +twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko grabbed up the +King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles +with it, so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began +to chase his Royal Chamberlain around the throne. + +The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to +slip away from the cavern and escape, and after +the King had tired himself out chasing Kaliko he +threw himself into his throne and panted for +breath, while he glared wickedly at his defiant +subject. + +"You'd better save your strength to fight the +enemy," suggested Kaliko. "There will be a +terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets +here." + +"The Army won't get here," said the King, +still coughing and panting. "I'll drop 'em down +the Hollow Tube--every man Jack and every +girl Jill of 'em!" + +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. + +"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and +order him to turn the path toward the Hollow +Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube invisible, +so they'll all fall into it." + +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he +thought Ruggedo was making a great mistake, He +found the Magician and had the path twisted so +that it led directly to the opening of the Hollow +Tube, and this opening he made invisible. + +Having obeyed the orders of his master, the +Royal Chamberlain went to his private room and +began to write letters of recommendation of +himself, stating that he was an honest man a good +servant and a small eater. + +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have +to look for another job, for it is certain that +Ruggedo has ruined himself by this reckless +defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in +seeking a job nothing is so effective as a letter +of recommendation." + + + + +Chapter Ten + +A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube + + +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann +and her Army, might have been able to dispel the +enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician had they +known that danger lay in their pathway; for the +Rainbow's Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is +a part of the Land of Oz its inhabitants cannot +easily be deceived by such common magic as the +Nome King could command. But no one suspected any +especial danger until after they had entered +Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying +along in quite a contented manner when Tik-Tok, +who marched ahead, suddenly disappeared. + +The officers thought he must have turned a +corner, so they kept on their way and all of them +likewise disappeared--one after another. Queen Ann +was rather surprised at this, and in hastening +forward to learn the reason she also vanished from +sight. + +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so +she was now riding upon the back of the stout +little mule, facing backward and talking to Shaggy +and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly +Hank pitched forward and began falling and Betsy +would have tumbled over his head had she not +grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and +held on for dear life. + +All around was darkness, and they were not +falling directly downward but seemed to be sliding +along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs were resting +upon some smooth substance over which he slid with +the swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew +up and struck a similar substance overhead. They +were, indeed, descending the "Hollow Tube" that +led to the other side of the world. + +"Stop, Hank-stop!" cried the girl; but Hank +only uttered a plaintive "Hee-haw!" for it was +impossible for him to obey. + +After several minutes had passed and no harm had +befallen them, Betsy gained courage. She could see +nothing at all, nor could she hear anything except +the rush of air past her ears as they plunged +downward along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were +alone, or the others were with them, she could not +tell. But had some one been able to take a +flashlight photograph of the Tube at that time a +most curious picture would have resulted. There +was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding +headforemost down the incline. And there were the +Officers of the Army of Oogaboo, all tangled up in +a confused crowd, flapping their arms and trying +to shield their faces from the clanking swords, +which swung back and forth during the swift +journey and pommeled everyone within their reach. +Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in +a sitting position and went flying along with a +dash and abandon that thoroughly bewildered the +poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to +her. Then, a little distance away, but unseen by +the others in the inky darkness, slid Betsy and +Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome +and finally Files and the princess. + +When first they tumbled into the Tube, all were +too dazed to think clearly, but the trip was a +long one, because the cavity led straight through +the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's +dominions, and long before the adventurers got to +the end they had begun to recover their wits. + +"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud +voice, and Queen Ann heard her and called out: +"Are you safe, Betsy?" + +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How +could anyone be safe when she's going about +sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she +added: "But where do you s'pose we're going +to, Your Maj'sty?" + +"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said +Shaggy, who was not too far away to overhear +them. "And please don't ask me why, either." + +"Why?" said Betsy. + +"No one can tell where we are going until +we get there," replied Shaggy, and then he +yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken +him and was now sitting on his head. + +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, +and so infectious was this joyous laugh that +Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a +mild and sympathetic tone of voice. + +"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, +just the same," exclaimed the little girl. + +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said +Polychrome. "But isn't this an odd experience? +Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making +a journey through the center of the earth--where +I never expected to be!" + +"How do you know we're in the center of the +earth?" asked Betsy, her voice trembling a little +through nervousness. + +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied +Polychrome. "I have often heard of this passage, +which was once built by a Magician who was a +great traveler. He thought it would save him the +bother of going around the earth's surface, but +he tumbled through the Tube so fast that he +shot out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, +which at once exploded." + +"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly. + +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." + +"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the +girl. + +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I +don't think it matters much." + +"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the +stars when we come out," said Queen Ann, with a +moan. + +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe +the Magician was going the other way, and probably +he went much faster than we are going." + +"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked +Shaggy, gently removing Polychrome's heel +from his left eye. "Couldn't you manage to fall +all by yourself, my dear?" + +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. + +All this time they were swiftly falling through +the Tube, and it was not so easy for them to talk +as you may imagine when you read their words. But +although they were so helpless and altogether in +the dark as to their fate, the fact that they were +able to converse at all cheered them, +considerably. + +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they +clung tightly to one another, and the young +fellow bravely strove to reassure the Princess, +although he was terribly frightened, both on her +account and on his own. + +An hour, under such trying circumstances, is +a very long time, and for more than an hour they +continued their fearful journey. Then, just as +they began to fear the Tube would never end, +Tik-Tok popped out into broad daylight and, +after making a graceful circle in the air, fell +with a splash into a great marble fountain. + +Out came the officers, in quick succession, +tumbling heels over head and striking the +ground in many undignified attitudes. + +"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a +Peculiar Person who was hoeing pink violets in a +garden. "What can all this mean?" + +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the +Tube, took a ride through the air as high as the +treetops, and alighted squarely on top of the +Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled +crown over his eyes and tumbling him to the +ground. + +The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to +his back, so he did not go so high up. Fortunately +for his little rider he struck the ground upon his +four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not hurt +and when she looked around her she saw the Queen +and the Peculiar Person struggling together upon +the ground, where the man was trying to choke Ann +and she had both hands in his bushy hair and was +pulling with all her might. Some of the officers, +when they got upon their feet, hastened to +separate the combatants and sought to restrain the +Peculiar Person so that he could not attack their +Queen again. + +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files +had all arrived and were curiously examining the +strange country in which they found themselves and +which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side +of the world from the place where they had fallen +into the Tube. It was a lovely place, indeed, and +seemed to be the garden of some great Prince, for +through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be +seen the towers of an immense castle. But as yet +the only inhabitant to greet them was the Peculiar +Person just mentioned, who had shaken off the +grasp of the officers without effort and was now +trying to pull the battered crown from off his +eyes. + +Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to +do this and when the man was free and could +see again he looked at his visitors with evident +amazement. + +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did +you come from and how did you get here?" + +Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was +surly and silent. + +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, +cause I don't know the name of the place," said +the girl, "but the way we got here was through +the Hollow Tube." + +"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," +exclaimed the Peculiar Person in an irritated tone +of voice. "If~it's a tube, it's sure to be +hollow." + +"Why?" asked Betsy. + +"Because all tubes are made that way. But this +Tube is private property and everyone is forbidden +to fall into it." + +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, +and Polychrome added: "I am quite sure that +Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down that Tube." + +"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the +man, becoming much excited. + +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I +believe she is right. We were on our way to +conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell into +the Tube." + +"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the +peculiar Person. + +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little +puzzled by the question, "'cause we don't know him +at all; "but we started out to conquer him, which +isn't as friendly as it might be." + +"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully +from one to another of them for a while and then +he turned his head over his shoulder and said: +"Never mind the fire and pincers, my good +brothers. It will be best to take these strangers +to the Private Citizen." + +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, +deep and powerful, that seemed to come out of +the air, for the speaker was invisible. + +All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even +Polychrome was so startled that her gauze +draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze. +Shaggy shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked +very unhappy; the officers clung to each other, +trembling violently. + +But soon they gained courage to look more +closely at the Peculiar Person. As he was a type +of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary land +whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you +what he looked like. + +His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. +His eyes were large and blue in color and his +teeth finely formed and white as snow. His hair +was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at +the ends. So far no one could find any fault with +his appearance. He wore a robe of scarlet, which +did not cover his arms and extended no lower than +his bare knees. On the bosom of the robe was +embroidered a terrible dragon's head, as horrible +to look at as the man was beautiful. His arms and +legs were left bare and the skin of one arm was +bright yellow and the skin of the other arm a +vivid green. He had one blue leg and one pink one, +while both his feet--which showed through the open +sandals he wore--were jet black. + +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous +colors were dyes or the natural tints of the skin, +but while she was thinking it over the man who +had been called "Tubekins" said: + +"Follow me to the Residence--all of you!" + +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another +of them, Tubekins, lying in the water of the +fountain." + +"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, +and he'll drown." + +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, +anyway," agreed Shaggy, as with one accord they +all started for the fountain. But before they +could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok +from the marble basin and set him upon his feet +beside it, water dripping from every joint of his +copper body. + +"Ma-ny tha-tha-tha-thanks!" he said; and +then his copper jaws clicked together and he +could say no more. He next made an attempt to +walk but after several awkward trials found he +could not move his joints. + +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen +greeted Tik-Tok's failure, and the new arrivals in +this strange land found it very uncomfortable to +realize that there were many creatures around them +who were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. + +"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very +sorry for Tik-Tok. + +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs +oiling," replied Shaggy. + +At once an oil-can appeared before him, held +on a level with his eyes by some unseen hand. +Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's +joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of +warm air was directed against the copper man +which quickly dried him. Soon he was able to +say "Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and his +joints worked fairly well. + +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back +upon them he walked up the path toward the castle. + +"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but +just then she received a shove that almost pitched +her forward on her head; so she decided to go. The +officers who hesitated received several energetic +kicks, but could not see who delivered them; +therefore they also decided--very wisely--to go. +The others followed willingly enough, for unless +they ventured upon another terrible journey +through the Tube they must make the best of the +unknown country they were in, and the best seemed +to be to obey orders. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies + + +After a short walk through very beautiful gardens +they came to the castle and followed Tubekins +through the entrance and into a great domed +chamber, where he commanded them to be seated. + +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought +this man must be the King of the country they were +in, yet after he had seated all the strangers upon +benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a +high throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the +vacant throne and in a flash became invisible and +disappeared. + +The hall was an immense place, but there seemed +to be no one in it beside themselves. Presently, +however, they heard a low cough near them, and +here and there was the faint rustling of a robe +and a slight patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly +there rang out the clear tone of a bell and at the +sound all was changed. + +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw +that it was filled with hundreds of men and women, +all with beautiful faces and staring blue eyes and +all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon +their heads. In fact, these people seemed exact +duplicates of Tubekins and it was difficult to +find any mark by which to tell them apart. + +"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered +Betsy to Polychrome, who sat beside her and +appeared much interested in the scene but not a +bit worried. + +"It is certainly a strange sight," was +Polychrome's reply; "but I cannot see how there +can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one +country, for were these all rulers, no one could +tell who was Master." + +One of the Kings who stood near and overheard +this remark turned to her and said: "One who is +Master of himself is always a King, if only to +himself. In this favored land all Kings and Queens +are equal, and it is our privilege to bow before +one supreme Ruler--the Private Citizen." + +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. + +As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell +again rang out and instantly there appeared +seated in the throne the man who was lord and +master of all these royal ones. This fact was +evident when with one accord they fell upon their +knees and touched their foreheads to the floor. + +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, +except that his eyes were black instead of blue +and in the centers of the black irises glowed red +sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his +features were very beautiful and dignified and +his manner composed and stately. Instead of the +prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, +and the same dragon's head that decorated the +others was embroidered upon its bosom. + +"What charge lies against these people, +Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, even tones. + +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty +Citizen," was the reply. + +"You see, it was this way," said. Betsy. "We +were marching to the Nome King, to conquer him and +set Shaggy's brother free, when on a sudden--" + +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen +sternly. + +"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--" + +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the +Citizen. + +"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--" + +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the +leader?" + +No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn +stood up. + +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see +that sixteen of you are merely officers, and of no +account." + +"But we have an Army," said General Clock, +blusteringly, for he didn't like to be told he was +of no account. + +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. + +"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a +little rusty. "I'm the on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in +the par-ty." + +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed +respectfully to the Clockwork Man. + +"Pardon me for not realizing your importance +before," said he. "Will you oblige me by taking +a seat beside me on my throne?" + +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all +the Kings and Queens making way for him. Then with +clanking steps he mounted the platform and sat on +the broad seat beside the Citizen. + +Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor +shown to the humble Clockwork Man, but Shaggy +seemed much pleased that his old friend's +importance had been recognized by the ruler of +this remarkable country. The Citizen now began to +question Tik-Tok, who told in his mechanical voice +about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how +Ozma of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist +him, and how they had fallen in with Queen Ann and +her people from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy +and Hank and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had +happened to join their party. + +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal +Monarch and King of the Nomes?" asked the Citizen. + +"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," +was Tik-Tok's reply. "But he was too cle-ver for +us. When we got close to his cav-ern he made our +path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in- +vis-i-ble, so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we +knew it was there. It was an eas-y way to get rid +of us and now Rug-gedo is safe and we are far a- +way in a strange land." + +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be +thinking. Then he said: + +"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you +that by the laws of our country anyone who comes +through the Forbidden Tube must be tortured for +nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into +the Tube. But it is wise to disregard laws when +they conflict with justice, and it seems that you +and your followers did not disobey our laws +willingly, being forced into the Tube by Ruggedo. +Therefore the Nome King is alone to blame, and he +alone must be punished." + +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do +is on the o-ther side of the world where he is +a-way out of your reach." + +The Citizen drew himself up proudly. + +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it +can be out of the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he +asked. + +"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired +Tik-Tok. + +"I am." + +"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?" + +"It is." + +Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. +Shaggy was so disturbed that he took out a +handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his +brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the +first time, while Files put his arms around the +Rose Princess as if to protect her. As for the +officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them +moaning and weeping at a great rate and every one +fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for +mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions +so disturbed, but did not know what it was all +about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved at the discovery. + +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, +and think Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that +some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of the +Nomes." + +"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy. + +The Private Citizen--otherwise known as Tititi- +Hoochoo, the Great Jinjin--looked at the little +girl steadily. + +"I will presently decide what is to happen to +Ruggedo," said he in a hard, stern voice. Then, +turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he +continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his +machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it +allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore +these people are not our enemies and must be +treated with consideration and justice. Take them +to your palaces and entertain them as guests until +to-morrow, when I command that they be brought +again to my Residence. By then I shall have formed +my plans." + +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he +disappeared from sight. Immediately after, most of +the Kings and Queens likewise disappeared. But +several of them remained visible and approached +the strangers with great respect. One of the +lovely Queens said to Betsy: + +"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I +am Erma, Queen of Light." + +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. + +"The King of Animals will care for your mule," +was the reply. "But do not fear for him, for he +will be treated royally. All of your party will be +reunited on the morrow." + +"I--I'd like to have some one with me," said +Betsy, pleadingly. + +Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon +Polychrome. + +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable +companion?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl. + +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the +Queen of Light, while other beautiful Kings and +Queens took charge of the others of the party. + +The two girls followed Erma out of the hall +and through the gardens of the Residence to a +village of pretty dwellings. None of these was so +large or imposing as the castle of the Private +Citizen, but all were handsome enough to be +called palaces--as, in fact, they really were. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + +The Lovely Lady of Light + + +The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little +eminence and was a mass of crystal windows, +surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they +entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely +maidens, evidently of high degree, who at once +aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a wand in +her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and +their costumes were also emblematic of the lights +they represented. Erma introduced them to her +guests and each made a graceful and courteous +acknowledgment. + +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very +fair; the second was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy +damsel with nut-brown hair; next came Starlight, +equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and +shy. These three were dressed in shimmering robes +of silvery white. The fourth was Daylight, a +brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank +manners, who wore a variety of colors. Then came +Firelight, clothed in a fleecy flame-colored robe +that wavered around her shapely form in a very +attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was +the most beautiful of all, and Betsy thought from +the first that both Sunlight and Daylight regarded +Electra with envy and were a little jealous of +her. + +But all were cordial in their greetings to the +strangers and seemed to regard the Queen of Light +with much affection, for they fluttered around her +in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to +her regal drawing-room. + +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, +the upholstery being of many tints, and both Betsy +and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves upon the +downy divans after their strenuous adventures of +the day. + +The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who +noticed that Daylight was the only maiden now +seated beside Erma. The others had retired to +another part of the room, where they sat modestly +with entwined arms and did not intrude themselves +at all. + +The Queen told the strangers all about this +beautiful land, which is one of the chief +residences of fairies who minister to the needs of +mankind. So many important fairies lived there +that, to avoid rivalry, they had elected as their +Ruler the only important personage in the country +who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, +in effect, a Private Citizen. This Ruler, or +Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name of Tititi- +Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was +that he had no heart. But instead of this he +possessed a high degree of Reason and Justice and +while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never +punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong- +doers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as he was +heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had +nothing to fear from him. + +All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid +reverence to Jinjin, for as they expected to be +obeyed by others they were willing to obey the one +in authority over them. + +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many +tales of this fearfully just Jinjin, whose +punishments were always equal to the faults +committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although +this was the first time she had ever seen him face +to face. But to Betsy the story was all new, and +she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom +she no longer feared. + +Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly +Betsy noticed that Moonlight was sitting beside +the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight. + +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you +all wear a dragon's head embroidered on your +gowns?" + +Erma's pleasant face became grave as she +answered: + +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first +living creature ever made; therefore the Dragon is +the oldest and wisest of living things. By good +fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a +resident of this land and supplies us with wisdom +whenever we are in need of it. He is old as the +world and remembers everything that has happened +since the world was created." + +"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the +girl. + +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other +lands, where men, not understanding them, made war +upon them; but many still reside in this country. +None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, +for whom we have great respect. As he was the +first resident here, we wear the emblem of the +dragon's head to show that we are the favored +people who alone have the right to inhabit this +fairyland, which in beauty almost equals the +Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it. + +"I understand about the dragon, now," said +Polychrome, nodding her lovely head. Betsy did not +quite understand, but she was at present +interested in observing the changing lights. As +Daylight had given way to Moonlight, so now +Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, +and with her coming a spirit of peace and content +seemed to fill the room. Polychrome, being +herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about +the various Kings and Queens who lived in this +far-away, secluded place, and before Erma had +finished answering them a rosy glow filled the +room and Firelight took her place beside the +Queen. + +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm +and glowing features made the little girl sleepy, +and presently she began to nod. There-upon Erma +rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own. + +"Come," said she, "the feast time has arrived +and the feast is spread." + +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. +"Now that I think of it, I'm awful hungry. But +p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." + +The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As +she pushed aside a heavy drapery a flood of +silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before +her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread +with snowy linen and crystal and silver. At one +side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma and +beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. +Polychrome was placed on the Queen's right hand +and Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers +of light now waited upon them, and each person was +supplied with just the food she liked best. +Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh +and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served +that she decided she had never in her life eaten a +dinner half so good. + +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss +Electra is the youngest of all these girls." + +"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a +smile. + +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we +know of. Didn't Mr. Edison discover it?" + +"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover +it," replied the Queen. "But electricity was a +part of the world from its creation, and therefore +my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, +and equally beneficent to mortals and fairies +alike." + +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she +remarked, as she looked at the six messengers of +light: + +"We couldn't very well do without any of +'em; could we?" + +Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure, she +replied, "and I think mortals would miss any one +of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take the +place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and +energy. Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn +out with her long watch, retires to rest. If the +moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's +rim, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, +Starlight takes her place, for the skies always +lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss +much of our warmth and comfort, as well as much +cheer when the walls of houses encompass us. But +always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious +Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As +Queen of Light, I love all my maidens, for I know +them to be faithful and true." + +"I love 'em too!" declared Betsy. "But +sometimes, when I'm real sleepy, I can get along +without any light at all." + +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the +feast had ended. + +"A little," admitted the girl. + +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where +there was a soft, white bed, and waited patiently +until Betsy had undressed and put on a shimmery +silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then +the light-maid bade her good night and opened the +door. + +When she closed it after her Betsy was in +darkness. In six winks the little girl was fast +asleep. + + + + +Chapter Thirteen + +The Jinjin's Just Judgment + + +All the adventurers were reunited next morning +when they were brought from various palaces to the +Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and ushered into the +great Hall of State. + +As before, no one was visible except our friends +and their escorts until the first bell sounded. +Then in a flash the room was seen to be filled +with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the land. +The second bell marked the appearance in the +throne of the mighty Jinjin, whose handsome +countenance was as composed and expressionless as +ever. + +All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly +murmured: "We greet the Private Citizen, mightiest +of Rulers, whose word is Law and whose Law is +just." + +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. +Then, looking around the brilliant assemblage, +and at the little group of adventurers before him, +he said: + +"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of +other lands than ours, who are different from +ourselves in many ways, have been thrust upon us +through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our +people foolishly made years ago and was properly +punished for his folly. But these strangers had no +desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into +the Tube by a cruel King on the other side of the +world, named Ruggedo. This King is an immortal, +but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind +more than they benefit them. Because he had +unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's brother a prisoner, +this little band of honest people, consisting of +both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer +Ruggedo and to punish him. Fearing they might +succeed in this, the Nome King misled them so that +they fell into the Tube. + +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, +many times, that if ever he used this Forbidden +Tube in any way he would be severely punished. I +find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this +King's servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his +master not to do such a wrong act as to drop these +people into the Tube and send them tumbling into +our country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders. + +"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any +wrong. It is only Ruggedo who deserves punishment, +and I will punish him." He paused a moment and +then continued in the same cold, merciless voice: + +"These strangers must return through the Tube to +their own side of the world; but I will make their +fall more easy and pleasant than it was before. +Also I shall send with them an Instrument of +Vengeance, who in my name will drive Ruggedo from +his underground caverns, take away his magic +powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the +face of the earth--a place he detests." + +There was a little murmur of horror from the +Kings and Queens at the severity of this +punishment, but no one uttered a protest, for all +realized that the sentence was just. + +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went +on Tititi-Hoochoo, "I have realized that this will +be an unpleasant mission. Therefore no one of us +who is blameless should be forced to undertake it. +In this wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty +of wrong, even in the slightest degree, and on +examining the Records I found no King or Queen had +erred. Nor had any among their followers or +servants done any wrong. But finally I came to the +Dragon Family, which we highly respect, and then +it was that I discovered the error of Quox. + +"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who +has not yet acquired the wisdom of his race. +Because of this lack, he has been disrespectful +toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original +Dragon, telling him once to mind his own business +and again saying that the Ancient One had grown +foolish with age. We are aware that dragons are +not the same as fairies and cannot be altogether +guided by our laws, yet such disrespect as Quox +has shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore +I have selected Quox as my royal Instrument of +Vengeance and he shall go through the Tube with +these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed." + +All had listened quietly to this speech and now +the Kings and Queens bowed gravely to signify +their approval of the Jinjin's judgment. + +Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins. + +"I command you," said he, "to escort these +strangers to the Tube and see that they all enter +it." + +The King of the Tube, who had first discovered +our friends and brought them to the Private +Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. As he did so, +the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly +disappeared and only Tubekins remained visible. + +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't +mind going back so very much, 'cause the Jinjin +promised to make it easy for us." + +Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only +ones who looked solemn and seemed to fear the +return journey. One thing that bothered Ann was +her failure to conquer this land of Tititi- +Hoochoo. As they followed their guide through the +gardens to the mouth of the Tube she said to +Shaggy: + +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away +and leave this rich country unconquered?" + +"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, +please, for if you don't know I can't inform +you." + +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no +attention to the question. + +This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around +it was a gold railing to which was attached a sign +that read. + +"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. +IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." + + +On a little silver plate just inside the Tube +was engraved the words: + + +"Burrowed and built by +Hiergargo the Magician, +In the Year of the World +1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 +For his own exclusive uses." + + +"He was some builder, I must say," remarked +Betsy, when she had read the inscription; "but +if he had known about that star I guess he'd +have spent his time playing solitaire." + +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired +Shaggy, who was impatient to start. + +"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear +him coming." + +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, +who had never seen a live dragon and was a little +fearful of meeting one. + +"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. +"You'll see him in a minute; but before you part +company I'm sure you'll wish he was invisible." + +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. + +"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said +Tubekins, "and I prefer his room to his company. + +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, +drawing nearer and nearer until from between +two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, who +approached the party, nodded his head and said: +"Good morning." + +Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would +have felt uncomfortable at the astonished stare of +every eye in the group--except Tubekins, of +course, who was not astonished because he had seen +Quox so often. + +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a +small dragon, yet here was one so enormous that +the girl decided he must be full grown, if not +overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color +and it was thickly set with glittering silver +scales, each one as big as a serving-tray. Around +his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under +his left ear, and below the ribbon appeared a +chain of pearls to which was attached a golden +locket about as large around as the end of a bass +drum. This locket was set with many large and +beautiful jewels. + +The head and face of Quox were not especially +ugly, when you consider that he was a dragon; but +his eyes were so large that it took him a long +time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and +terrible when they showed, which they did whenever +the beast smiled. Also his nostrils were quite +large and wide, and those who stood near him were +liable to smell brimstone--especially when he +breathed out fire, as it is the nature of dragons +to do. To the end of his long tail was attached a +big electric light. + +Perhaps the most singular thing about the +dragon's appearance at this time was the fact that +he had a row of seats attached to his back, one +seat for each member of the party. These seats +were double, with curved backs, so that two +could sit in them, and there were twelve of these +double seats, all strapped firmly around the +dragon's thick body and placed one behind the +other, in a row that extended from his shoulders +nearly to his tail. + +"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that Tititi- +Hoochoo has transformed Quox into a carryall." + +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. +Dragon, you won't mind our riding on your back." + +"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just +now, you know, and the only way to redeem my good +name is to obey the orders of the Jinjin. If he +makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of +my punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon. I +don't blame you people at all, and I hope you'll +enjoy the ride. Hop on, please. All aboard for the +other side of the world!" + +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the +front seat with Betsy, so that he could rest his +front hoofs upon the dragon's head. Behind them +were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the +Princess, and Queen Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers +rode in the rear seats. When all had mounted to +their places the dragon looked very like one of +those sightseeing wagons so common in big cities-- +only he had legs instead of wheels. + +"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they +were he crawled to the mouth of the Tube and put +his head in. + +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called +Tubekins; but no one thought to reply, because +just then the dragon slid his great body into the +Tube and the journey to the other side of the +world had begun. + +At first they went so fast that they could +scarcely catch their breaths, but presently Quox +slowed up and said with a sort of cackling laugh: + +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I +shall take it easy and fall slower, or I'm likely to +get dizzy. Is it very far to the other side of the +world?" + +"Haven't you ever been through this Tube +before?" inquired Shaggy. + +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; +at least, not since I was born." + +"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy. + +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. +I'm only a mere child. If I had not been sent on +this journey, I would have celebrated my three +thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. +Mother was going to make me a birthday cake +with three thousand and fifty-six candles on it; +but now, of course, there will be no celebration, +for I fear I shall not get home in time for it." + +"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried +Betsy. "Why, I had no idea anything could live +that long!" + +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a +stupid old humbug if I had not reformed, is so old +that I am a mere baby compared with him," said +Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, +and insists on telling us stories of things that +happened fifty thousand years ago, which are of no +interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, +Grandpa isn't up to date. He lives altogether in +the past, so I can't see any good reason for his +being alive to-day.... Are you people able to see +your way, or shall I turn on more light?" + +"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only +there's nothing to see but ourselves," answered +Betsy. + +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like +headlights on an automobile and illuminated the +Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled his tail +upward so that the electric light on the end of it +enabled them to see one another quite clearly. But +the Tube itself was only dark metal, smooth as +glass but exactly the same from one of its ends to +the other. Therefore there was no scenery of +interest to beguile the journey. + +They were now falling so gently that the trip +was proving entirely comfortable, as the Jinjin +had promised it would be; but this meant a +longer journey and the only way they could +make time pass was to engage in conversation. +The dragon seemed a willing and persistent +talker and he was of so much interest to them +that they encouraged him to chatter. His voice +was a little gruff but not unpleasant when one +became used to it. + +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this +constant sliding over the surface of the Tube will +dull my claws. You see, this hole isn't straight +down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of +tumbling freely through the air I must skate along +the Tube. Fortunately, there is a file in my tool- +kit, and if my claws get dull they can be +sharpened again." + +"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy. + +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not +forget that I have been sent to conquer Ruggedo." + +"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked +Queen Ann, in her most haughty manner; "for when +we get to Ruggedo I and my invincible Army can +conquer him without your assistance." + +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. +"That will save me a lot of bother--if you +succeed. But I think I shall file my claws, just +the same." + +He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a +sheet of flame, several feet in length, shot from +his mouth. Betsy shuddered and Hank said +"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed +in terror. But the dragon did not notice that he +had done anything unusual. + +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. + +"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a +dragon would I be if my fire went out?" + +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. + +"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said +Quox. "The fire keeps me alive and enables me +to move; also to think and speak." + +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said +Tik-Tok. "The on-ly dif-fer-ence is that I move +by clock-work, while you move by fire." + +"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, +I must confess," retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are +not a live thing; you're a dummy." + +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said +Tik-Tok. + +"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the +dragon. "But if you run down, you are helpless." + +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran +out of gasoline?" inquired Shaggy, who did not +like this attack upon his friend. + +"I don't use gasoline." + +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." + +"What's the use of supposing that?" asked +Quox. "My great-great-great-grandfather has +lived since the world began, and he has never +once run out of fire to keep him going. But I +will confide to you that as he gets older he shows +more smoke and less fire. As for Tik-Tok, he's +well enough in his way, but he's merely copper. +And the Metal Monarch knows copper through +and through. I wouldn't be surprised if Ruggedo +melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made +copper pennies of him." + +"In that case, I would still keep going," +remarked Tik-Tok, calmly. + +"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully. + +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with +irritation. "Tik-Tok is my great Army--all but the +officers--and I believe he will be able to conquer +Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, Polychrome?" + +"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's +Daughter, with her sweet ringing laugh, that +sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells. "And if +Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire- +breathing dragon to fall back on." + +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame +gushing from his mouth and nostrils; "it's a wise +little girl, this Polychrome. Anyone would know +she is a fairy." + + + + + +Chapter Fourteen + +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening + + +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and +King of the Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in +his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard work for +Ruggedo to find amusement to day, for all the +nomes were behaving well and there was no one to +scold or to punish. The King had thrown his +sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him +once. Not that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On +the contrary, he had obeyed the King in every way +but one: he would not stand still, when commanded +to do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him. + +We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even +the cruel Ruggedo forgave him; for he knew very +well that if he mashed his Royal Chamberlain he +could never find another so intelligent and +obedient. Kaliko could make the nomes work when +their King could not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo +and there were so many thousands of the quaint +little underground people that they could easily +have rebelled and defied the King had they dared +to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them +worse than usual, they grew sullen and threw down +their hammers and picks. Then, however hard the +King scolded or whipped them, they would not work +until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko +was one of themselves and was as much abused by +the King as any nome in the vast series of +caverns. + +But today all the little people were working +industriously at their tasks and Ruggedo, having +nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for the +Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen +carefully and report what was going on in the big +world. + +"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for +awhile, "that the women in America have clubs." + +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, +yawning. + +"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was +the reply. + +"Then their clubs are not as, good as my +sceptre. What else do you hear?' + +"There's a war. + +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" + +For a time the Hearer was silent, bending +forward and spreading out his big ears to catch +the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said: + +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. +These people are arguing as to who shall conquer +the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive +him from his dominions." + +"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting +up straight in his throne. + +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." + +"Where are they now?" + +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," +said the Hearer. + +Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to +pace up and down the cavern. + +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," +he mused. + +"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn +the Tube upside down, they would be falling +the other way, Your Majesty." + +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was +impossible to turn the Tube upside down and +he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun +at him. Presently he asked: + +"How far away are those people now?" + +"About nine thousand three hundred and six +miles, seventeen furlongs, eight feet and four +inches--as nearly as I can judge from the sound +of their voices," replied the Hearer. + +"Aha! Then it will be some time before they +arrive," said Ruggedo, "and when they get here +I shall be ready to receive them. + +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so +fiercely that Kaliko came bounding into the cavern +with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was just +dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling +lake of the Underground Kingdom. + +"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down +the Tube are coming back again!" he exclaimed. + +"I thought they would," said the Royal +Chamberlain, pulling on the other shoe. "Tititi- +Hoo-choo would not allow them to remain in his +kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting +them back for some time. That was a very foolish +action of yours, Rug." + +"What, to throw them down the Tube?" + +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw +even rubbish into the Tube." + +"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked +Ruggedo scornfully. "He never leaves his own +kingdom, which is on the other side of the world." + +"True; but he might send some one through +the Tube to punish you," suggested Kaliko. + +"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my +thousands of nomes?" + +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I +remember aright," answered Kaliko with a grin. +"Once I saw you running from a little girl named +Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really +afraid." + +"Well, I was afraid, that time," admitted the +Nome King, with a deep sigh, "for Dorothy had a +Yellow Hen that laid eggs!" + +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko +also shuddered, and so did the Long-Eared Hearer; +for eggs are the only things that the nomes +greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs +belong on the earth's surface, where birds and +fowl of all sorts live, and there is something +about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome +with horror. If by chance the inside of an egg +touches one of these underground people, he +withers up and blows away and that is the end of +him--unless he manages quickly to speak a magical +word which only a few of the nomes know. Therefore +Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to +shudder at the mere mention of eggs. + +"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this +band of invaders; nor is the Yellow Hen. As for +Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing that we +are afraid of eggs." + +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned +him. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows a great many things, +being a fairy, and his powers are far superior to +any we can boast." + +Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the +Hearer. + +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any +eggs coming through the Tube." + +The Long-Eared one listened and then shook +his head. But Kaliko laughed at the King. + +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," +said he. "The only way to discover the truth is to +look through the Magic Spyglass." + +"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I +think of it before? Look at once, Kaliko!" + +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a +mumbled charm he caused the other end of it to +twist around, so that it pointed down the opening +of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and +was able to gaze along all the turns and windings +of the Magic Spyglass and then deep into the Tube, +to where our friends were at that time falling. + +"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon." + +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. + +"A monster. He has an electric light on the end +of his tail, so I can see him very plainly. And +the other people are all riding upon his back." + +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. + +Kaliko looked again. + +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I +imagine that the dragon is as dangerous as eggs. +Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to +punish you for dropping those strangers into the +Forbidden Tube. I warned you not to do it, Your +Majesty." + +This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few +minutes he paced up and down, stroking his long +beard and thinking with all his might. After this +he turned to Kaliko and said: + +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with +his claws and bite with his teeth." + +"That is not all, but it's quite enough," +returned Kaliko earnestly. "On the other hand, no +one can hurt a dragon, because he's the toughest +creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could +smash a hundred nomes to pancakes, and with teeth +and claws he could tear even you or me into small +bits, so that it would be almost impossible to put +us together again. Once, a few hundred years ago, +while wandering through some deserted caverns, I +came upon a small piece of a nome lying on the +rocky floor. I asked the piece of nome what had +happened to it. Fortunately the mouth was a part +of this piece--the mouth and the left eye--so it +was able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the +cause. It had attacked the poor nome and scattered +him in every direction, and as there was no friend +near to collect his pieces and put him together, +they had been separated for a great many years. So +you see, Your Majesty, it is not in good taste to +sneer at a dragon." + +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. +Said he: + +"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon +which Tititi-Hoochoo has sent here, in order to +prevent his reaching us with his claws and teeth." + +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. + +"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," +said Ruggedo. + +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" + +"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I +could defeat them single-handed; but I won't try +to. I'll summon my army of nomes to drive the +invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any +of them I intend to stick needles into them until +they hop with pain. + +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said +Kaliko. + +"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal +Monarch. "And that braying Mule I'll make into +hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, that it may +add to their strength." + +"Why not be good to the strangers and release +your prisoner, the Shaggy Man's brother?" +suggested Kaliko. + +"Never!" + +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you +don't want the Ugly One." + +"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't +allow anybody to order me around. I'm King of the +Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I shall do as +I please and what I please and when I please!" + +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at +Kaliko's head, aiming it so well that the Royal +Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the floor in +order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see the +sceptre coming and it swept past his head so +closely that it broke off the tip of one of his +long ears. He gave a dreadful yell that quite +startled Ruggedo, and the King was sorry for the +accident because those long ears of the Hearer +were really valuable to him. + +So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko +and ordered his Chamberlain to summon General Guph +and the army of nomes and have them properly +armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the +Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon +as they appeared. + + + + +Chapter Fifteen + +The Dragon Defies Danger + + +Although the journey through the Tube was longer, +this time, than before, it was so much more +comfortable that none of our friends minded it at +all. They talked together most of the time and as +they found the dragon good-natured and fond of the +sound of his own voice they soon became well +acquainted with him and accepted him as a +companion. + +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox +is on our side, and therefore the dragon is a good +fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, instead of +a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very +much, for his breath smells of brimstone, he is +very conceited and he is so strong and fierce that +he would prove a dangerous foe." + +"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened +to this speech with pleasure; "I suppose I am +about as terrible as any living thing. I am glad +you find me conceited, for that proves I know my +good qualities. As for my breath smelling of +brimstone, I really can't help it, and I once met +a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I +consider far worse." + +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. + +"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so +don't let us quarrel over one another's +peculiarities." + +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot +a flame fifty feet from his mouth. The brimstone +made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the +onions and said nothing. + +They had no idea how far they had gone through +the center of the earth, nor when to expect the +trip to end. At one time the little girl remarked: + +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this +hole. And isn't it funny, Shaggy Man, that what is +the bottom to us now, was the top when we fell the +other way?" + +"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are +able to fall both ways. + +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is because the world +is round." + +"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in +your head is in fine working order, Tik-Tok. You +know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as the +Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything +toward the center of the earth. That is why we +fall out of bed, and why everything clings to the +surface of the earth." + +"Then why doesn't everyone go on down to +the center of the earth?" inquired the little girl. + +"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," +replied Shaggy in a sad tone. "The reason, my +dear, is that the earth is so solid that other solid +things can't get through it. But when there's a +hole, as there is in this case, we drop right down +to the center of the world." + +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. + +"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed +enough to carry us right up to the other end." + +"I don't understand that, and it makes my +head ache to try to figure it out," she said after +some thought. "One thing draws us to the center +and another thing pushes us away from it. +But--" + +"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the +Shaggy Man. "If you can't understand it, let it go +at that." + +"Do you understand it?" she inquired. + +"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said +gravely. "There's lots of magic in all Nature, +and you may see it as well in the United States, +where you and I once lived, as you can here." + +"I never did," she replied. + +"Because you were so used to it all that you +didn't realize it was magic. Is anything more +wonderful than to see a flower grow and blossom, +or to get light out of the electricity in the air? +The cows that manufacture milk for us must have +machinery fully as remarkable as that in Tik-Tok's +copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that--" + +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, +the strong light of day suddenly broke upon them, +grew brighter, and completely enveloped them. The +dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal +Tube, for he shot into the open air a hundred feet +or more and sailed so far away from the slanting +hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a +mountain and just over the entrance to the many +underground caverns of the Nome King. + +Some of the officers tumbled off their seats +when Quox struck the ground, hut most of the +dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. All +were glad to be on solid earth again and they at +once dismounted and began to look about them. +Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the +dragon, the seats that were strapped to the +monster's back disappeared, and this probably +happened because there was no further use for them +and because Quox looked far more dignified in just +his silver scales. Of course he still wore the +forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as well as +the great locket, but these only made him look +"dressed up," as Betsy remarked. + +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly +around the mouth of the Tube, in order to be ready +to capture the band of invaders as soon as they +popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes +assembled, and they were led by Guph, their most +famous General. But they did not expect the dragon +to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so +suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the +nomes had rubbed the astonishment out of their +eyes and regained their wits, they discovered the +dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far +above their heads, while the other strangers were +standing in a group and calmly looking down upon +them. + +General Guph was very angry at the escape, which +was no one's fault but his own. + +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, +waving his sword at them. + +"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" +replied Queen Ann, who was winding up the +clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could +fight more briskly. + +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the +defiance; then he turned and issued a command to +his nomes. These were all armed with sharp spears +and with one accord they raised these spears and +threw them straight at their foes, so that they +rushed through the air in a perfect cloud of +flying weapons. + +Some damage might have been done had not the +dragon quickly crawled before the others, his body +being so big that it shielded every one of them, +including Hank. The spears rattled against the +silver scales of Quox and then fell harmlessly to +the ground. They were magic spears, of course, and +all straightway bounded back into the hands of +those who had thrown them, but even Guph could see +that it was useless to repeat the attack. + +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the +Generals yelled "For-ward march!" and the +Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the +command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, +which seemed to be composed mainly of Tik- +Tok, marched forward in single column toward +the nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered +and Hank gave a loud "Hee-haw!" and Shaggy +shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed: +"At 'em, Tik-Tok-at 'em!" + +The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's +attack but in a twinkling disappeared into the +underground caverns. They made a great mistake in +being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen +steps before he stubbed his copper toe on a rock +and fell flat to the ground, where he cried: "Pick +me up! Pick me up! Pick me up!" until Shaggy and +Files ran forward and raised him to his feet +again. + +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he +scratched his left ear with his hind claw, but no +one was paying much attention to Quox just then. + +It was evident to Ann and her officers that +there could be no fighting unless the enemy was +present, and in order to find the enemy they must +boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the nomes. +So bold a step demanded a council of war. + +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo +and obey the orders of the Jinjin?" asked Quox. + +"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have +already put the army of nomes to flight and all +that yet remains is to force our way into those +caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his +people.' + +"That seems to me something of a job," said +the dragon, closing his eyes sleepily. "But go +ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for you. +Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one +who lives thousands of years the delay of a few +days means nothing at all, and I shall probably +sleep until the time comes for me to act. + +Ann was provoked at this speech. + +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," +she said, "for the Nome King is as good as +conquered already." + +But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait." + + + + +Chapter Sixteen + +The Naughty Nome + + +Shaggy Man had said nothing during the +conversation between Queen Ann and Quox, for the +simple reason that he did not consider the matter +worth an argument. Safe within his pocket reposed +the Love Magnet, which had never failed to win +every heart. The nomes, he knew, were not like the +heartless Roses and therefore could be won to his +side as soon as he exhibited the magic talisman. + +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach +Ruggedo's Kingdom and now that the entrance lay +before him he was confident he would be able to +rescue his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon +quarrel as to who should conquer the nomes, if +they liked; Shaggy would let them try, and if they +failed he had the means of conquest in his own +pocket. + +But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she +thought her Army could do anything. So she called +the officers together and told them how to act, +and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and +what to say. + +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last +resort," she added, "for I do not wish to be cruel +or to shed any blood--unless it is absolutely +necessary." + +"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not +think Rug-ge-do would bleed if I filled him full +of holes and put him in a ci-der press." + +Then the officers fell in line, the four +Generals abreast and then the four Colonels and +the four Majors and the four Captains. They drew +their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to +march, which he did. Twice he fell down, being +tripped by the rough rocks, but when he struck the +smooth path he got along better. Into the gloomy +mouth of the cavern entrance he stepped without +hesitation, and after him proudly pranced the +officers and Queen Ann. The others held back a +little, waiting to see what would happen. + +Of course the Nome King knew they were coming +and was prepared to receive them. Just within the +rocky passage that led to the jeweled throne-room +was a deep pit, which was usually covered. Ruggedo +had ordered the cover removed and it now stood +open, scarcely visible in the gloom. + +The pit was so large around that it nearly +filled the passage and there was barely room for +one to walk around it by pressing close to the +rock walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes +saw the pit clearly and he avoided it; but the +officers marched straight into the hole and +tumbled in a heap on the bottom. An instant later +Queen Ann also walked into the pit, for she had +her chin in the air and was careless where she +placed her feet. Then one of the nomes pulled a +lever which replaced the cover on the pit and made +the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen fast +prisoners. + +As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the +cavern where Ruggedo sat in his throne and there +he faced the Nome King and said: + +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann +So-forth of Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I +declare that you are her pris-on-er!" + +Ruggedo laughed at him. + +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. + +"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. +"Per-haps she stopped to tie her shoe-string." + +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, +in a stern voice, "I've had enough of this +nonsense. Your Queen and her officers are all +prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps +you'll tell me what you mean to do." + +"My orders were to con-quer you," replied Tik- +Tok, "and my ma-chin-er-y has done the best it +knows how to car-ry out those or-ders." + +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, +followed closely by General Guph. + +"Take this copper man into the shops and set him +to work hammering gold," commanded the King. +"Being run by machinery he ought to be a steady +worker. He ought never to have been made, but +since he exists I shall hereafter put him to good +use." + +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I +shall fight." + +"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, +earnestly, "for it will be useless to resist and +you might hurt some one." + +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not +knowing what damage the gun might do the nomes +were afraid to face It. + +While he was thus defying the Nome King and his +high officials, Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the +royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank the +mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting +for "something to happen" and so had come to see +if Ruggedo had been conquered. + +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how +dare you bring that beast here and enter my +presence unannounced?" + +"There wasn't anybody to announce me, replied +Betsy. "I guess your folks were all busy. Are you +conquered yet?" + +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself +with rage. + +"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm +awful hungry," said the girl. "You see, this +conquering business is a good deal like waiting +for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get +around and don't amount to much anyhow." + +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech +that for a time they could only glare at her +silently, not finding words to reply. The King +finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: + +"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty +shall be your death-warrant. You are an ordinary +mortal, and to stop a mortal from living is so +easy a thing to do that I will not keep you +waiting half so long as you did for my conquest." + +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," +remarked Betsy, getting off Hank's back and +standing beside him. "And it would be a pretty +cheap King who killed a visitor while she was +hungry. If you'll give me something to eat, I'll +talk this killing business over with you +afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't +approve of it, and never will." + +Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome +King, although he bore an intense hatred toward +all mortals. + +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. + +"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a +couple of hard-boiled eggs--" + +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were +present, shuddering till their teeth chattered. + +"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. +"Are eggs as high here as they are at home?" + +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, +turning to his General, "let us destroy this rash +mortal at once! Seize her and take her to the +Slimy Cave and lock her in." + +Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still +pointed, but just then Kaliko stole softly behind +the copper man and kicked his knee-joints so that +they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to +the floor, his gun falling from his grasp. + +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab +at Betsy. At the same time Hank's heels shot out +and caught the General just where his belt was +buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannon- +ball, struck the Nome King fairly and flattened +his Majesty against the wall of rock on the +opposite side of the cavern. Together they fell to +the floor in a dazed and crumpled condition, +seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy: + +"Come with me--quick!--and I will save you." + +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and +thought he seemed honest and good-natured, so +she decided to follow him. He led her and the +mule through several passages and into a small +cavern very nicely and comfortably furnished. + +"This is my own room," said he, "but you are +quite welcome to use it. Wait here a minute and +I'll get you something to eat." + +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray +containing some broiled mushrooms, a loaf of +mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good +and the mushrooms delicious. + +"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd +better lock yourself in." + +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess +come here, too?" she asked. + +"I'll see. Where are they?" + +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. + +"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open +it," said Kaliko; "but don't let anyone in unless +they give the three raps." + +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko +left the cosy cavern she closed and locked the +door. + +In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding +themselves prisoners in the pit, had shouted and +screamed until they were tired out, but no one had +come to their assistance. It was very dark and +damp in the pit and they could not climb out +because the walls were higher than their heads and +the cover was on. The Queen was first angry and +then annoyed and then discouraged; but the +officers were only afraid. Every one of the poor +fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo +caring for his orchard, and some were so unhappy +that they began to reproach Ann for causing them +all this trouble and danger. + +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the +pit and leaned her back against the wall. By good +luck her sharp elbow touched a secret spring in +the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann +fell over backward, but the next instant she +jumped up and cried to the others: + +"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, +and we may yet escape." + +Then she began to crawl through the passage, +which was as dark and dank as the pit, and the +officers followed her in single file. They +crawled, and they crawled, and they kept on +crawling, for the passage was not big enough to +allow them to stand upright. It turned this way +and twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and +sometimes zigzag, but seldom ran for long in a +straight line. + +"It will never end--never!" moaned the officers, +who were rubbing all the skin off their knees on +the rough rocks. + +"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or +it never would have been made. We don't know +where it will lead us to, but any place is better +than that loathsome pit." + +So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, +and while they were crawling through this awful +underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy and +Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing +outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were +wondering what had become of them. + + + + +Chapter Seventeen + +A Tragic Transformation + + +"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his +companions, "for it may take the Queen some time +to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to do +everything in his slow, mechanical way." + +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked +the Rose Princess. + +"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King +is really a powerful fellow and has a legion of +nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen +commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint- +hearted officers." + +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," +said Polychrome, dancing lightly upon a point of +rock and fluttering her beautiful draperies. "But +perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, +for when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may +become more modest in her ambitions." + +"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga. + +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, +my dear; you may see him from here. He said he +would take a little nap while we were mixing up +with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had +gotten into trouble he would wake up and conquer +the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the Jinjin +has ordered him to do." + +"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not +think we shall need his services; for just as soon +as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her army have +failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the +caverns and show the King my Love Magnet. That he +cannot resist; therefore the conquest will be made +with ease." + +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the +Long-Eared Hearer, who was at that moment standing +by Ruggedo's side. For when the King and Guph had +recovered from Hank's kick and had picked +themselves up, their first act was to turn Tik-Tok +on his back and put a heavy diamond on top of him, +so that he could not get up again. Then they +carefully put his gun in a corner of the cavern +and the King sent Guph to fetch the Long-Eared +Hearer. + +The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for +breaking his ear, but he acknowledged the Nome +King to be his master and was ready to obey his +commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to +the King, who at once realized that his Kingdom +was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew of the Love +Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the +thought that Shaggy might show him the magic +talisman and turn all the hatred in his heart into +love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred +love of any sort. + + +"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and +lose my wealth and my Kingdom than gaze at that +awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent the +Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" + +Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to +overhear this question, and being a loyal nome and +eager to serve his King, he answered by saying: + +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, +tight to his body, he could not get the Love +Magnet out of his pocket." + +"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy +solution of the problem. "Get at once a dozen +nomes, with ropes, and place them in the passage +where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he +enters. + +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers +outside the entrance were growing more and more +uneasy about their friends. + +"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo +people," said Polychrome, who had grown sober with +waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for they +could not be killed, even though Ruggedo might +cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them +utterly. But we should not have allowed Betsy and +Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl +is mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, +so if Ruggedo captures her she will be wholly at +his. mercy." + +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I +wouldn't like to have anything happen to dear +little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right away +and put an end to all this worry." + +"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, +"for by means of the Love Magnet, you can soon +bring the Nome King to reason. + +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy +walked through the entrance first, and after him +came the others. They had no thought of danger to +themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with +his hands thrust into his pockets, was much +surprised when a rope shot out from the darkness +and twined around his body, pinning down his arms +so securely that he could not even withdraw his +hands from the pockets. Then appeared several +grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the +ropes and then led the prisoner along the passage +to the cavern. No attention was paid to the +others, but Files and the Princess followed on +after Shaggy, determined not to desert their +friend and hoping that an opportunity might arise +to rescue him. + +As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that +trouble had overtaken Shaggy she turned and ran +lightly back through the passage and out of the +entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock +until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay +fast asleep. + +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you +to act." + +But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a +trance, absolutely motionless, with his enormous +eyes tight closed. The eyelids had big silver +scales on them, like all the rest of his body. + +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had +she not known that dragons do not die easily or +had she not observed his huge body swelling as he +breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and +pounded against his eyelids with it, saying: + +"Wake up, Quox-wake up!" But he would not waken. + +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the +lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "I wonder what is +the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All +our friends may be captured and destroyed +while this great beast lies asleep." + +She walked around Quox two or three times, +trying to discover some tender place on his body +where a thump or a punch might he felt; but he lay +extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon +the ground and his legs drawn underneath his body, +and all that one could see was his thick sky-blue +skin--thicker than that of a rhinoceros--and his +silver scales. + +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, +and worried over the fate of her friends, +Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and +hurried along the passage into the Nome King's +cavern. + +Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and +smoking a long pipe. Beside him stood General Guph +and Kaliko, and ranged before the King were the +Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok +still lay upon the floor, weighted down by the big +diamond. + +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of +mind. One by one he had met the invaders and +easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet was +indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away +from the King, but Shaggy was powerless to show it +and unless Ruggudo's eyes beheld the talisman it +could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her +mule, he believed Kaliko had placed them in the +Slimy Cave, while Ann and her officers he thought +safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear +of Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he +had ordered golden handcuffs placed upon their +wrists. These did not cause them any great +annoyance but prevented them from making an +attack, had they been inclined to do so. + +The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of +the situation, was laughing and jeering at his +prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely beautiful +and dancing like a ray of light, entered the +cavern. + +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, +eh?" and then he stared hard at Polychrome, and +still harder, and then he sat up and pulled the +wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his +whiskers. "On my word," said he, "you are a very +captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you +are a fairy." + +"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she +said proudly. + +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others +I hate. I hate everybody--but you! Wouldn't you +like to live always in this beautiful cavern, +Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls +have every tint and color of your Rainbow--and +they are not so elusive. I'll have fresh dewdrops +gathered for your feasting every day and you shall +be Queen of all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose +whenever you like." + +"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is +in the sky, and I'm only on a visit to this solid, +sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why my friends +have been wound with cords and bound with chains?" + +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The +fools did not know how powerful I am." + +"Then, since they are now helpless, why not +release them and send them back to the earth's +surface?" + +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make em suffer +for their invasion. But I'll make a bargain with +you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with me and +I'll set all these people free. You shall be my +daughter or my wife or my aunt or grandmother-- +whichever you like only stay here to brighten my +gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" + +Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she +turned to Shaggy and asked: + +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" + +"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem +to be something of a Love Magnet yourself, +Polychrome." + +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even +to rescue my friends would I live in your kingdom. +Nor could I endure for long the society of such a +wicked monster as you. + +"You forget," retorted the King, scowling +darkly, "that you also are in my power." + +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is +beyond the reach of your spite or malice." + +"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and +General Guph sprang forward to obey. Polychrome +stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to +clutch her his hands met in air, and now the +Rainbow's Daughter was in another part of the +room, as smiling and composed as before. + +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and +Ruggedo even came down from his throne to assist +his General; but never could they lay hands upon +the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there +with the swiftness of light and constantly defied +them with her merry laughter as she evaded their +efforts. + +So after a time they abandoned the chase and +Ruggedo returned to his throne and wiped the +perspiration from his face with a finely-woven +handkerchief of cloth-of-gold. + +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to +do now?" + +"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all +my bother," replied the Nome King. Then he said to +Kaliko: "Summon the executioners." + +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned +with a score of nomes, all of whom were nearly as +evil looking as their hated master. They bore +great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and +clamps and chains and various wicked-looking +instruments, all made of precious metals and set +with diamonds and rubies. + +"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader +of the executioners, "fetch the Army of Oogaboo +and their Queen from the pit and torture them here +in my presence--as well as in the presence of +their friends. It will be great sport." + +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," +answered Pang, and went with his nomes into the +passage. In a few minutes he returned and bowed to +Ruggedo. + +"They're all gone," said he. + +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" + +"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they +are not in the pit." + +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took +the cover off?" + +"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but +the prisoners were not under it." + +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to +control his disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave +and fetch hither the girl and the donkey. And +while we are torturing them Kaliko must take a +hundred nomes and search for the escaped +prisoners--the Queen of Oogaboo and her officers. +If he does not find them, I will torture Kaliko." + +Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for +he knew the King was cruel and unjust enough to +carry out this threat. Pang and the executioners +also went away, in another direction, but when +they came back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor +was Hank. + +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your +Majesty," reported Pang. + +"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. +"Another escape? Are you sure you found the right +cave?" + +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no +one in it," returned Pang positively. + +Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as +angry. However, these disappointments but made him +the more vindictive and he cast an evil look at +the other prisoners and said: + +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are +four, at least, who cannot escape my vengeance. +Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind about +Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, +seething heat, and then we'll dump the copper man +into it and melt him up. + +"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had +returned to the room after sending a hundred nomes +to search for the Oogaboo people, you must +remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and +interesting machine. It would be a shame to +deprive the world of such a clever contrivance." + +"Say another word, and you'll go into the +furnace with him!" roared the King. "I'm getting +tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you know +I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga- +chips of you! The next to consider," he added more +mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he owns the Love +Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, +and then we can practice shooting at him with Tik- +Tok's gun. Now, this is a very interesting +ceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and +see that I've nothing up my sleeve." + +He came out of his throne to stand before the +Shaggy Man, and then he waved his hands, palms +downward, in seven semicircles over his victim's +head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the +magic wugwa: + +"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! + +Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!" + +The effect of this well-known sorcery was +instantaneous. Instead of the Shaggy Man, a pretty +dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings +confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo +gave an order to Pang, who cut the cords with a +pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove quickly +flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the +Rose Princess, who stroked it tenderly. + +"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing +his hands gleefully together. "One enemy is out of +my way, and now for the others." + +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to +attempt the above transformation; for, although +the exact magical formula has been described, it +is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone +to transform a person into a dove by muttering the +words Ruggedo used. There were no laws to prevent +the Nome King from performing this transformation, +but if it should be attempted in any other +country, and the magic worked, the magician would +be severely punished.) + +When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into +a dove and realized that Ruggedo was about do +something as dreadful to the Princess and Files, +and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a +crucible, she turned and ran from the cavern, +through the passage and back to the place where +Quox lay asleep. + + + + +Chapter Eighteen + +A Clever Conquest + + +The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was +even snoring in a manner that resembled distant +thunder; but Polychrome was now desperate, because +any further delay meant the destruction of her +friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to which +was attached the great locket, and jerked it with +all her strength. + +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped +snoring and his eyelids flickered. So Polychrome +jerked again--and again--till slowly the great +lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. +Said he, in a sleepy tone: + +"What's the matter, little Rainbow?" + +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has +captured all our friends and is about to destroy +them." + +"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would +happen. Step a little out of my path, my dear, and +I'll make a rush for the Nome King's cavern." + +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised +himself on his stout legs, whisked his long tail +and in an instant had slid down the rocks and made +a dive through the entrance. + +Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it +with his immense body, and now he poked his head +into the jeweled cavern of Ruggedo. + +But the King had long since made arrangements to +capture the dragon, whenever he might appear. No +sooner did Quox stick his head into the room than +a thick chain fell from above and encircled his +neck. Then the ends of the chain were drawn tight- +-for in an adjoining cavern a thousand nomes were +pulling on them--and so the dragon could advance +no further toward the King. He could not use his +teeth or his claws and as his body was still in +the passage he had not even room to strike his +foes with his terrible tail. + +Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his +stratagem. He had just transformed the Rose +Princess into a fiddle and was about to transform +Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon appeared +to interrupt him. So he called out: + +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal +entertainment. Since you are here, you shall +witness some very neat magic, and after I have +finished with Files and Tik-Tok I mean to +transform you into a tiny lizard--one of the +chameleon sort--and you shall live in my cavern +and amuse me. + +"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," +returned Quox in a quiet voice, "but I don't +believe you'll perform any more magic." + +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. + +"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this +ribbon around my neck?" + +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon +should wear such a silly thing." + +"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, +with a little chuckle of amusement. + +"I do," declared Ruggedo. + +"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, +and are as helpless as a clam," asserted Quox. "My +great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, +enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever +Your Majesty looked upon it all knowledge of magic +would desert you instantly, nor will any magical +formula you can remember ever perform your +bidding." + +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried +Ruggedo, half frightened, nevertheless. Then he +turned toward Files and tried to transform him +into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the +right words or the right pass of the hands and +after several trials he finally gave up the +attempt. + +By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that +he was secretly shaking in his shoes. + +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," +grumbled Kaliko, "and now you see the result of +your disobedience." + +Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal +Chamberlain, who dodged it with his usual +cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to +swagger: + +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to +destroy these invaders; fire and the sword will do +the business and I am still King of the Nomes and +lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" + +"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said +Quox. "The Great Jinjin commands you to depart +instantly from this Kingdom and seek the earth's +surface, where you will wander for all time to +come, without a home or country, without a friend +or follower, and without any more riches than you +can carry with you in your pockets. The Great +Jinjin is so generous that he will allow you to +fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but you +must take nothing more." + +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. + +"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" +he asked in a hoarse voice. + +"He does," said Quox. + +"And just for throwing a few strangers down the +Forbidden Tube?" + +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff +voice. + +"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin +can't make me do it, either!" declared Ruggedo. "I +intend to remain here, King of the Nomes, until +the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi- +Hoochoo and all his fairies--as well as his clumsy +messenger, whom I have been obliged to chain up!" + +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort +of smile that made Ruggedo feel very happy. +Instead, there was something so cold and merciless +in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome +King trembled and was sick at heart. + +There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact +that the dragon was now chained, although he had +boasted of it. He glared at the immense head of +Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the +old King's eyes as he watched his enemy's +movements. + +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but +as if he had something to do and was about to do +it. Very deliberately he raised one claw, touched +the catch of the great jeweled locket that was +suspended around his neck, and at once it opened +wide. + +Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen +hen's eggs rolled out upon the floor and then the +locket closed with a sharp click. But the effect +upon the nomes of this simple thing was +astounding. General Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his +band of executioners were all standing close to +the door that led to the vast series of +underground caverns which constituted the +dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw +the eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams +and rushed through the door, slamming it in +Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it. + +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering +loud cries, now leaped upon the seat of his +throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled +steadily toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent +by the wise and crafty Tititi-Hoochoo, were in +some way enchanted, for they all rolled directly +after Ruggedo and when they reached the +throne where he had taken refuge they began +rolling up the legs to the seat. + +This was too much for the King to bear. His +horror of eggs was real and absolute and he made a +leap from the throne to the center of the room and +then ran to a far corner. + +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily +in his direction. Ruggedo threw his sceptre at +them, and then his ruby crown, and then he drew +off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at +the advancing eggs. But the eggs dodged every +missile and continued to draw nearer. The King +stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until +they were but half a yard distant; then with an +agile leap he jumped clear over them and made a +rush for the passage that led to the outer +entrance. + +Of course the dragon was in his way, being +chained in the passage with his head in the +cavern, but when he saw the King making toward him +he crouched as low as he could and dropped his +chin to the floor, leaving a small space between +his body and the roof of the passage. + +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled +by fear, he leaped to the dragon's nose and then +scrambled to his back, where he succeeded in +squeezing himself through the opening. After +the head was passed there was more room and +he slid along the dragon's scales to his tail and +then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to +the entrance. Not pausing here, so great was his +fright, the King dashed on down the mountain +path, but before he had gone very far he +stumbled and fell. + +When he picked himself up he observed that no +one was following him, and while he recovered his +breath he happened to think of the decree of the +Jinjin--that he should be driven from his Kingdom +and made a wanderer on the face of the earth. +Well, here he was, driven from his cavern in +truth; driven by those dreadful eggs; but he would +go back and defy them; he would not submit to +losing his precious Kingdom and his tyrannical +powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he +must. + +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved +himself to creep back along the path to the +entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six +eggs lying in a row just before the arched +opening. + +At first he paused a safe distance away to +consider the case, for the eggs were now +motionless. While he was wondering what could be +done, he remembered there was a magical charm +which would destroy eggs and render them harmless +to nomes. There were nine passes to be made and +six verses of incantation to be recited; but +Ruggedo knew them all. Now that he had ample time +to be exact, he carefully went through the entire +ceremony. + +But nothing happened. The eggs did not +disappear, as he had expected; so he repeated the +charm a second time. When that also failed, he +remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic +power had been taken away from him and in the +future he could do no more than any common mortal. + +And there were the eggs, forever barring him +from the Kingdom which he had ruled so long with +absolute sway! He threw rocks at them, but could +not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and +tore his hair and beard, and danced in helpless +passion, but that did nothing to avert the just +judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil +deeds had brought upon him. + +From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer +upon the face of the earth--and he had even +forgotten to fill his pockets with gold and jewels +before he fled from his former Kingdom! + + + + +Chapter Nineteen + +King Kaliko + + +After the King had made good his escape Files said +to the dragon, in a sad voice: + +"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you +were sleeping instead of conquering, the lovely +Rose Princess has become a fiddle without a how, +while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!" + +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo +knows his business, and I have my orders from the +Great Jinjin himself. Bring the fiddle here and +touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." + +Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with +the ribbon the Nome King's charm was broken and +the Rose Princess herself stood before them as +sweet and smiling as ever. + +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had +seen and heard all this, so without being told +what to do it flew straight to the dragon and +alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was +himself again and Quox said to him grumblingly: + +"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be +more particular where you step." + +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very +glad to resume his natural form. Then he ran +to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest +and to assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. + +"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the +wicked King who want-ed to melt me in a cru-ci- +ble?" + +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered +Polychrome, who had managed to squeeze into the +room beside the dragon and had witnessed the +occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder +where Betsy Bobbin and Hank can be, and if any +harm has befallen them." + +"We must search the cavern until we find them," +declared Shaggy; but when he went to the door +leading to the other caverns he found it shut and +barred. + +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said +Quox, "and I believe I can break down that door, +even though it's made of solid gold." + +"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that +hold you are fastened in some other room, so that +we cannot release you," Files said anxiously. + +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I +have remained a prisoner only because I wished to +be one," and with this he stepped forward and +burst the stout chains as easily as if they had +been threads. + +But when he tried to push in the heavy metal +door, even his mighty strength failed, and after +several attempts he gave it up and squatted +himself in a corner to think of a better way. + +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and +going to the King's big gong he pounded upon It +until the noise was almost deafening. + +Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what +had happened to Ruggedo and if he had escaped the +eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he heard +the sound of the gong, which had so often called +him into the King's presence, he decided that +Ruggedo had been victorious; so he took away the +bar, threw open the door and entered the royal +cavern. + +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone +and the enchantments removed from the Princess and +Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and so Kaliko +advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be +Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger, and bowed humbly +before the beast. + +"What is your will?" he inquired. + +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. + +"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko. + +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. + +So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three +raps upon the door. The little girl had been +asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the +door. + +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King +has fled in disgrace and your friends are asking +for you." + +So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal +Chamberlain to the throne cavern, where she was +received with great joy by her friends. They told +her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them +how kind Kaliko had been to her. Quox did not have +much to say until the conversation was ended, but +then he turned to Kaliko and asked: + +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better +than Ruggedo has done?" + +"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly +surprised by the question. "Well, I couldn't be a +worse King, I'm sure." + +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. + +"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better +than ever they did Ruggedo." + +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, +King of the Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you +to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said Quox. + +"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King +Kaliko, I salute Your Majesty and wish you joy in +your gloomy old Kingdom!" + +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then +the others made haste to congratulate the new +King. + +"Will you release my dear brother?" asked +Shaggy. + +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. +"I begged Ruggedo long ago to send him away, but +he would not do so. I also offered to help your +brother to escape, but he would not go." + +"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly +pleased. "All of our family have noble natures. +But is my dear brother well?" he added anxiously. + +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the +new King. + +"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy. + +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is +nothing he can do in these dominions as well as +our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it +worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother +has only to amuse himself." + +"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a +prisoner," asserted Betsy. + +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner +cannot go where or when he pleases, and is not +his own master." + +"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy. + +"In the Metal Forest." + +"Where is that?" + +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, +the largest in all our dominions," replied Kaliko. +"It is almost like being out of doors, it is so +big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to +amuse himself, as well as to tire out his hard- +working nomes. All the trees are gold and silver +and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so +it is a sort of treasury." + +"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear +brother," pleaded Shaggy earnestly. + +Kaliko hesitated. + +"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. +"Ruggedo made three secret passages to the Metal +Forest, but he changes the location of these +passages every week, so that no one can get to the +Metal Forest without his permission. However, if +we look sharp, we may be able to discover one of +these secret ways." + +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen +Ann and the Officers of Oogaboo," said Files. + +"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko. + +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" + +"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell +into the big pit in the passage, and we put the +cover on to keep them there; but when the +executioners went to look for them they had all +disappeared from the pit and we could find no +trace of them." + +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I +don't believe Ann knew any magic, or she'd have +worked it before. But to disappear like that seems +like magic; now, doesn't it?" + +They agreed that it did, but no one could +explain the mystery. + +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is +certain, so we cannot help them or be helped by +them. And the important thing just now is to +rescue my dear brother from captivity." + +"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked +Betsy. + +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I can not +remember his looks very well, it is so long since +I have seen him; but all of our family are noted +for their handsome faces." + +Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but +Polychrome relieved his embarrassment by saying +softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but lovely in +disposition." + +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little +comforted by this remark, "is to find one of those +secret passages to the Metal Forest." + +"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will +assemble the chief nomes of my kingdom in this +throne room and tell them that I am their new +King. Then I can ask them to assist us in +searching for the secret passages. + +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who +seemed to be getting sleepy again. + +Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it +just as Ruggedo used to do; but no one answered +the summons. + +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the +throne, where he had seated himself. "That is my +call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain, and +will be until I appoint another in my place." + +So he ran out of the room and found Guph and +told him to answer the summons of the King's gong. +Having returned to the royal cavern, Kaliko first +pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, +wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding +in his hand the sceptre which Ruggedo had so often +thrown at his head. + +When Guph entered he was amazed. + +"Better get out of that throne before old +Ruggedo comes back," he said warningly. + +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of +the Nomes, in his stead," announced Kaliko. + +"All of which is quite true," asserted the +dragon, and all of those who stood around the +throne bowed respectfully to the new King. + +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to +be rid of such a hard master as Ruggedo. Then +Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph that +he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and +promised not to throw the sceptre at his head +unless he deserved it. + +All this being pleasantly arranged, the new +Chamberlain went away to tell the news to all the +nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one of +whom would be delighted with the change in Kings. + + + + +Chapter Twenty + +Quox Quietly Quits + + +When the chief nomes assembled before their new +King they joyfully saluted him and promised to +obey his commands. But, when Kaliko questioned +them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, +although all had assisted in its making. So the +King instructed them to search carefully for one +of the passages and to bring him the news as soon +as they had found it. + +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the +rocky corridor and so regain the open air and his +old station on the mountain-side, and there he lay +upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. +The others of the party were all given as good +rooms as the caverns of the nomes afforded, for +King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for +his promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable +as he could. + +Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute +disappearance of the sixteen officers of Oogaboo +and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, nor +were they discovered during the search for the +passages leading to the Metal Forest. Perhaps no +one was unhappy over their loss, but all were +curious to know what had become of them. + +On the next day, when our friends went to visit +the dragon, Quox said to them: "I must now bid you +good-bye, for my mission here is finished and I +must depart for the other side of the world, +where I belong." + +"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked +Betsy. + +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this +time, with no one to talk to, and I cannot invite +any of you to go with me. Therefore, as soon as I +slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when +I pop out at the other end I will wake up at +home." + +They thanked the dragon for befriending them and +wished him a pleasant journey. Also they sent +their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just +condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests +so well. Then Quox yawned and stretched himself +and ambled over to the Tube, into which he slid +head-foremost and disappeared. + +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, +for the dragon had been both kind and sociable +during their brief acquaintance with him; but they +knew it was his duty to return to his own country. +So they went back to the caverns to renew the +search for the hidden passages that led to the +forest, but for three days all efforts to find +them proved in vain. + +It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to +the mountain and watch for her father, the +Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering +upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in +their sky palaces. And on the third day, while she +sat motionless upon a point of rock, whom should +she see slyly creeping up the mountain but +Ruggedo! + +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes +were soiled and torn and he had no sandals upon +his feet or hat upon his head. Having left his +crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old +nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like a +beggerman. + +Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the +mouth of the caverns, only to find the six eggs +still on guard. He knew quite well that he must +accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, +but his chief regret now was that he had neglected +to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. He was +aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command +would fare much better than one who was a pauper, +so he still loitered around the caverns wherein he +knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a +chance to fill his pockets. + +That was how he came to recollect the Metal +Forest. + +"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way +to that Forest, and once there I can fill my +pockets with the finest jewels in all the world." + +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to +find them so small. Perhaps they might be +enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew of +a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of +the mountain, so he went to her and begged her to +sew pockets all over his robe, paying her with the +gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his +finger. The woman was delighted to possess so +valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets on +Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could. + +Then he returned up the mountain and, after +gazing cautiously around to make sure he was +not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and +it swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad +passageway. This he entered, swinging the rock +in place behind him. + +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully +as he might have done, for Polychrome was seated +only a little distance off and her clear eyes +marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had +released the hidden spring. So she rose and +hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko and +her friends of her discovery. + +"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal +Forest," exclaimed Shaggy. "Come, let us follow +Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor brother!" + +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called +together a band of nomes to assist them by +carrying torches to light their way. + +"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its +own," said he, "but the passage across the valley +is likely to be dark." + +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the +spring, so in less than an hour after Ruggedo had +entered they were all in the passage and following +swiftly after the former King. + +"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said +Kaliko; "but he will find he is no longer of any +account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomes +throw him out." + +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said +Betsy, "for he deserves it. I don't mind an +honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights square; but +changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put +into Slimy Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo +doesn't deserve any sympathy. But you'll have to +let him take as much treasure as he can get in his +pockets, Kaliko." + +"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it +much. There is more treasure in the Metal Forest +than a million nomes could carry in their +pockets." + +It was not difficult to walk through this +passage, especially when the torches lighted the +way, so they made good progress. But it proved to +be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself +with walking and was seated upon the back of the +mule when the passage made a sharp turn and a +wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The +next moment they were all standing upon the edge +of the marvelous Metal Forest. + +It lay under another mountain and occupied a +great domed cavern, the roof of which was higher +than a church steeple. In this space the +industrious nomes had built, during many years of +labor, the most beautiful forest in the world. The +trees--trunks, branches and leaves--were all of +solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were +formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees +towered as high as natural live oaks do and were +of exquisite workmanship. + +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems +of every hue and size, while here and there among +the trees were paths pebbled with cut diamonds of +the clearest water. Taken all together, more +treasure was gathered in this Metal Forest than is +contained in all the rest of the world--if we +except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is +equalled in the famous Emerald City. + +Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for +a while they stood gazing in silent wonder. Then +Shaggy exclaimed. + +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed +a prisoner in this place?" + +"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been +here for two or three years, to my positive +knowledge." + +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired +Betsy. "It's an awfully swell place to live in, but +one can't breakfast On rubies and di'monds, or +even gold." + +"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured +her. "The Metal Forest does not fill all of this +great cavern, by any means. Beyond these gold and +silver trees are other trees of the real sort, +which bear foods very nice to eat. Let us walk in +that direction, for I am quite sure we will find +Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, +rather than in this." + +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled +paths, and at every step they were more and more +bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the golden +trees with their glittering foliage. + +Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered +in every direction as some one hidden among the +bushes scampered away before them. Then a loud +voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a +struggle. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-One + +A Bashful Brother + + +With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward +and, beyond a group of stately metal trees, came +full upon a most astonishing scene. + +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers +of Oogaboo, a dozen of whom were clinging to the +old nome and holding him fast in spite of his +efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, +looking grimly upon the scene of strife; but when +she observed her former companions approaching she +turned away in a shamefaced manner. + +For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to +behold. Her Majesty's clothing, once so rich and +gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds by her +long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, +had led her directly into the Metal Forest. It +was, indeed, one of the three secret passages, and +by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had +not only torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her +crown had become bent and battered and even her +shoes were so cut and slashed that they were ready +to fall from her feet. + +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their +leader, for holes were worn in the knees of their +trousers, while sharp points of rock in the roof +and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every +inch of their once brilliant uniforms. A more +tattered and woeful army never came out of a +battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky +passage. But it had seemed their only means of +escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had +crawled on, regardless of their sufferings. + +When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes +beheld more plunder than they had ever dreamed of; +yet they were prisoners in this huge dome and +could not escape with the riches heaped about +them. Perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of +"conquerors" never existed than this band from +Oogaboo. + +After several days of wandering in their +marvelous prison they were frightened by the +discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. +Rendered desperate by their sad condition, the +officers exhibited courage for the first time +since they left home and, ignorant of the fact +that Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they +threw themselves upon him and had just succeeded +in capturing him when their fellow adventurers +reached the spot. + +"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has +happened to you all?" + +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and +indignant. + +"We were obliged to escape from the pit through +a small tunnel, which was lined with sharp and +jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our +clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised +and sore that we are stiff and lame in every +joint. To add to our troubles we find we are still +prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in +capturing the wicked Metal Monarch we shall force +him to grant us our liberty." + +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of +the nomes," Files informed her. "He has been +deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox; but +here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I +am pleased to assure Your Majesty that he is our +friend." + +"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said +Kaliko, bowing as courteously as if the Queen +still wore splendid raiment. + +The officers, having heard this explanation, now +set Ruggedo free; but, as he had no place to go, +he stood by and faced his former servant, who was +now King in his place, in a humble and pleading +manner. + +"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly. + +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I +could carry in my pockets," replied Ruggedo; +"so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb +Your Majesty." + +"You were commanded to leave the country of the +nomes forever!" declared Kaliko. + +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my +pockets," said Ruggedo, meekly. + +"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new +King. + +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began +gathering up jewels by the handful and stuffing +them into his many pockets. They were heavy +things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and +amethysts and the like, so before long Ruggedo was +staggering with the weight he bore, while the +pockets were not yet filled. When he could no +longer stoop over without falling, Betsy and +Polychrome and the Rose Princess came to his +assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking +them into his pockets. + +At last these were all filled and Ruggedo +presented a comical sight, for surely no man ever +before had so many pockets, or any at all filled +with such a choice collection of precious stones. +He neglected to thank the young ladies for their +kindness, but gave them a surly nod of farewell +and staggered down the path by the way he had +come. They let him depart in silence, for with all +he had taken, the masses of jewels upon the ground +seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so +numerous were they. Also they hoped they had seen +the last of the degraded King. + +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing +deeply. "If he doesn't get reckless and spend his +wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a bank +when he gets to Oklahoma." + +"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" +inquired Shaggy anxiously. "Have you seen him, +Queen Ann?" + +"What does your brother look like?" asked the +Queen. + +Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's +called the Ugly One. Perhaps you'll know him by +that." + +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," +said Ann, "has run away from us whenever we +approached him. He hides over yonder, among the +trees that are not gold, and we have never been +able to catch sight of his face. So I can not tell +whether he is ugly or not." + +"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed +Shaggy. + +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else +inhabits this splendid dome, so there can be no +mistake." + +"But why does he hide among those green trees, +instead of enjoying all these glittery golden +ones?" asked Betsy. + +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," +replied Kaliko, "and I remember that he has built +a little house there, to sleep in. As for these +glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very +pretty at first sight. One cannot fail to admire +them, as well as the rich jewels scattered beneath +them; but if one has to look at them always, they +become pretty tame." + +"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My +dear brother is very wise to prefer real trees to +the imitation ones. But come; let us go there and +find him." + +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and +the others followed him, being curious to witness +the final rescue of his long-sought, long-lost +brother. + +Not far from the edge of the grove they came +upon a small hut, cleverly made of twigs and +golden branches woven together. As they approached +the place they caught a glimpse of a form that +darted into the hut and slammed the door tight +shut after him. + +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: + +"Brother! Brother!" + +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice +from within. + +"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has +been searching for you a long time and has now +come to rescue you." + +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one +can rescue me now. + +"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said +Shaggy. "There is a new King of the nomes, named +Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has promised +you shall go free." + +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, +in a voice of despair. + +"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously. + +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came +the answer through the closed door. + +"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?" + +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very +handsome. Don't you remember, Shaggy?" + +"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when +I left home. But I remember that mother thought +you were beautiful." + +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed +the prisoner. "But Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to +make me ugly in the eyes of all the world--so he +performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed +beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very +modest I will merely claim that I was good- +looking--and I wakened the next morning the +homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive +that when I look in a mirror I frighten myself." + +"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the +others were silent from sympathy. + +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the +voice of Shaggy's brother, "that I tried to hide; +but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me to appear +before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: +'Behold the Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my +face they all fell to laughing and jeering, which +prevented them from working at their tasks. Seeing +this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a +tunnel, closing the rock entrance so that I could +not get out. I followed the length of the tunnel +until I reached this huge dome, where the +marvelous Metal Forest stands, and here I have +remained ever since. + +"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you +now to come forth and face us, who are your +friends. None here will laugh or jeer, however +unhandsome you may be." + +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. + +But the Ugly One refused the invitation. + +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face +strangers, ugly as I am." + +Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him. + +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. +"I cannot leave my dear brother here, and he +refuses to come out of that house and face us. + +"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on +a mask." + +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy +joyfully; and then he called out: "Brother, put a +mask over your face, and then none of us can see +what your features are like." + +"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One. + +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my +handkerchief." + +Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and +shook his head. + +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it +isn't big enough to hide a man's face. But he can +use mine. + +Saying this he took from his pocket his own +handkerchief and went to the door of the hut. + +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this +handkerchief and make a mask of it. I will also +pass you my knife, so that you may cut holes for +the eyes, and then you must tie it over your +face." + +The door slowly opened, just far enough for the +Ugly One to thrust out his hand and take the +handkerchief and the knife. Then it closed again. + +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried +Betsy. "You must breathe, you know." + +For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her +army sat down upon the ground to rest. Betsy sat +on Hank's back. Polychrome danced lightly up and +down the jeweled paths while Files and the +Princess wandered through the groves arm in arm. +Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood motionless. + +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. + +"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy. + +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was +thrown open to allow the Ugly One to step forth. + +Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not +remembered how sensitive to ridicule Shaggy's +brother was, for the handkerchief with which he +had masked his features was a red one covered with +big white polka dots. In this two holes had been +cut--in front of the eyes--while two smaller ones +before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe +freely. The cloth was then tightly drawn over the +Ugly One's face and knotted at the back of his +neck. + +He was dressed in clothes that had once been +good, but now were sadly worn and frayed. His silk +stockings had holes in them, and his shoes were +stubtoed and needed blackening. "But what can you +expect," whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has +been a prisoner for so many years?" + +Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his +newly found brother with both his arms. The +brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him +forward and introduced him to all the assembled +company. + +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he +came to Kaliko. "He is our friend, and has granted +you your freedom." + +"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad +voice, "but I dread to go back to the world in +this direful condition. Unless I remain forever +masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk +and stop all the clocks." + +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" +inquired Betsy. + +Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his +head. + +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he +said. "Ruggedo was fond of magic, and learned a +good many enchantments that we nomes know +nothing of." + +"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own +enchantment," suggested Ann; "but unfortunately we +have allowed the old King to escape." + +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy +consolingly; "I am very happy to have found you +again, although I may never see your face. So let +us make the most of this joyful reunion." + +The Ugly One was affected to tears by this +tender speech, and the tears began to wet the red +handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them away +with his coat sleeve. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Two + +Kindly Kisses + + +"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely +place?" Betsy asked the Ugly One. + +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold +and heartless things, and I am sure I would +presently have died of loneliness had I not found +the natural forest at the edge of the artificial +one. Anyhow, without these real trees I should +soon have starved to death." + +Betsy looked around at the quaint trees. + +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. +"What could you find to eat here." + +"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do +you see that grove at your left?" he added, +pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do not +grow in your country, or in any other place but +this cavern. I have named them 'Hotel Trees,' +because they bear a certain kind of table d'hote +fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.' " + +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the +'Three-Course Nuts' like?" + +"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," +explained the Ugly One. "All you have to do is to +pick one of them and then sit down and eat your +dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a +cupfull of good soup. After you've eaten that, you +unscrew the middle part and find a hollow filled +with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine +salad. Eat that, and unscrew the next section, and +you come to the dessert in the bottom of the nut. +That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and +nuts and raisins. The Three-Course Nuts are not +all exactly alike in flavor or in contents, but +they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner. + +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. + +"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which +grow over there at the right. They bear nuts, like +the others, only the nuts contain coffee or +chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal instead of +meat-and-potatoes, and fruits instead of dessert. +Sad as has been my life in this wonderful prison, +I must admit that no one could live more +luxuriously in the best hotel in the world than I +have lived here; but I will be glad to get into +the open air again and see the good old sun and +the silvery moon and the soft green grass and the +flowers that are kissed by the morning dew. Ah, +how much more lovely are those blessed things than +the glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!" + +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little +boy who wanted to catch the measles, because all +the little boys in his neighborhood but him had +'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't +catch 'em, try as he would. So I'm pretty certain +that the things we want, and can't have, are not +good for us. Isn't that true, Shaggy?" + +"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If +we didn't want anything, we would never get +anything, good or bad. I think our longings are +natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we +can't go far wrong." + +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the +world would be a dreary place without the gold and +jewels." + +"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; +"but we may have too much of any good thing. And I +have noticed that the value of anything depends +upon how scarce it is, and how difficult it is to +obtain." + +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King +Kaliko, coming to their side, "but now that we +have rescued Shaggy's brother I would like to +return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the +Nomes, it is my duty to look after my restless +subjects and see that they behave themselves." + +So they all turned and began walking through the +Metal Forest to the other side of the great domed +cave, where they had first entered it. Shaggy and +his brother walked side by side and both seemed +rejoiced that they were together after their long +separation. Betsy didn't dare look at the polka +dot handkerchief, for fear she would laugh aloud; +so she walked behind the two brothers and led Hank +by holding fast to his left ear. + +When at last they reached the place where the +passage led to the outer world, Queen Ann said, in +a hesitating way that was unusual with her: + +"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do +I expect to do so; but I would like to gather a +few of these pretty jewels before I leave this +place." + +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at +once the officers of the Army took advantage of +his royal permission and began filling their +pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big +handkerchief. + +This accomplished, they all entered the passage, +the nomes going first to light the way with their +torches. They had not proceeded far when Betsy +exclaimed: + +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" + +All eyes were turned upon the ground and they +found a regular trail of jewels strewn along the +rock floor. + +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I +must send some of my nomes to gather up these gems +and replace them in the Metal Forest, where they +belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" + +All the way along the passage they found this +trail of jewels, but when they neared the end the +mystery was explained. For there, squatted upon +the floor with his back to the rock wall, sat old +Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as if he was all +tired out. Then they realized it was he who had +scattered the jewels, from his many pockets, which +one by one had burst with the weight of their +contents as he had stumbled along the passage. + +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep +sigh. "I now realize that I could not have carried +such a weighty load very far, even had I managed +to escape from this passage with it. The woman who +sewed the pockets on my robe used poor thread, for +which I shall thank her." + +"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy. + +He glanced into some of the remaining +pockets. + +"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient +to supply my wants, and I no longer have any +desire to be rich. If some of you will kindly help +me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, +for I know you all despise me and prefer my room +to my company. + +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his +feet, when he was confronted by Shaggy's brother, +whom he now noticed for the first time. The queer +and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so +startled Ruggedo that he gave a wild cry and began +to tremble, as if he had seen a ghost. + +"Wh--wh--who is this?" he faltered. + +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel +magic transformed from a handsome man into an ugly +one!" answered Shaggy's brother, in a voice of +stern reproach. + +"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be +ashamed of that mean trick." + +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now +as meek and humble as formerly he had been cruel +and vindictive. + +"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some +more magic and give the poor man his own face +again." + +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but +you must remember that Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived +me of all my magic powers. However, I never took +the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I +cast over Shaggy's brother, for I intended he +should always remain ugly." + +"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has +its antidote; and, if you knew this charm of +ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to +dispel it." + +He shook his head. + +"If I did, I--I've forgotten," he stammered +regretfully. + +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. +"Please try to think!" + +Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, +sighed, slapped his chest, rubbed his ear, and +stared stupidly around the group. + +"I've a faint recollection that there was one +thing that would break the charm," said he; "but +misfortune has so addled my brain that I can't +remember what it was." + +"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've +treated you pretty well, so far, but we won't +stand for any nonsense, and if you know what's +good for yourself you'll think of that charm!" + +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly +at the little girl. + +"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. +He's dreadfully ashamed of himself, the way he is +now, and you're to blame for it. Fact is, Ruggedo, +you've done so much wickedness in your life that +it won't hurt you to do a kind act now." + +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and +then tried very hard to think. + +"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a +certain kind of a kiss will break the charm of +ugliness." + +"What kind of a kiss?" + +"What kind? Why, it was--it was--it was either +the kiss of a Mortal Maid; or--or--the kiss of a +Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy; or--or the +kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't remember +which. But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, +would ever consent to kiss a person so ugly--so +dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly--as Shaggy's +brother." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with +admirable courage; "I'm a Mortal Maid, and if it +is my kiss that will break this awful charm, I-- +I'll do it!" + +Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I +would be obliged to remove my mask, and--when you +saw my face, nothing could induce you to kiss me, +generous as you are." + +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I +needn't see your face at all. Here's my plan: You +stay in this dark passage, and we'll send away the +nomes with their torches. Then you'll take off the +handkerchief, and I--I'll kiss you." + +"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said +Shaggy, gratefully. + +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; +"and, if it makes you and your brother happy, I'm +willing to take some chances." + +So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the +passage, which they did by going through the rock +opening. Queen Ann and her army also went out; but +the others were so interested in Betsy's +experiment that they remained grouped at the mouth +of the passageway. When the big rock swung into +place, closing tight the opening, they were left +in total darkness. + +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, +"have you got that handkerchief off your face, +Ugly?" + +"Yes," he replied. + +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching +out her arms. + +"Here," said he. + +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." + +He found her hands and clasping them in his own +stooped until his face was near to that of the +little girl. The others heard a clear, smacking +kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed: + +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" + +"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" +asked Shaggy. + +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or +it may not be. I cannot tell." + +"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy. + +"I have several," said Shaggy. + +"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at +your brother's face, while we all turn our backs. +Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I guess he can +stand the horror of looking at him, if the charm +isn't broken." + +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and +lighted it. He gave one look and then blew out +the match. + +"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it +wasn't the kiss of a Mortal Maid, after all." + +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her +sweet voice. "I am a Mortal Maid who was once a +Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break the charm." + +Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was +too generous to interfere. So the Rose Princess +felt her way through the darkness to Shaggy's +brother and kissed him. + +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all +turned away. + +"No," announced the former King; "that didn't +break the charm, either. It must be the kiss of a +Fairy that is required--or else my memory has +failed me altogether." + +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't you +try?" + +"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a +merry laugh. "I've never kissed a mortal man in +all the thousands of years I have existed, but +I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, +whose unselfish affection for his ugly brother +deserves to be rewarded." + +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped +lightly to the side of the Ugly One and quickly +touched his cheek with her lips. + +"Oh, thank you--thank you!" he fervently cried. +"I've changed, this time, I know. I can feel it! +I'm different. Shaggy--dear Shaggy--I am myself +again!" + +Files, who was near the opening, touched the +spring that released the big rock and it suddenly +swung backward and let in a flood of daylight. + +Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at +Shaggy's brother, who, no longer masked by the +polka-dot handkerchief, met their gaze with a +glad smile. + +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at +last and drawing a long, deep breath of +satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my +dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, +the face that belongs to you is no more handsome +than it ought to be." + +"I think he's rather good looking," remarked +Betsy, gazing at the man critically. + +"In comparison with what he was," said King +Kaliko, "he is really beautiful. You, who never +beheld his ugliness, may not understand that; but +it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many +times, and I say again that, in comparison with +what he was, the man is now beautiful." + +"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll +take your word for it, Kaliko. And now let us get +out of this tunnel and into the world again." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Three + +Ruggedo Reforms + + +It did not take them long to regain the royal +cavern of the Nome King, where Kaliko ordered +served to them the nicest refreshments the place +afforded. + +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest +of the party and while no one paid any attention +to the old King they did not offer any objection +to his presence or command him to leave them. He +looked fearfully to see if the eggs were still +guarding the entrance, but they had now +disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the +others and humbly squatted down in a corner of the +room. + +There Betsy discovered him. All of the little +girl's companions were now so happy at the success +of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the +laughter and merriment seemed so general, that +Betsy's heart softened toward the friendless old +man who had once been their bitter enemy, and she +carried to him some of the food and drink. +Ruggedo's eyes filled with tears at this +unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in +his own and pressed it gratefully. + +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the +new King, "what's the use of being hard on +Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't +do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted +so badly to everybody." + +"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his +former master. + +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. +I'm sorry and I'm harmless. I don't want to wander +through the wide world, on top of the ground, for +I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place +but underground." + +"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let +you stay here as long as you behave yourself; +but, if you try to act badly again, I shall drive +you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and +you'll have to wander." + +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It +is hard work being a King, and harder still to be +a good King. But now that I am a common nome I am +sure I can lead a blameless life." + +They were all pleased to hear this and to know +that Ruggedo had really reformed. + +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to +Shaggy; "but if he gets bad again we will be far +away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko will have to +'tend to the old nome himself." + +Polychrome had been a little restless during the +last hour or two. The lovely Daughter of the Rain +how knew that she had now done all in her power to +assist her earth friends, and so she began to long +for her sky home. + +"I think," she said, after listening intently, +"that it is beginning to rain. The Rain King is my +uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read my +thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I must +take a look at the sky and make sure." + +So she jumped up and ran through the passage to +the outer entrance, and they all followed after +her and grouped themselves on a ledge of the +mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had filled +the sky and a slow, drizzling rain had set in. + +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking +upward, "and when it stops we shall lose the sweet +little fairy we have learned to love. Alas," he +continued, after a moment, "the clouds are already +breaking in the west, and--see!--isn't that the +Rainbow coming?" + +Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at +Polychrome, whose happy, smiling face surely +foretold the coming of her father to take her to +the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of +sunshine flooded the mountain and a gorgeous +Rainbow appeared. + +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a +point of rock and held out her arms. Straightway +the Rainbow descended until its end was at her +very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang +upon it and was at once clasped in +the arms of her radiant sisters, the Daughters of +the Rainbow. But Polychrome released herself +to lean over the edge of the glowing arch and +nod, and smile and throw a dozen kisses to her +late comrades. + +"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted +"Good-bye!" in return and waves their hands to +their pretty friend. + +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted +into the sky, until the eyes of the earnest +watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting across +the blue. + +"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," +said Betsy, who felt like crying; "but I s'pose +she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters in +the sky palaces." + +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding +gravely. "It's her home, you know, and those +poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no +home, can realize what the means to her." + +"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, +I've only--only--dear old Hank!" + +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who +was not human, and he said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone +that showed he understood her mood. And the shaggy +friend who was human stroked the child's head +tenderly and said: "You're wrong about that, +Betsy, dear. I will never desert you." + +"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest +tones. + +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, +and her eyes smiled through their tears. + +"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so +let's go back into the cavern." + +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and +would miss her, they reentered the dominions of +the Nome King. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Four + +Dorothy is Delighted + + +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated +in Kaliko's royal cavern, "I wonder what we shall +do next. If I could find my way back to Oogaboo +I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and +tired of these dreadful hardships." + +"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy. + +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted +the Queen. "The world is too big for one person to +conquer and I was happier with my own people in +Oogaboo. I wish--Oh, how earnestly I wish--that I +was back there this minute!" + +"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent +tone. + +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in +the far-away Land of Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, +had been following the adventures of her Shaggy +Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. +Day by day Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz +seated beside her, had gazed upon a Magic Picture +in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the +Ruler's cosy boudoir in the palace of the Emerald +City. The singular thing about this Magic Picture +was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to +see, with the figures all in motion, just as it +was taking place. So Ozma and the Wizard had +watched every action of the adventurers from the +time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in +the Rose Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, +a distant cousin of Ozma, had been exiled by her +heartless subjects. + +When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to +return to Oogaboo, Ozma was sorry for them and +remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the Land +of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked: + +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to +their old home, Wizard?" + +"It can, Your Highness," replied the little +Wizard. + +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in +her misguided effort to conquer the world," said +Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the undertaking, +"so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in +her own little Kingdom. Please send her there, +Wizard, and with her the officers and Files." + +"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard. + +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. +"They have become such good friends that I am sure +it would make them unhappy to separate them." + +"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any +fuss or mystery whatever he performed a magical +rite that was simple and effective. Therefore +those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both +startled and amazed when all the people of Oogaboo +suddenly disappeared from the room, and with them +the Rose Princess. At first they could not +understand it at all; but presently Shaggy +suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma was +now taking an interest in the party he drew from +his pocket a tiny instrument which he placed +against his ear. + +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic +Picture, at once caught up a similar instrument +from a table beside her and held it to her own +ear. The two instruments recorded the same +delicate vibrations of sound and formed a wireless +telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those +separated by any distance were thus enabled to +converse together with perfect ease and without +any wire connection. + +"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma. + +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. + +"I have Sent the people of Oogaboo back to their +own little valley," announced the Ruler of Oz; "so +do not worry over their disappearance." + +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But +Your Highness must permit me to report that my own +mission here is now ended. I have found my lost +brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the +enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon +him. Tik-Tok has served me and my comrades +faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope +you will now transport the Clockwork Man back to +your fairyland of Oz." + +"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how +about yourself, Shaggy?" + +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my +duty to others forces me to exile myself from that +delightful land. I must take care of my new-found +brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade +in a dear little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has +no home to go to, and no other friends but me and +a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy +never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, +and so I must give up the delights of the Land of +Oz forever." + +He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma +made no reply but laid the tiny instrument on her +table, thus cutting off all further communication +with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz +still watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful +expression upon her face, and the little Wizard of +Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself. + +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced +the wireless telephone in his pocket and turning +to Betsy said in as cheerful a voice as he could +muster: + +"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a +puzzled face. "I'm kind of sorry our adventures +are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that Queen +Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is +gone, and--dear me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" + +"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking +around the cavern and nodding wisely. "By this +time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of Oz, +which is his home." + +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. + +"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is +wherever you and my brother are. We are wanderers, +you know, but if we stick together I am sure we +shall have a good time." + +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this +stuffy, underground cavern and go in search of +new adventures. I'm sure it has stopped raining." + +"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade +good-bye to King Kaliko, and thanked him for +his assistance, and went out to the mouth of +the passage. + +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in +color; the sun shone brightly and even this +rugged, rocky country seemed delightful after +their confinement underground. There were but four +of them now--Betsy and Hank, and Shaggy and his +brother--and the little party made their way down +the mountain and followed a faint path that led +toward the southwest. + +During this time Ozma had been holding a +conference with the Wizard, and later with Tik- +Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly +transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only +words of praise for Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, +"is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy her-self." + +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and +summoning her favorite maid, who was named Jellia +Jamb, she asked her to request Princess Dorothy to +attend her at once. So a few moments later Dorothy +entered Ozma's room and greeted her and the Wizard +and Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile and simple +manner that had won for the little girl the love +of everyone she met. + +"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked. + +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want +your advice." + +"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied +Dorothy, "but I'll do the best I can. What is it +all about, Ozma?" + +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing +her three friends, "what a serious thing it is to +admit any mortals into this fairyland of Oz. It is +true I have invited several mortals to make their +home here, and all of them have proved true and +loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of you three was a +native of Oz. Dorothy and the Wizard came here +from the United States, and Tik-Tok came from the +Land of Ev. But of course he is not a mortal. +Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of +all my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return +here and desert the new friends he has found in +his recent adventures, because he believes they +need his services." + +"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked +Dorothy. "But who are these new friends he has +found?" + +"One is his brother, who for many years has been +a prisoner of the Nome King, our old enemy +Ruggedo. This brother seems a kindly, honest +fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to +a home in the Land of Oz." + +"Who else?" asked Dorothy. + +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little +girl who was shipwrecked--in much the same way you +once were--and has since been following the Shaggy +Man in his search for his lost brother. You +remember her, do you not?" + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often +watched her and Hank in the Magic Picture, you +know. She's a dear little girl, and old Hank is a +darling! Where are they now?" + +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at +her friend's enthusiasm. + +Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed +Betsy and Hank, with Shaggy and his brother, +trudging along the rocky paths of a barren +country. + +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that +they're a good way from any place to sleep, or +any nice things to eat." + +"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in +that coun-try, and it is a wilder-ness." + +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the +Wizard, "who are so mischievous that no one cares +to live near them. I'm afraid Shaggy and his +friends will endure many hardships before they get +out of that rocky place, unless--" + +He turned to Ozma and smiled. + +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" +she asked. + +"Yes, your Highness." + +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. + +"I think so," said the Wizard. + +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank +are concerned, I'd like to have them here in Oz. +It would be such fun to have a girl playmate of my +own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear little +mule!" + +Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the +girl's eyes, and then she drew Dorothy to her and +kissed her. + +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. + +Dorothy flushed. + +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she +cried. "But you're so busy ruling all this Land of +Oz that we can't always be together." + +"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, +and I think it would be a delight to us all to +have Betsy with us. There's a pretty suite of +rooms just opposite your own where she can live, +and I'll build a golden stall for Hank in the +stable where the Sawhorse lives. Then we'll +introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the +Hungry Tiger, and I'm sure they will soon become +firm friends. But I cannot very well admit Betsy +and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's +brother." + +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you +will keep out poor Shaggy, whom we are all very +fond of," said the Wizard. + +"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok. + +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals +in distress," explained Ozma. "I do not wish to be +unkind to Shaggy Man, but his brother has no claim +on me." + +"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested +Dorothy. + +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" +inquired Ozma. + +"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, +can we?" + +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, +Wizard?" + +"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them +all." + +"And you, Tik-Tok?" + +"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we +can't spare Shag-gy." + +"So, then; the question is settled," decided +Ozma. "Perform your magic, Wizard!" + +He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small +standard and pouring upon the plate a small +quantity of pink powder which was contained in a +crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult +incantation which the sorceress Glinda the Good +had taught him, and it all ended in a puff of +perfumed smoke from the silver plate. This smoke +was so pungent that it made both Ozma and Dorothy +rub their eyes for a moment. + +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said +the Wizard. "I assure you the smoke is a very +necessary part of my wizardry." + +"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic +Picture; "they're gone! All of them are gone." + +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky +landscape as before, but the three people and the +mule had disappeared from it. + +"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the +silver plate and wrapping it in a fine cloth, +"because they are here." + +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. + +"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy +Man and another man are in the waiting room and +ask to pay their respects to you. Shaggy is crying +like a baby, but he says they are tears of joy." + +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma + "Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small- +sized mule have mysteriously arrived, but they +don't seem to know where they are or how they came +here. Shall I send them here, too?" + +"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up +from her chair; "I'll go to meet Betsy myself, +for she'll feel awful strange in this big palace." + +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to +greet her new friend, Betsy Bobbin. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Five + +The Land of Love + + +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" +inquired the Sawhorse, as he examined Hank with +his knot eyes and slowly wagged the branch that +served him for a tail. + +They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of +Ozma's palace, where the wooden Sawhorse--very +much alive--lived in a gold-paneled stall, and +where there were rooms for the Cowardly Lion and +the Hungry Tiger, which were filled with soft +cushions for them to lie upon and golden troughs +for them to eat from. + +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed +another for Hank, the mule. This was not quite so +beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse was +Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of +cushions for a bed (which the Sawhorse did not +need because he never slept) and all this luxury +was so strange to the little mule that he could +only stand still and regard his surroundings and +his queer companions with wonder and amazement. + +The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was +stretched out upon the marble floor of the stable, +eyeing Hank with a calm and critical gaze, while +near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed +equally interested in the new animal that had just +arrived. The Sawhorse, standing stiffly before +Hank, repeated his question + +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" + +Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner. + +"I have never said anything else, until now," he +replied; and then he began to tremble with fright +to hear himself talk. + +"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, +wagging his great head with a swaying motion. +"Strange things happen in this Land of Oz, as they +do everywhere else. I believe you came here from +the cold, civilized, outside world, did you not?" + +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside +of Oz--and the next minute I was inside! That was +enough to give me a nervous shock, as you may +guess; but to find myself able to talk, as Betsy +does, is a marvel that staggers me." + +"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," +said the Sawhorse. "All animals talk, in this +favored country, and you must admit it is more +sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' +which nobody can understand." + +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. + +"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in +your outside world," said the Tiger, yawning +sleepily. + +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. +"Are you the only Tiger in Oz?" + +"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many +relatives living in the Jungle Country; but I am +the only Tiger living in the Emerald City." + +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; +"but I am the only horse, of any description, in +this favored Land." + +"That is why this Land is favored," said the +Tiger. "You must understand, friend Hank, that the +Sawhorse puts on airs because he is shod with +plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, +Ozma of Oz, likes to ride upon his back." + +"Betsy rides upon my back," declared Hank +proudly. + +"Who is Betsy?" + +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" + +The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his +golden feet. The Tiger crouched and growled. +Slowly the great Lion rose to his feet, his mane +bristling. + +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken +in judgment or you are willfully trying to deceive +us. The dearest, sweetest girl in the world is our +Dorothy, and I will fight anyone--animal or human- +-who dares to deny it!" + +"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two +rows of enormous white teeth. + +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a +voice of scorn. "No girl living can compare with +my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" + +Hank slowly turned around until his heels were +toward the others. Then he said stubbornly: + +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I +admit there can be a sweeter girl alive than Betsy +Bobbin. If you want to fight, come on--I'm ready +for you!" + +While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels +doubtfully, a merry peal of laughter startled the +animals and turning their heads they beheld three +lovely girls standing just within the richly +carved entrance to the stable. In the center was +Ozma, her arms encircling the waists of Dorothy +and Betsy, who stood on either side of her. Ozma +was nearly half a head taller than the two other +girls, who were almost of one size. Unobserved, +they had listened to the talk of the animals, +which was a very strange experience indeed to +little Betsy Bobbin. + +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, +in a gentle but chiding voice. "Why should you +fight to defend us, who are all three loving +friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she +continued, as they bowed their heads sheepishly. + +"I have the right to express my opinion, your +Highness," pleaded the Lion. + +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am +glad you and the Hungry Tiger love Dorothy best, +for she was your first friend and companion. Also +I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for +together we have endured both joy and sorrow. Hank +has proved his faith and loyalty by defending his +own little mistress; and so you are all right in +one way, but wrong in another. Our Land of Oz is a +Land of Love, and here friendship outranks every +other quality. Unless you can all be friends, you +cannot retain our love." + +They accepted this rebuke very meekly. + +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite +cheerfully; "shake hoofs, friend Mule." + +Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden +horse. + +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the +Tiger. So Hank modestly rubbed noses with the big +beast. + +The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched +before the mule: + +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is +a friend of the Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover +your case. If ever you need help or advice, friend +Hank, call on me. + +"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, +highly pleased to see them so fully reconciled. +Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my +dears, let us resume our walk." + +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: + +"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do? + +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a +Yellow Hen here, and she can talk, and so can her +chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs in my +room who talks very nicely; but I've a little +fuzzy black dog, named Toto, who has been with me +in Oz a long time, and he's never said a single +word but 'Bow-wow!'" + +"Do you know why?" asked Ozma. + +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's +different from these fairy animals," replied +Dorothy. + +"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," +said Ozma, "yet as soon as he came under the spell +of our fairyland he found he could talk. It was +the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you +brought here at one time. The same spell has +affected Toto, I assure you; but he's a wise +little dog and while he knows everything that is +said to him he prefers not to talk." + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never +s'pected Toto was fooling me all this time." Then +she drew a small silver whistle from her pocket +and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later +there was a sound of scurrying foot-steps, and a +shaggy black dog came running up the path + +Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her +finger just above his nose she said: + +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" + +Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes +and wagged his tail. + +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that +meant yes, as well as Dorothy and Ozma knew it, +for there was no mistaking the tone of Toto's +voice. + +"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would +you like it, Toto, if I said nothing to you but +'bow-wow'?" + +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but +otherwise he was silent. + +"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with +his bark and his tail just as well as we can. +Don't you understand such dog language?" + +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's +got to be more sociable. See here, sir!" she +continued, addressing the dog, "I've just learned, +for the first time, that you can say words--if you +want to. Don't you want to, Toto?" + +"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant no. + +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as +any other animal in Oz?" + +"Woof!" + +"Just one word, Toto--and then you may run +away." + +He looked at her steadily a moment. + +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away +as swift as an arrow. + +Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while +Betsy and Ozma both laughed heartily at her +pleasure and the success of her experiment. Arm in +arm they sauntered away through the beautiful +gardens of the palace, where magnificent flowers +bloomed in abundance and fountains shot their +silvery sprays far into the air. And by and by, as +they turned a corner, they came upon Shaggy Man +and his brother, who were seated together upon a +golden bench. + +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler +of Oz approached them. + +"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma +asked the stranger. + +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied +Shaggy's brother. "Also I am very grateful to you +for permitting me to live in this delightful +place." + +"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. +"Being his brother, I have made you welcome here." + +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy +earnestly, "you will be glad he has become one of +your loyal subjects. I am just getting acquainted +with him myself and I find much in his character +to admire." + +Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls +continued their walk. Presently Betsy exclaimed: + +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz +as I am. Do you know, Dorothy, I didn't believe +any girl could ever have such a good time-- +anywhere--as I'm having now?" + +"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way +myself, lots of times. + +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every +little girl in the world could live in the Land of +Oz; and every little boy, too!" + +Ozma laughed at this. + +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your +wish cannot be granted," said she, "for all that +army of girls and boys would crowd us so that we +would have to move away. + +"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I +guess that's true." + + + + + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum + +THE WIZARD OF OZ +THE LAND OF OZ +OZMA OF OZ +DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ +THE ROAD TO OZ +THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ +THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ +TIK-TOK OF OZ +THE SCARECROW OF OZ +RINKITINK IN OZ +THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ +THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ +THE MAGIC OF OZ +GLINDA OF OZ + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz by Baum + diff --git a/old/08woz10.zip b/old/08woz10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e7d2d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10.zip diff --git a/old/08woz10h.htm b/old/08woz10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..acc3c75 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6898 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Tik-Tok of Oz</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<p>*****The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz by +Baum****** #8 in the L. 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Gottschalk, Whose sweet and dainty melodies +breathe the true spirit of fairyland, this book is affectionately +dedicated<br> +</p> + +<h2 id="ref_1">To My Readers<br> +</h2> + +<p>The very marked success of my last year's fairy book, "The +Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me that my readers like the Oz +stories "best of all," as one little girl wrote me. So here, my +dears, is a new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth, the +Queen of Oogahoo, whom Tik-Tok assisted in conquering our old +acquaintance, the Nome Kin. It also tells of Betsy Bobin and how, +after many adventures, she finally reached the marvelous Land of +Oz.<br> +</p> + +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," hut it is not +like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," although some of the +adventures recorded in this book, as well as those in several +other Oz hooks, are included in the play. Those who have seen the +play and those who have read the other Oz hooks will find in this +story a lot of strange characters and adventures that they have +never heard of before. <br> +<p>In the letters I receive from children there has been an +urgent appeal for me to write a story that will take Trot and +Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz, where they will meet Dorothy and +Ozma. Also they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted with +Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged to talk these matters +over with Dorothy by means of the "wireless," for that is the +only way I can communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked her +about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you heard?" I said +"No." "Well," came the message over the wireless, "I'll tell you +all about it, by and by, and then you can make a hook of that +story for the children to read."<br> +</p> + +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted to write another +Oz hook, you will probably discover how all these characters came +together in the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell all +my little friends--whose numbers are increasing by many thousands +every year--that I am very grateful for the favor they have shown +my hooks and for the delightful little letters I am constantly +receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends among the +children of America as any story writer alive; and this, of +course, makes me very proud and happy. <br> +<p>L. Frank Baum.<br> +</p> + +"OZCOT" at HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA, 1914. <br> +<p><br> +</p> +<br><br> +<h1>TIK-TOK of OZ</h1> + + <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_2">Chapter One</h1> + +<br> +<p>Ann's Army<br> +</p> + +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It is beneath my +dignity." <br> +<p>"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye; +"else we shall soon he wading in dust. And you are the eldest, +and the head of the family."<br> +</p> + +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. "But," she added with +a sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the +Land of Oz." <br> +<p>This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, in a far corner +of the beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is +named Oogaboo, and in this valley lived a few people who were +usually happy and contented and never cared to wander over the +mountain pass into the more settled parts of the land. They knew +that all of Oz, including their own territory, was ruled by a +beautiful Princess named Ozma, who lived in the splendid Emerald +City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo never visited Ozma. They had +a royal family of their own--not especially to rule over them, +but just as a matter of pride. Ozma permitted the various parts +of her country to have their Kings and Queens and Emperors and +the like, but all were ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the +Emerald City.<br> +</p> + +The King of Oogaboo used to he a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth, +who for many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and +telling his people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions. But +the King's wife had a sharp tongue and small respect for the +King, her husband; therefore one night King Jol crept over the +pass into the Land of Oz and disappeared from Oogaboo for good +and all. The Queen waited a few years for him to return and then +started in search of him, leaving her eldest daughter, Ann +Soforth, to act as Queen. <br> +<p>Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that +meant a party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite +forgotten how many years the birthdays marked. In a land where +people live always, this is not considered a cause for regret, so +we may justly say that Queen Ann of Oogaboo was old enough to +make jelly--and let it go at that.<br> +</p> + +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than +she could help. She was an ambitious woman and constantly +resented the fact that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so +stupid and unenterprising. Often she wondered what had become of +her father and mother, out beyond the pass, in the wonderful Land +of Oz, and the fact that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann +to suspect that they bad found a better place to live. So, when +Salye refused to sweep the floor of the living room in the +palace, and Ann would not sweep it, either, she said to her +sister: <br> +<p>"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me."<br> +</p> + +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you are very foolish +to leave this place." <br> +<p>"Why?" asked Ann.<br> +</p> + +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be +a nobody, while here you are a Queen." <br> +<p>"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and +forty-four children!" returned Ann bitterly.<br> +</p> + +"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great +Land of Oz," laughed Salye. "Why don't you raise an army and +conquer them, and be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt +Ann and so to anger her. Then she made a face at her sister and +went into the back yard to swing in the hammock. <br> +<p>Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea. She +reflected that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma +a mere girl who ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed +because her people loved her. Even in Oogaboo the story was told +that Ozma's sole army consisted of twentyseven fine officers, who +wore beautiful uniforms but carried no weapons, because there was +no one to fight. Once there had been a private soldier, besides +the officers, but Ozma had made him a Captain-General and taken +away his gun for fear it might accidentally hurt some one.<br> +</p> + +The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced +it would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as +Ruler in Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. +Afterward she could go out into the world and conquer other +lands, and then perhaps she could find a way to the moon, and +conquer that. She had a warlike spirit that preferred trouble to +idleness. <br> +<p>It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted +in her mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly +eighteen of them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, +but by surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily +subdue them. "Gentle people are always afraid of those that +bluster," Ann told herself. "I don't wish to shed any blood, for +that would shock my nerves and I might faint; but if we threaten +and flash our weapons I am sure the people of Oz will fall upon +their knees before me and surrender."<br> +</p> + +This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, +finally determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the +audacious venture. <br> +<p>"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more +unhappy than my staying shut up in this miserable valley and +sweeping floors and quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will +venture all, and win what I may."<br> +</p> + +That very day she started out to organize her Army. <br> +<p>The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he +had an apple orchard.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you +to join my Army." <br> +<p>"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely +refuse Your Majesty," said Jo Apple."<br> +</p> + +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen +of Oogaboo, to join," said Ann. <br> +<p>"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a +sad voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important +citizen, and for that reason am entitled to an office of high +rank."<br> +</p> + +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. <br> +<p>"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said the Queen. <br> +<p>Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he +owned an orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns, in great +variety, both hot and cold, grew on the trees.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command +you to join my Army." <br> +<p>"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to be +picked."<br> +</p> + +"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann. <br> +<p>"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he +protested.<br> +</p> + +"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals, and wear a +cocked hat with gold braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a +long sword," she promised. <br> +<p>So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the +Queen walked on to the next cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so +called because the trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent +ice-cream cones.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must +join my Army." <br> +<p>"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a bad fighter. My +good wife conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than +I. Take her, Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for +the favor."<br> +</p> + +"This must be an army of men-fierce, ferocious warriors," +declared Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man. <br> +<p>"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; and make you a General." <br> +<p>"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo +Clock, who had an orchard of clock-trees. This man at first +insisted that he would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise +to make him a General finally won his consent.<br> +</p> + +"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Four, so far," replied Ann.<br> +</p> + +"And how big will the army he?" was his next question. <br> +<p>"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo +join it," she said.<br> +</p> + +"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock. "I advise +you to make the rest of them Colonels." <br> +<p>Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four men she +visited--who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named +after the trees in their orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; +but the fifth one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and Generals were +getting to be altogether too common in the Army of Oogaboo and he +preferred to be a Major. So Jo Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo +Stockings were all four made Majors, while the next four--Jo +Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons--were appointed +Captains of the Army.<br> +</p> + +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There remained but two other +men in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while +there were four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four +Generals, there was likely to be jealousy in her army, and +perhaps mutiny and desertions. <br> +<p>One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go +at all. No promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him. +He said he must remain at home to harvest his crop of +jackson-balls, lemon-drops, bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he +had large fields of cracker-jack and buttered popcorn to be mowed +and threshed, and he was determined not to disappoint the +children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world and so let +the candy crop spoil.<br> +</p> + +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way +and continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last +man in Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files. This Files +had twelve trees which bore steel files of various sorts; but +also he had nine book-trees, on which grew a choice selection of +story-books. In case you have never seen books growing upon +trees, I will explain that those in Jo Files' orchard were +enclosed in broad green husks which, when fully ripe, turned to a +deep red color. Then the books were picked and husked and were +ready to read. If they were picked too soon, the stories were +found to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling bad. +However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine +reading and the spelling and grammar excellent. <br> +<p>Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the +people of Oogaboo cared little for books and so he had to read +most of them himself, before they spoiled. For, as you probably +know, as soon as the books were read the words disappeared and +the leaves withered and faded--which is the worst fault of all +books which grow upon trees.<br> +</p> + +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both +intelligent and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great +fun to conquer the world. But he called her attention to the fact +that he was far superior to the other men of her army. Therefore, +he would not be one of her Generals or Colonels or Majors or +Captains, but claimed the honor of being sole Private. <br> +<p>Ann did not like this idea at all.<br> +</p> + +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army, she said; "they're +so common. I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private +soldier, but she made him her Captain-General, which is good +evidence that the private was unnecessary. <br> +<p>"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; "but your army +must fight like fury in order to conquer the world. I have read +in my books that it is always the private soldiers who do the +fighting, for no officer is ever brave enough to face the foe. +Also, it stands to reason that your officers must have some one +to command and to issue their orders to; therefore I'll be the +one. I long to slash and slay the enemy and become a hero. Then, +when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the marbles away from +the children and melt them up and make a marble statue of myself +for all to look upon and admire."<br> +</p> + +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He seemed indeed to be +such a warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of +success took a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a +gun-tree grew and would go there at once and pick the ripest and +biggest musket the tree bore. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_3">Chapter Two</h1> + +<br> +<p>Out of Oogaboo<br> +</p> + +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the +square in front of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were +attired in gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering +swords. The Private had picked his gun and, although it was not a +very big weapon, Files tried to look fierce and succeeded so well +that all his commanding officers were secretly afraid of him. +<br> +<p>The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth bad no +right to take their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann +commanded them to keep silent, and that was the hardest order to +obey they had ever received.<br> +</p> + +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform +of green, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap +with a purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that +everyone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The +Army was sorry she was not going alone. <br> +<p>"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.<br> +</p> + +Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed. <br> +<p>"I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she +observed.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking +for trouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the +less fighting we get, the better we shall like our work." <br> +<p>"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to +anything. The only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the +story-books all say that the easiest way to conquer is to +fight."<br> +</p> + +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to +conquer and to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder +is to become a hero. With such noble determination to back me, +the world is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be +rich and famous. Come, Generals; let us march." <br> +<p>At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their +chests. Then they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles +and cried to the Colonels:<br> +</p> + +"For-ward March!" <br> +<p>Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "Forward March!" and +the Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the +Captains screamed to the Private:<br> +</p> + +"For-ward March!" <br> +<p>So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the +officers followed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, +rejoicing in her noble army and wondering why she had not decided +long ago to conquer the world.<br> +</p> + +In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the +narrow mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_4">Chapter Three</h1> + +<br> +<p>Magic Mystifies the Marchers<br> +</p> + +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by +their ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom. The +beautiful girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her +subjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal +plans. But there was one who constantly guarded the peace and +happiness of the Land of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress +of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. <br> +<p>In her magnificent castle, which stands far north of the +Emerald City where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful +magic Record Book, in which is printed every event that takes +place anywhere, just as soon as it happens.<br> +</p> + +The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in +this book. If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads +about it; if a city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in +her book. <br> +<p>The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so +it was she knew that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly +assembled an army of sixteen officers and one private soldier, +with which she intended to invade and conquer the Land of Or.<br> +</p> + +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of +Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz--both her firm +friends--could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; +but it would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by +any sort of quarreling or fighting. So Glinda did not even +mention the matter to Ozma, or to anyone else. She merely went +into a great chamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room, +where she performed a magical ceremony which caused the mountain +pass that led from Oogaboo to make several turns and twists. The +result was that when Ann and her army came to the end of the pass +they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an adjoining +territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and +separated from Oz by an invisible barrier. <br> +<p>As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they +had traversed disappeared behind them and it was not likely they +would ever find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They +were greatly puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not +know which way to go. None of them had ever visited Oz, so it +took them some time to discover they were not in Oz at all, but +in an unknown country.<br> +</p> + +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment; "we +have started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it. In +time, as we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come +to Oz; but, until we get there, we may as well conquer whatever +land we find ourselves in." <br> +<p>"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously +inquired Major Cake.<br> +</p> + +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no people, as yet, but +when we do, we will inform them that they are our slaves." <br> +<p>"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions," +added General Apple.<br> +</p> + +"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files; "but I +hope they will fight us, just the same. A peaceful conquest +wouldn't be any fun at all." <br> +<p>"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight, whether our foes +do or not; and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have +the enemy surrender promptly."<br> +</p> + +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in. +Moreover, there was little for them to eat, and as the officers +became hungry they became fretful. Many would have deserted had +they been able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people +were now hopelessly lost in a strange country they considered it +more safe to keep together than to separate. <br> +<p>Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and +irritable as she and her army tramped over the rocky roads +without encountering either people or plunder. She scolded her +officers until they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal +enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began to reproach +her for leading them into difficulties and in the space of three +unhappy days every man was mourning for his orchard in the pretty +valley of Oogaboo.<br> +</p> + +Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he +encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the +officers were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His +pleasant disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before +long she consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did +his superiors. <br> +<p>It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they +encountered their first adventure. Toward evening the sky was +suddenly darkened and Major Nails exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"A fog is coming toward us." <br> +<p>"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with +interest at the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the +breath of a Rak."<br> +</p> + +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully. <br> +<p>"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the +soldier, growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a +Rak, to be sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that +grew in my orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful +monsters, we are not likely to conquer the world."<br> +</p> + +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered +closer about their soldier. <br> +<p>"What is the thing like?" asked one.<br> +</p> + +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather +blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when +it was picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a +deer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace +of fire, and the Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, +which darkens the sky for miles around, wherever it goes. It is +bigger than a hundred men and feeds on any living thing." <br> +<p>The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files +tried to cheer them, saying:<br> +</p> + +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and +you must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of +the fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed." <br> +<p>"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, +and chews us up into small pieces, and swallows us--what will +happen then?"<br> +</p> + +"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files. <br> +<p>"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. +"A hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or +not!"<br> +</p> + +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will +know, when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a +Rak or not. If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but +If it has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must +prepare for a desperate fight." <br> +<p>They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached +the frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose +sniffed the cloud --and every one detected in it the odor of salt +and pepper.<br> +</p> + +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the +sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in +anguish. Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more +bravely, although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he +calmly loaded his gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a +soldier should. <br> +<p>They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which +covered the sky and the setting sun was black as ink. Then +through the gloom appeared two round, glowing balls of red, and +Files at once decided these must be the monster's eyes.<br> +</p> + +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. <br> +<p>There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an +excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. +They flew toward the monster and struck it, and with a wild, +weird cry the Rak came fluttering down and its huge body fell +plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers, who thereupon +screamed louder than before.<br> +</p> + +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that +dangerous gun of yours!" <br> +<p>"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your +breath darkens my sight!"<br> +</p> + +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, +reproachfully, as it still flapped its wings in a helpless +manner. "Don't claim you didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of +you!" <br> +<p>"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you +very badly?"<br> +</p> + +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will +notice that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I +have to talk with my teeth set close together. Another bullet +broke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and still another broke +my right leg, so that I can't walk. It was the most careless shot +I ever heard of!" <br> +<p>"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding +officers?" inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your +great weight is crushing them."<br> +</p> + +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if +possible, for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my +mouth, I'd eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly this +warm weather." <br> +<p>With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so +as to crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled +completely off from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to +their feet and made off as fast as they could run.<br> +</p> + +Private Files could not see them go but he knew from the sound of +their voices that they had escaped, so he ceased to worry about +them. <br> +<p>"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he said to the Rak. +"The parting is caused by our desire to continue our journey. If +you die, do not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a +matter of self-protection."<br> +</p> + +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed +life. But I beg you not to leave me!" <br> +<p>"Why not?" asked Files.<br> +</p> + +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I +shall be able to eat you. My wing will heal in a day and my leg +will heal in a week, when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot +me, and so caused me all this annoyance, it is only fair and just +that you remain here and allow me to eat you as soon as I can +open my jaws." <br> +<p>"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly. "I +have made an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her +conquer the world, and I cannot break my word for the sake of +being eaten by a Rak."<br> +</p> + +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If you've an +engagement, don't let me detain you." <br> +<p>So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the +trembling Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak. +They stumbled over the stones for a way but presently began to +see dimly the path ahead of them, as they got farther and farther +away from the dreadful spot where the wounded monster lay. By and +by they reached a little hill and could see the last rays of the +sun flooding a pretty valley beyond, for now they had passed +beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddled the +sixteen officers, still frightened and panting from their run. +They had halted only because it was impossible for them to run +any farther.<br> +</p> + +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the +same time praising Files for his courage. <br> +<p>"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for +by running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in +conquering the world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, +he would have deserted your Army."<br> +</p> + +After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as +they were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party +rose quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of +which Queen Ann commanded them to make camp for the night. <br> +<p>Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, +when placed upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was +large enough to permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its +canvas walls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was +not only his own tent but an elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, +besides a bed and chair and a magic table. This table, when set +upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size, and in a +drawer of the table was contained the Queen's supply of extra +clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and other necessary +things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the officers +and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent +poles.<br> +</p> + +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of +Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to +show that the country they were in had been conquered by the +Queen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the +flag, but Ann was pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and +considered herself already a famous conqueror. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_5">Chapter Four</h1> + +<br> +<p>Betsy Braves the Billows<br> +</p> + +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled +and the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the +deck and the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell +with a splash into the dark blue water. The same shock caught +Hank, a thin little, sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into +the sea, far from the ship's side. <br> +<p>When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge +had surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a +bunch of hair. At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but +presently she heard a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding +fast to the end of Hank's tail.<br> +</p> + +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now +in the far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the +waves. <br> +<p>Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a +mass of wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail +and seized the rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode +upon it in safety. Hank also saw the raft and swam to it, but he +was so clumsy he never would have been able to climb upon it had +not Betsy helped him to get aboard.<br> +</p> + +They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a +hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly +well and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from +drowning. <br> +<p>The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. +Blinding bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the +clamor of deep thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves +tossed the little raft here and there as a child tosses a rubber +ball and Betsy had a solemn feeling that for hundreds of watery +miles in every direction there was no living thing besides +herself and the small donkey.<br> +</p> + +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose +against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest +voice, as if to comfort her. <br> +<p>"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried +helplessly, and the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that +meant a promise.<br> +</p> + +On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when +the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, +while the girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in +this dreadful emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a +mule's power to guard her safety. <br> +<p>All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out +and passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had +grown smaller and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on +the wet raft and fell asleep.<br> +</p> + +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard +Betsy. Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping +girl and watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept +over the sea. <br> +<p>The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes +and stared across the water.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. <br> +<p>"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice.<br> +</p> + +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and +as they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing +brightly between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at +all. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_6">Chapter Five</h1> + +<br> +<p>The Roses Repulse the Refugees<br> +</p> + +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily +waded ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was +now shining and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of +roses. <br> +<p>"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling +more cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the +flowers, although they do smell mighty good."<br> +</p> + +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the +top of the bank. <br> +<p>Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A +little way off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of +crystal panes glittering in the sunlight.<br> +</p> + +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy +thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. +I'm getting hungrier ev'ry minute." <br> +<p>So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its +entrance without meeting with anyone at all. A door stood ajar, +so Hank went in first, thinking if there was any danger he could +back out and warn his companion. But Betsy was close at his heels +and the moment she entered was lost in amazement at the wonderful +sight she saw.<br> +</p> + +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all +growing in big pots. On the central stem of each bush bloomed a +splendid Rose, gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and +in the center of each Rose was the face of a lovely girl. <br> +<p>As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were +drooping and their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule +was so amazed that he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound +of his harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised +their heads and a hundred startled eyes were instantly fixed upon +the intruders.<br> +</p> + +"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused. +<br> +<p>"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing chorus; and +one of them added: "What a horrid noise!"<br> +</p> + +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the +truth of her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!" <br> +<p>At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they +were able and trembled as if some one were shaking their hushes. +A dainty Moss Rose gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully +dreadful!"<br> +</p> + +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant. "When +you get used to Hank's voice it will put you to sleep." <br> +<p>The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully and one of +them asked:<br> +</p> + +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" <br> +<p>"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true, answered the girl, +twining her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him +tight. "Aren't you, Hank?"<br> +</p> + +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the +Roses shivered again. <br> +<p>"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see you're +frightening us out of a week's growth?"<br> +</p> + +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to go. We've just +been wrecked." <br> +<p>"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came and wrecked it," +explained the girl. "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and +floated ashore to this place, and--we're tired and hungry. What +country is this, please?" <br> +<p>"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, +"and it is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses +grown."<br> +</p> + +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms. <br> +<p>"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea +Rose, bending her brows in a frown; "therefore you must go away +before the Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the +sea."<br> +</p> + +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"To be sure.<br> +</p> + +"And is he a Rose, also?" <br> +<p>"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man," was the +reply.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much +relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into +the greenhouse--a spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in +the other. <br> +<p>He was a funny little man, dressed in a rosecolored costume, +with ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in +his hair. His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and +his face puckered and deeply lined.<br> +</p> + +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his +greenhouse, and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the +watering pot over the mule's head and danced around with his +fork, in such agitation that presently he fell over the handle of +the implement and sprawled at full length upon the ground. <br> +<p>Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's +head. The little mule was angry at the treatment he had received +and backed toward the Gardener threateningly.<br> +</p> + +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly and the Gardener +scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses. <br> +<p>"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking out his head +to glare at the girl and the mule.<br> +</p> + +"What Law?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in +these domains."<br> +</p> + +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. <br> +<p>"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal +Gardener, and he was about to say more when suddenly there was a +crash of glass and a man came tumbling through the roof of the +greenhouse and fell plump to the ground.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_7">Chapter Six</h1> + +<br> +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother <br> +<p>This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, dressed all in +garments so shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must he some +animal. But the stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and +then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an apple in his +hand, which he had evidently been eating when he fell, and so +little was he jarred or flustered by the accident that he +continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked around him.<br> +</p> + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. "Who are you, +and where did you come from?" <br> +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the +apple. "Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming +haste."<br> +</p> + +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way +and--here I am."<br> +</p> + +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to +Hank--who ate it greedily --and then stood up to bow politely to +Betsy and the Roses. <br> +<p>The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the +crash of glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower +of Roses, but now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in +his squeaky voice:<br> +</p> + +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the Law!" <br> +<p>Shaggy stared at him solemnly.<br> +</p> + +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the +Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose +Kingdom is breaking the Law."<br> +</p> + +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming +forward and taking a small book from his pocket. "Page thirteen. +Here it is: 'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at +once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death.' So you see, +strangers,' he continued triumphantly, "it's death for you all +and your time has come!"<br> +</p> + +But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing +toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's +heels shot out and struck the little man in the middle. He +doubled up like the letter "U" and flew out of the door so +swiftly--never touching the ground --that he was gone before +Betsy had time to wink. <br> +<p>But the mule's attack frightened the girl.<br> +</p> + +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his +hand; "let's go somewhere else. They'll surely kill us if we stay +here!" <br> +<p>"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's +head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love +Magnet."<br> +</p> + +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of +everyone who looks upon it," was the reply. "The Love Magnet used +to hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; +but when I started on this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +allowed me to take it with me."<br> +</p> + +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are you really from the +wonderful Land of Oz?" <br> +<p>"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?"<br> +</p> + +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?" +<br> +<p>"Very well indeed."<br> +</p> + +"And--and Princess Dorothy?" <br> +<p>"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did you ever leave such a +beautiful land as Oz?" <br> +<p>"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. "I'm +trying to find my dear little brother."<br> +</p> + +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the +poor man. <br> +<p>"Been lost these ten years, replied Shaggy, taking out a +handkerchief and wiping a tear from his eye. "I didn't know it +until lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of +the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So now I'm trying to +find him."<br> +</p> + +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically. <br> +<p>"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. +Brother was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went +into his mine and never came out. They searched for him, but he +was not there. Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably.<br> +</p> + +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of him?" she asked. +<br> +<p>"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking +another apple from his pocket and eating it to relieve his +misery. "The Nome King probably got him."<br> +</p> + +"The Nome King! Who is he?" <br> +<p>"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is +Ruggedo. Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to own all the +metals hidden in the earth. Don't ask my why."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" <br> +<p>"Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if +anyone digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that +he captured brother and carried him off to his underground +kingdom. No--don't ask me why. I see you're dying to ask me why. +But I don't know."<br> +</p> + +"But--dear me!--in that case you will never find your lost +brother!" exclaimed the girl. <br> +<p>"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy. "I've +wandered so far without finding him, but that only proves he is +not where I've been looking. What I seek now is the hidden +passage to the underground cavern of the terrible Metal +Monarch."<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever +manage to get there the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his +prisoner." <br> +<p>"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. "You mustn't forget +the Love Magnet."<br> +</p> + +"What about it?" she asked. <br> +<p>"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will +love me dearly and do anything I ask."<br> +</p> + +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. <br> +<p>"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it to you?"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and +drew out a small silver magnet, shaped like a horseshoe. <br> +<p>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.<br> +</p> + +But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener, who stuck his +head into the greenhouse and shouted angrily: <br> +<p>"You are all condemned to death! Your only chance to escape is +to leave here instantly."<br> +</p> + +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: <br> +<p>"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."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man. <br> +<p>"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."<br> +</p> + +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't even seen the Ruler +of the Rose Kingdom."<br> +</p> + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in a perplexed tone +of voice, "we haven't any real Ruler, just now. You see, all our +Rulers grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we +had got mildewed and withered before his time. So we had to plant +him, and at this time there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes +who is ripe enough to pick." <br> +<p>"How do you know?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of royalties are growing, I +admit; but just now they are all green. Until one ripens, I am +supposed to rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its Laws +are obeyed. Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you +to death." <br> +<p>"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to see those Royal +Gardens before I die."<br> +</p> + +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, Gardener." <br> +<p>"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. But Shaggy again +showed him the Love Magnet and after one glance at it the +Gardener could no longer resist.<br> +</p> + +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the great greenhouse +and carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this they +came into the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom. <br> +<p>It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within the enclosure +grew several enormous rosebushes having thick green leaves of the +texture of velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the +Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom--men, women and children in all +stages of maturity. They all seemed to have a light green hue, as +if unripe or not fully developed, their flesh and clothing being +alike green. They stood perfectly lifeless upon their branches, +which swayed softly in the breeze, and their wide open eyes +stared straight ahead, unseeing and unintelligent.<br> +</p> + +While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind +a big central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise +and pleasure. For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, +stood a Royal Princess, whose beauty was amazing. <br> +<p>"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside some of the +broad leaves to observe her more clearly.<br> +</p> + +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the +girl's side; "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a +Ruler." <br> +<p>"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around +Betsy discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the +greenhouse and were now grouped before the entrance.<br> +</p> + +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom +don't want a girl Ruler. They want a King." <br> +<p>"A King! We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses.<br> +</p> + +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess. +<br> +<p>"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. This Princess is +named Ozga, as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were +she but a man, we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler."<br> +</p> + +The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses and Betsy +whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy." <br> +<p>"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has the right to +rule this Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surely protect us +and prevent our being hurt, or driven away."<br> +</p> + +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the beautiful Rose +Princess and a little twist of her feet set her free of the +branch upon which she grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from +the bush to the ground, where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy +and said in a delightfully sweet voice: "I thank you." <br> +<p>But at the sound of these words the Gardener and the Roses +turned and discovered that the Princess had been picked, and was +now alive. Over every face flashed an expression of resentment +and anger, and one of the Roses cried aloud.<br> +</p> + +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" <br> +<p>"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy, +cheerfully.<br> +</p> + +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque Rose, +and another added with a voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over +us!" <br> +<p>The newly-picked Princess looked from one to another of her +rebellious subjects in astonishment. A grieved look came over her +exquisite features.<br> +</p> + +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked gently. +"Have I not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?" <br> +<p>"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the +Moss Rose, coldly; "so we refuse to allow you to rule us."<br> +</p> + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose. +<br> +<p>"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet +from his pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Princess. +Here--take it in your hand and let the roses see it."<br> +</p> + +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes +of her subjects; but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain. +<br> +<p>"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise. "The +Magnet never failed to work before!"<br> +</p> + +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. "These Roses have +no hearts." <br> +<p>"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're pretty, and sweet, +and alive; but still they are Roses. Their stems have thorns, but +no hearts."<br> +</p> + +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man. <br> +<p>"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully.<br> +</p> + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses. +"We will have no Ruler until a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough +to pick." <br> +<p>"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must excuse me, my +dear Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, +including Ozga, must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not +before."<br> +</p> + +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying +the Magnet. <br> +<p>"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly; "but +no true man will neglect his duty for the sake of love. My duty +is to drive you out, so--out you go!"<br> +</p> + +With this he seized a garden fork and began jabbing it at the +strangers, in order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not +afraid of the fork and when he got his heels near to the Gardener +the man fell back to avoid a kick. <br> +<p>But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts and it was soon +discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many +sharp thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. Neither +Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those +thorns and when they pressed away from them they found themselves +slowly driven through the garden door into the greenhouse. From +there they were forced out at the entrance and so through the +territory of the flower-strewn Rose Kingdom, which was not of +very great extent.<br> +</p> + +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy was indignant and +angry; Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man +whistled softly to himself. <br> +<p>The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there +was a drawbridge in one place and this the Royal Gardener let +down until the outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up +again and returned with his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the +four queerly assorted comrades to wander into the bleak and +unknown country that lay beyond.<br> +</p> + +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led the way over the +stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-lost little +brother, anyhow, so it won't matter where I go." <br> +<p>"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in +her most cheerful voice. "I'm so far away from home now that I +don't s'pose I'll ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, +it's more fun traveling around and having adventures than +sticking at home. Don't you think so, Hank?"<br> +</p> + +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both. <br> +<p>"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, with a gentle +sigh, "I must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, too, +will be glad to help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother."<br> +</p> + +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. "But unless I can +find the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I +shall never find poor brother." <br> +<p>("This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he drank of +the "Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name and had to take +another.)<br> +</p> + +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"Some one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply. "But we +are not the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going +until we find a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's +cavern."<br> +</p> + +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy. +"Who knows?" <br> +<p>"No one knows that, except the person who's writing this +story," said Shaggy. "But we won't find anything--not even +supper--unless we travel on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see +where it leads to."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_8">Chapter Seven</h1> + +<br> +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight <br> +<p>The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some +over the brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the +country--a real hard shower, for a time--and sent the Rainbow +scampering to the place to show the gorgeous colors of his +glorious bow as soon as the mist of rain had passed and the sky +was clear.<br> +</p> + +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, +yet few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far +distant that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and +that is why we seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the +Rainbow. <br> +<p>In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there +appeared to be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, +just the same, and dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's +Daughters, led by the fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and +beautiful that no girl has ever quite equalled her in +loveliness.<br> +</p> + +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the +bow to the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and +gleeful, they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; +but all the Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a +dangerous pastime, so they quickly climbed upon their bow again. +<br> +<p>All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them +all, she was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an +unusual sensation to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. +Before she realized it the bow had lifted and disappeared in the +billowy blue sky, and here was Polychrome standing helpless upon +a rock, her gauzy draperies floating about her like brilliant +cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or mortal--to help her regain her +lost bow!<br> +</p> + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, +"I'm caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has +left me on earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. +The first time I enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a +lonely, forsaken country and I shall be very unhappy until my +Rainbow comes again and I can climb aboard. Let me think what is +best to be done." <br> +<p>She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about +her and bowed her head.<br> +</p> + +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied Polychrome as she +came along the stony path, followed by Hank, the Princess and +Shaggy. At once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the +Rainbow and exclaimed: <br> +<p>"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!"<br> +</p> + +Polychrome raised her golden head. There were tears in her blue +eyes. <br> +<p>"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she +sobbed.<br> +</p> + +The others gathered around her. <br> +<p>"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the Princess.<br> +</p> + +"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. <br> +<p>"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic tone, +thinking she meant "beau" instead of "bow."<br> +</p> + +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot +imperiously; "I want my Rainbow." <br> +<p>"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to forget it. +When I was young I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I +couldn't have it. Looks as if you couldn't have it, either; so +please don't cry."<br> +</p> + +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. <br> +<p>"I don't like you," she said.<br> +</p> + +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket; +"not a little bit?--just a wee speck of a like?" <br> +<p>"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as +she gazed at the enchanted talisman; "I love you, Shaggy +Man!"<br> +</p> + +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't take any credit +for it. It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm. But you seem quite +alone and friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join our +party until you find your father and sisters again?" <br> +<p>"Where are you going?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand; "but +we're trying to find Shaggy's longlost brother, who has been +captured by the terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, +and help us?" <br> +<p>Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of +travelers and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face.<br> +</p> + +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a Shaggy Man!" she +exclaimed. "Surely you need help, if you intend to face Ruggedo." +<br> +<p>"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface, +where no Rainbow can ever penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal +Monarch. He is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has +made trouble for a good many people --mortals and fairies--in his +time," said Polychrome. <br> +<p>"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome +proudly. "I'm a sky fairy." <br> +<p>"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able to tell us the +way to Ruggedo's cavern."<br> +</p> + +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I +cannot do. But I will gladly,, go with you and help you search +for the place." <br> +<p>This promise delighted all the wanderers and after the Shaggy +Man had found the path again they began moving along it in a more +happy mood. The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky +trail, no longer sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in +smiles. Shaggy came next, walking steadily and now and then +supporting the Rose Princess, who followed him. Betsy and Hank +brought up the rear, and if she tired with walking the girl got +upon Hank's back and let the stout little donkey carry her for a +while.<br> +</p> + +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny +brook and here they made camp and rested until morning. Then away +they tramped, finding berries and fruits here and there which +satisfied the hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were +well content with their lot. <br> +<p>It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their +food, for she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this +to Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga +was driven out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and +would never again be more than a mere mortal. Polychrome, +however, was a fairy wherever she happened to be, and if she +sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for refreshment no one ever +saw her do it.<br> +</p> + +As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very +little to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange +country. Shaggy said it would be best to go toward the mountains, +as the natural entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was +likely to be hidden in some rocky, deserted place; but mountains +seemed all around them except in the one direction that they had +come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and the sea. Therefore +it mattered little which way they traveled. <br> +<p>By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path +and after following this for some time they reached a crossroads. +Here were many paths, leading in various directions, and there +was a signpost so old that there were now no words upon the sign. +At one side was an old well, with a chain windlass for drawing +water, yet there was no house or other building anywhere in +sight.<br> +</p> + +While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule +approached the well and tried to look into it. <br> +<p>"He's thirsty," said Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably there has been no +water in it for many years. But, come; let us decide which way to +travel." <br> +<p>No one seemed able to decide that. They sat down in a group +and tried to consider which road might be the best to take. Hank, +however, could not keep away from the well and finally he reared +up on his hind legs, got his head over the edge and uttered a +loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy watched her animal friend curiously.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she said. <br> +<p>At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate, +and Betsy went with him. The Princess and Polychrome, who had +become fast friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the +roads, to find an easy path.<br> +</p> + +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at the +bottom of this old well." <br> +<p>"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked the girl.<br> +</p> + +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there +was a big hook that at one time was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy +let down this hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then +pulled it up. An old hoopskirt came with it, and Betsy laughed +and threw it away. The thing frightened Hank, who had never seen +a hoopskirt before, and he kept a good distance away from it. +<br> +<p>Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook +and drew up, but none of these was important.<br> +</p> + +"This well seems to have been the dump for all the old rubbish in +the country," he said, letting down the hook once more. "I guess +I've captured everything now. No--the hook has caught again. Help +me, Betsy! Whatever this thing is, it's heavy." <br> +<p>She ran up and helped him turn the windlass and after much +effort a confused mass of copper came in sight.<br> +</p> + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is a surprise, indeed!" +<br> +<p>"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and +panting for breath.<br> +</p> + +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and dumped +it upon the ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over with +his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment the thing +proved to be a copper man. <br> +<p>"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object. +"But unless there are two copper men in the world this is the +most astonishing thing I ever came across."<br> +</p> + +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the Rose Princess +approached them, and Polychrome said: <br> +<p>"What have you found, Shaggy One?"<br> +</p> + +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied. <br> +<p>"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt +down to examine the man. "Dear me; how funny! Listen to +this."<br> +</p> + +Then she read the following words, engraved upon the copper +plates of the man's body: <br> +<p>SMITH TINKER'S Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, +Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking<br> +</p> + +MECHANICAL MAN Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. +Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live. <br> +<p>"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved +plate: <br> +<p>DIRECTIONS FOR USING:<br> +</p> + +For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork <br> +<p>Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). For SPEAKING:--Wind +the Clockwork Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). For +WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man in the middle of his +back, (marked No. 3).<br> +</p> + +N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to work perfectly for a +thousand years. <br> +<p>"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, +"he ought to work yet."<br> +</p> + +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." <br> +<p>In order to do this they were obliged to set the copper man +upon his feet, in an upright position, and this was no easy task. +He was inclined to topple over, and had to be propped again and +again. The girls assisted Shaggy, and at last TikTok seemed to be +balanced and stood alone upon his broad feet.<br> +</p> + +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this +must be, indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking +merrily in the Land of Oz. But how he came to this lonely place, +and got into that old well, is surely a mystery." <br> +<p>"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy. +"Here's the key, hanging to a hook on his back. What part of him +shall I wind up first?"<br> +</p> + +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires +thought to speak or move intelligently." <br> +<p>So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little +flashes of light began to show in the top of his head, which was +proof that he had begun to think.<br> +</p> + +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph." <br> +<p>"What's that?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may be interesting, but +they don't tell us anything." <br> +<p>So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then +from the interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the +words: "Ma-ny thanks!"<br> +</p> + +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the +back in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance +and tumbled to the ground in a heap. But the clock-work that +enabled him to speak had been wound up and he kept saying: +"Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised +him and balanced him upon his feet, when he added politely: +"Ma-ny thanks!" <br> +<p>"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action," +remarked Shaggy; so Betsy wound it, as tight as she could--for +the key turned rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, +marched around in a circle and ended by stopping before the group +and making them all a low bow.<br> +</p> + +"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left +you safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy. <br> +<p>"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a +few words. Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma +saw you wandering in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her +mag-ic pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome +King's cavern; so she sent me to tell you where to find your +broth-er and told me to help you if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, +Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to this place in the wink of +an eye; but here I met the Nome King him-self--old Rug-ge-do, who +is called in these parts the Met-al Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what +I had come for, and he was so an-gry that he threw me down the +well. Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less un-til you came +a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny thanks."<br> +</p> + +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I suspected that my +brother was the prisoner of Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, +Tik-Tok, how shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?" +<br> +<p>"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We might crawl, or +jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver until we get there; but the best +way is to walk."<br> +</p> + +"I know; but which road shall we take?" <br> +<p>"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied +Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"There is more than one entrance to the underground cavern," said +Polychrome; "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every +opening, so that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. If +we find our way underground at all, it will be by chance." <br> +<p>"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and +see where it leads us."<br> +</p> + +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. "It may require a +lot of time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than +anything else." <br> +<p>"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a +thou-sand years."<br> +</p> + +"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added +Shaggy, looking first at one road and then at another. <br> +<p>But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached +their ears--a sound like the tramping of many feet.<br> +</p> + +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she ran to the left-hand +road and glanced along the path. "Why, it's an army!" she +exclaimed. "What shall we do, hide or run?" <br> +<p>"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid of an army. +If they prove to be friendly, they can help us; if they are +enemies, I'll show them the Love Magnet."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_9">Chapter Eight</h1> + +<br> +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task <br> +<p>While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at +one side, the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, +the tramp of their feet being now and then accompanied by a +dismal groan as one of the officers stepped on a sharp stone or +knocked his funnybone against his neighbor's sword-handle.<br> +</p> + +Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the +banner of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole. This pole he +stuck in the ground just in front of the well and then he cried +in a loud voice. <br> +<p>"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann +Soforth of Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I +proclaim her slaves!"<br> +</p> + +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and +asked: <br> +<p>"Is the coast clear, Private Files?"<br> +</p> + +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well." <br> +<p>"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering +courage to advance to the well; but just then he caught a glimpse +of Tik-Tok and Shaggy and at once fell upon his knees, trembling +and frightened and cried out:<br> +</p> + +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and we will be your slaves +forever!" <br> +<p>The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing, +likewise fell upon their knees and begged for mercy.<br> +</p> + +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers for the first time, +examined them with much curiosity. Then, discovering that three +of the party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a polite bow. +<br> +<p>"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as Queen Ann +reached the place and beheld her kneeling army.<br> +</p> + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping +forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man--who works better +than some meat people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, +just now unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of Roses. I next +present Polychrome, a sky fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident +and can't find her way home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, +from some unknown earthly paradise called Oklahoma, and with her +you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long tail and a short temper. +<br> +<p>"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of vagabonds you +are, indeed; all lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a +Queen's plundering. I'm sorry I've conquered you."<br> +</p> + +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly. +<br> +<p>"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my officers will +kindly command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after +which we can stop arguing and converse more at our ease."<br> +</p> + +The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed +the dust from their trousers. To them the enemy did not look very +fierce, so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains +gained courage to face them and began strutting in their most +haughty manner. <br> +<p>"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of +Oogaboo, and this is my invincible Army. We are busy conquering +the world, and since you seem to be a part of the world, and are +obstructing our journey, it is necessary for us to conquer you +unworthy though you may be of such high honor."<br> +</p> + +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us as often as you +like. We don't mind." <br> +<p>"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, +positively.<br> +</p> + +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, angrily. "Advance, +Private Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!" <br> +<p>But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating +Polychrome and the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his +head.<br> +</p> + +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted. <br> +<p>"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey orders."<br> +</p> + +"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the +Private. <br> +<p>But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the +prisoners!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the +command, yelling it as loud as they could.<br> +</p> + +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing the Army of +Oogaboo with strong disfavor. The mule now dashed forward and +began backing upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous +heels at them. The attack was so sudden that the officers +scattered like dust in a whirlwind, dropping their swords as they +ran and trying to seek refuge behind the trees and bushes. <br> +<p>Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble +army," and Polychrome danced with glee. But Ann was furious at +this ignoble defeat of her gallant forces by one small mule.<br> +</p> + +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" she cried again, +and then she herself ducked to escape the mule's heels--for Hank +made no distinction in favor of a lady who was an open enemy. +Betsy grabbed her champion by the forelock, however, and so held +him fast, and when the officers saw that the mule was restrained +from further attacks they crept fearfully back and picked up +their discarded swords. <br> +<p>"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the +Queen.<br> +</p> + +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack +which was strapped to his back, "I resign my position as the Army +of Oogaboo. I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but +if you want some one to bind harmless girls you will have to hire +another Private." <br> +<p>Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy +and Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry. +<br> +<p>"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to resign if I want +to."<br> +</p> + +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If you resign it will +break up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world." She now +turned to the officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a +favor. I know it is undignified in officers to fight, but unless +you immediately capture Private Files and force him to obey my +orders there will be no plunder for any of us. Also it is likely +you will all suffer the pangs of hunger, and when we meet a +powerful foe you are liable to be captured and made slaves." <br> +<p>The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers +that they drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood +beside Shaggy, in a truly ferocious manner. The next instant, +however, they halted and again fell upon their knees; for there, +before them, was the glistening Love Magnet, held in the hand of +the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight of this magic talisman at +once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann saw the Love +Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and anger threw herself upon +Shaggy and embraced him lovingly.<br> +</p> + +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet, +Shaggy disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and +quickly hid the talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from +Oogaboo were now his firm friends, and there was no more talk +about conquering and binding any of his party. <br> +<p>"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may +march with me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer +the world, as you have set out to do, you must conquer everyone +under its surface as well as those upon its surface, and no one +in all the world needs conquering so much as Ruggedo."<br> +</p> + +"Who is he?" asked Ann. <br> +<p>"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes."<br> +</p> + +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice. <br> +<p>"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all the metal that lies +underground--gold, silver, copper, brass and tin. He has an idea +he also owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal +was once a part of his kingdom. So, by conquering the Metal +Monarch, you will win all the riches in the world."<br> +</p> + +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would +be plunder worth our while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." +<br> +<p>The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next +to the lovely Princess and whispering in her ear.<br> +</p> + +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. I have plenty of +brave officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to +command. Therefore I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his +wealth." <br> +<p>"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked +Shaggy; but at once every officer began to protest and the Queen +of Oogaboo shook her head as she replied:<br> +</p> + +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a terrible +fighter, and my officers are unable to fight. They are +exceptionally brave in commanding others to fight, but could not +themselves meet the enemy and conquer." <br> +<p>"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, eagerly. "There +are many kinds of bravery and one cannot be expected to possess +them all. I myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes +to fighting, but then my nature revolts. Fighting is unkind and +liable to be injurious to others; so, being a gentleman, I never +fight."<br> +</p> + +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. <br> +<p>"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not Private Files +proved himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have +conquered this Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is +like a bee without a stinger."<br> +</p> + +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files. "I resigned +in a proper manner, not liking the job. But there are plenty of +people to take my place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private +soldier?" <br> +<p>"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, +"for he is mortal, and able to die. If anything happened to him, +it would break my heart."<br> +</p> + +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy. "You must +admit, Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for +it is my brother we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and +my companions would like the assistance of your Army, and if you +help us to conquer Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from +captivity we will allow you to keep all the gold and jewels and +other plunder you may find." <br> +<p>This prospect was so tempting that the officers began +whispering together and presently Colonel Cheese said: "Your +Majesty, by combining our brains we have just evolved a most +brilliant idea. We will make the Clockwork Man the private +soldier!"<br> +</p> + +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond! I can-not +fight, and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw +me in the well." <br> +<p>"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. "But if you +join the Army of Oogaboo you will carry the gun that Mr. Files +used."<br> +</p> + +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested +Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could +nei-ther run nor fight." <br> +<p>"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "TikTok will make an +ideal soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer. +And, since a Private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, +Tik-Tok is the only one of our party fitted to undertake the +job." <br> +<p>"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers command you to do +anything, you must do it; that is all." <br> +<p>"And that's enough, too," said Files.<br> +</p> + +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. <br> +<p>"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen.<br> +</p> + +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder goes to Queen +Ann, the other half is divided among the officers, and the +Private gets the rest." <br> +<p>"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, picking up the +gun and examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen +such a weapon.<br> +</p> + +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said: +"Now we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. +Officers, give the command to march." <br> +<p>"Fall-in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords.<br> +</p> + +"Fall-in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords. <br> +<p>"Fall-in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords.<br> +</p> + +"Fall-in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords. <br> +<p>Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise.<br> +</p> + +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. <br> +<p>"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order."<br> +</p> + +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork +Man. <br> +<p>"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files; +so Tik-Tok held the gun straight and stood still."<br> +</p> + +"What next?" he asked. <br> +<p>The Queen turned to Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's cavern?" <br> +<p>"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply.<br> +</p> + +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. "If we can't get to +Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him." <br> +<p>"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did not say we could +not get to him. We have only to discover the way, and that was +the matter we<br> +</p> + +were considering when you and your magnificent Army arrived +here." <br> +<p>"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen.<br> +</p> + +That was no easy task. They all stood looking from one road to +another in perplexity. The paths radiated from the little +clearing like the rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed +like all the others. <br> +<p>Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good +friends, advanced a little way along one of the roads and found +that it was bordered by pretty wild flowers.<br> +</p> + +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the way?" he said to +his companion. <br> +<p>"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the +question.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must be +second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them +they will tell you." <br> +<p>She looked more closely at the flowers. There were hundreds of +white daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing +by the roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its +slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild roses +scattered here and there and perhaps it was the sight of these +that gave the Princess courage to ask the important question.<br> +</p> + +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both +her arms pleadingly toward them. <br> +<p>"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle +voice, "which way will lead us to the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the +Nome King?"<br> +</p> + +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the right and the flower +heads nodded once-twicethrice in that direction. <br> +<p>"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we know the way."<br> +</p> + +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the +field-flowers, which had now resumed their upright position. <br> +<p>"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked in a low +whisper.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a breath of wind +stirring. But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and +answered your question at once, as I knew they would." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_10">Chapter Nine</h1> + +<br> +<p>Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless<br> +</p> + +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and +wound here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless. But always +it drew nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more +than once that he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern +would be found among these rugged hills. <br> +<p>In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the nearest +mountain was a gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the +walls and roof of which glittered with thousands of magnificent +jewels. Here, on a throne of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome +King, dressed in splendid robes and wearing a superb crown cut +from a single blood-red ruby.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the +Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white +beard, a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his +forehead. One would think, to look at him, that he ought to be +jolly; one might think, considering his enormous wealth, that he +ought to be happy; but this was not the case. The Metal Monarch +was surly and cross because mortals had dug so much treasure out +of the earth and kept it above ground, where all the power of +Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to recover it. He hated not only +the mortals but also the fairies who live upon the earth or above +it, and instead of being content with the riches he still +possessed he was unhappy because he did not own all the gold and +jewels in the world. <br> +<p>Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when +suddenly he sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began +pounding upon a huge gong that stood beside him.<br> +</p> + +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns +beyond, where countless thousands of nomes were working at their +unending tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, +or melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems. +The nomes trembled at the sound of the King's gong and whispered +fearfully to one another that something unpleasant was sure to +happen; but none dared pause in his task, <br> +<p>The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside and +Kaliko, the King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal +presence.<br> +</p> + +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had +just wakened. <br> +<p>"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously. "Those +foolish mortals are up, that's what! And they want to come +down."<br> +</p> + +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Yes!"<br> +</p> + +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again. <br> +<p>"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can always feel it +when those hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom. 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!"<br> +</p> + +"Well, what's to be done?" demanded the nome. <br> +<p>"Look through your spyglass, and see where the invaders are," +commanded the King.<br> +</p> + +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. <br> +<p>"Ho-hum," said he. "I see 'em, Your Majesty."<br> +</p> + +"What do they look like?" inquired the Monarch. <br> +<p>"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--"<br> +</p> + +"Bah! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo. "I'm not afraid of him. +Why, only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a +well." <br> +<p>"Then some one must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko. +"And there's a little girl--"<br> +</p> + +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. <br> +<p>"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several girls, of +various sizes; but Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma."<br> +</p> + +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief. <br> +<p>Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass.<br> +</p> + +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. They are all +officers and carry swords. And there is a Shaggy Man--who seems +very harmless--and a little donkey with big ears." <br> +<p>"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn. "I've no +fear of such a mob as that. A dozen of my nomes can destroy them +all in a jiffy."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The people of Oogaboo +are hard to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. +As for Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter +cannot be injured by a nome." <br> +<p>"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; I have just recognized her." <br> +<p>"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," +declared Ruggedo, scowling fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes +here on a peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody hates +me!"<br> +</p> + +"Very true," said Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my +dominions. Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty." +<br> +<p>"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?"<br> +</p> + +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal Will that we have +some fun with these invaders?" <br> +<p>"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach them a lesson they +will never forget."<br> +</p> + +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had +any of his companions. They noticed that everything around them +was of a dull gray color and that the path upon which they walked +was soft and springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks +and trees were rubber and even the path they trod was made of +rubber. <br> +<p>Presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed +through a deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far +down the mountainside. Across the brook were stepping-stones, so +placed that travelers might easily leap from one to another and +in that manner cross the water to the farther bank.<br> +</p> + +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen +Ann. After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and +Shaggy, and last of all the Rose Princess with Files. The +Clockwork Man saw the stream and the stepping stones and, without +making a pause, placed his foot upon the first stone. <br> +<p>The result was astonishing. First he sank down in the soft +rubber, which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the +air, where he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon +a rubber rock far in the rear of the party.<br> +</p> + +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he +disappeared; therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you +will guess was connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and +instantly shot upward like an arrow. General Cone came next and +met with a like fate, but the others now noticed that something +was wrong and with one accord they halted the column and looked +back along the path. <br> +<p>There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to +another, each time rising a less distance from the ground. And +there was General Apple, bounding away in another direction, his +three-cornered hat jammed over his eyes and his long sword +thumping him upon the arms and head as it swung this way and +that. And there, also, appeared General Cone, who had struck a +rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up that his round +body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a man.<br> +</p> + +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed +her laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann +became angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo +bounding around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them +to stop, but they were unable to obey, even though they would +have been glad to do so. Finally, however, they all ceased +bounding and managed to get upon their feet and rejoin the Army. +<br> +<p>"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly +provoked.<br> +</p> + +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would +ask them why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. +Those stones are rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those +rocks around us are rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. +Even this path is not a path; it's rubber. Unless we are very +careful, your Majesty, we are all likely to get the bounce, just +as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did." <br> +<p>"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of +wisdom; but Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, +so she began dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into +the air, so that she resembled a big butterfly fluttering +lightly. Presently she made a great bound and bounded way across +the stream, landing lightly and steadily on the other side.<br> +</p> + +"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you +all try to bound over the stream, without touching the +stepping-stones." <br> +<p>Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky +adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion +and began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding +almost as high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned +forward and the next bound took her easily across the brook, +where she alighted by the side of the Rainbow's Daughter.<br> +</p> + +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. +He managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across +the stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into +the middle of the water. <br> +<p>"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy +rushed forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely +beside her she was amazed to find he was not wet at all.<br> +</p> + +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the +stream and showing how the water fell from it and left it +perfectly dry. <br> +<p>"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the +water."<br> +</p> + +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the +water was shallow and would not wet them. At once they followed +her advice, avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the +crossing with ease. This encouraged the entire party to wade +through the dry water, and in a few minutes all had assembled on +the bank and renewed their journey along the path that led to the +Nome King's dominions. <br> +<p>When Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he +exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have passed the Rubber +Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your +caverns." <br> +<p>Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his anger was so +great that several times, as he strode up and down his jeweled +cavern, he paused to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so +sensitive that the poor nome howled with pain. Finally the King +said:<br> +</p> + +"There's no help for it; we must drop these audacious invaders +down the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his master +wonderingly.<br> +</p> + +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make +Tititi-Hoochoo very angry. <br> +<p>"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "TititiHoochoo lives on +the other side of the world, so what do I care for his +anger?"<br> +</p> + +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. <br> +<p>"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that +he warned you, the last time you slid people through the Hollow +Tube, that if you did it again he would take vengeance upon +you."<br> +</p> + +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply. +<br> +<p>"Of two dangers," said he, it is wise to choose the least. +What do you suppose these invaders want?"<br> +</p> + +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko. +<br> +<p>"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly.<br> +</p> + +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous +ears, who bowed low before the King. <br> +<p>"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and I wish to know +their errand. Listen carefully to their talk and tell me why they +are coming here, and what for."<br> +</p> + +The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them +gently up and down and back and forth. For half an hour he stood +silent, in an attitude of listening, while both the King and +Kaliko grew impatient at the delay. At last the Long-Eared Hearer +spoke: <br> +<p>"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his brother from +captivity," said he.<br> +</p> + +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, Shaggy Man may have +his ugly brother, for all I care. He's too lazy to work and is +always getting in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" +<br> +<p>"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner you +commanded me to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did. I +suppose he is still there."<br> +</p> + +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal +Forest," said the King, with a grin of malicious delight, "for +half the time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the forest +and made every tree, out of gold and silver, so as to keep the +precious metals in a safe place and out of the reach of mortals. +But tell me, Hearer, do the strangers want anything else?" <br> +<p>"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The Army of Oogaboo +is determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in +your kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to +divide the spoils and carry them away."<br> +</p> + +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began +dancing up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth +together and swinging his arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of +anger he seized the long ears of the Hearer and pulled and +twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko grabbed up the King's sceptre +and rapped him over the knuckles with it, so that Ruggedo let go +the ears and began to chase his Royal Chamberlain around the +throne. <br> +<p>The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip away +from the cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself +out chasing Kaliko he threw himself into his throne and panted +for breath, while he glared wickedly at his defiant subject.<br> +</p> + +"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested +Kaliko. "There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo +gets here." <br> +<p>"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and +panting. "I'll drop 'em down the Hollow Tube--every man Jack and +every girl Jill of 'em!"<br> +</p> + +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn +the path toward the Hollow Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube +invisible, so they'll all fall into it."<br> +</p> + +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought Ruggedo was +making a great mistake, He found the Magician and had the path +twisted so that it led directly to the opening of the Hollow +Tube, and this opening he made invisible. <br> +<p>Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain +went to his private room and began to write letters of +recommendation of himself, stating that he was an honest man a +good servant and a small eater.<br> +</p> + +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for +another job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by +this reckless defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in +seeking a job nothing is so effective as a letter of +recommendation." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_11">Chapter Ten</h1> + +<br> +<p>A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube<br> +</p> + +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army, +might have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief +Magician had they known that danger lay in their pathway; for the +Rainbow's Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is a part of the +Land of Oz its inhabitants cannot easily be deceived by such +common magic as the Nome King could command. But no one suspected +any especial danger until after they had entered Ruggedo's +cavern, and so they were journeying along in quite a contented +manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, suddenly disappeared. +<br> +<p>The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they +kept on their way and all of them likewise disappeared--one after +another. Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening +forward to learn the reason she also vanished from sight.<br> +</p> + +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding +upon the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and +talking to Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly +Hank pitched forward and began falling and Betsy would have +tumbled over his head had she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck +with both arms and held on for dear life. <br> +<p>All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly +downward but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's +hoofs were resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid +with the swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew up and +struck a similar substance overhead. They were, indeed, +descending the "Hollow Tube" that led to the other side of the +world.<br> +</p> + +"Stop, Hank-stop!" cried the girl; but Hank only uttered a +plaintive "Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for him to obey. <br> +<p>After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen +them, Betsy gained courage. She could see nothing at all, nor +could she hear anything except the rush of air past her ears as +they plunged downward along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were +alone, or the others were with them, she could not tell. But had +some one been able to take a flashlight photograph of the Tube at +that time a most curious picture would have resulted. There was +Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding headforemost down the +incline. And there were the Officers of the Army of Oogaboo, all +tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and trying to +shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung back and +forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within their +reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a +sitting position and went flying along with a dash and abandon +that thoroughly bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what +had happened to her. Then, a little distance away, but unseen by +the others in the inky darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while +behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome and finally Files and the +princess.<br> +</p> + +When first they tumbled into the Tube, all were too dazed to +think clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity +led straight through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome +King's dominions, and long before the adventurers got to the end +they had begun to recover their wits. <br> +<p>"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen +Ann heard her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?"<br> +</p> + +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe +when she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a +pause, she added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your +Maj'sty?" <br> +<p>"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not +too far away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, +either."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" said Betsy. <br> +<p>"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," +replied Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had +overtaken him and was now sitting on his head.<br> +</p> + +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was +this joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" +in a mild and sympathetic tone of voice. <br> +<p>"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same," +exclaimed the little girl.<br> +</p> + +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But +isn't this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the +skies, making a journey through the center of the earth--where I +never expected to be!" <br> +<p>"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked +Betsy, her voice trembling a little through nervousness.<br> +</p> + +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I have +often heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician +who was a great traveler. He thought it would save him the bother +of going around the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the +Tube so fast that he shot out at the other end and hit a star in +the sky, which at once exploded." <br> +<p>"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." <br> +<p>"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl.<br> +</p> + +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I don't think it +matters much." <br> +<p>"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the stars when we come +out," said Queen Ann, with a moan.<br> +</p> + +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe the Magician was +going the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are +going." <br> +<p>"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently +removing Polychrome's heel from his left eye. "Couldn't you +manage to fall all by yourself, my dear?"<br> +</p> + +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. <br> +<p>All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and +it was not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you +read their words. But although they were so helpless and +altogether in the dark as to their fate, the fact that they were +able to converse at all cheered them, considerably.<br> +</p> + +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung tightly to one +another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure the +Princess, although he was terribly frightened, both on her +account and on his own. <br> +<p>An hour, under such trying circumstances, is a very long time, +and for more than an hour they continued their fearful journey. +Then, just as they began to fear the Tube would never end, +Tik-Tok popped out into broad daylight and, after making a +graceful circle in the air, fell with a splash into a great +marble fountain.<br> +</p> + +Out came the officers, in quick succession, tumbling heels over +head and striking the ground in many undignified attitudes. <br> +<p>"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who +was hoeing pink violets in a garden. "What can all this +mean?"<br> +</p> + +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride +through the air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on +top of the Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over +his eyes and tumbling him to the ground. <br> +<p>The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he +did not go so high up. Fortunately for his little rider he struck +the ground upon his four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not +hurt and when she looked around her she saw the Queen and the +Peculiar Person struggling together upon the ground, where the +man was trying to choke Ann and she had both hands in his bushy +hair and was pulling with all her might. Some of the officers, +when they got upon their feet, hastened to separate the +combatants and sought to restrain the Peculiar Person so that he +could not attack their Queen again.<br> +</p> + +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived +and were curiously examining the strange country in which they +found themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the +opposite side of the world from the place where they had fallen +into the Tube. It was a lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be +the garden of some great Prince, for through the vistas of trees +and shrubbery could be seen the towers of an immense castle. But +as yet the only inhabitant to greet them was the Peculiar Person +just mentioned, who had shaken off the grasp of the officers +without effort and was now trying to pull the battered crown from +off his eyes. <br> +<p>Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this and when +the man was free and could see again he looked at his visitors +with evident amazement.<br> +</p> + +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from and +how did you get here?" <br> +<p>Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and +silent.<br> +</p> + +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, cause I don't know the +name of the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was +through the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the +Peculiar Person in an irritated tone of voice. "If~it's a tube, +it's sure to be hollow."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"Because all tubes are made that way. But this Tube is private +property and everyone is forbidden to fall into it."<br> +</p> + +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome +added: "I am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us +down that Tube." <br> +<p>"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming +much excited.<br> +</p> + +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is +right. We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly +we fell into the Tube." <br> +<p>"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the peculiar +Person.<br> +</p> + +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the +question, "'cause we don't know him at all; "but we started out +to conquer him, which isn't as friendly as it might be." <br> +<p>"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully from one to +another of them for a while and then he turned his head over his +shoulder and said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good +brothers. It will be best to take these strangers to the Private +Citizen."<br> +</p> + +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that +seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible. +<br> +<p>All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even Polychrome was so +startled that her gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a +breeze. Shaggy shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked very +unhappy; the officers clung to each other, trembling +violently.<br> +</p> + +But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar +Person. As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this +extraordinary land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell +you what he looked like. <br> +<p>His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. His eyes were +large and blue in color and his teeth finely formed and white as +snow. His hair was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at +the ends. So far no one could find any fault with his appearance. +He wore a robe of scarlet, which did not cover his arms and +extended no lower than his bare knees. On the bosom of the robe +was embroidered a terrible dragon's head, as horrible to look at +as the man was beautiful. His arms and legs were left bare and +the skin of one arm was bright yellow and the skin of the other +arm a vivid green. He had one blue leg and one pink one, while +both his feet--which showed through the open sandals he +wore--were jet black.<br> +</p> + +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or +the natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over +the man who had been called "Tubekins" said: <br> +<p>"Follow me to the Residence--all of you!"<br> +</p> + +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them, +Tubekins, lying in the water of the fountain." <br> +<p>"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, and he'll +drown."<br> +</p> + +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyway," agreed Shaggy, +as with one accord they all started for the fountain. But before +they could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the +marble basin and set him upon his feet beside it, water dripping +from every joint of his copper body. <br> +<p>"Ma-ny tha-tha-tha-thanks!" he said; and then his copper jaws +clicked together and he could say no more. He next made an +attempt to walk but after several awkward trials found he could +not move his joints.<br> +</p> + +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's +failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very +uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around +them who were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. <br> +<p>"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very sorry for +Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs oiling," replied +Shaggy. <br> +<p>At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with +his eyes by some unseen hand. Shaggy took the can and tried to +oil Tik-Tok's joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of +warm air was directed against the copper man which quickly dried +him. Soon he was able to say "Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and +his joints worked fairly well.<br> +</p> + +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he +walked up the path toward the castle. <br> +<p>"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but just then she +received a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head; so +she decided to go. The officers who hesitated received several +energetic kicks, but could not see who delivered them; therefore +they also decided--very wisely--to go. The others followed +willingly enough, for unless they ventured upon another terrible +journey through the Tube they must make the best of the unknown +country they were in, and the best seemed to be to obey +orders.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_12">Chapter Eleven</h1> + +<br> +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies <br> +<p>After a short walk through very beautiful gardens they came to +the castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a +great domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated.<br> +</p> + +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought this man must be +the King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all +the strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle +before a high throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant +throne and in a flash became invisible and disappeared. <br> +<p>The hall was an immense place, but there seemed to be no one +in it beside themselves. Presently, however, they heard a low +cough near them, and here and there was the faint rustling of a +robe and a slight patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly there +rang out the clear tone of a bell and at the sound all was +changed.<br> +</p> + +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw that it was +filled with hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces +and staring blue eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled +crowns upon their heads. In fact, these people seemed exact +duplicates of Tubekins and it was difficult to find any mark by +which to tell them apart. <br> +<p>"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to +Polychrome, who sat beside her and appeared much interested in +the scene but not a bit worried.<br> +</p> + +"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply; "but I +cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any +one country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was +Master." <br> +<p>One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark +turned to her and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a +King, if only to himself. In this favored land all Kings and +Queens are equal, and it is our privilege to bow before one +supreme Ruler--the Private Citizen."<br> +</p> + +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang +out and instantly there appeared seated in the throne the man who +was lord and master of all these royal ones. This fact was +evident when with one accord they fell upon their knees and +touched their foreheads to the floor.<br> +</p> + +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, except that his +eyes were black instead of blue and in the centers of the black +irises glowed red sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his +features were very beautiful and dignified and his manner +composed and stately. Instead of the prevalent scarlet robe, he +wore one of white, and the same dragon's head that decorated the +others was embroidered upon its bosom. <br> +<p>"What charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in +quiet, even tones.<br> +</p> + +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the +reply. <br> +<p>"You see, it was this way," said. Betsy. "We were marching to +the Nome King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when +on a sudden--"<br> +</p> + +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly. <br> +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--"<br> +</p> + +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--"<br> +</p> + +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the leader?" <br> +<p>No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn stood up.<br> +</p> + +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see that sixteen of you +are merely officers, and of no account." <br> +<p>"But we have an Army," said General Clock, blusteringly, for +he didn't like to be told he was of no account.<br> +</p> + +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty. +"I'm the on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty."<br> +</p> + +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the +Clockwork Man. <br> +<p>"Pardon me for not realizing your importance before," said he. +"Will you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?"<br> +</p> + +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and +Queens making way for him. Then with clanking steps he mounted +the platform and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen. <br> +<p>Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the +humble Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old +friend's importance had been recognized by the ruler of this +remarkable country. The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, +who told in his mechanical voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost +brother, and how Ozma of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist +him, and how they had fallen in with Queen Ann and her people +from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy and Hank and Polychrome and +the Rose Princess had happened to join their party.<br> +</p> + +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King +of the Nomes?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's +reply. "But he was too cle-ver for us. When we got close to his +cav-ern he made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing +invis-i-ble, so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was +there. It was an eas-y way to get rid of us and now Rug-gedo is +safe and we are far away in a strange land."<br> +</p> + +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking. Then +he said: <br> +<p>"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the +laws of our country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube +must be tortured for nine days and ten nights and then thrown +back into the Tube. But it is wise to disregard laws when they +conflict with justice, and it seems that you and your followers +did not disobey our laws willingly, being forced into the Tube by +Ruggedo. Therefore the Nome King is alone to blame, and he alone +must be punished."<br> +</p> + +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther +side of the world where he is a-way out of your reach." <br> +<p>The Citizen drew himself up proudly.<br> +</p> + +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of +the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"I am." <br> +<p>"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?"<br> +</p> + +"It is." <br> +<p>Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so +disturbed that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the +perspiration from his brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy +for the first time, while Files put his arms around the Rose +Princess as if to protect her. As for the officers, the name of +the great Jinjin set them moaning and weeping at a great rate and +every one fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for +mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions so disturbed, +but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved +at the discovery.<br> +</p> + +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think +Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will +hap-pen to the King of the Nomes." <br> +<p>"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy.<br> +</p> + +The Private Citizen--otherwise known as TititiHoochoo, the Great +Jinjin--looked at the little girl steadily. <br> +<p>"I will presently decide what is to happen to Ruggedo," said +he in a hard, stern voice. Then, turning to the throng of Kings +and Queens, he continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his +machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it allow his +thoughts to think falsely. Therefore these people are not our +enemies and must be treated with consideration and justice. Take +them to your palaces and entertain them as guests until +to-morrow, when I command that they be brought again to my +Residence. By then I shall have formed my plans."<br> +</p> + +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from +sight. Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise +disappeared. But several of them remained visible and approached +the strangers with great respect. One of the lovely Queens said +to Betsy: <br> +<p>"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I am Erma, Queen +of Light."<br> +</p> + +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. <br> +<p>"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply. +"But do not fear for him, for he will be treated royally. All of +your party will be reunited on the morrow."<br> +</p> + +"I--I'd like to have some one with me," said Betsy, pleadingly. +<br> +<p>Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome.<br> +</p> + +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she +asked. <br> +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl.<br> +</p> + +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the Queen of Light, +while other beautiful Kings and Queens took charge of the others +of the party. <br> +<p>The two girls followed Erma out of the hall and through the +gardens of the Residence to a village of pretty dwellings. None +of these was so large or imposing as the castle of the Private +Citizen, but all were handsome enough to be called palaces--as, +in fact, they really were.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_13">Chapter Twelve</h1> + +<br> +The Lovely Lady of Light <br> +<p>The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence +and was a mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal +dome. When they entered the portals Erma was greeted by six +lovely maidens, evidently of high degree, who at once aroused +Betsy's admiration. Each bore a wand in her hand, tipped with an +emblem of light, and their costumes were also emblematic of the +lights they represented. Erma introduced them to her guests and +each made a graceful and courteous acknowledgment.<br> +</p> + +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second +was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next +came Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and +shy. These three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery +white. The fourth was Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing +eyes and frank manners, who wore a variety of colors. Then came +Firelight, clothed in a fleecy flame-colored robe that wavered +around her shapely form in a very attractive manner. The sixth +maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of all, and Betsy thought +from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight regarded Electra +with envy and were a little jealous of her. <br> +<p>But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and +seemed to regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they +fluttered around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the +way to her regal drawing-room.<br> +</p> + +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery +being of many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed +resting themselves upon the downy divans after their strenuous +adventures of the day. <br> +<p>The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that +Daylight was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others +had retired to another part of the room, where they sat modestly +with entwined arms and did not intrude themselves at all.<br> +</p> + +The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which +is one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the +needs of mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to +avoid rivalry, they had elected as their Ruler the only important +personage in the country who had no duties to mankind to perform +and was, in effect, a Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as +was his title, bore the name of TititiHoochoo, and the most +singular thing about him was that he had no heart. But instead of +this he possessed a high degree of Reason and Justice and while +he showed no mercy in his judgments he never punished unjustly or +without reason. To wrongdoers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as +he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing +to fear from him. <br> +<p>All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to +Jinjin, for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were +willing to obey the one in authority over them.<br> +</p> + +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this +fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the +faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was +the first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy +the story was all new, and she was greatly interested in +Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer feared. <br> +<p>Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed +that Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of +Daylight.<br> +</p> + +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a +dragon's head embroidered on your gowns?" <br> +<p>Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:<br> +</p> + +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever +made; therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living +things. By good fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is +a resident of this land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we +are in need of it. He is old as the world and remembers +everything that has happened since the world was created." <br> +<p>"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, +not understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside +in this country. None, however, is as wise as the Original +Dragon, for whom we have great respect. As he was the first +resident here, we wear the emblem of the dragon's head to show +that we are the favored people who alone have the right to +inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost equals the +Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it. <br> +<p>"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding +her lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at +present interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight +had given way to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right +hand of Erma the Queen, and with her coming a spirit of peace and +content seemed to fill the room. Polychrome, being herself a +fairy, had many questions to ask about the various Kings and +Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded place, and before +Erma had finished answering them a rosy glow filled the room and +Firelight took her place beside the Queen.<br> +</p> + +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing +features made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to +nod. There-upon Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her +own. <br> +<p>"Come," said she, "the feast time has arrived and the feast is +spread."<br> +</p> + +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of +it, I'm awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." +<br> +<p>The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside +a heavy drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy +saw before her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with +snowy linen and crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, +throne-like seat for Erma and beside her now sat the brilliant +maid Electra. Polychrome was placed on the Queen's right hand and +Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers of light now +waited upon them, and each person was supplied with just the food +she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh +and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served that she +decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half so +good.<br> +</p> + +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the +youngest of all these girls." <br> +<p>"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.<br> +</p> + +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. +Edison discover it?" <br> +<p>"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the +Queen. "But electricity was a part of the world from its +creation, and therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or +Moonlight, and equally beneficent to mortals and fairies +alike."<br> +</p> + +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked +at the six messengers of light: <br> +<p>"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"<br> +</p> + +Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure, she replied, "and I +think mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight +cannot take the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and +energy. Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn out with her +long watch, retires to rest. If the moon in its course is hidden +behind the earth's rim, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, +Starlight takes her place, for the skies always lend her power. +Without Firelight we should miss much of our warmth and comfort, +as well as much cheer when the walls of houses encompass us. But +always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious Electra is +ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I love all +my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true." <br> +<p>"I love 'em too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm +real sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."<br> +</p> + +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended. +<br> +<p>"A little," admitted the girl.<br> +</p> + +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, +white bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put +on a shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then +the light-maid bade her good night and opened the door. <br> +<p>When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six +winks the little girl was fast asleep.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_14">Chapter Thirteen</h1> + +<br> +The Jinjin's Just Judgment <br> +<p>All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were +brought from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo +and ushered into the great Hall of State.<br> +</p> + +As before, no one was visible except our friends and their +escorts until the first bell sounded. Then in a flash the room +was seen to be filled with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the +land. The second bell marked the appearance in the throne of the +mighty Jinjin, whose handsome countenance was as composed and +expressionless as ever. <br> +<p>All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly murmured: "We +greet the Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law +and whose Law is just."<br> +</p> + +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. Then, looking around the +brilliant assemblage, and at the little group of adventurers +before him, he said: <br> +<p>"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of other lands +than ours, who are different from ourselves in many ways, have +been thrust upon us through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our +people foolishly made years ago and was properly punished for his +folly. But these strangers had no desire to come here and were +wickedly thrust into the Tube by a cruel King on the other side +of the world, named Ruggedo. This King is an immortal, but he is +not good. His magic powers hurt mankind more than they benefit +them. Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's brother a +prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting of both +mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to +punish him. Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King +misled them so that they fell into the Tube.<br> +</p> + +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that +if ever he used this Forbidden Tube in any way he would be +severely punished. I find, by referring to the Fairy Records, +that this King's servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his master +not to do such a wrong act as to drop these people into the Tube +and send them tumbling into our country. But Ruggedo defied me +and my orders. <br> +<p>"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any wrong. It is +only Ruggedo who deserves punishment, and I will punish him." He +paused a moment and then continued in the same cold, merciless +voice:<br> +</p> + +"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side +of the world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant +than it was before. Also I shall send with them an Instrument of +Vengeance, who in my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground +caverns, take away his magic powers and make him a homeless +wanderer on the face of the earth--a place he detests." <br> +<p>There was a little murmur of horror from the Kings and Queens +at the severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a protest, +for all realized that the sentence was just.<br> +</p> + +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on +Tititi-Hoochoo, "I have realized that this will be an unpleasant +mission. Therefore no one of us who is blameless should be forced +to undertake it. In this wonderful land it is seldom one is +guilty of wrong, even in the slightest degree, and on examining +the Records I found no King or Queen had erred. Nor had any among +their followers or servants done any wrong. But finally I came to +the Dragon Family, which we highly respect, and then it was that +I discovered the error of Quox. <br> +<p>"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who has not yet +acquired the wisdom of his race. Because of this lack, he has +been disrespectful toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original +Dragon, telling him once to mind his own business and again +saying that the Ancient One had grown foolish with age. We are +aware that dragons are not the same as fairies and cannot be +altogether guided by our laws, yet such disrespect as Quox has +shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore I have selected +Quox as my royal Instrument of Vengeance and he shall go through +the Tube with these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed."<br> +</p> + +All had listened quietly to this speech and now the Kings and +Queens bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's +judgment. <br> +<p>Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins.<br> +</p> + +"I command you," said he, "to escort these strangers to the Tube +and see that they all enter it." <br> +<p>The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and +brought them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. +As he did so, the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly +disappeared and only Tubekins remained visible.<br> +</p> + +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't mind going back so +very much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it easy for us." +<br> +<p>Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who +looked solemn and seemed to fear the return journey. One thing +that bothered Ann was her failure to conquer this land of +TititiHoochoo. As they followed their guide through the gardens +to the mouth of the Tube she said to Shaggy:<br> +</p> + +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away and leave this rich +country unconquered?" <br> +<p>"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, please, for if you +don't know I can't inform you."<br> +</p> + +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no attention to the +question. <br> +<p>This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around it was a gold +railing to which was attached a sign that read.<br> +</p> + +"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." <br> +<p>On a little silver plate just inside the Tube was engraved the +words:<br> +</p> + +"Burrowed and built by Hiergargo the Magician, In the Year of the +World 1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 For his own exclusive uses." <br> +<p>"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy, when she +had read the inscription; "but if he had known about that star I +guess he'd have spent his time playing solitaire."<br> +</p> + +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was +impatient to start. <br> +<p>"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear him coming."<br> +</p> + +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a +live dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one. <br> +<p>"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. "You'll see him in +a minute; but before you part company I'm sure you'll wish he was +invisible."<br> +</p> + +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. <br> +<p>"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, +"and I prefer his room to his company.<br> +</p> + +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, drawing nearer and +nearer until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, +who approached the party, nodded his head and said: "Good +morning." <br> +<p>Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would have felt +uncomfortable at the astonished stare of every eye in the +group--except Tubekins, of course, who was not astonished because +he had seen Quox so often.<br> +</p> + +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet +here was one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full +grown, if not overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color +and it was thickly set with glittering silver scales, each one as +big as a serving-tray. Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a +bow just under his left ear, and below the ribbon appeared a +chain of pearls to which was attached a golden locket about as +large around as the end of a bass drum. This locket was set with +many large and beautiful jewels. <br> +<p>The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly, when you +consider that he was a dragon; but his eyes were so large that it +took him a long time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and +terrible when they showed, which they did whenever the beast +smiled. Also his nostrils were quite large and wide, and those +who stood near him were liable to smell brimstone--especially +when he breathed out fire, as it is the nature of dragons to do. +To the end of his long tail was attached a big electric +light.<br> +</p> + +Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's appearance at +this time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached to his +back, one seat for each member of the party. These seats were +double, with curved backs, so that two could sit in them, and +there were twelve of these double seats, all strapped firmly +around the dragon's thick body and placed one behind the other, +in a row that extended from his shoulders nearly to his tail. +<br> +<p>"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that TititiHoochoo has +transformed Quox into a carryall."<br> +</p> + +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. Dragon, you won't +mind our riding on your back." <br> +<p>"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just now, you +know, and the only way to redeem my good name is to obey the +orders of the Jinjin. If he makes me a beast of burden, it is +only a part of my punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon. I +don't blame you people at all, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride. +Hop on, please. All aboard for the other side of the world!"<br> +</p> + +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the front seat with +Betsy, so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's +head. Behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the +Princess, and Queen Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the +rear seats. When all had mounted to their places the dragon +looked very like one of those sightseeing wagons so common in big +cities-only he had legs instead of wheels. <br> +<p>"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he +crawled to the mouth of the Tube and put his head in.<br> +</p> + +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one +thought to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great +body into the Tube and the journey to the other side of the world +had begun. <br> +<p>At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch +their breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort +of cackling laugh:<br> +</p> + +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy +and fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to +the other side of the world?" <br> +<p>"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired +Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I +was born." <br> +<p>"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. +If I had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated +my three thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother +was going to make me a birthday cake with three thousand and +fifty-six candles on it; but now, of course, there will be no +celebration, for I fear I shall not get home in time for it." +<br> +<p>"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had +no idea anything could live that long!"<br> +</p> + +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if +I had not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with +him," said Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and +insists on telling us stories of things that happened fifty +thousand years ago, which are of no interest at all to youngsters +like me. In fact, Grandpa isn't up to date. He lives altogether +in the past, so I can't see any good reason for his being alive +to-day.... Are you people able to see your way, or shall I turn +on more light?" <br> +<p>"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing +to see but ourselves," answered Betsy.<br> +</p> + +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an +automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he +curled his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of +it enabled them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube +itself was only dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same +from one of its ends to the other. Therefore there was no scenery +of interest to beguile the journey. <br> +<p>They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving +entirely comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but +this meant a longer journey and the only way they could make time +pass was to engage in conversation. The dragon seemed a willing +and persistent talker and he was of so much interest to them that +they encouraged him to chatter. His voice was a little gruff but +not unpleasant when one became used to it.<br> +</p> + +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this constant sliding +over the surface of the Tube will dull my claws. You see, this +hole isn't straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of +tumbling freely through the air I must skate along the Tube. +Fortunately, there is a file in my toolkit, and if my claws get +dull they can be sharpened again." <br> +<p>"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have +been sent to conquer Ruggedo." <br> +<p>"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann, in her +most haughty manner; "for when we get to Ruggedo I and my +invincible Army can conquer him without your assistance."<br> +</p> + +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. "That will save me +a lot of bother--if you succeed. But I think I shall file my +claws, just the same." <br> +<p>He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a sheet of flame, +several feet in length, shot from his mouth. Betsy shuddered and +Hank said "Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in +terror. But the dragon did not notice that he had done anything +unusual.<br> +</p> + +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a dragon would I be +if my fire went out?"<br> +</p> + +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. <br> +<p>"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said Quox. "The fire +keeps me alive and enables me to move; also to think and +speak."<br> +</p> + +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said Tik-Tok. "The on-ly +dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by +fire." <br> +<p>"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must +confess," retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are not a live thing; +you're a dummy."<br> +</p> + +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok. <br> +<p>"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon. "But if you +run down, you are helpless."<br> +</p> + +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?" +inquired Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend. +<br> +<p>"I don't use gasoline."<br> +</p> + +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." <br> +<p>"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox. "My +great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, +and he has never once run out of fire to keep him going. But I +will confide to you that as he gets older he shows more smoke and +less fire. As for Tik-Tok, he's well enough in his way, but he's +merely copper. And the Metal Monarch knows copper through and +through. I wouldn't be surprised if Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one +of his furnaces and made copper pennies of him."<br> +</p> + +"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok, +calmly. <br> +<p>"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully.<br> +</p> + +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with irritation. "Tik-Tok +is my great Army--all but the officers--and I believe he will be +able to conquer Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, +Polychrome?" <br> +<p>"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daughter, with +her sweet ringing laugh, that sounded like the tinkling of tiny +bells. "And if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big +firebreathing dragon to fall back on."<br> +</p> + +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his +mouth and nostrils; "it's a wise little girl, this Polychrome. +Anyone would know she is a fairy." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_15">Chapter Fourteen</h1> + +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening <br> +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the +Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled +cavern. It was hard work for Ruggedo to find amusement to day, +for all the nomes were behaving well and there was no one to +scold or to punish. The King had thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six +times, without hitting him once. Not that Kaliko had done +anything wrong. On the contrary, he had obeyed the King in every +way but one: he would not stand still, when commanded to do so, +and let the heavy sceptre strike him. <br> +<p>We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel +Ruggedo forgave him; for he knew very well that if he mashed his +Royal Chamberlain he could never find another so intelligent and +obedient. Kaliko could make the nomes work when their King could +not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo and there were so many thousands +of the quaint little underground people that they could easily +have rebelled and defied the King had they dared to do so. +Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them worse than usual, they grew +sullen and threw down their hammers and picks. Then, however hard +the King scolded or whipped them, they would not work until +Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko was one of themselves +and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series +of caverns.<br> +</p> + +But today all the little people were working industriously at +their tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. +He sent for the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen +carefully and report what was going on in the big world. <br> +<p>"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that +the women in America have clubs."<br> +</p> + +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning. <br> +<p>"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply.<br> +</p> + +"Then their clubs are not as, good as my sceptre. What else do +you hear?' <br> +<p>"There's a war.<br> +</p> + +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" <br> +<p>For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and +spreading out his big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then +suddenly he said:<br> +</p> + +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are +arguing as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his +treasure and drive him from his dominions." <br> +<p>"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his +throne.<br> +</p> + +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>"Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer. +<br> +<p>Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down +the cavern.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused. <br> +<p>"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside +down, they would be falling the other way, Your Majesty."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the +Tube upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun +at him. Presently he asked: <br> +<p>"How far away are those people now?"<br> +</p> + +"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen +furlongs, eight feet and four inches--as nearly as I can judge +from the sound of their voices," replied the Hearer. <br> +<p>"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said +Ruggedo, "and when they get here I shall be ready to receive +them.<br> +</p> + +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko +came bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, +for he was just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling +lake of the Underground Kingdom. <br> +<p>"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming +back again!" he exclaimed.<br> +</p> + +"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on +the other shoe. "TititiHoo-choo would not allow them to remain in +his kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for +some time. That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug." <br> +<p>"What, to throw them down the Tube?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into +the Tube." <br> +<p>"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo +scornfully. "He never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the +other side of the world."<br> +</p> + +"True; but he might send some one through the Tube to punish +you," suggested Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my thousands of +nomes?"<br> +</p> + +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright," +answered Kaliko with a grin. "Once I saw you running from a +little girl named Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really +afraid." <br> +<p>"Well, I was afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King, with +a deep sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!"<br> +</p> + +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered, +and so did the Long-Eared Hearer; for eggs are the only things +that the nomes greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs +belong on the earth's surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts +live, and there is something about a hen's egg, especially, that +fills a nome with horror. If by chance the inside of an egg +touches one of these underground people, he withers up and blows +away and that is the end of him--unless he manages quickly to +speak a magical word which only a few of the nomes know. +Therefore Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to +shudder at the mere mention of eggs. <br> +<p>"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of +invaders; nor is the Yellow Hen. As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no +means of knowing that we are afraid of eggs."<br> +</p> + +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him. +"Tititi-Hoochoo knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his +powers are far superior to any we can boast." <br> +<p>Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer.<br> +</p> + +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming +through the Tube." <br> +<p>The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head. But +Kaliko laughed at the King.<br> +</p> + +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he. "The only way to +discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass." <br> +<p>"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I think of it before? +Look at once, Kaliko!"<br> +</p> + +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he +caused the other end of it to twist around, so that it pointed +down the opening of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass +and was able to gaze along all the turns and windings of the +Magic Spyglass and then deep into the Tube, to where our friends +were at that time falling. <br> +<p>"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon."<br> +</p> + +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"A monster. He has an electric light on the end of his tail, +so I can see him very plainly. And the other people are all +riding upon his back."<br> +</p> + +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. <br> +<p>Kaliko looked again.<br> +</p> + +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I imagine that the +dragon is as dangerous as eggs. Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent +him here to punish you for dropping those strangers into the +Forbidden Tube. I warned you not to do it, Your Majesty." <br> +<p>This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few minutes he +paced up and down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all +his might. After this he turned to Kaliko and said:<br> +</p> + +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with his claws and +bite with his teeth." <br> +<p>"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko +earnestly. "On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon, because +he's the toughest creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could +smash a hundred nomes to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he +could tear even you or me into small bits, so that it would be +almost impossible to put us together again. Once, a few hundred +years ago, while wandering through some deserted caverns, I came +upon a small piece of a nome lying on the rocky floor. I asked +the piece of nome what had happened to it. Fortunately the mouth +was a part of this piece--the mouth and the left eye--so it was +able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the cause. It had +attacked the poor nome and scattered him in every direction, and +as there was no friend near to collect his pieces and put him +together, they had been separated for a great many years. So you +see, Your Majesty, it is not in good taste to sneer at a +dragon."<br> +</p> + +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. Said he: <br> +<p>"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon which +Tititi-Hoochoo has sent here, in order to prevent his reaching us +with his claws and teeth."<br> +</p> + +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. <br> +<p>"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo.<br> +</p> + +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" <br> +<p>"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I could defeat +them single-handed; but I won't try to. I'll summon my army of +nomes to drive the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch +any of them I intend to stick needles into them until they hop +with pain.<br> +</p> + +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch. "And that +braying Mule I'll make into hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, +that it may add to their strength."<br> +</p> + +"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the +Shaggy Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Never!"<br> +</p> + +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you don't want the Ugly +One." <br> +<p>"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't allow anybody to +order me around. I'm King of the Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, +and I shall do as I please and what I please and when I +please!"<br> +</p> + +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head, +aiming it so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat +upon the floor in order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see +the sceptre coming and it swept past his head so closely that it +broke off the tip of one of his long ears. He gave a dreadful +yell that quite startled Ruggedo, and the King was sorry for the +accident because those long ears of the Hearer were really +valuable to him. <br> +<p>So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered +his Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and +have them properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of +the Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon as they +appeared.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_16">Chapter Fifteen</h1> + +<br> +The Dragon Defies Danger <br> +<p>Although the journey through the Tube was longer, this time, +than before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our +friends minded it at all. They talked together most of the time +and as they found the dragon good-natured and fond of the sound +of his own voice they soon became well acquainted with him and +accepted him as a companion.<br> +</p> + +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox is on our side, +and therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be +an enemy, instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him +very much, for his breath smells of brimstone, he is very +conceited and he is so strong and fierce that he would prove a +dangerous foe." <br> +<p>"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech +with pleasure; "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living +thing. I am glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my +good qualities. As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really +can't help it, and I once met a man whose breath smelled of +onions, which I consider far worse."<br> +</p> + +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. <br> +<p>"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us +quarrel over one another's peculiarities."<br> +</p> + +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty +feet from his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she +remembered about the onions and said nothing. <br> +<p>They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of +the earth, nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the +little girl remarked:<br> +</p> + +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole. And isn't it +funny, Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top +when we fell the other way?" <br> +<p>"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall +both ways.<br> +</p> + +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is because the world is round." <br> +<p>"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in +fine working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such +a thing as the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything +toward the center of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, +and why everything clings to the surface of the earth."<br> +</p> + +"Then why doesn't everyone go on down to the center of the +earth?" inquired the little girl. <br> +<p>"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy +in a sad tone. "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so +solid that other solid things can't get through it. But when +there's a hole, as there is in this case, we drop right down to +the center of the world."<br> +</p> + +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry +us right up to the other end."<br> +</p> + +"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to +figure it out," she said after some thought. "One thing draws us +to the center and another thing pushes us away from it. But--" +<br> +<p>"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "If +you can't understand it, let it go at that."<br> +</p> + +"Do you understand it?" she inquired. <br> +<p>"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely. "There's +lots of magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the +United States, where you and I once lived, as you can here."<br> +</p> + +"I never did," she replied. <br> +<p>"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it +was magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow +and blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? +The cows that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully +as remarkable as that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps +you've noticed that--"<br> +</p> + +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light +of day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely +enveloped them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the +metal Tube, for he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more +and sailed so far away from the slanting hole that when he landed +it was on the peak of a mountain and just over the entrance to +the many underground caverns of the Nome King. <br> +<p>Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck +the ground, hut most of the dragon's passengers only felt a +slight jar. All were glad to be on solid earth again and they at +once dismounted and began to look about them. Queerly enough, as +soon as they had left the dragon, the seats that were strapped to +the monster's back disappeared, and this probably happened +because there was no further use for them and because Quox looked +far more dignified in just his silver scales. Of course he still +wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as well as the +great locket, but these only made him look "dressed up," as Betsy +remarked.<br> +</p> + +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of +the Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as +soon as they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes +assembled, and they were led by Guph, their most famous General. +But they did not expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot +out of the Tube so suddenly that it took them by surprise. When +the nomes had rubbed the astonishment out of their eyes and +regained their wits, they discovered the dragon quietly seated on +the mountainside far above their heads, while the other strangers +were standing in a group and calmly looking down upon them. <br> +<p>General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's +fault but his own.<br> +</p> + +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at +them. <br> +<p>"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, +who was winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he +could fight more briskly.<br> +</p> + +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he +turned and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed +with sharp spears and with one accord they raised these spears +and threw them straight at their foes, so that they rushed +through the air in a perfect cloud of flying weapons. <br> +<p>Some damage might have been done had not the dragon quickly +crawled before the others, his body being so big that it shielded +every one of them, including Hank. The spears rattled against the +silver scales of Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground. +They were magic spears, of course, and all straightway bounded +back into the hands of those who had thrown them, but even Guph +could see that it was useless to repeat the attack.<br> +</p> + +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled +"For-ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains +repeated the command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which +seemed to be composed mainly of TikTok, marched forward in single +column toward the nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and +Hank gave a loud "Hee-haw!" and Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and +Queen Ann screamed: "At 'em, Tik-Tok-at 'em!" <br> +<p>The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack but in a +twinkling disappeared into the underground caverns. They made a +great mistake in being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a +dozen steps before he stubbed his copper toe on a rock and fell +flat to the ground, where he cried: "Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick +me up!" until Shaggy and Files ran forward and raised him to his +feet again.<br> +</p> + +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he scratched his left +ear with his hind claw, but no one was paying much attention to +Quox just then. <br> +<p>It was evident to Ann and her officers that there could be no +fighting unless the enemy was present, and in order to find the +enemy they must boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the +nomes. So bold a step demanded a council of war.<br> +</p> + +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the +orders of the Jinjin?" asked Quox. <br> +<p>"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have already put the +army of nomes to flight and all that yet remains is to force our +way into those caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his +people.'<br> +</p> + +"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing +his eyes sleepily. "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here +for you. Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one who lives +thousands of years the delay of a few days means nothing at all, +and I shall probably sleep until the time comes for me to act. +<br> +<p>Ann was provoked at this speech.<br> +</p> + +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for +the Nome King is as good as conquered already." <br> +<p>But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_17">Chapter Sixteen</h1> + +<br> +The Naughty Nome <br> +<p>Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between +Queen Ann and Quox, for the simple reason that he did not +consider the matter worth an argument. Safe within his pocket +reposed the Love Magnet, which had never failed to win every +heart. The nomes, he knew, were not like the heartless Roses and +therefore could be won to his side as soon as he exhibited the +magic talisman.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom and +now that the entrance lay before him he was confident he would be +able to rescue his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon quarrel +as to who should conquer the nomes, if they liked; Shaggy would +let them try, and if they failed he had the means of conquest in +his own pocket. <br> +<p>But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she thought her +Army could do anything. So she called the officers together and +told them how to act, and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do +and what to say.<br> +</p> + +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she +added, "for I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any +blood--unless it is absolutely necessary." <br> +<p>"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not think Rug-ge-do +would bleed if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der +press."<br> +</p> + +Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and +then the four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains. +They drew their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, +which he did. Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough +rocks, but when he struck the smooth path he got along better. +Into the gloomy mouth of the cavern entrance he stepped without +hesitation, and after him proudly pranced the officers and Queen +Ann. The others held back a little, waiting to see what would +happen. <br> +<p>Of course the Nome King knew they were coming and was prepared +to receive them. Just within the rocky passage that led to the +jeweled throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually covered. +Ruggedo had ordered the cover removed and it now stood open, +scarcely visible in the gloom.<br> +</p> + +The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage and +there was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close +to the rock walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the +pit clearly and he avoided it; but the officers marched straight +into the hole and tumbled in a heap on the bottom. An instant +later Queen Ann also walked into the pit, for she had her chin in +the air and was careless where she placed her feet. Then one of +the nomes pulled a lever which replaced the cover on the pit and +made the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen fast prisoners. <br> +<p>As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the cavern where +Ruggedo sat in his throne and there he faced the Nome King and +said:<br> +</p> + +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of +Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I declare that you are her +pris-on-er!" <br> +<p>Ruggedo laughed at him.<br> +</p> + +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. <br> +<p>"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. "Per-haps she +stopped to tie her shoe-string."<br> +</p> + +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, in a stern voice, +"I've had enough of this nonsense. Your Queen and her officers +are all prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll +tell me what you mean to do." <br> +<p>"My orders were to con-quer you," replied TikTok, "and my +ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those +or-ders."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely +by General Guph. <br> +<p>"Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work +hammering gold," commanded the King. "Being run by machinery he +ought to be a steady worker. He ought never to have been made, +but since he exists I shall hereafter put him to good use."<br> +</p> + +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight." <br> +<p>"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, "for it +will be useless to resist and you might hurt some one."<br> +</p> + +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what +damage the gun might do the nomes were afraid to face It. <br> +<p>While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high +officials, Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated +upon the back of Hank the mule. The little girl had grown tired +of waiting for "something to happen" and so had come to see if +Ruggedo had been conquered.<br> +</p> + +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how dare you bring that +beast here and enter my presence unannounced?" <br> +<p>"There wasn't anybody to announce me, replied Betsy. "I guess +your folks were all busy. Are you conquered yet?"<br> +</p> + +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage. <br> +<p>"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry," +said the girl. "You see, this conquering business is a good deal +like waiting for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get +around and don't amount to much anyhow."<br> +</p> + +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech that for a time +they could only glare at her silently, not finding words to +reply. The King finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: +<br> +<p>"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty shall be your +death-warrant. You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal +from living is so easy a thing to do that I will not keep you +waiting half so long as you did for my conquest."<br> +</p> + +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, +getting off Hank's back and standing beside him. "And it would be +a pretty cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry. If +you'll give me something to eat, I'll talk this killing business +over with you afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't +approve of it, and never will." <br> +<p>Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, +although he bore an intense hatred toward all mortals.<br> +</p> + +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. <br> +<p>"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of +hard-boiled eggs--"<br> +</p> + +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering +till their teeth chattered. <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. "Are eggs as +high here as they are at home?"<br> +</p> + +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his +General, "let us destroy this rash mortal at once! Seize her and +take her to the Slimy Cave and lock her in." <br> +<p>Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just +then Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his +knee-joints so that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled +Tik-Tok to the floor, his gun falling from his grasp.<br> +</p> + +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab at Betsy. At the +same time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where +his belt was buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannonball, +struck the Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the +wall of rock on the opposite side of the cavern. Together they +fell to the floor in a dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which +Kaliko whispered to Betsy: <br> +<p>"Come with me--quick!--and I will save you."<br> +</p> + +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed +honest and good-natured, so she decided to follow him. He led her +and the mule through several passages and into a small cavern +very nicely and comfortably furnished. <br> +<p>"This is my own room," said he, "but you are quite welcome to +use it. Wait here a minute and I'll get you something to +eat."<br> +</p> + +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray containing some broiled +mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the +mushrooms delicious. <br> +<p>"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock +yourself in."<br> +</p> + +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?" +she asked. <br> +<p>"I'll see. Where are they?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said +Kaliko; "but don't let anyone in unless they give the three +raps."<br> +</p> + +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern +she closed and locked the door. <br> +<p>In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves +prisoners in the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were +tired out, but no one had come to their assistance. It was very +dark and damp in the pit and they could not climb out because the +walls were higher than their heads and the cover was on. The +Queen was first angry and then annoyed and then discouraged; but +the officers were only afraid. Every one of the poor fellows +heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for his orchard, +and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for +causing them all this trouble and danger.<br> +</p> + +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the pit and leaned +her back against the wall. By good luck her sharp elbow touched a +secret spring in the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann +fell over backward, but the next instant she jumped up and cried +to the others: <br> +<p>"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, and we may yet +escape."<br> +</p> + +Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark +and dank as the pit, and the officers followed her in single +file. They crawled, and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, +for the passage was not big enough to allow them to stand +upright. It turned this way and twisted that, sometimes like a +corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but seldom ran for long in a +straight line. <br> +<p>"It will never end--never!" moaned the officers, who were +rubbing all the skin off their knees on the rough rocks.<br> +</p> + +"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have +been made. We don't know where it will lead us to, but any place +is better than that loathsome pit." <br> +<p>So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, and while they +were crawling through this awful underground passage Polychrome +and Shaggy and Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing +outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what +had become of them.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_18">Chapter Seventeen</h1> + +<br> +A Tragic Transformation <br> +<p>"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it +may take the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as +Tik-Tok has to do everything in his slow, mechanical way."<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose +Princess. <br> +<p>"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a +powerful fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas +our bold Queen commands a Clockwork Man and a band of +fainthearted officers."<br> +</p> + +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, +dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful +draperies. "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, +for when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest +in her ambitions." <br> +<p>"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga.<br> +</p> + +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may +see him from here. He said he would take a little nap while we +were mixing up with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had +gotten into trouble he would wake up and conquer the Nome King in +a jiffy, as his master the Jinjin has ordered him to do." <br> +<p>"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall +need his services; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen +Ann and her army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter +the caverns and show the King my Love Magnet. That he cannot +resist; therefore the conquest will be made with ease."<br> +</p> + +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared +Hearer, who was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For +when the King and Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had +picked themselves up, their first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his +back and put a heavy diamond on top of him, so that he could not +get up again. Then they carefully put his gun in a corner of the +cavern and the King sent Guph to fetch the Long-Eared Hearer. +<br> +<p>The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, +but he acknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready +to obey his commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to +the King, who at once realized that his Kingdom was in grave +danger. For Ruggedo knew of the Love Magnet and its powers and +was horrified at the thought that Shaggy might show him the magic +talisman and turn all the hatred in his heart into love. Ruggedo +was proud of his hatred and abhorred love of any sort.<br> +</p> + +"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and lose my wealth +and my Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do +to prevent the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" <br> +<p>Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this +question, and being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he +answered by saying:<br> +</p> + +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his +body, he could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket." <br> +<p>"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the +problem. "Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them +in the passage where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he +enters.<br> +</p> + +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance +were growing more and more uneasy about their friends. <br> +<p>"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said +Polychrome, who had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a +little nervous, "for they could not be killed, even though +Ruggedo might cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them +utterly. But we should not have allowed Betsy and Hank to go +alone into the caverns. The little girl is mortal and possesses +no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures her she will be +wholly at his. mercy."<br> +</p> + +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have +anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in +right away and put an end to all this worry." <br> +<p>"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of +the Love Magnet, you can soon bring the Nome King to reason.<br> +</p> + +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the +entrance first, and after him came the others. They had no +thought of danger to themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along +with his hands thrust into his pockets, was much surprised when a +rope shot out from the darkness and twined around his body, +pinning down his arms so securely that he could not even withdraw +his hands from the pockets. Then appeared several grinning nomes, +who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then led the prisoner +along the passage to the cavern. No attention was paid to the +others, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy, +determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an +opportunity might arise to rescue him. <br> +<p>As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had +overtaken Shaggy she turned and ran lightly back through the +passage and out of the entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock +to rock until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay fast +asleep.<br> +</p> + +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act." <br> +<p>But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, +absolutely motionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The +eyelids had big silver scales on them, like all the rest of his +body.<br> +</p> + +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known +that dragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge +body swelling as he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and +pounded against his eyelids with it, saying: <br> +<p>"Wake up, Quox-wake up!" But he would not waken.<br> +</p> + +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. +"I wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All +our friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast +lies asleep." <br> +<p>She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover +some tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might he +felt; but he lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon +the ground and his legs drawn underneath his body, and all that +one could see was his thick sky-blue skin--thicker than that of a +rhinoceros--and his silver scales.<br> +</p> + +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over +the fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the +entrance and hurried along the passage into the Nome King's +cavern. <br> +<p>Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a +long pipe. Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged +before the King were the Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. +Tik-Tok still lay upon the floor, weighted down by the big +diamond.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he +had met the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love +Magnet was indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from +the King, but Shaggy was powerless to show it and unless +Ruggudo's eyes beheld the talisman it could not affect him. As +for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he believed Kaliko had placed them +in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her officers he thought safely +imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear of Files or Ozga, but +to be on the safe side he had ordered golden handcuffs placed +upon their wrists. These did not cause them any great annoyance +but prevented them from making an attack, had they been inclined +to do so. <br> +<p>The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the +situation, was laughing and jeering at his prisoners when +Polychrome, exquisitely beautiful and dancing like a ray of +light, entered the cavern.<br> +</p> + +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he +stared hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up +and pulled the wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his +whiskers. "On my word," said he, "you are a very captivating +creature; moreover, I perceive you are a fairy." <br> +<p>"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said +proudly.<br> +</p> + +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate +everybody--but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this +beautiful cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls +have every tint and color of your Rainbow--and they are not so +elusive. I'll have fresh dewdrops gathered for your feasting +every day and you shall be Queen of all my nomes and pull +Kaliko's nose whenever you like." <br> +<p>"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, +and I'm only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, +Ruggedo, why my friends have been wound with cords and bound with +chains?"<br> +</p> + +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know +how powerful I am." <br> +<p>"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and +send them back to the earth's surface?"<br> +</p> + +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make em suffer for their +invasion. But I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain +here and live with me and I'll set all these people free. You +shall be my daughter or my wife or my aunt or +grandmother-whichever you like only stay here to brighten my +gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" <br> +<p>Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to +Shaggy and asked:<br> +</p> + +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" <br> +<p>"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something +of a Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome."<br> +</p> + +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my +friends would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long +the society of such a wicked monster as you. <br> +<p>"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you +also are in my power."<br> +</p> + +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of +your spite or malice." <br> +<p>"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph +sprang forward to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when +Guph attempted to clutch her his hands met in air, and now the +Rainbow's Daughter was in another part of the room, as smiling +and composed as before.<br> +</p> + +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even +came down from his throne to assist his General; but never could +they lay hands upon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and +there with the swiftness of light and constantly defied them with +her merry laughter as she evaded their efforts. <br> +<p>So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned +to his throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a +finely-woven handkerchief of cloth-of-gold.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?" <br> +<p>"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," +replied the Nome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the +executioners."<br> +</p> + +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of +nomes, all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated +master. They bore great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and +clamps and chains and various wicked-looking instruments, all +made of precious metals and set with diamonds and rubies. <br> +<p>"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the +executioners, "fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the +pit and torture them here in my presence--as well as in the +presence of their friends. It will be great sport."<br> +</p> + +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, +and went with his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he +returned and bowed to Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"They're all gone," said he.<br> +</p> + +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" <br> +<p>"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the +pit."<br> +</p> + +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?" +<br> +<p>"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners +were not under it."<br> +</p> + +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his +disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl +and the donkey. And while we are torturing them Kaliko must take +a hundred nomes and search for the escaped prisoners--the Queen +of Oogaboo and her officers. If he does not find them, I will +torture Kaliko." <br> +<p>Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the +King was cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang +and the executioners also went away, in another direction, but +when they came back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was +Hank.<br> +</p> + +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang. +<br> +<p>"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are +you sure you found the right cave?"<br> +</p> + +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," +returned Pang positively. <br> +<p>Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, +these disappointments but made him the more vindictive and he +cast an evil look at the other prisoners and said:<br> +</p> + +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who +cannot escape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my +mind about Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, +seething heat, and then we'll dump the copper man into it and +melt him up. <br> +<p>"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the +room after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo +people, you must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and +interesting machine. It would be a shame to deprive the world of +such a clever contrivance."<br> +</p> + +"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" +roared the King. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first +thing you know I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratogachips +of you! The next to consider," he added more mildly, "is the +Shaggy Man. As he owns the Love Magnet, I think I'll transform +him into a dove, and then we can practice shooting at him with +TikTok's gun. Now, this is a very interesting ceremony and I beg +you all to watch me closely and see that I've nothing up my +sleeve." <br> +<p>He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and +then he waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles +over his victim's head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice +the magic wugwa:<br> +</p> + +"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! <br> +<p>Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"<br> +</p> + +The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead +of the Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, +its wings confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave +an order to Pang, who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. +Being freed, the dove quickly flew upward and alighted on the +shoulder of the Rose Princess, who stroked it tenderly. <br> +<p>"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands +gleefully together. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the +others."<br> +</p> + +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above +transformation; for, although the exact magical formula has been +described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone +to transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo +used. There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing +this transformation, but if it should be attempted in any other +country, and the magic worked, the magician would be severely +punished.) <br> +<p>When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and +realized that Ruggedo was about do something as dreadful to the +Princess and Files, and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a +crucible, she turned and ran from the cavern, through the passage +and back to the place where Quox lay asleep.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_19">Chapter Eighteen</h1> + +<br> +A Clever Conquest <br> +<p>The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even +snoring in a manner that resembled distant thunder; but +Polychrome was now desperate, because any further delay meant the +destruction of her friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to +which was attached the great locket, and jerked it with all her +strength.<br> +</p> + +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped snoring and his eyelids +flickered. So Polychrome jerked again--and again--till slowly the +great lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. Said he, +in a sleepy tone: <br> +<p>"What's the matter, little Rainbow?"<br> +</p> + +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has captured all our +friends and is about to destroy them." <br> +<p>"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would happen. Step +a little out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the +Nome King's cavern."<br> +</p> + +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised himself on his stout +legs, whisked his long tail and in an instant had slid down the +rocks and made a dive through the entrance. <br> +<p>Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it with his immense +body, and now he poked his head into the jeweled cavern of +Ruggedo.<br> +</p> + +But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the +dragon, whenever he might appear. No sooner did Quox stick his +head into the room than a thick chain fell from above and +encircled his neck. Then the ends of the chain were drawn +tight-for in an adjoining cavern a thousand nomes were pulling on +them--and so the dragon could advance no further toward the King. +He could not use his teeth or his claws and as his body was still +in the passage he had not even room to strike his foes with his +terrible tail. <br> +<p>Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his stratagem. He +had just transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was +about to transform Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon +appeared to interrupt him. So he called out:<br> +</p> + +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal entertainment. Since you are +here, you shall witness some very neat magic, and after I have +finished with Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a +tiny lizard--one of the chameleon sort--and you shall live in my +cavern and amuse me. <br> +<p>"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a +quiet voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more +magic."<br> +</p> + +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. <br> +<p>"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around +my neck?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such +a silly thing." <br> +<p>"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little +chuckle of amusement.<br> +</p> + +"I do," declared Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as +helpless as a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, +Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, enchanted this ribbon in such a way +that whenever Your Majesty looked upon it all knowledge of magic +would desert you instantly, nor will any magical formula you can +remember ever perform your bidding."<br> +</p> + +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half +frightened, nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried +to transform him into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the +right words or the right pass of the hands and after several +trials he finally gave up the attempt. <br> +<p>By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly +shaking in his shoes.<br> +</p> + +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and +now you see the result of your disobedience." <br> +<p>Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, +who dodged it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an +attempt to swagger:<br> +</p> + +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these +invaders; fire and the sword will do the business and I am still +King of the Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" +<br> +<p>"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The +Great Jinjin commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom +and seek the earth's surface, where you will wander for all time +to come, without a home or country, without a friend or follower, +and without any more riches than you can carry with you in your +pockets. The Great Jinjin is so generous that he will allow you +to fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but you must take +nothing more."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. <br> +<p>"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a +hoarse voice.<br> +</p> + +"He does," said Quox. <br> +<p>"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden +Tube?"<br> +</p> + +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice. <br> +<p>"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me +do it, either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King +of the Nomes, until the end of the world, and I defy your +TititiHoochoo and all his fairies--as well as his clumsy +messenger, whom I have been obliged to chain up!"<br> +</p> + +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that +made Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so +cold and merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned +Nome King trembled and was sick at heart. <br> +<p>There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the +dragon was now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared +at the immense head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear +in the old King's eyes as he watched his enemy's movements.<br> +</p> + +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had +something to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he +raised one claw, touched the catch of the great jeweled locket +that was suspended around his neck, and at once it opened wide. +<br> +<p>Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled +out upon the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. +But the effect upon the nomes of this simple thing was +astounding. General Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his band of +executioners were all standing close to the door that led to the +vast series of underground caverns which constituted the +dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw the eggs they +raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through the door, +slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped +upon the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled +steadily toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and +crafty Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all +rolled directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne +where he had taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the +seat. <br> +<p>This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was +real and absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the +center of the room and then ran to a far corner.<br> +</p> + +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction. +Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and +then he drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the +advancing eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued +to draw nearer. The King stood trembling, his eyes staring in +terror, until they were but half a yard distant; then with an +agile leap he jumped clear over them and made a rush for the +passage that led to the outer entrance. <br> +<p>Of course the dragon was in his way, being chained in the +passage with his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King +making toward him he crouched as low as he could and dropped his +chin to the floor, leaving a small space between his body and the +roof of the passage.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled by fear, he leaped +to the dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he +succeeded in squeezing himself through the opening. After the +head was passed there was more room and he slid along the +dragon's scales to his tail and then ran as fast as his legs +would carry him to the entrance. Not pausing here, so great was +his fright, the King dashed on down the mountain path, but before +he had gone very far he stumbled and fell. <br> +<p>When he picked himself up he observed that no one was +following him, and while he recovered his breath he happened to +think of the decree of the Jinjin--that he should be driven from +his Kingdom and made a wanderer on the face of the earth. Well, +here he was, driven from his cavern in truth; driven by those +dreadful eggs; but he would go back and defy them; he would not +submit to losing his precious Kingdom and his tyrannical powers, +all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must.<br> +</p> + +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back +along the path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw +the six eggs lying in a row just before the arched opening. <br> +<p>At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, +for the eggs were now motionless. While he was wondering what +could be done, he remembered there was a magical charm which +would destroy eggs and render them harmless to nomes. There were +nine passes to be made and six verses of incantation to be +recited; but Ruggedo knew them all. Now that he had ample time to +be exact, he carefully went through the entire ceremony.<br> +</p> + +But nothing happened. The eggs did not disappear, as he had +expected; so he repeated the charm a second time. When that also +failed, he remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic +power had been taken away from him and in the future he could do +no more than any common mortal. <br> +<p>And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom +which he had ruled so long with absolute sway! He threw rocks at +them, but could not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and +tore his hair and beard, and danced in helpless passion, but that +did nothing to avert the just judgment of the Jinjin, which +Ruggedo's own evil deeds had brought upon him.<br> +</p> + +From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer upon the face of +the earth--and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with +gold and jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom! <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_20">Chapter Nineteen</h1> + +<br> +<p>King Kaliko<br> +</p> + +After the King had made good his escape Files said to the dragon, +in a sad voice: <br> +<p>"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you were sleeping +instead of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a +fiddle without a how, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing +dove!"<br> +</p> + +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, +and I have my orders from the Great Jinjin himself. Bring the +fiddle here and touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." <br> +<p>Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the +Nome King's charm was broken and the Rose Princess herself stood +before them as sweet and smiling as ever.<br> +</p> + +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had seen and heard +all this, so without being told what to do it flew straight to +the dragon and alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was +himself again and Quox said to him grumblingly: <br> +<p>"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more +particular where you step."<br> +</p> + +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his +natural form. Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's +chest and to assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. <br> +<p>"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the wicked King who +want-ed to melt me in a cru-cible?"<br> +</p> + +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had +managed to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had +witnessed the occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder where +Betsy Bobbin and Hank can be, and if any harm has befallen them." +<br> +<p>"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared +Shaggy; but when he went to the door leading to the other caverns +he found it shut and barred.<br> +</p> + +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I +believe I can break down that door, even though it's made of +solid gold." <br> +<p>"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are +fastened in some other room, so that we cannot release you," +Files said anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a +prisoner only because I wished to be one," and with this he +stepped forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if they +had been threads. <br> +<p>But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his +mighty strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up +and squatted himself in a corner to think of a better way.<br> +</p> + +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's +big gong he pounded upon It until the noise was almost deafening. +<br> +<p>Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to +Ruggedo and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. +But when he heard the sound of the gong, which had so often +called him into the King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had +been victorious; so he took away the bar, threw open the door and +entered the royal cavern.<br> +</p> + +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the +enchantments removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs +were also gone and so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew +to be Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger, and bowed humbly before the +beast. <br> +<p>"What is your will?" he inquired.<br> +</p> + +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. <br> +<p>"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. <br> +<p>So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the +door. The little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and +opened the door.<br> +</p> + +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in +disgrace and your friends are asking for you." <br> +<p>So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the +throne cavern, where she was received with great joy by her +friends. They told her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told +them how kind Kaliko had been to her. Quox did not have much to +say until the conversation was ended, but then he turned to +Kaliko and asked:<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has +done?" <br> +<p>"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the +question. "Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure."<br> +</p> + +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. <br> +<p>"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they +did Ruggedo."<br> +</p> + +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the +Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely +and well," said Quox. <br> +<p>"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I +salute Your Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old +Kingdom!"<br> +</p> + +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made +haste to congratulate the new King. <br> +<p>"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo +long ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered +to help your brother to escape, but he would not go." <br> +<p>"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of +our family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he +added anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King. <br> +<p>"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in +these dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great +that it worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has +only to amuse himself." <br> +<p>"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," +asserted Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or +when he pleases, and is not his own master." <br> +<p>"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"In the Metal Forest." <br> +<p>"Where is that?"<br> +</p> + +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in +all our dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out +of doors, it is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to +amuse himself, as well as to tire out his hardworking nomes. All +the trees are gold and silver and the ground is strewn with +precious stones, so it is a sort of treasury." <br> +<p>"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded +Shaggy earnestly.<br> +</p> + +Kaliko hesitated. <br> +<p>"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made +three secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the +location of these passages every week, so that no one can get to +the Metal Forest without his permission. However, if we look +sharp, we may be able to discover one of these secret ways."<br> +</p> + +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the +Officers of Oogaboo," said Files. <br> +<p>"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" <br> +<p>"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit +in the passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but +when the executioners went to look for them they had all +disappeared from the pit and we could find no trace of them."<br> +</p> + +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann +knew any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear +like that seems like magic; now, doesn't it?" <br> +<p>They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the +mystery.<br> +</p> + +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we +cannot help them or be helped by them. And the important thing +just now is to rescue my dear brother from captivity." <br> +<p>"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I can not remember his looks +very well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our +family are noted for their handsome faces." <br> +<p>Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome +relieved his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in +looks, but lovely in disposition."<br> +</p> + +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, +"is to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest." +<br> +<p>"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief +nomes of my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am +their new King. Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for +the secret passages.<br> +</p> + +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting +sleepy again. <br> +<p>Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo +used to do; but no one answered the summons.<br> +</p> + +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he +had seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal +Chamberlain, and will be until I appoint another in my place." +<br> +<p>So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to +answer the summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the +royal cavern, Kaliko first pounded the gong and then sat in the +throne, wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding in his +hand the sceptre which Ruggedo had so often thrown at his +head.<br> +</p> + +When Guph entered he was amazed. <br> +<p>"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," +he said warningly.<br> +</p> + +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his +stead," announced Kaliko. <br> +<p>"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of +those who stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new +King.<br> +</p> + +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a +hard master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, +informed Guph that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and +promised not to throw the sceptre at his head unless he deserved +it. <br> +<p>All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went +away to tell the news to all the nomes of the underground +Kingdom, every one of whom would be delighted with the change in +Kings.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_21">Chapter Twenty</h1> + +<br> +Quox Quietly Quits <br> +<p>When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they +joyfully saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when +Kaliko questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, +although all had assisted in its making. So the King instructed +them to search carefully for one of the passages and to bring him +the news as soon as they had found it.<br> +</p> + +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and +so regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, +and there he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next +day. The others of the party were all given as good rooms as the +caverns of the nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was +indebted to them for his promotion and was anxious to be as +hospitable as he could. <br> +<p>Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance +of the sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome +had seen them, nor were they discovered during the search for the +passages leading to the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy +over their loss, but all were curious to know what had become of +them.<br> +</p> + +On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox +said to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here +is finished and I must depart for the other side of the world, +where I belong." <br> +<p>"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one +to talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. +Therefore, as soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, +and when I pop out at the other end I will wake up at home." <br> +<p>They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a +pleasant journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great +Jinjin, whose just condemnation of Ruggedo had served their +interests so well. Then Quox yawned and stretched himself and +ambled over to the Tube, into which he slid head-foremost and +disappeared.<br> +</p> + +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had +been both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with +him; but they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. +So they went back to the caverns to renew the search for the +hidden passages that led to the forest, but for three days all +efforts to find them proved in vain. <br> +<p>It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and +watch for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with +wandering upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in +their sky palaces. And on the third day, while she sat motionless +upon a point of rock, whom should she see slyly creeping up the +mountain but Ruggedo!<br> +</p> + +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and +torn and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. +Having left his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old +nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman. <br> +<p>Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the +caverns, only to find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite +well that he must accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, +but his chief regret now was that he had neglected to fill his +pockets with gold and jewels. He was aware that a wanderer with +wealth at his command would fare much better than one who was a +pauper, so he still loitered around the caverns wherein he knew +so much treasure was stored, hoping for a chance to fill his +pockets.<br> +</p> + +That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest. <br> +<p>"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that +Forest, and once there I can fill my pockets with the finest +jewels in all the world."<br> +</p> + +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. +Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He +knew of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the +mountain, so he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all +over his robe, paying her with the gift of a diamond ring which +he had worn upon his finger. The woman was delighted to possess +so valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets on Ruggedo's +robe as she possibly could. <br> +<p>Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously +around to make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a +rock and it swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. +This he entered, swinging the rock in place behind him.<br> +</p> + +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have +done, for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and +her clear eyes marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had +released the hidden spring. So she rose and hurried into the +cavern, where she told Kaliko and her friends of her discovery. +<br> +<p>"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," +exclaimed Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue +my poor brother!"<br> +</p> + +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of +nomes to assist them by carrying torches to light their way. <br> +<p>"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, +"but the passage across the valley is likely to be dark."<br> +</p> + +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in +less than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the +passage and following swiftly after the former King. <br> +<p>"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he +will find he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I +will have my nomes throw him out."<br> +</p> + +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he +deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who +fights square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em +put into Slimy Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't +deserve any sympathy. But you'll have to let him take as much +treasure as he can get in his pockets, Kaliko." <br> +<p>"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is +more treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could +carry in their pockets."<br> +</p> + +It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially +when the torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But +it proved to be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with +walking and was seated upon the back of the mule when the passage +made a sharp turn and a wonderful and glorious light burst upon +them. The next moment they were all standing upon the edge of the +marvelous Metal Forest. <br> +<p>It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed +cavern, the roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In +this space the industrious nomes had built, during many years of +labor, the most beautiful forest in the world. The trees--trunks, +branches and leaves--were all of solid gold, while the bushes and +underbrush were formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees +towered as high as natural live oaks do and were of exquisite +workmanship.<br> +</p> + +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and +size, while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled +with cut diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more +treasure was gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in +all the rest of the world--if we except the land of Oz, where +perhaps its value is equalled in the famous Emerald City. <br> +<p>Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they +stood gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed.<br> +</p> + +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in +this place?" <br> +<p>"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or +three years, to my positive knowledge."<br> +</p> + +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully +swell place to live in, but one can't breakfast On rubies and +di'monds, or even gold." <br> +<p>"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal +Forest does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. +Beyond these gold and silver trees are other trees of the real +sort, which bear foods very nice to eat. Let us walk in that +direction, for I am quite sure we will find Shaggy's brother in +that part of the cavern, rather than in this."<br> +</p> + +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at +every step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous +beauty of the golden trees with their glittering foliage. <br> +<p>Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every +direction as some one hidden among the bushes scampered away +before them. Then a loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the +sound of a struggle.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_22">Chapter Twenty-One</h1> + +<br> +A Bashful Brother <br> +<p>With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a +group of stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing +scene.<br> +</p> + +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a +dozen of whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast +in spite of his efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, +looking grimly upon the scene of strife; but when she observed +her former companions approaching she turned away in a shamefaced +manner. <br> +<p>For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her +Majesty's clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and +torn into shreds by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by +the way, had led her directly into the Metal Forest. It was, +indeed, one of the three secret passages, and by far the most +difficult of the three. Ann had not only torn her pretty skirt +and jacket, but her crown had become bent and battered and even +her shoes were so cut and slashed that they were ready to fall +from her feet.<br> +</p> + +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for +holes were worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp +points of rock in the roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags +of every inch of their once brilliant uniforms. A more tattered +and woeful army never came out of a battle, than these harmless +victims of the rocky passage. But it had seemed their only means +of escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had crawled on, +regardless of their sufferings. <br> +<p>When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more +plunder than they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in +this huge dome and could not escape with the riches heaped about +them. Perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" +never existed than this band from Oogaboo.<br> +</p> + +After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they +were frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among +them. Rendered desperate by their sad condition, the officers +exhibited courage for the first time since they left home and, +ignorant of the fact that Ruggedo was no longer King of the +nomes, they threw themselves upon him and had just succeeded in +capturing him when their fellow adventurers reached the spot. +<br> +<p>"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you +all?"<br> +</p> + +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant. <br> +<p>"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small +tunnel, which was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, +"and not only was our clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so +bruised and sore that we are stiff and lame in every joint. To +add to our troubles we find we are still prisoners; but now that +we have succeeded in capturing the wicked Metal Monarch we shall +force him to grant us our liberty."<br> +</p> + +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files +informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by +Quox; but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am +pleased to assure Your Majesty that he is our friend." <br> +<p>"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as +courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment.<br> +</p> + +The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo +free; but, as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his +former servant, who was now King in his place, in a humble and +pleading manner. <br> +<p>"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly.<br> +</p> + +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my +pockets," replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing +to disturb Your Majesty." <br> +<p>"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes +forever!" declared Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said +Ruggedo, meekly. <br> +<p>"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by +the handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were +heavy things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and +amethysts and the like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering +with the weight he bore, while the pockets were not yet filled. +When he could no longer stoop over without falling, Betsy and +Polychrome and the Rose Princess came to his assistance, picking +up the finest gems and tucking them into his pockets. <br> +<p>At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical +sight, for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any +at all filled with such a choice collection of precious stones. +He neglected to thank the young ladies for their kindness, but +gave them a surly nod of farewell and staggered down the path by +the way he had come. They let him depart in silence, for with all +he had taken, the masses of jewels upon the ground seemed +scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous were they. Also they +hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King.<br> +</p> + +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he +doesn't get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got +enough to start a bank when he gets to Oklahoma." <br> +<p>"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired +Shaggy anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?"<br> +</p> + +"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen. <br> +<p>Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the +Ugly One. Perhaps you'll know him by that."<br> +</p> + +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run +away from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, +among the trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to +catch sight of his face. So I can not tell whether he is ugly or +not." <br> +<p>"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this +splendid dome, so there can be no mistake." <br> +<p>"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of +enjoying all these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, +"and I remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep +in. As for these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are +very pretty at first sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as +well as the rich jewels scattered beneath them; but if one has to +look at them always, they become pretty tame." <br> +<p>"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is +very wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; +let us go there and find him."<br> +</p> + +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others +followed him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his +long-sought, long-lost brother. <br> +<p>Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, +cleverly made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As +they approached the place they caught a glimpse of a form that +darted into the hut and slammed the door tight shut after +him.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: <br> +<p>"Brother! Brother!"<br> +</p> + +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within. <br> +<p>"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has been searching +for you a long time and has now come to rescue you."<br> +</p> + +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now. +<br> +<p>"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is +a new King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he +has promised you shall go free."<br> +</p> + +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of +despair. <br> +<p>"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through +the closed door. <br> +<p>"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?"<br> +</p> + +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you +remember, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. +But I remember that mother thought you were beautiful."<br> +</p> + +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. +"But Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to make me ugly in the eyes of +all the world--so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to +bed beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very modest I +will merely claim that I was goodlooking--and I wakened the next +morning the homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive +that when I look in a mirror I frighten myself." <br> +<p>"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were +silent from sympathy.<br> +</p> + +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's +brother, "that I tried to hide; but the cruel King Ruggedo forced +me to appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: +'Behold the Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my face they all +fell to laughing and jeering, which prevented them from working +at their tasks. Seeing this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me +into a tunnel, closing the rock entrance so that I could not get +out. I followed the length of the tunnel until I reached this +huge dome, where the marvelous Metal Forest stands, and here I +have remained ever since. <br> +<p>"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you now to come +forth and face us, who are your friends. None here will laugh or +jeer, however unhandsome you may be."<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. <br> +<p>But the Ugly One refused the invitation.<br> +</p> + +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I +am." <br> +<p>Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him.<br> +</p> + +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. "I cannot leave +my dear brother here, and he refuses to come out of that house +and face us. <br> +<p>"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on a mask."<br> +</p> + +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully; and +then he called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then +none of us can see what your features are like." <br> +<p>"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One.<br> +</p> + +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my handkerchief." <br> +<p>Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his +head.<br> +</p> + +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough +to hide a man's face. But he can use mine. <br> +<p>Saying this he took from his pocket his own handkerchief and +went to the door of the hut.<br> +</p> + +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this handkerchief and make a +mask of it. I will also pass you my knife, so that you may cut +holes for the eyes, and then you must tie it over your face." +<br> +<p>The door slowly opened, just far enough for the Ugly One to +thrust out his hand and take the handkerchief and the knife. Then +it closed again.<br> +</p> + +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy. "You must +breathe, you know." <br> +<p>For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her army sat down +upon the ground to rest. Betsy sat on Hank's back. Polychrome +danced lightly up and down the jeweled paths while Files and the +Princess wandered through the groves arm in arm. Tik-Tok, who +never tired, stood motionless.<br> +</p> + +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. <br> +<p>"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was thrown open to +allow the Ugly One to step forth. <br> +<p>Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how +sensitive to ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief +with which he had masked his features was a red one covered with +big white polka dots. In this two holes had been cut--in front of +the eyes--while two smaller ones before the nostrils allowed the +man to breathe freely. The cloth was then tightly drawn over the +Ugly One's face and knotted at the back of his neck.<br> +</p> + +He was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were +sadly worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and +his shoes were stubtoed and needed blackening. "But what can you +expect," whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner +for so many years?" <br> +<p>Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found +brother with both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who +then led him forward and introduced him to all the assembled +company.<br> +</p> + +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He +is our friend, and has granted you your freedom." <br> +<p>"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I +dread to go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I +remain forever masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk +and stop all the clocks."<br> +</p> + +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy. +<br> +<p>Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head.<br> +</p> + +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was +fond of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes +know nothing of." <br> +<p>"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," +suggested Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to +escape."<br> +</p> + +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am +very happy to have found you again, although I may never see your +face. So let us make the most of this joyful reunion." <br> +<p>The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and +the tears began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently +wiped them away with his coat sleeve.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_23">Chapter Twenty-Two</h1> + +<br> +Kindly Kisses <br> +<p>"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" +Betsy asked the Ugly One.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless +things, and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness +had I not found the natural forest at the edge of the artificial +one. Anyhow, without these real trees I should soon have starved +to death." <br> +<p>Betsy looked around at the quaint trees.<br> +</p> + +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you +find to eat here." <br> +<p>"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that +grove at your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees +as those do not grow in your country, or in any other place but +this cavern. I have named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a +certain kind of table d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.' +"<br> +</p> + +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' +like?" <br> +<p>"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the Ugly +One. "All you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down +and eat your dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a +cupfull of good soup. After you've eaten that, you unscrew the +middle part and find a hollow filled with meat and potatoes, +vegetables and a fine salad. Eat that, and unscrew the next +section, and you come to the dessert in the bottom of the nut. +That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and raisins. +The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in flavor or in +contents, but they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner.<br> +</p> + +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which grow over +there at the right. They bear nuts, like the others, only the +nuts contain coffee or chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal +instead of meat-and-potatoes, and fruits instead of dessert. Sad +as has been my life in this wonderful prison, I must admit that +no one could live more luxuriously in the best hotel in the world +than I have lived here; but I will be glad to get into the open +air again and see the good old sun and the silvery moon and the +soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed by the morning +dew. Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things than the +glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!"<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little boy who wanted to +catch the measles, because all the little boys in his +neighborhood but him had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he +couldn't catch 'em, try as he would. So I'm pretty certain that +the things we want, and can't have, are not good for us. Isn't +that true, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If we didn't want +anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our +longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't +go far wrong."<br> +</p> + +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a +dreary place without the gold and jewels." <br> +<p>"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; "but we may +have too much of any good thing. And I have noticed that the +value of anything depends upon how scarce it is, and how +difficult it is to obtain."<br> +</p> + +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to +their side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother I +would like to return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the +Nomes, it is my duty to look after my restless subjects and see +that they behave themselves." <br> +<p>So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest +to the other side of the great domed cave, where they had first +entered it. Shaggy and his brother walked side by side and both +seemed rejoiced that they were together after their long +separation. Betsy didn't dare look at the polka dot handkerchief, +for fear she would laugh aloud; so she walked behind the two +brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his left ear.<br> +</p> + +When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the +outer world, Queen Ann said, in a hesitating way that was unusual +with her: <br> +<p>"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do I expect to do +so; but I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels +before I leave this place."<br> +</p> + +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the +officers of the Army took advantage of his royal permission and +began filling their pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in +a big handkerchief. <br> +<p>This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes +going first to light the way with their torches. They had not +proceeded far when Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" <br> +<p>All eyes were turned upon the ground and they found a regular +trail of jewels strewn along the rock floor.<br> +</p> + +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I must send some +of my nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal +Forest, where they belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" +<br> +<p>All the way along the passage they found this trail of jewels, +but when they neared the end the mystery was explained. For +there, squatted upon the floor with his back to the rock wall, +sat old Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as if he was all tired out. +Then they realized it was he who had scattered the jewels, from +his many pockets, which one by one had burst with the weight of +their contents as he had stumbled along the passage.<br> +</p> + +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep sigh. "I now +realize that I could not have carried such a weighty load very +far, even had I managed to escape from this passage with it. The +woman who sewed the pockets on my robe used poor thread, for +which I shall thank her." <br> +<p>"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +He glanced into some of the remaining pockets. <br> +<p>"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient to supply my +wants, and I no longer have any desire to be rich. If some of you +will kindly help me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, +for I know you all despise me and prefer my room to my +company.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was +confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first +time. The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so +startled Ruggedo that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble, as +if he had seen a ghost. <br> +<p>"Wh--wh--who is this?" he faltered.<br> +</p> + +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed +from a handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother, +in a voice of stern reproach. <br> +<p>"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of +that mean trick."<br> +</p> + +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble +as formerly he had been cruel and vindictive. <br> +<p>"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic +and give the poor man his own face again."<br> +</p> + +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but you must remember +that Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers. +However, I never took the trouble to learn just how to break the +charm I cast over Shaggy's brother, for I intended he should +always remain ugly." <br> +<p>"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote; +and, if you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have +known how to dispel it."<br> +</p> + +He shook his head. <br> +<p>"If I did, I--I've forgotten," he stammered regretfully.<br> +</p> + +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. "Please try to think!" +<br> +<p>Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his +chest, rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group.<br> +</p> + +"I've a faint recollection that there was one thing that would +break the charm," said he; "but misfortune has so addled my brain +that I can't remember what it was." <br> +<p>"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've treated you +pretty well, so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if +you know what's good for yourself you'll think of that +charm!"<br> +</p> + +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little +girl. <br> +<p>"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. He's dreadfully +ashamed of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for +it. Fact is, Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life +that it won't hurt you to do a kind act now."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and then tried very +hard to think. <br> +<p>"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of +a kiss will break the charm of ugliness."<br> +</p> + +"What kind of a kiss?" <br> +<p>"What kind? Why, it was--it was--it was either the kiss of a +Mortal Maid; or--or--the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been +a Fairy; or--or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't +remember which. But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would +ever consent to kiss a person so ugly--so dreadfully, fearfully, +terribly ugly--as Shaggy's brother."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with admirable courage; +"I'm a Mortal Maid, and if it is my kiss that will break this +awful charm, I-I'll do it!" <br> +<p>Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I would be obliged +to remove my mask, and--when you saw my face, nothing could +induce you to kiss me, generous as you are."<br> +</p> + +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your +face at all. Here's my plan: You stay in this dark passage, and +we'll send away the nomes with their torches. Then you'll take +off the handkerchief, and I--I'll kiss you." <br> +<p>"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said Shaggy, +gratefully.<br> +</p> + +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; "and, if it makes +you and your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances." +<br> +<p>So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, +which they did by going through the rock opening. Queen Ann and +her army also went out; but the others were so interested in +Betsy's experiment that they remained grouped at the mouth of the +passageway. When the big rock swung into place, closing tight the +opening, they were left in total darkness.<br> +</p> + +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got that +handkerchief off your face, Ugly?" <br> +<p>"Yes," he replied.<br> +</p> + +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms. +<br> +<p>"Here," said he.<br> +</p> + +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." <br> +<p>He found her hands and clasping them in his own stooped until +his face was near to that of the little girl. The others heard a +clear, smacking kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" <br> +<p>"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" asked +Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or it may not be. I +cannot tell." <br> +<p>"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"I have several," said Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at your +brother's face, while we all turn our backs. Ruggedo made your +brother ugly, so I guess he can stand the horror of looking at +him, if the charm isn't broken."<br> +</p> + +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it. He gave +one look and then blew out the match. <br> +<p>"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it wasn't the kiss +of a Mortal Maid, after all."<br> +</p> + +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her sweet voice. "I +am a Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break +the charm." <br> +<p>Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous +to interfere. So the Rose Princess felt her way through the +darkness to Shaggy's brother and kissed him.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all turned away. <br> +<p>"No," announced the former King; "that didn't break the charm, +either. It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required--or else +my memory has failed me altogether."<br> +</p> + +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't you try?" <br> +<p>"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a merry laugh. +"I've never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I +have existed, but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, +whose unselfish affection for his ugly brother deserves to be +rewarded."<br> +</p> + +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped lightly to the side +of the Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips. <br> +<p>"Oh, thank you--thank you!" he fervently cried. "I've changed, +this time, I know. I can feel it! I'm different. Shaggy--dear +Shaggy--I am myself again!"<br> +</p> + +Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring that released +the big rock and it suddenly swung backward and let in a flood of +daylight. <br> +<p>Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's brother, +who, no longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their +gaze with a glad smile.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing +a long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly +One, my dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, the +face that belongs to you is no more handsome than it ought to +be." <br> +<p>"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at +the man critically.<br> +</p> + +"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really +beautiful. You, who never beheld his ugliness, may not understand +that; but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many +times, and I say again that, in comparison with what he was, the +man is now beautiful." <br> +<p>"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll take your word +for it, Kaliko. And now let us get out of this tunnel and into +the world again."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_24">Chapter Twenty-Three</h1> + +<br> +Ruggedo Reforms <br> +<p>It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the +Nome King, where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest +refreshments the place afforded.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and +while no one paid any attention to the old King they did not +offer any objection to his presence or command him to leave them. +He looked fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the +entrance, but they had now disappeared; so he crept into the +cavern after the others and humbly squatted down in a corner of +the room. <br> +<p>There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's +companions were now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for +his brother, and the laughter and merriment seemed so general, +that Betsy's heart softened toward the friendless old man who had +once been their bitter enemy, and she carried to him some of the +food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes filled with tears at this +unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in his own and +pressed it gratefully.<br> +</p> + +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's +the use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so +he can't do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so +badly to everybody." <br> +<p>"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former +master.<br> +</p> + +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm +harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top +of the ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any +place but underground." <br> +<p>"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here +as long as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly +again, I shall drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, +and you'll have to wander."<br> +</p> + +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work +being a King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I +am a common nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life." <br> +<p>They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo +had really reformed.<br> +</p> + +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if +he gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and +Kaliko will have to 'tend to the old nome himself." <br> +<p>Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or +two. The lovely Daughter of the Rain how knew that she had now +done all in her power to assist her earth friends, and so she +began to long for her sky home.<br> +</p> + +"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is +beginning to rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and +perhaps he has read my thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I +must take a look at the sky and make sure." <br> +<p>So she jumped up and ran through the passage to the outer +entrance, and they all followed after her and grouped themselves +on a ledge of the mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had +filled the sky and a slow, drizzling rain had set in.<br> +</p> + +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when +it stops we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to +love. Alas," he continued, after a moment, "the clouds are +already breaking in the west, and--see!--isn't that the Rainbow +coming?" <br> +<p>Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose +happy, smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to +take her to the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of sunshine +flooded the mountain and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared.<br> +</p> + +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and +held out her arms. Straightway the Rainbow descended until its +end was at her very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang +upon it and was at once clasped in the arms of her radiant +sisters, the Daughters of the Rainbow. But Polychrome released +herself to lean over the edge of the glowing arch and nod, and +smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late comrades. <br> +<p>"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted "Good-bye!" in +return and waves their hands to their pretty friend.<br> +</p> + +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted into the sky, until +the eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting +across the blue. <br> +<p>"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who +felt like crying; "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier +with her sisters in the sky palaces."<br> +</p> + +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. "It's her home, +you know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no +home, can realize what the means to her." <br> +<p>"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, I've +only--only--dear old Hank!"<br> +</p> + +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not human, +and he said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her +mood. And the shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's +head tenderly and said: "You're wrong about that, Betsy, dear. I +will never desert you." <br> +<p>"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest tones.<br> +</p> + +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled +through their tears. <br> +<p>"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so let's go back +into the cavern."<br> +</p> + +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and would miss her, they +reentered the dominions of the Nome King. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_25">Chapter Twenty-Four</h1> + +<br> +<p>Dorothy is Delighted<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated in Kaliko's +royal cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next. If I could find my +way back to Oogaboo I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick +and tired of these dreadful hardships." <br> +<p>"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The +world is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with +my own people in Oogaboo. I wish--Oh, how earnestly I wish--that +I was back there this minute!" <br> +<p>"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone.<br> +</p> + +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land +of Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures +of her Shaggy Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. +Day by day Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside +her, had gazed upon a Magic Picture in a radium frame, which +occupied one side of the Ruler's cosy boudoir in the palace of +the Emerald City. The singular thing about this Magic Picture was +that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to see, with the +figures all in motion, just as it was taking place. So Ozma and +the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from the +time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose +Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of +Ozma, had been exiled by her heartless subjects. <br> +<p>When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to +Oogaboo, Ozma was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was +a corner of the Land of Oz. She turned to her attendant and +asked:<br> +</p> + +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, +Wizard?" <br> +<p>"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided +effort to conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity +of the undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented +in her own little Kingdom. Please send her there, Wizard, and +with her the officers and Files." <br> +<p>"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. "They have +become such good friends that I am sure it would make them +unhappy to separate them." <br> +<p>"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery +whatever he performed a magical rite that was simple and +effective. Therefore those seated in the Nome King's cavern were +both startled and amazed when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly +disappeared from the room, and with them the Rose Princess. At +first they could not understand it at all; but presently Shaggy +suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma was now taking an +interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny instrument +which he placed against his ear.<br> +</p> + +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught +up a similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to +her own ear. The two instruments recorded the same delicate +vibrations of sound and formed a wireless telephone, an invention +of the Wizard. Those separated by any distance were thus enabled +to converse together with perfect ease and without any wire +connection. <br> +<p>"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. <br> +<p>"I have Sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little +valley," announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their +disappearance."<br> +</p> + +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must +permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have +found my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the +enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has +served me and my comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, +and I hope you will now transport the Clockwork Man back to your +fairyland of Oz." <br> +<p>"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, +Shaggy?"<br> +</p> + +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others +forces me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take +care of my new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new +comrade in a dear little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home +to go to, and no other friends but me and a small donkey named +Hank. I have promised Betsy never to desert her as long as she +needs a friend, and so I must give up the delights of the Land of +Oz forever." <br> +<p>He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but +laid the tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all +further communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler +of Oz still watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful +expression upon her face, and the little Wizard of Oz watched +Ozma and smiled softly to himself.<br> +</p> + +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless +telephone in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful +a voice as he could muster: <br> +<p>"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face. "I'm +kind of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and +now that Queen Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is +gone, and--dear me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the +cavern and nodding wisely. "By this time he is in Ozma's palace +in the Land of Oz, which is his home."<br> +</p> + +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is wherever you and +my brother are. We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick +together I am sure we shall have a good time."<br> +</p> + +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy, +underground cavern and go in search of new adventures. I'm sure +it has stopped raining." <br> +<p>"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade good-bye to King +Kaliko, and thanked him for his assistance, and went out to the +mouth of the passage.<br> +</p> + +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color; the sun +shone brightly and even this rugged, rocky country seemed +delightful after their confinement underground. There were but +four of them now--Betsy and Hank, and Shaggy and his brother--and +the little party made their way down the mountain and followed a +faint path that led toward the southwest. <br> +<p>During this time Ozma had been holding a conference with the +Wizard, and later with TikTok, whom the magic of the Wizard had +quickly transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only words of +praise for Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as +Dor-o-thy her-self."<br> +</p> + +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite +maid, who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request +Princess Dorothy to attend her at once. So a few moments later +Dorothy entered Ozma's room and greeted her and the Wizard and +Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile and simple manner that had won +for the little girl the love of everyone she met. <br> +<p>"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice." +<br> +<p>"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll +do the best I can. What is it all about, Ozma?"<br> +</p> + +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three +friends, "what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into +this fairyland of Oz. It is true I have invited several mortals +to make their home here, and all of them have proved true and +loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of you three was a native of Oz. +Dorothy and the Wizard came here from the United States, and +Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev. But of course he is not a +mortal. Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of all my +worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and desert the +new friends he has found in his recent adventures, because he +believes they need his services." <br> +<p>"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy. "But +who are these new friends he has found?"<br> +</p> + +"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of +the Nome King, our old enemy Ruggedo. This brother seems a +kindly, honest fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to +a home in the Land of Oz." <br> +<p>"Who else?" asked Dorothy.<br> +</p> + +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was +shipwrecked--in much the same way you once were--and has since +been following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother. +You remember her, do you not?" <br> +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often watched her and Hank +in the Magic Picture, you know. She's a dear little girl, and old +Hank is a darling! Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's +enthusiasm. <br> +<p>Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, +with Shaggy and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a +barren country.<br> +</p> + +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that they're a good way from +any place to sleep, or any nice things to eat." <br> +<p>"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in that coun-try, +and it is a wilder-ness."<br> +</p> + +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are +so mischievous that no one cares to live near them. I'm afraid +Shaggy and his friends will endure many hardships before they get +out of that rocky place, unless--" <br> +<p>He turned to Ozma and smiled.<br> +</p> + +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked. <br> +<p>"Yes, your Highness."<br> +</p> + +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. <br> +<p>"I think so," said the Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned, +I'd like to have them here in Oz. It would be such fun to have a +girl playmate of my own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear +little mule!" <br> +<p>Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and +then she drew Dorothy to her and kissed her.<br> +</p> + +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. <br> +<p>Dorothy flushed.<br> +</p> + +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she cried. "But you're so +busy ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't always be +together." <br> +<p>"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it +would be a delight to us all to have Betsy with us. There's a +pretty suite of rooms just opposite your own where she can live, +and I'll build a golden stall for Hank in the stable where the +Sawhorse lives. Then we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly +Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and I'm sure they will soon become +firm friends. But I cannot very well admit Betsy and Hank into Oz +unless I also admit Shaggy's brother."<br> +</p> + +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor +Shaggy, whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard. <br> +<p>"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress," +explained Ozma. "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but +his brother has no claim on me." <br> +<p>"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy.<br> +</p> + +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma. +<br> +<p>"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?"<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, Wizard?" <br> +<p>"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all."<br> +</p> + +"And you, Tik-Tok?" <br> +<p>"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare +Shag-gy."<br> +</p> + +"So, then; the question is settled," decided Ozma. "Perform your +magic, Wizard!" <br> +<p>He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and +pouring upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was +contained in a crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult +incantation which the sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, +and it all ended in a puff of perfumed smoke from the silver +plate. This smoke was so pungent that it made both Ozma and +Dorothy rub their eyes for a moment.<br> +</p> + +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the Wizard. "I +assure you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry." +<br> +<p>"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture; "they're +gone! All of them are gone."<br> +</p> + +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as +before, but the three people and the mule had disappeared from +it. <br> +<p>"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate +and wrapping it in a fine cloth, "because they are here."<br> +</p> + +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. <br> +<p>"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another +man are in the waiting room and ask to pay their respects to you. +Shaggy is crying like a baby, but he says they are tears of +joy."<br> +</p> + +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma "Also," +continued the maid, "a girl and a smallsized mule have +mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are +or how they came here. Shall I send them here, too?" <br> +<p>"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her +chair; "I'll go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful +strange in this big palace."<br> +</p> + +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new +friend, Betsy Bobbin. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_26">Chapter Twenty-Five</h1> + +<br> +<p>The Land of Love<br> +</p> + +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the +Sawhorse, as he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly +wagged the branch that served him for a tail. <br> +<p>They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of Ozma's palace, +where the wooden Sawhorse--very much alive--lived in a +gold-paneled stall, and where there were rooms for the Cowardly +Lion and the Hungry Tiger, which were filled with soft cushions +for them to lie upon and golden troughs for them to eat from.<br> +</p> + +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for +Hank, the mule. This was not quite so beautiful as the other, for +the Sawhorse was Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of +cushions for a bed (which the Sawhorse did not need because he +never slept) and all this luxury was so strange to the little +mule that he could only stand still and regard his surroundings +and his queer companions with wonder and amazement. <br> +<p>The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out +upon the marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and +critical gaze, while near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who +seemed equally interested in the new animal that had just +arrived. The Sawhorse, standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his +question<br> +</p> + +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" <br> +<p>Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner.<br> +</p> + +"I have never said anything else, until now," he replied; and +then he began to tremble with fright to hear himself talk. <br> +<p>"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his +great head with a swaying motion. "Strange things happen in this +Land of Oz, as they do everywhere else. I believe you came here +from the cold, civilized, outside world, did you not?"<br> +</p> + +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside of Oz--and the +next minute I was inside! That was enough to give me a nervous +shock, as you may guess; but to find myself able to talk, as +Betsy does, is a marvel that staggers me." <br> +<p>"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the +Sawhorse. "All animals talk, in this favored country, and you +must admit it is more sociable than to bray your dreadful +'hee-haw,' which nobody can understand."<br> +</p> + +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. <br> +<p>"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in your outside +world," said the Tiger, yawning sleepily.<br> +</p> + +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. "Are you the only +Tiger in Oz?" <br> +<p>"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in +the Jungle Country; but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald +City."<br> +</p> + +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; "but I am the +only horse, of any description, in this favored Land." <br> +<p>"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger. "You must +understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because +he is shod with plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, +Ozma of Oz, likes to ride upon his back."<br> +</p> + +"Betsy rides upon my back," declared Hank proudly. <br> +<p>"Who is Betsy?"<br> +</p> + +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" <br> +<p>The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet. +The Tiger crouched and growled. Slowly the great Lion rose to his +feet, his mane bristling.<br> +</p> + +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in judgment or +you are willfully trying to deceive us. The dearest, sweetest +girl in the world is our Dorothy, and I will fight anyone--animal +or human-who dares to deny it!" <br> +<p>"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous +white teeth.<br> +</p> + +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn. +"No girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" <br> +<p>Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the +others. Then he said stubbornly:<br> +</p> + +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I admit there can be +a sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin. If you want to fight, +come on--I'm ready for you!" <br> +<p>While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry +peal of laughter startled the animals and turning their heads +they beheld three lovely girls standing just within the richly +carved entrance to the stable. In the center was Ozma, her arms +encircling the waists of Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either +side of her. Ozma was nearly half a head taller than the two +other girls, who were almost of one size. Unobserved, they had +listened to the talk of the animals, which was a very strange +experience indeed to little Betsy Bobbin.<br> +</p> + +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, in a gentle but +chiding voice. "Why should you fight to defend us, who are all +three loving friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she +continued, as they bowed their heads sheepishly. <br> +<p>"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," +pleaded the Lion.<br> +</p> + +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am glad you and the +Hungry Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and +companion. Also I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for +together we have endured both joy and sorrow. Hank has proved his +faith and loyalty by defending his own little mistress; and so +you are all right in one way, but wrong in another. Our Land of +Oz is a Land of Love, and here friendship outranks every other +quality. Unless you can all be friends, you cannot retain our +love." <br> +<p>They accepted this rebuke very meekly.<br> +</p> + +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite cheerfully; "shake hoofs, +friend Mule." <br> +<p>Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden horse.<br> +</p> + +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger. So Hank +modestly rubbed noses with the big beast. <br> +<p>The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the +mule:<br> +</p> + +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the +Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover your case. If ever you need +help or advice, friend Hank, call on me. <br> +<p>"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to +see them so fully reconciled. Then she turned to her companions: +"Come, my dears, let us resume our walk."<br> +</p> + +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: <br> +<p>"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?<br> +</p> + +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a Yellow Hen here, and +she can talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten +upstairs in my room who talks very nicely; but I've a little +fuzzy black dog, named Toto, who has been with me in Oz a long +time, and he's never said a single word but 'Bow-wow!'" <br> +<p>"Do you know why?" asked Ozma.<br> +</p> + +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's different from these +fairy animals," replied Dorothy. <br> +<p>"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, +"yet as soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found +he could talk. It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen +whom you brought here at one time. The same spell has affected +Toto, I assure you; but he's a wise little dog and while he knows +everything that is said to him he prefers not to talk."<br> +</p> + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never s'pected Toto was +fooling me all this time." Then she drew a small silver whistle +from her pocket and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later +there was a sound of scurrying foot-steps, and a shaggy black dog +came running up the path <br> +<p>Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her finger just +above his nose she said:<br> +</p> + +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" <br> +<p>Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes and wagged +his tail.<br> +</p> + +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as +well as Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the +tone of Toto's voice. <br> +<p>"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would you like it, +Toto, if I said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?"<br> +</p> + +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but otherwise he was +silent. <br> +<p>"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and +his tail just as well as we can. Don't you understand such dog +language?"<br> +</p> + +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's got to be more +sociable. See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog, +"I've just learned, for the first time, that you can say +words--if you want to. Don't you want to, Toto?" <br> +<p>"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant no.<br> +</p> + +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as any other animal in +Oz?" <br> +<p>"Woof!"<br> +</p> + +"Just one word, Toto--and then you may run away." <br> +<p>He looked at her steadily a moment.<br> +</p> + +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away as swift as an +arrow. <br> +<p>Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while Betsy and Ozma +both laughed heartily at her pleasure and the success of her +experiment. Arm in arm they sauntered away through the beautiful +gardens of the palace, where magnificent flowers bloomed in +abundance and fountains shot their silvery sprays far into the +air. And by and by, as they turned a corner, they came upon +Shaggy Man and his brother, who were seated together upon a +golden bench.<br> +</p> + +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached +them. <br> +<p>"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma asked the +stranger.<br> +</p> + +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother. +"Also I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this +delightful place." <br> +<p>"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. "Being his +brother, I have made you welcome here."<br> +</p> + +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will +be glad he has become one of your loyal subjects. I am just +getting acquainted with him myself and I find much in his +character to admire." <br> +<p>Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk. +Presently Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz as I am. Do you +know, Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl could ever have such a +good time-anywhere--as I'm having now?" <br> +<p>"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way myself, lots +of times.<br> +</p> + +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every little girl in +the world could live in the Land of Oz; and every little boy, +too!" <br> +<p>Ozma laughed at this.<br> +</p> + +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your wish cannot be +granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and boys would +crowd us so that we would have to move away. <br> +<p>"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I guess that's +true."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum <br> +<p>THE WIZARD OF OZ THE LAND OF OZ OZMA OF OZ DOROTHY AND THE +WIZARD IN OZ THE ROAD TO OZ THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ THE PATCHWORK +GIRL OF OZ TIK-TOK OF OZ THE SCARECROW OF OZ RINKITINK IN OZ THE +LOST PRINCESS OF OZ THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ THE MAGIC OF OZ GLINDA +OF OZ<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz by Baum <br> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/old/08woz10h.zip b/old/08woz10h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..55bef6e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10h.zip diff --git a/old/08woz10l.lit b/old/08woz10l.lit Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..92c9140 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10l.lit diff --git a/old/08woz10l.zip b/old/08woz10l.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b35a6dc --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10l.zip diff --git a/old/08woz10p.prc b/old/08woz10p.prc Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d203b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10p.prc diff --git a/old/08woz10p.zip b/old/08woz10p.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..07ae3b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10p.zip diff --git a/old/08woz11.txt b/old/08woz11.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..82be7e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz11.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8357 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum +#8 in our series by L. Frank Baum + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg file. + +We encourage you to keep this file, exactly as it is, on your own disk, +thereby keeping an electronic path open for future readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This header should be the first thing seen when anyone starts to +view the etext. 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Frank Baum + +Edition: 11 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +Release Date: June, 1997 [Etext #956] +[This file was last updated on February 21, 2002] + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum +*****This file should be named 08woz11.txt or 08woz11.zip***** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, 08woz12.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 08woz11a.txt + +This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac. +Proofreading and corrections by Paul Selkirk, January 2002. + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep etexts in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +The "legal small print" and other information about this book +may now be found at the end of this file. Please read this +important information, as it gives you specific rights and +tells you about restrictions in how the file may be used. + + + + + + + + + + + + + +TIK-TOK OF OZ + +by L. FRANK BAUM + +To Louis F. Gottschalk, +whose sweet and dainty melodies +breathe the true spirit of fairyland, +this book is affectionately dedicated + + +To My Readers + +The very marked success of my last year's fairy +book, "The Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me +that my readers like the Oz stories "best of all," as +one little girl wrote me. So here, my dears, is a +new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth, +the Queen of Oogaboo, whom Tik-Tok assisted +in conquering our old acquaintance, the Nome King. +It also tells of Betsy Bobbin and how, after many +adventures, she finally reached the marvelous +Land of Oz. + +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," +but it is not like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," +although some of the adventures recorded in this +book, as well as those in several other Oz books, +are included in the play. Those who have seen the +play and those who have read the other Oz books +will find in this story a lot of strange +characters and adventures that they have never +heard of before. + +In the letters I receive from children there has +been an urgent appeal for me to write a story that +will take Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz, +where they will meet Dorothy and Ozma. Also +they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted +with Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged +to talk these matters over with Dorothy by means +of the "wireless," for that is the only way I can +communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked +her about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you +heard?" I said "No." "Well," came the message over +the wireless, "I'll tell you all about it, by and +by, and then you can make a book of that story for +the children to read." + +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted +to write another Oz book, you will probably +discover how all these characters came together in +the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell +all my little friends--whose numbers are increasing +by many thousands every year--that I am very +grateful for the favor they have shown my books and +for the delightful little letters I am constantly +receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends +among the children of America as any story writer +alive; and this, of course, makes me very proud and +happy. + +L. Frank Baum. + +"OZCOT" +at HOLLYWOOD +in CALIFORNIA, +1914. + + + + +LIST OF CHAPTERS +1 - Ann's Army +2 - Out of Oogaboo +3 - Magic Mystifies the Marchers +4 - Betsy Braves the Bellows +5 - The Roses Repulse the Refugees +6 - Shaggy Seeks His Stray Brother +7 - Polychrome's Pitiful Plight +8 - Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task +9 - Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless +10 - A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube +11 - The Famous Fellowship of Fairies +12 - The Lovely Lady of Light +13 - The Jinjin's Just Judgment +14 - The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening +15 - The Dragon Defies Danger +16 - The Naughty Nome +17 - A Tragic Transformation +18 - A Clever Conquest +19 - King Kaliko +20 - Quox Quietly Quits +21 - A Bashful Brother +22 - Kindly Kisses +23 - Ruggedo Reforms +24 - Dorothy is Delighted +25 - The Land of Love + + + + +TIK-TOK of OZ + + + + +Chapter One + +Ann's Army + + +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It +is beneath my dignity." + +"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger +sister, Salye; "else we shall soon be wading in +dust. And you are the eldest, and the head of the +family." + +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. +"But," she added with a sigh, "my kingdom is the +smallest and the poorest in all the Land of Oz." + +This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, +in a far corner of the beautiful fairyland of Oz, +lies a small valley which is named Oogaboo, and in +this valley lived a few people who were usually +happy and contented and never cared to wander over +the mountain pass into the more settled parts of +the land. They knew that all of Oz, including +their own territory, was ruled by a beautiful +Princess named Ozma, who lived in the splendid +Emerald City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo +never visited Ozma. They had a royal family of +their own--not especially to rule over them, but +just as a matter of pride. Ozma permitted the +various parts of her country to have their Kings +and Queens and Emperors and the like, but all were +ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the Emerald +City. + +The King of Oogaboo used to be a man named +Jol Jemkiph Soforth, who for many years did +all the drudgery of deciding disputes and telling +his people when to plant cabbages and pickle +onions. But the King's wife had a sharp tongue +and small respect for the King, her husband; +therefore one night King Jol crept over the pass +into the Land of Oz and disappeared from +Oogaboo for good and all. The Queen waited +a few years for him to return and then started +in search of him, leaving her eldest daughter, +Ann Soforth, to act as Queen. + +Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday +came, for that meant a party and feasting and +dancing, but she had quite forgotten how many +years the birthdays marked. In a land where people +live always, this is not considered a cause for +regret, so we may justly say that Queen Ann of +Oogaboo was old enough to make jelly--and let it go +at that. + +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the +housework than she could help. She was an +ambitious woman and constantly resented the fact +that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so +stupid and unenterprising. Often she wondered what +had become of her father and mother, out beyond +the pass, in the wonderful Land of Oz, and the +fact that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann +to suspect that they had found a better place to +live. So, when Salye refused to sweep the floor of +the living room in the palace, and Ann would not +sweep it, either, she said to her sister: + +"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo +tires me." + +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you +are very foolish to leave this place." + +"Why?" asked Ann. + +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's +country, you will be a nobody, while here you +are a Queen." + +"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven +women and forty-four children!" returned Ann +bitterly. + +"Well, there are certainly more people than that +in the great Land of Oz," laughed Salye. "Why +don't you raise an army and conquer them, and be +Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt Ann +and so to anger her. Then she made a face at her +sister and went into the back yard to swing in the +hammock. + +Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann +an idea. She reflected that Oz was reported to be +a peaceful country and Ozma a mere girl who ruled +with gentleness to all and was obeyed because her +people loved her. Even in Oogaboo the story was +told that Ozma's sole army consisted of twenty- +seven fine officers, who wore beautiful uniforms +but carried no weapons, because there was no one +to fight. Once there had been a private soldier, +besides the officers, but Ozma had made him a +Captain-General and taken away his gun for fear it +might accidentally hurt some one. + +The more Ann thought about the matter the more +she was convinced it would be easy to conquer the +Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in Ozma's +place, if she but had an Army to do it with. +Afterward she could go out into the world and +conquer other lands, and then perhaps she could +find a way to the moon, and conquer that. She had +a warlike spirit that preferred trouble to +idleness. + +It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She +carefully counted in her mind all the men of her +kingdom. Yes; there were exactly eighteen of them, +all told. That would not make a very big Army, but +by surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men +might easily subdue them. "Gentle people are +always afraid of those that bluster," Ann told +herself. "I don't wish to shed any blood, for that +would shock my nerves and I might faint; but if we +threaten and flash our weapons I am sure the +people of Oz will fall upon their knees before me +and surrender." + +This argument, which she repeated to herself +more than once, finally determined the Queen of +Oogaboo to undertake the audacious venture. + +"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make +me no more unhappy than my staying shut up +in this miserable valley and sweeping floors and +quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will venture +all, and win what I may." + +That very day she started out to organize her +Army. + +The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so +called because he had an apple orchard. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and I want you to join my Army." + +"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I +must politely refuse Your Majesty," said Jo +Apple." + +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall +command you, as Queen of Oogaboo, to join," said +Ann. + +"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man +remarked, in a sad voice. "But I pray you to +consider that I am a very important citizen, and +for that reason am entitled to an office of high +rank." + +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. + +"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked. + +"Of course," said the Queen. + +Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo +Bunn, as he owned an orchard where graham-buns and +wheat-buns, in great variety, both hot and cold, +grew on the trees. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and I command you to join my Army." + +"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to +be picked." + +"Let your wife and children do the picking," +said Ann. + +"But I'm a man of great importance, Your +Majesty," he protested. + +"For that reason you shall be one of my +Generals, and wear a cocked hat with gold +braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a long +sword," she promised. + +So he consented, although sorely against his +will, and the Queen walked on to the next +cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so called because +the trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent +ice-cream cones. + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the +world, and you must join my Army." + +"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a +bad fighter. My good wife conquered me years +ago, for she can fight better than I. Take her, +Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you +for the favor." + +"This must be an army of men--fierce, ferocious +warriors," declared Ann, looking sternly upon the +mild little man. + +"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he +asked. + +"Yes; and make you a General." + +"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to +the cottage of Jo Clock, who had an orchard of +clock-trees. This man at first insisted that he +would not join the army, but Queen Ann's +promise to make him a General finally won his +consent. + +"How many Generals are there in your army?" +he asked. + +"Four, so far," replied Ann. + +"And how big will the army be?" was his next +question. + +"I intend to make every one of the eighteen +men in Oogaboo join it," she said. + +"Then four Generals are enough," announced +Jo Clock. "I advise you to make the rest of them +Colonels." + +Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four +men she visited--who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo +Banjo and Jo Cheese, named after the trees in +their orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; but +the fifth one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and +Generals were getting to be altogether too common +in the Army of Oogaboo and he preferred to be a +Major. So Jo Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo +Stockings were all four made Majors, while the +next four--Jo Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and +Jo Buttons--were appointed Captains of the Army. + +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There +remained but two other men in all Oogaboo, +and if she made these two Lieutenants, while +there were four Captains, four Majors, four +Colonels and four Generals, there was likely to +be jealousy in her army, and perhaps mutiny +and desertions. + +One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he +would not go at all. No promises could tempt him, +nor could threats move him. He said he must remain +at home to harvest his crop of jackson-balls, +lemon-drops, bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he +had large fields of crackerjack and buttered +pop corn to be mowed and threshed, and he was +determined not to disappoint the children of +Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world and so +let the candy crop spoil. + +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann +let him have his own way and continued her +journey to the house of the eighteenth and last +man in Oogaboo, who was a young fellow +named Jo Files. This Files had twelve trees +which bore steel files of various sorts; but also +he had nine book-trees, on which grew a choice +selection of story-books. In case you have never +seen books growing upon trees, I will explain +that those in Jo Files' orchard were enclosed +in broad green husks which, when fully ripe, +turned to a deep red color. Then the books were +picked and husked and were ready to read. If +they were picked too soon, the stories were found +to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling +bad. However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the +stories were fine reading and the spelling and +grammar excellent. + +Files freely gave his books to all who wanted +them, but the people of Oogaboo cared little for +books and so he had to read most of them himself, +before they spoiled. For, as you probably know, as +soon as the books were read the words disappeared +and the leaves withered and faded--which is the +worst fault of all books which grow upon trees. + +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, +who was both intelligent and ambitious, he said he +thought it would be great fun to conquer the +world. But he called her attention to the fact +that he was far superior to the other men of her +army. Therefore, he would not be one of her +Generals or Colonels or Majors or Captains, but +claimed the honor of being sole Private. + +Ann did not like this idea at all. + +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army," +she said; "they're so common. I am told that +Princess Ozma once had a private soldier, but +she made him her Captain-General, which is +good evidence that the private was unnecessary." + +"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; +"but your army must fight like fury in order to +conquer the world. I have read in my books that it +is always the private soldiers who do the +fighting, for no officer is ever brave enough to +face the foe. Also, it stands to reason that your +officers must have some one to command and to +issue their orders to; therefore I'll be the one. +I long to slash and slay the enemy and become a +hero. Then, when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take +all the marbles away from the children and melt +them up and make a marble statue of myself for all +to look upon and admire." + +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He +seemed indeed to be such a warrior as she needed +in her enterprise, and her hopes of success took +a sudden bound when Files told her he knew +where a gun-tree grew and would go there at +once and pick the ripest and biggest musket the +tree bore. + + + + +Chapter Two + +Out of Oogaboo + + +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo +assembled in the square in front of the royal +palace. The sixteen officers were attired in +gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering +swords. The Private had picked his gun and, +although it was not a very big weapon, Files tried +to look fierce and succeeded so well that all his +commanding officers were secretly afraid of him. + +The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann +Soforth had no right to take their husbands and +fathers from them; but Ann commanded them to keep +silent, and that was the hardest order to obey +they had ever received. + +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an +imposing uniform of green, covered with gold +braid. She wore a green soldier-cap with a purple +plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that +everyone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad she +was going. The Army was sorry she was not going +alone. + +"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice. + +Salye leaned out of the palace window and +laughed. + +"I believe your Army can run better than it can +fight," she observed. + +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. +"We're not looking for trouble, you know, but for +plunder. The more plunder and the less fighting we +get, the better we shall like our work." + +"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and +carnage to anything. The only way to become +a hero is to conquer, and the story-books all say +that the easiest way to conquer is to fight." + +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To +fight is to conquer and to conquer is to secure +plunder and to secure plunder is to become a hero. +With such noble determination to back me, the +world is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return we +shall be rich and famous. Come, Generals; let us +march." + +At this the Generals straightened up and threw +out their chests. Then they swung their glittering +swords in rapid circles and cried to the Colonels: + +"For-ward March!" + +Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: +"For-ward March!" and the Majors yelled to the +Captains: "For-ward March!" and the Captains +screamed to the Private: + +"For-ward March!" + +So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, +and all the officers followed after him. Queen Ann +came last of all, rejoicing in her noble army and +wondering why she had not decided long ago to +conquer the world. + +In this order the procession marched out of +Oogaboo and took the narrow mountain pass +which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. + + + + +Chapter Three + +Magic Mystifies the Marchers + + +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of +Oogaboo, led by their ambitious Queen, was +determined to conquer her Kingdom. The beautiful +girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her +subjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforth +and her disloyal plans. But there was one who +constantly guarded the peace and happiness of the +Land of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress of +the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. + +In her magnificent castle, which stands far +north of the Emerald City where Ozma holds her +court, Glinda owns a wonderful magic Record Book, +in which is printed every event that takes place +anywhere, just as soon as it happens. + +The smallest things and the biggest things are +all recorded in this book. If a child stamps its +foot in anger, Glinda reads about it; if a city +burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in her +book. + +The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every +day, and so it was she knew that Ann Soforth, +Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly assembled an army +of sixteen officers and one private soldier, with +which she intended to invade and conquer the Land +of Oz. + +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by +the magic arts of Glinda the Good and the powerful +Wizard of Oz--both her firm friends--could easily +defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; but it +would be a shame to have the peace of Oz +interrupted by any sort of quarreling or fighting. +So Glinda did not even mention the matter to Ozma, +or to anyone else. She merely went into a great +chamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room, +where she performed a magical ceremony which +caused the mountain pass that led from Oogaboo to +make several turns and twists. The result was that +when Ann and her army came to the end of the pass +they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an +adjoining territory that was quite distinct from +Ozma's domain and separated from Oz by an +invisible barrier. + +As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, +the pass they had traversed disappeared behind +them and it was not likely they would ever find +their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They +were greatly puzzled, indeed, by their +surroundings and did not know which way to go. +None of them had ever visited Oz, so it took them +some time to discover they were not in Oz at all, +but in an unknown country. + +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her +disappointment; "we have started out to conquer +the world, and here is part of it. In time, as we +pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless +come to Oz; but, until we get there, we may as +well conquer whatever land we find ourselves in." + +"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" +anxiously inquired Major Cake. + +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no +people, as yet, but when we do, we will inform +them that they are our slaves." + +"And afterward we will plunder them of all +their possessions," added General Apple. + +"They may not possess anything," objected +Private Files; "but I hope they will fight us, +just the same. A peaceful conquest wouldn't be any +fun at all." + +"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight, +whether our foes do or not; and perhaps we would +find it more comfortable to have the enemy +surrender promptly." + +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to +travel in. Moreover, there was little for them to +eat, and as the officers became hungry they became +fretful. Many would have deserted had they been +able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo +people were now hopelessly lost in a strange +country they considered it more safe to keep +together than to separate. + +Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became +sharp and irritable as she and her army tramped +over the rocky roads without encountering either +people or plunder. She scolded her officers until +they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal +enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began +to reproach her for leading them into difficulties +and in the space of three unhappy days every man +was mourning for his orchard in the pretty valley +of Oogaboo. + +Files, however, proved a different sort. The +more difficulties he encountered the more cheerful +he became, and the sighs of the officers were +answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His +pleasant disposition did much to encourage Queen +Ann and before long she consulted the Private +Soldier more often than she did his superiors. + +It was on the third day of their pilgrimage +that they encountered their first adventure. +Toward evening the sky was suddenly darkened +and Major Nails exclaimed: + +"A fog is coming toward us." + +"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, +looking with interest at the approaching cloud. +"It seems to me more like the breath of a Rak." + +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about +fearfully. + +"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," +answered the soldier, growing a little paler than +usual. "I have never seen a Rak, to be sure, but I +have read of them in the story-books that grew in +my orchard, and if this is indeed one of those +fearful monsters, we are not likely to conquer the +world." + +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried +and gathered closer about their soldier. + +"What is the thing like?" asked one. + +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a +book was rather blurred," said Files, "because the +book was not quite ripe when it was picked. But +the creature can fly in the air and run like a +deer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is a +glowing furnace of fire, and the Rak breathes in +air and breathes out smoke, which darkens the sky +for miles around, wherever it goes. It is bigger +than a hundred men and feeds on any living thing." + +The officers now began to groan and to tremble, +but Files tried to cheer them, saying: + +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see +approaching us, and you must not forget that we +people of Oogaboo, which is part of the fairyland +of Oz, cannot be killed." + +"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the +Rak catches us, and chews us up into small pieces, +and swallows us--what will happen then?" + +"Then each small piece will still be alive," +declared Files. + +"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed +Colonel Banjo. "A hamburger steak is a hamburger +steak, whether it is alive or not!" + +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted +Files. "We will know, when the cloud gets nearer, +whether it is the breath of a Rak or not. If it +has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but if +it has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and +we must prepare for a desperate fight." + +They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before +long it reached the frightened group and began +to envelop them. Every nose sniffed the cloud-- +and every one detected in it the odor of salt and +pepper. + +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a +howl of despair the sixteen officers fell to the +ground, writhing and moaning in anguish. +Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the +cloud more bravely, although her heart was beating +fast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his gun +and stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldier +should. + +They were now in absolute darkness, for the +cloud which covered the sky and the setting sun +was black as ink. Then through the gloom appeared +two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once +decided these must be the monster's eyes. + +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. + +There were several bullets in the gun, all +gathered from an excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo, +and they were big and hard. They flew toward the +monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry +the Rak came fluttering down and its huge body +fell plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers, +who thereupon screamed louder than before. + +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what +you've done with that dangerous gun of yours!" + +"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud +formed by your breath darkens my sight!" + +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued +the Rak, reproachfully, as it still flapped its +wings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim you +didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!" + +"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the +bullets hurt you very badly?" + +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open +my mouth. You will notice that my voice sounds +rather harsh and husky, because I have to talk +with my teeth set close together. Another bullet +broke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and still +another broke my right leg, so that I can't walk. +It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!" + +"Can't you manage to lift your body off from +my commanding officers?" inquired Files. "From +their cries I'm afraid your great weight is +crushing them." + +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to +crush them, if possible, for I have a bad +disposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'd +eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly +this warm weather." + +With this the Rak began to roll its immense +body sidewise, so as to crush the officers more +easily; but in doing this it rolled completely off +from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to +their feet and made off as fast as they could run. + +Private Files could not see them go but he +knew from the sound of their voices that they had +escaped, so he ceased to worry about them. + +"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he +said to the Rak. "The parting is caused by our +desire to continue our journey. If you die, do +not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you +as a matter of self-protection." + +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I +bear a charmed life. But I beg you not to leave +me!" + +"Why not?" asked Files. + +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an +hour, and then I shall be able to eat you. My wing +will heal in a day and my leg will heal in a week, +when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot me, +and so caused me all this annoyance, it is only +fair and just that you remain here and allow me to +eat you as soon as I can open my jaws." + +"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier +firmly. "I have made an engagement with Queen +Ann of Oogaboo to help her conquer the world, +and I cannot break my word for the sake of being +eaten by a Rak." + +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If +you've an engagement, don't let me detain you." + +So Files felt around in the dark and grasped +the hand of the trembling Queen, whom he led +away from the flapping, sighing Rak. They +stumbled over the stones for a way but presently +began to see dimly the path ahead of them, as +they got farther and farther away from the +dreadful spot where the wounded monster lay. +By and by they reached a little hill and could +see the last rays of the sun flooding a pretty +valley beyond, for now they had passed beyond +the cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddled +the sixteen officers, still frightened and panting +from their run. They had halted only because +it was impossible for them to run any farther. + +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for +their cowardice, at the same time praising Files +for his courage. + +"We are wiser than he, however," muttered +General Clock, "for by running away we are +now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering +the world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the +Rak, he would have deserted your Army." + +After a brief rest they descended into the +valley, and as soon as they were out of sight of +the Rak the spirits of the entire party rose +quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on +the banks of which Queen Ann commanded +them to make camp for the night. + +Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white +tent. This, when placed upon the ground, quickly +grew in size until it was large enough to permit +the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas +walls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, in +which was not only his own tent but an elaborate +pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair +and a magic table. This table, when set upon the +ground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size, +and in a drawer of the table was contained the +Queen's supply of extra clothing, her manicure and +toilet articles and other necessary things. The +royal bed was the only one in the camp, the +officers and private sleeping in hammocks attached +to their tent poles. + +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing +the royal emblem of Oogaboo, and this flag Files +flew upon its staff every night, to show that the +country they were in had been conquered by the +Queen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves +had seen the flag, but Ann was pleased to see it +flutter in the breeze and considered herself +already a famous conqueror. + + + + +Chapter Four + +Betsy Braves the Billows + + +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the +thunder rolled and the ship struck a rock. Betsy +Bobbin was running across the deck and the shock +sent her flying through the air until she fell +with a splash into the dark blue water. The same +shock caught Hank, a thin little, sad-faced mule, +and tumbled him also into the sea, far from the +ship's side. + +When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because +the wet plunge had surprised her, she reached out +in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair. At first +she thought it was the end of a rope, but +presently she heard a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew +she was holding fast to the end of Hank's tail. + +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid +glare. The ship, now in the far distance, caught +fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves. + +Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then +her eye caught a mass of wreckage floating near +her and she let go the mule's tail and seized the +rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode +upon it in safety. Hank also saw the raft and +swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never would +have been able to climb upon it had not Betsy +helped him to get aboard. + +They had to crowd close together, for their +support was only a hatch-cover torn from the +ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well and +both the girl and the mule knew it would keep +them from drowning. + +The storm was not over, by any means, when the +ship went down. Blinding bolts of lightning shot +from cloud to cloud and the clamor of deep +thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves +tossed the little raft here and there as a child +tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a solemn +feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every +direction there was no living thing besides +herself and the small donkey. + +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently +rubbed his nose against the frightened girl and +said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, as if to +comfort her. + +"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she +cried helplessly, and the mule said "Hee-haw!" +again, in tones that meant a promise. + +On board the ship, during the days that preceded +the wreck, when the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank +had become good friends; so, while the girl might +have preferred a more powerful protector in this +dreadful emergency, she felt that the mule would +do all in a mule's power to guard her safety. + +All night they floated, and when the storm had +worn itself out and passed away with a few distant +growls, and the waves had grown smaller and easier +to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet +raft and fell asleep. + +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it +his duty to guard Betsy. Anyhow, he crouched +on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and +watched patiently until the first light of dawn +swept over the sea. + +The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, +rubbed her eyes and stared across the water. + +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. + +"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice. + +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very +beautiful country and as they drew near Betsy +could see banks of lovely flowers showing brightly +between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen +at all. + + + + +Chapter Five + +The Roses Repulse the Refugees + + +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then +Betsy easily waded ashore, the mule following +closely behind her. The sun was now shining and +the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of +roses. + +"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the +girl, feeling more cheerful now that she was on +dry land; "but we can't eat the flowers, although +they do smell mighty good." + +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little +pathway to the top of the bank. + +Betsy followed and from the eminence looked +around her. A little way off stood a splendid big +greenhouse, its thousands of crystal panes +glittering in the sunlight. + +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," +observed Betsy thoughtfully; "gardeners, or +somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. I'm getting +hungrier ev'ry minute." + +So they walked toward the great greenhouse and +came to its entrance without meeting with anyone +at all. A door stood ajar, so Hank went in first, +thinking if there was any danger he could back out +and warn his companion. But Betsy was close at his +heels and the moment she entered was lost in +amazement at the wonderful sight she saw. + +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent +rosebushes, all growing in big pots. On the +central stem of each bush bloomed a splendid Rose, +gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and +in the center of each Rose was the face of a +lovely girl. + +As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the +Roses were drooping and their eyelids were closed +in slumber; but the mule was so amazed that he +uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound of his +harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses +raised their heads and a hundred startled eyes +were instantly fixed upon the intruders. + +"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, +blushing and confused. + +"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing +chorus; and one of them added: "What a horrid +noise!" + +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if +to prove the truth of her words the mule uttered +another loud "Hee-haw!" + +At this all the Roses turned on their stems as +far as they were able and trembled as if some one +were shaking their bushes. A dainty Moss Rose +gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully dreadful!" + +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat +indignant. "When you get used to Hank's voice it +will put you to sleep." + +The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully +and one of them asked: + +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" + +"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," +answered the girl, twining her arms around the +little mule's neck and hugging him tight. "Aren't +you, Hank?" + +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at +his bray the Roses shivered again. + +"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see +you're frightening us out of a week's growth?" + +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to +go. We've just been wrecked." + +"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised +chorus. + +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came +and wrecked it," explained the girl. "But Hank and +I caught hold of a raft and floated ashore to this +place, and--we're tired and hungry. What country +is this, please?" + +"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss +Rose, haughtily, "and it is devoted to the culture +of the rarest and fairest Roses grown." + +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty +blossoms. + +"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a +delicate Tea Rose, bending her brows in a frown; +"therefore you must go away before the Royal +Gardener finds you and casts you back into the +sea." + +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired +Betsy. + +"To be sure." + +"And is he a Rose, also?" + +"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man," +was the reply. + +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the +girl, much relieved, and even as she spoke the +Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse--a +spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the +other. + +He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose- +colored costume, with ribbons at his knees and +elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. His +eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and +his face puckered and deeply lined. + +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find +strangers in his greenhouse, and when Hank gave a +loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over +the mule's head and danced around with his fork, +in such agitation that presently he fell over the +handle of the implement and sprawled at full +length upon the ground. + +Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off +from Hank's head. The little mule was angry at the +treatment he had received and backed toward the +Gardener threateningly. + +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly +and the Gardener scrambled to his feet and hastily +hid behind the Roses. + +"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking +out his head to glare at the girl and the mule. + +"What Law?" asked Betsy. + +"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers +are allowed in these domains." + +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. + +"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied +the Royal Gardener, and he was about to say +more when suddenly there was a crash of glass +and a man came tumbling through the roof of +the greenhouse and fell plump to the ground. + + + + +Chapter Six + +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother + + +This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, +dressed all in garments so shaggy that Betsy at +first thought he must be some animal. But the +stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and +then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an +apple in his hand, which he had evidently been +eating when he fell, and so little was he jarred +or flustered by the accident that he continued to +munch this apple as he calmly looked around him. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching +him. "Who are you, and where did you come from?" + +"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking +another bite of the apple. "Just dropped in for a +short call. Excuse my seeming haste." + +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," +said Betsy. + +"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch +gave way and--here I am." + +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, +gave the core to Hank--who ate it greedily --and +then stood up to bow politely to Betsy and the +Roses. + +The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly +into fits by the crash of glass and the fall of +the shaggy stranger into the bower of Roses, but +now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in +his squeaky voice: + +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the +Law!" + +Shaggy stared at him solemnly. + +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he +asked. + +"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," +squeaked the Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude +in any part of the Rose Kingdom is breaking the +Law." + +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. + +"Why, it's printed in a book," said the +Gardener, coming forward and taking a small book +from his pocket. "Page thirteen. Here it is: 'If +any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at +once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death.' +So you see, strangers," he continued triumphantly, +"it's death for you all and your time has come!" + +But just here Hank interposed. He had been +stealthily backing toward the Royal Gardener, whom +he disliked, and now the mule's heels shot out and +struck the little man in the middle. He doubled up +like the letter "U" and flew out of the door so +swiftly--never touching the ground --that he was +gone before Betsy had time to wink. + +But the mule's attack frightened the girl. + +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy +Man and taking his hand; "let's go somewhere else. +They'll surely kill us if we stay here!" + +"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting +the child's head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so +long as I have the Love Magnet." + +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked +Betsy. + +"It's a charming little enchantment that wins +the heart of everyone who looks upon it," was +the reply. "The Love Magnet used to hang over +the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land +of Oz; but when I started on this journey our +beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, allowed me to take +it with me." + +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are +you really from the wonderful Land of Oz?" + +"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?" + +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know +Princess Ozma?" + +"Very well indeed." + +"And--and Princess Dorothy?" + +"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared +Shaggy. + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did +you ever leave such a beautiful land as Oz?" + +"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and +solemn. "I'm trying to find my dear little +brother." + +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling +very sorry for the poor man. + +"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, +taking out a handkerchief and wiping a tear from +his eye. "I didn't know it until lately, when I +saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of +the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So +now I'm trying to find him." + +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl +sympathetically. + +"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I +went to Oz. Brother was a miner, and dug gold out +of a mine. One day he went into his mine and never +came out. They searched for him, but he was not +there. Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended +miserably. + +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of +him?" she asked. + +"There is only one explanation," replied +Shaggy, taking another apple from his pocket +and eating it to relieve his misery. "The Nome +King probably got him." + +"The Nome King! Who is he?" + +"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, +and his name is Ruggedo. Lives in some underground +cavern. Claims to own all the metals hidden in the +earth. Don't ask me why." + +"Why?" + +"Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets +wild with anger if anyone digs gold out of the +earth, and my private opinion is that he captured +brother and carried him off to his underground +kingdom. No--don't ask me why. I see you're +dying to ask me why. But I don't know." + +"But--dear me!--in that case you will never +find your lost brother!" exclaimed the girl. + +"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered +Shaggy. "I've wandered so far without finding +him, but that only proves he is not where I've +been looking. What I seek now is the hidden +passage to the underground cavern of the terrible +Metal Monarch." + +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me +that if you ever manage to get there the Metal +Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner." + +"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. +"You mustn't forget the Love Magnet." + +"What about it?" she asked. + +"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love +Magnet, he will love me dearly and do anything I +ask." + +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. + +"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it +to you?" + +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his +shaggy pocket and drew out a small silver magnet, +shaped like a horseshoe. + +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." + +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. + +"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't +even seen the Ruler of the Rose Kingdom." + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in +a perplexed tone of voice, "we haven't any real +Ruler, just now. You see, all our Rulers grow on +bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we +had got mildewed and withered before his time. So +we had to plant him, and at this time there is no +one growing on the Royal Bushes who is ripe enough +to pick." + +"How do you know?" asked Betsy. + +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of +royalties are growing, I admit; but just now they +are all green. Until one ripens, I am supposed to +rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its +Laws are obeyed. Therefore, much as I love you, +Shaggy, I must put you to death." + +"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to +see those Royal Gardens before I die." + +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, +Gardener." + +"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. +But Shaggy again showed him the Love Magnet +and after one glance at it the Gardener could +no longer resist. + +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end +of the great greenhouse and carefully unlocked +a small door. Passing through this they came +into the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose +Kingdom. + +It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within +the enclosure grew several enormous rosebushes +having thick green leaves of the texture of +velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the +Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom--men, women and +children in all stages of maturity. They all +seemed to have a light green hue, as if unripe or +not fully developed, their flesh and clothing +being alike green. They stood perfectly lifeless +upon their branches, which swayed softly in the +breeze, and their wide open eyes stared straight +ahead, unseeing and unintelligent. + +While examining these curious growing people, +Betsy passed behind a big central bush and at once +uttered an exclamation of surprise and pleasure. +For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, +stood a Royal Princess, whose beauty was amazing. + +"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside +some of the broad leaves to observe her more +clearly. + +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, +who had come to the girl's side; "but she's a girl, +and so we can't use her for a Ruler." + +"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, +and looking around Betsy discovered that all the +Roses had followed them from the greenhouse +and were now grouped before the entrance. + +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects +of Rose Kingdom don't want a girl Ruler. They want +a King." + +"A King! We want a King!" repeated the +chorus of Roses. + +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring +the lovely Princess. + +"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. +This Princess is named Ozga, as she is a distant +cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were she but a man, +we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler." + +The Gardener then turned away to talk with +his Roses and Betsy whispered to her companion: +"Let's pick her, Shaggy." + +"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has +the right to rule this Kingdom, and if we pick +her she will surely protect us and prevent our +being hurt, or driven away." + +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the +beautiful Rose Princess and a little twist of her +feet set her free of the branch upon which she +grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from +the bush to the ground, where she bowed low +to Betsy and Shaggy and said in a delightfully +sweet voice: "I thank you." + +But at the sound of these words the Gardener and +the Roses turned and discovered that the Princess +had been picked, and was now alive. Over every +face flashed an expression of resentment and +anger, and one of the Roses cried aloud. + +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" + +"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied +Betsy, cheerfully. + +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" +exclaimed a Jacque Rose, and another added with a +voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over us!" + +The newly-picked Princess looked from one to +another of her rebellious subjects in +astonishment. A grieved look came over her +exquisite features. + +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she +asked gently. "Have I not come from my Royal Bush +to be your Ruler?" + +"You were picked by mortals, without our +consent," replied the Moss Rose, coldly; "so we +refuse to allow you to rule us." + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried +the Tea Rose. + +"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking +the Love Magnet from his pocket. "I guess this +will win their love, Princess. Here--take it in +your hand and let the roses see it." + +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it +poised before the eyes of her subjects; but the +Roses regarded it with calm disdain. + +"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in +surprise. "The Magnet never failed to work +before!" + +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. +"These Roses have no hearts." + +"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're +pretty, and sweet, and alive; but still they are +Roses. Their stems have thorns, but no hearts." + +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet +to the Shaggy Man. + +"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully. + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" +commanded the Roses. "We will have no Ruler until +a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough to pick." + +"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must +excuse me, my dear Shaggy, for opposing your +wishes, but you and the others, including Ozga, +must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not +before." + +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, +carelessly displaying the Magnet. + +"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener +earnestly; "but no true man will neglect his duty +for the sake of love. My duty is to drive you out, +so--out you go!" + +With this he seized a garden fork and began +jabbing it at the strangers, in order to force them +to leave. Hank the mule was not afraid of the +fork and when he got his heels near to the +Gardener the man fell back to avoid a kick. + +But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts +and it was soon discovered that beneath their +draperies of green leaves were many sharp thorns +which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. +Neither Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule +cared to brave those thorns and when they pressed +away from them they found themselves slowly +driven through the garden door into the +greenhouse. From there they were forced out at the +entrance and so through the territory of the +flower-strewn Rose Kingdom, which was not of very +great extent. + +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy +was indignant and angry; Hank uttered defiant +"Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man whistled softly to +himself. + +The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep +gulf, but there was a drawbridge in one place and +this the Royal Gardener let down until the +outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up +again and returned with his Roses to the +greenhouse, leaving the four queerly assorted +comrades to wander into the bleak and unknown +country that lay beyond. + +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led +the way over the stony, barren ground. "I've got +to search for my long-lost little brother, anyhow, +so it won't matter where I go." + +"Hank and I will help you find your brother," +said Betsy in her most cheerful voice. "I'm so far +away from home now that I don't s'pose I'll ever +find my way back; and, to tell the truth, it's +more fun traveling around and having adventures +than sticking at home. Don't you think so, Hank?" + +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked +them both. + +"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, +with a gentle sigh, "I must remain forever exiled +from my Kingdom. So I, too, will be glad to help +the Shaggy Man find his lost brother." + +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. +"But unless I can find the underground cavern of +Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I shall never find +poor brother." + + +(This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he +drank of the "Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name +and had to take another.) + + +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired +Betsy. + +"Some one must know, of course," was Shaggy's +reply. "But we are not the ones. The only way to +succeed is for us to keep going until we find a +person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern." + +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," +suggested Betsy. "Who knows?" + +"No one knows that, except the person who's +writing this story," said Shaggy. "But we won't +find anything--not even supper--unless we travel +on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see where it +leads to." + + + + +Chapter Seven + +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight + + +The Rain King got too much water in his basin and +spilled some over the brim. That made it rain in a +certain part of the country--a real hard shower, +for a time--and sent the Rainbow scampering to the +place to show the gorgeous colors of his glorious +bow as soon as the mist of rain had passed and the +sky was clear. + +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous +event to earth folk, yet few have ever seen it +close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far distant +that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, +and that is why we seldom catch sight of the +dancing Daughters of the Rainbow. + +In the barren country where the rain had +just fallen there appeared to be no human +beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, just +the same, and dancing gayly upon its arch were +the Rainbow's Daughters, led by the fairylike +Polychrome, who is so dainty and beautiful that +no girl has ever quite equalled her in loveliness. + +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down +the arch of the bow to the ground, daring her +sisters to follow her. Laughing and gleeful, they +also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; +but all the Daughters of the Rainbow knew that +this was a dangerous pastime, so they quickly +climbed upon their bow again. + +All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and +merriest of them all, she was likewise the most +reckless. Moreover, it was an unusual sensation to +pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. +Before she realized it the bow had lifted and +disappeared in the billowy blue sky, and here was +Polychrome standing helpless upon a rock, her +gauzy draperies floating about her like brilliant +cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or mortal--to help +her regain her lost bow! + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across +her pretty face, "I'm caught again. This is the +second time my carelessness has left me on earth +while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. The +first time I enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but +this is a lonely, forsaken country and I shall be +very unhappy until my Rainbow comes again and I +can climb aboard. Let me think what is best to be +done." + +She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her +draperies about her and bowed her head. + +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied +Polychrome as she came along the stony path, +followed by Hank, the Princess and Shaggy. At once +the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the +Rainbow and exclaimed: + +"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!" + +Polychrome raised her golden head. There +were tears in her blue eyes. + +"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole +world!" she sobbed. + +The others gathered around her. + +"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the +Princess. + +"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. + +"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a +sympathetic tone, thinking she meant "beau" +instead of "bow." + +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping +her foot imperiously; "I want my Rainbow." + +"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to +forget it. When I was young I used to cry for the +Rainbow myself, but I couldn't have it. Looks as +if you couldn't have it, either; so please don't +cry." + +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. + +"I don't like you," she said. + +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet +from his pocket; "not a little bit?--just a wee +speck of a like?" + +"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her +hands in ecstasy as she gazed at the enchanted +talisman; "I love you, Shaggy Man!" + +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't +take any credit for it. It's the Love Magnet's +powerful charm. But you seem quite alone and +friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join +our party until you find your father and sisters +again?" + +"Where are you going?" she asked. + +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking +her hand; "but we're trying to find Shaggy's long- +lost brother, who has been captured by the +terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, +and help us?" + +Polychrome looked from one to another of the +queer party of travelers and a bewitching smile +suddenly lighted her face. + +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a +Shaggy Man!" she exclaimed. "Surely you need help, +if you intend to face Ruggedo." + +"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy. + +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the +earth's surface, where no Rainbow can ever +penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal Monarch. He +is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has +made trouble for a good many people --mortals and +fairies--in his time," said Polychrome. + +"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, +anxiously. + +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," +said Polychrome proudly. "I'm a sky fairy." + +"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able +to tell us the way to Ruggedo's cavern." + +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, +"that is one thing I cannot do. But I will gladly +go with you and help you search for the place." + +This promise delighted all the wanderers and +after the Shaggy Man had found the path again +they began moving along it in a more happy +mood. The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly +over the rocky trail, no longer sad, but with her +beautiful features wreathed in smiles. Shaggy +came next, walking steadily and now and then +supporting the Rose Princess, who followed him. +Betsy and Hank brought up the rear, and if she +tired with walking the girl got upon Hank's back +and let the stout little donkey carry her for +a while. + +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew +beside a tiny brook and here they made camp and +rested until morning. Then away they tramped, +finding berries and fruits here and there which +satisfied the hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, +so that they were well content with their lot. + +It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess +partake of their food, for she considered her a +fairy; but when she mentioned this to Polychrome, +the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga +was driven out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to +be a fairy and would never again be more than a +mere mortal. Polychrome, however, was a fairy +wherever she happened to be, and if she sipped a +few dewdrops by moonlight for refreshment no one +ever saw her do it. + +As they continued their wandering journey, +direction meant very little to them, for they were +hopelessly lost in this strange country. Shaggy +said it would be best to go toward the mountains, +as the natural entrance to Ruggedo's underground +cavern was likely to be hidden in some rocky, +deserted place; but mountains seemed all around +them except in the one direction that they had +come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and the +sea. Therefore it mattered little which way they +traveled. + +By and by they espied a faint trail that looked +like a path and after following this for some time +they reached a crossroads. Here were many paths, +leading in various directions, and there was a +signpost so old that there were now no words upon +the sign. At one side was an old well, with a +chain windlass for drawing water, yet there was no +house or other building anywhere in sight. + +While the party halted, puzzled which way +to proceed, the mule approached the well and +tried to look into it. + +"He's thirsty," said Betsy. + +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably +there has been no water in it for many years. But, +come; let us decide which way to travel." + +No one seemed able to decide that. They sat +down in a group and tried to consider which +road might be the best to take. Hank, however, +could not keep away from the well and finally +he reared up on his hind legs, got his head over +the edge and uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy +watched her animal friend curiously. + +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she +said. + +At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well +to investigate, and Betsy went with him. The +Princess and Polychrome, who had become fast +friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the +roads, to find an easy path. + +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to +be something at the bottom of this old well." + +"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked +the girl. + +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass +chain, but there was a big hook that at one time +was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy let down this +hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then +pulled it up. An old hoopskirt came with it, and +Betsy laughed and threw it away. The thing +frightened Hank, who had never seen a hoopskirt +before, and he kept a good distance away from it. + +Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured +with the hook and drew up, but none of these was +important. + +"This well seems to have been the dump for +all the old rubbish in the country," he said, +letting down the hook once more. "I guess I've +captured everything now. No--the hook has caught +again. Help me, Betsy! Whatever this thing is, +it's heavy." + +She ran up and helped him turn the windlass +and after much effort a confused mass of copper +came in sight. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is +a surprise, indeed!" + +"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the +windlass and panting for breath. + +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the +bundle of copper and dumped it upon the +ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over +with his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's +astonishment the thing proved to be a copper +man. + +"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard +at the object. "But unless there are two copper +men in the world this is the most astonishing +thing I ever came across." + +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the +Rose Princess approached them, and Polychrome +said: + +"What have you found, Shaggy One?" + +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he +replied. + +"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, +who had knelt down to examine the man. "Dear me; +how funny! Listen to this." + +Then she read the following words, engraved +upon the copper plates of the man's body: + + SMITH & TINKER'S +Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, +Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking + MECHANICAL MAN +Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. +Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything +but Live. + + +"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess. + +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading +from another engraved plate: + + + DIRECTIONS FOR USING: + +For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork + Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). +For SPEAKING:--Wind the Clockwork + Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). +For WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man + in the middle of his back, (marked No. 3). + +N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to +work perfectly for a thousand years. + + +"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said +Polychrome, "he ought to work yet." + +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." + +In order to do this they were obliged to set the +copper man upon his feet, in an upright position, +and this was no easy task. He was inclined to +topple over, and had to be propped again and +again. The girls assisted Shaggy, and at last Tik- +Tok seemed to be balanced and stood alone upon his +broad feet. + +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man +carefully, "this must be, indeed, my old friend +Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking merrily in the +Land of Oz. But how he came to this lonely +place, and got into that old well, is surely a +mystery." + +"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," +suggested Betsy. "Here's the key, hanging to a +hook on his back. What part of him shall I wind up +first?" + +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, +"for it requires thought to speak or move +intelligently." + +So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and +at once little flashes of light began to show in +the top of his head, which was proof that he had +begun to think. + +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his +phonograph." + +"What's that?" she asked. + +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may +be interesting, but they don't tell us anything." + +So Betsy wound the copper man under his right +arm, and then from the interior of his copper body +came in jerky tones the words: "Ma-ny thanks!" + +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped +Tik-Tok upon the back in such a hearty manner that +the copper man lost his balance and tumbled to the +ground in a heap. But the clockwork that enabled +him to speak had been wound up and he kept saying: +"Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!" until they +had again raised him and balanced him upon his +feet, when he added politely: "Ma-ny thanks!" + +"He won't be self-supporting until we wind +up his action," remarked Shaggy; so Betsy +wound it, as tight as she could--for the key +turned rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his +feet, marched around in a circle and ended by +stopping before the group and making them all +a low bow. + +"How in the world did you happen to be in +that well, when I left you safe in Oz?" inquired +Shaggy. + +"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but +I'll tell it in a few words. Af-ter you had gone +in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma saw you wan-der- +ing in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her +mag-ic pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in +the Nome King's cavern; so she sent me to tell you +where to find your broth-er and told me to help you +if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, Glin-da the Good, +trans-port-ed me to this place in the wink of an +eye; but here I met the Nome King him-self--old +Rug-ge-do, who is called in these parts the Met-al +Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what I had come for, and +he was so an-gry that he threw me down the well. +Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less un-til you +came a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny +thanks." + +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I +suspected that my brother was the prisoner of +Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, Tik-Tok, how +shall we get to the Nome King's underground +cavern?" + +"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We +might crawl, or jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver +until we get there; but the best way is to walk." + +"I know; but which road shall we take?" + +"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," +replied Tik-Tok. + +"There is more than one entrance to the +underground cavern," said Polychrome; "but old +Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every opening, so +that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. +If we find our way underground at all, it will be +by chance." + +"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, +haphazard, and see where it leads us." + +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. +"It may require a lot of time for us to find +Ruggedo, but we have more time than anything +else." + +"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I +will last a thou-sand years." + +"Then the only question to decide is which +way to go," added Shaggy, looking first at one +road and then at another. + +But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar +sound reached their ears--a sound like the +tramping of many feet. + +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she +ran to the left-hand road and glanced along the +path. "Why, it's an army!" she exclaimed. "What +shall we do, hide or run?" + +"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid +of an army. If they prove to be friendly, they can +help us; if they are enemies, I'll show them the +Love Magnet." + + + + +Chapter Eight + +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task + + +While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a +group at one side, the Army of Oogaboo was +approaching along the pathway, the tramp of their +feet being now and then accompanied by a dismal +groan as one of the officers stepped on a sharp +stone or knocked his funnybone against his +neighbor's sword-handle. + +Then out from among the trees marched Private +Files, bearing the banner of Oogaboo, which +fluttered from a long pole. This pole he stuck in +the ground just in front of the well and then he +cried in a loud voice: + +"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of +Queen Ann Soforth of Oogaboo, and all the +inhabitants of the land I proclaim her slaves!" + +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out +of the bushes and asked: + +"Is the coast clear, Private Files?" + +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but +all's well." + +"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, +mustering courage to advance to the well; but just +then he caught a glimpse of Tik-Tok and Shaggy and +at once fell upon his knees, trembling and +frightened and cried out: + +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and +we will be your slaves forever!" + +The other officers, who had now advanced into +the clearing, likewise fell upon their knees and +begged for mercy. + +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers +for the first time, examined them with much +curiosity. Then, discovering that three of the +party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a +polite bow. + +"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as +Queen Ann reached the place and beheld her +kneeling army. + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied +Shaggy, stepping forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the +Clockwork Man--who works better than some meat +people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, +just now unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of +Roses. I next present Polychrome, a sky fairy, who +lost her Bow by an accident and can't find her way +home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, from +some unknown earthly paradise called Oklahoma, +and with her you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long +tail and a short temper." + +"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of +vagabonds you are, indeed; all lost or strayed, +I suppose, and not worth a Queen's plundering. +I'm sorry I've conquered you." + +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called +Betsy indignantly. + +"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my +officers will kindly command me to conquer you, +I will do so at once, after which we can stop +arguing and converse more at our ease." + +The officers had by this time risen from their +knees and brushed the dust from their trousers. To +them the enemy did not look very fierce, so the +Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains +gained courage to face them and began strutting in +their most haughty manner. + +"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the +Queen of Oogaboo, and this is my invincible Army. +We are busy conquering the world, and since you +seem to be a part of the world, and are +obstructing our journey, it is necessary for us to +conquer you--unworthy though you may be of such +high honor." + +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us +as often as you like. We don't mind." + +"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, +positively. + +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, +angrily. "Advance, Private Files, and bind the +enemy hand and foot!" + +But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and +fascinating Polychrome and the beautiful Rose +Princess and shook his head. + +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he +asserted. + +"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey +orders." + +"I haven't received any orders from my +officers," objected the Private. + +But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind +the prisoners!" and the Colonels and Majors and +Captains repeated the command, yelling it as loud +as they could. + +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing +the Army of Oogaboo with strong disfavor. The mule +now dashed forward and began backing upon the +officers and kicking fierce and dangerous heels at +them. The attack was so sudden that the officers +scattered like dust in a whirlwind, dropping their +swords as they ran and trying to seek refuge +behind the trees and bushes. + +Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of +the "noble army," and Polychrome danced with glee. +But Ann was furious at this ignoble defeat of her +gallant forces by one small mule. + +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" +she cried again, and then she herself ducked to +escape the mule's heels--for Hank made no +distinction in favor of a lady who was an open +enemy. Betsy grabbed her champion by the forelock, +however, and so held him fast, and when the +officers saw that the mule was restrained from +further attacks they crept fearfully back and +picked up their discarded swords. + +"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" +screamed the Queen. + +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and +removing the knapsack which was strapped to his +back, "I resign my position as the Army of +Oogaboo. I enlisted to fight the enemy and become +a hero, but if you want some one to bind harmless +girls you will have to hire another Private." + +Then he walked over to the others and shook +hands with Shaggy and Tik-Tok. + +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers +echoed her cry. + +"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to +resign if I want to." + +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If +you resign it will break up my Army, and then I +cannot conquer the world." She now turned to the +officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a +favor. I know it is undignified in officers to +fight, but unless you immediately capture Private +Files and force him to obey my orders there will +be no plunder for any of us. Also it is likely you +will all suffer the pangs of hunger, and when we +meet a powerful foe you are liable to be captured +and made slaves." + +The prospect of this awful fate so frightened +the officers that they drew their swords and +rushed upon Files, who stood beside Shaggy, in a +truly ferocious manner. The next instant, however, +they halted and again fell upon their knees; for +there, before them, was the glistening Love +Magnet, held in the hand of the smiling Shaggy +Man, and the sight of this magic talisman at once +won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann saw +the Love Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and +anger threw herself upon Shaggy and embraced him +lovingly. + +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of +the Magnet, Shaggy disengaged himself from the +Queen's encircling arms and quickly hid the +talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from +Oogaboo were now his firm friends, and there was +no more talk about conquering and binding any of +his party. + +"If you insist on conquering anyone," said +Shaggy, "you may march with me to the underground +Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer the world, as you +have set out to do, you must conquer everyone +under its surface as well as those upon its +surface, and no one in all the world needs +conquering so much as Ruggedo." + +"Who is he?" asked Ann. + +"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes." + +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an +anxious voice. + +"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all +the metal that lies underground--gold, silver, +copper, brass and tin. He has an idea he also +owns all the metals above ground, for he says all +metal was once a part of his kingdom. So, by +conquering the Metal Monarch, you will win all +the riches in the world." + +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a +deep sigh, "that would be plunder worth our +while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." + +The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was +sitting next to the lovely Princess and whispering +in her ear. + +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. +I have plenty of brave officers, indeed, but no +private soldier for them to command. Therefore +I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his +wealth." + +"Why don't you make one of your officers the +Private?" asked Shaggy; but at once every officer +began to protest and the Queen of Oogaboo shook +her head as she replied: + +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a +terrible fighter, and my officers are unable to +fight. They are exceptionally brave in commanding +others to fight, but could not themselves meet +the enemy and conquer." + +"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, +eagerly. "There are many kinds of bravery and one +cannot be expected to possess them all. I myself +am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes to +fighting, but then my nature revolts. Fighting is +unkind and liable to be injurious to others; so, +being a gentleman, I never fight." + +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. + +"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not +Private Files proved himself a traitor and a +deserter, I would gladly have conquered this +Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is +like a bee without a stinger." + +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested +Files. "I resigned in a proper manner, not liking +the job. But there are plenty of people to take my +place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private +soldier?" + +"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly +at Shaggy, "for he is mortal, and able to die. If +anything happened to him, it would break my +heart." + +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared +Shaggy. "You must admit, Your Majesty, that I am +commander of this expedition, for it is my brother +we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and my +companions would like the assistance of your Army, +and if you help us to conquer Ruggedo and to +rescue my brother from captivity we will allow you +to keep all the gold and jewels and other +plunder you may find." + +This prospect was so tempting that the officers +began whispering together and presently Colonel +Cheese said: "Your Majesty, by combining our +brains we have just evolved a most brilliant idea. +We will make the Clockwork Man the private +soldier!" + +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle +sec-ond! I can-not fight, and you must not for-get +that it was Rug-ge-do who threw me in the well." + +"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. +"But if you join the Army of Oogaboo you will +carry the gun that Mr. Files used." + +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to +fight," protested Tik-Tok, "and if my works run +down, as they of-ten do, I could nei-ther run nor +fight." + +"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised +Betsy. + +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "Tik- +Tok will make an ideal soldier, for nothing can +injure him except a sledge hammer. And, since a +private soldier seems to be necessary to this +Army, Tik-Tok is the only one of our party fitted +to undertake the job." + +"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok. + +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers +command you to do anything, you must do +it; that is all." + +"And that's enough, too," said Files. + +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. + +"You get your share of the plunder," answered +the Queen. + +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder +goes to Queen Ann, the other half is divided +among the officers, and the Private gets the +rest." + +"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, +picking up the gun and examining it wonderingly, +for he had never before seen such a weapon. + +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's +copper back and said: "Now we are ready to march +to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. Officers, +give the command to march." + +"Fall--in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall--in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall--in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their +swords. + +"Fall--in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their +swords. + +Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in +surprise. + +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. + +"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching +order." + +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" +asked the Clockwork Man. + +"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," +advised Files; so Tik-Tok held the gun straight +and stood still. + +"What next?" he asked. + +The Queen turned to Shaggy. + +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's +cavern?" + +"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply. + +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. +"If we can't get to Ruggedo, it is certain that we +can't conquer him." + +"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did +not say we could not get to him. We have only +to discover the way, and that was the matter we +were considering when you and your magnificent +Army arrived here." + +"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped +the Queen. + +That was no easy task. They all stood looking +from one road to another in perplexity. The paths +radiated from the little clearing like the rays of +the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the +others. + +Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this +time become good friends, advanced a little way +along one of the roads and found that it was +bordered by pretty wild flowers. + +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the +way?" he said to his companion. + +"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised +at the question. + +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must +be second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I +believe if you ask them they will tell you." + +She looked more closely at the flowers. There +were hundreds of white daisies, golden buttercups, +bluebells and daffodils growing by the roadside, +and each flower-head was firmly set upon its +slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild +roses scattered here and there and perhaps it was +the sight of these that gave the Princess courage +to ask the important question. + +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, +and extended both her arms pleadingly toward them. + +"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her +sweet, gentle voice, "which way will lead us to +the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?" + +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the +right and the flower heads nodded once--twice-- +thrice in that direction. + +"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we +know the way." + +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly +at the field-flowers, which had now resumed +their upright position. + +"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked +in a low whisper. + +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a +breath of wind stirring. But these lovely blossoms +are indeed your cousins and answered your question +at once, as I knew they would." + + + + +Chapter Nine + +Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless + + +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and +down dale and wound here and there in a fashion +that seemed aimless. But always it drew nearer to +a range of low mountains and Files said more than +once that he was certain the entrance to +Ruggedo's cavern would be found among these rugged +hills. + +In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the +nearest mountain was a gorgeous chamber hollowed +from the solid rock, the walls and roof of which +glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels. +Here, on a throne of virgin gold, sat the famous +Nome King, dressed in splendid robes and wearing a +superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby. + +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and +Precious Stones of the Underground World, +was a round little man with a flowing white +beard, a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that +covered all his forehead. One would think, to +look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might +think, considering his enormous wealth, that he +ought to be happy; but this was not the case. The +Metal Monarch was surly and cross because +mortals had dug so much treasure out of the +earth and kept it above ground, where all the +power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to +recover it. He hated not only the mortals but +also the fairies who live upon the earth or above +it, and instead of being content with the riches +he still possessed he was unhappy because he did +not own all the gold and jewels in the world. + +Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in +his chair when suddenly he sat upright, uttered +a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge +gong that stood beside him. + +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated +to many caverns beyond, where countless thousands +of nomes were working at their unending tasks, +hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or +melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing +glittering gems. The nomes trembled at the sound +of the King's gong and whispered fearfully to one +another that something unpleasant was sure to +happen; but none dared pause in his task, + +The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed +aside and Kaliko, the King's High Chamberlain, +entered the royal presence. + +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide +yawn, for he had just wakened. + +"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot +viciously. "Those foolish mortals are up, that's +what! And they want to come down." + +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. + +"Yes!" + +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, +yawning again. + +"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can +always feel it when those hateful earth-crawlers +draw near to my Kingdom. 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. +"I'm not afraid of him. Why, only the other day +I met the fellow and threw him down a well." + +"Then some one must have pulled him out again," +said Kaliko. "And there's a little girl--" + +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. + +"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several +girls, of various sizes; but Dorothy is not with +them, nor is Ozma." + +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in +relief. + +Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass. + +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. +They are all officers and carry swords. And there +is a Shaggy Man--who seems very harmless--and a +little donkey with big ears." + +"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers +in scorn. "I've no fear of such a mob as that. A +dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in a +jiffy." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The +people of Oogaboo are hard to destroy, and I +believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. As for +Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's +Daughter cannot be injured by a nome." + +"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King. + +"Yes; I have just recognized her." + +"Then these people are coming here on no +peaceful errand," declared Ruggedo, scowling +fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes here on a +peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody +hates me!" + +"Very true," said Kaliko. + +"I must in some way prevent these people from +reaching my dominions. Where are they now?" + +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, +Your Majesty." + +"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working +order?" + +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal +Will that we have some fun with these invaders?" + +"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach +them a lesson they will never forget." + +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a +Rubber Country, nor had any of his companions. +They noticed that everything around them was +of a dull gray color and that the path upon +which they walked was soft and springy, yet they +had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were +rubber and even the path they trod was made of +rubber. + +Presently they came to a brook where sparkling +water dashed through a deep channel and rushed +away between high rocks far down the mountain-side. +Across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed +that travelers might easily leap from one to +another and in that manner cross the water to the +farther bank. + +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his +officers and Queen Ann. After them came Betsy +Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and last +of all the Rose Princess with Files. The Clockwork +Man saw the stream and the stepping stones and, +without making a pause, placed his foot upon the +first stone. + +The result was astonishing. First he sank +down in the soft rubber, which then rebounded +and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the air, where +he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted +upon a rubber rock far in the rear of the party. + +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so +quickly had he disappeared; therefore he also +stepped upon the stone (which you will guess was +connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and +instantly shot upward like an arrow. General Cone +came next and met with a like fate, but the others +now noticed that something was wrong and with one +accord they halted the column and looked back +along the path. + +There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one +rubber rock to another, each time rising a less +distance from the ground. And there was General +Apple, bounding away in another direction, his +three-cornered hat jammed over his eyes and his +long sword thumping him upon the arms and head as +it swung this way and that. And there, also, +appeared General Cone, who had struck a rubber +rock headforemost and was so crumpled up that his +round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than +the form of a man. + +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and +Polychrome echoed her laughter. But Ozga was +grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became +angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of +Oogaboo bounding around in so undignified a +manner. She shouted to them to stop, but they +were unable to obey, even though they would +have been glad to do so. Finally, however, they +all ceased bounding and managed to get upon +their feet and rejoin the Army. + +"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed +greatly provoked. + +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I +knew you would ask them why, but you ought not to +do it. The reason is plain. Those stones are +rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks +around us are rubber, and therefore they are not +rocks. Even this path is not a path; it's rubber. +Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are +all likely to get the bounce, just as your poor +officers and Tik-Tok did." + +"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who +was full of wisdom; but Polychrome wanted to +test the quality of the rubber, so she began +dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher +into the air, so that she resembled a big butterfly +fluttering lightly. Presently she made a great +bound and bounded way across the stream, +landing lightly and steadily on the other side. + +"There is no rubber over here," she called to +them. "Suppose you all try to bound over the +stream, without touching the stepping-stones." + +Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake +such a risky adventure, but Betsy at once grasped +the value of the suggestion and began jumping up +and down until she found herself bounding almost +as high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly +leaned forward and the next bound took her easily +across the brook, where she alighted by the side +of the Rainbow's Daughter. + +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the +donkey tried to obey. He managed to bound +pretty high but when he tried to bound across +the stream he misjudged the distance and fell +with a splash into the middle of the water. + +"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the +far bank. Betsy rushed forward to help him out, +but when the mule stood safely beside her she +was amazed to find he was not wet at all. + +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her +hand into the stream and showing how the water +fell from it and left it perfectly dry. + +"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all +walk through the water." + +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, +assuring them the water was shallow and would not +wet them. At once they followed her advice, +avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the +crossing with ease. This encouraged the entire +party to wade through the dry water, and in a few +minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed +their journey along the path that led to the Nome +King's dominions. + +When Kaliko again looked through his magic +spyglass he exclaimed: + +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have +passed the Rubber Country and now are fast +approaching the entrance to your caverns." + +Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his +anger was so great that several times, as he +strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused +to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so +sensitive that the poor nome howled with pain. +Finally the King said: + +"There's no help for it; we must drop these +audacious invaders down the Hollow Tube." + +Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his +master wonderingly. + +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you +will make Tititi-Hoochoo very angry." + +"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "Tititi- +Hoochoo lives on the other side of the world, so +what do I care for his anger?" + +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. + +"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and +remember that he warned you, the last time you +slid people through the Hollow Tube, that if you +did it again he would take vengeance upon you." + +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, +thinking deeply. + +"Of two dangers," said he, "it is wise to choose +the least. What do you suppose these invaders +want?" + +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," +suggested Kaliko. + +"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo +eagerly. + +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a +nome with enormous ears, who bowed low before the +King. + +"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and +I wish to know their errand. Listen carefully to +their talk and tell me why they are coming here, +and what for." + +The nome bowed again and spread out his +great ears, swaying them gently up and down +and back and forth. For half an hour he stood +silent, in an attitude of listening, while both the +King and Kaliko grew impatient at the delay. At +last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke: + +"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his +brother from captivity," said he. + +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, +Shaggy Man may have his ugly brother, for all I +care. He's too lazy to work and is always getting +in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" + +"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over +the prisoner you commanded me to send him to +the Metal Forest, which I did. I suppose he is +still there." + +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard +time finding the Metal Forest," said the King, +with a grin of malicious delight, "for half the +time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the +forest and made every tree, out of gold and +silver, so as to keep the precious metals in a +safe place and out of the reach of mortals. But +tell me, Hearer, do the strangers want anything +else?" + +"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The +Army of Oogaboo is determined to capture all the +rich metals and rare jewels in your kingdom, and +the officers and their Queen have arranged to +divide the spoils and carry them away." + +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of +rage and began dancing up and down, rolling his +eyes, clicking his teeth together and swinging his +arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of anger he +seized the long ears of the Hearer and pulled and +twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko grabbed up the +King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles +with it, so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began +to chase his Royal Chamberlain around the throne. + +The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to +slip away from the cavern and escape, and after +the King had tired himself out chasing Kaliko he +threw himself into his throne and panted for +breath, while he glared wickedly at his defiant +subject. + +"You'd better save your strength to fight the +enemy," suggested Kaliko. "There will be a +terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets +here." + +"The Army won't get here," said the King, +still coughing and panting. "I'll drop 'em down +the Hollow Tube--every man Jack and every +girl Jill of 'em!" + +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. + +"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and +order him to turn the path toward the Hollow +Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube invisible, +so they'll all fall into it." + +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he +thought Ruggedo was making a great mistake. He +found the Magician and had the path twisted so +that it led directly to the opening of the Hollow +Tube, and this opening he made invisible. + +Having obeyed the orders of his master, the +Royal Chamberlain went to his private room and +began to write letters of recommendation of +himself, stating that he was an honest man, a good +servant and a small eater. + +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have +to look for another job, for it is certain that +Ruggedo has ruined himself by this reckless +defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in +seeking a job nothing is so effective as a letter +of recommendation." + + + + +Chapter Ten + +A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube + + +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann +and her Army, might have been able to dispel the +enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician had they +known that danger lay in their pathway; for the +Rainbow's Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is +a part of the Land of Oz its inhabitants cannot +easily be deceived by such common magic as the +Nome King could command. But no one suspected any +especial danger until after they had entered +Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying +along in quite a contented manner when Tik-Tok, +who marched ahead, suddenly disappeared. + +The officers thought he must have turned a +corner, so they kept on their way and all of them +likewise disappeared--one after another. Queen Ann +was rather surprised at this, and in hastening +forward to learn the reason she also vanished from +sight. + +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so +she was now riding upon the back of the stout +little mule, facing backward and talking to Shaggy +and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly +Hank pitched forward and began falling and Betsy +would have tumbled over his head had she not +grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and +held on for dear life. + +All around was darkness, and they were not +falling directly downward but seemed to be sliding +along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs were resting +upon some smooth substance over which he slid with +the swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew +up and struck a similar substance overhead. They +were, indeed, descending the "Hollow Tube" that +led to the other side of the world. + +"Stop, Hank--stop!" cried the girl; but Hank +only uttered a plaintive "Hee-haw!" for it was +impossible for him to obey. + +After several minutes had passed and no harm had +befallen them, Betsy gained courage. She could see +nothing at all, nor could she hear anything except +the rush of air past her ears as they plunged +downward along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were +alone, or the others were with them, she could not +tell. But had some one been able to take a +flash-light photograph of the Tube at that time a +most curious picture would have resulted. There +was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding +headforemost down the incline. And there were the +Officers of the Army of Oogaboo, all tangled up in +a confused crowd, flapping their arms and trying +to shield their faces from the clanking swords, +which swung back and forth during the swift +journey and pommeled everyone within their reach. +Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in +a sitting position and went flying along with a +dash and abandon that thoroughly bewildered the +poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to +her. Then, a little distance away, but unseen by +the others in the inky darkness, slid Betsy and +Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome +and finally Files and the Princess. + +When first they tumbled into the Tube all were +too dazed to think clearly, but the trip was a +long one, because the cavity led straight through +the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's +dominions, and long before the adventurers got to +the end they had begun to recover their wits. + +"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud +voice, and Queen Ann heard her and called out: +"Are you safe, Betsy?" + +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How +could anyone be safe when she's going about +sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she +added: "But where do you s'pose we're going +to, Your Maj'sty?" + +"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said +Shaggy, who was not too far away to overhear +them. "And please don't ask me why, either." + +"Why?" said Betsy. + +"No one can tell where we are going until +we get there," replied Shaggy, and then he +yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken +him and was now sitting on his head. + +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, +and so infectious was this joyous laugh that +Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a +mild and sympathetic tone of voice. + +"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, +just the same," exclaimed the little girl. + +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said +Polychrome. "But isn't this an odd experience? +Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making +a journey through the center of the earth--where +I never expected to be!" + +"How do you know we're in the center of the +earth?" asked Betsy, her voice trembling a little +through nervousness. + +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied +Polychrome. "I have often heard of this passage, +which was once built by a Magician who was a +great traveler. He thought it would save him the +bother of going around the earth's surface, but +he tumbled through the Tube so fast that he +shot out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, +which at once exploded." + +"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly. + +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." + +"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the +girl. + +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I +don't think it matters much." + +"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the +stars when we come out," said Queen Ann, with a +moan. + +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe +the Magician was going the other way, and probably +he went much faster than we are going." + +"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked +Shaggy, gently removing Polychrome's heel +from his left eye. "Couldn't you manage to fall +all by yourself, my dear?" + +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. + +All this time they were swiftly falling through +the Tube, and it was not so easy for them to talk +as you may imagine when you read their words. But +although they were so helpless and altogether in +the dark as to their fate, the fact that they were +able to converse at all cheered them, +considerably. + +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they +clung tightly to one another, and the young +fellow bravely strove to reassure the Princess, +although he was terribly frightened, both on her +account and on his own. + +An hour, under such trying circumstances, is +a very long time, and for more than an hour they +continued their fearful journey. Then, just as +they began to fear the Tube would never end, +Tik-Tok popped out into broad daylight and, +after making a graceful circle in the air, fell +with a splash into a great marble fountain. + +Out came the officers, in quick succession, +tumbling heels over head and striking the +ground in many undignified attitudes. + +"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a +Peculiar Person who was hoeing pink violets in a +garden. "What can all this mean?" + +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the +Tube, took a ride through the air as high as the +treetops, and alighted squarely on top of the +Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled +crown over his eyes and tumbling him to the +ground. + +The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to +his back, so he did not go so high up. Fortunately +for his little rider he struck the ground upon his +four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not hurt +and when she looked around her she saw the Queen +and the Peculiar Person struggling together upon +the ground, where the man was trying to choke Ann +and she had both hands in his bushy hair and was +pulling with all her might. Some of the officers, +when they got upon their feet, hastened to +separate the combatants and sought to restrain the +Peculiar Person so that he could not attack their +Queen again. + +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files +had all arrived and were curiously examining the +strange country in which they found themselves and +which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side +of the world from the place where they had fallen +into the Tube. It was a lovely place, indeed, and +seemed to be the garden of some great Prince, for +through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be +seen the towers of an immense castle. But as yet +the only inhabitant to greet them was the Peculiar +Person just mentioned, who had shaken off the +grasp of the officers without effort and was now +trying to pull the battered crown from off his +eyes. + +Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to +do this and when the man was free and could +see again he looked at his visitors with evident +amazement. + +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did +you come from and how did you get here?" + +Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was +surly and silent. + +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, +cause I don't know the name of the place," said +the girl, "but the way we got here was through +the Hollow Tube." + +"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," +exclaimed the Peculiar Person in an irritated tone +of voice. "If it's a tube, it's sure to be +hollow." + +"Why?" asked Betsy. + +"Because all tubes are made that way. But this +Tube is private property and everyone is forbidden +to fall into it." + +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, +and Polychrome added: "I am quite sure that +Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down that Tube." + +"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the +man, becoming much excited. + +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I +believe she is right. We were on our way to +conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell into +the Tube." + +"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the +peculiar Person. + +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little +puzzled by the question, "'cause we don't know him +at all; but we started out to conquer him, which +isn't as friendly as it might be." + +"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully +from one to another of them for a while and then +he turned his head over his shoulder and said: +"Never mind the fire and pincers, my good +brothers. It will be best to take these strangers +to the Private Citizen." + +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, +deep and powerful, that seemed to come out of +the air, for the speaker was invisible. + +All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even +Polychrome was so startled that her gauze +draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze. +Shaggy shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked +very unhappy; the officers clung to each other, +trembling violently. + +But soon they gained courage to look more +closely at the Peculiar Person. As he was a type +of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary land +whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you +what he looked like. + +His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. +His eyes were large and blue in color and his +teeth finely formed and white as snow. His hair +was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at +the ends. So far no one could find any fault with +his appearance. He wore a robe of scarlet, which +did not cover his arms and extended no lower than +his bare knees. On the bosom of the robe was +embroidered a terrible dragon's head, as horrible +to look at as the man was beautiful. His arms and +legs were left bare and the skin of one arm was +bright yellow and the skin of the other arm a +vivid green. He had one blue leg and one pink one, +while both his feet--which showed through the open +sandals he wore--were jet black. + +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous +colors were dyes or the natural tints of the skin, +but while she was thinking it over the man who +had been called "Tubekins" said: + +"Follow me to the Residence--all of you!" + +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another +of them, Tubekins, lying in the water of the +fountain." + +"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, +and he'll drown." + +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, +anyway," agreed Shaggy, as with one accord they +all started for the fountain. But before they +could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok +from the marble basin and set him upon his feet +beside it, water dripping from every joint of his +copper body. + +"Ma--ny tha--tha--tha--thanks!" he said; and +then his copper jaws clicked together and he +could say no more. He next made an attempt to +walk but after several awkward trials found he +could not move his joints. + +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen +greeted Tik-Tok's failure, and the new arrivals in +this strange land found it very uncomfortable to +realize that there were many creatures around them +who were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. + +"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very +sorry for Tik-Tok. + +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs +oiling," replied Shaggy. + +At once an oil-can appeared before him, held +on a level with his eyes by some unseen hand. +Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's +joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of +warm air was directed against the copper man +which quickly dried him. Soon he was able to +say "Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and his +joints worked fairly well. + +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back +upon them he walked up the path toward the castle. + +"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but +just then she received a shove that almost pitched +her forward on her head; so she decided to go. The +officers who hesitated received several energetic +kicks, but could not see who delivered them; +therefore they also decided--very wisely--to go. +The others followed willingly enough, for unless +they ventured upon another terrible journey +through the Tube they must make the best of the +unknown country they were in, and the best seemed +to be to obey orders. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies + + +After a short walk through very beautiful gardens +they came to the castle and followed Tubekins +through the entrance and into a great domed +chamber, where he commanded them to be seated. + +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought +this man must be the King of the country they were +in, yet after he had seated all the strangers upon +benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a +high throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the +vacant throne and in a flash became invisible and +disappeared. + +The hall was an immense place, but there seemed +to be no one in it beside themselves. Presently, +however, they heard a low cough near them, and +here and there was the faint rustling of a robe +and a slight patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly +there rang out the clear tone of a bell and at the +sound all was changed. + +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw +that it was filled with hundreds of men and women, +all with beautiful faces and staring blue eyes and +all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon +their heads. In fact, these people seemed exact +duplicates of Tubekins and it was difficult to +find any mark by which to tell them apart. + +"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered +Betsy to Polychrome, who sat beside her and +appeared much interested in the scene but not a +bit worried. + +"It is certainly a strange sight," was +Polychrome's reply; "but I cannot see how there +can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one +country, for were these all rulers, no one could +tell who was Master." + +One of the Kings who stood near and overheard +this remark turned to her and said: "One who is +Master of himself is always a King, if only to +himself. In this favored land all Kings and Queens +are equal, and it is our privilege to bow before +one supreme Ruler--the Private Citizen." + +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. + +As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell +again rang out and instantly there appeared +seated in the throne the man who was lord and +master of all these royal ones. This fact was +evident when with one accord they fell upon their +knees and touched their foreheads to the floor. + +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, +except that his eyes were black instead of blue +and in the centers of the black irises glowed red +sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his +features were very beautiful and dignified and +his manner composed and stately. Instead of the +prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, +and the same dragon's head that decorated the +others was embroidered upon its bosom. + +"What charge lies against these people, +Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, even tones. + +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty +Citizen," was the reply. + +"You see, it was this way," said Betsy. "We +were marching to the Nome King, to conquer him and +set Shaggy's brother free, when on a sudden--" + +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen +sternly. + +"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--" + +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the +Citizen. + +"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--" + +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the +leader?" + +No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn +stood up. + +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see +that sixteen of you are merely officers, and of no +account." + +"But we have an Army," said General Clock, +blusteringly, for he didn't like to be told he was +of no account. + +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. + +"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a +little rusty. "I'm the on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in +the par-ty." + +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed +respectfully to the Clockwork Man. + +"Pardon me for not realizing your importance +before," said he. "Will you oblige me by taking +a seat beside me on my throne?" + +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all +the Kings and Queens making way for him. Then with +clanking steps he mounted the platform and sat on +the broad seat beside the Citizen. + +Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor +shown to the humble Clockwork Man, but Shaggy +seemed much pleased that his old friend's +importance had been recognized by the ruler of +this remarkable country. The Citizen now began to +question Tik-Tok, who told in his mechanical voice +about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how +Ozma of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist +him, and how they had fallen in with Queen Ann and +her people from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy +and Hank and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had +happened to join their party. + +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal +Monarch and King of the Nomes?" asked the Citizen. + +"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," +was Tik-Tok's reply. "But he was too cle-ver for +us. When we got close to his cav-ern he made our +path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in- +vis-i-ble, so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we +knew it was there. It was an eas-y way to get rid +of us and now Rug-gedo is safe and we are far a- +way in a strange land." + +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be +thinking. Then he said: + +"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you +that by the laws of our country anyone who comes +through the Forbidden Tube must be tortured for +nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into +the Tube. But it is wise to disregard laws when +they conflict with justice, and it seems that you +and your followers did not disobey our laws +willingly, being forced into the Tube by Ruggedo. +Therefore the Nome King is alone to blame, and he +alone must be punished." + +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do +is on the o-ther side of the world where he is +a-way out of your reach." + +The Citizen drew himself up proudly. + +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it +can be out of the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he +asked. + +"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired +Tik-Tok. + +"I am." + +"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?" + +"It is." + +Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. +Shaggy was so disturbed that he took out a +handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his +brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the +first time, while Files put his arms around the +Rose Princess as if to protect her. As for the +officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them +moaning and weeping at a great rate and every one +fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for +mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions +so disturbed, but did not know what it was all +about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved at the discovery. + +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, +and think Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that +some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of the +Nomes." + +"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy. + +The Private Citizen--otherwise known as Tititi- +Hoochoo, the Great Jinjin--looked at the little +girl steadily. + +"I will presently decide what is to happen to +Ruggedo," said he in a hard, stern voice. Then, +turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he +continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his +machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it +allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore +these people are not our enemies and must be +treated with consideration and justice. Take them +to your palaces and entertain them as guests until +to-morrow, when I command that they be brought +again to my Residence. By then I shall have formed +my plans." + +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he +disappeared from sight. Immediately after, most of +the Kings and Queens likewise disappeared. But +several of them remained visible and approached +the strangers with great respect. One of the +lovely Queens said to Betsy: + +"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I +am Erma, Queen of Light." + +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. + +"The King of Animals will care for your mule," +was the reply. "But do not fear for him, for he +will be treated royally. All of your party will be +reunited on the morrow." + +"I--I'd like to have some one with me," said +Betsy, pleadingly. + +Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon +Polychrome. + +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable +companion?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl. + +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the +Queen of Light, while other beautiful Kings and +Queens took charge of the others of the party. + +The two girls followed Erma out of the hall +and through the gardens of the Residence to a +village of pretty dwellings. None of these was so +large or imposing as the castle of the Private +Citizen, but all were handsome enough to be +called palaces--as, in fact, they really were. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + +The Lovely Lady of Light + + +The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little +eminence and was a mass of crystal windows, +surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they +entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely +maidens, evidently of high degree, who at once +aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a wand in +her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and +their costumes were also emblematic of the lights +they represented. Erma introduced them to her +guests and each made a graceful and courteous +acknowledgment. + +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very +fair; the second was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy +damsel with nut-brown hair; next came Starlight, +equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and +shy. These three were dressed in shimmering robes +of silvery white. The fourth was Daylight, a +brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank +manners, who wore a variety of colors. Then came +Firelight, clothed in a fleecy flame-colored robe +that wavered around her shapely form in a very +attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was +the most beautiful of all, and Betsy thought from +the first that both Sunlight and Daylight regarded +Electra with envy and were a little jealous of +her. + +But all were cordial in their greetings to the +strangers and seemed to regard the Queen of Light +with much affection, for they fluttered around her +in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to +her regal drawing-room. + +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, +the upholstery being of many tints, and both Betsy +and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves upon the +downy divans after their strenuous adventures of +the day. + +The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who +noticed that Daylight was the only maiden now +seated beside Erma. The others had retired to +another part of the room, where they sat modestly +with entwined arms and did not intrude themselves +at all. + +The Queen told the strangers all about this +beautiful land, which is one of the chief +residences of fairies who minister to the needs of +mankind. So many important fairies lived there +that, to avoid rivalry, they had elected as their +Ruler the only important personage in the country +who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, +in effect, a Private Citizen. This Ruler, or +Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name of Tititi- +Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was +that he had no heart. But instead of this he +possessed a high degree of Reason and Justice and +while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never +punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong- +doers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as he was +heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had +nothing to fear from him. + +All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid +reverence to Jinjin, for as they expected to be +obeyed by others they were willing to obey the one +in authority over them. + +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many +tales of this fearfully just Jinjin, whose +punishments were always equal to the faults +committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although +this was the first time she had ever seen him face +to face. But to Betsy the story was all new, and +she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom +she no longer feared. + +Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly +Betsy noticed that Moonlight was sitting beside +the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight. + +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you +all wear a dragon's head embroidered on your +gowns?" + +Erma's pleasant face became grave as she +answered: + +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first +living creature ever made; therefore the Dragon is +the oldest and wisest of living things. By good +fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a +resident of this land and supplies us with wisdom +whenever we are in need of it. He is old as the +world and remembers everything that has happened +since the world was created." + +"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the +girl. + +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other +lands, where men, not understanding them, made war +upon them; but many still reside in this country. +None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, +for whom we have great respect. As he was the +first resident here, we wear the emblem of the +dragon's head to show that we are the favored +people who alone have the right to inhabit this +fairyland, which in beauty almost equals the +Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it." + +"I understand about the dragon, now," said +Polychrome, nodding her lovely head. Betsy did not +quite understand, but she was at present +interested in observing the changing lights. As +Daylight had given way to Moonlight, so now +Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, +and with her coming a spirit of peace and content +seemed to fill the room. Polychrome, being +herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about +the various Kings and Queens who lived in this +far-away, secluded place, and before Erma had +finished answering them a rosy glow filled the +room and Firelight took her place beside the +Queen. + +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm +and glowing features made the little girl sleepy, +and presently she began to nod. Thereupon Erma +rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own. + +"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived +and the feast is spread." + +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. +"Now that I think of it, I'm awful hungry. But +p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." + +The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As +she pushed aside a heavy drapery a flood of +silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before +her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread +with snowy linen and crystal and silver. At one +side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma and +beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. +Polychrome was placed on the Queen's right hand +and Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers +of light now waited upon them, and each person was +supplied with just the food she liked best. +Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh +and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served +that she decided she had never in her life eaten a +dinner half so good. + +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss +Electra is the youngest of all these girls." + +"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a +smile. + +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we +know of. Didn't Mr. Edison discover it?" + +"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover +it," replied the Queen. "But electricity was a +part of the world from its creation, and therefore +my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, +and equally beneficent to mortals and fairies +alike." + +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she +remarked, as she looked at the six messengers of +light: + +"We couldn't very well do without any of +'em; could we?" + +Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure," she +replied, "and I think mortals would miss any one +of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take the +place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and +energy. Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn +out with her long watch, retires to rest. If the +moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's +rim, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, +Starlight takes her place, for the skies always +lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss +much of our warmth and comfort, as well as much +cheer when the walls of houses encompass us. But +always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious +Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As +Queen of Light, I love all my maidens, for I know +them to be faithful and true." + +"I love 'em too!" declared Betsy. "But +sometimes, when I'm real sleepy, I can get along +without any light at all." + +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the +feast had ended. + +"A little," admitted the girl. + +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where +there was a soft, white bed, and waited patiently +until Betsy had undressed and put on a shimmery +silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then +the light-maid bade her good night and opened the +door. + +When she closed it after her Betsy was in +darkness. In six winks the little girl was fast +asleep. + + + + +Chapter Thirteen + +The Jinjin's Just Judgment + + +All the adventurers were reunited next morning +when they were brought from various palaces to the +Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and ushered into the +great Hall of State. + +As before, no one was visible except our friends +and their escorts until the first bell sounded. +Then in a flash the room was seen to be filled +with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the land. +The second bell marked the appearance in the +throne of the mighty Jinjin, whose handsome +countenance was as composed and expressionless as +ever. + +All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly +murmured: "We greet the Private Citizen, mightiest +of Rulers, whose word is Law and whose Law is +just." + +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. +Then, looking around the brilliant assemblage, +and at the little group of adventurers before him, +he said: + +"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of +other lands than ours, who are different from +ourselves in many ways, have been thrust upon us +through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our +people foolishly made years ago and was properly +punished for his folly. But these strangers had no +desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into +the Tube by a cruel King on the other side of the +world, named Ruggedo. This King is an immortal, +but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind +more than they benefit them. Because he had +unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's brother a prisoner, +this little band of honest people, consisting of +both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer +Ruggedo and to punish him. Fearing they might +succeed in this, the Nome King misled them so that +they fell into the Tube. + +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, +many times, that if ever he used this Forbidden +Tube in any way he would be severely punished. I +find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this +King's servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his +master not to do such a wrong act as to drop these +people into the Tube and send them tumbling into +our country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders. + +"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any +wrong. It is only Ruggedo who deserves punishment, +and I will punish him." He paused a moment and +then continued in the same cold, merciless voice: + +"These strangers must return through the Tube to +their own side of the world; but I will make their +fall more easy and pleasant than it was before. +Also I shall send with them an Instrument of +Vengeance, who in my name will drive Ruggedo from +his underground caverns, take away his magic +powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the +face of the earth--a place he detests." + +There was a little murmur of horror from the +Kings and Queens at the severity of this +punishment, but no one uttered a protest, for all +realized that the sentence was just. + +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went +on Tititi-Hoochoo, "I have realized that this will +be an unpleasant mission. Therefore no one of us +who is blameless should be forced to undertake it. +In this wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty +of wrong, even in the slightest degree, and on +examining the Records I found no King or Queen had +erred. Nor had any among their followers or +servants done any wrong. But finally I came to the +Dragon Family, which we highly respect, and then +it was that I discovered the error of Quox. + +"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who +has not yet acquired the wisdom of his race. +Because of this lack, he has been disrespectful +toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original +Dragon, telling him once to mind his own business +and again saying that the Ancient One had grown +foolish with age. We are aware that dragons are +not the same as fairies and cannot be altogether +guided by our laws, yet such disrespect as Quox +has shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore +I have selected Quox as my royal Instrument of +Vengeance and he shall go through the Tube with +these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed." + +All had listened quietly to this speech and now +the Kings and Queens bowed gravely to signify +their approval of the Jinjin's judgment. + +Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins. + +"I command you," said he, "to escort these +strangers to the Tube and see that they all enter +it." + +The King of the Tube, who had first discovered +our friends and brought them to the Private +Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. As he did so, +the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly +disappeared and only Tubekins remained visible. + +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't +mind going back so very much, 'cause the Jinjin +promised to make it easy for us." + +Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only +ones who looked solemn and seemed to fear the +return journey. One thing that bothered Ann was +her failure to conquer this land of Tititi- +Hoochoo. As they followed their guide through the +gardens to the mouth of the Tube she said to +Shaggy: + +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away +and leave this rich country unconquered?" + +"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, +please, for if you don't know I can't inform +you." + +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no +attention to the question. + +This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around +it was a gold railing to which was attached a sign +that read. + +"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. +IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." + + +On a little silver plate just inside the Tube +was engraved the words: + + +"Burrowed and built by +Hiergargo the Magician, +In the Year of the World +1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 +For his own exclusive uses." + + +"He was some builder, I must say," remarked +Betsy, when she had read the inscription; "but +if he had known about that star I guess he'd +have spent his time playing solitaire." + +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired +Shaggy, who was impatient to start. + +"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear +him coming." + +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, +who had never seen a live dragon and was a little +fearful of meeting one. + +"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. +"You'll see him in a minute; but before you part +company I'm sure you'll wish he was invisible." + +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. + +"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said +Tubekins, "and I prefer his room to his company. + +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, +drawing nearer and nearer until from between +two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, who +approached the party, nodded his head and said: +"Good morning." + +Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would +have felt uncomfortable at the astonished stare of +every eye in the group--except Tubekins, of +course, who was not astonished because he had seen +Quox so often. + +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a +small dragon, yet here was one so enormous that +the girl decided he must be full grown, if not +overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color +and it was thickly set with glittering silver +scales, each one as big as a serving-tray. Around +his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under +his left ear, and below the ribbon appeared a +chain of pearls to which was attached a golden +locket about as large around as the end of a bass +drum. This locket was set with many large and +beautiful jewels. + +The head and face of Quox were not especially +ugly, when you consider that he was a dragon; but +his eyes were so large that it took him a long +time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and +terrible when they showed, which they did whenever +the beast smiled. Also his nostrils were quite +large and wide, and those who stood near him were +liable to smell brimstone--especially when he +breathed out fire, as it is the nature of dragons +to do. To the end of his long tail was attached a +big electric light. + +Perhaps the most singular thing about the +dragon's appearance at this time was the fact that +he had a row of seats attached to his back, one +seat for each member of the party. These seats +were double, with curved backs, so that two +could sit in them, and there were twelve of these +double seats, all strapped firmly around the +dragon's thick body and placed one behind the +other, in a row that extended from his shoulders +nearly to his tail. + +"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that Tititi- +Hoochoo has transformed Quox into a carryall." + +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. +Dragon, you won't mind our riding on your back." + +"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just +now, you know, and the only way to redeem my good +name is to obey the orders of the Jinjin. If he +makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of +my punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon. I +don't blame you people at all, and I hope you'll +enjoy the ride. Hop on, please. All aboard for the +other side of the world!" + +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the +front seat with Betsy, so that he could rest his +front hoofs upon the dragon's head. Behind them +were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the +Princess, and Queen Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers +rode in the rear seats. When all had mounted to +their places the dragon looked very like one of +those sightseeing wagons so common in big cities-- +only he had legs instead of wheels. + +"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they +were he crawled to the mouth of the Tube and put +his head in. + +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called +Tubekins; but no one thought to reply, because +just then the dragon slid his great body into the +Tube and the journey to the other side of the +world had begun. + +At first they went so fast that they could +scarcely catch their breaths, but presently Quox +slowed up and said with a sort of cackling laugh: + +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I +shall take it easy and fall slower, or I'm likely to +get dizzy. Is it very far to the other side of the +world?" + +"Haven't you ever been through this Tube +before?" inquired Shaggy. + +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; +at least, not since I was born." + +"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy. + +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. +I'm only a mere child. If I had not been sent on +this journey, I would have celebrated my three +thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. +Mother was going to make me a birthday cake +with three thousand and fifty-six candles on it; +but now, of course, there will be no celebration, +for I fear I shall not get home in time for it." + +"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried +Betsy. "Why, I had no idea anything could live +that long!" + +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a +stupid old humbug if I had not reformed, is so old +that I am a mere baby compared with him," said +Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, +and insists on telling us stories of things that +happened fifty thousand years ago, which are of no +interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, +Grandpa isn't up to date. He lives altogether in +the past, so I can't see any good reason for his +being alive to-day.... Are you people able to see +your way, or shall I turn on more light?" + +"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only +there's nothing to see but ourselves," answered +Betsy. + +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like +headlights on an automobile and illuminated the +Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled his tail +upward so that the electric light on the end of it +enabled them to see one another quite clearly. But +the Tube itself was only dark metal, smooth as +glass but exactly the same from one of its ends to +the other. Therefore there was no scenery of +interest to beguile the journey. + +They were now falling so gently that the trip +was proving entirely comfortable, as the Jinjin +had promised it would be; but this meant a +longer journey and the only way they could +make time pass was to engage in conversation. +The dragon seemed a willing and persistent +talker and he was of so much interest to them +that they encouraged him to chatter. His voice +was a little gruff but not unpleasant when one +became used to it. + +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this +constant sliding over the surface of the Tube will +dull my claws. You see, this hole isn't straight +down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of +tumbling freely through the air I must skate along +the Tube. Fortunately, there is a file in my tool- +kit, and if my claws get dull they can be +sharpened again." + +"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy. + +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not +forget that I have been sent to conquer Ruggedo." + +"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked +Queen Ann, in her most haughty manner; "for when +we get to Ruggedo I and my invincible Army can +conquer him without your assistance." + +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. +"That will save me a lot of bother--if you +succeed. But I think I shall file my claws, just +the same." + +He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a +sheet of flame, several feet in length, shot from +his mouth. Betsy shuddered and Hank said +"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed +in terror. But the dragon did not notice that he +had done anything unusual. + +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. + +"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a +dragon would I be if my fire went out?" + +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. + +"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said +Quox. "The fire keeps me alive and enables me +to move; also to think and speak." + +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said +Tik-Tok. "The on-ly dif-fer-ence is that I move +by clock-work, while you move by fire." + +"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, +I must confess," retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are +not a live thing; you're a dummy." + +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said +Tik-Tok. + +"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the +dragon. "But if you run down, you are helpless." + +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran +out of gasoline?" inquired Shaggy, who did not +like this attack upon his friend. + +"I don't use gasoline." + +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." + +"What's the use of supposing that?" asked +Quox. "My great-great-great-grandfather has +lived since the world began, and he has never +once run out of fire to keep him going. But I +will confide to you that as he gets older he shows +more smoke and less fire. As for Tik-Tok, he's +well enough in his way, but he's merely copper. +And the Metal Monarch knows copper through +and through. I wouldn't be surprised if Ruggedo +melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made +copper pennies of him." + +"In that case, I would still keep going," +remarked Tik-Tok, calmly. + +"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully. + +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with +irritation. "Tik-Tok is my great Army--all but the +officers--and I believe he will be able to conquer +Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, Polychrome?" + +"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's +Daughter, with her sweet ringing laugh, that +sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells. "And if +Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire- +breathing dragon to fall back on." + +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame +gushing from his mouth and nostrils; "it's a wise +little girl, this Polychrome. Anyone would know +she is a fairy." + + + + + +Chapter Fourteen + +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening + + +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and +King of the Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in +his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard work for +Ruggedo to find amusement to-day, for all the +nomes were behaving well and there was no one to +scold or to punish. The King had thrown his +sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him +once. Not that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On +the contrary, he had obeyed the King in every way +but one: he would not stand still, when commanded +to do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him. + +We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even +the cruel Ruggedo forgave him; for he knew very +well that if he mashed his Royal Chamberlain he +could never find another so intelligent and +obedient. Kaliko could make the nomes work when +their King could not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo +and there were so many thousands of the quaint +little underground people that they could easily +have rebelled and defied the King had they dared +to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them +worse than usual, they grew sullen and threw down +their hammers and picks. Then, however hard the +King scolded or whipped them, they would not work +until Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko +was one of themselves and was as much abused by +the King as any nome in the vast series of +caverns. + +But to-day all the little people were working +industriously at their tasks and Ruggedo, having +nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent for the +Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen +carefully and report what was going on in the big +world. + +"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for +awhile, "that the women in America have clubs." + +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, +yawning. + +"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was +the reply. + +"Then their clubs are not as good as my +sceptre. What else do you hear?' + +"There's a war. + +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" + +For a time the Hearer was silent, bending +forward and spreading out his big ears to catch +the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said: + +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. +These people are arguing as to who shall conquer +the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and drive +him from his dominions." + +"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting +up straight in his throne. + +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." + +"Where are they now?" + +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," +said the Hearer. + +Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to +pace up and down the cavern. + +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," +he mused. + +"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn +the Tube upside down, they would be falling +the other way, Your Majesty." + +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was +impossible to turn the Tube upside down and +he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun +at him. Presently he asked: + +"How far away are those people now?" + +"About nine thousand three hundred and six +miles, seventeen furlongs, eight feet and four +inches--as nearly as I can judge from the sound +of their voices," replied the Hearer. + +"Aha! Then it will be some time before they +arrive," said Ruggedo, "and when they get here +I shall be ready to receive them." + +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so +fiercely that Kaliko came bounding into the cavern +with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was just +dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling +lake of the Underground Kingdom. + +"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down +the Tube are coming back again!" he exclaimed. + +"I thought they would," said the Royal +Chamberlain, pulling on the other shoe. "Tititi- +Hoochoo would not allow them to remain in his +kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting +them back for some time. That was a very foolish +action of yours, Rug." + +"What, to throw them down the Tube?" + +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw +even rubbish into the Tube." + +"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked +Ruggedo scornfully. "He never leaves his own +kingdom, which is on the other side of the world." + +"True; but he might send some one through +the Tube to punish you," suggested Kaliko. + +"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my +thousands of nomes?" + +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I +remember aright," answered Kaliko with a grin. +"Once I saw you running from a little girl named +Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really +afraid." + +"Well, I was afraid, that time," admitted the +Nome King, with a deep sigh, "for Dorothy had a +Yellow Hen that laid eggs!" + +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko +also shuddered, and so did the Long-Eared Hearer; +for eggs are the only things that the nomes +greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs +belong on the earth's surface, where birds and +fowl of all sorts live, and there is something +about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome +with horror. If by chance the inside of an egg +touches one of these underground people, he +withers up and blows away and that is the end of +him--unless he manages quickly to speak a magical +word which only a few of the nomes know. Therefore +Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to +shudder at the mere mention of eggs. + +"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this +band of invaders; nor is the Yellow Hen. As for +Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing that we +are afraid of eggs." + +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned +him. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows a great many things, +being a fairy, and his powers are far superior to +any we can boast." + +Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the +Hearer. + +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any +eggs coming through the Tube." + +The Long-Eared one listened and then shook +his head. But Kaliko laughed at the King. + +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," +said he. "The only way to discover the truth is to +look through the Magic Spyglass." + +"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I +think of it before? Look at once, Kaliko!" + +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a +mumbled charm he caused the other end of it to +twist around, so that it pointed down the opening +of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and +was able to gaze along all the turns and windings +of the Magic Spyglass and then deep into the Tube, +to where our friends were at that time falling. + +"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon." + +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. + +"A monster. He has an electric light on the end +of his tail, so I can see him very plainly. And +the other people are all riding upon his back." + +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. + +Kaliko looked again. + +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I +imagine that the dragon is as dangerous as eggs. +Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to +punish you for dropping those strangers into the +Forbidden Tube. I warned you not to do it, Your +Majesty." + +This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few +minutes he paced up and down, stroking his long +beard and thinking with all his might. After this +he turned to Kaliko and said: + +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with +his claws and bite with his teeth." + +"That is not all, but it's quite enough," +returned Kaliko earnestly. "On the other hand, no +one can hurt a dragon, because he's the toughest +creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could +smash a hundred nomes to pancakes, and with teeth +and claws he could tear even you or me into small +bits, so that it would be almost impossible to put +us together again. Once, a few hundred years ago, +while wandering through some deserted caverns, I +came upon a small piece of a nome lying on the +rocky floor. I asked the piece of nome what had +happened to it. Fortunately the mouth was a part +of this piece--the mouth and the left eye--so it +was able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the +cause. It had attacked the poor nome and scattered +him in every direction, and as there was no friend +near to collect his pieces and put him together, +they had been separated for a great many years. So +you see, Your Majesty, it is not in good taste to +sneer at a dragon." + +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. +Said he: + +"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon +which Tititi-Hoochoo has sent here, in order to +prevent his reaching us with his claws and teeth." + +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. + +"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," +said Ruggedo. + +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" + +"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I +could defeat them single-handed; but I won't try +to. I'll summon my army of nomes to drive the +invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any +of them I intend to stick needles into them until +they hop with pain." + +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said +Kaliko. + +"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal +Monarch. "And that braying Mule I'll make into +hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, that it may +add to their strength." + +"Why not be good to the strangers and release +your prisoner, the Shaggy Man's brother?" +suggested Kaliko. + +"Never!" + +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you +don't want the Ugly One." + +"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't +allow anybody to order me around. I'm King of the +Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I shall do as +I please and what I please and when I please!" + +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at +Kaliko's head, aiming it so well that the Royal +Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the floor in +order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see the +sceptre coming and it swept past his head so +closely that it broke off the tip of one of his +long ears. He gave a dreadful yell that quite +startled Ruggedo, and the King was sorry for the +accident because those long ears of the Hearer +were really valuable to him. + +So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko +and ordered his Chamberlain to summon General Guph +and the army of nomes and have them properly +armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the +Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon +as they appeared. + + + + +Chapter Fifteen + +The Dragon Defies Danger + + +Although the journey through the Tube was longer, +this time, than before, it was so much more +comfortable that none of our friends minded it at +all. They talked together most of the time and as +they found the dragon good-natured and fond of the +sound of his own voice they soon became well +acquainted with him and accepted him as a +companion. + +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox +is on our side, and therefore the dragon is a good +fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, instead of +a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very +much, for his breath smells of brimstone, he is +very conceited and he is so strong and fierce that +he would prove a dangerous foe." + +"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened +to this speech with pleasure; "I suppose I am +about as terrible as any living thing. I am glad +you find me conceited, for that proves I know my +good qualities. As for my breath smelling of +brimstone, I really can't help it, and I once met +a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I +consider far worse." + +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. + +"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so +don't let us quarrel over one another's +peculiarities." + +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot +a flame fifty feet from his mouth. The brimstone +made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the +onions and said nothing. + +They had no idea how far they had gone through +the center of the earth, nor when to expect the +trip to end. At one time the little girl remarked: + +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this +hole. And isn't it funny, Shaggy Man, that what is +the bottom to us now, was the top when we fell the +other way?" + +"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are +able to fall both ways." + +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is be-cause the world +is round." + +"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in +your head is in fine working order, Tik-Tok. You +know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as the +Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything +toward the center of the earth. That is why we +fall out of bed, and why everything clings to the +surface of the earth." + +"Then why doesn't everyone go on down to +the center of the earth?" inquired the little girl. + +"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," +replied Shaggy in a sad tone. "The reason, my +dear, is that the earth is so solid that other solid +things can't get through it. But when there's a +hole, as there is in this case, we drop right down +to the center of the world." + +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. + +"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed +enough to carry us right up to the other end." + +"I don't understand that, and it makes my +head ache to try to figure it out," she said after +some thought. "One thing draws us to the center +and another thing pushes us away from it. +But--" + +"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the +Shaggy Man. "If you can't understand it, let it go +at that." + +"Do you understand it?" she inquired. + +"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said +gravely. "There's lots of magic in all Nature, +and you may see it as well in the United States, +where you and I once lived, as you can here." + +"I never did," she replied. + +"Because you were so used to it all that you +didn't realize it was magic. Is anything more +wonderful than to see a flower grow and blossom, +or to get light out of the electricity in the air? +The cows that manufacture milk for us must have +machinery fully as remarkable as that in Tik-Tok's +copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that--" + +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, +the strong light of day suddenly broke upon them, +grew brighter, and completely enveloped them. The +dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal +Tube, for he shot into the open air a hundred feet +or more and sailed so far away from the slanting +hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a +mountain and just over the entrance to the many +underground caverns of the Nome King. + +Some of the officers tumbled off their seats +when Quox struck the ground, but most of the +dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. All +were glad to be on solid earth again and they at +once dismounted and began to look about them. +Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the +dragon, the seats that were strapped to the +monster's back disappeared, and this probably +happened because there was no further use for them +and because Quox looked far more dignified in just +his silver scales. Of course he still wore the +forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as well as +the great locket, but these only made him look +"dressed up," as Betsy remarked. + +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly +around the mouth of the Tube, in order to be ready +to capture the band of invaders as soon as they +popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes +assembled, and they were led by Guph, their most +famous General. But they did not expect the dragon +to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so +suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the +nomes had rubbed the astonishment out of their +eyes and regained their wits, they discovered the +dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far +above their heads, while the other strangers were +standing in a group and calmly looking down upon +them. + +General Guph was very angry at the escape, which +was no one's fault but his own. + +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, +waving his sword at them. + +"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" +replied Queen Ann, who was winding up the +clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could +fight more briskly. + +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the +defiance; then he turned and issued a command to +his nomes. These were all armed with sharp spears +and with one accord they raised these spears and +threw them straight at their foes, so that they +rushed through the air in a perfect cloud of +flying weapons. + +Some damage might have been done had not the +dragon quickly crawled before the others, his body +being so big that it shielded every one of them, +including Hank. The spears rattled against the +silver scales of Quox and then fell harmlessly to +the ground. They were magic spears, of course, and +all straightway bounded back into the hands of +those who had thrown them, but even Guph could see +that it was useless to repeat the attack. + +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the +Generals yelled "For--ward march!" and the +Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the +command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, +which seemed to be composed mainly of Tik- +Tok, marched forward in single column toward +the nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered +and Hank gave a loud "Hee-haw!" and Shaggy +shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed: +"At 'em, Tik-Tok--at 'em!" + +The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's +attack but in a twinkling disappeared into the +underground caverns. They made a great mistake in +being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen +steps before he stubbed his copper toe on a rock +and fell flat to the ground, where he cried: "Pick +me up! Pick me up! Pick me up!" until Shaggy and +Files ran forward and raised him to his feet +again. + +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he +scratched his left ear with his hind claw, but no +one was paying much attention to Quox just then. + +It was evident to Ann and her officers that +there could be no fighting unless the enemy was +present, and in order to find the enemy they must +boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the nomes. +So bold a step demanded a council of war. + +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo +and obey the orders of the Jinjin?" asked Quox. + +"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have +already put the army of nomes to flight and all +that yet remains is to force our way into those +caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his +people." + +"That seems to me something of a job," said +the dragon, closing his eyes sleepily. "But go +ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for you. +Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one +who lives thousands of years the delay of a few +days means nothing at all, and I shall probably +sleep until the time comes for me to act." + +Ann was provoked at this speech. + +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," +she said, "for the Nome King is as good as +conquered already." + +But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait." + + + + +Chapter Sixteen + +The Naughty Nome + + +Shaggy Man had said nothing during the +conversation between Queen Ann and Quox, for the +simple reason that he did not consider the matter +worth an argument. Safe within his pocket reposed +the Love Magnet, which had never failed to win +every heart. The nomes, he knew, were not like the +heartless Roses and therefore could be won to his +side as soon as he exhibited the magic talisman. + +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach +Ruggedo's Kingdom and now that the entrance lay +before him he was confident he would be able to +rescue his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon +quarrel as to who should conquer the nomes, if +they liked; Shaggy would let them try, and if they +failed he had the means of conquest in his own +pocket. + +But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she +thought her Army could do anything. So she called +the officers together and told them how to act, +and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and +what to say. + +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last +resort," she added, "for I do not wish to be cruel +or to shed any blood--unless it is absolutely +necessary." + +"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not +think Rug-ge-do would bleed if I filled him full +of holes and put him in a ci-der press." + +Then the officers fell in line, the four +Generals abreast and then the four Colonels and +the four Majors and the four Captains. They drew +their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to +march, which he did. Twice he fell down, being +tripped by the rough rocks, but when he struck the +smooth path he got along better. Into the gloomy +mouth of the cavern entrance he stepped without +hesitation, and after him proudly pranced the +officers and Queen Ann. The others held back a +little, waiting to see what would happen. + +Of course the Nome King knew they were coming +and was prepared to receive them. Just within the +rocky passage that led to the jeweled throne-room +was a deep pit, which was usually covered. Ruggedo +had ordered the cover removed and it now stood +open, scarcely visible in the gloom. + +The pit was so large around that it nearly +filled the passage and there was barely room for +one to walk around it by pressing close to the +rock walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes +saw the pit clearly and he avoided it; but the +officers marched straight into the hole and +tumbled in a heap on the bottom. An instant later +Queen Ann also walked into the pit, for she had +her chin in the air and was careless where she +placed her feet. Then one of the nomes pulled a +lever which replaced the cover on the pit and made +the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen fast +prisoners. + +As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the +cavern where Ruggedo sat in his throne and there +he faced the Nome King and said: + +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann +So-forth of Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I +de-clare that you are her pris-on-er!" + +Ruggedo laughed at him. + +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. + +"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. +"Per-haps she stopped to tie her shoe-string." + +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, +in a stern voice, "I've had enough of this +nonsense. Your Queen and her officers are all +prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps +you'll tell me what you mean to do." + +"My or-ders were to con-quer you," replied Tik- +Tok, "and my ma-chin-er-y has done the best it +knows how to car-ry out those or-ders." + +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, +followed closely by General Guph. + +"Take this copper man into the shops and set him +to work hammering gold," commanded the King. +"Being run by machinery he ought to be a steady +worker. He ought never to have been made, but +since he exists I shall hereafter put him to good +use." + +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I +shall fight." + +"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, +earnestly, "for it will be useless to resist and +you might hurt some one." + +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not +knowing what damage the gun might do the nomes +were afraid to face it. + +While he was thus defying the Nome King and his +high officials, Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the +royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank the +mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting +for "something to happen" and so had come to see +if Ruggedo had been conquered. + +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how +dare you bring that beast here and enter my +presence unannounced?" + +"There wasn't anybody to announce me," replied +Betsy. "I guess your folks were all busy. Are you +conquered yet?" + +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself +with rage. + +"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm +awful hungry," said the girl. "You see, this +conquering business is a good deal like waiting +for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get +around and don't amount to much anyhow." + +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech +that for a time they could only glare at her +silently, not finding words to reply. The King +finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: + +"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty +shall be your death-warrant. You are an ordinary +mortal, and to stop a mortal from living is so +easy a thing to do that I will not keep you +waiting half so long as you did for my conquest." + +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," +remarked Betsy, getting off Hank's back and +standing beside him. "And it would be a pretty +cheap King who killed a visitor while she was +hungry. If you'll give me something to eat, I'll +talk this killing business over with you +afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't +approve of it, and never will." + +Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome +King, although he bore an intense hatred toward +all mortals. + +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. + +"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a +couple of hard-boiled eggs--" + +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were +present, shuddering till their teeth chattered. + +"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. +"Are eggs as high here as they are at home?" + +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, +turning to his General, "let us destroy this rash +mortal at once! Seize her and take her to the +Slimy Cave and lock her in." + +Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still +pointed, but just then Kaliko stole softly behind +the copper man and kicked his knee-joints so that +they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to +the floor, his gun falling from his grasp. + +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab +at Betsy. At the same time Hank's heels shot out +and caught the General just where his belt was +buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannon- +ball, struck the Nome King fairly and flattened +his Majesty against the wall of rock on the +opposite side of the cavern. Together they fell to +the floor in a dazed and crumpled condition, +seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy: + +"Come with me--quick!--and I will save you." + +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and +thought he seemed honest and good-natured, so +she decided to follow him. He led her and the +mule through several passages and into a small +cavern very nicely and comfortably furnished. + +"This is my own room," said he, "but you are +quite welcome to use it. Wait here a minute and +I'll get you something to eat." + +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray +containing some broiled mushrooms, a loaf of +mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good +and the mushrooms delicious. + +"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd +better lock yourself in." + +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess +come here, too?" she asked. + +"I'll see. Where are they?" + +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. + +"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open +it," said Kaliko; "but don't let anyone in unless +they give the three raps." + +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko +left the cosy cavern she closed and locked the +door. + +In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding +themselves prisoners in the pit, had shouted and +screamed until they were tired out, but no one had +come to their assistance. It was very dark and +damp in the pit and they could not climb out +because the walls were higher than their heads and +the cover was on. The Queen was first angry and +then annoyed and then discouraged; but the +officers were only afraid. Every one of the poor +fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo +caring for his orchard, and some were so unhappy +that they began to reproach Ann for causing them +all this trouble and danger. + +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the +pit and leaned her back against the wall. By good +luck her sharp elbow touched a secret spring in +the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann +fell over backward, but the next instant she +jumped up and cried to the others: + +"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, +and we may yet escape." + +Then she began to crawl through the passage, +which was as dark and dank as the pit, and the +officers followed her in single file. They +crawled, and they crawled, and they kept on +crawling, for the passage was not big enough to +allow them to stand upright. It turned this way +and twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and +sometimes zigzag, but seldom ran for long in a +straight line. + +"It will never end--never!" moaned the officers, +who were rubbing all the skin off their knees on +the rough rocks. + +"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or +it never would have been made. We don't know +where it will lead us to, but any place is better +than that loathsome pit." + +So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, +and while they were crawling through this awful +underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy and +Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing +outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were +wondering what had become of them. + + + + +Chapter Seventeen + +A Tragic Transformation + + +"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his +companions, "for it may take the Queen some time +to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to do +everything in his slow, mechanical way." + +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked +the Rose Princess. + +"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King +is really a powerful fellow and has a legion of +nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen +commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint- +hearted officers." + +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," +said Polychrome, dancing lightly upon a point of +rock and fluttering her beautiful draperies. "But +perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, +for when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may +become more modest in her ambitions." + +"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga. + +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, +my dear; you may see him from here. He said he +would take a little nap while we were mixing up +with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had +gotten into trouble he would wake up and conquer +the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the Jinjin +has ordered him to do." + +"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not +think we shall need his services; for just as soon +as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her army have +failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the +caverns and show the King my Love Magnet. That he +cannot resist; therefore the conquest will be made +with ease." + +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the +Long-Eared Hearer, who was at that moment standing +by Ruggedo's side. For when the King and Guph had +recovered from Hank's kick and had picked +themselves up, their first act was to turn Tik-Tok +on his back and put a heavy diamond on top of him, +so that he could not get up again. Then they +carefully put his gun in a corner of the cavern +and the King sent Guph to fetch the Long-Eared +Hearer. + +The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for +breaking his ear, but he acknowledged the Nome +King to be his master and was ready to obey his +commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to +the King, who at once realized that his Kingdom +was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew of the Love +Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the +thought that Shaggy might show him the magic +talisman and turn all the hatred in his heart into +love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred +love of any sort. + + +"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and +lose my wealth and my Kingdom than gaze at that +awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent the +Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" + +Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to +overhear this question, and being a loyal nome and +eager to serve his King, he answered by saying: + +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, +tight to his body, he could not get the Love +Magnet out of his pocket." + +"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy +solution of the problem. "Get at once a dozen +nomes, with ropes, and place them in the passage +where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he +enters." + +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers +outside the entrance were growing more and more +uneasy about their friends. + +"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo +people," said Polychrome, who had grown sober with +waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for they +could not be killed, even though Ruggedo might +cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them +utterly. But we should not have allowed Betsy and +Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl +is mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, +so if Ruggedo captures her she will be wholly at +his mercy." + +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I +wouldn't like to have anything happen to dear +little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right away +and put an end to all this worry." + +"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, +"for by means of the Love Magnet, you can soon +bring the Nome King to reason." + +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy +walked through the entrance first, and after him +came the others. They had no thought of danger to +themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with +his hands thrust into his pockets, was much +surprised when a rope shot out from the darkness +and twined around his body, pinning down his arms +so securely that he could not even withdraw his +hands from the pockets. Then appeared several +grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the +ropes and then led the prisoner along the passage +to the cavern. No attention was paid to the +others, but Files and the Princess followed on +after Shaggy, determined not to desert their +friend and hoping that an opportunity might arise +to rescue him. + +As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that +trouble had overtaken Shaggy she turned and ran +lightly back through the passage and out of the +entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock +until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay +fast asleep. + +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you +to act." + +But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a +trance, absolutely motionless, with his enormous +eyes tight closed. The eyelids had big silver +scales on them, like all the rest of his body. + +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had +she not known that dragons do not die easily or +had she not observed his huge body swelling as he +breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and +pounded against his eyelids with it, saying: + +"Wake up, Quox--wake up!" But he would not waken. + +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the +lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "I wonder what is +the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All +our friends may be captured and destroyed +while this great beast lies asleep." + +She walked around Quox two or three times, +trying to discover some tender place on his body +where a thump or a punch might he felt; but he lay +extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon +the ground and his legs drawn underneath his body, +and all that one could see was his thick sky-blue +skin--thicker than that of a rhinoceros--and his +silver scales. + +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, +and worried over the fate of her friends, +Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and +hurried along the passage into the Nome King's +cavern. + +Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and +smoking a long pipe. Beside him stood General Guph +and Kaliko, and ranged before the King were the +Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok +still lay upon the floor, weighted down by the big +diamond. + +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of +mind. One by one he had met the invaders and +easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet was +indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away +from the King, but Shaggy was powerless to show it +and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the talisman it +could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her +mule, he believed Kaliko had placed them in the +Slimy Cave, while Ann and her officers he thought +safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear +of Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he +had ordered golden handcuffs placed upon their +wrists. These did not cause them any great +annoyance but prevented them from making an +attack, had they been inclined to do so. + +The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of +the situation, was laughing and jeering at his +prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely beautiful +and dancing like a ray of light, entered the +cavern. + +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, +eh?" and then he stared hard at Polychrome, and +still harder, and then he sat up and pulled the +wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his +whiskers. "On my word," said he, "you are a very +captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you +are a fairy." + +"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she +said proudly. + +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others +I hate. I hate everybody--but you! Wouldn't you +like to live always in this beautiful cavern, +Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls +have every tint and color of your Rainbow--and +they are not so elusive. I'll have fresh dewdrops +gathered for your feasting every day and you shall +be Queen of all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose +whenever you like." + +"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is +in the sky, and I'm only on a visit to this solid, +sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why my friends +have been wound with cords and bound with chains?" + +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The +fools did not know how powerful I am." + +"Then, since they are now helpless, why not +release them and send them back to the earth's +surface?" + +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer +for their invasion. But I'll make a bargain with +you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with me and +I'll set all these people free. You shall be my +daughter or my wife or my aunt or grandmother-- +whichever you like--only stay here to brighten my +gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" + +Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she +turned to Shaggy and asked: + +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" + +"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem +to be something of a Love Magnet yourself, +Polychrome." + +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even +to rescue my friends would I live in your kingdom. +Nor could I endure for long the society of such a +wicked monster as you." + +"You forget," retorted the King, scowling +darkly, "that you also are in my power." + +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is +beyond the reach of your spite or malice." + +"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and +General Guph sprang forward to obey. Polychrome +stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to +clutch her his hands met in air, and now the +Rainbow's Daughter was in another part of the +room, as smiling and composed as before. + +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and +Ruggedo even came down from his throne to assist +his General; but never could they lay hands upon +the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there +with the swiftness of light and constantly defied +them with her merry laughter as she evaded their +efforts. + +So after a time they abandoned the chase and +Ruggedo returned to his throne and wiped the +perspiration from his face with a finely-woven +handkerchief of cloth-of-gold. + +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to +do now?" + +"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all +my bother," replied the Nome King. Then he said to +Kaliko: "Summon the executioners." + +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned +with a score of nomes, all of whom were nearly as +evil looking as their hated master. They bore +great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and +clamps and chains and various wicked-looking +instruments, all made of precious metals and set +with diamonds and rubies. + +"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader +of the executioners, "fetch the Army of Oogaboo +and their Queen from the pit and torture them here +in my presence--as well as in the presence of +their friends. It will be great sport." + +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," +answered Pang, and went with his nomes into the +passage. In a few minutes he returned and bowed to +Ruggedo. + +"They're all gone," said he. + +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" + +"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they +are not in the pit." + +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took +the cover off?" + +"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but +the prisoners were not under it." + +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to +control his disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave +and fetch hither the girl and the donkey. And +while we are torturing them Kaliko must take a +hundred nomes and search for the escaped +prisoners--the Queen of Oogaboo and her officers. +If he does not find them, I will torture Kaliko." + +Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for +he knew the King was cruel and unjust enough to +carry out this threat. Pang and the executioners +also went away, in another direction, but when +they came back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor +was Hank. + +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your +Majesty," reported Pang. + +"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. +"Another escape? Are you sure you found the right +cave?" + +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no +one in it," returned Pang positively. + +Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as +angry. However, these disappointments but made him +the more vindictive and he cast an evil look at +the other prisoners and said: + +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are +four, at least, who cannot escape my vengeance. +Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind about +Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, +seething heat, and then we'll dump the copper man +into it and melt him up." + +"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had +returned to the room after sending a hundred nomes +to search for the Oogaboo people, "you must +remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and +interesting machine. It would be a shame to +deprive the world of such a clever contrivance." + +"Say another word, and you'll go into the +furnace with him!" roared the King. "I'm getting +tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you know +I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga- +chips of you! The next to consider," he added more +mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he owns the Love +Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, +and then we can practice shooting at him with Tik- +Tok's gun. Now, this is a very interesting +ceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and +see that I've nothing up my sleeve." + +He came out of his throne to stand before the +Shaggy Man, and then he waved his hands, palms +downward, in seven semicircles over his victim's +head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the +magic wugwa: + +"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! +Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!" + +The effect of this well-known sorcery was +instantaneous. Instead of the Shaggy Man, a pretty +dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings +confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo +gave an order to Pang, who cut the cords with a +pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove quickly +flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the +Rose Princess, who stroked it tenderly. + +"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing +his hands gleefully together. "One enemy is out of +my way, and now for the others." + +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to +attempt the above transformation; for, although +the exact magical formula has been described, it +is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone +to transform a person into a dove by muttering the +words Ruggedo used. There were no laws to prevent +the Nome King from performing this transformation, +but if it should be attempted in any other +country, and the magic worked, the magician would +be severely punished.) + +When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into +a dove and realized that Ruggedo was about do +something as dreadful to the Princess and Files, +and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a +crucible, she turned and ran from the cavern, +through the passage and back to the place where +Quox lay asleep. + + + + +Chapter Eighteen + +A Clever Conquest + + +The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was +even snoring in a manner that resembled distant +thunder; but Polychrome was now desperate, because +any further delay meant the destruction of her +friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to which +was attached the great locket, and jerked it with +all her strength. + +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped +snoring and his eyelids flickered. So Polychrome +jerked again--and again--till slowly the great +lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. +Said he, in a sleepy tone: + +"What's the matter, little Rainbow?" + +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has +captured all our friends and is about to destroy +them." + +"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would +happen. Step a little out of my path, my dear, and +I'll make a rush for the Nome King's cavern." + +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised +himself on his stout legs, whisked his long tail +and in an instant had slid down the rocks and made +a dive through the entrance. + +Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it +with his immense body, and now he poked his head +into the jeweled cavern of Ruggedo. + +But the King had long since made arrangements to +capture the dragon, whenever he might appear. No +sooner did Quox stick his head into the room than +a thick chain fell from above and encircled his +neck. Then the ends of the chain were drawn tight-- +for in an adjoining cavern a thousand nomes were +pulling on them--and so the dragon could advance +no further toward the King. He could not use his +teeth or his claws and as his body was still in +the passage he had not even room to strike his +foes with his terrible tail. + +Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his +stratagem. He had just transformed the Rose +Princess into a fiddle and was about to transform +Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon appeared +to interrupt him. So he called out: + +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal +entertainment. Since you are here, you shall +witness some very neat magic, and after I have +finished with Files and Tik-Tok I mean to +transform you into a tiny lizard--one of the +chameleon sort--and you shall live in my cavern +and amuse me." + +"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," +returned Quox in a quiet voice, "but I don't +believe you'll perform any more magic." + +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. + +"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this +ribbon around my neck?" + +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon +should wear such a silly thing." + +"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, +with a little chuckle of amusement. + +"I do," declared Ruggedo. + +"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, +and are as helpless as a clam," asserted Quox. "My +great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, +enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever +Your Majesty looked upon it all knowledge of magic +would desert you instantly, nor will any magical +formula you can remember ever perform your +bidding." + +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried +Ruggedo, half frightened, nevertheless. Then he +turned toward Files and tried to transform him +into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the +right words or the right pass of the hands and +after several trials he finally gave up the +attempt. + +By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that +he was secretly shaking in his shoes. + +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," +grumbled Kaliko, "and now you see the result of +your disobedience." + +Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal +Chamberlain, who dodged it with his usual +cleverness, and then he said with an attempt to +swagger: + +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to +destroy these invaders; fire and the sword will do +the business and I am still King of the Nomes and +lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" + +"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said +Quox. "The Great Jinjin commands you to depart +instantly from this Kingdom and seek the earth's +surface, where you will wander for all time to +come, without a home or country, without a friend +or follower, and without any more riches than you +can carry with you in your pockets. The Great +Jinjin is so generous that he will allow you to +fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but you +must take nothing more." + +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. + +"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" +he asked in a hoarse voice. + +"He does," said Quox. + +"And just for throwing a few strangers down the +Forbidden Tube?" + +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff +voice. + +"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin +can't make me do it, either!" declared Ruggedo. "I +intend to remain here, King of the Nomes, until +the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi- +Hoochoo and all his fairies--as well as his clumsy +messenger, whom I have been obliged to chain up!" + +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort +of smile that made Ruggedo feel very happy. +Instead, there was something so cold and merciless +in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome +King trembled and was sick at heart. + +There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact +that the dragon was now chained, although he had +boasted of it. He glared at the immense head of +Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the +old King's eyes as he watched his enemy's +movements. + +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but +as if he had something to do and was about to do +it. Very deliberately he raised one claw, touched +the catch of the great jeweled locket that was +suspended around his neck, and at once it opened +wide. + +Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen +hen's eggs rolled out upon the floor and then the +locket closed with a sharp click. But the effect +upon the nomes of this simple thing was +astounding. General Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his +band of executioners were all standing close to +the door that led to the vast series of +underground caverns which constituted the +dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw +the eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams +and rushed through the door, slamming it in +Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it. + +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering +loud cries, now leaped upon the seat of his +throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled +steadily toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent +by the wise and crafty Tititi-Hoochoo, were in +some way enchanted, for they all rolled directly +after Ruggedo and when they reached the +throne where he had taken refuge they began +rolling up the legs to the seat. + +This was too much for the King to bear. His +horror of eggs was real and absolute and he made a +leap from the throne to the center of the room and +then ran to a far corner. + +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily +in his direction. Ruggedo threw his sceptre at +them, and then his ruby crown, and then he drew +off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at +the advancing eggs. But the eggs dodged every +missile and continued to draw nearer. The King +stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until +they were but half a yard distant; then with an +agile leap he jumped clear over them and made a +rush for the passage that led to the outer +entrance. + +Of course the dragon was in his way, being +chained in the passage with his head in the +cavern, but when he saw the King making toward him +he crouched as low as he could and dropped his +chin to the floor, leaving a small space between +his body and the roof of the passage. + +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled +by fear, he leaped to the dragon's nose and then +scrambled to his back, where he succeeded in +squeezing himself through the opening. After +the head was passed there was more room and +he slid along the dragon's scales to his tail and +then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to +the entrance. Not pausing here, so great was his +fright, the King dashed on down the mountain +path, but before he had gone very far he +stumbled and fell. + +When he picked himself up he observed that no +one was following him, and while he recovered his +breath he happened to think of the decree of the +Jinjin--that he should be driven from his Kingdom +and made a wanderer on the face of the earth. +Well, here he was, driven from his cavern in +truth; driven by those dreadful eggs; but he would +go back and defy them; he would not submit to +losing his precious Kingdom and his tyrannical +powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he +must. + +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved +himself to creep back along the path to the +entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six +eggs lying in a row just before the arched +opening. + +At first he paused a safe distance away to +consider the case, for the eggs were now +motionless. While he was wondering what could be +done, he remembered there was a magical charm +which would destroy eggs and render them harmless +to nomes. There were nine passes to be made and +six verses of incantation to be recited; but +Ruggedo knew them all. Now that he had ample time +to be exact, he carefully went through the entire +ceremony. + +But nothing happened. The eggs did not +disappear, as he had expected; so he repeated the +charm a second time. When that also failed, he +remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic +power had been taken away from him and in the +future he could do no more than any common mortal. + +And there were the eggs, forever barring him +from the Kingdom which he had ruled so long with +absolute sway! He threw rocks at them, but could +not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and +tore his hair and beard, and danced in helpless +passion, but that did nothing to avert the just +judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil +deeds had brought upon him. + +From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer +upon the face of the earth--and he had even +forgotten to fill his pockets with gold and jewels +before he fled from his former Kingdom! + + + + +Chapter Nineteen + +King Kaliko + + +After the King had made good his escape Files said +to the dragon, in a sad voice: + +"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you +were sleeping instead of conquering, the lovely +Rose Princess has become a fiddle without a bow, +while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!" + +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo +knows his business, and I have my orders from the +Great Jinjin himself. Bring the fiddle here and +touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." + +Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with +the ribbon the Nome King's charm was broken and +the Rose Princess herself stood before them as +sweet and smiling as ever. + +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had +seen and heard all this, so without being told +what to do it flew straight to the dragon and +alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was +himself again and Quox said to him grumblingly: + +"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be +more particular where you step." + +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very +glad to resume his natural form. Then he ran +to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest +and to assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. + +"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the +wicked King who want-ed to melt me in a cru-ci- +ble?" + +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered +Polychrome, who had managed to squeeze into the +room beside the dragon and had witnessed the +occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder +where Betsy Bobbin and Hank can be, and if any +harm has befallen them." + +"We must search the cavern until we find them," +declared Shaggy; but when he went to the door +leading to the other caverns he found it shut and +barred. + +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said +Quox, "and I believe I can break down that door, +even though it's made of solid gold." + +"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that +hold you are fastened in some other room, so that +we cannot release you," Files said anxiously. + +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I +have remained a prisoner only because I wished to +be one," and with this he stepped forward and +burst the stout chains as easily as if they had +been threads. + +But when he tried to push in the heavy metal +door, even his mighty strength failed, and after +several attempts he gave it up and squatted +himself in a corner to think of a better way. + +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and +going to the King's big gong he pounded upon it +until the noise was almost deafening. + +Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what +had happened to Ruggedo and if he had escaped the +eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he heard +the sound of the gong, which had so often called +him into the King's presence, he decided that +Ruggedo had been victorious; so he took away the +bar, threw open the door and entered the royal +cavern. + +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone +and the enchantments removed from the Princess and +Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and so Kaliko +advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be +Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger, and bowed humbly +before the beast. + +"What is your will?" he inquired. + +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. + +"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko. + +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. + +So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three +raps upon the door. The little girl had been +asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the +door. + +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King +has fled in disgrace and your friends are asking +for you." + +So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal +Chamberlain to the throne cavern, where she was +received with great joy by her friends. They told +her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them +how kind Kaliko had been to her. Quox did not have +much to say until the conversation was ended, but +then he turned to Kaliko and asked: + +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better +than Ruggedo has done?" + +"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly +surprised by the question. "Well, I couldn't be a +worse King, I'm sure." + +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. + +"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better +than ever they did Ruggedo." + +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, +King of the Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you +to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said Quox. + +"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King +Kaliko, I salute Your Majesty and wish you joy in +your gloomy old Kingdom!" + +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then +the others made haste to congratulate the new +King. + +"Will you release my dear brother?" asked +Shaggy. + +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. +"I begged Ruggedo long ago to send him away, but +he would not do so. I also offered to help your +brother to escape, but he would not go." + +"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly +pleased. "All of our family have noble natures. +But is my dear brother well?" he added anxiously. + +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the +new King. + +"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy. + +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is +nothing he can do in these dominions as well as +our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it +worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother +has only to amuse himself." + +"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a +prisoner," asserted Betsy. + +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner +cannot go where or when he pleases, and is not +his own master." + +"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy. + +"In the Metal Forest." + +"Where is that?" + +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, +the largest in all our dominions," replied Kaliko. +"It is almost like being out of doors, it is so +big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to +amuse himself, as well as to tire out his hard- +working nomes. All the trees are gold and silver +and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so +it is a sort of treasury." + +"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear +brother," pleaded Shaggy earnestly. + +Kaliko hesitated. + +"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. +"Ruggedo made three secret passages to the Metal +Forest, but he changes the location of these +passages every week, so that no one can get to the +Metal Forest without his permission. However, if +we look sharp, we may be able to discover one of +these secret ways." + +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen +Ann and the Officers of Oogaboo," said Files. + +"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko. + +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" + +"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell +into the big pit in the passage, and we put the +cover on to keep them there; but when the +executioners went to look for them they had all +disappeared from the pit and we could find no +trace of them." + +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I +don't believe Ann knew any magic, or she'd have +worked it before. But to disappear like that seems +like magic; now, doesn't it?" + +They agreed that it did, but no one could +explain the mystery. + +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is +certain, so we cannot help them or be helped by +them. And the important thing just now is to +rescue my dear brother from captivity." + +"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked +Betsy. + +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I can not +remember his looks very well, it is so long since +I have seen him; but all of our family are noted +for their handsome faces." + +Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but +Polychrome relieved his embarrassment by saying +softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but lovely in +disposition." + +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little +comforted by this remark, "is to find one of those +secret passages to the Metal Forest." + +"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will +assemble the chief nomes of my kingdom in this +throne room and tell them that I am their new +King. Then I can ask them to assist us in +searching for the secret passages. + +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who +seemed to be getting sleepy again. + +Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it +just as Ruggedo used to do; but no one answered +the summons. + +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the +throne, where he had seated himself. "That is my +call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain, and +will be until I appoint another in my place." + +So he ran out of the room and found Guph and +told him to answer the summons of the King's gong. +Having returned to the royal cavern, Kaliko first +pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, +wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding +in his hand the sceptre which Ruggedo had so often +thrown at his head. + +When Guph entered he was amazed. + +"Better get out of that throne before old +Ruggedo comes back," he said warningly. + +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of +the Nomes, in his stead," announced Kaliko. + +"All of which is quite true," asserted the +dragon, and all of those who stood around the +throne bowed respectfully to the new King. + +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to +be rid of such a hard master as Ruggedo. Then +Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph that +he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and +promised not to throw the sceptre at his head +unless he deserved it. + +All this being pleasantly arranged, the new +Chamberlain went away to tell the news to all the +nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one of +whom would be delighted with the change in Kings. + + + + +Chapter Twenty + +Quox Quietly Quits + + +When the chief nomes assembled before their new +King they joyfully saluted him and promised to +obey his commands. But, when Kaliko questioned +them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, +although all had assisted in its making. So the +King instructed them to search carefully for one +of the passages and to bring him the news as soon +as they had found it. + +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the +rocky corridor and so regain the open air and his +old station on the mountain-side, and there he lay +upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. +The others of the party were all given as good +rooms as the caverns of the nomes afforded, for +King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for +his promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable +as he could. + +Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute +disappearance of the sixteen officers of Oogaboo +and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, nor +were they discovered during the search for the +passages leading to the Metal Forest. Perhaps no +one was unhappy over their loss, but all were +curious to know what had become of them. + +On the next day, when our friends went to visit +the dragon, Quox said to them: "I must now bid you +good-bye, for my mission here is finished and I +must depart for the other side of the world, +where I belong." + +"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked +Betsy. + +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this +time, with no one to talk to, and I cannot invite +any of you to go with me. Therefore, as soon as I +slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when +I pop out at the other end I will wake up at +home." + +They thanked the dragon for befriending them and +wished him a pleasant journey. Also they sent +their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just +condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests +so well. Then Quox yawned and stretched himself +and ambled over to the Tube, into which he slid +headforemost and disappeared. + +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, +for the dragon had been both kind and sociable +during their brief acquaintance with him; but they +knew it was his duty to return to his own country. +So they went back to the caverns to renew the +search for the hidden passages that led to the +forest, but for three days all efforts to find +them proved in vain. + +It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to +the mountain and watch for her father, the +Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering +upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in +their sky palaces. And on the third day, while she +sat motionless upon a point of rock, whom should +she see slyly creeping up the mountain but +Ruggedo! + +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes +were soiled and torn and he had no sandals upon +his feet or hat upon his head. Having left his +crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old +nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like a +beggerman. + +Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the +mouth of the caverns, only to find the six eggs +still on guard. He knew quite well that he must +accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, +but his chief regret now was that he had neglected +to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. He was +aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command +would fare much better than one who was a pauper, +so he still loitered around the caverns wherein he +knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a +chance to fill his pockets. + +That was how he came to recollect the Metal +Forest. + +"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way +to that Forest, and once there I can fill my +pockets with the finest jewels in all the world." + +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to +find them so small. Perhaps they might be +enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew of +a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of +the mountain, so he went to her and begged her to +sew pockets all over his robe, paying her with the +gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his +finger. The woman was delighted to possess so +valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets on +Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could. + +Then he returned up the mountain and, after +gazing cautiously around to make sure he was +not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and +it swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad +passageway. This he entered, swinging the rock +in place behind him. + +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully +as he might have done, for Polychrome was seated +only a little distance off and her clear eyes +marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had +released the hidden spring. So she rose and +hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko and +her friends of her discovery. + +"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal +Forest," exclaimed Shaggy. "Come, let us follow +Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor brother!" + +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called +together a band of nomes to assist them by +carrying torches to light their way. + +"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its +own," said he, "but the passage across the valley +is likely to be dark." + +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the +spring, so in less than an hour after Ruggedo had +entered they were all in the passage and following +swiftly after the former King. + +"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said +Kaliko; "but he will find he is no longer of any +account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomes +throw him out." + +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said +Betsy, "for he deserves it. I don't mind an +honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights square; but +changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put +into Slimy Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo +doesn't deserve any sympathy. But you'll have to +let him take as much treasure as he can get in his +pockets, Kaliko." + +"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it +much. There is more treasure in the Metal Forest +than a million nomes could carry in their +pockets." + +It was not difficult to walk through this +passage, especially when the torches lighted the +way, so they made good progress. But it proved to +be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself +with walking and was seated upon the back of the +mule when the passage made a sharp turn and a +wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The +next moment they were all standing upon the edge +of the marvelous Metal Forest. + +It lay under another mountain and occupied a +great domed cavern, the roof of which was higher +than a church steeple. In this space the +industrious nomes had built, during many years of +labor, the most beautiful forest in the world. The +trees--trunks, branches and leaves--were all of +solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were +formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees +towered as high as natural live oaks do and were +of exquisite workmanship. + +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems +of every hue and size, while here and there among +the trees were paths pebbled with cut diamonds of +the clearest water. Taken all together, more +treasure was gathered in this Metal Forest than is +contained in all the rest of the world--if we +except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is +equalled in the famous Emerald City. + +Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for +a while they stood gazing in silent wonder. Then +Shaggy exclaimed. + +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed +a prisoner in this place?" + +"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been +here for two or three years, to my positive +knowledge." + +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired +Betsy. "It's an awfully swell place to live in, but +one can't breakfast on rubies and di'monds, or +even gold." + +"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured +her. "The Metal Forest does not fill all of this +great cavern, by any means. Beyond these gold and +silver trees are other trees of the real sort, +which bear foods very nice to eat. Let us walk in +that direction, for I am quite sure we will find +Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, +rather than in this." + +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled +paths, and at every step they were more and more +bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the golden +trees with their glittering foliage. + +Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered +in every direction as some one hidden among the +bushes scampered away before them. Then a loud +voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a +struggle. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-One + +A Bashful Brother + + +With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward +and, beyond a group of stately metal trees, came +full upon a most astonishing scene. + +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers +of Oogaboo, a dozen of whom were clinging to the +old nome and holding him fast in spite of his +efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, +looking grimly upon the scene of strife; but when +she observed her former companions approaching she +turned away in a shamefaced manner. + +For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to +behold. Her Majesty's clothing, once so rich and +gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds by her +long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, +had led her directly into the Metal Forest. It +was, indeed, one of the three secret passages, and +by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had +not only torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her +crown had become bent and battered and even her +shoes were so cut and slashed that they were ready +to fall from her feet. + +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their +leader, for holes were worn in the knees of their +trousers, while sharp points of rock in the roof +and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every +inch of their once brilliant uniforms. A more +tattered and woeful army never came out of a +battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky +passage. But it had seemed their only means of +escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had +crawled on, regardless of their sufferings. + +When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes +beheld more plunder than they had ever dreamed of; +yet they were prisoners in this huge dome and +could not escape with the riches heaped about +them. Perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of +"conquerors" never existed than this band from +Oogaboo. + +After several days of wandering in their +marvelous prison they were frightened by the +discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. +Rendered desperate by their sad condition, the +officers exhibited courage for the first time +since they left home and, ignorant of the fact +that Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they +threw themselves upon him and had just succeeded +in capturing him when their fellow adventurers +reached the spot. + +"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has +happened to you all?" + +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and +indignant. + +"We were obliged to escape from the pit through +a small tunnel, which was lined with sharp and +jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our +clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised +and sore that we are stiff and lame in every +joint. To add to our troubles we find we are still +prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in +capturing the wicked Metal Monarch we shall force +him to grant us our liberty." + +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of +the nomes," Files informed her. "He has been +deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox; but +here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I +am pleased to assure Your Majesty that he is our +friend." + +"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said +Kaliko, bowing as courteously as if the Queen +still wore splendid raiment. + +The officers, having heard this explanation, now +set Ruggedo free; but, as he had no place to go, +he stood by and faced his former servant, who was +now King in his place, in a humble and pleading +manner. + +"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly. + +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I +could carry in my pockets," replied Ruggedo; +"so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb +Your Majesty." + +"You were commanded to leave the country of the +nomes forever!" declared Kaliko. + +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my +pockets," said Ruggedo, meekly. + +"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new +King. + +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began +gathering up jewels by the handful and stuffing +them into his many pockets. They were heavy +things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and +amethysts and the like, so before long Ruggedo was +staggering with the weight he bore, while the +pockets were not yet filled. When he could no +longer stoop over without falling, Betsy and +Polychrome and the Rose Princess came to his +assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking +them into his pockets. + +At last these were all filled and Ruggedo +presented a comical sight, for surely no man ever +before had so many pockets, or any at all filled +with such a choice collection of precious stones. +He neglected to thank the young ladies for their +kindness, but gave them a surly nod of farewell +and staggered down the path by the way he had +come. They let him depart in silence, for with all +he had taken, the masses of jewels upon the ground +seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so +numerous were they. Also they hoped they had seen +the last of the degraded King. + +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing +deeply. "If he doesn't get reckless and spend his +wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a bank +when he gets to Oklahoma." + +"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" +inquired Shaggy anxiously. "Have you seen him, +Queen Ann?" + +"What does your brother look like?" asked the +Queen. + +Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's +called the Ugly One. Perhaps you'll know him by +that." + +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," +said Ann, "has run away from us whenever we +approached him. He hides over yonder, among the +trees that are not gold, and we have never been +able to catch sight of his face. So I can not tell +whether he is ugly or not." + +"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed +Shaggy. + +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else +inhabits this splendid dome, so there can be no +mistake." + +"But why does he hide among those green trees, +instead of enjoying all these glittery golden +ones?" asked Betsy. + +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," +replied Kaliko, "and I remember that he has built +a little house there, to sleep in. As for these +glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very +pretty at first sight. One cannot fail to admire +them, as well as the rich jewels scattered beneath +them; but if one has to look at them always, they +become pretty tame." + +"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My +dear brother is very wise to prefer real trees to +the imitation ones. But come; let us go there and +find him." + +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and +the others followed him, being curious to witness +the final rescue of his long-sought, long-lost +brother. + +Not far from the edge of the grove they came +upon a small hut, cleverly made of twigs and +golden branches woven together. As they approached +the place they caught a glimpse of a form that +darted into the hut and slammed the door tight +shut after him. + +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: + +"Brother! Brother!" + +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice +from within. + +"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has +been searching for you a long time and has now +come to rescue you." + +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one +can rescue me now." + +"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said +Shaggy. "There is a new King of the nomes, named +Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has promised +you shall go free." + +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, +in a voice of despair. + +"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously. + +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came +the answer through the closed door. + +"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?" + +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very +handsome. Don't you remember, Shaggy?" + +"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when +I left home. But I remember that mother thought +you were beautiful." + +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed +the prisoner. "But Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to +make me ugly in the eyes of all the world--so he +performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed +beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very +modest I will merely claim that I was good- +looking--and I wakened the next morning the +homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive +that when I look in a mirror I frighten myself." + +"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the +others were silent from sympathy. + +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the +voice of Shaggy's brother, "that I tried to hide; +but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me to appear +before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: +'Behold the Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my +face they all fell to laughing and jeering, which +prevented them from working at their tasks. Seeing +this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a +tunnel, closing the rock entrance so that I could +not get out. I followed the length of the tunnel +until I reached this huge dome, where the +marvelous Metal Forest stands, and here I have +remained ever since." + +"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you +now to come forth and face us, who are your +friends. None here will laugh or jeer, however +unhandsome you may be." + +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. + +But the Ugly One refused the invitation. + +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face +strangers, ugly as I am." + +Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him. + +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. +"I cannot leave my dear brother here, and he +refuses to come out of that house and face us." + +"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on +a mask." + +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy +joyfully; and then he called out: "Brother, put a +mask over your face, and then none of us can see +what your features are like." + +"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One. + +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my +handkerchief." + +Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and +shook his head. + +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it +isn't big enough to hide a man's face. But he can +use mine." + +Saying this he took from his pocket his own +handkerchief and went to the door of the hut. + +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this +handkerchief and make a mask of it. I will also +pass you my knife, so that you may cut holes for +the eyes, and then you must tie it over your +face." + +The door slowly opened, just far enough for the +Ugly One to thrust out his hand and take the +handkerchief and the knife. Then it closed again. + +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried +Betsy. "You must breathe, you know." + +For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her +army sat down upon the ground to rest. Betsy sat +on Hank's back. Polychrome danced lightly up and +down the jeweled paths while Files and the +Princess wandered through the groves arm in arm. +Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood motionless. + +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. + +"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy. + +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was +thrown open to allow the Ugly One to step forth. + +Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not +remembered how sensitive to ridicule Shaggy's +brother was, for the handkerchief with which he +had masked his features was a red one covered with +big white polka dots. In this two holes had been +cut--in front of the eyes--while two smaller ones +before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe +freely. The cloth was then tightly drawn over the +Ugly One's face and knotted at the back of his +neck. + +He was dressed in clothes that had once been +good, but now were sadly worn and frayed. His silk +stockings had holes in them, and his shoes were +stub-toed and needed blackening. "But what can you +expect," whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has +been a prisoner for so many years?" + +Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his +newly found brother with both his arms. The +brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him +forward and introduced him to all the assembled +company. + +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he +came to Kaliko. "He is our friend, and has granted +you your freedom." + +"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad +voice, "but I dread to go back to the world in +this direful condition. Unless I remain forever +masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk +and stop all the clocks." + +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" +inquired Betsy. + +Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his +head. + +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he +said. "Ruggedo was fond of magic, and learned a +good many enchantments that we nomes know +nothing of." + +"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own +enchantment," suggested Ann; "but unfortunately we +have allowed the old King to escape." + +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy +consolingly; "I am very happy to have found you +again, although I may never see your face. So let +us make the most of this joyful reunion." + +The Ugly One was affected to tears by this +tender speech, and the tears began to wet the red +handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them away +with his coat sleeve. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Two + +Kindly Kisses + + +"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely +place?" Betsy asked the Ugly One. + +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold +and heartless things, and I am sure I would +presently have died of loneliness had I not found +the natural forest at the edge of the artificial +one. Anyhow, without these real trees I should +soon have starved to death." + +Betsy looked around at the quaint trees. + +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. +"What could you find to eat here." + +"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do +you see that grove at your left?" he added, +pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do not +grow in your country, or in any other place but +this cavern. I have named them 'Hotel Trees,' +because they bear a certain kind of table d'hote +fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.' " + +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the +'Three-Course Nuts' like?" + +"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," +explained the Ugly One. "All you have to do is to +pick one of them and then sit down and eat your +dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a +cupfull of good soup. After you've eaten that, you +unscrew the middle part and find a hollow filled +with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine +salad. Eat that, and unscrew the next section, and +you come to the dessert in the bottom of the nut. +That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and +nuts and raisins. The Three-Course Nuts are not +all exactly alike in flavor or in contents, but +they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner." + +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. + +"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which +grow over there at the right. They bear nuts, like +the others, only the nuts contain coffee or +chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal instead of +meat-and-potatoes, and fruits instead of dessert. +Sad as has been my life in this wonderful prison, +I must admit that no one could live more +luxuriously in the best hotel in the world than I +have lived here; but I will be glad to get into +the open air again and see the good old sun and +the silvery moon and the soft green grass and the +flowers that are kissed by the morning dew. Ah, +how much more lovely are those blessed things than +the glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!" + +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little +boy who wanted to catch the measles, because all +the little boys in his neighborhood but him had +'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't +catch 'em, try as he would. So I'm pretty certain +that the things we want, and can't have, are not +good for us. Isn't that true, Shaggy?" + +"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If +we didn't want anything, we would never get +anything, good or bad. I think our longings are +natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we +can't go far wrong." + +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the +world would be a dreary place without the gold and +jewels." + +"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; +"but we may have too much of any good thing. And I +have noticed that the value of anything depends +upon how scarce it is, and how difficult it is to +obtain." + +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King +Kaliko, coming to their side, "but now that we +have rescued Shaggy's brother I would like to +return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the +Nomes, it is my duty to look after my restless +subjects and see that they behave themselves." + +So they all turned and began walking through the +Metal Forest to the other side of the great domed +cave, where they had first entered it. Shaggy and +his brother walked side by side and both seemed +rejoiced that they were together after their long +separation. Betsy didn't dare look at the polka +dot handkerchief, for fear she would laugh aloud; +so she walked behind the two brothers and led Hank +by holding fast to his left ear. + +When at last they reached the place where the +passage led to the outer world, Queen Ann said, in +a hesitating way that was unusual with her: + +"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do +I expect to do so; but I would like to gather a +few of these pretty jewels before I leave this +place." + +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at +once the officers of the Army took advantage of +his royal permission and began filling their +pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big +handkerchief. + +This accomplished, they all entered the passage, +the nomes going first to light the way with their +torches. They had not proceeded far when Betsy +exclaimed: + +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" + +All eyes were turned upon the ground and they +found a regular trail of jewels strewn along the +rock floor. + +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I +must send some of my nomes to gather up these gems +and replace them in the Metal Forest, where they +belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" + +All the way along the passage they found this +trail of jewels, but when they neared the end the +mystery was explained. For there, squatted upon +the floor with his back to the rock wall, sat old +Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as if he was all +tired out. Then they realized it was he who had +scattered the jewels, from his many pockets, which +one by one had burst with the weight of their +contents as he had stumbled along the passage. + +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep +sigh. "I now realize that I could not have carried +such a weighty load very far, even had I managed +to escape from this passage with it. The woman who +sewed the pockets on my robe used poor thread, for +which I shall thank her." + +"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy. + +He glanced into some of the remaining +pockets. + +"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient +to supply my wants, and I no longer have any +desire to be rich. If some of you will kindly help +me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, +for I know you all despise me and prefer my room +to my company." + +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his +feet, when he was confronted by Shaggy's brother, +whom he now noticed for the first time. The queer +and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so +startled Ruggedo that he gave a wild cry and began +to tremble, as if he had seen a ghost. + +"Wh--wh--who is this?" he faltered. + +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel +magic transformed from a handsome man into an ugly +one!" answered Shaggy's brother, in a voice of +stern reproach. + +"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be +ashamed of that mean trick." + +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now +as meek and humble as formerly he had been cruel +and vindictive. + +"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some +more magic and give the poor man his own face +again." + +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but +you must remember that Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived +me of all my magic powers. However, I never took +the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I +cast over Shaggy's brother, for I intended he +should always remain ugly." + +"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has +its antidote; and, if you knew this charm of +ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to +dispel it." + +He shook his head. + +"If I did, I--I've forgotten," he stammered +regretfully. + +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. +"Please try to think!" + +Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, +sighed, slapped his chest, rubbed his ear, and +stared stupidly around the group. + +"I've a faint recollection that there was one +thing that would break the charm," said he; "but +misfortune has so addled my brain that I can't +remember what it was." + +"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've +treated you pretty well, so far, but we won't +stand for any nonsense, and if you know what's +good for yourself you'll think of that charm!" + +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly +at the little girl. + +"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. +He's dreadfully ashamed of himself, the way he is +now, and you're to blame for it. Fact is, Ruggedo, +you've done so much wickedness in your life that +it won't hurt you to do a kind act now." + +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and +then tried very hard to think. + +"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a +certain kind of a kiss will break the charm of +ugliness." + +"What kind of a kiss?" + +"What kind? Why, it was--it was--it was either +the kiss of a Mortal Maid; or--or--the kiss of a +Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy; or--or the +kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't remember +which. But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, +would ever consent to kiss a person so ugly--so +dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly--as Shaggy's +brother." + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with +admirable courage; "I'm a Mortal Maid, and if it +is my kiss that will break this awful charm, I-- +I'll do it!" + +"Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I +would be obliged to remove my mask, and when you +saw my face, nothing could induce you to kiss me, +generous as you are." + +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I +needn't see your face at all. Here's my plan: You +stay in this dark passage, and we'll send away the +nomes with their torches. Then you'll take off the +handkerchief, and I--I'll kiss you." + +"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said +Shaggy, gratefully. + +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; +"and, if it makes you and your brother happy, I'm +willing to take some chances." + +So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the +passage, which they did by going through the rock +opening. Queen Ann and her army also went out; but +the others were so interested in Betsy's +experiment that they remained grouped at the mouth +of the passageway. When the big rock swung into +place, closing tight the opening, they were left +in total darkness. + +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, +"have you got that handkerchief off your face, +Ugly?" + +"Yes," he replied. + +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching +out her arms. + +"Here," said he. + +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." + +He found her hands and clasping them in his own +stooped until his face was near to that of the +little girl. The others heard a clear, smacking +kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed: + +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" + +"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" +asked Shaggy. + +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or +it may not be. I cannot tell." + +"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy. + +"I have several," said Shaggy. + +"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at +your brother's face, while we all turn our backs. +Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I guess he can +stand the horror of looking at him, if the charm +isn't broken." + +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and +lighted it. He gave one look and then blew out +the match. + +"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it +wasn't the kiss of a Mortal Maid, after all." + +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her +sweet voice. "I am a Mortal Maid who was once a +Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break the charm." + +Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was +too generous to interfere. So the Rose Princess +felt her way through the darkness to Shaggy's +brother and kissed him. + +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all +turned away. + +"No," announced the former King; "that didn't +break the charm, either. It must be the kiss of a +Fairy that is required--or else my memory has +failed me altogether." + +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't you +try?" + +"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a +merry laugh. "I've never kissed a mortal man in +all the thousands of years I have existed, but +I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, +whose unselfish affection for his ugly brother +deserves to be rewarded." + +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped +lightly to the side of the Ugly One and quickly +touched his cheek with her lips. + +"Oh, thank you--thank you!" he fervently cried. +"I've changed, this time, I know. I can feel it! +I'm different. Shaggy--dear Shaggy--I am myself +again!" + +Files, who was near the opening, touched the +spring that released the big rock and it suddenly +swung backward and let in a flood of daylight. + +Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at +Shaggy's brother, who, no longer masked by the +polka-dot handkerchief, met their gaze with a +glad smile. + +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at +last and drawing a long, deep breath of +satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my +dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, +the face that belongs to you is no more handsome +than it ought to be." + +"I think he's rather good looking," remarked +Betsy, gazing at the man critically. + +"In comparison with what he was," said King +Kaliko, "he is really beautiful. You, who never +beheld his ugliness, may not understand that; but +it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many +times, and I say again that, in comparison with +what he was, the man is now beautiful." + +"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll +take your word for it, Kaliko. And now let us get +out of this tunnel and into the world again." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Three + +Ruggedo Reforms + + +It did not take them long to regain the royal +cavern of the Nome King, where Kaliko ordered +served to them the nicest refreshments the place +afforded. + +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest +of the party and while no one paid any attention +to the old King they did not offer any objection +to his presence or command him to leave them. He +looked fearfully to see if the eggs were still +guarding the entrance, but they had now +disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the +others and humbly squatted down in a corner of the +room. + +There Betsy discovered him. All of the little +girl's companions were now so happy at the success +of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the +laughter and merriment seemed so general, that +Betsy's heart softened toward the friendless old +man who had once been their bitter enemy, and she +carried to him some of the food and drink. +Ruggedo's eyes filled with tears at this +unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in +his own and pressed it gratefully. + +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the +new King, "what's the use of being hard on +Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't +do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted +so badly to everybody." + +"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his +former master. + +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. +I'm sorry and I'm harmless. I don't want to wander +through the wide world, on top of the ground, for +I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place +but underground." + +"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let +you stay here as long as you behave yourself; +but, if you try to act badly again, I shall drive +you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and +you'll have to wander." + +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It +is hard work being a King, and harder still to be +a good King. But now that I am a common nome I am +sure I can lead a blameless life." + +They were all pleased to hear this and to know +that Ruggedo had really reformed. + +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to +Shaggy; "but if he gets bad again we will be far +away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko will have to +'tend to the old nome himself." + +Polychrome had been a little restless during the +last hour or two. The lovely Daughter of the Rainbow +knew that she had now done all in her power to +assist her earth friends, and so she began to long +for her sky home. + +"I think," she said, after listening intently, +"that it is beginning to rain. The Rain King is my +uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read my +thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I must +take a look at the sky and make sure." + +So she jumped up and ran through the passage to +the outer entrance, and they all followed after +her and grouped themselves on a ledge of the +mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had filled +the sky and a slow, drizzling rain had set in. + +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking +upward, "and when it stops we shall lose the sweet +little fairy we have learned to love. Alas," he +continued, after a moment, "the clouds are already +breaking in the west, and--see!--isn't that the +Rainbow coming?" + +Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at +Polychrome, whose happy, smiling face surely +foretold the coming of her father to take her to +the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of +sunshine flooded the mountain and a gorgeous +Rainbow appeared. + +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a +point of rock and held out her arms. Straightway +the Rainbow descended until its end was at her +very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang +upon it and was at once clasped in +the arms of her radiant sisters, the Daughters of +the Rainbow. But Polychrome released herself +to lean over the edge of the glowing arch and +nod, and smile and throw a dozen kisses to her +late comrades. + +"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted +"Good-bye!" in return and waved their hands to +their pretty friend. + +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted +into the sky, until the eyes of the earnest +watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting across +the blue. + +"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," +said Betsy, who felt like crying; "but I s'pose +she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters in +the sky palaces." + +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding +gravely. "It's her home, you know, and those +poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no +home, can realize what that means to her." + +"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, +I've only--only--dear old Hank!" + +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who +was not human, and he said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone +that showed he understood her mood. And the shaggy +friend who was human stroked the child's head +tenderly and said: "You're wrong about that, +Betsy, dear. I will never desert you." + +"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest +tones. + +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, +and her eyes smiled through their tears. + +"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so +let's go back into the cavern." + +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and +would miss her, they reentered the dominions of +the Nome King. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Four + +Dorothy is Delighted + + +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated +in Kaliko's royal cavern, "I wonder what we shall +do next. If I could find my way back to Oogaboo +I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and +tired of these dreadful hardships." + +"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy. + +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted +the Queen. "The world is too big for one person to +conquer and I was happier with my own people in +Oogaboo. I wish--Oh, how earnestly I wish--that I +was back there this minute!" + +"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent +tone. + +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in +the far-away Land of Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, +had been following the adventures of her Shaggy +Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. +Day by day Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz +seated beside her, had gazed upon a Magic Picture +in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the +Ruler's cosy boudoir in the palace of the Emerald +City. The singular thing about this Magic Picture +was that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to +see, with the figures all in motion, just as it +was taking place. So Ozma and the Wizard had +watched every action of the adventurers from the +time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in +the Rose Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, +a distant cousin of Ozma, had been exiled by her +heartless subjects. + +When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to +return to Oogaboo, Ozma was sorry for them and +remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the Land +of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked: + +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to +their old home, Wizard?" + +"It can, Your Highness," replied the little +Wizard. + +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in +her misguided effort to conquer the world," said +Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the undertaking, +"so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in +her own little Kingdom. Please send her there, +Wizard, and with her the officers and Files." + +"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard. + +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. +"They have become such good friends that I am sure +it would make them unhappy to separate them." + +"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any +fuss or mystery whatever he performed a magical +rite that was simple and effective. Therefore +those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both +startled and amazed when all the people of Oogaboo +suddenly disappeared from the room, and with them +the Rose Princess. At first they could not +understand it at all; but presently Shaggy +suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma was +now taking an interest in the party he drew from +his pocket a tiny instrument which he placed +against his ear. + +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic +Picture, at once caught up a similar instrument +from a table beside her and held it to her own +ear. The two instruments recorded the same +delicate vibrations of sound and formed a wireless +telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those +separated by any distance were thus enabled to +converse together with perfect ease and without +any wire connection. + +"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma. + +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. + +"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their +own little valley," announced the Ruler of Oz; "so +do not worry over their disappearance." + +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But +Your Highness must permit me to report that my own +mission here is now ended. I have found my lost +brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the +enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon +him. Tik-Tok has served me and my comrades +faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope +you will now transport the Clockwork Man back to +your fairyland of Oz." + +"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how +about yourself, Shaggy?" + +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my +duty to others forces me to exile myself from that +delightful land. I must take care of my new-found +brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade +in a dear little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has +no home to go to, and no other friends but me and +a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy +never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, +and so I must give up the delights of the Land of +Oz forever." + +He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma +made no reply but laid the tiny instrument on her +table, thus cutting off all further communication +with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz +still watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful +expression upon her face, and the little Wizard of +Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself. + +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced +the wireless telephone in his pocket and turning +to Betsy said in as cheerful a voice as he could +muster: + +"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a +puzzled face. "I'm kind of sorry our adventures +are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that Queen +Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is +gone, and--dear me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" + +"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking +around the cavern and nodding wisely. "By this +time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of Oz, +which is his home." + +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. + +"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is +wherever you and my brother are. We are wanderers, +you know, but if we stick together I am sure we +shall have a good time." + +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this +stuffy, underground cavern and go in search of +new adventures. I'm sure it has stopped raining." + +"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade +good-bye to King Kaliko, and thanked him for +his assistance, and went out to the mouth of +the passage. + +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in +color; the sun shone brightly and even this +rugged, rocky country seemed delightful after +their confinement underground. There were but four +of them now--Betsy and Hank, and Shaggy and his +brother--and the little party made their way down +the mountain and followed a faint path that led +toward the southwest. + +During this time Ozma had been holding a +conference with the Wizard, and later with Tik- +Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly +transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only +words of praise for Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, +"is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy her-self." + +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and +summoning her favorite maid, who was named Jellia +Jamb, she asked her to request Princess Dorothy to +attend her at once. So a few moments later Dorothy +entered Ozma's room and greeted her and the Wizard +and Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile and simple +manner that had won for the little girl the love +of everyone she met. + +"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked. + +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want +your advice." + +"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied +Dorothy, "but I'll do the best I can. What is it +all about, Ozma?" + +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing +her three friends, "what a serious thing it is to +admit any mortals into this fairyland of Oz. It is +true I have invited several mortals to make their +home here, and all of them have proved true and +loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of you three was a +native of Oz. Dorothy and the Wizard came here +from the United States, and Tik-Tok came from the +Land of Ev. But of course he is not a mortal. +Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of +all my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return +here and desert the new friends he has found in +his recent adventures, because he believes they +need his services." + +"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked +Dorothy. "But who are these new friends he has +found?" + +"One is his brother, who for many years has been +a prisoner of the Nome King, our old enemy +Ruggedo. This brother seems a kindly, honest +fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to +a home in the Land of Oz." + +"Who else?" asked Dorothy. + +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little +girl who was shipwrecked--in much the same way you +once were--and has since been following the Shaggy +Man in his search for his lost brother. You +remember her, do you not?" + +"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often +watched her and Hank in the Magic Picture, you +know. She's a dear little girl, and old Hank is a +darling! Where are they now?" + +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at +her friend's enthusiasm. + +Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed +Betsy and Hank, with Shaggy and his brother, +trudging along the rocky paths of a barren +country. + +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that +they're a good way from any place to sleep, or +any nice things to eat." + +"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in +that coun-try, and it is a wil-der-ness." + +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the +Wizard, "who are so mischievous that no one cares +to live near them. I'm afraid Shaggy and his +friends will endure many hardships before they get +out of that rocky place, unless--" + +He turned to Ozma and smiled. + +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" +she asked. + +"Yes, your Highness." + +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. + +"I think so," said the Wizard. + +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank +are concerned, I'd like to have them here in Oz. +It would be such fun to have a girl playmate of my +own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear little +mule!" + +Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the +girl's eyes, and then she drew Dorothy to her and +kissed her. + +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. + +Dorothy flushed. + +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she +cried. "But you're so busy ruling all this Land of +Oz that we can't always be together." + +"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, +and I think it would be a delight to us all to +have Betsy with us. There's a pretty suite of +rooms just opposite your own where she can live, +and I'll build a golden stall for Hank in the +stable where the Sawhorse lives. Then we'll +introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the +Hungry Tiger, and I'm sure they will soon become +firm friends. But I cannot very well admit Betsy +and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's +brother." + +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you +will keep out poor Shaggy, whom we are all very +fond of," said the Wizard. + +"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok. + +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals +in distress," explained Ozma. "I do not wish to be +unkind to Shaggy Man, but his brother has no claim +on me." + +"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested +Dorothy. + +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" +inquired Ozma. + +"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, +can we?" + +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, +Wizard?" + +"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them +all." + +"And you, Tik-Tok?" + +"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we +can't spare Shag-gy." + +"So, then; the question is settled," decided +Ozma. "Perform your magic, Wizard!" + +He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small +standard and pouring upon the plate a small +quantity of pink powder which was contained in a +crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult +incantation which the sorceress Glinda the Good +had taught him, and it all ended in a puff of +perfumed smoke from the silver plate. This smoke +was so pungent that it made both Ozma and Dorothy +rub their eyes for a moment. + +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said +the Wizard. "I assure you the smoke is a very +necessary part of my wizardry." + +"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic +Picture; "they're gone! All of them are gone." + +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky +landscape as before, but the three people and the +mule had disappeared from it. + +"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the +silver plate and wrapping it in a fine cloth, +"because they are here." + +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. + +"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy +Man and another man are in the waiting room and +ask to pay their respects to you. Shaggy is crying +like a baby, but he says they are tears of joy." + +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma. + +"Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small- +sized mule have mysteriously arrived, but they +don't seem to know where they are or how they came +here. Shall I send them here, too?" + +"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up +from her chair; "I'll go to meet Betsy myself, +for she'll feel awful strange in this big palace." + +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to +greet her new friend, Betsy Bobbin. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Five + +The Land of Love + + +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" +inquired the Sawhorse, as he examined Hank with +his knot eyes and slowly wagged the branch that +served him for a tail. + +They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of +Ozma's palace, where the wooden Sawhorse--very +much alive--lived in a gold-paneled stall, and +where there were rooms for the Cowardly Lion and +the Hungry Tiger, which were filled with soft +cushions for them to lie upon and golden troughs +for them to eat from. + +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed +another for Hank, the mule. This was not quite so +beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse was +Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of +cushions for a bed (which the Sawhorse did not +need because he never slept) and all this luxury +was so strange to the little mule that he could +only stand still and regard his surroundings and +his queer companions with wonder and amazement. + +The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was +stretched out upon the marble floor of the stable, +eyeing Hank with a calm and critical gaze, while +near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed +equally interested in the new animal that had just +arrived. The Sawhorse, standing stiffly before +Hank, repeated his question: + +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" + +Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner. + +"I have never said anything else, until now," he +replied; and then he began to tremble with fright +to hear himself talk. + +"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, +wagging his great head with a swaying motion. +"Strange things happen in this Land of Oz, as they +do everywhere else. I believe you came here from +the cold, civilized, outside world, did you not?" + +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside +of Oz--and the next minute I was inside! That was +enough to give me a nervous shock, as you may +guess; but to find myself able to talk, as Betsy +does, is a marvel that staggers me." + +"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," +said the Sawhorse. "All animals talk, in this +favored country, and you must admit it is more +sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' +which nobody can understand." + +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. + +"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in +your outside world," said the Tiger, yawning +sleepily. + +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. +"Are you the only Tiger in Oz?" + +"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many +relatives living in the Jungle Country; but I am +the only Tiger living in the Emerald City." + +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; +"but I am the only horse, of any description, in +this favored Land." + +"That is why this Land is favored," said the +Tiger. "You must understand, friend Hank, that the +Sawhorse puts on airs because he is shod with +plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, +Ozma of Oz, likes to ride upon his back." + +"Betsy rides upon my back," declared Hank +proudly. + +"Who is Betsy?" + +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" + +The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his +golden feet. The Tiger crouched and growled. +Slowly the great Lion rose to his feet, his mane +bristling. + +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken +in judgment or you are willfully trying to deceive +us. The dearest, sweetest girl in the world is our +Dorothy, and I will fight anyone--animal or human-- +who dares to deny it!" + +"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two +rows of enormous white teeth. + +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a +voice of scorn. "No girl living can compare with +my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" + +Hank slowly turned around until his heels were +toward the others. Then he said stubbornly: + +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I +admit there can be a sweeter girl alive than Betsy +Bobbin. If you want to fight, come on--I'm ready +for you!" + +While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels +doubtfully, a merry peal of laughter startled the +animals and turning their heads they beheld three +lovely girls standing just within the richly +carved entrance to the stable. In the center was +Ozma, her arms encircling the waists of Dorothy +and Betsy, who stood on either side of her. Ozma +was nearly half a head taller than the two other +girls, who were almost of one size. Unobserved, +they had listened to the talk of the animals, +which was a very strange experience indeed to +little Betsy Bobbin. + +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, +in a gentle but chiding voice. "Why should you +fight to defend us, who are all three loving +friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she +continued, as they bowed their heads sheepishly. + +"I have the right to express my opinion, your +Highness," pleaded the Lion. + +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am +glad you and the Hungry Tiger love Dorothy best, +for she was your first friend and companion. Also +I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for +together we have endured both joy and sorrow. Hank +has proved his faith and loyalty by defending his +own little mistress; and so you are all right in +one way, but wrong in another. Our Land of Oz is a +Land of Love, and here friendship outranks every +other quality. Unless you can all be friends, you +cannot retain our love." + +They accepted this rebuke very meekly. + +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite +cheerfully; "shake hoofs, friend Mule." + +Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden +horse. + +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the +Tiger. So Hank modestly rubbed noses with the big +beast. + +The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched +before the mule: + +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is +a friend of the Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover +your case. If ever you need help or advice, friend +Hank, call on me." + +"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, +highly pleased to see them so fully reconciled. +Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my +dears, let us resume our walk." + +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: + +"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?" + +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a +Yellow Hen here, and she can talk, and so can her +chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs in my +room who talks very nicely; but I've a little +fuzzy black dog, named Toto, who has been with me +in Oz a long time, and he's never said a single +word but 'Bow-wow!'" + +"Do you know why?" asked Ozma. + +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's +different from these fairy animals," replied +Dorothy. + +"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," +said Ozma, "yet as soon as he came under the spell +of our fairyland he found he could talk. It was +the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you +brought here at one time. The same spell has +affected Toto, I assure you; but he's a wise +little dog and while he knows everything that is +said to him he prefers not to talk." + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never +s'pected Toto was fooling me all this time." Then +she drew a small silver whistle from her pocket +and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later +there was a sound of scurrying footsteps, and a +shaggy black dog came running up the path. + +Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her +finger just above his nose she said: + +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" + +Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes +and wagged his tail. + +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that +meant yes, as well as Dorothy and Ozma knew it, +for there was no mistaking the tone of Toto's +voice. + +"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would +you like it, Toto, if I said nothing to you but +'bow-wow'?" + +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but +otherwise he was silent. + +"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with +his bark and his tail just as well as we can. +Don't you understand such dog language?" + +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's +got to be more sociable. See here, sir!" she +continued, addressing the dog, "I've just learned, +for the first time, that you can say words--if you +want to. Don't you want to, Toto?" + +"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant "no." + +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as +any other animal in Oz?" + +"Woof!" + +"Just one word, Toto--and then you may run +away." + +He looked at her steadily a moment. + +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away +as swift as an arrow. + +Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while +Betsy and Ozma both laughed heartily at her +pleasure and the success of her experiment. Arm in +arm they sauntered away through the beautiful +gardens of the palace, where magnificent flowers +bloomed in abundance and fountains shot their +silvery sprays far into the air. And by and by, as +they turned a corner, they came upon Shaggy Man +and his brother, who were seated together upon a +golden bench. + +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler +of Oz approached them. + +"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma +asked the stranger. + +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied +Shaggy's brother. "Also I am very grateful to you +for permitting me to live in this delightful +place." + +"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. +"Being his brother, I have made you welcome here." + +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy +earnestly, "you will be glad he has become one of +your loyal subjects. I am just getting acquainted +with him myself and I find much in his character +to admire." + +Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls +continued their walk. Presently Betsy exclaimed: + +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz +as I am. Do you know, Dorothy, I didn't believe +any girl could ever have such a good time-- +anywhere--as I'm having now?" + +"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way +myself, lots of times." + +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every +little girl in the world could live in the Land of +Oz; and every little boy, too!" + +Ozma laughed at this. + +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your +wish cannot be granted," said she, "for all that +army of girls and boys would crowd us so that we +would have to move away." + +"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I +guess that's true." + +THE END + + + + + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum + +THE WIZARD OF OZ +THE LAND OF OZ +OZMA OF OZ +DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ +THE ROAD TO OZ +THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ +THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ +TIK-TOK OF OZ +THE SCARECROW OF OZ +RINKITINK IN OZ +THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ +THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ +THE MAGIC OF OZ +GLINDA OF OZ + + + + + + + + + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. 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Frank Baum + +Edition: 11 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +Release Date: June, 1997 [Etext #956] +[This file was last updated on February 21, 2002] + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum +*****This file should be named 08woz11.txt or 08woz11.zip***** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, 08woz12.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 08woz11a.txt + +This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac. +Proofreading and corrections by Paul Selkirk, January 2002. + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep etexts in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +The "legal small print" and other information about this book +may now be found at the end of this file. Please read this +important information, as it gives you specific rights and +tells you about restrictions in how the file may be used. + + +</pre> + + +<h1>TIK-TOK OF OZ</h1> + +<h2>by L. FRANK BAUM</h2> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="center">To Louis F. Gottschalk, <br /> +Whose sweet and dainty melodies<br /> +breathe the true spirit of fairyland, <br /> +this book is affectionately dedicated</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>To My Readers</h2> + +<p>The very marked success of my last year's fairy book, "The +Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me that my readers like the Oz +stories "best of all," as one little girl wrote me. So here, my +dears, is a new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth, the +Queen of Oogaboo, whom Tik-Tok assisted in conquering our old +acquaintance, the Nome King. It also tells of Betsy Bobbin and how, +after many adventures, she finally reached the marvelous Land of +Oz.</p> + +<p>There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," but it is not +like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," although some of the +adventures recorded in this book, as well as those in several +other Oz books, are included in the play. Those who have seen the +play and those who have read the other Oz books will find in this +story a lot of strange characters and adventures that they have +never heard of before. </p> + +<p>In the letters I receive from children there has been an +urgent appeal for me to write a story that will take Trot and +Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz, where they will meet Dorothy and +Ozma. Also they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted with +Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged to talk these matters +over with Dorothy by means of the "wireless," for that is the +only way I can communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked her +about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you heard?" I said +"No." "Well," came the message over the wireless, "I'll tell you +all about it, by and by, and then you can make a book of that +story for the children to read."</p> + +<p>So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted to write another +Oz book, you will probably discover how all these characters came +together in the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell all +my little friends--whose numbers are increasing by many thousands +every year—that I am very grateful for the favor they have shown +my books and for the delightful little letters I am constantly +receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends among the +children of America as any story writer alive; and this, of +course, makes me very proud and happy. </p> + +<p>L. Frank Baum.<br /> + <br /> +"OZCOT" <br /> +at HOLLYWOOD <br /> +in CALIFORNIA, <br /> +1914. +</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> + +<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" border="0"> +<tr> + <td align="right">CHAPTER</td> + <td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">I</td> + <td><a href="#CH1">Ann's Army</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">II</td> + <td><a href="#CH2">Out of Oogaboo</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">III</td> + <td><a href="#CH3">Magic Mystifies the Marchers</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">IV</td> + <td><a href="#CH4">Betsy Braves the Billows</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">V</td> + <td><a href="#CH5">The Roses Repulse the Refugees</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">VI</td> + <td><a href="#CH6">Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">VII</td> + <td><a href="#CH7">Polychrome's Pitiful Plight</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">VIII</td> + <td><a href="#CH8">Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">IX</td> + <td><a href="#CH9">Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">X</td> + <td><a href="#CH10">A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XI</td> + <td><a href="#CH11">The Famous Fellowship of Fairies</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XII</td> + <td><a href="#CH12">The Lovely Lady of Light</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XIII</td> + <td><a href="#CH13">The Jinjin's Just Judgment</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XIV</td> + <td><a href="#CH14">The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XV</td> + <td><a href="#CH15">The Dragon Defies Danger</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XVI</td> + <td><a href="#CH16">The Naughty Nome</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XVII</td> + <td><a href="#CH17">A Tragic Transformation</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XVIII</td> + <td><a href="#CH18">A Clever Conquest</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XIX</td> + <td><a href="#CH19">King Kaliko</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XX</td> + <td><a href="#CH20">Quox Quietly Quits</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XXI</td> + <td><a href="#CH21">A Bashful Brother</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XXII</td> + <td><a href="#CH22">Kindly Kisses</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XXIII</td> + <td><a href="#CH23">Ruggedo Reforms</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XXIV</td> + <td><a href="#CH24">Dorothy is Delighted</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td align="right">XXV</td> + <td><a href="#CH25">The Land of Love</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>TIK-TOK of OZ</h1> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH1" id="CH1">Chapter One</a></h2> + + +<h3>Ann's Army</h3> + + +<p>"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It is beneath my +dignity." </p> + +<p>"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye; +"else we shall soon he wading in dust. And you are the eldest, +and the head of the family."</p> + +<p>"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. "But," she added with +a sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the +Land of Oz." </p> + +<p>This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, in a far corner +of the beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is +named Oogaboo, and in this valley lived a few people who were +usually happy and contented and never cared to wander over the +mountain pass into the more settled parts of the land. They knew +that all of Oz, including their own territory, was ruled by a +beautiful Princess named Ozma, who lived in the splendid Emerald +City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo never visited Ozma. They had +a royal family of their own--not especially to rule over them, +but just as a matter of pride. Ozma permitted the various parts +of her country to have their Kings and Queens and Emperors and +the like, but all were ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the +Emerald City.</p> + +<p>The King of Oogaboo used to be a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth, +who for many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and +telling his people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions. But +the King's wife had a sharp tongue and small respect for the +King, her husband; therefore one night King Jol crept over the +pass into the Land of Oz and disappeared from Oogaboo for good +and all. The Queen waited a few years for him to return and then +started in search of him, leaving her eldest daughter, Ann +Soforth, to act as Queen. </p> + +<p>Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that +meant a party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite +forgotten how many years the birthdays marked. In a land where +people live always, this is not considered a cause for regret, so +we may justly say that Queen Ann of Oogaboo was old enough to +make jelly--and let it go at that. +</p> + +<p>But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than +she could help. She was an ambitious woman and constantly +resented the fact that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so +stupid and unenterprising. Often she wondered what had become of +her father and mother, out beyond the pass, in the wonderful Land +of Oz, and the fact that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann +to suspect that they bad found a better place to live. So, when +Salye refused to sweep the floor of the living room in the +palace, and Ann would not sweep it, either, she said to her +sister: </p> + +<p>"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me."</p> + +<p>"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you are very foolish +to leave this place." </p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Ann.</p> + +<p>"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be +a nobody, while here you are a Queen." </p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and +forty-four children!" returned Ann bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great +Land of Oz," laughed Salye. "Why don't you raise an army and +conquer them, and be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt +Ann and so to anger her. Then she made a face at her sister and +went into the back yard to swing in the hammock. </p> + +<p>Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea. She +reflected that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma +a mere girl who ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed +because her people loved her. Even in Oogaboo the story was told +that Ozma's sole army consisted of twenty-seven fine officers, who +wore beautiful uniforms but carried no weapons, because there was +no one to fight. Once there had been a private soldier, besides +the officers, but Ozma had made him a Captain-General and taken +away his gun for fear it might accidentally hurt some one.</p> + +<p>The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced +it would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as +Ruler in Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. +Afterward she could go out into the world and conquer other +lands, and then perhaps she could find a way to the moon, and +conquer that. She had a warlike spirit that preferred trouble to +idleness. </p> + +<p>It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted +in her mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly +eighteen of them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, +but by surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily +subdue them. "Gentle people are always afraid of those that +bluster," Ann told herself. "I don't wish to shed any blood, for +that would shock my nerves and I might faint; but if we threaten +and flash our weapons I am sure the people of Oz will fall upon +their knees before me and surrender."</p> + +<p>This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, +finally determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the +audacious venture. </p> + +<p>"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more +unhappy than my staying shut up in this miserable valley and +sweeping floors and quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will +venture all, and win what I may."</p> + +<p>That very day she started out to organize her Army. </p> + +<p>The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he +had an apple orchard.</p> + +<p>"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you to join my Army." </p> + +<p>"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely +refuse Your Majesty," said Jo Apple."</p> + +<p>"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen +of Oogaboo, to join," said Ann.</p> + +<p>"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a +sad voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important +citizen, and for that reason am entitled to an office of high rank."</p> + +<p>"You shall be a General," promised Ann. </p> + +<p>"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Of course," said the Queen.</p> + +<p>Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he +owned an orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns, in great +variety, both hot and cold, grew on the trees.</p> + +<p>"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command +you to join my Army."</p> + +<p>"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to be picked."</p> + +<p>"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann. </p> + +<p>"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he protested.</p> + +<p>"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals, and wear a +cocked hat with gold braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a +long sword," she promised.</p> + +<p>So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the +Queen walked on to the next cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so +called because the trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent +ice-cream cones.</p> + +<p>"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must +join my Army."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a bad fighter. My +good wife conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than +I. Take her, Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for +the favor."</p> + +<p>"This must be an army of men—fierce, ferocious warriors," +declared Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man.</p> + +<p>"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and make you a General."</p> + +<p>"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo +Clock, who had an orchard of clock-trees. This man at first +insisted that he would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise +to make him a General finally won his consent.</p> + +<p>"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Four, so far," replied Ann.</p> + +<p>"And how big will the army he?" was his next question.</p> + +<p>"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo join it," she said.</p> + +<p>"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock. "I advise +you to make the rest of them Colonels." </p> + +<p>Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four men she +visited—who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named +after the trees in their orchards—she made Colonels of her Army; +but the fifth one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and Generals were +getting to be altogether too common in the Army of Oogaboo and he +preferred to be a Major. So Jo Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo +Stockings were all four made Majors, while the next four—Jo +Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons—were appointed +Captains of the Army.</p> + +<p>But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There remained but two other +men in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while +there were four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four +Generals, there was likely to be jealousy in her army, and +perhaps mutiny and desertions.</p> + +<p>One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go +at all. No promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him. +He said he must remain at home to harvest his crop of +jackson-balls, lemon-drops, bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he +had large fields of cracker-jack and buttered popcorn to be mowed +and threshed, and he was determined not to disappoint the +children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world and so let +the candy crop spoil.</p> + +<p>Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way +and continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last +man in Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files. This Files +had twelve trees which bore steel files of various sorts; but +also he had nine book-trees, on which grew a choice selection of +story-books. In case you have never seen books growing upon +trees, I will explain that those in Jo Files' orchard were +enclosed in broad green husks which, when fully ripe, turned to a +deep red color. Then the books were picked and husked and were +ready to read. If they were picked too soon, the stories were +found to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling bad. +However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine +reading and the spelling and grammar excellent.</p> + +<p>Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the +people of Oogaboo cared little for books and so he had to read +most of them himself, before they spoiled. For, as you probably +know, as soon as the books were read the words disappeared and +the leaves withered and faded—which is the worst fault of all +books which grow upon trees.</p> + +<p>When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both +intelligent and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great +fun to conquer the world. But he called her attention to the fact +that he was far superior to the other men of her army. Therefore, +he would not be one of her Generals or Colonels or Majors or +Captains, but claimed the honor of being sole Private.</p> + +<p>Ann did not like this idea at all.</p> + +<p>"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army, she said; "they're +so common. I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private +soldier, but she made him her Captain-General, which is good +evidence that the private was unnecessary.</p> + +<p>"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; "but your army +must fight like fury in order to conquer the world. I have read +in my books that it is always the private soldiers who do the +fighting, for no officer is ever brave enough to face the foe. +Also, it stands to reason that your officers must have some one +to command and to issue their orders to; therefore I'll be the +one. I long to slash and slay the enemy and become a hero. Then, +when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the marbles away from +the children and melt them up and make a marble statue of myself +for all to look upon and admire."</p> + +<p>Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He seemed indeed to be +such a warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of +success took a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a +gun-tree grew and would go there at once and pick the ripest and +biggest musket the tree bore.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH2" id="CH2">Chapter Two</a></h2> + +<h3>Out of Oogaboo</h3> + + +<p>Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the +square in front of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were +attired in gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering +swords. The Private had picked his gun and, although it was not a +very big weapon, Files tried to look fierce and succeeded so well +that all his commanding officers were secretly afraid of him.</p> + +<p>The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth bad no +right to take their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann +commanded them to keep silent, and that was the hardest order to +obey they had ever received.</p> + +<p>The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform +of green, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap +with a purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that +everyone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The +Army was sorry she was not going alone.</p> + +<p>"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.</p> + +<p>Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed.</p> + +<p>"I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she observed.</p> + +<p>"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking +for trouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the +less fighting we get, the better we shall like our work."</p> + +<p>"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to +anything. The only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the +story-books all say that the easiest way to conquer is to fight."</p> + +<p>"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to +conquer and to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder +is to become a hero. With such noble determination to back me, +the world is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be +rich and famous. Come, Generals; let us march."</p> + +<p>At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their +chests. Then they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles +and cried to the Colonels:</p> + +<p>"For-ward March!" </p> + +<p>Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "Forward March!" and +the Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the +Captains screamed to the Private:</p> + +<p>"For-ward March!" </p> + +<p>So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the +officers followed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, +rejoicing in her noble army and wondering why she had not decided +long ago to conquer the world.</p> + +<p>In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the +narrow mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH3" id="CH3">Chapter Three</a></h2> + +<h3>Magic Mystifies the Marchers</h3> + +<p>Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by +their ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom. The +beautiful girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her +subjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal +plans. But there was one who constantly guarded the peace and +happiness of the Land of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress +of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. </p> + +<p>In her magnificent castle, which stands far north of the +Emerald City where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful +magic Record Book, in which is printed every event that takes +place anywhere, just as soon as it happens.</p> + +<p>The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in +this book. If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads +about it; if a city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in +her book. </p> + +<p>The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so +it was she knew that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly +assembled an army of sixteen officers and one private soldier, +with which she intended to invade and conquer the Land of Oz.</p> + +<p>There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of +Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz—both her firm +friends—could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; +but it would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by +any sort of quarreling or fighting. So Glinda did not even +mention the matter to Ozma, or to anyone else. She merely went +into a great chamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room, +where she performed a magical ceremony which caused the mountain +pass that led from Oogaboo to make several turns and twists. The +result was that when Ann and her army came to the end of the pass +they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an adjoining +territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and +separated from Oz by an invisible barrier. </p> + +<p>As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they +had traversed disappeared behind them and it was not likely they +would ever find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They +were greatly puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not +know which way to go. None of them had ever visited Oz, so it +took them some time to discover they were not in Oz at all, but +in an unknown country. +</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment; "we +have started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it. In +time, as we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come +to Oz; but, until we get there, we may as well conquer whatever +land we find ourselves in." </p> + +<p>"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously inquired Major Cake.</p> + +<p>"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no people, as yet, but +when we do, we will inform them that they are our slaves." </p> + +<p>"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions," +added General Apple.</p> + +<p>"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files; "but I +hope they will fight us, just the same. A peaceful conquest +wouldn't be any fun at all." </p> + +<p>"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight, whether our foes +do or not; and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have +the enemy surrender promptly."</p> + +<p>It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in. +Moreover, there was little for them to eat, and as the officers +became hungry they became fretful. Many would have deserted had +they been able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people +were now hopelessly lost in a strange country they considered it +more safe to keep together than to separate. </p> + +<p>Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and +irritable as she and her army tramped over the rocky roads +without encountering either people or plunder. She scolded her +officers until they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal +enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began to reproach +her for leading them into difficulties and in the space of three +unhappy days every man was mourning for his orchard in the pretty +valley of Oogaboo.</p> + +<p>Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he +encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the +officers were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His +pleasant disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before +long she consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did +his superiors. </p> + +<p>It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they +encountered their first adventure. Toward evening the sky was +suddenly darkened and Major Nails exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"A fog is coming toward us." </p> + +<p>"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with +interest at the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the +breath of a Rak."</p> + +<p>"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully. </p> + +<p>"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the +soldier, growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a +Rak, to be sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that +grew in my orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful +monsters, we are not likely to conquer the world."</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered +closer about their soldier. </p> + +<p>"What is the thing like?" asked one.</p> + +<p>"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather +blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when +it was picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a +deer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace +of fire, and the Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, +which darkens the sky for miles around, wherever it goes. It is +bigger than a hundred men and feeds on any living thing." </p> + +<p>The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files +tried to cheer them, saying:</p> + +<p>"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and +you must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of +the fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed." </p> + +<p>"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, +and chews us up into small pieces, and swallows us—what will +happen then?"</p> + +<p>"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files. </p> + +<p>"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. +"A hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or not!"</p> + +<p>"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will +know, when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a +Rak or not. If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but +If it has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must +prepare for a desperate fight." </p> + +<p>They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached +the frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose +sniffed the cloud —and every one detected in it the odor of salt +and pepper.</p> + +<p>"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the +sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in +anguish. Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more +bravely, although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he +calmly loaded his gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a +soldier should. </p> + +<p>They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which +covered the sky and the setting sun was black as ink. Then +through the gloom appeared two round, glowing balls of red, and +Files at once decided these must be the monster's eyes.</p> + +<p>He raised his gun, took aim and fired. </p> + +<p>There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an +excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. +They flew toward the monster and struck it, and with a wild, +weird cry the Rak came fluttering down and its huge body fell +plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers, who thereupon +screamed louder than before.</p> + +<p>"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that +dangerous gun of yours!" </p> + +<p>"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your +breath darkens my sight!"</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, +reproachfully, as it still flapped its wings in a helpless +manner. "Don't claim you didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!" </p> + +<p>"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you very badly?"</p> + +<p>"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will +notice that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I +have to talk with my teeth set close together. Another bullet +broke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and still another broke +my right leg, so that I can't walk. It was the most careless shot +I ever heard of!" </p> + +<p>"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding +officers?" inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your +great weight is crushing them."</p> + +<p>"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if +possible, for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my +mouth, I'd eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly this +warm weather." </p> + +<p>With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so +as to crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled +completely off from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to +their feet and made off as fast as they could run.</p> + +<p>Private Files could not see them go but he knew from the sound of +their voices that they had escaped, so he ceased to worry about +them. </p> + +<p>"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he said to the Rak. +"The parting is caused by our desire to continue our journey. If +you die, do not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a +matter of self-protection."</p> + +<p>"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed +life. But I beg you not to leave me!" </p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked Files.</p> + +<p>"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I +shall be able to eat you. My wing will heal in a day and my leg +will heal in a week, when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot +me, and so caused me all this annoyance, it is only fair and just +that you remain here and allow me to eat you as soon as I can +open my jaws." </p> + +<p>"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly. "I +have made an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her +conquer the world, and I cannot break my word for the sake of +being eaten by a Rak."</p> + +<p>"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If you've an +engagement, don't let me detain you." </p> + +<p>So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the +trembling Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak. +They stumbled over the stones for a way but presently began to +see dimly the path ahead of them, as they got farther and farther +away from the dreadful spot where the wounded monster lay. By and +by they reached a little hill and could see the last rays of the +sun flooding a pretty valley beyond, for now they had passed +beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddled the +sixteen officers, still frightened and panting from their run. +They had halted only because it was impossible for them to run +any farther.</p> + +<p>Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the +same time praising Files for his courage. </p> + +<p>"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for +by running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in +conquering the world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, +he would have deserted your Army."</p> + +<p>After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as +they were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party +rose quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of +which Queen Ann commanded them to make camp for the night. </p> + +<p>Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, +when placed upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was +large enough to permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its +canvas walls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was +not only his own tent but an elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, +besides a bed and chair and a magic table. This table, when set +upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size, and in a +drawer of the table was contained the Queen's supply of extra +clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and other necessary +things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the officers +and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent +poles.</p> + +<p>There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of +Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to +show that the country they were in had been conquered by the +Queen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the +flag, but Ann was pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and +considered herself already a famous conqueror.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH4" id="CH4">Chapter Four</a></h2> + +<h3>Betsy Braves the Billows</h3> + + +<p>The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled +and the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the +deck and the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell +with a splash into the dark blue water. The same shock caught +Hank, a thin little, sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into +the sea, far from the ship's side. </p> + +<p>When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge +had surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a +bunch of hair. At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but +presently she heard a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding +fast to the end of Hank's tail.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now +in the far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the +waves. </p> + +<p>Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a +mass of wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail +and seized the rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode +upon it in safety. Hank also saw the raft and swam to it, but he +was so clumsy he never would have been able to climb upon it had +not Betsy helped him to get aboard.</p> + +<p>They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a +hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly +well and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from +drowning. </p> + +<p>The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. +Blinding bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the +clamor of deep thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves +tossed the little raft here and there as a child tosses a rubber +ball and Betsy had a solemn feeling that for hundreds of watery +miles in every direction there was no living thing besides +herself and the small donkey.</p> + +<p>Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose +against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest +voice, as if to comfort her. </p> + +<p>"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried +helplessly, and the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that +meant a promise.</p> + +<p>On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when +the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, +while the girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in +this dreadful emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a +mule's power to guard her safety. </p> + +<p>All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out +and passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had +grown smaller and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on +the wet raft and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard +Betsy. Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping +girl and watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept +over the sea. </p> + +<p>The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes +and stared across the water.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. </p> + +<p>"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice.</p> + +<p>The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and +as they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing +brightly between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at all.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH5" id="CH5">Chapter Five</a></h2> + +<h3>The Roses Repulse the Refugees</h3> + +<p>Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily +waded ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was +now shining and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of roses. </p> + +<p>"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling +more cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the +flowers, although they do smell mighty good."</p> + +<p>"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the +top of the bank.</p> + +<p>Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A +little way off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of +crystal panes glittering in the sunlight.</p> + +<p>"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy +thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. +I'm getting hungrier ev'ry minute." </p> + +<p>So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its +entrance without meeting with anyone at all. A door stood ajar, +so Hank went in first, thinking if there was any danger he could +back out and warn his companion. But Betsy was close at his heels +and the moment she entered was lost in amazement at the wonderful +sight she saw.</p> + +<p>The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all +growing in big pots. On the central stem of each bush bloomed a +splendid Rose, gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and +in the center of each Rose was the face of a lovely girl.</p> + +<p>As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were +drooping and their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule +was so amazed that he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound +of his harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised +their heads and a hundred startled eyes were instantly fixed upon +the intruders.</p> + +<p>"I—I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused.</p> + +<p>"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing chorus; and +one of them added: "What a horrid noise!"</p> + +<p>"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the +truth of her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!"</p> + +<p>At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they +were able and trembled as if some one were shaking their bushes. +A dainty Moss Rose gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully +dreadful!"</p> + +<p>"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant. "When +you get used to Hank's voice it will put you to sleep." </p> + +<p>The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully and one of them asked:</p> + +<p>"Is that savage beast named Hank?" </p> + +<p>"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true," answered the girl, +twining her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him +tight. "Aren't you, Hank?"</p> + +<p>Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the +Roses shivered again.</p> + +<p>"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see you're +frightening us out of a week's growth?"</p> + +<p>"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to go. We've just +been wrecked."</p> + +<p>"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus.</p> + +<p>"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came and wrecked it," +explained the girl. "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and +floated ashore to this place, and—we're tired and hungry. What +country is this, please?" </p> + +<p>"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, +"and it is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses grown."</p> + +<p>"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms. </p> + +<p>"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea +Rose, bending her brows in a frown; "therefore you must go away +before the Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the sea."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy. </p> + +<p>"To be sure."</p> + +<p>"And is he a Rose, also?" </p> + +<p>"Of course not; he's a man—a wonderful man," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much +relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into +the greenhouse—a spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the other. </p> + +<p>He was a funny little man, dressed in a rosecolored costume, +with ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in +his hair. His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and +his face puckered and deeply lined.</p> + +<p>"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his +greenhouse, and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the +watering pot over the mule's head and danced around with his +fork, in such agitation that presently he fell over the handle of +the implement and sprawled at full length upon the ground.</p> + +<p>Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's +head. The little mule was angry at the treatment he had received +and backed toward the Gardener threateningly.</p> + +<p>"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly and the Gardener +scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses.</p> + +<p>"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking out his head +to glare at the girl and the mule.</p> + +<p>"What Law?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in +these domains."</p> + +<p>"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. </p> + +<p>"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal +Gardener, and he was about to say more when suddenly there was a +crash of glass and a man came tumbling through the roof of the +greenhouse and fell plump to the ground.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH6" id="CH6">Chapter Six</a></h2> + +<h3>Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother</h3> + +<p>This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, dressed all in +garments so shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must he some +animal. But the stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and +then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an apple in his +hand, which he had evidently been eating when he fell, and so +little was he jarred or flustered by the accident that he +continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked around him.</p> + +<p>"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. "Who are you, +and where did you come from?" </p> + +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the +apple. "Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming haste."</p> + +<p>"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy.</p> + +<p>"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way and—here I am."</p> + +<p>As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to +Hank—who ate it greedily —and then stood up to bow politely to +Betsy and the Roses. </p> + +<p>The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the +crash of glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower +of Roses, but now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in +his squeaky voice:</p> + +<p>"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the Law!" </p> + +<p>Shaggy stared at him solemnly.</p> + +<p>"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the +Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose +Kingdom is breaking the Law."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. </p> + +<p>"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming +forward and taking a small book from his pocket. "Page thirteen. +Here it is: 'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at +once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death.' So you see, +strangers," he continued triumphantly, "it's death for you all +and your time has come!"</p> + +<p>But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing +toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's +heels shot out and struck the little man in the middle. He +doubled up like the letter "U" and flew out of the door so +swiftly—never touching the ground —that he was gone before +Betsy had time to wink. </p> + +<p>But the mule's attack frightened the girl.</p> + +<p>"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his +hand; "let's go somewhere else. They'll surely kill us if we stay here!" </p> + +<p>"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's +head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love +Magnet."</p> + +<p>"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked Betsy. </p> + +<p>"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of +everyone who looks upon it," was the reply. "The Love Magnet used +to hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; +but when I started on this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +allowed me to take it with me."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are you really from the +wonderful Land of Oz?" </p> + +<p>"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?"</p> + +<p>"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?"</p> + +<p>"Very well indeed."</p> + +<p>"And—and Princess Dorothy?"</p> + +<p>"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did you ever leave such a +beautiful land as Oz?" </p> + +<p>"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. "I'm +trying to find my dear little brother."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the +poor man.</p> + +<p>"Been lost these ten years," replied Shaggy, taking out a +handkerchief and wiping a tear from his eye. "I didn't know it +until lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of +the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So now I'm trying to +find him."</p> + +<p>"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically. </p> + +<p>"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. +Brother was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went +into his mine and never came out. They searched for him, but he +was not there. Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably.</p> + +<p>"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of him?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking +another apple from his pocket and eating it to relieve his +misery. "The Nome King probably got him."</p> + +<p>"The Nome King! Who is he?" </p> + +<p>"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is +Ruggedo. Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to own all the +metals hidden in the earth. Don't ask my why."</p> + +<p>"Why?" </p> + +<p>"Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if +anyone digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that +he captured brother and carried him off to his underground +kingdom. No—don't ask me why. I see you're dying to ask me why. +But I don't know."</p> + +<p>"But—dear me!—in that case you will never find your lost +brother!" exclaimed the girl. </p> + +<p>"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy. "I've +wandered so far without finding him, but that only proves he is +not where I've been looking. What I seek now is the hidden +passage to the underground cavern of the terrible Metal Monarch."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever +manage to get there the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his prisoner." </p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. "You mustn't forget the Love Magnet."</p> + +<p>"What about it?" she asked. </p> + +<p>"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will +love me dearly and do anything I ask."</p> + +<p>"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. </p> + +<p>"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it to you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and +drew out a small silver magnet, shaped like a horseshoe. </p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener, who stuck his +head into the greenhouse and shouted angrily: </p> + +<p>"You are all condemned to death! Your only chance to escape is +to leave here instantly."</p> + +<p>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: </p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man. </p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't even seen the Ruler +of the Rose Kingdom."</p> + +<p>"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in a perplexed tone +of voice, "we haven't any real Ruler, just now. You see, all our +Rulers grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we +had got mildewed and withered before his time. So we had to plant +him, and at this time there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes +who is ripe enough to pick." </p> + +<p>"How do you know?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of royalties are growing, I +admit; but just now they are all green. Until one ripens, I am +supposed to rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its Laws +are obeyed. Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you +to death." </p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to see those Royal +Gardens before I die."</p> + +<p>"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, Gardener." </p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. But Shaggy again +showed him the Love Magnet and after one glance at it the +Gardener could no longer resist.</p> + +<p>He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the great greenhouse +and carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this they +came into the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom. </p> + +<p>It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within the enclosure +grew several enormous rosebushes having thick green leaves of the +texture of velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the +Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom—men, women and children in all +stages of maturity. They all seemed to have a light green hue, as +if unripe or not fully developed, their flesh and clothing being +alike green. They stood perfectly lifeless upon their branches, +which swayed softly in the breeze, and their wide open eyes +stared straight ahead, unseeing and unintelligent.</p> + +<p>While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind +a big central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise +and pleasure. For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, +stood a Royal Princess, whose beauty was amazing. </p> + +<p>"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside some of the +broad leaves to observe her more clearly.</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the +girl's side; "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a Ruler." </p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around +Betsy discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the +greenhouse and were now grouped before the entrance.</p> + +<p>"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom +don't want a girl Ruler. They want a King." </p> + +<p>"A King! We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses.</p> + +<p>"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess.</p> + +<p>"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. This Princess is +named Ozga, as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were +she but a man, we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler."</p> + +<p>The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses and Betsy +whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy." </p> + +<p>"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has the right to +rule this Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surely protect us +and prevent our being hurt, or driven away."</p> + +<p>So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the beautiful Rose +Princess and a little twist of her feet set her free of the +branch upon which she grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from +the bush to the ground, where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy +and said in a delightfully sweet voice: "I thank you." </p> + +<p>But at the sound of these words the Gardener and the Roses +turned and discovered that the Princess had been picked, and was +now alive. Over every face flashed an expression of resentment +and anger, and one of the Roses cried aloud.</p> + +<p>"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" </p> + +<p>"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy, cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"But we won't have her! We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque Rose, +and another added with a voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over us!" </p> + +<p>The newly-picked Princess looked from one to another of her +rebellious subjects in astonishment. A grieved look came over her +exquisite features.</p> + +<p>"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked gently. +"Have I not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?" </p> + +<p>"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the +Moss Rose, coldly; "so we refuse to allow you to rule us."</p> + +<p>"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose.</p> + +<p>"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet +from his pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Princess. +Here—take it in your hand and let the roses see it."</p> + +<p>Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes +of her subjects; but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain.</p> + +<p>"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise. "The +Magnet never failed to work before!"</p> + +<p>"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. "These Roses have +no hearts." </p> + +<p>"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're pretty, and sweet, +and alive; but still they are Roses. Their stems have thorns, but +no hearts."</p> + +<p>The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man. </p> + +<p>"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses. +"We will have no Ruler until a man-rose—a King—is ripe enough to pick." </p> + +<p>"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must excuse me, my +dear Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, +including Ozga, must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not before."</p> + +<p>"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying the Magnet. </p> + +<p>"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly; "but +no true man will neglect his duty for the sake of love. My duty +is to drive you out, so—out you go!"</p> + +<p>With this he seized a garden fork and began jabbing it at the +strangers, in order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not +afraid of the fork and when he got his heels near to the Gardener +the man fell back to avoid a kick. </p> + +<p>But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts and it was soon +discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many +sharp thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. Neither +Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those +thorns and when they pressed away from them they found themselves +slowly driven through the garden door into the greenhouse. From +there they were forced out at the entrance and so through the +territory of the flower-strewn Rose Kingdom, which was not of +very great extent.</p> + +<p>The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy was indignant and +angry; Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man +whistled softly to himself. </p> + +<p>The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there +was a drawbridge in one place and this the Royal Gardener let +down until the outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up +again and returned with his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the +four queerly assorted comrades to wander into the bleak and +unknown country that lay beyond.</p> + +<p>"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led the way over the +stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-lost little +brother, anyhow, so it won't matter where I go." </p> + +<p>"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in +her most cheerful voice. "I'm so far away from home now that I +don't s'pose I'll ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, +it's more fun traveling around and having adventures than +sticking at home. Don't you think so, Hank?"</p> + +<p>"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both. </p> + +<p>"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, with a gentle +sigh, "I must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, too, +will be glad to help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother."</p> + +<p>"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. "But unless I can +find the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I +shall never find poor brother." </p> + +<p>(This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he drank of +the "Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name and had to take another.)</p> + +<p>"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy. </p> + +<p>"Some one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply. "But we +are not the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going +until we find a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's cavern."</p> + +<p>"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy. +"Who knows?" </p> + +<p>"No one knows that, except the person who's writing this +story," said Shaggy. "But we won't find anything—not even +supper—unless we travel on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see +where it leads to."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH7" id="CH7">Chapter Seven</a></h2> + +<h3>Polychrome's Pitiful Plight </h3> + +<p>The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some +over the brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the +country—a real hard shower, for a time—and sent the Rainbow +scampering to the place to show the gorgeous colors of his +glorious bow as soon as the mist of rain had passed and the sky +was clear.</p> + +<p>The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, +yet few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far +distant that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and +that is why we seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the Rainbow. </p> + +<p>In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there +appeared to be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, +just the same, and dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's +Daughters, led by the fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and +beautiful that no girl has ever quite equalled her in loveliness.</p> + +<p>Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the +bow to the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and +gleeful, they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; +but all the Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a +dangerous pastime, so they quickly climbed upon their bow again.</p> + +<p>All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them +all, she was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an +unusual sensation to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. +Before she realized it the bow had lifted and disappeared in the +billowy blue sky, and here was Polychrome standing helpless upon +a rock, her gauzy draperies floating about her like brilliant +cobwebs and not a soul—fairy or mortal—to help her regain her lost bow!</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, +"I'm caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has +left me on earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. +The first time I enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a +lonely, forsaken country and I shall be very unhappy until my +Rainbow comes again and I can climb aboard. Let me think what is +best to be done." </p> + +<p>She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about +her and bowed her head.</p> + +<p>It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied Polychrome as she +came along the stony path, followed by Hank, the Princess and +Shaggy. At once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the +Rainbow and exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!"</p> + +<p>Polychrome raised her golden head. There were tears in her blue eyes.</p> + +<p>"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she sobbed.</p> + +<p>The others gathered around her.</p> + +<p>"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the Princess.</p> + +<p>"I—I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome.</p> + +<p>"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic tone, +thinking she meant "beau" instead of "bow."</p> + +<p>"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot +imperiously; "I want my Rainbow." </p> + +<p>"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to forget it. +When I was young I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I +couldn't have it. Looks as if you couldn't have it, either; so +please don't cry."</p> + +<p>Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. </p> + +<p>"I don't like you," she said.</p> + +<p>"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket; +"not a little bit?—just a wee speck of a like?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as +she gazed at the enchanted talisman; "I love you, Shaggy Man!"</p> + +<p>"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't take any credit +for it. It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm. But you seem quite +alone and friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join our +party until you find your father and sisters again?" </p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand; "but +we're trying to find Shaggy's longlost brother, who has been +captured by the terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, +and help us?" </p> + +<p>Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of +travelers and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face.</p> + +<p>"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a Shaggy Man!" she +exclaimed. "Surely you need help, if you intend to face Ruggedo."</p> + +<p>"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface, +where no Rainbow can ever penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal +Monarch. He is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has +made trouble for a good many people—mortals and fairies—in his +time," said Polychrome.</p> + +<p>"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome +proudly. "I'm a sky fairy."</p> + +<p>"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able to tell us the +way to Ruggedo's cavern."</p> + +<p>"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I +cannot do. But I will gladly go with you and help you search for the place." </p> + +<p>This promise delighted all the wanderers and after the Shaggy +Man had found the path again they began moving along it in a more +happy mood. The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky +trail, no longer sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in +smiles. Shaggy came next, walking steadily and now and then +supporting the Rose Princess, who followed him. Betsy and Hank +brought up the rear, and if she tired with walking the girl got +upon Hank's back and let the stout little donkey carry her for a while.</p> + +<p>At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny +brook and here they made camp and rested until morning. Then away +they tramped, finding berries and fruits here and there which +satisfied the hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were +well content with their lot.</p> + +<p>It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their +food, for she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this +to Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga +was driven out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and +would never again be more than a mere mortal. Polychrome, +however, was a fairy wherever she happened to be, and if she +sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for refreshment no one ever +saw her do it.</p> + +<p>As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very +little to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange +country. Shaggy said it would be best to go toward the mountains, +as the natural entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was +likely to be hidden in some rocky, deserted place; but mountains +seemed all around them except in the one direction that they had +come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and the sea. Therefore +it mattered little which way they traveled.</p> + +<p>By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path +and after following this for some time they reached a crossroads. +Here were many paths, leading in various directions, and there +was a signpost so old that there were now no words upon the sign. +At one side was an old well, with a chain windlass for drawing +water, yet there was no house or other building anywhere in sight.</p> + +<p>While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule +approached the well and tried to look into it. </p> + +<p>"He's thirsty," said Betsy.</p> + +<p>"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably there has been no +water in it for many years. But, come; let us decide which way to travel." </p> + +<p>No one seemed able to decide that. They sat down in a group +and tried to consider which road might be the best to take. Hank, +however, could not keep away from the well and finally he reared +up on his hind legs, got his head over the edge and uttered a +loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy watched her animal friend curiously.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she said.</p> + +<p>At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate, +and Betsy went with him. The Princess and Polychrome, who had +become fast friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the +roads, to find an easy path.</p> + +<p>"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at the +bottom of this old well." </p> + +<p>"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked the girl.</p> + +<p>There was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there +was a big hook that at one time was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy +let down this hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then +pulled it up. An old hoopskirt came with it, and Betsy laughed +and threw it away. The thing frightened Hank, who had never seen +a hoopskirt before, and he kept a good distance away from it.</p> + +<p>Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook +and drew up, but none of these was important.</p> + +<p>"This well seems to have been the dump for all the old rubbish in +the country," he said, letting down the hook once more. "I guess +I've captured everything now. No—the hook has caught again. Help +me, Betsy! Whatever this thing is, it's heavy." </p> + +<p>She ran up and helped him turn the windlass and after much +effort a confused mass of copper came in sight.</p> + +<p>"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is a surprise, indeed!"</p> + +<p>"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and +panting for breath.</p> + +<p>For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and dumped +it upon the ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over with +his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment the thing +proved to be a copper man. </p> + +<p>"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object. +"But unless there are two copper men in the world this is the +most astonishing thing I ever came across."</p> + +<p>At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the Rose Princess +approached them, and Polychrome said:</p> + +<p>"What have you found, Shaggy One?"</p> + +<p>"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied.</p> + +<p>"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt +down to examine the man. "Dear me; how funny! Listen to +this."</p> + +<p>Then she read the following words, engraved upon the copper +plates of the man's body: </p> + +<p class="center">SMITH TINKER'S <br /> +Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive,<br /> +Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking<br /> +MECHANICAL MAN <br /> +Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment.<br /> +Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live.</p> + +<p>"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved plate:</p> + +<p class="center">DIRECTIONS FOR USING:<br /> + <br /> +For THINKING:—Wind the Clockwork<br /> +Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). <br /> +For SPEAKING:—Wind the Clockwork <br /> +Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). <br /> +For WALKING and ACTION:—Wind Clockwork<br /> +Man in the middle of his back, (marked No. 3).<br /> + <br /> +N. B.—This Mechanism is guaranteed to <br /> +work perfectly for a thousand years.</p> + +<p>"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, +"he ought to work yet."</p> + +<p>"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." </p> + +<p>In order to do this they were obliged to set the copper man +upon his feet, in an upright position, and this was no easy task. +He was inclined to topple over, and had to be propped again and +again. The girls assisted Shaggy, and at last TikTok seemed to be +balanced and stood alone upon his broad feet.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this +must be, indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking +merrily in the Land of Oz. But how he came to this lonely place, +and got into that old well, is surely a mystery." </p> + +<p>"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy. +"Here's the key, hanging to a hook on his back. What part of him +shall I wind up first?"</p> + +<p>"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires +thought to speak or move intelligently."</p> + +<p>So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little +flashes of light began to show in the top of his head, which was +proof that he had begun to think.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph." </p> + +<p>"What's that?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may be interesting, but +they don't tell us anything." </p> + +<p>So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then +from the interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the +words: "Ma-ny thanks!"</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the +back in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance +and tumbled to the ground in a heap. But the clock-work that +enabled him to speak had been wound up and he kept saying: +"Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised +him and balanced him upon his feet, when he added politely: +"Ma-ny thanks!" </p> + +<p>"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action," +remarked Shaggy; so Betsy wound it, as tight as she could—for +the key turned rather hard—and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, +marched around in a circle and ended by stopping before the group +and making them all a low bow.</p> + +<p>"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left +you safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy. </p> + +<p>"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a +few words. Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma +saw you wandering in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her +mag-ic pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome +King's cavern; so she sent me to tell you where to find your +broth-er and told me to help you if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, +Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to this place in the wink of +an eye; but here I met the Nome King him-self—old Rug-ge-do, who +is called in these parts the Met-al Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what +I had come for, and he was so an-gry that he threw me down the +well. Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less un-til you came +a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny thanks."</p> + +<p>"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I suspected that my +brother was the prisoner of Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, +Tik-Tok, how shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?"</p> + +<p>"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We might crawl, or +jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver until we get there; but the best +way is to walk."</p> + +<p>"I know; but which road shall we take?" </p> + +<p>"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"There is more than one entrance to the underground cavern," said +Polychrome; "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every +opening, so that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. If +we find our way underground at all, it will be by chance."</p> + +<p>"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and +see where it leads us."</p> + +<p>"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. "It may require a +lot of time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than +anything else." </p> + +<p>"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a +thou-sand years."</p> + +<p>"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added +Shaggy, looking first at one road and then at another. </p> + +<p>But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached +their ears—a sound like the tramping of many feet.</p> + +<p>"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she ran to the left-hand +road and glanced along the path. "Why, it's an army!" she +exclaimed. "What shall we do, hide or run?"</p> + +<p>"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid of an army. +If they prove to be friendly, they can help us; if they are +enemies, I'll show them the Love Magnet."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH8" id="CH8">Chapter Eight</a></h2> + +<h3>Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task</h3> + +<p>While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at +one side, the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, +the tramp of their feet being now and then accompanied by a +dismal groan as one of the officers stepped on a sharp stone or +knocked his funnybone against his neighbor's sword-handle. +</p> + +<p>Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the +banner of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole. This pole he +stuck in the ground just in front of the well and then he cried +in a loud voice. </p> + +<p>"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann +Soforth of Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I +proclaim her slaves!"</p> + +<p>Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and asked:</p> + +<p>"Is the coast clear, Private Files?"</p> + +<p>"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well." </p> + +<p>"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering +courage to advance to the well; but just then he caught a glimpse +of Tik-Tok and Shaggy and at once fell upon his knees, trembling +and frightened and cried out:</p> + +<p>"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and we will be your slaves forever!"</p> + +<p>The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing, +likewise fell upon their knees and begged for mercy.</p> + +<p>Files turned around and, seeing the strangers for the first time, +examined them with much curiosity. Then, discovering that three +of the party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a polite bow.</p> + +<p>"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as Queen Ann +reached the place and beheld her kneeling army.</p> + +<p>"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping +forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man—who works better +than some meat people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, +just now unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of Roses. I next +present Polychrome, a sky fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident +and can't find her way home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, +from some unknown earthly paradise called Oklahoma, and with her +you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long tail and a short temper.</p> + +<p>"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of vagabonds you +are, indeed; all lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a +Queen's plundering. I'm sorry I've conquered you."</p> + +<p>"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly.</p> + +<p>"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my officers will +kindly command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after +which we can stop arguing and converse more at our ease."</p> + +<p>The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed +the dust from their trousers. To them the enemy did not look very +fierce, so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains +gained courage to face them and began strutting in their most +haughty manner. </p> + +<p>"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of +Oogaboo, and this is my invincible Army. We are busy conquering +the world, and since you seem to be a part of the world, and are +obstructing our journey, it is necessary for us to conquer you +unworthy though you may be of such high honor."</p> + +<p>"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us as often as you +like. We don't mind." </p> + +<p>"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, positively.</p> + +<p>"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, angrily. "Advance, +Private Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!" </p> + +<p>But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating +Polychrome and the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted. </p> + +<p>"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey orders."</p> + +<p>"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the Private.</p> + +<p>But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the +prisoners!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the +command, yelling it as loud as they could.</p> + +<p>All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing the Army of +Oogaboo with strong disfavor. The mule now dashed forward and +began backing upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous +heels at them. The attack was so sudden that the officers +scattered like dust in a whirlwind, dropping their swords as they +ran and trying to seek refuge behind the trees and bushes. </p> + +<p>Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble +army," and Polychrome danced with glee. But Ann was furious at +this ignoble defeat of her gallant forces by one small mule.</p> + +<p>"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" she cried again, +and then she herself ducked to escape the mule's heels—for Hank +made no distinction in favor of a lady who was an open enemy. +Betsy grabbed her champion by the forelock, however, and so held +him fast, and when the officers saw that the mule was restrained +from further attacks they crept fearfully back and picked up +their discarded swords. </p> + +<p>"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the Queen.</p> + +<p>"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack +which was strapped to his back, "I resign my position as the Army +of Oogaboo. I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but +if you want some one to bind harmless girls you will have to hire +another Private."</p> + +<p>Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy and Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to resign if I want to."</p> + +<p>"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If you resign it will +break up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world." She now +turned to the officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a +favor. I know it is undignified in officers to fight, but unless +you immediately capture Private Files and force him to obey my +orders there will be no plunder for any of us. Also it is likely +you will all suffer the pangs of hunger, and when we meet a +powerful foe you are liable to be captured and made slaves."</p> + +<p>The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers +that they drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood +beside Shaggy, in a truly ferocious manner. The next instant, +however, they halted and again fell upon their knees; for there, +before them, was the glistening Love Magnet, held in the hand of +the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight of this magic talisman at +once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann saw the Love +Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and anger threw herself upon +Shaggy and embraced him lovingly.</p> + +<p>Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet, +Shaggy disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and +quickly hid the talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from +Oogaboo were now his firm friends, and there was no more talk +about conquering and binding any of his party. </p> + +<p>"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may +march with me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer +the world, as you have set out to do, you must conquer everyone +under its surface as well as those upon its surface, and no one +in all the world needs conquering so much as Ruggedo."</p> + +<p>"Who is he?" asked Ann. </p> + +<p>"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes."</p> + +<p>"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice. </p> + +<p>"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all the metal that lies +underground—gold, silver, copper, brass and tin. He has an idea +he also owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal +was once a part of his kingdom. So, by conquering the Metal +Monarch, you will win all the riches in the world."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would +be plunder worth our while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next +to the lovely Princess and whispering in her ear.</p> + +<p>"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. I have plenty of +brave officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to +command. Therefore I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his +wealth." </p> + +<p>"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked +Shaggy; but at once every officer began to protest and the Queen +of Oogaboo shook her head as she replied:</p> + +<p>"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a terrible +fighter, and my officers are unable to fight. They are +exceptionally brave in commanding others to fight, but could not +themselves meet the enemy and conquer." </p> + +<p>"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, eagerly. "There +are many kinds of bravery and one cannot be expected to possess +them all. I myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes +to fighting, but then my nature revolts. Fighting is unkind and +liable to be injurious to others; so, being a gentleman, I never fight."</p> + +<p>"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. </p> + +<p>"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not Private Files +proved himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have +conquered this Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is +like a bee without a stinger."</p> + +<p>"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files. "I resigned +in a proper manner, not liking the job. But there are plenty of +people to take my place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private +soldier?"</p> + +<p>"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, +"for he is mortal, and able to die. If anything happened to him, +it would break my heart."</p> + +<p>"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy. "You must +admit, Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for +it is my brother we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and +my companions would like the assistance of your Army, and if you +help us to conquer Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from +captivity we will allow you to keep all the gold and jewels and +other plunder you may find."</p> + +<p>This prospect was so tempting that the officers began +whispering together and presently Colonel Cheese said: "Your +Majesty, by combining our brains we have just evolved a most +brilliant idea. We will make the Clockwork Man the private soldier!"</p> + +<p>"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond! I can-not +fight, and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw +me in the well."</p> + +<p>"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. "But if you +join the Army of Oogaboo you will carry the gun that Mr. Files used."</p> + +<p>"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested +Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could +nei-ther run nor fight."</p> + +<p>"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "TikTok will make an +ideal soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer. +And, since a Private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, +Tik-Tok is the only one of our party fitted to undertake the job."</p> + +<p>"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers command you to do +anything, you must do it; that is all."</p> + +<p>"And that's enough, too," said Files.</p> + +<p>"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen.</p> + +<p>"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder goes to Queen +Ann, the other half is divided among the officers, and the +Private gets the rest." </p> + +<p>"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, picking up the +gun and examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen +such a weapon.</p> + +<p>Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said: +"Now we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. +Officers, give the command to march."</p> + +<p>"Fall-in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords.</p> + +<p>"Fall-in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords. </p> + +<p>"Fall-in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords.</p> + +<p>"Fall-in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords. </p> + +<p>Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Fall in what? The well?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order."</p> + +<p>"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork Man.</p> + +<p>"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files; +so Tik-Tok held the gun straight and stood still."</p> + +<p>"What next?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The Queen turned to Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's cavern?"</p> + +<p>"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. "If we can't get to +Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him."</p> + +<p>"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did not say we could +not get to him. We have only to discover the way, and that was +the matter we were considering when you and your magnificent +Army arrived here."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen.</p> + +<p>That was no easy task. They all stood looking from one road to +another in perplexity. The paths radiated from the little +clearing like the rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed +like all the others. </p> + +<p>Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good +friends, advanced a little way along one of the roads and found +that it was bordered by pretty wild flowers.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the way?" he said to +his companion. </p> + +<p>"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the question.</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must be +second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them +they will tell you." </p> + +<p>She looked more closely at the flowers. There were hundreds of +white daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing +by the roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its +slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild roses +scattered here and there and perhaps it was the sight of these +that gave the Princess courage to ask the important question.</p> + +<p>She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both +her arms pleadingly toward them. </p> + +<p>"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle +voice, "which way will lead us to the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the +Nome King?"</p> + +<p>At once all the stems bent gracefully to the right and the flower +heads nodded once—twice—thrice in that direction.</p> + +<p>"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we know the way."</p> + +<p>Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the +field-flowers, which had now resumed their upright position. </p> + +<p>"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked in a low whisper.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a breath of wind +stirring. But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and +answered your question at once, as I knew they would."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH9" id="CH9">Chapter Nine</a></h2> + +<h3>Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless</h3> + +<p>The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and wound +here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless. But always it drew +nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more than once that +he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern would be found among +these rugged hills.</p> + +<p>In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the nearest mountain was +a gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the walls and roof of +which glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels. Here, on a +throne of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome King, dressed in splendid +robes and wearing a superb crown cut from a single blood-red ruby.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the +Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white beard, +a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his forehead. One +would think, to look at him, that he ought to be jolly; one might +think, considering his enormous wealth, that he ought to be happy; but +this was not the case. The Metal Monarch was surly and cross because +mortals had dug so much treasure out of the earth and kept it above +ground, where all the power of Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to +recover it. He hated not only the mortals but also the fairies who +live upon the earth or above it, and instead of being content with the +riches he still possessed he was unhappy because he did not own all +the gold and jewels in the world.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when suddenly he +sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge +gong that stood beside him.</p> + +<p>The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns +beyond, where countless thousands of nomes were working at their +unending tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or +melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems. The +nomes trembled at the sound of the King's gong and whispered fearfully +to one another that something unpleasant was sure to happen; but none +dared pause in his task,</p> + +<p>The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside and Kaliko, the +King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal presence.</p> + +<p>"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had just +wakened.</p> + +<p>"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously. "Those foolish +mortals are up, that's what! And they want to come down."</p> + +<p>"Down here?" inquired Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Yes!"</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again.</p> + +<p>"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can always feel it when +those hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom. 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!"</p> + +<p>"Well, what's to be done?" demanded the nome.</p> + +<p>"Look through your spyglass, and see where the invaders are," +commanded the King.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Ho—hum," said he. "I see 'em, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"What do they look like?" inquired the Monarch.</p> + +<p>"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—"</p> + +<p>"Bah! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo. "I'm not afraid of him. Why, +only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a well."</p> + +<p>"Then some one must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko. "And +there's a little girl—"</p> + +<p>"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear.</p> + +<p>"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several girls, of various +sizes; but Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma."</p> + +<p>"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief.</p> + +<p>Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass.</p> + +<p>"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. They are all officers +and carry swords. And there is a Shaggy Man—who seems very +harmless—and a little donkey with big ears."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn. "I've no fear of +such a mob as that. A dozen of my nomes can destroy them all in a +jiffy."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The people of Oogaboo are +hard to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. As for +Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter cannot be +injured by a nome."</p> + +<p>"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I have just recognized her."</p> + +<p>"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," declared +Ruggedo, scowling fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes here on a +peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody hates me!"</p> + +<p>"Very true," said Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my dominions. +Where are they now?"</p> + +<p>"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?"</p> + +<p>"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal Will that we have some +fun with these invaders?"</p> + +<p>"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach them a lesson they will +never forget."</p> + +<p>Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had any +of his companions. They noticed that everything around them was of a +dull gray color and that the path upon which they walked was soft and +springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks and trees were +rubber and even the path they trod was made of rubber.</p> + +<p>Presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed through a +deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far down the +mountain-side. Across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed that +travelers might easily leap from one to another and in that manner +cross the water to the farther bank.</p> + +<p>Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen Ann. +After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and Shaggy, and last +of all the Rose Princess with Files. The Clockwork Man saw the stream +and the stepping stones and, without making a pause, placed his foot +upon the first stone.</p> + +<p>The result was astonishing. First he sank down in the soft rubber, +which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the air, where +he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon a rubber rock +far in the rear of the party.</p> + +<p>General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he +disappeared; therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you will +guess was connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and instantly +shot upward like an arrow. General Cone came next and met with a like +fate, but the others now noticed that something was wrong and with one +accord they halted the column and looked back along the path.</p> + +<p>There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to another, +each time rising a less distance from the ground. And there was +General Apple, bounding away in another direction, his three-cornered +hat jammed over his eyes and his long sword thumping him upon the arms +and head as it swung this way and that. And there, also, appeared +General Cone, who had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so +crumpled up that his round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than +the form of a man.</p> + +<p>Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed her +laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became +angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo bounding +around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them to stop, but +they were unable to obey, even though they would have been glad to do +so. Finally, however, they all ceased bounding and managed to get upon +their feet and rejoin the Army.</p> + +<p>"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked.</p> + +<p>"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would ask +them why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. Those +stones are rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks around +us are rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. Even this path is not +a path; it's rubber. Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are +all likely to get the bounce, just as your poor officers and Tik-Tok +did."</p> + +<p>"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom; but +Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, so she began +dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into the air, so that +she resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly. Presently she made a +great bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and +steadily on the other side.</p> + +<p>"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you all +try to bound over the stream, without touching the stepping-stones."</p> + +<p>Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky +adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion and +began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as +high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned forward and the +next bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by the +side of the Rainbow's Daughter.</p> + +<p>"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. He +managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across the +stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into the +middle of the water.</p> + +<p>"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy rushed +forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely beside her she +was amazed to find he was not wet at all.</p> + +<p>"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the stream +and showing how the water fell from it and left it perfectly dry.</p> + +<p>"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the water."</p> + +<p>She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the water +was shallow and would not wet them. At once they followed her advice, +avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the crossing with ease. +This encouraged the entire party to wade through the dry water, and in +a few minutes all had assembled on the bank and renewed their journey +along the path that led to the Nome King's dominions.</p> + +<p>When Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have passed the Rubber +Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your caverns."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his anger was so great that +several times, as he strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused +to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so sensitive that the poor +nome howled with pain. Finally the King said:</p> + +<p>"There's no help for it; we must drop these audacious invaders down +the Hollow Tube."</p> + +<p>Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his master wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make Tititi-Hoochoo +very angry."</p> + +<p>"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "Tititi-Hoochoo lives on the +other side of the world, so what do I care for his anger?"</p> + +<p>Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan.</p> + +<p>"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that he +warned you, the last time you slid people through the Hollow Tube, +that if you did it again he would take vengeance upon you."</p> + +<p>The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply.</p> + +<p>"Of two dangers," said he, "it is wise to choose the least. What do +you suppose these invaders want?"</p> + +<p>"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly.</p> + +<p>So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous +ears, who bowed low before the King.</p> + +<p>"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and I wish to know their +errand. Listen carefully to their talk and tell me why they are coming +here, and what for."</p> + +<p>The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them +gently up and down and back and forth. For half an hour he stood +silent, in an attitude of listening, while both the King and Kaliko +grew impatient at the delay. At last the Long-Eared Hearer spoke:</p> + +<p>"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his brother from captivity," said +he.</p> + +<p>"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, Shaggy Man may have his +ugly brother, for all I care. He's too lazy to work and is always +getting in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?"</p> + +<p>"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner you commanded +me to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did. I suppose he is still +there."</p> + +<p>"Very good. The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal +Forest," said the King, with a grin of malicious delight, "for half +the time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the forest and made +every tree, out of gold and silver, so as to keep the precious metals +in a safe place and out of the reach of mortals. But tell me, Hearer, +do the strangers want anything else?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The Army of Oogaboo is +determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in your +kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to divide the +spoils and carry them away."</p> + +<p>When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began dancing +up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth together and +swinging his arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of anger he seized +the long ears of the Hearer and pulled and twisted them cruelly; but +Kaliko grabbed up the King's sceptre and rapped him over the knuckles +with it, so that Ruggedo let go the ears and began to chase his Royal +Chamberlain around the throne.</p> + +<p>The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip away from the +cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself out chasing +Kaliko he threw himself into his throne and panted for breath, while +he glared wickedly at his defiant subject.</p> + +<p>"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested +Kaliko. "There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo gets +here."</p> + +<p>"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and panting. +"I'll drop 'em down the Hollow Tube—every man Jack and every girl +Jill of 'em!"</p> + +<p>"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn the path +toward the Hollow Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube invisible, so +they'll all fall into it."</p> + +<p>Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought Ruggedo was making a +great mistake. He found the Magician and had the path twisted so that +it led directly to the opening of the Hollow Tube, and this opening he +made invisible.</p> + +<p>Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain went to +his private room and began to write letters of recommendation of +himself, stating that he was an honest man, a good servant and a small +eater.</p> + +<p>"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for another +job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by this +reckless defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in seeking a job +nothing is so effective as a letter of recommendation."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH10" id="CH10">Chapter Ten</a></h2> + +<h3>A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube</h3> + +<p>I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army, might +have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief Magician +had they known that danger lay in their pathway; for the Rainbow's +Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is a part of the Land of Oz its +inhabitants cannot easily be deceived by such common magic as the Nome +King could command. But no one suspected any especial danger until +after they had entered Ruggedo's cavern, and so they were journeying +along in quite a contented manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, +suddenly disappeared.</p> + +<p>The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they kept on +their way and all of them likewise disappeared—one after another. +Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening forward to +learn the reason she also vanished from sight.</p> + +<p>Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding upon +the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and talking to +Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly Hank pitched +forward and began falling and Betsy would have tumbled over his head +had she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck with both arms and held on +for dear life.</p> + +<p>All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly downward +but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's hoofs were +resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid with the +swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew up and struck a similar +substance overhead. They were, indeed, descending the "Hollow Tube" +that led to the other side of the world.</p> + +<p>"Stop, Hank—stop!" cried the girl; but Hank only uttered a plaintive +"Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for him to obey.</p> + +<p>After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen them, Betsy +gained courage. She could see nothing at all, nor could she hear +anything except the rush of air past her ears as they plunged downward +along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were alone, or the others were +with them, she could not tell. But had some one been able to take a +flash-light photograph of the Tube at that time a most curious picture +would have resulted. There was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding +headforemost down the incline. And there were the Officers of the Army +of Oogaboo, all tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms +and trying to shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung +back and forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within +their reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a +sitting position and went flying along with a dash and abandon that +thoroughly bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what had happened +to her. Then, a little distance away, but unseen by the others in the +inky darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and +Polychrome and finally Files and the Princess.</p> + +<p>When first they tumbled into the Tube all were too dazed to think +clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity led straight +through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's dominions, +and long before the adventurers got to the end they had begun to +recover their wits.</p> + +<p>"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen Ann +heard her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?"</p> + +<p>"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe when +she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she +added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your Maj'sty?"</p> + +<p>"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not too far +away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, either."</p> + +<p>"Why?" said Betsy.</p> + +<p>"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," replied +Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken him +and was now sitting on his head.</p> + +<p>The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was this +joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a mild +and sympathetic tone of voice.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same," +exclaimed the little girl.</p> + +<p>"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But isn't +this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making +a journey through the center of the earth—where I never expected to +be!"</p> + +<p>"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked Betsy, her +voice trembling a little through nervousness.</p> + +<p>"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I have often +heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician who was a +great traveler. He thought it would save him the bother of going +around the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the Tube so fast +that he shot out at the other end and hit a star in the sky, which at +once exploded."</p> + +<p>"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard."</p> + +<p>"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl.</p> + +<p>"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I don't think it +matters much."</p> + +<p>"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the stars when we come out," +said Queen Ann, with a moan.</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe the Magician was going +the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are going."</p> + +<p>"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently removing +Polychrome's heel from his left eye. "Couldn't you manage to fall all +by yourself, my dear?"</p> + +<p>"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter.</p> + +<p>All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and it was +not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you read their +words. But although they were so helpless and altogether in the dark +as to their fate, the fact that they were able to converse at all +cheered them, considerably.</p> + +<p>Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung tightly to one +another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure the Princess, +although he was terribly frightened, both on her account and on his +own.</p> + +<p>An hour, under such trying circumstances, is a very long time, and for +more than an hour they continued their fearful journey. Then, just as +they began to fear the Tube would never end, Tik-Tok popped out into +broad daylight and, after making a graceful circle in the air, fell +with a splash into a great marble fountain.</p> + +<p>Out came the officers, in quick succession, tumbling heels over head +and striking the ground in many undignified attitudes.</p> + +<p>"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who was +hoeing pink violets in a garden. "What can all this mean?"</p> + +<p>For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride through the +air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on top of the +Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over his eyes and +tumbling him to the ground.</p> + +<p>The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he did not +go so high up. Fortunately for his little rider he struck the ground +upon his four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not hurt and when +she looked around her she saw the Queen and the Peculiar Person +struggling together upon the ground, where the man was trying to choke +Ann and she had both hands in his bushy hair and was pulling with all +her might. Some of the officers, when they got upon their feet, +hastened to separate the combatants and sought to restrain the +Peculiar Person so that he could not attack their Queen again.</p> + +<p>By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived and +were curiously examining the strange country in which they found +themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the opposite side of +the world from the place where they had fallen into the Tube. It was a +lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be the garden of some great +Prince, for through the vistas of trees and shrubbery could be seen +the towers of an immense castle. But as yet the only inhabitant to +greet them was the Peculiar Person just mentioned, who had shaken off +the grasp of the officers without effort and was now trying to pull +the battered crown from off his eyes.</p> + +<p>Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this and when the man +was free and could see again he looked at his visitors with evident +amazement.</p> + +<p>"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from and how did +you get here?"</p> + +<p>Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and silent.</p> + +<p>"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, cause I don't know the name +of the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was through the +Hollow Tube."</p> + +<p>"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the Peculiar Person +in an irritated tone of voice. "If it's a tube, it's sure to be +hollow."</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Because all tubes are made that way. But this Tube is private +property and everyone is forbidden to fall into it."</p> + +<p>"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome added: +"I am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us down that +Tube."</p> + +<p>"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming much +excited.</p> + +<p>"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is right. +We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly we fell into +the Tube."</p> + +<p>"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the peculiar Person.</p> + +<p>"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the question, +"'cause we don't know him at all; but we started out to conquer him, +which isn't as friendly as it might be."</p> + +<p>"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully from one to another of +them for a while and then he turned his head over his shoulder and +said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good brothers. It will be +best to take these strangers to the Private Citizen."</p> + +<p>"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that +seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible.</p> + +<p>All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even Polychrome was so startled +that her gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a breeze. Shaggy +shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked very unhappy; the officers +clung to each other, trembling violently.</p> + +<p>But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar +Person. As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this extraordinary +land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell you what he looked +like.</p> + +<p>His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. His eyes were large and +blue in color and his teeth finely formed and white as snow. His hair +was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at the ends. So far no +one could find any fault with his appearance. He wore a robe of +scarlet, which did not cover his arms and extended no lower than his +bare knees. On the bosom of the robe was embroidered a terrible +dragon's head, as horrible to look at as the man was beautiful. His +arms and legs were left bare and the skin of one arm was bright yellow +and the skin of the other arm a vivid green. He had one blue leg and +one pink one, while both his feet—which showed through the open +sandals he wore—were jet black.</p> + +<p>Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or the +natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over the man +who had been called "Tubekins" said:</p> + +<p>"Follow me to the Residence—all of you!"</p> + +<p>But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them, Tubekins, +lying in the water of the fountain."</p> + +<p>"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, and he'll drown."</p> + +<p>"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyway," agreed Shaggy, as +with one accord they all started for the fountain. But before they +could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the marble basin +and set him upon his feet beside it, water dripping from every joint +of his copper body.</p> + +<p>"Ma—ny tha—tha—tha—thanks!" he said; and then his copper jaws +clicked together and he could say no more. He next made an attempt to +walk but after several awkward trials found he could not move his +joints.</p> + +<p>Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's +failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very +uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around them +who were invisible, yet could be heard plainly.</p> + +<p>"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very sorry for Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs oiling," replied Shaggy.</p> + +<p>At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with his eyes +by some unseen hand. Shaggy took the can and tried to oil Tik-Tok's +joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of warm air was directed +against the copper man which quickly dried him. Soon he was able to +say "Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and his joints worked fairly well.</p> + +<p>"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he walked +up the path toward the castle.</p> + +<p>"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but just then she +received a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head; so she +decided to go. The officers who hesitated received several energetic +kicks, but could not see who delivered them; therefore they also +decided—very wisely—to go. The others followed willingly enough, for +unless they ventured upon another terrible journey through the Tube +they must make the best of the unknown country they were in, and the +best seemed to be to obey orders.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH11" id="CH11">Chapter Eleven</a></h2> + +<h3>The Famous Fellowship of Fairies</h3> + +<p>After a short walk through very beautiful gardens they came to the +castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a great +domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated.</p> + +<p>From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought this man must be the +King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all the +strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle before a high +throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant throne and in a flash +became invisible and disappeared.</p> + +<p>The hall was an immense place, but there seemed to be no one in it +beside themselves. Presently, however, they heard a low cough near +them, and here and there was the faint rustling of a robe and a slight +patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly there rang out the clear tone of +a bell and at the sound all was changed.</p> + +<p>Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw that it was filled +with hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces and staring +blue eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled crowns upon their +heads. In fact, these people seemed exact duplicates of Tubekins and +it was difficult to find any mark by which to tell them apart.</p> + +<p>"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to Polychrome, +who sat beside her and appeared much interested in the scene but not a +bit worried.</p> + +<p>"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply; "but I +cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any one +country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was Master."</p> + +<p>One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark turned to +her and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a King, if only +to himself. In this favored land all Kings and Queens are equal, and +it is our privilege to bow before one supreme Ruler—the Private +Citizen."</p> + +<p>"Who's he?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang out and +instantly there appeared seated in the throne the man who was lord and +master of all these royal ones. This fact was evident when with one +accord they fell upon their knees and touched their foreheads to the +floor.</p> + +<p>The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, except that his eyes +were black instead of blue and in the centers of the black irises +glowed red sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his features +were very beautiful and dignified and his manner composed and stately. +Instead of the prevalent scarlet robe, he wore one of white, and the +same dragon's head that decorated the others was embroidered upon its +bosom.</p> + +<p>"What charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in quiet, +even tones.</p> + +<p>"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the +reply.</p> + +<p>"You see, it was this way," said Betsy. "We were marching to the Nome +King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when on a +sudden—"</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly.</p> + +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and—"</p> + +<p>"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen.</p> + +<p>"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and—"</p> + +<p>"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the leader?"</p> + +<p>No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn stood up.</p> + +<p>"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see that sixteen of you are +merely officers, and of no account."</p> + +<p>"But we have an Army," said General Clock, blusteringly, for he didn't +like to be told he was of no account.</p> + +<p>"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen.</p> + +<p>"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty. "I'm the +on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty."</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the Clockwork +Man.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me for not realizing your importance before," said he. "Will +you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?"</p> + +<p>Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and Queens +making way for him. Then with clanking steps he mounted the platform +and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen.</p> + +<p>Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the humble +Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old friend's +importance had been recognized by the ruler of this remarkable +country. The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, who told in his +mechanical voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost brother, and how +Ozma of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist him, and how they had +fallen in with Queen Ann and her people from Oogaboo. Also he told how +Betsy and Hank and Polychrome and the Rose Princess had happened to +join their party.</p> + +<p>"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of +the Nomes?" asked the Citizen.</p> + +<p>"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's reply. +"But he was too cle-ver for us. When we got close to his cav-ern he +made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing in-vis-i-ble, +so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was there. It was an +eas-y way to get rid of us and now Rug-gedo is safe and we are far +a-way in a strange land."</p> + +<p>The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking. Then he +said:</p> + +<p>"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the laws of our +country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube must be tortured +for nine days and ten nights and then thrown back into the Tube. But +it is wise to disregard laws when they conflict with justice, and it +seems that you and your followers did not disobey our laws willingly, +being forced into the Tube by Ruggedo. Therefore the Nome King is +alone to blame, and he alone must be punished."</p> + +<p>"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther side of +the world where he is a-way out of your reach."</p> + +<p>The Citizen drew himself up proudly.</p> + +<p>"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of the +reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?"</p> + +<p>"It is."</p> + +<p>Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so disturbed +that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his +brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy for the first time, while +Files put his arms around the Rose Princess as if to protect her. As +for the officers, the name of the great Jinjin set them moaning and +weeping at a great rate and every one fell upon his knees before the +throne, begging for mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions +so disturbed, but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was +unmoved at the discovery.</p> + +<p>"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think Rug-ge-do is +to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will hap-pen to the King of +the Nomes."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy.</p> + +<p>The Private Citizen—otherwise known as Tititi-Hoochoo, the Great +Jinjin—looked at the little girl steadily.</p> + +<p>"I will presently decide what is to happen to Ruggedo," said he in a +hard, stern voice. Then, turning to the throng of Kings and Queens, he +continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his machinery will not allow +him to lie, nor will it allow his thoughts to think falsely. Therefore +these people are not our enemies and must be treated with +consideration and justice. Take them to your palaces and entertain +them as guests until to-morrow, when I command that they be brought +again to my Residence. By then I shall have formed my plans."</p> + +<p>No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from sight. +Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise disappeared. +But several of them remained visible and approached the strangers with +great respect. One of the lovely Queens said to Betsy:</p> + +<p>"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I am Erma, Queen of +Light."</p> + +<p>"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl.</p> + +<p>"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply. "But do +not fear for him, for he will be treated royally. All of your party +will be reunited on the morrow."</p> + +<p>"I—I'd like to have some one with me," said Betsy, pleadingly.</p> + +<p>Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome.</p> + +<p>"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl.</p> + +<p>So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the Queen of Light, while +other beautiful Kings and Queens took charge of the others of the +party.</p> + +<p>The two girls followed Erma out of the hall and through the gardens of +the Residence to a village of pretty dwellings. None of these was so +large or imposing as the castle of the Private Citizen, but all were +handsome enough to be called palaces—as, in fact, they really were.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH12" id="CH12">Chapter Twelve</a></h2> + +<h3>The Lovely Lady of Light</h3> + +<p>The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and was a +mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they +entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens, evidently +of high degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a +wand in her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their costumes +were also emblematic of the lights they represented. Erma introduced +them to her guests and each made a graceful and courteous +acknowledgment.</p> + +<p>First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second was +Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came +Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. These +three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white. The fourth +was Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, +who wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy +flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very +attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful +of all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and +Daylight regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her.</p> + +<p>But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to +regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered +around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her +regal drawing-room.</p> + +<p>This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery being +of many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting +themselves upon the downy divans after their strenuous adventures of +the day.</p> + +<p>The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight +was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired to +another part of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms +and did not intrude themselves at all.</p> + +<p>The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which is +one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of +mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry, +they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the +country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a +Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the +name of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that +he had no heart. But instead of this he possessed a high degree of +Reason and Justice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments he +never punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers +Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as he was heartless, but those who were +innocent of evil had nothing to fear from him.</p> + +<p>All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to Jinjin, +for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey +the one in authority over them.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this +fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the +faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the +first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story +was all new, and she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom +she no longer feared.</p> + +<p>Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed that +Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight.</p> + +<p>"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's +head embroidered on your gowns?"</p> + +<p>Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:</p> + +<p>"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever +made; therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. +By good fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of +this land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. +He is old as the world and remembers everything that has happened +since the world was created."</p> + +<p>"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.</p> + +<p>"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, not +understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this +country. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we +have great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the +emblem of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who +alone have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost +equals the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it."</p> + +<p>"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her +lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present +interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way +to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the +Queen, and with her coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to +fill the room. Polychrome, being herself a fairy, had many questions +to ask about the various Kings and Queens who lived in this far-away, +secluded place, and before Erma had finished answering them a rosy +glow filled the room and Firelight took her place beside the Queen.</p> + +<p>Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing features +made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. Thereupon +Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own.</p> + +<p>"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is +spread."</p> + +<p>"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, +I'm awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food."</p> + +<p>The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside a heavy +drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before +her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen and +crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma +and beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was +placed on the Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other +five messengers of light now waited upon them, and each person was +supplied with just the food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish +of dewdrops, all fresh and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly +served that she decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half +so good.</p> + +<p>"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest +of all these girls."</p> + +<p>"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edison +discover it?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. +"But electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and +therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally +beneficent to mortals and fairies alike."</p> + +<p>Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at +the six messengers of light:</p> + +<p>"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"</p> + +<p>Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I think +mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot +take the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. +Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, +retires to rest. If the moon in its course is hidden behind the +earth's rim, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes +her place, for the skies always lend her power. Without Firelight we +should miss much of our warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when +the walls of houses encompass us. But always, when other lights +forsake us, our glorious Electra is ready to flood us with bright +rays. As Queen of Light, I love all my maidens, for I know them to be +faithful and true."</p> + +<p>"I love 'em too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm real +sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."</p> + +<p>"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended.</p> + +<p>"A little," admitted the girl.</p> + +<p>So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, +white bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a +shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the +light-maid bade her good night and opened the door.</p> + +<p>When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six winks the +little girl was fast asleep.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH13" id="CH13">Chapter Thirteen</a></h2> + +<h3>The Jinjin's Just Judgment</h3> + +<p>All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were brought +from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo and ushered +into the great Hall of State.</p> + +<p>As before, no one was visible except our friends and their escorts +until the first bell sounded. Then in a flash the room was seen to be +filled with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the land. The second +bell marked the appearance in the throne of the mighty Jinjin, whose +handsome countenance was as composed and expressionless as ever.</p> + +<p>All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly murmured: "We greet +the Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law and whose +Law is just."</p> + +<p>Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. Then, looking around the +brilliant assemblage, and at the little group of adventurers before +him, he said:</p> + +<p>"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of other lands than ours, +who are different from ourselves in many ways, have been thrust upon +us through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our people foolishly made +years ago and was properly punished for his folly. But these strangers +had no desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into the Tube by a +cruel King on the other side of the world, named Ruggedo. This King is +an immortal, but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind more +than they benefit them. Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's +brother a prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting of +both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to +punish him. Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King misled +them so that they fell into the Tube.</p> + +<p>"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that if +ever he used this Forbidden Tube in any way he would be severely +punished. I find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this King's +servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his master not to do such a wrong +act as to drop these people into the Tube and send them tumbling into +our country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders.</p> + +<p>"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any wrong. It is only +Ruggedo who deserves punishment, and I will punish him." He paused a +moment and then continued in the same cold, merciless voice:</p> + +<p>"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side of the +world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant than it was +before. Also I shall send with them an Instrument of Vengeance, who in +my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground caverns, take away his +magic powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the face of the +earth—a place he detests."</p> + +<p>There was a little murmur of horror from the Kings and Queens at the +severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a protest, for all +realized that the sentence was just.</p> + +<p>"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on Tititi-Hoochoo, "I +have realized that this will be an unpleasant mission. Therefore no +one of us who is blameless should be forced to undertake it. In this +wonderful land it is seldom one is guilty of wrong, even in the +slightest degree, and on examining the Records I found no King or +Queen had erred. Nor had any among their followers or servants done +any wrong. But finally I came to the Dragon Family, which we highly +respect, and then it was that I discovered the error of Quox.</p> + +<p>"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who has not yet acquired +the wisdom of his race. Because of this lack, he has been +disrespectful toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original Dragon, +telling him once to mind his own business and again saying that the +Ancient One had grown foolish with age. We are aware that dragons are +not the same as fairies and cannot be altogether guided by our laws, +yet such disrespect as Quox has shown should not be unnoticed by us. +Therefore I have selected Quox as my royal Instrument of Vengeance and +he shall go through the Tube with these people and inflict upon +Ruggedo the punishment I have decreed."</p> + +<p>All had listened quietly to this speech and now the Kings and Queens +bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's judgment.</p> + +<p>Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins.</p> + +<p>"I command you," said he, "to escort these strangers to the Tube and +see that they all enter it."</p> + +<p>The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and brought +them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. As he did so, +the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly disappeared and only +Tubekins remained visible.</p> + +<p>"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't mind going back so very +much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it easy for us."</p> + +<p>Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who looked +solemn and seemed to fear the return journey. One thing that bothered +Ann was her failure to conquer this land of Tititi-Hoochoo. As they +followed their guide through the gardens to the mouth of the Tube she +said to Shaggy:</p> + +<p>"How can I conquer the world, if I go away and leave this rich country +unconquered?"</p> + +<p>"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, please, for if you don't +know I can't inform you."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no attention to the question.</p> + +<p>This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around it was a gold railing +to which was attached a sign that read.</p> + +<p class="center">"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE.<br /> +IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT."</p> + + +<p>On a little silver plate just inside the Tube was engraved the words:</p> + + +<p class="center">"Burrowed and built by <br /> +Hiergargo the Magician, <br /> +In the Year of the World <br /> +1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 <br /> +For his own exclusive uses."</p> + +<p>"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy, when she had read +the inscription; "but if he had known about that star I guess he'd +have spent his time playing solitaire."</p> + +<p>"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was impatient to +start.</p> + +<p>"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear him coming."</p> + +<p>"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a live +dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. "You'll see him in a +minute; but before you part company I'm sure you'll wish he was +invisible."</p> + +<p>"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files.</p> + +<p>"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, "and I +prefer his room to his company."</p> + +<p>At that instant a scraping sound was heard, drawing nearer and nearer +until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, who +approached the party, nodded his head and said: "Good morning."</p> + +<p>Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would have felt +uncomfortable at the astonished stare of every eye in the +group—except Tubekins, of course, who was not astonished because he +had seen Quox so often.</p> + +<p>Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet here +was one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full grown, if +not overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color and it was +thickly set with glittering silver scales, each one as big as a +serving-tray. Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a bow just under +his left ear, and below the ribbon appeared a chain of pearls to which +was attached a golden locket about as large around as the end of a +bass drum. This locket was set with many large and beautiful jewels.</p> + +<p>The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly, when you consider +that he was a dragon; but his eyes were so large that it took him a +long time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and terrible when +they showed, which they did whenever the beast smiled. Also his +nostrils were quite large and wide, and those who stood near him were +liable to smell brimstone—especially when he breathed out fire, as it +is the nature of dragons to do. To the end of his long tail was +attached a big electric light.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's appearance at this +time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached to his back, one +seat for each member of the party. These seats were double, with +curved backs, so that two could sit in them, and there were twelve of +these double seats, all strapped firmly around the dragon's thick body +and placed one behind the other, in a row that extended from his +shoulders nearly to his tail.</p> + +<p>"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that Tititi-Hoochoo has transformed +Quox into a carryall."</p> + +<p>"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. Dragon, you won't mind +our riding on your back."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just now, you know, and +the only way to redeem my good name is to obey the orders of the +Jinjin. If he makes me a beast of burden, it is only a part of my +punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon. I don't blame you people +at all, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride. Hop on, please. All aboard +for the other side of the world!"</p> + +<p>Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the front seat with +Betsy, so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's head. +Behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the Princess, +and Queen Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the rear seats. When +all had mounted to their places the dragon looked very like one of +those sightseeing wagons so common in big cities—only he had legs +instead of wheels.</p> + +<p>"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he crawled to +the mouth of the Tube and put his head in.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one thought +to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great body into the +Tube and the journey to the other side of the world had begun.</p> + +<p>At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch their +breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort of cackling +laugh:</p> + +<p>"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy and +fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to the other +side of the world?"</p> + +<p>"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I was +born."</p> + +<p>"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. If I +had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated my three +thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother was going to +make me a birthday cake with three thousand and fifty-six candles on +it; but now, of course, there will be no celebration, for I fear I +shall not get home in time for it."</p> + +<p>"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had no idea +anything could live that long!"</p> + +<p>"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if I had +not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with him," said +Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and insists on +telling us stories of things that happened fifty thousand years ago, +which are of no interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, +Grandpa isn't up to date. He lives altogether in the past, so I can't +see any good reason for his being alive to-day.... Are you people able +to see your way, or shall I turn on more light?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing to see +but ourselves," answered Betsy.</p> + +<p>This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an +automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled +his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of it enabled +them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube itself was only +dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same from one of its ends +to the other. Therefore there was no scenery of interest to beguile +the journey.</p> + +<p>They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving entirely +comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but this meant a +longer journey and the only way they could make time pass was to +engage in conversation. The dragon seemed a willing and persistent +talker and he was of so much interest to them that they encouraged him +to chatter. His voice was a little gruff but not unpleasant when one +became used to it.</p> + +<p>"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this constant sliding over +the surface of the Tube will dull my claws. You see, this hole isn't +straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of tumbling freely +through the air I must skate along the Tube. Fortunately, there is a +file in my tool-kit, and if my claws get dull they can be sharpened +again."</p> + +<p>"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have been +sent to conquer Ruggedo."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann, in her most +haughty manner; "for when we get to Ruggedo I and my invincible Army +can conquer him without your assistance."</p> + +<p>"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. "That will save me a lot +of bother—if you succeed. But I think I shall file my claws, just the +same."</p> + +<p>He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a sheet of flame, several +feet in length, shot from his mouth. Betsy shuddered and Hank said +"Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in terror. But the +dragon did not notice that he had done anything unusual.</p> + +<p>"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a dragon would I be if my +fire went out?"</p> + +<p>"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired.</p> + +<p>"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said Quox. "The fire keeps me +alive and enables me to move; also to think and speak."</p> + +<p>"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said Tik-Tok. "The on-ly +dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by fire."</p> + +<p>"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must confess," +retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are not a live thing; you're a dummy."</p> + +<p>"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon. "But if you run +down, you are helpless."</p> + +<p>"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?" inquired +Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend.</p> + +<p>"I don't use gasoline."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose you ran out of fire."</p> + +<p>"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox. "My +great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, and he +has never once run out of fire to keep him going. But I will confide +to you that as he gets older he shows more smoke and less fire. As for +Tik-Tok, he's well enough in his way, but he's merely copper. And the +Metal Monarch knows copper through and through. I wouldn't be +surprised if Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one of his furnaces and made +copper pennies of him."</p> + +<p>"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok, calmly.</p> + +<p>"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully.</p> + +<p>"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with irritation. "Tik-Tok is +my great Army—all but the officers—and I believe he will be able to +conquer Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, Polychrome?"</p> + +<p>"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daughter, with her +sweet ringing laugh, that sounded like the tinkling of tiny bells. +"And if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big fire-breathing dragon to +fall back on."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his mouth +and nostrils; "it's a wise little girl, this Polychrome. Anyone would +know she is a fairy."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH14" id="CH14">Chapter Fourteen</a></h2> + +<h3>The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening</h3> + + <p>During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the Nomes, was +trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled cavern. It was hard +work for Ruggedo to find amusement to-day, for all the nomes were +behaving well and there was no one to scold or to punish. The King had +thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six times, without hitting him once. Not +that Kaliko had done anything wrong. On the contrary, he had obeyed +the King in every way but one: he would not stand still, when +commanded to do so, and let the heavy sceptre strike him.</p> + +<p>We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel Ruggedo +forgave him; for he knew very well that if he mashed his Royal +Chamberlain he could never find another so intelligent and obedient. +Kaliko could make the nomes work when their King could not, for the +nomes hated Ruggedo and there were so many thousands of the quaint +little underground people that they could easily have rebelled and +defied the King had they dared to do so. Sometimes, when Ruggedo +abused them worse than usual, they grew sullen and threw down their +hammers and picks. Then, however hard the King scolded or whipped +them, they would not work until Kaliko came and begged them to. For +Kaliko was one of themselves and was as much abused by the King as any +nome in the vast series of caverns.</p> + +<p>But to-day all the little people were working industriously at their +tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. He sent +for the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen carefully and report +what was going on in the big world.</p> + +<p>"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that the +women in America have clubs."</p> + +<p>"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning.</p> + +<p>"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"Then their clubs are not as good as my sceptre. What else do you +hear?"</p> + +<p>"There's a war."</p> + +<p>"Bah! there's always a war. What else?"</p> + +<p>For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and spreading out +his big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then suddenly he said:</p> + +<p>"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are arguing +as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his treasure and +drive him from his dominions."</p> + +<p>"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his throne.</p> + +<p>"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube."</p> + +<p>"Where are they now?"</p> + +<p>"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down the +cavern.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside down, they +would be falling the other way, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the Tube +upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun at him. +Presently he asked:</p> + +<p>"How far away are those people now?"</p> + +<p>"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen furlongs, +eight feet and four inches—as nearly as I can judge from the sound of +their voices," replied the Hearer.</p> + +<p>"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said Ruggedo, +"and when they get here I shall be ready to receive them."</p> + +<p>He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko came +bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, for he was +just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling lake of the +Underground Kingdom.</p> + +<p>"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming back +again!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on the +other shoe. "Tititi-Hoochoo would not allow them to remain in his +kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for some +time. That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug."</p> + +<p>"What, to throw them down the Tube?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into the +Tube."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo scornfully. "He +never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the other side of the +world."</p> + +<p>"True; but he might send some one through the Tube to punish you," +suggested Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my thousands of nomes?"</p> + +<p>"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright," answered +Kaliko with a grin. "Once I saw you running from a little girl named +Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really afraid."</p> + +<p>"Well, I was afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King, with a deep +sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!"</p> + +<p>The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered, and +so did the Long-Eared Hearer; for eggs are the only things that the +nomes greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs belong on the +earth's surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts live, and there is +something about a hen's egg, especially, that fills a nome with +horror. If by chance the inside of an egg touches one of these +underground people, he withers up and blows away and that is the end +of him—unless he manages quickly to speak a magical word which only a +few of the nomes know. Therefore Ruggedo and his followers had very +good cause to shudder at the mere mention of eggs.</p> + +<p>"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of invaders; nor +is the Yellow Hen. As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no means of knowing +that we are afraid of eggs."</p> + +<p>"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him. "Tititi-Hoochoo +knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his powers are far +superior to any we can boast."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer.</p> + +<p>"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming through +the Tube."</p> + +<p>The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head. But Kaliko +laughed at the King.</p> + +<p>"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he. "The only way to +discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass."</p> + +<p>"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I think of it before? Look at +once, Kaliko!"</p> + +<p>So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he +caused the other end of it to twist around, so that it pointed down +the opening of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass and was able +to gaze along all the turns and windings of the Magic Spyglass and +then deep into the Tube, to where our friends were at that time +falling.</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon."</p> + +<p>"A big one?" asked Ruggedo.</p> + +<p>"A monster. He has an electric light on the end of his tail, so I can +see him very plainly. And the other people are all riding upon his +back."</p> + +<p>"How about the eggs?" inquired the King.</p> + +<p>Kaliko looked again.</p> + +<p>"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I imagine that the dragon is +as dangerous as eggs. Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent him here to +punish you for dropping those strangers into the Forbidden Tube. I +warned you not to do it, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few minutes he paced up +and down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all his might. +After this he turned to Kaliko and said:</p> + +<p>"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with his claws and bite +with his teeth."</p> + +<p>"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko earnestly. +"On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon, because he's the +toughest creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could smash a +hundred nomes to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he could tear even +you or me into small bits, so that it would be almost impossible to +put us together again. Once, a few hundred years ago, while wandering +through some deserted caverns, I came upon a small piece of a nome +lying on the rocky floor. I asked the piece of nome what had happened +to it. Fortunately the mouth was a part of this piece—the mouth and +the left eye—so it was able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the +cause. It had attacked the poor nome and scattered him in every +direction, and as there was no friend near to collect his pieces and +put him together, they had been separated for a great many years. So +you see, Your Majesty, it is not in good taste to sneer at a dragon."</p> + +<p>The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. Said he:</p> + +<p>"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon which Tititi-Hoochoo +has sent here, in order to prevent his reaching us with his claws and +teeth."</p> + +<p>"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him.</p> + +<p>"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo.</p> + +<p>"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?"</p> + +<p>"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I could defeat them +single-handed; but I won't try to. I'll summon my army of nomes to +drive the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch any of them I +intend to stick needles into them until they hop with pain."</p> + +<p>"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch. "And that braying +Mule I'll make into hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, that it may +add to their strength."</p> + +<p>"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the +Shaggy Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Never!"</p> + +<p>"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you don't want the Ugly One."</p> + +<p>"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't allow anybody to order me +around. I'm King of the Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, and I shall +do as I please and what I please and when I please!"</p> + +<p>With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head, aiming it +so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat upon the floor in +order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see the sceptre coming and +it swept past his head so closely that it broke off the tip of one of +his long ears. He gave a dreadful yell that quite startled Ruggedo, +and the King was sorry for the accident because those long ears of the +Hearer were really valuable to him.</p> + +<p>So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered his +Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and have them +properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the Tube, +where they could seize the travelers as soon as they appeared.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH15" id="CH15">Chapter Fifteen</a></h2> + +<h3>The Dragon Defies Danger</h3> + + +<p>Although the journey through the Tube was longer, this time, than +before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our friends +minded it at all. They talked together most of the time and as they +found the dragon good-natured and fond of the sound of his own voice +they soon became well acquainted with him and accepted him as a +companion.</p> + +<p>"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox is on our side, and +therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, +instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very much, for his +breath smells of brimstone, he is very conceited and he is so strong +and fierce that he would prove a dangerous foe."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech with +pleasure; "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living thing. I am +glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my good qualities. +As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really can't help it, and I +once met a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I consider far +worse."</p> + +<p>"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions."</p> + +<p>"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us quarrel +over one another's peculiarities."</p> + +<p>Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty feet +from his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she remembered +about the onions and said nothing.</p> + +<p>They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of the +earth, nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the little girl +remarked:</p> + +<p>"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole. And isn't it +funny, Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top when +we fell the other way?"</p> + +<p>"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall both +ways."</p> + +<p>"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is be-cause the world is round."</p> + +<p>"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in fine +working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as +the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything toward the +center of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, and why +everything clings to the surface of the earth."</p> + +<p>"Then why doesn't everyone go on down to the center of the earth?" +inquired the little girl.</p> + +<p>"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy in a sad +tone. "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so solid that other +solid things can't get through it. But when there's a hole, as there +is in this case, we drop right down to the center of the world."</p> + +<p>"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry us right +up to the other end."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to figure +it out," she said after some thought. "One thing draws us to the +center and another thing pushes us away from it. But—"</p> + +<p>"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "If you can't +understand it, let it go at that."</p> + +<p>"Do you understand it?" she inquired.</p> + +<p>"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely. "There's lots of +magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the United States, +where you and I once lived, as you can here."</p> + +<p>"I never did," she replied.</p> + +<p>"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it was +magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow and +blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? The cows +that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable +as that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps you've noticed that—"</p> + +<p>And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light of +day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped +them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for +he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far +away from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of +a mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns +of the Nome King.</p> + +<p>Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck the +ground, but most of the dragon's passengers only felt a slight jar. +All were glad to be on solid earth again and they at once dismounted +and began to look about them. Queerly enough, as soon as they had left +the dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monster's back +disappeared, and this probably happened because there was no further +use for them and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his +silver scales. Of course he still wore the forty yards of ribbon +around his neck, as well as the great locket, but these only made him +look "dressed up," as Betsy remarked.</p> + +<p>Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of the +Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as +they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and +they were led by Guph, their most famous General. But they did not +expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so +suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the nomes had rubbed the +astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they +discovered the dragon quietly seated on the mountainside far above +their heads, while the other strangers were standing in a group and +calmly looking down upon them.</p> + +<p>General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's fault +but his own.</p> + +<p>"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at +them.</p> + +<p>"Come up here and capture us—if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, who was +winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he could fight +more briskly.</p> + +<p>Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he turned +and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed with sharp +spears and with one accord they raised these spears and threw them +straight at their foes, so that they rushed through the air in a +perfect cloud of flying weapons.</p> + +<p>Some damage might have been done had not the dragon quickly crawled +before the others, his body being so big that it shielded every one of +them, including Hank. The spears rattled against the silver scales of +Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground. They were magic spears, +of course, and all straightway bounded back into the hands of those +who had thrown them, but even Guph could see that it was useless to +repeat the attack.</p> + +<p>It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled +"For—ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated +the command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which seemed to be +composed mainly of Tik-Tok, marched forward in single column toward +the nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and Hank gave a loud +"Hee-haw!" and Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and Queen Ann screamed: "At +'em, Tik-Tok—at 'em!"</p> + +<p>The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack but in a twinkling +disappeared into the underground caverns. They made a great mistake in +being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a dozen steps before he +stubbed his copper toe on a rock and fell flat to the ground, where he +cried: "Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick me up!" until Shaggy and Files +ran forward and raised him to his feet again.</p> + +<p>The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he scratched his left ear +with his hind claw, but no one was paying much attention to Quox just +then.</p> + +<p>It was evident to Ann and her officers that there could be no fighting +unless the enemy was present, and in order to find the enemy they must +boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the nomes. So bold a step +demanded a council of war.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the orders of +the Jinjin?" asked Quox.</p> + +<p>"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have already put the army of +nomes to flight and all that yet remains is to force our way into +those caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his people."</p> + +<p>"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing his +eyes sleepily. "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here for you. +Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one who lives thousands of +years the delay of a few days means nothing at all, and I shall +probably sleep until the time comes for me to act."</p> + +<p>Ann was provoked at this speech.</p> + +<p>"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for the +Nome King is as good as conquered already."</p> + +<p>But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH16" id="CH16">Chapter Sixteen</a></h2> + +<h3>The Naughty Nome</h3> + +<p>Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between Queen Ann +and Quox, for the simple reason that he did not consider the matter +worth an argument. Safe within his pocket reposed the Love Magnet, +which had never failed to win every heart. The nomes, he knew, were +not like the heartless Roses and therefore could be won to his side as +soon as he exhibited the magic talisman.</p> + +<p>Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom and now +that the entrance lay before him he was confident he would be able to +rescue his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon quarrel as to who +should conquer the nomes, if they liked; Shaggy would let them try, +and if they failed he had the means of conquest in his own pocket.</p> + +<p>But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she thought her Army +could do anything. So she called the officers together and told them +how to act, and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do and what to +say.</p> + +<p>"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she added, +"for I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any blood—unless it is +absolutely necessary."</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not think Rug-ge-do would +bleed if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der press."</p> + +<p>Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and then the +four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains. They drew +their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, which he did. +Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough rocks, but when he +struck the smooth path he got along better. Into the gloomy mouth of +the cavern entrance he stepped without hesitation, and after him +proudly pranced the officers and Queen Ann. The others held back a +little, waiting to see what would happen.</p> + +<p>Of course the Nome King knew they were coming and was prepared to +receive them. Just within the rocky passage that led to the jeweled +throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually covered. Ruggedo had +ordered the cover removed and it now stood open, scarcely visible in +the gloom.</p> + +<p>The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage and +there was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close to +the rock walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the pit +clearly and he avoided it; but the officers marched straight into the +hole and tumbled in a heap on the bottom. An instant later Queen Ann +also walked into the pit, for she had her chin in the air and was +careless where she placed her feet. Then one of the nomes pulled a +lever which replaced the cover on the pit and made the officers of +Oogaboo and their Queen fast prisoners.</p> + +<p>As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the cavern where Ruggedo sat in +his throne and there he faced the Nome King and said:</p> + +<p>"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of +Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I de-clare that you are her +pris-on-er!"</p> + +<p>Ruggedo laughed at him.</p> + +<p>"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. "Per-haps she stopped to +tie her shoe-string."</p> + +<p>"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, in a stern voice, "I've +had enough of this nonsense. Your Queen and her officers are all +prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll tell me what +you mean to do."</p> + +<p>"My or-ders were to con-quer you," replied Tik-Tok, "and my +ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those +or-ders."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely by +General Guph.</p> + +<p>"Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work hammering +gold," commanded the King. "Being run by machinery he ought to be a +steady worker. He ought never to have been made, but since he exists I +shall hereafter put him to good use."</p> + +<p>"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight."</p> + +<p>"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, "for it will be +useless to resist and you might hurt some one."</p> + +<p>But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what damage +the gun might do the nomes were afraid to face it.</p> + +<p>While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high officials, Betsy +Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated upon the back of Hank +the mule. The little girl had grown tired of waiting for "something to +happen" and so had come to see if Ruggedo had been conquered.</p> + +<p>"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how dare you bring that beast +here and enter my presence unannounced?"</p> + +<p>"There wasn't anybody to announce me," replied Betsy. "I guess your +folks were all busy. Are you conquered yet?"</p> + +<p>"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage.</p> + +<p>"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry," said the +girl. "You see, this conquering business is a good deal like waiting +for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get around and don't +amount to much anyhow."</p> + +<p>The nomes were so much astonished at this speech that for a time they +could only glare at her silently, not finding words to reply. The King +finally recovered the use of his tongue and said:</p> + +<p>"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty shall be your +death-warrant. You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal from +living is so easy a thing to do that I will not keep you waiting half +so long as you did for my conquest."</p> + +<p>"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, getting +off Hank's back and standing beside him. "And it would be a pretty +cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry. If you'll give +me something to eat, I'll talk this killing business over with you +afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't approve of it, and never +will."</p> + +<p>Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, although he +bore an intense hatred toward all mortals.</p> + +<p>"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of hard-boiled +eggs—"</p> + +<p>"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering till +their teeth chattered.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. "Are eggs as high here +as they are at home?"</p> + +<p>"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his General, +"let us destroy this rash mortal at once! Seize her and take her to +the Slimy Cave and lock her in."</p> + +<p>Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just then +Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his knee-joints +so that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled Tik-Tok to the floor, +his gun falling from his grasp.</p> + +<p>Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab at Betsy. At the same +time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where his belt +was buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannon-ball, struck the +Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the wall of rock on +the opposite side of the cavern. Together they fell to the floor in a +dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which Kaliko whispered to Betsy:</p> + +<p>"Come with me—quick!—and I will save you."</p> + +<p>She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed honest +and good-natured, so she decided to follow him. He led her and the +mule through several passages and into a small cavern very nicely and +comfortably furnished.</p> + +<p>"This is my own room," said he, "but you are quite welcome to use it. +Wait here a minute and I'll get you something to eat."</p> + +<p>When Kaliko returned he brought a tray containing some broiled +mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the mushrooms +delicious.</p> + +<p>"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock yourself +in."</p> + +<p>"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?" she +asked.</p> + +<p>"I'll see. Where are they?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said Kaliko; "but +don't let anyone in unless they give the three raps."</p> + +<p>"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern she +closed and locked the door.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves prisoners in +the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were tired out, but no +one had come to their assistance. It was very dark and damp in the pit +and they could not climb out because the walls were higher than their +heads and the cover was on. The Queen was first angry and then annoyed +and then discouraged; but the officers were only afraid. Every one of +the poor fellows heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for his +orchard, and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for +causing them all this trouble and danger.</p> + +<p>Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the pit and leaned her +back against the wall. By good luck her sharp elbow touched a secret +spring in the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann fell over +backward, but the next instant she jumped up and cried to the others:</p> + +<p>"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, and we may yet +escape."</p> + +<p>Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark and +dank as the pit, and the officers followed her in single file. They +crawled, and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, for the passage +was not big enough to allow them to stand upright. It turned this way +and twisted that, sometimes like a corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but +seldom ran for long in a straight line.</p> + +<p>"It will never end—never!" moaned the officers, who were rubbing all +the skin off their knees on the rough rocks.</p> + +<p>"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have been +made. We don't know where it will lead us to, but any place is better +than that loathsome pit."</p> + +<p>So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, and while they were +crawling through this awful underground passage Polychrome and Shaggy +and Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing outside the +entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what had become of them.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH17" id="CH17">Chapter Seventeen</a></h2> + +<h3>A Tragic Transformation</h3> + +<p>"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it may take +the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to do +everything in his slow, mechanical way."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose Princess.</p> + +<p>"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a powerful +fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queen +commands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint-hearted officers."</p> + +<p>"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, +dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful +draperies. "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for +when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her +ambitions."</p> + +<p>"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga.</p> + +<p>"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may see +him from here. He said he would take a little nap while we were mixing +up with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into trouble he +would wake up and conquer the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the +Jinjin has ordered him to do."</p> + +<p>"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall need his +services; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her +army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the caverns and +show the King my Love Magnet. That he cannot resist; therefore the +conquest will be made with ease."</p> + +<p>This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared Hearer, +who was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For when the King +and Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves up, +their first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his back and put a heavy +diamond on top of him, so that he could not get up again. Then they +carefully put his gun in a corner of the cavern and the King sent Guph +to fetch the Long-Eared Hearer.</p> + +<p>The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, but he +acknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready to obey his +commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to the King, who at +once realized that his Kingdom was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew +of the Love Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the thought +that Shaggy might show him the magic talisman and turn all the hatred +in his heart into love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred +love of any sort.</p> + + +<p>"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and lose my wealth and my +Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent +the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?"</p> + +<p>Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this question, and +being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he answered by saying:</p> + +<p>"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his body, he +could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket."</p> + +<p>"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the +problem. "Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them in the +passage where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he enters."</p> + +<p>This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance were +growing more and more uneasy about their friends.</p> + +<p>"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, who +had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for they +could not be killed, even though Ruggedo might cause them much +suffering and perhaps destroy them utterly. But we should not have +allowed Betsy and Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl +is mortal and possesses no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo +captures her she will be wholly at his mercy."</p> + +<p>"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have +anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right +away and put an end to all this worry."</p> + +<p>"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of the +Love Magnet, you can soon bring the Nome King to reason."</p> + +<p>So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the +entrance first, and after him came the others. They had no thought of +danger to themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with his hands +thrust into his pockets, was much surprised when a rope shot out from +the darkness and twined around his body, pinning down his arms so +securely that he could not even withdraw his hands from the pockets. +Then appeared several grinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the +ropes and then led the prisoner along the passage to the cavern. No +attention was paid to the others, but Files and the Princess followed +on after Shaggy, determined not to desert their friend and hoping that +an opportunity might arise to rescue him.</p> + +<p>As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had overtaken +Shaggy she turned and ran lightly back through the passage and out of +the entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock until she +paused beside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep.</p> + +<p>"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act."</p> + +<p>But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, absolutely +motionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The eyelids had big +silver scales on them, like all the rest of his body.</p> + +<p>Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known that +dragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge body +swelling as he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and pounded +against his eyelids with it, saying:</p> + +<p>"Wake up, Quox—wake up!" But he would not waken.</p> + +<p>"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "I +wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All our +friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast lies +asleep."</p> + +<p>She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover some +tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might he felt; but +he lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon the ground and +his legs drawn underneath his body, and all that one could see was his +thick sky-blue skin—thicker than that of a rhinoceros—and his silver +scales.</p> + +<p>Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over the +fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and +hurried along the passage into the Nome King's cavern.</p> + +<p>Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a long pipe. +Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged before the King +were the Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok still lay +upon the floor, weighted down by the big diamond.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he had +met the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet was +indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from the King, but +Shaggy was powerless to show it and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the +talisman it could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he +believed Kaliko had placed them in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her +officers he thought safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear +of Files or Ozga, but to be on the safe side he had ordered golden +handcuffs placed upon their wrists. These did not cause them any great +annoyance but prevented them from making an attack, had they been +inclined to do so.</p> + +<p>The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the situation, was +laughing and jeering at his prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitely +beautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern.</p> + +<p>"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he +stared hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and +pulled the wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers. "On my +word," said he, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I +perceive you are a fairy."</p> + +<p>"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly.</p> + +<p>"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate +everybody—but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautiful +cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls have every +tint and color of your Rainbow—and they are not so elusive. I'll have +fresh dewdrops gathered for your feasting every day and you shall be +Queen of all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like."</p> + +<p>"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, and I'm +only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why +my friends have been wound with cords and bound with chains?"</p> + +<p>"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know how +powerful I am."</p> + +<p>"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send them +back to the earth's surface?"</p> + +<p>"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer for their invasion. +But I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live +with me and I'll set all these people free. You shall be my daughter +or my wife or my aunt or grandmother—whichever you like—only stay +here to brighten my gloomy kingdom and make me happy!"</p> + +<p>Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to Shaggy and +asked:</p> + +<p>"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?"</p> + +<p>"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something of a +Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome."</p> + +<p>She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my friends +would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long the society +of such a wicked monster as you."</p> + +<p>"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also are +in my power."</p> + +<p>"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of your +spite or malice."</p> + +<p>"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang +forward to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted +to clutch her his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was +in another part of the room, as smiling and composed as before.</p> + +<p>Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even came +down from his throne to assist his General; but never could they lay +hands upon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there with the +swiftness of light and constantly defied them with her merry laughter +as she evaded their efforts.</p> + +<p>So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned to his +throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a finely-woven +handkerchief of cloth-of-gold.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?"</p> + +<p>"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," replied +the Nome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the executioners."</p> + +<p>Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of nomes, +all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated master. They +bore great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and clamps and chains +and various wicked-looking instruments, all made of precious metals +and set with diamonds and rubies.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the executioners, +"fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the pit and torture +them here in my presence—as well as in the presence of their friends. +It will be great sport."</p> + +<p>"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, and +went with his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he returned and +bowed to Ruggedo.</p> + +<p>"They're all gone," said he.</p> + +<p>"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?"</p> + +<p>"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the pit."</p> + +<p>"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?"</p> + +<p>"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners were not +under it."</p> + +<p>"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his +disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl and +the donkey. And while we are torturing them Kaliko must take a hundred +nomes and search for the escaped prisoners—the Queen of Oogaboo and +her officers. If he does not find them, I will torture Kaliko."</p> + +<p>Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the King was +cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang and the +executioners also went away, in another direction, but when they came +back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was Hank.</p> + +<p>"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang.</p> + +<p>"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are you sure +you found the right cave?"</p> + +<p>"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," returned +Pang positively.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, these +disappointments but made him the more vindictive and he cast an evil +look at the other prisoners and said:</p> + +<p>"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who +cannot escape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind +about Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, seething +heat, and then we'll dump the copper man into it and melt him up."</p> + +<p>"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the room +after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo people, "you +must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and interesting machine. +It would be a shame to deprive the world of such a clever +contrivance."</p> + +<p>"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" roared +the King. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you +know I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga-chips of you! The +next to consider," he added more mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he +owns the Love Magnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, and then +we can practice shooting at him with Tik-Tok's gun. Now, this is a +very interesting ceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and +see that I've nothing up my sleeve."</p> + +<p>He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and then he +waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles over his +victim's head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the magic +wugwa:</p> + +<p>"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"</p> + +<p>The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead of +the Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wings +confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave an order to +Pang, who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove +quickly flew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the Rose Princess, +who stroked it tenderly.</p> + +<p>"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands gleefully +together. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the others."</p> + +<p>(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above +transformation; for, although the exact magical formula has been +described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone to +transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo used. +There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing this +transformation, but if it should be attempted in any other country, +and the magic worked, the magician would be severely punished.)</p> + +<p>When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and realized +that Ruggedo was about do something as dreadful to the Princess and +Files, and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a crucible, she turned +and ran from the cavern, through the passage and back to the place +where Quox lay asleep.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH18" id="CH18">Chapter Eighteen</a></h2> + +<h3>A Clever Conquest</h3> + +<p>The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even snoring in a +manner that resembled distant thunder; but Polychrome was now +desperate, because any further delay meant the destruction of her +friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to which was attached the +great locket, and jerked it with all her strength.</p> + +<p>The result was encouraging. Quox stopped snoring and his eyelids +flickered. So Polychrome jerked again—and again—till slowly the +great lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. Said he, in a +sleepy tone:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, little Rainbow?"</p> + +<p>"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has captured all our +friends and is about to destroy them."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would happen. Step a little +out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the Nome King's +cavern."</p> + +<p>She fell back a few steps and Quox raised himself on his stout legs, +whisked his long tail and in an instant had slid down the rocks and +made a dive through the entrance.</p> + +<p>Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it with his immense body, +and now he poked his head into the jeweled cavern of Ruggedo.</p> + +<p>But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the dragon, +whenever he might appear. No sooner did Quox stick his head into the +room than a thick chain fell from above and encircled his neck. Then +the ends of the chain were drawn tight—for in an adjoining cavern a +thousand nomes were pulling on them—and so the dragon could advance +no further toward the King. He could not use his teeth or his claws +and as his body was still in the passage he had not even room to +strike his foes with his terrible tail.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his stratagem. He had just +transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was about to transform +Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon appeared to interrupt him. So +he called out:</p> + +<p>"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal entertainment. Since you are here, +you shall witness some very neat magic, and after I have finished with +Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a tiny lizard—one of +the chameleon sort—and you shall live in my cavern and amuse me."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a quiet +voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more magic."</p> + +<p>"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise.</p> + +<p>"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around my +neck?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such a +silly thing."</p> + +<p>"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little chuckle +of amusement.</p> + +<p>"I do," declared Ruggedo.</p> + +<p>"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as helpless as +a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, +enchanted this ribbon in such a way that whenever Your Majesty looked +upon it all knowledge of magic would desert you instantly, nor will +any magical formula you can remember ever perform your bidding."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half frightened, +nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried to transform him +into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the right words or the +right pass of the hands and after several trials he finally gave up +the attempt.</p> + +<p>By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly shaking +in his shoes.</p> + +<p>"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and now +you see the result of your disobedience."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, who +dodged it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an attempt +to swagger:</p> + +<p>"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these +invaders; fire and the sword will do the business and I am still King +of the Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!"</p> + +<p>"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The Great +Jinjin commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom and seek the +earth's surface, where you will wander for all time to come, without a +home or country, without a friend or follower, and without any more +riches than you can carry with you in your pockets. The Great Jinjin +is so generous that he will allow you to fill your pockets with jewels +or gold, but you must take nothing more."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a hoarse +voice.</p> + +<p>"He does," said Quox.</p> + +<p>"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden Tube?"</p> + +<p>"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice.</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me do it, +either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King of the +Nomes, until the end of the world, and I defy your Tititi-Hoochoo and +all his fairies—as well as his clumsy messenger, whom I have been +obliged to chain up!"</p> + +<p>The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that made +Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so cold and +merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned Nome King +trembled and was sick at heart.</p> + +<p>There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the dragon was +now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared at the immense +head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear in the old King's +eyes as he watched his enemy's movements.</p> + +<p>For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had +something to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he raised +one claw, touched the catch of the great jeweled locket that was +suspended around his neck, and at once it opened wide.</p> + +<p>Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled out +upon the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. But the +effect upon the nomes of this simple thing was astounding. General +Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his band of executioners were all standing +close to the door that led to the vast series of underground caverns +which constituted the dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw +the eggs they raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through +the door, slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped upon +the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled steadily +toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and crafty +Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all rolled +directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne where he had +taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the seat.</p> + +<p>This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was real +and absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the center of the +room and then ran to a far corner.</p> + +<p>The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction. +Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and then +he drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the advancing +eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued to draw nearer. +The King stood trembling, his eyes staring in terror, until they were +but half a yard distant; then with an agile leap he jumped clear over +them and made a rush for the passage that led to the outer entrance.</p> + +<p>Of course the dragon was in his way, being chained in the passage with +his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King making toward him he +crouched as low as he could and dropped his chin to the floor, leaving +a small space between his body and the roof of the passage.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled by fear, he leaped to +the dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he succeeded +in squeezing himself through the opening. After the head was passed +there was more room and he slid along the dragon's scales to his tail +and then ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the entrance. Not +pausing here, so great was his fright, the King dashed on down the +mountain path, but before he had gone very far he stumbled and fell.</p> + +<p>When he picked himself up he observed that no one was following him, +and while he recovered his breath he happened to think of the decree +of the Jinjin—that he should be driven from his Kingdom and made a +wanderer on the face of the earth. Well, here he was, driven from his +cavern in truth; driven by those dreadful eggs; but he would go back +and defy them; he would not submit to losing his precious Kingdom and +his tyrannical powers, all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must.</p> + +<p>So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back along +the path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw the six +eggs lying in a row just before the arched opening.</p> + +<p>At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, for the +eggs were now motionless. While he was wondering what could be done, +he remembered there was a magical charm which would destroy eggs and +render them harmless to nomes. There were nine passes to be made and +six verses of incantation to be recited; but Ruggedo knew them all. +Now that he had ample time to be exact, he carefully went through the +entire ceremony.</p> + +<p>But nothing happened. The eggs did not disappear, as he had expected; +so he repeated the charm a second time. When that also failed, he +remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic power had been +taken away from him and in the future he could do no more than any +common mortal.</p> + +<p>And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom which he +had ruled so long with absolute sway! He threw rocks at them, but +could not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and tore his hair and +beard, and danced in helpless passion, but that did nothing to avert +the just judgment of the Jinjin, which Ruggedo's own evil deeds had +brought upon him.</p> + +<p>From this time on he was an outcast—a wanderer upon the face of the +earth—and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with gold and +jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom!</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH19" id="CH19">Chapter Nineteen</a></h2> + +<h3>King Kaliko</h3> + +<p>After the King had made good his escape Files said to the dragon, in a +sad voice:</p> + +<p>"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you were sleeping instead +of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a fiddle without a +bow, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing dove!"</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, and I +have my orders from the Great Jinjin himself. Bring the fiddle here +and touch it lightly to my pink ribbon."</p> + +<p>Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the Nome +King's charm was broken and the Rose Princess herself stood before +them as sweet and smiling as ever.</p> + +<p>The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had seen and heard all +this, so without being told what to do it flew straight to the dragon +and alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was himself again and +Quox said to him grumblingly:</p> + +<p>"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more particular where +you step."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his natural +form. Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's chest and to +assist the Clockwork Man to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the wicked King who want-ed to +melt me in a cru-ci-ble?"</p> + +<p>"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had managed +to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had witnessed the +occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder where Betsy Bobbin and +Hank can be, and if any harm has befallen them."</p> + +<p>"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared Shaggy; but +when he went to the door leading to the other caverns he found it shut +and barred.</p> + +<p>"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I believe +I can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold."</p> + +<p>"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened in +some other room, so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a +prisoner only because I wished to be one," and with this he stepped +forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been +threads.</p> + +<p>But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty +strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted +himself in a corner to think of a better way.</p> + +<p>"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's big +gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening.</p> + +<p>Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo +and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he +heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the +King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious; so he +took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern.</p> + +<p>Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments +removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and +so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo's +messenger, and bowed humbly before the beast.</p> + +<p>"What is your will?" he inquired.</p> + +<p>"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon.</p> + +<p>"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Go and get her!" commanded Quox.</p> + +<p>So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the door. The +little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the +door.</p> + +<p>"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in disgrace +and your friends are asking for you."</p> + +<p>So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the throne +cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends. They +told her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind +Kaliko had been to her. Quox did not have much to say until the +conversation was ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked:</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has +done?"</p> + +<p>"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the question. +"Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon.</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they did +Ruggedo."</p> + +<p>"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes, and +Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said +Quox.</p> + +<p>"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I salute Your +Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom!"</p> + +<p>"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made haste +to congratulate the new King.</p> + +<p>"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo long +ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered to help +your brother to escape, but he would not go."</p> + +<p>"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of our +family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he added +anxiously.</p> + +<p>"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King.</p> + +<p>"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in these +dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it +worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has only to amuse +himself."</p> + +<p>"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or when he +pleases, and is not his own master."</p> + +<p>"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"In the Metal Forest."</p> + +<p>"Where is that?"</p> + +<p>"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in all our +dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out of doors, it +is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse himself, as +well as to tire out his hard-working nomes. All the trees are gold and +silver and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so it is a sort +of treasury."</p> + +<p>"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded Shaggy +earnestly.</p> + +<p>Kaliko hesitated.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made three +secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the location of +these passages every week, so that no one can get to the Metal Forest +without his permission. However, if we look sharp, we may be able to +discover one of these secret ways."</p> + +<p>"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the Officers +of Oogaboo," said Files.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit in the +passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but when the +executioners went to look for them they had all disappeared from the +pit and we could find no trace of them."</p> + +<p>"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann knew +any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear like that +seems like magic; now, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the mystery.</p> + +<p>"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we cannot +help them or be helped by them. And the important thing just now is to +rescue my dear brother from captivity."</p> + +<p>"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I can not remember his looks very +well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our family are +noted for their handsome faces."</p> + +<p>Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome relieved +his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but +lovely in disposition."</p> + +<p>"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, "is +to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest."</p> + +<p>"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief nomes of +my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am their new King. +Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for the secret passages."</p> + +<p>"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting sleepy +again.</p> + +<p>Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo used to +do; but no one answered the summons.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he had +seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal +Chamberlain, and will be until I appoint another in my place."</p> + +<p>So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to answer the +summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the royal cavern, +Kaliko first pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, wearing +Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding in his hand the sceptre +which Ruggedo had so often thrown at his head.</p> + +<p>When Guph entered he was amazed.</p> + +<p>"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," he said +warningly.</p> + +<p>"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his +stead," announced Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of those +who stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new King.</p> + +<p>Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a hard +master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph +that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw +the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it.</p> + +<p>All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went away to +tell the news to all the nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one +of whom would be delighted with the change in Kings.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH20" id="CH20">Chapter Twenty</a></h2> + +<h3>Quox Quietly Quits</h3> + +<p>When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully +saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kaliko +questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all +had assisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search +carefully for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as +they had found it.</p> + +<p>Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so +regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and +there he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. The +others of the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns of the +nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for +his promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could.</p> + +<p>Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of the +sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, +nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading to +the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all +were curious to know what had become of them.</p> + +<p>On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said +to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished +and I must depart for the other side of the world, where I belong."</p> + +<p>"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to +talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as +soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out +at the other end I will wake up at home."</p> + +<p>They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasant +journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just +condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quox +yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which +he slid headforemost and disappeared.</p> + +<p>They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had been +both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but +they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. So they went +back to the caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that +led to the forest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved +in vain.</p> + +<p>It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch +for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering +upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces. +And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock, +whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!</p> + +<p>The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn +and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left +his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer +seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman.</p> + +<p>Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only +to find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must +accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret +now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and +jewels. He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would +fare much better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered +around the caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping +for a chance to fill his pockets.</p> + +<p>That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.</p> + +<p>"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and +once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the +world."</p> + +<p>He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. +Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew +of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so +he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying +her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger. +The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as +many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could.</p> + +<p>Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around +to make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it +swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered, +swinging the rock in place behind him.</p> + +<p>However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have +done, for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her +clear eyes marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the +hidden spring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told +Kaliko and her friends of her discovery.</p> + +<p>"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimed +Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor +brother!"</p> + +<p>They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes to +assist them by carrying torches to light their way.</p> + +<p>"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but the +passage across the valley is likely to be dark."</p> + +<p>Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in less +than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the passage +and following swiftly after the former King.</p> + +<p>"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he will find +he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I will have my +nomes throw him out."</p> + +<p>"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he +deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights +square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into +Slimy Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any +sympathy. But you'll have to let him take as much treasure as he can +get in his pockets, Kaliko."</p> + +<p>"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is more +treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in their +pockets."</p> + +<p>It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially when the +torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But it proved to +be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with walking and was +seated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a sharp turn +and a wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The next moment +they were all standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal Forest.</p> + +<p>It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed cavern, the +roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In this space the +industrious nomes had built, during many years of labor, the most +beautiful forest in the world. The trees—trunks, branches and +leaves—were all of solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were +formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees towered as high as +natural live oaks do and were of exquisite workmanship.</p> + +<p>On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size, +while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut +diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more treasure was +gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the +world—if we except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is +equalled in the famous Emerald City.</p> + +<p>Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they stood +gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in this +place?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or three +years, to my positive knowledge."</p> + +<p>"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully +swell place to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and +di'monds, or even gold."</p> + +<p>"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal Forest +does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. Beyond these +gold and silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear +foods very nice to eat. Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite +sure we will find Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather +than in this."</p> + +<p>So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at every +step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the +golden trees with their glittering foliage.</p> + +<p>Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every direction as +some one hidden among the bushes scampered away before them. Then a +loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH21" id="CH21">Chapter Twenty-One</a></h2> + +<h3>A Bashful Brother</h3> + +<p>With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a group +of stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing scene.</p> + +<p>There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a dozen of +whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast in spite of +his efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, looking grimly upon +the scene of strife; but when she observed her former companions +approaching she turned away in a shamefaced manner.</p> + +<p>For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her Majesty's +clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds +by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, had led her +directly into the Metal Forest. It was, indeed, one of the three +secret passages, and by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had +not only torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her crown had become +bent and battered and even her shoes were so cut and slashed that they +were ready to fall from her feet.</p> + +<p>The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for holes +were worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp points of rock +in the roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every inch of +their once brilliant uniforms. A more tattered and woeful army never +came out of a battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky +passage. But it had seemed their only means of escape from the cruel +Nome King; so they had crawled on, regardless of their sufferings.</p> + +<p>When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more plunder than +they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in this huge dome +and could not escape with the riches heaped about them. Perhaps a more +unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed than this band +from Oogaboo.</p> + +<p>After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they were +frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. Rendered +desperate by their sad condition, the officers exhibited courage for +the first time since they left home and, ignorant of the fact that +Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they threw themselves upon +him and had just succeeded in capturing him when their fellow +adventurers reached the spot.</p> + +<p>"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you all?"</p> + +<p>Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant.</p> + +<p>"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small tunnel, which +was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was +our clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we +are stiff and lame in every joint. To add to our troubles we find we +are still prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in capturing the +wicked Metal Monarch we shall force him to grant us our liberty."</p> + +<p>"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files +informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by +Quox; but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am pleased +to assure Your Majesty that he is our friend."</p> + +<p>"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as +courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment.</p> + +<p>The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo free; +but, as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his former +servant, who was now King in his place, in a humble and pleading +manner.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly.</p> + +<p>"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my pockets," +replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb +Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes forever!" +declared Kaliko.</p> + +<p>"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said +Ruggedo, meekly.</p> + +<p>"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by the +handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were heavy +things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and the +like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering with the weight he bore, +while the pockets were not yet filled. When he could no longer stoop +over without falling, Betsy and Polychrome and the Rose Princess came +to his assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking them into +his pockets.</p> + +<p>At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical sight, +for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any at all +filled with such a choice collection of precious stones. He neglected +to thank the young ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly +nod of farewell and staggered down the path by the way he had come. +They let him depart in silence, for with all he had taken, the masses +of jewels upon the ground seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so +numerous were they. Also they hoped they had seen the last of the +degraded King.</p> + +<p>"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he doesn't +get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start +a bank when he gets to Oklahoma."</p> + +<p>"But my brother—my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired Shaggy +anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?"</p> + +<p>"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen.</p> + +<p>Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the Ugly One. +Perhaps you'll know him by that."</p> + +<p>"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run away +from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, among the +trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to catch sight of +his face. So I can not tell whether he is ugly or not."</p> + +<p>"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this +splendid dome, so there can be no mistake."</p> + +<p>"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of enjoying all +these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, "and +I remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep in. As for +these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very pretty at +first sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as well as the rich +jewels scattered beneath them; but if one has to look at them always, +they become pretty tame."</p> + +<p>"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is very +wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; let us go +there and find him."</p> + +<p>Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others followed +him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his long-sought, +long-lost brother.</p> + +<p>Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, +cleverly made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As they +approached the place they caught a glimpse of a form that darted into +the hut and slammed the door tight shut after him.</p> + +<p>Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud:</p> + +<p>"Brother! Brother!"</p> + +<p>"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within.</p> + +<p>"It is Shaggy—your own loving brother—who has been searching for you +a long time and has now come to rescue you."</p> + +<p>"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is a new +King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has +promised you shall go free."</p> + +<p>"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of despair.</p> + +<p>"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through the +closed door.</p> + +<p>"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?"</p> + +<p>"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you +remember, Shaggy?"</p> + +<p>"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. But I +remember that mother thought you were beautiful."</p> + +<p>"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. "But +Ruggedo wanted to injure me—to make me ugly in the eyes of all the +world—so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed +beautiful—or you might say handsome—to be very modest I will merely +claim that I was good-looking—and I wakened the next morning the +homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive that when I look in +a mirror I frighten myself."</p> + +<p>"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were silent +from sympathy.</p> + +<p>"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's +brother, "that I tried to hide; but the cruel King Ruggedo forced me +to appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: 'Behold the +Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my face they all fell to laughing +and jeering, which prevented them from working at their tasks. Seeing +this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a tunnel, closing the +rock entrance so that I could not get out. I followed the length of +the tunnel until I reached this huge dome, where the marvelous Metal +Forest stands, and here I have remained ever since."</p> + +<p>"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you now to come forth and +face us, who are your friends. None here will laugh or jeer, however +unhandsome you may be."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly.</p> + +<p>But the Ugly One refused the invitation.</p> + +<p>"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I am."</p> + +<p>Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. "I cannot leave my +dear brother here, and he refuses to come out of that house and face +us."</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on a mask."</p> + +<p>"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully; and then he +called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then none of us +can see what your features are like."</p> + +<p>"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One.</p> + +<p>"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my handkerchief."</p> + +<p>Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough to +hide a man's face. But he can use mine."</p> + +<p>Saying this he took from his pocket his own handkerchief and went to +the door of the hut.</p> + +<p>"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this handkerchief and make a mask +of it. I will also pass you my knife, so that you may cut holes for +the eyes, and then you must tie it over your face."</p> + +<p>The door slowly opened, just far enough for the Ugly One to thrust out +his hand and take the handkerchief and the knife. Then it closed +again.</p> + +<p>"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy. "You must breathe, +you know."</p> + +<p>For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her army sat down upon the +ground to rest. Betsy sat on Hank's back. Polychrome danced lightly up +and down the jeweled paths while Files and the Princess wandered +through the groves arm in arm. Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood +motionless.</p> + +<p>By and by a noise sounded from within the hut.</p> + +<p>"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was thrown open to allow +the Ugly One to step forth.</p> + +<p>Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how sensitive to +ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief with which he had +masked his features was a red one covered with big white polka dots. +In this two holes had been cut—in front of the eyes—while two +smaller ones before the nostrils allowed the man to breathe freely. +The cloth was then tightly drawn over the Ugly One's face and knotted +at the back of his neck.</p> + +<p>He was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were sadly +worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and his shoes +were stub-toed and needed blackening. "But what can you expect," +whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner for so many +years?"</p> + +<p>Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found brother with +both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him +forward and introduced him to all the assembled company.</p> + +<p>"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He is +our friend, and has granted you your freedom."</p> + +<p>"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I dread to +go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I remain +forever masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop +all the clocks."</p> + +<p>"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was fond +of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes know +nothing of."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," suggested +Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to escape."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am very +happy to have found you again, although I may never see your face. So +let us make the most of this joyful reunion."</p> + +<p>The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and the +tears began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them +away with his coat sleeve.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH22" id="CH22">Chapter Twenty-Two</a></h2> + +<h3>Kindly Kisses</h3> + +<p>"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" Betsy asked +the Ugly One.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless things, +and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness had I not +found the natural forest at the edge of the artificial one. Anyhow, +without these real trees I should soon have starved to death."</p> + +<p>Betsy looked around at the quaint trees.</p> + +<p>"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you find to +eat here."</p> + +<p>"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that grove at +your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do +not grow in your country, or in any other place but this cavern. I +have named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a certain kind of +table d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.'"</p> + +<p>"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' like?"</p> + +<p>"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the Ugly One. "All +you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down and eat your +dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a cupfull of good +soup. After you've eaten that, you unscrew the middle part and find a +hollow filled with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine salad. Eat +that, and unscrew the next section, and you come to the dessert in the +bottom of the nut. That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and +nuts and raisins. The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in +flavor or in contents, but they are all good and in each one may be +found a complete three-course dinner."</p> + +<p>"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which grow over there at the +right. They bear nuts, like the others, only the nuts contain coffee +or chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal instead of meat-and-potatoes, +and fruits instead of dessert. Sad as has been my life in this +wonderful prison, I must admit that no one could live more luxuriously +in the best hotel in the world than I have lived here; but I will be +glad to get into the open air again and see the good old sun and the +silvery moon and the soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed +by the morning dew. Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things +than the glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!"</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little boy who wanted to catch +the measles, because all the little boys in his neighborhood but him +had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he couldn't catch 'em, try +as he would. So I'm pretty certain that the things we want, and can't +have, are not good for us. Isn't that true, Shaggy?"</p> + +<p>"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If we didn't want +anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our +longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go +far wrong."</p> + +<p>"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a dreary +place without the gold and jewels."</p> + +<p>"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; "but we may have too +much of any good thing. And I have noticed that the value of anything +depends upon how scarce it is, and how difficult it is to obtain."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to their +side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother I would like to +return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the Nomes, it is my duty +to look after my restless subjects and see that they behave +themselves."</p> + +<p>So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest to the +other side of the great domed cave, where they had first entered it. +Shaggy and his brother walked side by side and both seemed rejoiced +that they were together after their long separation. Betsy didn't dare +look at the polka dot handkerchief, for fear she would laugh aloud; so +she walked behind the two brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his +left ear.</p> + +<p>When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the outer +world, Queen Ann said, in a hesitating way that was unusual with her:</p> + +<p>"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do I expect to do so; but +I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels before I leave +this place."</p> + +<p>"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the officers of +the Army took advantage of his royal permission and began filling +their pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in a big handkerchief.</p> + +<p>This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes going first +to light the way with their torches. They had not proceeded far when +Betsy exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Why, there are jewels here, too!"</p> + +<p>All eyes were turned upon the ground and they found a regular trail of +jewels strewn along the rock floor.</p> + +<p>"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I must send some of my +nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal Forest, +where they belong. I wonder how they came to be here?"</p> + +<p>All the way along the passage they found this trail of jewels, but +when they neared the end the mystery was explained. For there, +squatted upon the floor with his back to the rock wall, sat old +Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as if he was all tired out. Then they +realized it was he who had scattered the jewels, from his many +pockets, which one by one had burst with the weight of their contents +as he had stumbled along the passage.</p> + +<p>"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep sigh. "I now realize +that I could not have carried such a weighty load very far, even had I +managed to escape from this passage with it. The woman who sewed the +pockets on my robe used poor thread, for which I shall thank her."</p> + +<p>"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>He glanced into some of the remaining pockets.</p> + +<p>"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient to supply my wants, and +I no longer have any desire to be rich. If some of you will kindly +help me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, for I know you +all despise me and prefer my room to my company."</p> + +<p>Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was +confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first +time. The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so startled +Ruggedo that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble, as if he had +seen a ghost.</p> + +<p>"Wh—wh—who is this?" he faltered.</p> + +<p>"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed from a +handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother, in a voice +of stern reproach.</p> + +<p>"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of that mean +trick."</p> + +<p>"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble as +formerly he had been cruel and vindictive.</p> + +<p>"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic and give +the poor man his own face again."</p> + +<p>"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but you must remember that +Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers. However, I +never took the trouble to learn just how to break the charm I cast +over Shaggy's brother, for I intended he should always remain ugly."</p> + +<p>"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote; and, if +you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have known how to +dispel it."</p> + +<p>He shook his head.</p> + +<p>"If I did, I—I've forgotten," he stammered regretfully.</p> + +<p>"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. "Please try to think!"</p> + +<p>Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his chest, +rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group.</p> + +<p>"I've a faint recollection that there was one thing that would break +the charm," said he; "but misfortune has so addled my brain that I +can't remember what it was."</p> + +<p>"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've treated you pretty +well, so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if you know +what's good for yourself you'll think of that charm!"</p> + +<p>"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little girl.</p> + +<p>"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. He's dreadfully ashamed +of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for it. Fact is, +Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life that it won't +hurt you to do a kind act now."</p> + +<p>Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and then tried very hard to +think.</p> + +<p>"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of a kiss +will break the charm of ugliness."</p> + +<p>"What kind of a kiss?"</p> + +<p>"What kind? Why, it was—it was—it was either the kiss of a Mortal +Maid; or—or—the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been a Fairy; +or—or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't remember which. +But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would ever consent to kiss a +person so ugly—so dreadfully, fearfully, terribly ugly—as Shaggy's +brother."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with admirable courage; "I'm a +Mortal Maid, and if it is my kiss that will break this awful charm, +I—I'll do it!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I would be obliged to +remove my mask, and when you saw my face, nothing could induce you to +kiss me, generous as you are."</p> + +<p>"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your face at +all. Here's my plan: You stay in this dark passage, and we'll send +away the nomes with their torches. Then you'll take off the +handkerchief, and I—I'll kiss you."</p> + +<p>"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said Shaggy, gratefully.</p> + +<p>"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; "and, if it makes you +and your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances."</p> + +<p>So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, which they +did by going through the rock opening. Queen Ann and her army also +went out; but the others were so interested in Betsy's experiment that +they remained grouped at the mouth of the passageway. When the big +rock swung into place, closing tight the opening, they were left in +total darkness.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got that +handkerchief off your face, Ugly?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he replied.</p> + +<p>"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms.</p> + +<p>"Here," said he.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to stoop down, you know."</p> + +<p>He found her hands and clasping them in his own stooped until his face +was near to that of the little girl. The others heard a clear, +smacking kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!"</p> + +<p>"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" asked Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or it may not be. I cannot +tell."</p> + +<p>"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy.</p> + +<p>"I have several," said Shaggy.</p> + +<p>"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at your brother's face, +while we all turn our backs. Ruggedo made your brother ugly, so I +guess he can stand the horror of looking at him, if the charm isn't +broken."</p> + +<p>Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it. He gave one +look and then blew out the match.</p> + +<p>"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it wasn't the kiss of a +Mortal Maid, after all."</p> + +<p>"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her sweet voice. "I am a +Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break the +charm."</p> + +<p>Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous to +interfere. So the Rose Princess felt her way through the darkness to +Shaggy's brother and kissed him.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo struck another match, while they all turned away.</p> + +<p>"No," announced the former King; "that didn't break the charm, either. +It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required—or else my memory has +failed me altogether."</p> + +<p>"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't you try?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a merry laugh. "I've +never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I have +existed, but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, whose +unselfish affection for his ugly brother deserves to be rewarded."</p> + +<p>Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped lightly to the side of the +Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips.</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank you—thank you!" he fervently cried. "I've changed, this +time, I know. I can feel it! I'm different. Shaggy—dear Shaggy—I am +myself again!"</p> + +<p>Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring that released the +big rock and it suddenly swung backward and let in a flood of +daylight.</p> + +<p>Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's brother, who, no +longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their gaze with a +glad smile.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing a +long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly One, my +dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, the face that +belongs to you is no more handsome than it ought to be."</p> + +<p>"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at the man +critically.</p> + +<p>"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really +beautiful. You, who never beheld his ugliness, may not understand +that; but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many times, and +I say again that, in comparison with what he was, the man is now +beautiful."</p> + +<p>"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll take your word for it, +Kaliko. And now let us get out of this tunnel and into the world +again."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH23" id="CH23">Chapter Twenty-Three</a></h2> + +<h3>Ruggedo Reforms</h3> + +<p>It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the Nome King, +where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest refreshments the place +afforded.</p> + +<p>Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and while +no one paid any attention to the old King they did not offer any +objection to his presence or command him to leave them. He looked +fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the entrance, but +they had now disappeared; so he crept into the cavern after the others +and humbly squatted down in a corner of the room.</p> + +<p>There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's companions were +now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for his brother, and the +laughter and merriment seemed so general, that Betsy's heart softened +toward the friendless old man who had once been their bitter enemy, +and she carried to him some of the food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes +filled with tears at this unexpected kindness. He took the child's +hand in his own and pressed it gratefully.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's the +use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so he can't +do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so badly to +everybody."</p> + +<p>"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former master.</p> + +<p>"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm +harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top of the +ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any place but +underground."</p> + +<p>"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here as long +as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly again, I shall +drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, and you'll have to +wander."</p> + +<p>"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work being a +King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I am a common +nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life."</p> + +<p>They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo had really +reformed.</p> + +<p>"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if he +gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and Kaliko +will have to 'tend to the old nome himself."</p> + +<p>Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or two. The +lovely Daughter of the Rainbow knew that she had now done all in her +power to assist her earth friends, and so she began to long for her +sky home.</p> + +<p>"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is beginning +to rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and perhaps he has read +my thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I must take a look at the +sky and make sure."</p> + +<p>So she jumped up and ran through the passage to the outer entrance, +and they all followed after her and grouped themselves on a ledge of +the mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had filled the sky and a +slow, drizzling rain had set in.</p> + +<p>"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when it +stops we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to love. +Alas," he continued, after a moment, "the clouds are already breaking +in the west, and—see!—isn't that the Rainbow coming?"</p> + +<p>Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose happy, +smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to take her to +the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of sunshine flooded the +mountain and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared.</p> + +<p>With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and held +out her arms. Straightway the Rainbow descended until its end was at +her very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang upon it and was at +once clasped in the arms of her radiant sisters, the Daughters of the +Rainbow. But Polychrome released herself to lean over the edge of the +glowing arch and nod, and smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late +comrades.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted "Good-bye!" in return and +waved their hands to their pretty friend.</p> + +<p>Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted into the sky, until the +eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting across +the blue.</p> + +<p>"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who felt like +crying; "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier with her sisters +in the sky palaces."</p> + +<p>"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. "It's her home, you +know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no home, can +realize what that means to her."</p> + +<p>"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, I've only—only—dear +old Hank!"</p> + +<p>She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not human, and he +said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her mood. And the +shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's head tenderly and +said: "You're wrong about that, Betsy, dear. I will never desert you."</p> + +<p>"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest tones.</p> + +<p>The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled +through their tears.</p> + +<p>"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so let's go back into the +cavern."</p> + +<p>Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and would miss her, they +reentered the dominions of the Nome King.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH24" id="CH24">Chapter Twenty-Four</a></h2> + + +<h3>Dorothy is Delighted</h3> + +<p>"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated in Kaliko's royal +cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next. If I could find my way back +to Oogaboo I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick and tired of +these dreadful hardships."</p> + +<p>"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The world +is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with my own +people in Oogaboo. I wish—Oh, how earnestly I wish—that I was back +there this minute!"</p> + +<p>"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone.</p> + +<p>Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land of Oz +the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures of her +Shaggy Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. Day by day +Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside her, had gazed +upon a Magic Picture in a radium frame, which occupied one side of the +Ruler's cosy boudoir in the palace of the Emerald City. The singular +thing about this Magic Picture was that it showed whatever scene Ozma +wished to see, with the figures all in motion, just as it was taking +place. So Ozma and the Wizard had watched every action of the +adventurers from the time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in +the Rose Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of +Ozma, had been exiled by her heartless subjects.</p> + +<p>When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to Oogaboo, Ozma +was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was a corner of the +Land of Oz. She turned to her attendant and asked:</p> + +<p>"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, +Wizard?"</p> + +<p>"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard.</p> + +<p>"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided effort to +conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity of the +undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented in her own +little Kingdom. Please send her there, Wizard, and with her the +officers and Files."</p> + +<p>"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard.</p> + +<p>"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. "They have become +such good friends that I am sure it would make them unhappy to +separate them."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery whatever +he performed a magical rite that was simple and effective. Therefore +those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both startled and amazed +when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly disappeared from the room, and +with them the Rose Princess. At first they could not understand it at +all; but presently Shaggy suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma +was now taking an interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny +instrument which he placed against his ear.</p> + +<p>Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught up a +similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to her own ear. +The two instruments recorded the same delicate vibrations of sound and +formed a wireless telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those +separated by any distance were thus enabled to converse together with +perfect ease and without any wire connection.</p> + +<p>"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Your Highness," he replied.</p> + +<p>"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little valley," +announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their disappearance."</p> + +<p>"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must +permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have +found my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the +enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has +served me and my comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, and +I hope you will now transport the Clockwork Man back to your fairyland +of Oz."</p> + +<p>"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, Shaggy?"</p> + +<p>"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others forces +me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take care of my +new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade in a dear +little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home to go to, and no other +friends but me and a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy +never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, and so I must give +up the delights of the Land of Oz forever."</p> + +<p>He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but laid +the tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all further +communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz still +watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful expression upon her face, +and the little Wizard of Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself.</p> + +<p>In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless telephone +in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful a voice as he +could muster:</p> + +<p>"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face. "I'm kind +of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and now that +Queen Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is gone, and—dear +me!—where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?"</p> + +<p>"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the cavern and +nodding wisely. "By this time he is in Ozma's palace in the Land of +Oz, which is his home."</p> + +<p>"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy.</p> + +<p>"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is wherever you and my +brother are. We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick together I am +sure we shall have a good time."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy, underground +cavern and go in search of new adventures. I'm sure it has stopped +raining."</p> + +<p>"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, +and thanked him for his assistance, and went out to the mouth of the +passage.</p> + +<p>The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color; the sun shone +brightly and even this rugged, rocky country seemed delightful after +their confinement underground. There were but four of them now—Betsy +and Hank, and Shaggy and his brother—and the little party made their +way down the mountain and followed a faint path that led toward the +southwest.</p> + +<p>During this time Ozma had been holding a conference with the Wizard, +and later with Tik-Tok, whom the magic of the Wizard had quickly +transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only words of praise for +Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as Dor-o-thy +her-self."</p> + +<p>"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite maid, +who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request Princess Dorothy +to attend her at once. So a few moments later Dorothy entered Ozma's +room and greeted her and the Wizard and Tik-Tok with the same gentle +smile and simple manner that had won for the little girl the love of +everyone she met.</p> + +<p>"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice."</p> + +<p>"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll do the +best I can. What is it all about, Ozma?"</p> + +<p>"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three friends, +"what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into this fairyland +of Oz. It is true I have invited several mortals to make their home +here, and all of them have proved true and loyal subjects. Indeed, no +one of you three was a native of Oz. Dorothy and the Wizard came here +from the United States, and Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev. But of +course he is not a mortal. Shaggy is another American, and he is the +cause of all my worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and +desert the new friends he has found in his recent adventures, because +he believes they need his services."</p> + +<p>"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy. "But who are +these new friends he has found?"</p> + +<p>"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of the +Nome King, our old enemy Ruggedo. This brother seems a kindly, honest +fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to a home in the Land +of Oz."</p> + +<p>"Who else?" asked Dorothy.</p> + +<p>"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was +shipwrecked—in much the same way you once were—and has since been +following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother. You +remember her, do you not?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often watched her and Hank in the +Magic Picture, you know. She's a dear little girl, and old Hank is a +darling! Where are they now?"</p> + +<p>"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, with +Shaggy and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a barren +country.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that they're a good way from any +place to sleep, or any nice things to eat."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in that coun-try, and it +is a wil-der-ness."</p> + +<p>"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are so +mischievous that no one cares to live near them. I'm afraid Shaggy and +his friends will endure many hardships before they get out of that +rocky place, unless—"</p> + +<p>He turned to Ozma and smiled.</p> + +<p>"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, your Highness."</p> + +<p>"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy.</p> + +<p>"I think so," said the Wizard.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned, I'd +like to have them here in Oz. It would be such fun to have a girl +playmate of my own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear little mule!"</p> + +<p>Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and then +she drew Dorothy to her and kissed her.</p> + +<p>"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Dorothy flushed.</p> + +<p>"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she cried. "But you're so busy +ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't always be together."</p> + +<p>"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it would +be a delight to us all to have Betsy with us. There's a pretty suite +of rooms just opposite your own where she can live, and I'll build a +golden stall for Hank in the stable where the Sawhorse lives. Then +we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, +and I'm sure they will soon become firm friends. But I cannot very +well admit Betsy and Hank into Oz unless I also admit Shaggy's +brother."</p> + +<p>"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor +Shaggy, whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard.</p> + +<p>"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok.</p> + +<p>"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress," +explained Ozma. "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but his +brother has no claim on me."</p> + +<p>"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy.</p> + +<p>"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma.</p> + +<p>"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, Wizard?"</p> + +<p>"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all."</p> + +<p>"And you, Tik-Tok?"</p> + +<p>"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare Shag-gy."</p> + +<p>"So, then; the question is settled," decided Ozma. "Perform your +magic, Wizard!"</p> + +<p>He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and pouring +upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was contained in +a crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult incantation which +the sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, and it all ended in a +puff of perfumed smoke from the silver plate. This smoke was so +pungent that it made both Ozma and Dorothy rub their eyes for a +moment.</p> + +<p>"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the Wizard. "I assure +you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry."</p> + +<p>"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture; "they're gone! +All of them are gone."</p> + +<p>Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as before, but +the three people and the mule had disappeared from it.</p> + +<p>"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate and +wrapping it in a fine cloth, "because they are here."</p> + +<p>At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room.</p> + +<p>"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another man are +in the waiting room and ask to pay their respects to you. Shaggy is +crying like a baby, but he says they are tears of joy."</p> + +<p>"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma.</p> + +<p>"Also," continued the maid, "a girl and a small-sized mule have +mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are or +how they came here. Shall I send them here, too?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her chair; "I'll +go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful strange in this big +palace."</p> + +<p>And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new friend, +Betsy Bobbin.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2><a name="CH25" id="CH25">Chapter Twenty-Five</a></h2> + +<h3>The Land of Love</h3> + + +<p>"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the Sawhorse, +as he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly wagged the branch +that served him for a tail.</p> + +<p>They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of Ozma's palace, where +the wooden Sawhorse—very much alive—lived in a gold-paneled stall, +and where there were rooms for the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, +which were filled with soft cushions for them to lie upon and golden +troughs for them to eat from.</p> + +<p>Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for Hank, the +mule. This was not quite so beautiful as the other, for the Sawhorse +was Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of cushions for a bed +(which the Sawhorse did not need because he never slept) and all this +luxury was so strange to the little mule that he could only stand +still and regard his surroundings and his queer companions with wonder +and amazement.</p> + +<p>The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out upon the +marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and critical gaze, +while near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who seemed equally +interested in the new animal that had just arrived. The Sawhorse, +standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his question:</p> + +<p>"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?"</p> + +<p>Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner.</p> + +<p>"I have never said anything else, until now," he replied; and then he +began to tremble with fright to hear himself talk.</p> + +<p>"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his great +head with a swaying motion. "Strange things happen in this Land of Oz, +as they do everywhere else. I believe you came here from the cold, +civilized, outside world, did you not?"</p> + +<p>"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside of Oz—and the next +minute I was inside! That was enough to give me a nervous shock, as +you may guess; but to find myself able to talk, as Betsy does, is a +marvel that staggers me."</p> + +<p>"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the Sawhorse. "All +animals talk, in this favored country, and you must admit it is more +sociable than to bray your dreadful 'hee-haw,' which nobody can +understand."</p> + +<p>"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank.</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in your outside world," +said the Tiger, yawning sleepily.</p> + +<p>"There are a great many in America," said Hank. "Are you the only +Tiger in Oz?"</p> + +<p>"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in the +Jungle Country; but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald City."</p> + +<p>"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; "but I am the only +horse, of any description, in this favored Land."</p> + +<p>"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger. "You must +understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because he is +shod with plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +likes to ride upon his back."</p> + +<p>"Betsy rides upon my back," declared Hank proudly.</p> + +<p>"Who is Betsy?"</p> + +<p>"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!"</p> + +<p>The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet. The +Tiger crouched and growled. Slowly the great Lion rose to his feet, +his mane bristling.</p> + +<p>"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in judgment or you +are willfully trying to deceive us. The dearest, sweetest girl in the +world is our Dorothy, and I will fight anyone—animal or human—who +dares to deny it!"</p> + +<p>"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous white +teeth.</p> + +<p>"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn. "No +girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!"</p> + +<p>Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the others. Then +he said stubbornly:</p> + +<p>"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I admit there can be a +sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin. If you want to fight, come +on—I'm ready for you!"</p> + +<p>While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry peal of +laughter startled the animals and turning their heads they beheld +three lovely girls standing just within the richly carved entrance to +the stable. In the center was Ozma, her arms encircling the waists of +Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either side of her. Ozma was nearly +half a head taller than the two other girls, who were almost of one +size. Unobserved, they had listened to the talk of the animals, which +was a very strange experience indeed to little Betsy Bobbin.</p> + +<p>"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, in a gentle but +chiding voice. "Why should you fight to defend us, who are all three +loving friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she continued, as +they bowed their heads sheepishly.</p> + +<p>"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," pleaded the +Lion.</p> + +<p>"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am glad you and the Hungry +Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and companion. +Also I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for together we have +endured both joy and sorrow. Hank has proved his faith and loyalty by +defending his own little mistress; and so you are all right in one +way, but wrong in another. Our Land of Oz is a Land of Love, and here +friendship outranks every other quality. Unless you can all be +friends, you cannot retain our love."</p> + +<p>They accepted this rebuke very meekly.</p> + +<p>"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite cheerfully; "shake hoofs, friend +Mule."</p> + +<p>Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden horse.</p> + +<p>"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger. So Hank modestly +rubbed noses with the big beast.</p> + +<p>The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the mule:</p> + +<p>"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the +Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover your case. If ever you need help or +advice, friend Hank, call on me."</p> + +<p>"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to see them +so fully reconciled. Then she turned to her companions: "Come, my +dears, let us resume our walk."</p> + +<p>As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly:</p> + +<p>"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?"</p> + +<p>"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a Yellow Hen here, and she +can talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten upstairs +in my room who talks very nicely; but I've a little fuzzy black dog, +named Toto, who has been with me in Oz a long time, and he's never +said a single word but 'Bow-wow!'"</p> + +<p>"Do you know why?" asked Ozma.</p> + +<p>"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's different from these fairy +animals," replied Dorothy.</p> + +<p>"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, "yet as +soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found he could +talk. It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen whom you +brought here at one time. The same spell has affected Toto, I assure +you; but he's a wise little dog and while he knows everything that is +said to him he prefers not to talk."</p> + +<p>"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never s'pected Toto was fooling +me all this time." Then she drew a small silver whistle from her +pocket and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later there was a +sound of scurrying footsteps, and a shaggy black dog came running up +the path.</p> + +<p>Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her finger just above his +nose she said:</p> + +<p>"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?"</p> + +<p>Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes and wagged his tail.</p> + +<p>"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as well as +Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the tone of +Toto's voice.</p> + +<p>"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would you like it, Toto, if +I said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?"</p> + +<p>Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but otherwise he was silent.</p> + +<p>"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and his tail +just as well as we can. Don't you understand such dog language?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's got to be more +sociable. See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog, "I've +just learned, for the first time, that you can say words—if you want +to. Don't you want to, Toto?"</p> + +<p>"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant "no."</p> + +<p>"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as any other animal in Oz?"</p> + +<p>"Woof!"</p> + +<p>"Just one word, Toto—and then you may run away."</p> + +<p>He looked at her steadily a moment.</p> + +<p>"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away as swift as an arrow.</p> + +<p>Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while Betsy and Ozma both +laughed heartily at her pleasure and the success of her experiment. +Arm in arm they sauntered away through the beautiful gardens of the +palace, where magnificent flowers bloomed in abundance and fountains +shot their silvery sprays far into the air. And by and by, as they +turned a corner, they came upon Shaggy Man and his brother, who were +seated together upon a golden bench.</p> + +<p>The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached them.</p> + +<p>"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma asked the stranger.</p> + +<p>"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother. "Also +I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this delightful +place."</p> + +<p>"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. "Being his brother, I +have made you welcome here."</p> + +<p>"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will be +glad he has become one of your loyal subjects. I am just getting +acquainted with him myself and I find much in his character to +admire."</p> + +<p>Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk. +Presently Betsy exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz as I am. Do you know, +Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl could ever have such a good +time—anywhere—as I'm having now?"</p> + +<p>"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way myself, lots of +times."</p> + +<p>"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every little girl in the +world could live in the Land of Oz; and every little boy, too!"</p> + +<p>Ozma laughed at this.</p> + +<p>"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your wish cannot be +granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and boys would crowd +us so that we would have to move away."</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I guess that's true."</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3>The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum</h3> + + +<p> <br /> +<b>THE WIZARD OF OZ <br /> +THE LAND OF OZ <br /> +OZMA OF OZ <br /> +DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ <br /> +THE ROAD TO OZ <br /> +THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ <br /> +THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ <br /> +TIK-TOK OF OZ <br /> +THE SCARECROW OF OZ <br /> +RINKITINK IN OZ <br /> +THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ <br /> +THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ <br /> +THE MAGIC OF OZ <br /> +GLINDA OF OZ</b></p> + + +<pre> + + + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. 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