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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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