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diff --git a/old/08woz10h.htm b/old/08woz10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..acc3c75 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/08woz10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6898 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Tik-Tok of Oz</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<p>*****The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz by +Baum****** #8 in the L. Frank Baum's Wonderful World Of Oz Series +We are now naming the files as they are numbered in the +books-i.e. This is #8 in the series so the file name is +08wozxxx.xxx, where the x's are place holders for editon # and +file type such as 08woz10.txt and 08woz10.zip, when we do a .htm, +08woz10h.htm<br> +</p> + +<p>Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to +check the copyright laws for your country before posting these +files!!<br> +</p> + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. +<br> +<p>**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic +Texts**<br> +</p> + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** +<br> +<p>*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and +Donations*<br> +</p> + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you don't derive profits, no +royalty is due. Royalties are payable to "Project Gutenberg +Association/Carnegie-Mellon University" within the 60 days +following each date you prepare (or were legally required to +prepare) your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. <br> +<p>WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution you +can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University".<br> +</p> + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1>TIK-TOK OF OZ</h1> +<br><br> +<h2>by L. FRANK BAUM</h2> +<br><br><br> + <br> + +<p>To Louis F. Gottschalk, Whose sweet and dainty melodies +breathe the true spirit of fairyland, this book is affectionately +dedicated<br> +</p> + +<h2 id="ref_1">To My Readers<br> +</h2> + +<p>The very marked success of my last year's fairy book, "The +Patchwork Girl of Oz," convinces me that my readers like the Oz +stories "best of all," as one little girl wrote me. So here, my +dears, is a new Oz story in which is introduced Ann Soforth, the +Queen of Oogahoo, whom Tik-Tok assisted in conquering our old +acquaintance, the Nome Kin. It also tells of Betsy Bobin and how, +after many adventures, she finally reached the marvelous Land of +Oz.<br> +</p> + +There is a play called "The Tik-Tok Man of Oz," hut it is not +like this story of "Tik-Tok of Oz," although some of the +adventures recorded in this book, as well as those in several +other Oz hooks, are included in the play. Those who have seen the +play and those who have read the other Oz hooks will find in this +story a lot of strange characters and adventures that they have +never heard of before. <br> +<p>In the letters I receive from children there has been an +urgent appeal for me to write a story that will take Trot and +Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz, where they will meet Dorothy and +Ozma. Also they think Button-Bright ought to get acquainted with +Ojo the Lucky. As you know, I am obliged to talk these matters +over with Dorothy by means of the "wireless," for that is the +only way I can communicate with the Land of Oz. When I asked her +about this idea, she replied: "Why, haven't you heard?" I said +"No." "Well," came the message over the wireless, "I'll tell you +all about it, by and by, and then you can make a hook of that +story for the children to read."<br> +</p> + +So, if Dorothy keeps her word and I am permitted to write another +Oz hook, you will probably discover how all these characters came +together in the famous Emerald City. Meantime, I want to tell all +my little friends--whose numbers are increasing by many thousands +every year--that I am very grateful for the favor they have shown +my hooks and for the delightful little letters I am constantly +receiving. I am almost sure that I have as many friends among the +children of America as any story writer alive; and this, of +course, makes me very proud and happy. <br> +<p>L. Frank Baum.<br> +</p> + +"OZCOT" at HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA, 1914. <br> +<p><br> +</p> +<br><br> +<h1>TIK-TOK of OZ</h1> + + <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_2">Chapter One</h1> + +<br> +<p>Ann's Army<br> +</p> + +"I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor. It is beneath my +dignity." <br> +<p>"Some one must sweep it," replied Ann's younger sister, Salye; +"else we shall soon he wading in dust. And you are the eldest, +and the head of the family."<br> +</p> + +"I'm Queen of Oogaboo," said Ann, proudly. "But," she added with +a sigh, "my kingdom is the smallest and the poorest in all the +Land of Oz." <br> +<p>This was quite true. Away up in the mountains, in a far corner +of the beautiful fairyland of Oz, lies a small valley which is +named Oogaboo, and in this valley lived a few people who were +usually happy and contented and never cared to wander over the +mountain pass into the more settled parts of the land. They knew +that all of Oz, including their own territory, was ruled by a +beautiful Princess named Ozma, who lived in the splendid Emerald +City; yet the simple folk of Oogaboo never visited Ozma. They had +a royal family of their own--not especially to rule over them, +but just as a matter of pride. Ozma permitted the various parts +of her country to have their Kings and Queens and Emperors and +the like, but all were ruled over by the lovely girl Queen of the +Emerald City.<br> +</p> + +The King of Oogaboo used to he a man named Jol Jemkiph Soforth, +who for many years did all the drudgery of deciding disputes and +telling his people when to plant cabbages and pickle onions. But +the King's wife had a sharp tongue and small respect for the +King, her husband; therefore one night King Jol crept over the +pass into the Land of Oz and disappeared from Oogaboo for good +and all. The Queen waited a few years for him to return and then +started in search of him, leaving her eldest daughter, Ann +Soforth, to act as Queen. <br> +<p>Now, Ann had not forgotten when her birthday came, for that +meant a party and feasting and dancing, but she had quite +forgotten how many years the birthdays marked. In a land where +people live always, this is not considered a cause for regret, so +we may justly say that Queen Ann of Oogaboo was old enough to +make jelly--and let it go at that.<br> +</p> + +But she didn't make jelly, or do any more of the housework than +she could help. She was an ambitious woman and constantly +resented the fact that her kingdom was so tiny and her people so +stupid and unenterprising. Often she wondered what had become of +her father and mother, out beyond the pass, in the wonderful Land +of Oz, and the fact that they did not return to Oogaboo led Ann +to suspect that they bad found a better place to live. So, when +Salye refused to sweep the floor of the living room in the +palace, and Ann would not sweep it, either, she said to her +sister: <br> +<p>"I'm going away. This absurd Kingdom of Oogaboo tires me."<br> +</p> + +"Go, if you want to," answered Salye; "but you are very foolish +to leave this place." <br> +<p>"Why?" asked Ann.<br> +</p> + +"Because in the Land of Oz, which is Ozma's country, you will be +a nobody, while here you are a Queen." <br> +<p>"Oh, yes! Queen over eighteen men, twenty-seven women and +forty-four children!" returned Ann bitterly.<br> +</p> + +"Well, there are certainly more people than that in the great +Land of Oz," laughed Salye. "Why don't you raise an army and +conquer them, and be Queen of all Oz?" she asked, trying to taunt +Ann and so to anger her. Then she made a face at her sister and +went into the back yard to swing in the hammock. <br> +<p>Her jeering words, however, had given Queen Ann an idea. She +reflected that Oz was reported to be a peaceful country and Ozma +a mere girl who ruled with gentleness to all and was obeyed +because her people loved her. Even in Oogaboo the story was told +that Ozma's sole army consisted of twentyseven fine officers, who +wore beautiful uniforms but carried no weapons, because there was +no one to fight. Once there had been a private soldier, besides +the officers, but Ozma had made him a Captain-General and taken +away his gun for fear it might accidentally hurt some one.<br> +</p> + +The more Ann thought about the matter the more she was convinced +it would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as +Ruler in Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with. +Afterward she could go out into the world and conquer other +lands, and then perhaps she could find a way to the moon, and +conquer that. She had a warlike spirit that preferred trouble to +idleness. <br> +<p>It all depended on an Army, Ann decided. She carefully counted +in her mind all the men of her kingdom. Yes; there were exactly +eighteen of them, all told. That would not make a very big Army, +but by surprising Ozma's unarmed officers her men might easily +subdue them. "Gentle people are always afraid of those that +bluster," Ann told herself. "I don't wish to shed any blood, for +that would shock my nerves and I might faint; but if we threaten +and flash our weapons I am sure the people of Oz will fall upon +their knees before me and surrender."<br> +</p> + +This argument, which she repeated to herself more than once, +finally determined the Queen of Oogaboo to undertake the +audacious venture. <br> +<p>"Whatever happens," she reflected, "can make me no more +unhappy than my staying shut up in this miserable valley and +sweeping floors and quarreling with Sister Salye; so I will +venture all, and win what I may."<br> +</p> + +That very day she started out to organize her Army. <br> +<p>The first man she came to was Jo Apple, so called because he +had an apple orchard.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I want you +to join my Army." <br> +<p>"Don't ask me to do such a fool thing, for I must politely +refuse Your Majesty," said Jo Apple."<br> +</p> + +"I have no intention of asking you. I shall command you, as Queen +of Oogaboo, to join," said Ann. <br> +<p>"In that case, I suppose I must obey," the man remarked, in a +sad voice. "But I pray you to consider that I am a very important +citizen, and for that reason am entitled to an office of high +rank."<br> +</p> + +"You shall be a General," promised Ann. <br> +<p>"With gold epaulets and a sword?" he asked.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said the Queen. <br> +<p>Then she went to the next man, whose name was Jo Bunn, as he +owned an orchard where graham-buns and wheat-buns, in great +variety, both hot and cold, grew on the trees.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and I command +you to join my Army." <br> +<p>"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "The bun crop has to be +picked."<br> +</p> + +"Let your wife and children do the picking," said Ann. <br> +<p>"But I'm a man of great importance, Your Majesty," he +protested.<br> +</p> + +"For that reason you shall be one of my Generals, and wear a +cocked hat with gold braid, and curl your mustaches and clank a +long sword," she promised. <br> +<p>So he consented, although sorely against his will, and the +Queen walked on to the next cottage. Here lived Jo Cone, so +called because the trees in his orchard bore crops of excellent +ice-cream cones.<br> +</p> + +"Jo," said Ann, "I am going to conquer the world, and you must +join my Army." <br> +<p>"Excuse me, please," said Jo Cone. "I am a bad fighter. My +good wife conquered me years ago, for she can fight better than +I. Take her, Your Majesty, instead of me, and I'll bless you for +the favor."<br> +</p> + +"This must be an army of men-fierce, ferocious warriors," +declared Ann, looking sternly upon the mild little man. <br> +<p>"And you will leave my wife here in Oogaboo?" he asked.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; and make you a General." <br> +<p>"I'll go," said Jo Cone, and Ann went on to the cottage of Jo +Clock, who had an orchard of clock-trees. This man at first +insisted that he would not join the army, but Queen Ann's promise +to make him a General finally won his consent.<br> +</p> + +"How many Generals are there in your army?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Four, so far," replied Ann.<br> +</p> + +"And how big will the army he?" was his next question. <br> +<p>"I intend to make every one of the eighteen men in Oogaboo +join it," she said.<br> +</p> + +"Then four Generals are enough," announced Jo Clock. "I advise +you to make the rest of them Colonels." <br> +<p>Ann tried to follow his advice. The next four men she +visited--who were Jo Plum, Jo Egg, Jo Banjo and Jo Cheese, named +after the trees in their orchards--she made Colonels of her Army; +but the fifth one, Jo Nails, said Colonels and Generals were +getting to be altogether too common in the Army of Oogaboo and he +preferred to be a Major. So Jo Nails, Jo Cake, Jo Ham and Jo +Stockings were all four made Majors, while the next four--Jo +Sandwich, Jo Padlocks, Jo Sundae and Jo Buttons--were appointed +Captains of the Army.<br> +</p> + +But now Queen Ann was in a quandary. There remained but two other +men in all Oogaboo, and if she made these two Lieutenants, while +there were four Captains, four Majors, four Colonels and four +Generals, there was likely to be jealousy in her army, and +perhaps mutiny and desertions. <br> +<p>One of these men, however, was Jo Candy, and he would not go +at all. No promises could tempt him, nor could threats move him. +He said he must remain at home to harvest his crop of +jackson-balls, lemon-drops, bonbons and chocolate-creams. Also he +had large fields of cracker-jack and buttered popcorn to be mowed +and threshed, and he was determined not to disappoint the +children of Oogaboo by going away to conquer the world and so let +the candy crop spoil.<br> +</p> + +Finding Jo Candy so obstinate, Queen Ann let him have his own way +and continued her journey to the house of the eighteenth and last +man in Oogaboo, who was a young fellow named Jo Files. This Files +had twelve trees which bore steel files of various sorts; but +also he had nine book-trees, on which grew a choice selection of +story-books. In case you have never seen books growing upon +trees, I will explain that those in Jo Files' orchard were +enclosed in broad green husks which, when fully ripe, turned to a +deep red color. Then the books were picked and husked and were +ready to read. If they were picked too soon, the stories were +found to be confused and uninteresting and the spelling bad. +However, if allowed to ripen perfectly, the stories were fine +reading and the spelling and grammar excellent. <br> +<p>Files freely gave his books to all who wanted them, but the +people of Oogaboo cared little for books and so he had to read +most of them himself, before they spoiled. For, as you probably +know, as soon as the books were read the words disappeared and +the leaves withered and faded--which is the worst fault of all +books which grow upon trees.<br> +</p> + +When Queen Ann spoke to this young man Files, who was both +intelligent and ambitious, he said he thought it would be great +fun to conquer the world. But he called her attention to the fact +that he was far superior to the other men of her army. Therefore, +he would not be one of her Generals or Colonels or Majors or +Captains, but claimed the honor of being sole Private. <br> +<p>Ann did not like this idea at all.<br> +</p> + +"I hate to have a Private Soldier in my army, she said; "they're +so common. I am told that Princess Ozma once had a private +soldier, but she made him her Captain-General, which is good +evidence that the private was unnecessary. <br> +<p>"Ozma's army doesn't fight," returned Files; "but your army +must fight like fury in order to conquer the world. I have read +in my books that it is always the private soldiers who do the +fighting, for no officer is ever brave enough to face the foe. +Also, it stands to reason that your officers must have some one +to command and to issue their orders to; therefore I'll be the +one. I long to slash and slay the enemy and become a hero. Then, +when we return to Oogaboo, I'll take all the marbles away from +the children and melt them up and make a marble statue of myself +for all to look upon and admire."<br> +</p> + +Ann was much pleased with Private Files. He seemed indeed to be +such a warrior as she needed in her enterprise, and her hopes of +success took a sudden bound when Files told her he knew where a +gun-tree grew and would go there at once and pick the ripest and +biggest musket the tree bore. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_3">Chapter Two</h1> + +<br> +<p>Out of Oogaboo<br> +</p> + +Three days later the Grand Army of Oogaboo assembled in the +square in front of the royal palace. The sixteen officers were +attired in gorgeous uniforms and carried sharp, glittering +swords. The Private had picked his gun and, although it was not a +very big weapon, Files tried to look fierce and succeeded so well +that all his commanding officers were secretly afraid of him. +<br> +<p>The women were there, protesting that Queen Ann Soforth bad no +right to take their husbands and fathers from them; but Ann +commanded them to keep silent, and that was the hardest order to +obey they had ever received.<br> +</p> + +The Queen appeared before her Army dressed in an imposing uniform +of green, covered with gold braid. She wore a green soldier-cap +with a purple plume in it and looked so royal and dignified that +everyone in Oogaboo except the Army was glad she was going. The +Army was sorry she was not going alone. <br> +<p>"Form ranks!" she cried in her shrill voice.<br> +</p> + +Salye leaned out of the palace window and laughed. <br> +<p>"I believe your Army can run better than it can fight," she +observed.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," replied General Bunn, proudly. "We're not looking +for trouble, you know, but for plunder. The more plunder and the +less fighting we get, the better we shall like our work." <br> +<p>"For my part," said Files, "I prefer war and carnage to +anything. The only way to become a hero is to conquer, and the +story-books all say that the easiest way to conquer is to +fight."<br> +</p> + +"That's the idea, my brave man!" agreed Ann. "To fight is to +conquer and to conquer is to secure plunder and to secure plunder +is to become a hero. With such noble determination to back me, +the world is mine! Good-bye, Salye. When we return we shall be +rich and famous. Come, Generals; let us march." <br> +<p>At this the Generals straightened up and threw out their +chests. Then they swung their glittering swords in rapid circles +and cried to the Colonels:<br> +</p> + +"For-ward March!" <br> +<p>Then the Colonels shouted to the Majors: "Forward March!" and +the Majors yelled to the Captains: "For-ward March!" and the +Captains screamed to the Private:<br> +</p> + +"For-ward March!" <br> +<p>So Files shouldered his gun and began to march, and all the +officers followed after him. Queen Ann came last of all, +rejoicing in her noble army and wondering why she had not decided +long ago to conquer the world.<br> +</p> + +In this order the procession marched out of Oogaboo and took the +narrow mountain pass which led into the lovely Fairyland of Oz. +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_4">Chapter Three</h1> + +<br> +<p>Magic Mystifies the Marchers<br> +</p> + +Princess Ozma was all unaware that the Army of Oogaboo, led by +their ambitious Queen, was determined to conquer her Kingdom. The +beautiful girl Ruler of Oz was busy with the welfare of her +subjects and had no time to think of Ann Soforth and her disloyal +plans. But there was one who constantly guarded the peace and +happiness of the Land of Oz and this was the Official Sorceress +of the Kingdom, Glinda the Good. <br> +<p>In her magnificent castle, which stands far north of the +Emerald City where Ozma holds her court, Glinda owns a wonderful +magic Record Book, in which is printed every event that takes +place anywhere, just as soon as it happens.<br> +</p> + +The smallest things and the biggest things are all recorded in +this book. If a child stamps its foot in anger, Glinda reads +about it; if a city burns down, Glinda finds the fact noted in +her book. <br> +<p>The Sorceress always reads her Record Book every day, and so +it was she knew that Ann Soforth, Queen of Oogaboo, had foolishly +assembled an army of sixteen officers and one private soldier, +with which she intended to invade and conquer the Land of Or.<br> +</p> + +There was no danger but that Ozma, supported by the magic arts of +Glinda the Good and the powerful Wizard of Oz--both her firm +friends--could easily defeat a far more imposing army than Ann's; +but it would be a shame to have the peace of Oz interrupted by +any sort of quarreling or fighting. So Glinda did not even +mention the matter to Ozma, or to anyone else. She merely went +into a great chamber of her castle, known as the Magic Room, +where she performed a magical ceremony which caused the mountain +pass that led from Oogaboo to make several turns and twists. The +result was that when Ann and her army came to the end of the pass +they were not in the Land of Oz at all, but in an adjoining +territory that was quite distinct from Ozma's domain and +separated from Oz by an invisible barrier. <br> +<p>As the Oogaboo people emerged into this country, the pass they +had traversed disappeared behind them and it was not likely they +would ever find their way back into the valley of Oogaboo. They +were greatly puzzled, indeed, by their surroundings and did not +know which way to go. None of them had ever visited Oz, so it +took them some time to discover they were not in Oz at all, but +in an unknown country.<br> +</p> + +"Never mind," said Ann, trying to conceal her disappointment; "we +have started out to conquer the world, and here is part of it. In +time, as we pursue our victorious journey, we will doubtless come +to Oz; but, until we get there, we may as well conquer whatever +land we find ourselves in." <br> +<p>"Have we conquered this place, Your Majesty?" anxiously +inquired Major Cake.<br> +</p> + +"Most certainly," said Ann. "We have met no people, as yet, but +when we do, we will inform them that they are our slaves." <br> +<p>"And afterward we will plunder them of all their possessions," +added General Apple.<br> +</p> + +"They may not possess anything," objected Private Files; "but I +hope they will fight us, just the same. A peaceful conquest +wouldn't be any fun at all." <br> +<p>"Don't worry," said the Queen. "We can fight, whether our foes +do or not; and perhaps we would find it more comfortable to have +the enemy surrender promptly."<br> +</p> + +It was a barren country and not very pleasant to travel in. +Moreover, there was little for them to eat, and as the officers +became hungry they became fretful. Many would have deserted had +they been able to find their way home, but as the Oogaboo people +were now hopelessly lost in a strange country they considered it +more safe to keep together than to separate. <br> +<p>Queen Ann's temper, never very agreeable, became sharp and +irritable as she and her army tramped over the rocky roads +without encountering either people or plunder. She scolded her +officers until they became surly, and a few of them were disloyal +enough to ask her to hold her tongue. Others began to reproach +her for leading them into difficulties and in the space of three +unhappy days every man was mourning for his orchard in the pretty +valley of Oogaboo.<br> +</p> + +Files, however, proved a different sort. The more difficulties he +encountered the more cheerful he became, and the sighs of the +officers were answered by the merry whistle of the Private. His +pleasant disposition did much to encourage Queen Ann and before +long she consulted the Private Soldier more often than she did +his superiors. <br> +<p>It was on the third day of their pilgrimage that they +encountered their first adventure. Toward evening the sky was +suddenly darkened and Major Nails exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"A fog is coming toward us." <br> +<p>"I do not think it is a fog," replied Files, looking with +interest at the approaching cloud. "It seems to me more like the +breath of a Rak."<br> +</p> + +"What is a Rak?" asked Ann, looking about fearfully. <br> +<p>"A terrible beast with a horrible appetite," answered the +soldier, growing a little paler than usual. "I have never seen a +Rak, to be sure, but I have read of them in the story-books that +grew in my orchard, and if this is indeed one of those fearful +monsters, we are not likely to conquer the world."<br> +</p> + +Hearing this, the officers became quite worried and gathered +closer about their soldier. <br> +<p>"What is the thing like?" asked one.<br> +</p> + +"The only picture of a Rak that I ever saw in a book was rather +blurred," said Files, "because the book was not quite ripe when +it was picked. But the creature can fly in the air and run like a +deer and swim like a fish. Inside its body is a glowing furnace +of fire, and the Rak breathes in air and breathes out smoke, +which darkens the sky for miles around, wherever it goes. It is +bigger than a hundred men and feeds on any living thing." <br> +<p>The officers now began to groan and to tremble, but Files +tried to cheer them, saying:<br> +</p> + +"It may not be a Rak, after all, that we see approaching us, and +you must not forget that we people of Oogaboo, which is part of +the fairyland of Oz, cannot be killed." <br> +<p>"Nevertheless," said Captain Buttons, "if the Rak catches us, +and chews us up into small pieces, and swallows us--what will +happen then?"<br> +</p> + +"Then each small piece will still be alive," declared Files. <br> +<p>"I cannot see how that would help us," wailed Colonel Banjo. +"A hamburger steak is a hamburger steak, whether it is alive or +not!"<br> +</p> + +"I tell you, this may not be a Rak," persisted Files. "We will +know, when the cloud gets nearer, whether it is the breath of a +Rak or not. If it has no smell at all, it is probably a fog; but +If it has an odor of salt and pepper, it is a Rak and we must +prepare for a desperate fight." <br> +<p>They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached +the frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose +sniffed the cloud --and every one detected in it the odor of salt +and pepper.<br> +</p> + +"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the +sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in +anguish. Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more +bravely, although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he +calmly loaded his gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a +soldier should. <br> +<p>They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which +covered the sky and the setting sun was black as ink. Then +through the gloom appeared two round, glowing balls of red, and +Files at once decided these must be the monster's eyes.<br> +</p> + +He raised his gun, took aim and fired. <br> +<p>There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an +excellent bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. +They flew toward the monster and struck it, and with a wild, +weird cry the Rak came fluttering down and its huge body fell +plump upon the forms of the sixteen officers, who thereupon +screamed louder than before.<br> +</p> + +"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that +dangerous gun of yours!" <br> +<p>"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your +breath darkens my sight!"<br> +</p> + +"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, +reproachfully, as it still flapped its wings in a helpless +manner. "Don't claim you didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of +you!" <br> +<p>"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you +very badly?"<br> +</p> + +"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will +notice that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I +have to talk with my teeth set close together. Another bullet +broke my left wing, so that I can't fly; and still another broke +my right leg, so that I can't walk. It was the most careless shot +I ever heard of!" <br> +<p>"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding +officers?" inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your +great weight is crushing them."<br> +</p> + +"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if +possible, for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my +mouth, I'd eat all of you, although my appetite is poorly this +warm weather." <br> +<p>With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so +as to crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled +completely off from them and the entire sixteen scrambled to +their feet and made off as fast as they could run.<br> +</p> + +Private Files could not see them go but he knew from the sound of +their voices that they had escaped, so he ceased to worry about +them. <br> +<p>"Pardon me if I now bid you good-bye," he said to the Rak. +"The parting is caused by our desire to continue our journey. If +you die, do not blame me, for I was obliged to shoot you as a +matter of self-protection."<br> +</p> + +"I shall not die," answered the monster, "for I bear a charmed +life. But I beg you not to leave me!" <br> +<p>"Why not?" asked Files.<br> +</p> + +"Because my broken jaw will heal in about an hour, and then I +shall be able to eat you. My wing will heal in a day and my leg +will heal in a week, when I shall be as well as ever. Having shot +me, and so caused me all this annoyance, it is only fair and just +that you remain here and allow me to eat you as soon as I can +open my jaws." <br> +<p>"I beg to differ with you," returned the soldier firmly. "I +have made an engagement with Queen Ann of Oogaboo to help her +conquer the world, and I cannot break my word for the sake of +being eaten by a Rak."<br> +</p> + +"Oh; that's different," said the monster. "If you've an +engagement, don't let me detain you." <br> +<p>So Files felt around in the dark and grasped the hand of the +trembling Queen, whom he led away from the flapping, sighing Rak. +They stumbled over the stones for a way but presently began to +see dimly the path ahead of them, as they got farther and farther +away from the dreadful spot where the wounded monster lay. By and +by they reached a little hill and could see the last rays of the +sun flooding a pretty valley beyond, for now they had passed +beyond the cloudy breath of the Rak. Here were huddled the +sixteen officers, still frightened and panting from their run. +They had halted only because it was impossible for them to run +any farther.<br> +</p> + +Queen Ann gave them a severe scolding for their cowardice, at the +same time praising Files for his courage. <br> +<p>"We are wiser than he, however," muttered General Clock, "for +by running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in +conquering the world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, +he would have deserted your Army."<br> +</p> + +After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as +they were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party +rose quickly. Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of +which Queen Ann commanded them to make camp for the night. <br> +<p>Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, +when placed upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was +large enough to permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its +canvas walls. Files was obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was +not only his own tent but an elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, +besides a bed and chair and a magic table. This table, when set +upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, became of large size, and in a +drawer of the table was contained the Queen's supply of extra +clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and other necessary +things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the officers +and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent +poles.<br> +</p> + +There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of +Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to +show that the country they were in had been conquered by the +Queen of Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the +flag, but Ann was pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and +considered herself already a famous conqueror. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_5">Chapter Four</h1> + +<br> +<p>Betsy Braves the Billows<br> +</p> + +The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled +and the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the +deck and the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell +with a splash into the dark blue water. The same shock caught +Hank, a thin little, sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into +the sea, far from the ship's side. <br> +<p>When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge +had surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a +bunch of hair. At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but +presently she heard a dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding +fast to the end of Hank's tail.<br> +</p> + +Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now +in the far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the +waves. <br> +<p>Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a +mass of wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail +and seized the rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode +upon it in safety. Hank also saw the raft and swam to it, but he +was so clumsy he never would have been able to climb upon it had +not Betsy helped him to get aboard.<br> +</p> + +They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a +hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly +well and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from +drowning. <br> +<p>The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. +Blinding bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the +clamor of deep thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves +tossed the little raft here and there as a child tosses a rubber +ball and Betsy had a solemn feeling that for hundreds of watery +miles in every direction there was no living thing besides +herself and the small donkey.<br> +</p> + +Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose +against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest +voice, as if to comfort her. <br> +<p>"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried +helplessly, and the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that +meant a promise.<br> +</p> + +On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when +the sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, +while the girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in +this dreadful emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a +mule's power to guard her safety. <br> +<p>All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out +and passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had +grown smaller and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on +the wet raft and fell asleep.<br> +</p> + +Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard +Betsy. Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping +girl and watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept +over the sea. <br> +<p>The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes +and stared across the water.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed. <br> +<p>"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice.<br> +</p> + +The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and +as they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing +brightly between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at +all. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_6">Chapter Five</h1> + +<br> +<p>The Roses Repulse the Refugees<br> +</p> + +Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily +waded ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was +now shining and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of +roses. <br> +<p>"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling +more cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the +flowers, although they do smell mighty good."<br> +</p> + +"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the +top of the bank. <br> +<p>Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A +little way off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of +crystal panes glittering in the sunlight.<br> +</p> + +"There ought to be people somewhere 'round," observed Betsy +thoughtfully; "gardeners, or somebody. Let's go and see, Hank. +I'm getting hungrier ev'ry minute." <br> +<p>So they walked toward the great greenhouse and came to its +entrance without meeting with anyone at all. A door stood ajar, +so Hank went in first, thinking if there was any danger he could +back out and warn his companion. But Betsy was close at his heels +and the moment she entered was lost in amazement at the wonderful +sight she saw.<br> +</p> + +The greenhouse was filled with magnificent rosebushes, all +growing in big pots. On the central stem of each bush bloomed a +splendid Rose, gorgeously colored and deliciously fragrant, and +in the center of each Rose was the face of a lovely girl. <br> +<p>As Betsy and Hank entered, the heads of the Roses were +drooping and their eyelids were closed in slumber; but the mule +was so amazed that he uttered a loud "Hee-haw!" and at the sound +of his harsh voice the rose leaves fluttered, the Roses raised +their heads and a hundred startled eyes were instantly fixed upon +the intruders.<br> +</p> + +"I--I beg your pardon!" stammered Betsy, blushing and confused. +<br> +<p>"O-o-o-h!" cried the Roses, in a sort of sighing chorus; and +one of them added: "What a horrid noise!"<br> +</p> + +"Why, that was only Hank," said Betsy, and as if to prove the +truth of her words the mule uttered another loud "Hee-haw!" <br> +<p>At this all the Roses turned on their stems as far as they +were able and trembled as if some one were shaking their hushes. +A dainty Moss Rose gasped: "Dear me! How dreadfully +dreadful!"<br> +</p> + +"It isn't dreadful at all," said Betsy, somewhat indignant. "When +you get used to Hank's voice it will put you to sleep." <br> +<p>The Roses now looked at the mule less fearfully and one of +them asked:<br> +</p> + +"Is that savage beast named Hank?" <br> +<p>"Yes; Hank's my comrade, faithful and true, answered the girl, +twining her arms around the little mule's neck and hugging him +tight. "Aren't you, Hank?"<br> +</p> + +Hank could only say in reply: "Hee-haw!" and at his bray the +Roses shivered again. <br> +<p>"Please go away!" begged one. "Can't you see you're +frightening us out of a week's growth?"<br> +</p> + +"Go away!" echoed Betsy. "Why, we've no place to go. We've just +been wrecked." <br> +<p>"Wrecked?" asked the Roses in a surprised chorus.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; we were on a big ship and the storm came and wrecked it," +explained the girl. "But Hank and I caught hold of a raft and +floated ashore to this place, and--we're tired and hungry. What +country is this, please?" <br> +<p>"This is the Rose Kingdom," replied the Moss Rose, haughtily, +"and it is devoted to the culture of the rarest and fairest Roses +grown."<br> +</p> + +"I believe it," said Betsy, admiring the pretty blossoms. <br> +<p>"But only Roses are allowed here," continued a delicate Tea +Rose, bending her brows in a frown; "therefore you must go away +before the Royal Gardener finds you and casts you back into the +sea."<br> +</p> + +"Oh! Is there a Royal Gardener, then?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"To be sure.<br> +</p> + +"And is he a Rose, also?" <br> +<p>"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man," was the +reply.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the girl, much +relieved, and even as she spoke the Royal Gardener popped into +the greenhouse--a spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in +the other. <br> +<p>He was a funny little man, dressed in a rosecolored costume, +with ribbons at his knees and elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in +his hair. His eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and +his face puckered and deeply lined.<br> +</p> + +"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find strangers in his +greenhouse, and when Hank gave a loud bray the Gardener threw the +watering pot over the mule's head and danced around with his +fork, in such agitation that presently he fell over the handle of +the implement and sprawled at full length upon the ground. <br> +<p>Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off from Hank's +head. The little mule was angry at the treatment he had received +and backed toward the Gardener threateningly.<br> +</p> + +"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly and the Gardener +scrambled to his feet and hastily hid behind the Roses. <br> +<p>"You are breaking the Law!" he shouted, sticking out his head +to glare at the girl and the mule.<br> +</p> + +"What Law?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"The Law of the Rose Kingdom. No strangers are allowed in +these domains."<br> +</p> + +"Not when they're shipwrecked?" she inquired. <br> +<p>"The Law doesn't except shipwrecks," replied the Royal +Gardener, and he was about to say more when suddenly there was a +crash of glass and a man came tumbling through the roof of the +greenhouse and fell plump to the ground.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_7">Chapter Six</h1> + +<br> +Shaggy Seeks his Stray Brother <br> +<p>This sudden arrival was a queer looking man, dressed all in +garments so shaggy that Betsy at first thought he must he some +animal. But the stranger ended his fall in a sitting position and +then the girl saw it was really a man. He held an apple in his +hand, which he had evidently been eating when he fell, and so +little was he jarred or flustered by the accident that he +continued to munch this apple as he calmly looked around him.<br> +</p> + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Betsy, approaching him. "Who are you, +and where did you come from?" <br> +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Shaggy Man," said he, taking another bite of the +apple. "Just dropped in for a short call. Excuse my seeming +haste."<br> +</p> + +"Why, I s'pose you couldn't help the haste," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"No. I climbed an apple tree, outside; branch gave way +and--here I am."<br> +</p> + +As he spoke the Shaggy Man finished his apple, gave the core to +Hank--who ate it greedily --and then stood up to bow politely to +Betsy and the Roses. <br> +<p>The Royal Gardener had been frightened nearly into fits by the +crash of glass and the fall of the shaggy stranger into the bower +of Roses, but now he peeped out from behind a bush and cried in +his squeaky voice:<br> +</p> + +"You're breaking the Law! You're breaking the Law!" <br> +<p>Shaggy stared at him solemnly.<br> +</p> + +"Is the glass the Law in this country?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Breaking the glass is breaking the Law," squeaked the +Gardener, angrily. "Also, to intrude in any part of the Rose +Kingdom is breaking the Law."<br> +</p> + +"How do you know?" asked Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Why, it's printed in a book," said the Gardener, coming +forward and taking a small book from his pocket. "Page thirteen. +Here it is: 'If any stranger enters the Rose Kingdom he shall at +once be condemned by the Ruler and put to death.' So you see, +strangers,' he continued triumphantly, "it's death for you all +and your time has come!"<br> +</p> + +But just here Hank interposed. He had been stealthily backing +toward the Royal Gardener, whom he disliked, and now the mule's +heels shot out and struck the little man in the middle. He +doubled up like the letter "U" and flew out of the door so +swiftly--never touching the ground --that he was gone before +Betsy had time to wink. <br> +<p>But the mule's attack frightened the girl.<br> +</p> + +"Come," she whispered, approaching the Shaggy Man and taking his +hand; "let's go somewhere else. They'll surely kill us if we stay +here!" <br> +<p>"Don't worry, my dear," replied Shaggy, patting the child's +head. "I'm not afraid of anything, so long as I have the Love +Magnet."<br> +</p> + +"The Love Magnet! Why, what is that?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"It's a charming little enchantment that wins the heart of +everyone who looks upon it," was the reply. "The Love Magnet used +to hang over the gateway to the Emerald City, in the Land of Oz; +but when I started on this journey our beloved Ruler, Ozma of Oz, +allowed me to take it with me."<br> +</p> + +"Oh!" cried Betsy, staring hard at him; "are you really from the +wonderful Land of Oz?" <br> +<p>"Yes. Ever been there, my dear?"<br> +</p> + +"No; but I've heard about it. And do you know Princess Ozma?" +<br> +<p>"Very well indeed."<br> +</p> + +"And--and Princess Dorothy?" <br> +<p>"Dorothy's an old chum of mine," declared Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Betsy. "And why did you ever leave such a +beautiful land as Oz?" <br> +<p>"On an errand," said Shaggy, looking sad and solemn. "I'm +trying to find my dear little brother."<br> +</p> + +"Oh! Is he lost?" questioned Betsy, feeling very sorry for the +poor man. <br> +<p>"Been lost these ten years, replied Shaggy, taking out a +handkerchief and wiping a tear from his eye. "I didn't know it +until lately, when I saw it recorded in the magic Record Book of +the Sorceress Glinda, in the Land of Oz. So now I'm trying to +find him."<br> +</p> + +"Where was he lost?" asked the girl sympathetically. <br> +<p>"Back in Colorado, where I used to live before I went to Oz. +Brother was a miner, and dug gold out of a mine. One day he went +into his mine and never came out. They searched for him, but he +was not there. Disappeared entirely," Shaggy ended miserably.<br> +</p> + +"For goodness sake! What do you s'pose became of him?" she asked. +<br> +<p>"There is only one explanation," replied Shaggy, taking +another apple from his pocket and eating it to relieve his +misery. "The Nome King probably got him."<br> +</p> + +"The Nome King! Who is he?" <br> +<p>"Why, he's sometimes called the Metal Monarch, and his name is +Ruggedo. Lives in some underground cavern. Claims to own all the +metals hidden in the earth. Don't ask my why."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" <br> +<p>"Cause I don't know. But this Ruggedo gets wild with anger if +anyone digs gold out of the earth, and my private opinion is that +he captured brother and carried him off to his underground +kingdom. No--don't ask me why. I see you're dying to ask me why. +But I don't know."<br> +</p> + +"But--dear me!--in that case you will never find your lost +brother!" exclaimed the girl. <br> +<p>"Maybe not; but it's my duty to try," answered Shaggy. "I've +wandered so far without finding him, but that only proves he is +not where I've been looking. What I seek now is the hidden +passage to the underground cavern of the terrible Metal +Monarch."<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Betsy doubtfully, "it strikes me that if you ever +manage to get there the Metal Monarch will make you, too, his +prisoner." <br> +<p>"Nonsense!" answered Shaggy, carelessly. "You mustn't forget +the Love Magnet."<br> +</p> + +"What about it?" she asked. <br> +<p>"When the fierce Metal Monarch sees the Love Magnet, he will +love me dearly and do anything I ask."<br> +</p> + +"It must be wonderful," said Betsy, with awe. <br> +<p>"It is," the man assured her. "Shall I show it to you?"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, do!" she cried; so Shaggy searched in his shaggy pocket and +drew out a small silver magnet, shaped like a horseshoe. <br> +<p>The moment Betsy saw it she began to like the Shaggy Man +better than before. Hank also saw the Magnet and crept up to +Shaggy to rub his head lovingly against the man's knee.<br> +</p> + +But they were interrupted by the Royal Gardener, who stuck his +head into the greenhouse and shouted angrily: <br> +<p>"You are all condemned to death! Your only chance to escape is +to leave here instantly."<br> +</p> + +This startled little Betsy, but the Shaggy Man merely waved the +Magnet toward the Gardener, who, seeing it, rushed forward and +threw himself at Shaggy's feet, murmuring in honeyed words: <br> +<p>"Oh, you lovely, lovely man! How fond I am of you! Every shag +and bobtail that decorates you is dear to me--all I have is +yours! But for goodness' sake get out of here before you die the +death."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not going to die," declared Shaggy Man. <br> +<p>"You must. It's the Law," exclaimed the Gardener, beginning to +weep real tears. "It breaks my heart to tell you this bad news, +but the Law says that all strangers must be condemned by the +Ruler to die the death."<br> +</p> + +"No Ruler has condemned us yet," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"Of course not," added Shaggy. "We haven't even seen the Ruler +of the Rose Kingdom."<br> +</p> + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the Gardener, in a perplexed tone +of voice, "we haven't any real Ruler, just now. You see, all our +Rulers grow on bushes in the Royal Gardens, and the last one we +had got mildewed and withered before his time. So we had to plant +him, and at this time there is no one growing on the Royal Bushes +who is ripe enough to pick." <br> +<p>"How do you know?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Why, I'm the Royal Gardener. Plenty of royalties are growing, I +admit; but just now they are all green. Until one ripens, I am +supposed to rule the Rose Kingdom myself, and see that its Laws +are obeyed. Therefore, much as I love you, Shaggy, I must put you +to death." <br> +<p>"Wait a minute," pleaded Betsy. "I'd like to see those Royal +Gardens before I die."<br> +</p> + +"So would I," added Shaggy Man. "Take us there, Gardener." <br> +<p>"Oh, I can't do that," objected the Gardener. But Shaggy again +showed him the Love Magnet and after one glance at it the +Gardener could no longer resist.<br> +</p> + +He led Shaggy, Betsy and Hank to the end of the great greenhouse +and carefully unlocked a small door. Passing through this they +came into the splendid Royal Garden of the Rose Kingdom. <br> +<p>It was all surrounded by a tall hedge and within the enclosure +grew several enormous rosebushes having thick green leaves of the +texture of velvet. Upon these bushes grew the members of the +Royal Family of the Rose Kingdom--men, women and children in all +stages of maturity. They all seemed to have a light green hue, as +if unripe or not fully developed, their flesh and clothing being +alike green. They stood perfectly lifeless upon their branches, +which swayed softly in the breeze, and their wide open eyes +stared straight ahead, unseeing and unintelligent.<br> +</p> + +While examining these curious growing people, Betsy passed behind +a big central bush and at once uttered an exclamation of surprise +and pleasure. For there, blooming in perfect color and shape, +stood a Royal Princess, whose beauty was amazing. <br> +<p>"Why, she's ripe!" cried Betsy, pushing aside some of the +broad leaves to observe her more clearly.<br> +</p> + +"Well, perhaps so," admitted the Gardener, who had come to the +girl's side; "but she's a girl, and so we can't use her for a +Ruler." <br> +<p>"No, indeed!" came a chorus of soft voices, and looking around +Betsy discovered that all the Roses had followed them from the +greenhouse and were now grouped before the entrance.<br> +</p> + +"You see," explained the Gardener, "the subjects of Rose Kingdom +don't want a girl Ruler. They want a King." <br> +<p>"A King! We want a King!" repeated the chorus of Roses.<br> +</p> + +"Isn't she Royal?" inquired Shaggy, admiring the lovely Princess. +<br> +<p>"Of course, for she grows on a Royal Bush. This Princess is +named Ozga, as she is a distant cousin of Ozma of Oz; and, were +she but a man, we would joyfully hail her as our Ruler."<br> +</p> + +The Gardener then turned away to talk with his Roses and Betsy +whispered to her companion: "Let's pick her, Shaggy." <br> +<p>"All right," said he. "If she's royal, she has the right to +rule this Kingdom, and if we pick her she will surely protect us +and prevent our being hurt, or driven away."<br> +</p> + +So Betsy and Shaggy each took an arm of the beautiful Rose +Princess and a little twist of her feet set her free of the +branch upon which she grew. Very gracefully she stepped down from +the bush to the ground, where she bowed low to Betsy and Shaggy +and said in a delightfully sweet voice: "I thank you." <br> +<p>But at the sound of these words the Gardener and the Roses +turned and discovered that the Princess had been picked, and was +now alive. Over every face flashed an expression of resentment +and anger, and one of the Roses cried aloud.<br> +</p> + +"Audacious mortals! What have you done?" <br> +<p>"Picked a Princess for you, that's all," replied Betsy, +cheerfully.<br> +</p> + +"But we won't have her! We want a King!" exclaimed a Jacque Rose, +and another added with a voice of scorn: "No girl shall rule over +us!" <br> +<p>The newly-picked Princess looked from one to another of her +rebellious subjects in astonishment. A grieved look came over her +exquisite features.<br> +</p> + +"Have I no welcome here, pretty subjects?" she asked gently. +"Have I not come from my Royal Bush to be your Ruler?" <br> +<p>"You were picked by mortals, without our consent," replied the +Moss Rose, coldly; "so we refuse to allow you to rule us."<br> +</p> + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" cried the Tea Rose. +<br> +<p>"Just a second, please!" called Shaggy, taking the Love Magnet +from his pocket. "I guess this will win their love, Princess. +Here--take it in your hand and let the roses see it."<br> +</p> + +Princess Ozga took the Magnet and held it poised before the eyes +of her subjects; but the Roses regarded it with calm disdain. +<br> +<p>"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Shaggy in surprise. "The +Magnet never failed to work before!"<br> +</p> + +"I know," said Betsy, nodding her head wisely. "These Roses have +no hearts." <br> +<p>"That's it," agreed the Gardener. "They're pretty, and sweet, +and alive; but still they are Roses. Their stems have thorns, but +no hearts."<br> +</p> + +The Princess sighed and handed the Magnet to the Shaggy Man. <br> +<p>"What shall I do?" she asked sorrowfully.<br> +</p> + +"Turn her out, Gardener, with the others!" commanded the Roses. +"We will have no Ruler until a man-rose--a King--is ripe enough +to pick." <br> +<p>"Very well," said the Gardener meekly. "You must excuse me, my +dear Shaggy, for opposing your wishes, but you and the others, +including Ozga, must get out of Rose Kingdom immediately, if not +before."<br> +</p> + +"Don't you love me, Gardy?" asked Shaggy, carelessly displaying +the Magnet. <br> +<p>"I do. I dote on thee!" answered the Gardener earnestly; "but +no true man will neglect his duty for the sake of love. My duty +is to drive you out, so--out you go!"<br> +</p> + +With this he seized a garden fork and began jabbing it at the +strangers, in order to force them to leave. Hank the mule was not +afraid of the fork and when he got his heels near to the Gardener +the man fell back to avoid a kick. <br> +<p>But now the Roses crowded around the outcasts and it was soon +discovered that beneath their draperies of green leaves were many +sharp thorns which were more dangerous than Hank's heels. Neither +Betsy nor Ozga nor Shaggy nor the mule cared to brave those +thorns and when they pressed away from them they found themselves +slowly driven through the garden door into the greenhouse. From +there they were forced out at the entrance and so through the +territory of the flower-strewn Rose Kingdom, which was not of +very great extent.<br> +</p> + +The Rose Princess was sobbing bitterly; Betsy was indignant and +angry; Hank uttered defiant "Hee-haws" and the Shaggy Man +whistled softly to himself. <br> +<p>The boundary of the Rose Kingdom was a deep gulf, but there +was a drawbridge in one place and this the Royal Gardener let +down until the outcasts had passed over it. Then he drew it up +again and returned with his Roses to the greenhouse, leaving the +four queerly assorted comrades to wander into the bleak and +unknown country that lay beyond.<br> +</p> + +"I don't mind, much," remarked Shaggy, as he led the way over the +stony, barren ground. "I've got to search for my long-lost little +brother, anyhow, so it won't matter where I go." <br> +<p>"Hank and I will help you find your brother," said Betsy in +her most cheerful voice. "I'm so far away from home now that I +don't s'pose I'll ever find my way back; and, to tell the truth, +it's more fun traveling around and having adventures than +sticking at home. Don't you think so, Hank?"<br> +</p> + +"Hee-haw!" said Hank, and the Shaggy Man thanked them both. <br> +<p>"For my part," said Princess Ozga of Roseland, with a gentle +sigh, "I must remain forever exiled from my Kingdom. So I, too, +will be glad to help the Shaggy Man find his lost brother."<br> +</p> + +"That's very kind of you, ma'am," said Shaggy. "But unless I can +find the underground cavern of Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch, I +shall never find poor brother." <br> +<p>("This King was formerly named "Roquat," but after he drank of +the "Waters of Oblivion" he forgot his own name and had to take +another.)<br> +</p> + +"Doesn't anyone know where it is?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"Some one must know, of course," was Shaggy's reply. "But we +are not the ones. The only way to succeed is for us to keep going +until we find a person who can direct us to Ruggedo's +cavern."<br> +</p> + +"We may find it ourselves, without any help," suggested Betsy. +"Who knows?" <br> +<p>"No one knows that, except the person who's writing this +story," said Shaggy. "But we won't find anything--not even +supper--unless we travel on. Here's a path. Let's take it and see +where it leads to."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_8">Chapter Seven</h1> + +<br> +Polychrome's Pitiful Plight <br> +<p>The Rain King got too much water in his basin and spilled some +over the brim. That made it rain in a certain part of the +country--a real hard shower, for a time--and sent the Rainbow +scampering to the place to show the gorgeous colors of his +glorious bow as soon as the mist of rain had passed and the sky +was clear.<br> +</p> + +The coming of the Rainbow is always a joyous event to earth folk, +yet few have ever seen it close by. Usually the Rainbow is so far +distant that you can observe its splendid hues but dimly, and +that is why we seldom catch sight of the dancing Daughters of the +Rainbow. <br> +<p>In the barren country where the rain had just fallen there +appeared to be no human beings at all; but the Rainbow appeared, +just the same, and dancing gayly upon its arch were the Rainbow's +Daughters, led by the fairylike Polychrome, who is so dainty and +beautiful that no girl has ever quite equalled her in +loveliness.<br> +</p> + +Polychrome was in a merry mood and danced down the arch of the +bow to the ground, daring her sisters to follow her. Laughing and +gleeful, they also touched the ground with their twinkling feet; +but all the Daughters of the Rainbow knew that this was a +dangerous pastime, so they quickly climbed upon their bow again. +<br> +<p>All but Polychrome. Though the sweetest and merriest of them +all, she was likewise the most reckless. Moreover, it was an +unusual sensation to pat the cold, damp earth with her rosy toes. +Before she realized it the bow had lifted and disappeared in the +billowy blue sky, and here was Polychrome standing helpless upon +a rock, her gauzy draperies floating about her like brilliant +cobwebs and not a soul--fairy or mortal--to help her regain her +lost bow!<br> +</p> + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed, a frown passing across her pretty face, +"I'm caught again. This is the second time my carelessness has +left me on earth while my sisters returned to our Sky Palaces. +The first time I enjoyed some pleasant adventures, but this is a +lonely, forsaken country and I shall be very unhappy until my +Rainbow comes again and I can climb aboard. Let me think what is +best to be done." <br> +<p>She crouched low upon the flat rock, drew her draperies about +her and bowed her head.<br> +</p> + +It was in this position that Betsy Bobbin spied Polychrome as she +came along the stony path, followed by Hank, the Princess and +Shaggy. At once the girl ran up to the radiant Daughter of the +Rainbow and exclaimed: <br> +<p>"Oh, what a lovely, lovely creature!"<br> +</p> + +Polychrome raised her golden head. There were tears in her blue +eyes. <br> +<p>"I'm the most miserable girl in the whole world!" she +sobbed.<br> +</p> + +The others gathered around her. <br> +<p>"Tell us your troubles, pretty one," urged the Princess.<br> +</p> + +"I--I've lost my bow!" wailed Polychrome. <br> +<p>"Take me, my dear," said Shaggy Man in a sympathetic tone, +thinking she meant "beau" instead of "bow."<br> +</p> + +"I don't want you!" cried Polychrome, stamping her foot +imperiously; "I want my Rainbow." <br> +<p>"Oh; that's different," said Shaggy. "But try to forget it. +When I was young I used to cry for the Rainbow myself, but I +couldn't have it. Looks as if you couldn't have it, either; so +please don't cry."<br> +</p> + +Polychrome looked at him reproachfully. <br> +<p>"I don't like you," she said.<br> +</p> + +"No?" replied Shaggy, drawing the Love Magnet from his pocket; +"not a little bit?--just a wee speck of a like?" <br> +<p>"Yes, yes!" said Polychrome, clasping her hands in ecstasy as +she gazed at the enchanted talisman; "I love you, Shaggy +Man!"<br> +</p> + +"Of course you do," said he calmly; "but I don't take any credit +for it. It's the Love Magnet's powerful charm. But you seem quite +alone and friendless, little Rainbow. Don't you want to join our +party until you find your father and sisters again?" <br> +<p>"Where are you going?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"We don't just know that," said Betsy, taking her hand; "but +we're trying to find Shaggy's longlost brother, who has been +captured by the terrible Metal Monarch. Won't you come with us, +and help us?" <br> +<p>Polychrome looked from one to another of the queer party of +travelers and a bewitching smile suddenly lighted her face.<br> +</p> + +"A donkey, a mortal maid, a Rose Princess and a Shaggy Man!" she +exclaimed. "Surely you need help, if you intend to face Ruggedo." +<br> +<p>"Do you know him, then?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed. Ruggedo's caverns are beneath the earth's surface, +where no Rainbow can ever penetrate. But I've heard of the Metal +Monarch. He is also called the Nome King, you know, and he has +made trouble for a good many people --mortals and fairies--in his +time," said Polychrome. <br> +<p>"Do you fear him, then?" asked the Princess, anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"No one can harm a Daughter of the Rainbow," said Polychrome +proudly. "I'm a sky fairy." <br> +<p>"Then," said Betsy, quickly, "you will be able to tell us the +way to Ruggedo's cavern."<br> +</p> + +"No," returned Polychrome, shaking her head, "that is one thing I +cannot do. But I will gladly,, go with you and help you search +for the place." <br> +<p>This promise delighted all the wanderers and after the Shaggy +Man had found the path again they began moving along it in a more +happy mood. The Rainbow's Daughter danced lightly over the rocky +trail, no longer sad, but with her beautiful features wreathed in +smiles. Shaggy came next, walking steadily and now and then +supporting the Rose Princess, who followed him. Betsy and Hank +brought up the rear, and if she tired with walking the girl got +upon Hank's back and let the stout little donkey carry her for a +while.<br> +</p> + +At nightfall they came to some trees that grew beside a tiny +brook and here they made camp and rested until morning. Then away +they tramped, finding berries and fruits here and there which +satisfied the hunger of Betsy, Shaggy and Hank, so that they were +well content with their lot. <br> +<p>It surprised Betsy to see the Rose Princess partake of their +food, for she considered her a fairy; but when she mentioned this +to Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter explained that when Ozga +was driven out of her Rose Kingdom she ceased to be a fairy and +would never again be more than a mere mortal. Polychrome, +however, was a fairy wherever she happened to be, and if she +sipped a few dewdrops by moonlight for refreshment no one ever +saw her do it.<br> +</p> + +As they continued their wandering journey, direction meant very +little to them, for they were hopelessly lost in this strange +country. Shaggy said it would be best to go toward the mountains, +as the natural entrance to Ruggedo's underground cavern was +likely to be hidden in some rocky, deserted place; but mountains +seemed all around them except in the one direction that they had +come from, which led to the Rose Kingdom and the sea. Therefore +it mattered little which way they traveled. <br> +<p>By and by they espied a faint trail that looked like a path +and after following this for some time they reached a crossroads. +Here were many paths, leading in various directions, and there +was a signpost so old that there were now no words upon the sign. +At one side was an old well, with a chain windlass for drawing +water, yet there was no house or other building anywhere in +sight.<br> +</p> + +While the party halted, puzzled which way to proceed, the mule +approached the well and tried to look into it. <br> +<p>"He's thirsty," said Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"It's a dry well," remarked Shaggy. "Probably there has been no +water in it for many years. But, come; let us decide which way to +travel." <br> +<p>No one seemed able to decide that. They sat down in a group +and tried to consider which road might be the best to take. Hank, +however, could not keep away from the well and finally he reared +up on his hind legs, got his head over the edge and uttered a +loud "Hee-haw!" Betsy watched her animal friend curiously.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder if he sees anything down there?" she said. <br> +<p>At this, Shaggy rose and went over to the well to investigate, +and Betsy went with him. The Princess and Polychrome, who had +become fast friends, linked arms and sauntered down one of the +roads, to find an easy path.<br> +</p> + +"Really," said Shaggy, "there does seem to be something at the +bottom of this old well." <br> +<p>"Can't we pull it up, and see what it is?" asked the girl.<br> +</p> + +There was no bucket at the end of the windlass chain, but there +was a big hook that at one time was used to hold a bucket. Shaggy +let down this hook, dragged it around on the bottom and then +pulled it up. An old hoopskirt came with it, and Betsy laughed +and threw it away. The thing frightened Hank, who had never seen +a hoopskirt before, and he kept a good distance away from it. +<br> +<p>Several other objects the Shaggy Man captured with the hook +and drew up, but none of these was important.<br> +</p> + +"This well seems to have been the dump for all the old rubbish in +the country," he said, letting down the hook once more. "I guess +I've captured everything now. No--the hook has caught again. Help +me, Betsy! Whatever this thing is, it's heavy." <br> +<p>She ran up and helped him turn the windlass and after much +effort a confused mass of copper came in sight.<br> +</p> + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Shaggy. "Here is a surprise, indeed!" +<br> +<p>"What is it?" inquired Betsy, clinging to the windlass and +panting for breath.<br> +</p> + +For answer the Shaggy Man grasped the bundle of copper and dumped +it upon the ground, free of the well. Then he turned it over with +his foot, spread it out, and to Betsy's astonishment the thing +proved to be a copper man. <br> +<p>"Just as I thought," said Shaggy, looking hard at the object. +"But unless there are two copper men in the world this is the +most astonishing thing I ever came across."<br> +</p> + +At this moment the Rainbow's Daughter and the Rose Princess +approached them, and Polychrome said: <br> +<p>"What have you found, Shaggy One?"<br> +</p> + +"Either an old friend, or a stranger," he replied. <br> +<p>"Oh, here's a sign on his back!" cried Betsy, who had knelt +down to examine the man. "Dear me; how funny! Listen to +this."<br> +</p> + +Then she read the following words, engraved upon the copper +plates of the man's body: <br> +<p>SMITH TINKER'S Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, +Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking<br> +</p> + +MECHANICAL MAN Fitted with our Special Clockwork Attachment. +Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live. <br> +<p>"Isn't he wonderful!" exclaimed the Princess.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; but here's more," said Betsy, reading from another engraved +plate: <br> +<p>DIRECTIONS FOR USING:<br> +</p> + +For THINKING:--Wind the Clockwork <br> +<p>Man under his left arm, (marked No. 1). For SPEAKING:--Wind +the Clockwork Man under his right arm, (marked No. 2). For +WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clockwork Man in the middle of his +back, (marked No. 3).<br> +</p> + +N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to work perfectly for a +thousand years. <br> +<p>"If he's guaranteed for a thousand years," said Polychrome, +"he ought to work yet."<br> +</p> + +"Of course," replied Shaggy. "Let's wind him up." <br> +<p>In order to do this they were obliged to set the copper man +upon his feet, in an upright position, and this was no easy task. +He was inclined to topple over, and had to be propped again and +again. The girls assisted Shaggy, and at last TikTok seemed to be +balanced and stood alone upon his broad feet.<br> +</p> + +"Yes," said Shaggy, looking at the copper man carefully, "this +must be, indeed, my old friend Tik-Tok, whom I left ticking +merrily in the Land of Oz. But how he came to this lonely place, +and got into that old well, is surely a mystery." <br> +<p>"If we wind him, perhaps he will tell us," suggested Betsy. +"Here's the key, hanging to a hook on his back. What part of him +shall I wind up first?"<br> +</p> + +"His thoughts, of course," said Polychrome, "for it requires +thought to speak or move intelligently." <br> +<p>So Betsy wound him under his left arm, and at once little +flashes of light began to show in the top of his head, which was +proof that he had begun to think.<br> +</p> + +"Now, then," said Shaggy, "wind up his phonograph." <br> +<p>"What's that?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"Why, his talking-machine. His thoughts may be interesting, but +they don't tell us anything." <br> +<p>So Betsy wound the copper man under his right arm, and then +from the interior of his copper body came in jerky tones the +words: "Ma-ny thanks!"<br> +</p> + +"Hurrah!" cried Shaggy, joyfully, and he slapped Tik-Tok upon the +back in such a hearty manner that the copper man lost his balance +and tumbled to the ground in a heap. But the clock-work that +enabled him to speak had been wound up and he kept saying: +"Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up! Pick-me-up!" until they had again raised +him and balanced him upon his feet, when he added politely: +"Ma-ny thanks!" <br> +<p>"He won't be self-supporting until we wind up his action," +remarked Shaggy; so Betsy wound it, as tight as she could--for +the key turned rather hard--and then Tik-Tok lifted his feet, +marched around in a circle and ended by stopping before the group +and making them all a low bow.<br> +</p> + +"How in the world did you happen to be in that well, when I left +you safe in Oz?" inquired Shaggy. <br> +<p>"It is a long sto-ry," replied Tik-Tok, "but I'll tell it in a +few words. Af-ter you had gone in search of your broth-er, Oz-ma +saw you wandering in strange lands when-ev-er she looked in her +mag-ic pic-ture, and she also saw your broth-er in the Nome +King's cavern; so she sent me to tell you where to find your +broth-er and told me to help you if I could. The Sor-cer-ess, +Glin-da the Good, trans-port-ed me to this place in the wink of +an eye; but here I met the Nome King him-self--old Rug-ge-do, who +is called in these parts the Met-al Mon-arch. Rug-ge-do knew what +I had come for, and he was so an-gry that he threw me down the +well. Af-ter my works ran down I was help-less un-til you came +a-long and pulled me out a-gain. Ma-ny thanks."<br> +</p> + +"This is, indeed, good news," said Shaggy. "I suspected that my +brother was the prisoner of Ruggedo; but now I know it. Tell us, +Tik-Tok, how shall we get to the Nome King's underground cavern?" +<br> +<p>"The best way is to walk," said Tik-Tok. "We might crawl, or +jump, or roll o-ver and o-ver until we get there; but the best +way is to walk."<br> +</p> + +"I know; but which road shall we take?" <br> +<p>"My ma-chin-er-y is-n't made to tell that," replied +Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"There is more than one entrance to the underground cavern," said +Polychrome; "but old Ruggedo has cleverly concealed every +opening, so that earth dwellers can not intrude in his domain. If +we find our way underground at all, it will be by chance." <br> +<p>"Then," said Betsy, "let us select any road, haphazard, and +see where it leads us."<br> +</p> + +"That seems sensible," declared the Princess. "It may require a +lot of time for us to find Ruggedo, but we have more time than +anything else." <br> +<p>"If you keep me wound up," said Tik-Tok, "I will last a +thou-sand years."<br> +</p> + +"Then the only question to decide is which way to go," added +Shaggy, looking first at one road and then at another. <br> +<p>But while they stood hesitating, a peculiar sound reached +their ears--a sound like the tramping of many feet.<br> +</p> + +"What's coming?" cried Betsy; and then she ran to the left-hand +road and glanced along the path. "Why, it's an army!" she +exclaimed. "What shall we do, hide or run?" <br> +<p>"Stand still," commanded Shaggy. "I'm not afraid of an army. +If they prove to be friendly, they can help us; if they are +enemies, I'll show them the Love Magnet."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_9">Chapter Eight</h1> + +<br> +Tik-Tok Tackles a Tough Task <br> +<p>While Shaggy and his companions stood huddled in a group at +one side, the Army of Oogaboo was approaching along the pathway, +the tramp of their feet being now and then accompanied by a +dismal groan as one of the officers stepped on a sharp stone or +knocked his funnybone against his neighbor's sword-handle.<br> +</p> + +Then out from among the trees marched Private Files, bearing the +banner of Oogaboo, which fluttered from a long pole. This pole he +stuck in the ground just in front of the well and then he cried +in a loud voice. <br> +<p>"I hereby conquer this territory in the name of Queen Ann +Soforth of Oogaboo, and all the inhabitants of the land I +proclaim her slaves!"<br> +</p> + +Some of the officers now stuck their heads out of the bushes and +asked: <br> +<p>"Is the coast clear, Private Files?"<br> +</p> + +"There is no coast here," was the reply, "but all's well." <br> +<p>"I hope there's water in it," said General Cone, mustering +courage to advance to the well; but just then he caught a glimpse +of Tik-Tok and Shaggy and at once fell upon his knees, trembling +and frightened and cried out:<br> +</p> + +"Mercy, kind enemies! Mercy! Spare us, and we will be your slaves +forever!" <br> +<p>The other officers, who had now advanced into the clearing, +likewise fell upon their knees and begged for mercy.<br> +</p> + +Files turned around and, seeing the strangers for the first time, +examined them with much curiosity. Then, discovering that three +of the party were girls, he lifted his cap and made a polite bow. +<br> +<p>"What's all this?" demanded a harsh voice, as Queen Ann +reached the place and beheld her kneeling army.<br> +</p> + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," replied Shaggy, stepping +forward. "This is Tik-Tok, the Clockwork Man--who works better +than some meat people. And here is Princess Ozga of Roseland, +just now unfortunately exiled from her Kingdom of Roses. I next +present Polychrome, a sky fairy, who lost her Bow by an accident +and can't find her way home. The small girl here is Betsy Bobbin, +from some unknown earthly paradise called Oklahoma, and with her +you see Mr. Hank, a mule with a long tail and a short temper. +<br> +<p>"Puh!" said Ann, scornfully; "a pretty lot of vagabonds you +are, indeed; all lost or strayed, I suppose, and not worth a +Queen's plundering. I'm sorry I've conquered you."<br> +</p> + +"But you haven't conquered us yet," called Betsy indignantly. +<br> +<p>"No," agreed Files, "that is a fact. But if my officers will +kindly command me to conquer you, I will do so at once, after +which we can stop arguing and converse more at our ease."<br> +</p> + +The officers had by this time risen from their knees and brushed +the dust from their trousers. To them the enemy did not look very +fierce, so the Generals and Colonels and Majors and Captains +gained courage to face them and began strutting in their most +haughty manner. <br> +<p>"You must understand," said Ann, "that I am the Queen of +Oogaboo, and this is my invincible Army. We are busy conquering +the world, and since you seem to be a part of the world, and are +obstructing our journey, it is necessary for us to conquer you +unworthy though you may be of such high honor."<br> +</p> + +"That's all right," replied Shaggy. "Conquer us as often as you +like. We don't mind." <br> +<p>"But we won't be anybody's slaves," added Betsy, +positively.<br> +</p> + +"We'll see about that," retorted the Queen, angrily. "Advance, +Private Files, and bind the enemy hand and foot!" <br> +<p>But Private Files looked at pretty Betsy and fascinating +Polychrome and the beautiful Rose Princess and shook his +head.<br> +</p> + +"It would be impolite, and I won't do it," he asserted. <br> +<p>"You must!" cried Ann. "It is your duty to obey orders."<br> +</p> + +"I haven't received any orders from my officers," objected the +Private. <br> +<p>But the Generals now shouted: "Forward, and bind the +prisoners!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains repeated the +command, yelling it as loud as they could.<br> +</p> + +All this noise annoyed Hank, who had been eyeing the Army of +Oogaboo with strong disfavor. The mule now dashed forward and +began backing upon the officers and kicking fierce and dangerous +heels at them. The attack was so sudden that the officers +scattered like dust in a whirlwind, dropping their swords as they +ran and trying to seek refuge behind the trees and bushes. <br> +<p>Betsy laughed joyously at the comical rout of the "noble +army," and Polychrome danced with glee. But Ann was furious at +this ignoble defeat of her gallant forces by one small mule.<br> +</p> + +"Private Files, I command you to do your duty!" she cried again, +and then she herself ducked to escape the mule's heels--for Hank +made no distinction in favor of a lady who was an open enemy. +Betsy grabbed her champion by the forelock, however, and so held +him fast, and when the officers saw that the mule was restrained +from further attacks they crept fearfully back and picked up +their discarded swords. <br> +<p>"Private Files, seize and bind these prisoners!" screamed the +Queen.<br> +</p> + +"No," said Files, throwing down his gun and removing the knapsack +which was strapped to his back, "I resign my position as the Army +of Oogaboo. I enlisted to fight the enemy and become a hero, but +if you want some one to bind harmless girls you will have to hire +another Private." <br> +<p>Then he walked over to the others and shook hands with Shaggy +and Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"Treason!" shrieked Ann, and all the officers echoed her cry. +<br> +<p>"Nonsense," said Files. "I've the right to resign if I want +to."<br> +</p> + +"Indeed you haven't!" retorted the Queen. "If you resign it will +break up my Army, and then I cannot conquer the world." She now +turned to the officers and said: "I must ask you to do me a +favor. I know it is undignified in officers to fight, but unless +you immediately capture Private Files and force him to obey my +orders there will be no plunder for any of us. Also it is likely +you will all suffer the pangs of hunger, and when we meet a +powerful foe you are liable to be captured and made slaves." <br> +<p>The prospect of this awful fate so frightened the officers +that they drew their swords and rushed upon Files, who stood +beside Shaggy, in a truly ferocious manner. The next instant, +however, they halted and again fell upon their knees; for there, +before them, was the glistening Love Magnet, held in the hand of +the smiling Shaggy Man, and the sight of this magic talisman at +once won the heart of every Oogabooite. Even Ann saw the Love +Magnet, and forgetting all enmity and anger threw herself upon +Shaggy and embraced him lovingly.<br> +</p> + +Quite disconcerted by this unexpected effect of the Magnet, +Shaggy disengaged himself from the Queen's encircling arms and +quickly hid the talisman in his pocket. The adventurers from +Oogaboo were now his firm friends, and there was no more talk +about conquering and binding any of his party. <br> +<p>"If you insist on conquering anyone," said Shaggy, "you may +march with me to the underground Kingdom of Ruggedo. To conquer +the world, as you have set out to do, you must conquer everyone +under its surface as well as those upon its surface, and no one +in all the world needs conquering so much as Ruggedo."<br> +</p> + +"Who is he?" asked Ann. <br> +<p>"The Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes."<br> +</p> + +"Is he rich?" inquired Major Stockings in an anxious voice. <br> +<p>"Of course," answered Shaggy. "He owns all the metal that lies +underground--gold, silver, copper, brass and tin. He has an idea +he also owns all the metals above ground, for he says all metal +was once a part of his kingdom. So, by conquering the Metal +Monarch, you will win all the riches in the world."<br> +</p> + +"Ah!" exclaimed General Apple, heaving a deep sigh, "that would +be plunder worth our while. Let's conquer him, Your Majesty." +<br> +<p>The Queen looked reproachfully at Files, who was sitting next +to the lovely Princess and whispering in her ear.<br> +</p> + +"Alas," said Ann, "I have no longer an Army. I have plenty of +brave officers, indeed, but no private soldier for them to +command. Therefore I cannot conquer Ruggedo and win all his +wealth." <br> +<p>"Why don't you make one of your officers the Private?" asked +Shaggy; but at once every officer began to protest and the Queen +of Oogaboo shook her head as she replied:<br> +</p> + +"That is impossible. A private soldier must be a terrible +fighter, and my officers are unable to fight. They are +exceptionally brave in commanding others to fight, but could not +themselves meet the enemy and conquer." <br> +<p>"Very true, Your Majesty," said Colonel Plum, eagerly. "There +are many kinds of bravery and one cannot be expected to possess +them all. I myself am brave as a lion in all ways until it comes +to fighting, but then my nature revolts. Fighting is unkind and +liable to be injurious to others; so, being a gentleman, I never +fight."<br> +</p> + +"Nor I!" shouted each of the other officers. <br> +<p>"You see," said Ann, "how helpless I am. Had not Private Files +proved himself a traitor and a deserter, I would gladly have +conquered this Ruggedo; but an Army without a private soldier is +like a bee without a stinger."<br> +</p> + +"I am not a traitor, Your Majesty," protested Files. "I resigned +in a proper manner, not liking the job. But there are plenty of +people to take my place. Why not make Shaggy Man the private +soldier?" <br> +<p>"He might be killed," said Ann, looking tenderly at Shaggy, +"for he is mortal, and able to die. If anything happened to him, +it would break my heart."<br> +</p> + +"It would hurt me worse than that," declared Shaggy. "You must +admit, Your Majesty, that I am commander of this expedition, for +it is my brother we are seeking, rather than plunder. But I and +my companions would like the assistance of your Army, and if you +help us to conquer Ruggedo and to rescue my brother from +captivity we will allow you to keep all the gold and jewels and +other plunder you may find." <br> +<p>This prospect was so tempting that the officers began +whispering together and presently Colonel Cheese said: "Your +Majesty, by combining our brains we have just evolved a most +brilliant idea. We will make the Clockwork Man the private +soldier!"<br> +</p> + +"Who? Me?" asked Tik-Tok. "Not for a sin-gle sec-ond! I can-not +fight, and you must not for-get that it was Rug-ge-do who threw +me in the well." <br> +<p>"At that time you had no gun," said Polychrome. "But if you +join the Army of Oogaboo you will carry the gun that Mr. Files +used."<br> +</p> + +"A sol-dier must be a-ble to run as well as to fight," protested +Tik-Tok, "and if my works run down, as they of-ten do, I could +nei-ther run nor fight." <br> +<p>"I'll keep you wound up, Tik-Tok," promised Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Why, it isn't a bad idea," said Shaggy. "TikTok will make an +ideal soldier, for nothing can injure him except a sledge hammer. +And, since a Private soldier seems to be necessary to this Army, +Tik-Tok is the only one of our party fitted to undertake the +job." <br> +<p>"What must I do?" asked Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"Obey orders," replied Ann. "When the officers command you to do +anything, you must do it; that is all." <br> +<p>"And that's enough, too," said Files.<br> +</p> + +"Do I get a salary?" inquired Tik-Tok. <br> +<p>"You get your share of the plunder," answered the Queen.<br> +</p> + +"Yes," remarked Files, "one-half of the plunder goes to Queen +Ann, the other half is divided among the officers, and the +Private gets the rest." <br> +<p>"That will be sat-is-fac-tor-y," said Tik-Tok, picking up the +gun and examining it wonderingly, for he had never before seen +such a weapon.<br> +</p> + +Then Ann strapped the knapsack to Tik-Tok's copper back and said: +"Now we are ready to march to Ruggedo's Kingdom and conquer it. +Officers, give the command to march." <br> +<p>"Fall-in!" yelled the Generals, drawing their swords.<br> +</p> + +"Fall-in!" cried the Colonels, drawing their swords. <br> +<p>"Fall-in!" shouted the Majors, drawing their swords.<br> +</p> + +"Fall-in!" bawled the Captains, drawing their swords. <br> +<p>Tik-Tok looked at them and then around him in surprise.<br> +</p> + +"Fall in what? The well?" he asked. <br> +<p>"No," said Queen Ann, "you must fall in marching order."<br> +</p> + +"Can-not I march without fall-ing in-to it?" asked the Clockwork +Man. <br> +<p>"Shoulder your gun and stand ready to march," advised Files; +so Tik-Tok held the gun straight and stood still."<br> +</p> + +"What next?" he asked. <br> +<p>The Queen turned to Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Which road leads to the Metal Monarch's cavern?" <br> +<p>"We don't know, Your Majesty," was the reply.<br> +</p> + +"But this is absurd!" said Ann with a frown. "If we can't get to +Ruggedo, it is certain that we can't conquer him." <br> +<p>"You are right," admitted Shaggy; "but I did not say we could +not get to him. We have only to discover the way, and that was +the matter we<br> +</p> + +were considering when you and your magnificent Army arrived +here." <br> +<p>"Well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the Queen.<br> +</p> + +That was no easy task. They all stood looking from one road to +another in perplexity. The paths radiated from the little +clearing like the rays of the midday sun, and each path seemed +like all the others. <br> +<p>Files and the Rose Princess, who had by this time become good +friends, advanced a little way along one of the roads and found +that it was bordered by pretty wild flowers.<br> +</p> + +"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the way?" he said to +his companion. <br> +<p>"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised at the +question.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must be +second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I believe if you ask them +they will tell you." <br> +<p>She looked more closely at the flowers. There were hundreds of +white daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing +by the roadside, and each flower-head was firmly set upon its +slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild roses +scattered here and there and perhaps it was the sight of these +that gave the Princess courage to ask the important question.<br> +</p> + +She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both +her arms pleadingly toward them. <br> +<p>"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle +voice, "which way will lead us to the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the +Nome King?"<br> +</p> + +At once all the stems bent gracefully to the right and the flower +heads nodded once-twicethrice in that direction. <br> +<p>"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we know the way."<br> +</p> + +Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at the +field-flowers, which had now resumed their upright position. <br> +<p>"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked in a low +whisper.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a breath of wind +stirring. But these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and +answered your question at once, as I knew they would." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_10">Chapter Nine</h1> + +<br> +<p>Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless<br> +</p> + +The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and down dale and +wound here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless. But always +it drew nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more +than once that he was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern +would be found among these rugged hills. <br> +<p>In this he was quite correct. Far underneath the nearest +mountain was a gorgeous chamber hollowed from the solid rock, the +walls and roof of which glittered with thousands of magnificent +jewels. Here, on a throne of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome +King, dressed in splendid robes and wearing a superb crown cut +from a single blood-red ruby.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo, the Monarch of all the Metals and Precious Stones of the +Underground World, was a round little man with a flowing white +beard, a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his +forehead. One would think, to look at him, that he ought to be +jolly; one might think, considering his enormous wealth, that he +ought to be happy; but this was not the case. The Metal Monarch +was surly and cross because mortals had dug so much treasure out +of the earth and kept it above ground, where all the power of +Ruggedo and his nomes was unable to recover it. He hated not only +the mortals but also the fairies who live upon the earth or above +it, and instead of being content with the riches he still +possessed he was unhappy because he did not own all the gold and +jewels in the world. <br> +<p>Ruggedo had been nodding, half asleep, in his chair when +suddenly he sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began +pounding upon a huge gong that stood beside him.<br> +</p> + +The sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns +beyond, where countless thousands of nomes were working at their +unending tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, +or melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems. +The nomes trembled at the sound of the King's gong and whispered +fearfully to one another that something unpleasant was sure to +happen; but none dared pause in his task, <br> +<p>The heavy curtains of cloth-of-gold were pushed aside and +Kaliko, the King's High Chamberlain, entered the royal +presence.<br> +</p> + +"What's up, Your Majesty?" he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had +just wakened. <br> +<p>"Up?" roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously. "Those +foolish mortals are up, that's what! And they want to come +down."<br> +</p> + +"Down here?" inquired Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Yes!"<br> +</p> + +"How do you know?" continued the Chamberlain, yawning again. <br> +<p>"I feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo. "I can always feel it +when those hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my Kingdom. I am +positive, Kaliko, that mortals are this very minute on their way +here to annoy me--and I hate mortals more than I do catnip +tea!"<br> +</p> + +"Well, what's to be done?" demanded the nome. <br> +<p>"Look through your spyglass, and see where the invaders are," +commanded the King.<br> +</p> + +So Kaliko went to a tube in the wall of rock and put his eye to +it. The tube ran from the cavern up to the side of the mountain +and turned several curves and corners, but as it was a magic +spyglass Kaliko was able to see through it just as easily as if +it had been straight. <br> +<p>"Ho-hum," said he. "I see 'em, Your Majesty."<br> +</p> + +"What do they look like?" inquired the Monarch. <br> +<p>"That's a hard question to answer, for a queerer assortment of +creatures I never yet beheld," replied the nome. "However, such a +collection of curiosities may prove dangerous. There's a copper +man, worked by machinery--"<br> +</p> + +"Bah! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo. "I'm not afraid of him. +Why, only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a +well." <br> +<p>"Then some one must have pulled him out again," said Kaliko. +"And there's a little girl--"<br> +</p> + +"Dorothy?" asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear. <br> +<p>"No; some other girl. In fact, there are several girls, of +various sizes; but Dorothy is not with them, nor is Ozma."<br> +</p> + +"That's good!" exclaimed the King, sighing in relief. <br> +<p>Kaliko still had his eye to the spyglass.<br> +</p> + +"I see," said he, "an army of men from Oogaboo. They are all +officers and carry swords. And there is a Shaggy Man--who seems +very harmless--and a little donkey with big ears." <br> +<p>"Pooh!" cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn. "I've no +fear of such a mob as that. A dozen of my nomes can destroy them +all in a jiffy."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Kaliko. "The people of Oogaboo +are hard to destroy, and I believe the Rose Princess is a fairy. +As for Polychrome, you know very well that the Rainbow's Daughter +cannot be injured by a nome." <br> +<p>"Polychrome! Is she among them?" asked the King.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; I have just recognized her." <br> +<p>"Then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," +declared Ruggedo, scowling fiercely. "In fact, no one ever comes +here on a peaceful errand. I hate everybody, and everybody hates +me!"<br> +</p> + +"Very true," said Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I must in some way prevent these people from reaching my +dominions. Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"Just now they are crossing the Rubber Country, Your Majesty." +<br> +<p>"Good! Are your magnetic rubber wires in working order?"<br> +</p> + +"I think so," replied Kaliko. "Is it your Royal Will that we have +some fun with these invaders?" <br> +<p>"It is," answered Ruggedo. "I want to teach them a lesson they +will never forget."<br> +</p> + +Now, Shaggy had no idea that he was in a Rubber Country, nor had +any of his companions. They noticed that everything around them +was of a dull gray color and that the path upon which they walked +was soft and springy, yet they had no suspicion that the rocks +and trees were rubber and even the path they trod was made of +rubber. <br> +<p>Presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed +through a deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far +down the mountainside. Across the brook were stepping-stones, so +placed that travelers might easily leap from one to another and +in that manner cross the water to the farther bank.<br> +</p> + +Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and Queen +Ann. After them came Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Polychrome and +Shaggy, and last of all the Rose Princess with Files. The +Clockwork Man saw the stream and the stepping stones and, without +making a pause, placed his foot upon the first stone. <br> +<p>The result was astonishing. First he sank down in the soft +rubber, which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in the +air, where he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon +a rubber rock far in the rear of the party.<br> +</p> + +General Apple did not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he +disappeared; therefore he also stepped upon the stone (which you +will guess was connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and +instantly shot upward like an arrow. General Cone came next and +met with a like fate, but the others now noticed that something +was wrong and with one accord they halted the column and looked +back along the path. <br> +<p>There was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to +another, each time rising a less distance from the ground. And +there was General Apple, bounding away in another direction, his +three-cornered hat jammed over his eyes and his long sword +thumping him upon the arms and head as it swung this way and +that. And there, also, appeared General Cone, who had struck a +rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up that his round +body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a man.<br> +</p> + +Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed +her laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann +became angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo +bounding around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them +to stop, but they were unable to obey, even though they would +have been glad to do so. Finally, however, they all ceased +bounding and managed to get upon their feet and rejoin the Army. +<br> +<p>"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly +provoked.<br> +</p> + +"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would +ask them why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. +Those stones are rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those +rocks around us are rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. +Even this path is not a path; it's rubber. Unless we are very +careful, your Majesty, we are all likely to get the bounce, just +as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did." <br> +<p>"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of +wisdom; but Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, +so she began dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into +the air, so that she resembled a big butterfly fluttering +lightly. Presently she made a great bound and bounded way across +the stream, landing lightly and steadily on the other side.<br> +</p> + +"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you +all try to bound over the stream, without touching the +stepping-stones." <br> +<p>Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky +adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion +and began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding +almost as high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned +forward and the next bound took her easily across the brook, +where she alighted by the side of the Rainbow's Daughter.<br> +</p> + +"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. +He managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across +the stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into +the middle of the water. <br> +<p>"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy +rushed forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely +beside her she was amazed to find he was not wet at all.<br> +</p> + +"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the +stream and showing how the water fell from it and left it +perfectly dry. <br> +<p>"In that case," returned Betsy, "they can all walk through the +water."<br> +</p> + +She called to Ozga and Shaggy to wade across, assuring them the +water was shallow and would not wet them. At once they followed +her advice, avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the +crossing with ease. This encouraged the entire party to wade +through the dry water, and in a few minutes all had assembled on +the bank and renewed their journey along the path that led to the +Nome King's dominions. <br> +<p>When Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he +exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Bad luck, Your Majesty! All the invaders have passed the Rubber +Country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your +caverns." <br> +<p>Ruggedo raved and stormed at the news and his anger was so +great that several times, as he strode up and down his jeweled +cavern, he paused to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so +sensitive that the poor nome howled with pain. Finally the King +said:<br> +</p> + +"There's no help for it; we must drop these audacious invaders +down the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>Kaliko gave a jump, at this, and looked at his master +wonderingly.<br> +</p> + +"If you do that, Your Majesty," he said, "you will make +Tititi-Hoochoo very angry. <br> +<p>"Never mind that," retorted Ruggedo. "TititiHoochoo lives on +the other side of the world, so what do I care for his +anger?"<br> +</p> + +Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan. <br> +<p>"Remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, "and remember that +he warned you, the last time you slid people through the Hollow +Tube, that if you did it again he would take vengeance upon +you."<br> +</p> + +The Metal Monarch walked up and down in silence, thinking deeply. +<br> +<p>"Of two dangers," said he, it is wise to choose the least. +What do you suppose these invaders want?"<br> +</p> + +"Let the Long-Eared Hearer listen to them," suggested Kaliko. +<br> +<p>"Call him here at once!" commanded Ruggedo eagerly.<br> +</p> + +So in a few minutes there entered the cavern a nome with enormous +ears, who bowed low before the King. <br> +<p>"Strangers are approaching," said Ruggedo, "and I wish to know +their errand. Listen carefully to their talk and tell me why they +are coming here, and what for."<br> +</p> + +The nome bowed again and spread out his great ears, swaying them +gently up and down and back and forth. For half an hour he stood +silent, in an attitude of listening, while both the King and +Kaliko grew impatient at the delay. At last the Long-Eared Hearer +spoke: <br> +<p>"Shaggy Man is coming here to rescue his brother from +captivity," said he.<br> +</p> + +"Ha, the Ugly One!" exclaimed Ruggedo. "Well, Shaggy Man may have +his ugly brother, for all I care. He's too lazy to work and is +always getting in my way. Where is the Ugly One now, Kaliko?" +<br> +<p>"The last time Your Majesty stumbled over the prisoner you +commanded me to send him to the Metal Forest, which I did. I +suppose he is still there."<br> +</p> + +"Very good. The invaders will have a hard time finding the Metal +Forest," said the King, with a grin of malicious delight, "for +half the time I can't find it myself. Yet I created the forest +and made every tree, out of gold and silver, so as to keep the +precious metals in a safe place and out of the reach of mortals. +But tell me, Hearer, do the strangers want anything else?" <br> +<p>"Yes, indeed they do!" returned the nome. "The Army of Oogaboo +is determined to capture all the rich metals and rare jewels in +your kingdom, and the officers and their Queen have arranged to +divide the spoils and carry them away."<br> +</p> + +When he heard this Ruggedo uttered a bellow of rage and began +dancing up and down, rolling his eyes, clicking his teeth +together and swinging his arms furiously. Then, in an ecstasy of +anger he seized the long ears of the Hearer and pulled and +twisted them cruelly; but Kaliko grabbed up the King's sceptre +and rapped him over the knuckles with it, so that Ruggedo let go +the ears and began to chase his Royal Chamberlain around the +throne. <br> +<p>The Hearer took advantage of this opportunity to slip away +from the cavern and escape, and after the King had tired himself +out chasing Kaliko he threw himself into his throne and panted +for breath, while he glared wickedly at his defiant subject.<br> +</p> + +"You'd better save your strength to fight the enemy," suggested +Kaliko. "There will be a terrible battle when the Army of Oogaboo +gets here." <br> +<p>"The Army won't get here," said the King, still coughing and +panting. "I'll drop 'em down the Hollow Tube--every man Jack and +every girl Jill of 'em!"<br> +</p> + +"And defy Tititi-Hoochoo?" asked Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Yes. Go at once to my Chief Magician and order him to turn +the path toward the Hollow Tube, and to make the tip of the Tube +invisible, so they'll all fall into it."<br> +</p> + +Kaliko went away shaking his head, for he thought Ruggedo was +making a great mistake, He found the Magician and had the path +twisted so that it led directly to the opening of the Hollow +Tube, and this opening he made invisible. <br> +<p>Having obeyed the orders of his master, the Royal Chamberlain +went to his private room and began to write letters of +recommendation of himself, stating that he was an honest man a +good servant and a small eater.<br> +</p> + +"Pretty soon," he said to himself, "I shall have to look for +another job, for it is certain that Ruggedo has ruined himself by +this reckless defiance of the mighty Tititi-Hoochoo. And in +seeking a job nothing is so effective as a letter of +recommendation." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_11">Chapter Ten</h1> + +<br> +<p>A Terrible Tumble Through a Tube<br> +</p> + +I suppose that Polychrome, and perhaps Queen Ann and her Army, +might have been able to dispel the enchantment of Ruggedo's Chief +Magician had they known that danger lay in their pathway; for the +Rainbow's Daughter was a fairy and as Oogaboo is a part of the +Land of Oz its inhabitants cannot easily be deceived by such +common magic as the Nome King could command. But no one suspected +any especial danger until after they had entered Ruggedo's +cavern, and so they were journeying along in quite a contented +manner when Tik-Tok, who marched ahead, suddenly disappeared. +<br> +<p>The officers thought he must have turned a corner, so they +kept on their way and all of them likewise disappeared--one after +another. Queen Ann was rather surprised at this, and in hastening +forward to learn the reason she also vanished from sight.<br> +</p> + +Betsy Bobbin had tired her feet by walking, so she was now riding +upon the back of the stout little mule, facing backward and +talking to Shaggy and Polychrome, who were just behind. Suddenly +Hank pitched forward and began falling and Betsy would have +tumbled over his head had she not grabbed the mule's shaggy neck +with both arms and held on for dear life. <br> +<p>All around was darkness, and they were not falling directly +downward but seemed to be sliding along a steep incline. Hank's +hoofs were resting upon some smooth substance over which he slid +with the swiftness of the wind. Once Betsy's heels flew up and +struck a similar substance overhead. They were, indeed, +descending the "Hollow Tube" that led to the other side of the +world.<br> +</p> + +"Stop, Hank-stop!" cried the girl; but Hank only uttered a +plaintive "Hee-haw!" for it was impossible for him to obey. <br> +<p>After several minutes had passed and no harm had befallen +them, Betsy gained courage. She could see nothing at all, nor +could she hear anything except the rush of air past her ears as +they plunged downward along the Tube. Whether she and Hank were +alone, or the others were with them, she could not tell. But had +some one been able to take a flashlight photograph of the Tube at +that time a most curious picture would have resulted. There was +Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding headforemost down the +incline. And there were the Officers of the Army of Oogaboo, all +tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and trying to +shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung back and +forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within their +reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a +sitting position and went flying along with a dash and abandon +that thoroughly bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what +had happened to her. Then, a little distance away, but unseen by +the others in the inky darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while +behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome and finally Files and the +princess.<br> +</p> + +When first they tumbled into the Tube, all were too dazed to +think clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity +led straight through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome +King's dominions, and long before the adventurers got to the end +they had begun to recover their wits. <br> +<p>"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen +Ann heard her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?"<br> +</p> + +"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe +when she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a +pause, she added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your +Maj'sty?" <br> +<p>"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not +too far away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, +either."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" said Betsy. <br> +<p>"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," +replied Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had +overtaken him and was now sitting on his head.<br> +</p> + +The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was +this joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" +in a mild and sympathetic tone of voice. <br> +<p>"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same," +exclaimed the little girl.<br> +</p> + +"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But +isn't this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the +skies, making a journey through the center of the earth--where I +never expected to be!" <br> +<p>"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked +Betsy, her voice trembling a little through nervousness.<br> +</p> + +"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I have +often heard of this passage, which was once built by a Magician +who was a great traveler. He thought it would save him the bother +of going around the earth's surface, but he tumbled through the +Tube so fast that he shot out at the other end and hit a star in +the sky, which at once exploded." <br> +<p>"The star exploded?" asked Betsy wonderingly.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; the Magician hit it so hard." <br> +<p>"And what became of the Magician?" inquired the girl.<br> +</p> + +"No one knows that," answered Polychrome. "But I don't think it +matters much." <br> +<p>"It matters a good deal, if we also hit the stars when we come +out," said Queen Ann, with a moan.<br> +</p> + +"Don't worry," advised Polychrome. "I believe the Magician was +going the other way, and probably he went much faster than we are +going." <br> +<p>"It's fast enough to suit me," remarked Shaggy, gently +removing Polychrome's heel from his left eye. "Couldn't you +manage to fall all by yourself, my dear?"<br> +</p> + +"I'll try," laughed the Rainbow's Daughter. <br> +<p>All this time they were swiftly falling through the Tube, and +it was not so easy for them to talk as you may imagine when you +read their words. But although they were so helpless and +altogether in the dark as to their fate, the fact that they were +able to converse at all cheered them, considerably.<br> +</p> + +Files and Ozga were also conversing as they clung tightly to one +another, and the young fellow bravely strove to reassure the +Princess, although he was terribly frightened, both on her +account and on his own. <br> +<p>An hour, under such trying circumstances, is a very long time, +and for more than an hour they continued their fearful journey. +Then, just as they began to fear the Tube would never end, +Tik-Tok popped out into broad daylight and, after making a +graceful circle in the air, fell with a splash into a great +marble fountain.<br> +</p> + +Out came the officers, in quick succession, tumbling heels over +head and striking the ground in many undignified attitudes. <br> +<p>"For the love of sassafras!" exclaimed a Peculiar Person who +was hoeing pink violets in a garden. "What can all this +mean?"<br> +</p> + +For answer, Queen Ann sailed up from the Tube, took a ride +through the air as high as the treetops, and alighted squarely on +top of the Peculiar Person's head, smashing a jeweled crown over +his eyes and tumbling him to the ground. <br> +<p>The mule was heavier and had Betsy clinging to his back, so he +did not go so high up. Fortunately for his little rider he struck +the ground upon his four feet. Betsy was jarred a trifle but not +hurt and when she looked around her she saw the Queen and the +Peculiar Person struggling together upon the ground, where the +man was trying to choke Ann and she had both hands in his bushy +hair and was pulling with all her might. Some of the officers, +when they got upon their feet, hastened to separate the +combatants and sought to restrain the Peculiar Person so that he +could not attack their Queen again.<br> +</p> + +By this time, Shaggy, Polychrome, Ozga and Files had all arrived +and were curiously examining the strange country in which they +found themselves and which they knew to be exactly on the +opposite side of the world from the place where they had fallen +into the Tube. It was a lovely place, indeed, and seemed to be +the garden of some great Prince, for through the vistas of trees +and shrubbery could be seen the towers of an immense castle. But +as yet the only inhabitant to greet them was the Peculiar Person +just mentioned, who had shaken off the grasp of the officers +without effort and was now trying to pull the battered crown from +off his eyes. <br> +<p>Shaggy, who was always polite, helped him to do this and when +the man was free and could see again he looked at his visitors +with evident amazement.<br> +</p> + +"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from and +how did you get here?" <br> +<p>Betsy tried to answer him, for Queen Ann was surly and +silent.<br> +</p> + +"I can't say, exac'ly where we came from, cause I don't know the +name of the place," said the girl, "but the way we got here was +through the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>"Don't call it a 'hollow' Tube, please," exclaimed the +Peculiar Person in an irritated tone of voice. "If~it's a tube, +it's sure to be hollow."<br> +</p> + +"Why?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"Because all tubes are made that way. But this Tube is private +property and everyone is forbidden to fall into it."<br> +</p> + +"We didn't do it on purpose," explained Betsy, and Polychrome +added: "I am quite sure that Ruggedo, the Nome King, pushed us +down that Tube." <br> +<p>"Ha! Ruggedo! Did you say Ruggedo?" cried the man, becoming +much excited.<br> +</p> + +"That is what she said," replied Shaggy, "and I believe she is +right. We were on our way to conquer the Nome King when suddenly +we fell into the Tube." <br> +<p>"Then you are enemies of Ruggedo?" inquired the peculiar +Person.<br> +</p> + +"Not exac'ly enemies," said Betsy, a little puzzled by the +question, "'cause we don't know him at all; "but we started out +to conquer him, which isn't as friendly as it might be." <br> +<p>"True," agreed the man. He looked thoughtfully from one to +another of them for a while and then he turned his head over his +shoulder and said: "Never mind the fire and pincers, my good +brothers. It will be best to take these strangers to the Private +Citizen."<br> +</p> + +"Very well, Tubekins," responded a Voice, deep and powerful, that +seemed to come out of the air, for the speaker was invisible. +<br> +<p>All our friends gave a jump, at this. Even Polychrome was so +startled that her gauze draperies fluttered like a banner in a +breeze. Shaggy shook his head and sighed; Queen Ann looked very +unhappy; the officers clung to each other, trembling +violently.<br> +</p> + +But soon they gained courage to look more closely at the Peculiar +Person. As he was a type of all the inhabitants of this +extraordinary land whom they afterward met, I will try to tell +you what he looked like. <br> +<p>His face was beautiful, but lacked expression. His eyes were +large and blue in color and his teeth finely formed and white as +snow. His hair was black and bushy and seemed inclined to curl at +the ends. So far no one could find any fault with his appearance. +He wore a robe of scarlet, which did not cover his arms and +extended no lower than his bare knees. On the bosom of the robe +was embroidered a terrible dragon's head, as horrible to look at +as the man was beautiful. His arms and legs were left bare and +the skin of one arm was bright yellow and the skin of the other +arm a vivid green. He had one blue leg and one pink one, while +both his feet--which showed through the open sandals he +wore--were jet black.<br> +</p> + +Betsy could not decide whether these gorgeous colors were dyes or +the natural tints of the skin, but while she was thinking it over +the man who had been called "Tubekins" said: <br> +<p>"Follow me to the Residence--all of you!"<br> +</p> + +But just then a Voice exclaimed: "Here's another of them, +Tubekins, lying in the water of the fountain." <br> +<p>"Gracious!" cried Betsy; "it must be Tik-Tok, and he'll +drown."<br> +</p> + +"Water is a bad thing for his clockworks, anyway," agreed Shaggy, +as with one accord they all started for the fountain. But before +they could reach it, invisible hands raised Tik-Tok from the +marble basin and set him upon his feet beside it, water dripping +from every joint of his copper body. <br> +<p>"Ma-ny tha-tha-tha-thanks!" he said; and then his copper jaws +clicked together and he could say no more. He next made an +attempt to walk but after several awkward trials found he could +not move his joints.<br> +</p> + +Peals of jeering laughter from persons unseen greeted Tik-Tok's +failure, and the new arrivals in this strange land found it very +uncomfortable to realize that there were many creatures around +them who were invisible, yet could be heard plainly. <br> +<p>"Shall I wind him up?" asked Betsy, feeling very sorry for +Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"I think his machinery is wound; but he needs oiling," replied +Shaggy. <br> +<p>At once an oil-can appeared before him, held on a level with +his eyes by some unseen hand. Shaggy took the can and tried to +oil Tik-Tok's joints. As if to assist him, a strong current of +warm air was directed against the copper man which quickly dried +him. Soon he was able to say "Ma-ny thanks!" quite smoothly and +his joints worked fairly well.<br> +</p> + +"Come!" commanded Tubekins, and turning his back upon them he +walked up the path toward the castle. <br> +<p>"Shall we go?" asked Queen Ann, uncertainly; but just then she +received a shove that almost pitched her forward on her head; so +she decided to go. The officers who hesitated received several +energetic kicks, but could not see who delivered them; therefore +they also decided--very wisely--to go. The others followed +willingly enough, for unless they ventured upon another terrible +journey through the Tube they must make the best of the unknown +country they were in, and the best seemed to be to obey +orders.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_12">Chapter Eleven</h1> + +<br> +The Famous Fellowship of Fairies <br> +<p>After a short walk through very beautiful gardens they came to +the castle and followed Tubekins through the entrance and into a +great domed chamber, where he commanded them to be seated.<br> +</p> + +From the crown which he wore, Betsy had thought this man must be +the King of the country they were in, yet after he had seated all +the strangers upon benches that were ranged in a semicircle +before a high throne, Tubekins bowed humbly before the vacant +throne and in a flash became invisible and disappeared. <br> +<p>The hall was an immense place, but there seemed to be no one +in it beside themselves. Presently, however, they heard a low +cough near them, and here and there was the faint rustling of a +robe and a slight patter as of footsteps. Then suddenly there +rang out the clear tone of a bell and at the sound all was +changed.<br> +</p> + +Gazing around the hall in bewilderment they saw that it was +filled with hundreds of men and women, all with beautiful faces +and staring blue eyes and all wearing scarlet robes and jeweled +crowns upon their heads. In fact, these people seemed exact +duplicates of Tubekins and it was difficult to find any mark by +which to tell them apart. <br> +<p>"My! what a lot of Kings and Queens!" whispered Betsy to +Polychrome, who sat beside her and appeared much interested in +the scene but not a bit worried.<br> +</p> + +"It is certainly a strange sight," was Polychrome's reply; "but I +cannot see how there can be more than one King, or Queen, in any +one country, for were these all rulers, no one could tell who was +Master." <br> +<p>One of the Kings who stood near and overheard this remark +turned to her and said: "One who is Master of himself is always a +King, if only to himself. In this favored land all Kings and +Queens are equal, and it is our privilege to bow before one +supreme Ruler--the Private Citizen."<br> +</p> + +"Who's he?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>As if to answer her, the clear tones of the bell again rang +out and instantly there appeared seated in the throne the man who +was lord and master of all these royal ones. This fact was +evident when with one accord they fell upon their knees and +touched their foreheads to the floor.<br> +</p> + +The Private Citizen was not unlike the others, except that his +eyes were black instead of blue and in the centers of the black +irises glowed red sparks that seemed like coals of fire. But his +features were very beautiful and dignified and his manner +composed and stately. Instead of the prevalent scarlet robe, he +wore one of white, and the same dragon's head that decorated the +others was embroidered upon its bosom. <br> +<p>"What charge lies against these people, Tubekins?" he asked in +quiet, even tones.<br> +</p> + +"They came through the forbidden Tube, O Mighty Citizen," was the +reply. <br> +<p>"You see, it was this way," said. Betsy. "We were marching to +the Nome King, to conquer him and set Shaggy's brother free, when +on a sudden--"<br> +</p> + +"Who are you?" demanded the Private Citizen sternly. <br> +<p>"Me? Oh, I'm Betsy Bobbin, and--"<br> +</p> + +"Who is the leader of this party?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"Sir, I am Queen Ann of Oogaboo, and--"<br> +</p> + +"Then keep quiet," said the Citizen. "Who is the leader?" <br> +<p>No one answered for a moment. Then General Bunn stood up.<br> +</p> + +"Sit down!" commanded the Citizen. "I can see that sixteen of you +are merely officers, and of no account." <br> +<p>"But we have an Army," said General Clock, blusteringly, for +he didn't like to be told he was of no account.<br> +</p> + +"Where is your Army?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"It's me," said Tik-Tok, his voice sounding a little rusty. +"I'm the on-ly Pri-vate Sol-dier in the par-ty."<br> +</p> + +Hearing this, the Citizen rose and bowed respectfully to the +Clockwork Man. <br> +<p>"Pardon me for not realizing your importance before," said he. +"Will you oblige me by taking a seat beside me on my throne?"<br> +</p> + +Tik-Tok rose and walked over to the throne, all the Kings and +Queens making way for him. Then with clanking steps he mounted +the platform and sat on the broad seat beside the Citizen. <br> +<p>Ann was greatly provoked at this mark of favor shown to the +humble Clockwork Man, but Shaggy seemed much pleased that his old +friend's importance had been recognized by the ruler of this +remarkable country. The Citizen now began to question Tik-Tok, +who told in his mechanical voice about Shaggy's quest of his lost +brother, and how Ozma of Oz had sent the Clockwork Man to assist +him, and how they had fallen in with Queen Ann and her people +from Oogaboo. Also he told how Betsy and Hank and Polychrome and +the Rose Princess had happened to join their party.<br> +</p> + +"And you intended to conquer Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King +of the Nomes?" asked the Citizen. <br> +<p>"Yes. That seemed the on-ly thing for us to do," was Tik-Tok's +reply. "But he was too cle-ver for us. When we got close to his +cav-ern he made our path lead to the Tube, and made the op-en-ing +invis-i-ble, so that we all fell in-to it be-fore we knew it was +there. It was an eas-y way to get rid of us and now Rug-gedo is +safe and we are far away in a strange land."<br> +</p> + +The Citizen was silent a moment and seemed to be thinking. Then +he said: <br> +<p>"Most noble Private Soldier, I must inform you that by the +laws of our country anyone who comes through the Forbidden Tube +must be tortured for nine days and ten nights and then thrown +back into the Tube. But it is wise to disregard laws when they +conflict with justice, and it seems that you and your followers +did not disobey our laws willingly, being forced into the Tube by +Ruggedo. Therefore the Nome King is alone to blame, and he alone +must be punished."<br> +</p> + +"That suits me," said Tik-Tok. "But Rug-ge-do is on the o-ther +side of the world where he is a-way out of your reach." <br> +<p>The Citizen drew himself up proudly.<br> +</p> + +"Do you imagine anything in the world or upon it can be out of +the reach of the Great Jinjin?" he asked. <br> +<p>"Oh! Are you, then, the Great Jinjin?" inquired Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"I am." <br> +<p>"Then your name is Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo?"<br> +</p> + +"It is." <br> +<p>Queen Ann gave a scream and began to tremble. Shaggy was so +disturbed that he took out a handkerchief and wiped the +perspiration from his brow. Polychrome looked sober and uneasy +for the first time, while Files put his arms around the Rose +Princess as if to protect her. As for the officers, the name of +the great Jinjin set them moaning and weeping at a great rate and +every one fell upon his knees before the throne, begging for +mercy. Betsy was worried at seeing her companions so disturbed, +but did not know what it was all about. Only Tik-Tok was unmoved +at the discovery.<br> +</p> + +"Then," said he, "if you are Ti-ti-ti-Hoo-choo, and think +Rug-ge-do is to blame, I am sure that some-thing queer will +hap-pen to the King of the Nomes." <br> +<p>"I wonder what 'twill be," said Betsy.<br> +</p> + +The Private Citizen--otherwise known as TititiHoochoo, the Great +Jinjin--looked at the little girl steadily. <br> +<p>"I will presently decide what is to happen to Ruggedo," said +he in a hard, stern voice. Then, turning to the throng of Kings +and Queens, he continued: "Tik-Tok has spoken truly, for his +machinery will not allow him to lie, nor will it allow his +thoughts to think falsely. Therefore these people are not our +enemies and must be treated with consideration and justice. Take +them to your palaces and entertain them as guests until +to-morrow, when I command that they be brought again to my +Residence. By then I shall have formed my plans."<br> +</p> + +No sooner had Tititi-Hoochoo spoken than he disappeared from +sight. Immediately after, most of the Kings and Queens likewise +disappeared. But several of them remained visible and approached +the strangers with great respect. One of the lovely Queens said +to Betsy: <br> +<p>"I trust you will honor me by being my guest. I am Erma, Queen +of Light."<br> +</p> + +"May Hank come with me?" asked the girl. <br> +<p>"The King of Animals will care for your mule," was the reply. +"But do not fear for him, for he will be treated royally. All of +your party will be reunited on the morrow."<br> +</p> + +"I--I'd like to have some one with me," said Betsy, pleadingly. +<br> +<p>Queen Erma looked around and smiled upon Polychrome.<br> +</p> + +"Will the Rainbow's Daughter be an agreeable companion?" she +asked. <br> +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl.<br> +</p> + +So Polychrome and Betsy became guests of the Queen of Light, +while other beautiful Kings and Queens took charge of the others +of the party. <br> +<p>The two girls followed Erma out of the hall and through the +gardens of the Residence to a village of pretty dwellings. None +of these was so large or imposing as the castle of the Private +Citizen, but all were handsome enough to be called palaces--as, +in fact, they really were.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_13">Chapter Twelve</h1> + +<br> +The Lovely Lady of Light <br> +<p>The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence +and was a mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal +dome. When they entered the portals Erma was greeted by six +lovely maidens, evidently of high degree, who at once aroused +Betsy's admiration. Each bore a wand in her hand, tipped with an +emblem of light, and their costumes were also emblematic of the +lights they represented. Erma introduced them to her guests and +each made a graceful and courteous acknowledgment.<br> +</p> + +First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second +was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next +came Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and +shy. These three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery +white. The fourth was Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing +eyes and frank manners, who wore a variety of colors. Then came +Firelight, clothed in a fleecy flame-colored robe that wavered +around her shapely form in a very attractive manner. The sixth +maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of all, and Betsy thought +from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight regarded Electra +with envy and were a little jealous of her. <br> +<p>But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and +seemed to regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they +fluttered around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the +way to her regal drawing-room.<br> +</p> + +This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery +being of many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed +resting themselves upon the downy divans after their strenuous +adventures of the day. <br> +<p>The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that +Daylight was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others +had retired to another part of the room, where they sat modestly +with entwined arms and did not intrude themselves at all.<br> +</p> + +The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which +is one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the +needs of mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to +avoid rivalry, they had elected as their Ruler the only important +personage in the country who had no duties to mankind to perform +and was, in effect, a Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as +was his title, bore the name of TititiHoochoo, and the most +singular thing about him was that he had no heart. But instead of +this he possessed a high degree of Reason and Justice and while +he showed no mercy in his judgments he never punished unjustly or +without reason. To wrongdoers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as +he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing +to fear from him. <br> +<p>All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to +Jinjin, for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were +willing to obey the one in authority over them.<br> +</p> + +The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this +fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the +faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was +the first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy +the story was all new, and she was greatly interested in +Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer feared. <br> +<p>Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed +that Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of +Daylight.<br> +</p> + +"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a +dragon's head embroidered on your gowns?" <br> +<p>Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:<br> +</p> + +"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever +made; therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living +things. By good fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is +a resident of this land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we +are in need of it. He is old as the world and remembers +everything that has happened since the world was created." <br> +<p>"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, +not understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside +in this country. None, however, is as wise as the Original +Dragon, for whom we have great respect. As he was the first +resident here, we wear the emblem of the dragon's head to show +that we are the favored people who alone have the right to +inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost equals the +Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it. <br> +<p>"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding +her lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at +present interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight +had given way to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right +hand of Erma the Queen, and with her coming a spirit of peace and +content seemed to fill the room. Polychrome, being herself a +fairy, had many questions to ask about the various Kings and +Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded place, and before +Erma had finished answering them a rosy glow filled the room and +Firelight took her place beside the Queen.<br> +</p> + +Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing +features made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to +nod. There-upon Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her +own. <br> +<p>"Come," said she, "the feast time has arrived and the feast is +spread."<br> +</p> + +"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of +it, I'm awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food." +<br> +<p>The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside +a heavy drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy +saw before her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with +snowy linen and crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, +throne-like seat for Erma and beside her now sat the brilliant +maid Electra. Polychrome was placed on the Queen's right hand and +Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers of light now +waited upon them, and each person was supplied with just the food +she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh +and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served that she +decided she had never in her life eaten a dinner half so +good.<br> +</p> + +"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the +youngest of all these girls." <br> +<p>"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.<br> +</p> + +"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. +Edison discover it?" <br> +<p>"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the +Queen. "But electricity was a part of the world from its +creation, and therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or +Moonlight, and equally beneficent to mortals and fairies +alike."<br> +</p> + +Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked +at the six messengers of light: <br> +<p>"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"<br> +</p> + +Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure, she replied, "and I +think mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight +cannot take the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and +energy. Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn out with her +long watch, retires to rest. If the moon in its course is hidden +behind the earth's rim, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, +Starlight takes her place, for the skies always lend her power. +Without Firelight we should miss much of our warmth and comfort, +as well as much cheer when the walls of houses encompass us. But +always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious Electra is +ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I love all +my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true." <br> +<p>"I love 'em too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm +real sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."<br> +</p> + +"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended. +<br> +<p>"A little," admitted the girl.<br> +</p> + +So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, +white bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put +on a shimmery silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then +the light-maid bade her good night and opened the door. <br> +<p>When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six +winks the little girl was fast asleep.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_14">Chapter Thirteen</h1> + +<br> +The Jinjin's Just Judgment <br> +<p>All the adventurers were reunited next morning when they were +brought from various palaces to the Residence of Tititi-Hoochoo +and ushered into the great Hall of State.<br> +</p> + +As before, no one was visible except our friends and their +escorts until the first bell sounded. Then in a flash the room +was seen to be filled with the beautiful Kings and Queens of the +land. The second bell marked the appearance in the throne of the +mighty Jinjin, whose handsome countenance was as composed and +expressionless as ever. <br> +<p>All bowed low to the Ruler. Their voices softly murmured: "We +greet the Private Citizen, mightiest of Rulers, whose word is Law +and whose Law is just."<br> +</p> + +Tititi-Hoochoo bowed in acknowledgment. Then, looking around the +brilliant assemblage, and at the little group of adventurers +before him, he said: <br> +<p>"An unusual thing has happened. Inhabitants of other lands +than ours, who are different from ourselves in many ways, have +been thrust upon us through the Forbidden Tube, which one of our +people foolishly made years ago and was properly punished for his +folly. But these strangers had no desire to come here and were +wickedly thrust into the Tube by a cruel King on the other side +of the world, named Ruggedo. This King is an immortal, but he is +not good. His magic powers hurt mankind more than they benefit +them. Because he had unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's brother a +prisoner, this little band of honest people, consisting of both +mortals and immortals, determined to conquer Ruggedo and to +punish him. Fearing they might succeed in this, the Nome King +misled them so that they fell into the Tube.<br> +</p> + +"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me, many times, that +if ever he used this Forbidden Tube in any way he would be +severely punished. I find, by referring to the Fairy Records, +that this King's servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his master +not to do such a wrong act as to drop these people into the Tube +and send them tumbling into our country. But Ruggedo defied me +and my orders. <br> +<p>"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any wrong. It is +only Ruggedo who deserves punishment, and I will punish him." He +paused a moment and then continued in the same cold, merciless +voice:<br> +</p> + +"These strangers must return through the Tube to their own side +of the world; but I will make their fall more easy and pleasant +than it was before. Also I shall send with them an Instrument of +Vengeance, who in my name will drive Ruggedo from his underground +caverns, take away his magic powers and make him a homeless +wanderer on the face of the earth--a place he detests." <br> +<p>There was a little murmur of horror from the Kings and Queens +at the severity of this punishment, but no one uttered a protest, +for all realized that the sentence was just.<br> +</p> + +"In selecting my Instrument of Vengeance," went on +Tititi-Hoochoo, "I have realized that this will be an unpleasant +mission. Therefore no one of us who is blameless should be forced +to undertake it. In this wonderful land it is seldom one is +guilty of wrong, even in the slightest degree, and on examining +the Records I found no King or Queen had erred. Nor had any among +their followers or servants done any wrong. But finally I came to +the Dragon Family, which we highly respect, and then it was that +I discovered the error of Quox. <br> +<p>"Quox, as you well know, is a young dragon who has not yet +acquired the wisdom of his race. Because of this lack, he has +been disrespectful toward his most ancient ancestor, the Original +Dragon, telling him once to mind his own business and again +saying that the Ancient One had grown foolish with age. We are +aware that dragons are not the same as fairies and cannot be +altogether guided by our laws, yet such disrespect as Quox has +shown should not be unnoticed by us. Therefore I have selected +Quox as my royal Instrument of Vengeance and he shall go through +the Tube with these people and inflict upon Ruggedo the +punishment I have decreed."<br> +</p> + +All had listened quietly to this speech and now the Kings and +Queens bowed gravely to signify their approval of the Jinjin's +judgment. <br> +<p>Tititi-Hoochoo turned to Tubekins.<br> +</p> + +"I command you," said he, "to escort these strangers to the Tube +and see that they all enter it." <br> +<p>The King of the Tube, who had first discovered our friends and +brought them to the Private Citizen, stepped forward and bowed. +As he did so, the Jinjin and all the Kings and Queens suddenly +disappeared and only Tubekins remained visible.<br> +</p> + +"All right," said Betsy, with a sigh; "I don't mind going back so +very much, 'cause the Jinjin promised to make it easy for us." +<br> +<p>Indeed, Queen Ann and her officers were the only ones who +looked solemn and seemed to fear the return journey. One thing +that bothered Ann was her failure to conquer this land of +TititiHoochoo. As they followed their guide through the gardens +to the mouth of the Tube she said to Shaggy:<br> +</p> + +"How can I conquer the world, if I go away and leave this rich +country unconquered?" <br> +<p>"You can't," he replied. "Don't ask me why, please, for if you +don't know I can't inform you."<br> +</p> + +"Why not?" said Ann; but Shaggy paid no attention to the +question. <br> +<p>This end of the Tube had a silver rim and around it was a gold +railing to which was attached a sign that read.<br> +</p> + +"IF YOU ARE OUT, STAY THERE. IF YOU ARE IN, DON'T COME OUT." <br> +<p>On a little silver plate just inside the Tube was engraved the +words:<br> +</p> + +"Burrowed and built by Hiergargo the Magician, In the Year of the +World 1 9 6 2 5 4 7 8 For his own exclusive uses." <br> +<p>"He was some builder, I must say," remarked Betsy, when she +had read the inscription; "but if he had known about that star I +guess he'd have spent his time playing solitaire."<br> +</p> + +"Well, what are we waiting for?" inquired Shaggy, who was +impatient to start. <br> +<p>"Quox," replied Tubekins. "But I think I hear him coming."<br> +</p> + +"Is the young dragon invisible?" asked Ann, who had never seen a +live dragon and was a little fearful of meeting one. <br> +<p>"No, indeed," replied the King of the Tube. "You'll see him in +a minute; but before you part company I'm sure you'll wish he was +invisible."<br> +</p> + +"Is he dangerous, then?" questioned Files. <br> +<p>"Not at all. But Quox tires me dreadfully," said Tubekins, +"and I prefer his room to his company.<br> +</p> + +At that instant a scraping sound was heard, drawing nearer and +nearer until from between two big bushes appeared a huge dragon, +who approached the party, nodded his head and said: "Good +morning." <br> +<p>Had Quox been at all bashful I am sure he would have felt +uncomfortable at the astonished stare of every eye in the +group--except Tubekins, of course, who was not astonished because +he had seen Quox so often.<br> +</p> + +Betsy had thought a "young" dragon must be a small dragon, yet +here was one so enormous that the girl decided he must be full +grown, if not overgrown. His body was a lovely sky-blue in color +and it was thickly set with glittering silver scales, each one as +big as a serving-tray. Around his neck was a pink ribbon with a +bow just under his left ear, and below the ribbon appeared a +chain of pearls to which was attached a golden locket about as +large around as the end of a bass drum. This locket was set with +many large and beautiful jewels. <br> +<p>The head and face of Quox were not especially ugly, when you +consider that he was a dragon; but his eyes were so large that it +took him a long time to wink and his teeth seemed very sharp and +terrible when they showed, which they did whenever the beast +smiled. Also his nostrils were quite large and wide, and those +who stood near him were liable to smell brimstone--especially +when he breathed out fire, as it is the nature of dragons to do. +To the end of his long tail was attached a big electric +light.<br> +</p> + +Perhaps the most singular thing about the dragon's appearance at +this time was the fact that he had a row of seats attached to his +back, one seat for each member of the party. These seats were +double, with curved backs, so that two could sit in them, and +there were twelve of these double seats, all strapped firmly +around the dragon's thick body and placed one behind the other, +in a row that extended from his shoulders nearly to his tail. +<br> +<p>"Aha!" exclaimed Tubekins; "I see that TititiHoochoo has +transformed Quox into a carryall."<br> +</p> + +"I'm glad of that," said Betsy. "I hope, Mr. Dragon, you won't +mind our riding on your back." <br> +<p>"Not a bit," replied Quox. "I'm in disgrace just now, you +know, and the only way to redeem my good name is to obey the +orders of the Jinjin. If he makes me a beast of burden, it is +only a part of my punishment, and I must bear it like a dragon. I +don't blame you people at all, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride. +Hop on, please. All aboard for the other side of the world!"<br> +</p> + +Silently they took their places. Hank sat in the front seat with +Betsy, so that he could rest his front hoofs upon the dragon's +head. Behind them were Shaggy and Polychrome, then Files and the +Princess, and Queen Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the +rear seats. When all had mounted to their places the dragon +looked very like one of those sightseeing wagons so common in big +cities-only he had legs instead of wheels. <br> +<p>"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he +crawled to the mouth of the Tube and put his head in.<br> +</p> + +"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one +thought to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great +body into the Tube and the journey to the other side of the world +had begun. <br> +<p>At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch +their breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort +of cackling laugh:<br> +</p> + +"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy +and fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to +the other side of the world?" <br> +<p>"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired +Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I +was born." <br> +<p>"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. +If I had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated +my three thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother +was going to make me a birthday cake with three thousand and +fifty-six candles on it; but now, of course, there will be no +celebration, for I fear I shall not get home in time for it." +<br> +<p>"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had +no idea anything could live that long!"<br> +</p> + +"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if +I had not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with +him," said Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and +insists on telling us stories of things that happened fifty +thousand years ago, which are of no interest at all to youngsters +like me. In fact, Grandpa isn't up to date. He lives altogether +in the past, so I can't see any good reason for his being alive +to-day.... Are you people able to see your way, or shall I turn +on more light?" <br> +<p>"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing +to see but ourselves," answered Betsy.<br> +</p> + +This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an +automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he +curled his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of +it enabled them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube +itself was only dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly the same +from one of its ends to the other. Therefore there was no scenery +of interest to beguile the journey. <br> +<p>They were now falling so gently that the trip was proving +entirely comfortable, as the Jinjin had promised it would be; but +this meant a longer journey and the only way they could make time +pass was to engage in conversation. The dragon seemed a willing +and persistent talker and he was of so much interest to them that +they encouraged him to chatter. His voice was a little gruff but +not unpleasant when one became used to it.<br> +</p> + +"My only fear," said he presently, "is that this constant sliding +over the surface of the Tube will dull my claws. You see, this +hole isn't straight down, but on a steep slant, and so instead of +tumbling freely through the air I must skate along the Tube. +Fortunately, there is a file in my toolkit, and if my claws get +dull they can be sharpened again." <br> +<p>"Why do you want sharp claws?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"They are my natural weapons, and you must not forget that I have +been sent to conquer Ruggedo." <br> +<p>"Oh, you needn't mind about that," remarked Queen Ann, in her +most haughty manner; "for when we get to Ruggedo I and my +invincible Army can conquer him without your assistance."<br> +</p> + +"Very good," returned the dragon, cheerfully. "That will save me +a lot of bother--if you succeed. But I think I shall file my +claws, just the same." <br> +<p>He gave a long sigh, as he said this, and a sheet of flame, +several feet in length, shot from his mouth. Betsy shuddered and +Hank said "Hee-haw!" while some of the officers screamed in +terror. But the dragon did not notice that he had done anything +unusual.<br> +</p> + +"Is there fire inside of you?" asked Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Of course," answered Quox. "What sort of a dragon would I be +if my fire went out?"<br> +</p> + +"What keeps it going?" Betsy inquired. <br> +<p>"I've no idea. I only know it's there," said Quox. "The fire +keeps me alive and enables me to move; also to think and +speak."<br> +</p> + +"Ah! You are ver-y much like my-self," said Tik-Tok. "The on-ly +dif-fer-ence is that I move by clock-work, while you move by +fire." <br> +<p>"I don't see a particle of likeness between us, I must +confess," retorted Quox, gruffly. "You are not a live thing; +you're a dummy."<br> +</p> + +"But I can do things, you must ad-mit," said Tik-Tok. <br> +<p>"Yes, when you are wound up," sneered the dragon. "But if you +run down, you are helpless."<br> +</p> + +"What would happen to you, Quox, if you ran out of gasoline?" +inquired Shaggy, who did not like this attack upon his friend. +<br> +<p>"I don't use gasoline."<br> +</p> + +"Well, suppose you ran out of fire." <br> +<p>"What's the use of supposing that?" asked Quox. "My +great-great-great-grandfather has lived since the world began, +and he has never once run out of fire to keep him going. But I +will confide to you that as he gets older he shows more smoke and +less fire. As for Tik-Tok, he's well enough in his way, but he's +merely copper. And the Metal Monarch knows copper through and +through. I wouldn't be surprised if Ruggedo melted Tik-Tok in one +of his furnaces and made copper pennies of him."<br> +</p> + +"In that case, I would still keep going," remarked Tik-Tok, +calmly. <br> +<p>"Pennies do," said Betsy regretfully.<br> +</p> + +"This is all nonsense," said the Queen, with irritation. "Tik-Tok +is my great Army--all but the officers--and I believe he will be +able to conquer Ruggedo with ease. What do you think, +Polychrome?" <br> +<p>"You might let him try," answered the Rainbow's Daughter, with +her sweet ringing laugh, that sounded like the tinkling of tiny +bells. "And if Tik-Tok fails, you have still the big +firebreathing dragon to fall back on."<br> +</p> + +"Ah!" said the dragon, another sheet of flame gushing from his +mouth and nostrils; "it's a wise little girl, this Polychrome. +Anyone would know she is a fairy." <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_15">Chapter Fourteen</h1> + +The Long-Eared Hearer Learns by Listening <br> +During this time Ruggedo, the Metal Monarch and King of the +Nomes, was trying to amuse himself in his splendid jeweled +cavern. It was hard work for Ruggedo to find amusement to day, +for all the nomes were behaving well and there was no one to +scold or to punish. The King had thrown his sceptre at Kaliko six +times, without hitting him once. Not that Kaliko had done +anything wrong. On the contrary, he had obeyed the King in every +way but one: he would not stand still, when commanded to do so, +and let the heavy sceptre strike him. <br> +<p>We can hardly blame Kaliko for this, and even the cruel +Ruggedo forgave him; for he knew very well that if he mashed his +Royal Chamberlain he could never find another so intelligent and +obedient. Kaliko could make the nomes work when their King could +not, for the nomes hated Ruggedo and there were so many thousands +of the quaint little underground people that they could easily +have rebelled and defied the King had they dared to do so. +Sometimes, when Ruggedo abused them worse than usual, they grew +sullen and threw down their hammers and picks. Then, however hard +the King scolded or whipped them, they would not work until +Kaliko came and begged them to. For Kaliko was one of themselves +and was as much abused by the King as any nome in the vast series +of caverns.<br> +</p> + +But today all the little people were working industriously at +their tasks and Ruggedo, having nothing to do, was greatly bored. +He sent for the Long-Eared Hearer and asked him to listen +carefully and report what was going on in the big world. <br> +<p>"It seems," said the Hearer, after listening for awhile, "that +the women in America have clubs."<br> +</p> + +"Are there spikes in them?" asked Ruggedo, yawning. <br> +<p>"I cannot hear any spikes, Your Majesty," was the reply.<br> +</p> + +"Then their clubs are not as, good as my sceptre. What else do +you hear?' <br> +<p>"There's a war.<br> +</p> + +"Bah! there's always a war. What else?" <br> +<p>For a time the Hearer was silent, bending forward and +spreading out his big ears to catch the slightest sound. Then +suddenly he said:<br> +</p> + +"Here is an interesting thing, Your Majesty. These people are +arguing as to who shall conquer the Metal Monarch, seize his +treasure and drive him from his dominions." <br> +<p>"What people?" demanded Ruggedo, sitting up straight in his +throne.<br> +</p> + +"The ones you threw down the Hollow Tube." <br> +<p>"Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"In the same Tube, and coming back this way," said the Hearer. +<br> +<p>Ruggedo got out of his throne and began to pace up and down +the cavern.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder what can be done to stop them," he mused. <br> +<p>"Well," said the Hearer, "if you could turn the Tube upside +down, they would be falling the other way, Your Majesty."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo glared at him wickedly, for it was impossible to turn the +Tube upside down and he believed the Hearer was slyly poking fun +at him. Presently he asked: <br> +<p>"How far away are those people now?"<br> +</p> + +"About nine thousand three hundred and six miles, seventeen +furlongs, eight feet and four inches--as nearly as I can judge +from the sound of their voices," replied the Hearer. <br> +<p>"Aha! Then it will be some time before they arrive," said +Ruggedo, "and when they get here I shall be ready to receive +them.<br> +</p> + +He rushed to his gong and pounded upon it so fiercely that Kaliko +came bounding into the cavern with one shoe off and one shoe on, +for he was just dressing himself after a swim in the hot bubbling +lake of the Underground Kingdom. <br> +<p>"Kaliko, those invaders whom we threw down the Tube are coming +back again!" he exclaimed.<br> +</p> + +"I thought they would," said the Royal Chamberlain, pulling on +the other shoe. "TititiHoo-choo would not allow them to remain in +his kingdom, of course, and so I've been expecting them back for +some time. That was a very foolish action of yours, Rug." <br> +<p>"What, to throw them down the Tube?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. Tititi-Hoochoo has forbidden us to throw even rubbish into +the Tube." <br> +<p>"Pooh! what do I care for the Jinjin?" asked Ruggedo +scornfully. "He never leaves his own kingdom, which is on the +other side of the world."<br> +</p> + +"True; but he might send some one through the Tube to punish +you," suggested Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I'd like to see him do it! Who could conquer my thousands of +nomes?"<br> +</p> + +"Why, they've been conquered before, if I remember aright," +answered Kaliko with a grin. "Once I saw you running from a +little girl named Dorothy, and her friends, as if you were really +afraid." <br> +<p>"Well, I was afraid, that time," admitted the Nome King, with +a deep sigh, "for Dorothy had a Yellow Hen that laid eggs!"<br> +</p> + +The King shuddered as he said "eggs," and Kaliko also shuddered, +and so did the Long-Eared Hearer; for eggs are the only things +that the nomes greatly dread. The reason for this is that eggs +belong on the earth's surface, where birds and fowl of all sorts +live, and there is something about a hen's egg, especially, that +fills a nome with horror. If by chance the inside of an egg +touches one of these underground people, he withers up and blows +away and that is the end of him--unless he manages quickly to +speak a magical word which only a few of the nomes know. +Therefore Ruggedo and his followers had very good cause to +shudder at the mere mention of eggs. <br> +<p>"But Dorothy," said the King, "is not with this band of +invaders; nor is the Yellow Hen. As for Tititi-Hoochoo, he has no +means of knowing that we are afraid of eggs."<br> +</p> + +"You mustn't be too sure of that," Kaliko warned him. +"Tititi-Hoochoo knows a great many things, being a fairy, and his +powers are far superior to any we can boast." <br> +<p>Ruggedo shrugged impatiently and turned to the Hearer.<br> +</p> + +"Listen," said he, "and tell me if you hear any eggs coming +through the Tube." <br> +<p>The Long-Eared one listened and then shook his head. But +Kaliko laughed at the King.<br> +</p> + +"No one can hear an egg, Your Majesty," said he. "The only way to +discover the truth is to look through the Magic Spyglass." <br> +<p>"That's it!" cried the King. "Why didn't I think of it before? +Look at once, Kaliko!"<br> +</p> + +So Kaliko went to the Spyglass and by uttering a mumbled charm he +caused the other end of it to twist around, so that it pointed +down the opening of the Tube. Then he put his eye to the glass +and was able to gaze along all the turns and windings of the +Magic Spyglass and then deep into the Tube, to where our friends +were at that time falling. <br> +<p>"Dear me!" he exclaimed. "Here comes a dragon."<br> +</p> + +"A big one?" asked Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"A monster. He has an electric light on the end of his tail, +so I can see him very plainly. And the other people are all +riding upon his back."<br> +</p> + +"How about the eggs?" inquired the King. <br> +<p>Kaliko looked again.<br> +</p> + +"I can see no eggs at all," said he; "but I imagine that the +dragon is as dangerous as eggs. Probably Tititi-Hoochoo has sent +him here to punish you for dropping those strangers into the +Forbidden Tube. I warned you not to do it, Your Majesty." <br> +<p>This news made the Nome King anxious. For a few minutes he +paced up and down, stroking his long beard and thinking with all +his might. After this he turned to Kaliko and said:<br> +</p> + +"All the harm a dragon can do is to scratch with his claws and +bite with his teeth." <br> +<p>"That is not all, but it's quite enough," returned Kaliko +earnestly. "On the other hand, no one can hurt a dragon, because +he's the toughest creature alive. One flop of his huge tail could +smash a hundred nomes to pancakes, and with teeth and claws he +could tear even you or me into small bits, so that it would be +almost impossible to put us together again. Once, a few hundred +years ago, while wandering through some deserted caverns, I came +upon a small piece of a nome lying on the rocky floor. I asked +the piece of nome what had happened to it. Fortunately the mouth +was a part of this piece--the mouth and the left eye--so it was +able to tell me that a fierce dragon was the cause. It had +attacked the poor nome and scattered him in every direction, and +as there was no friend near to collect his pieces and put him +together, they had been separated for a great many years. So you +see, Your Majesty, it is not in good taste to sneer at a +dragon."<br> +</p> + +The King had listened attentively to Kaliko. Said he: <br> +<p>"It will only be necessary to chain this dragon which +Tititi-Hoochoo has sent here, in order to prevent his reaching us +with his claws and teeth."<br> +</p> + +"He also breathes flames," Kaliko reminded him. <br> +<p>"My nomes are not afraid of fire, nor am I," said Ruggedo.<br> +</p> + +"Well, how about the Army of Oogaboo?" <br> +<p>"Sixteen cowardly officers and Tik-Tok! Why, I could defeat +them single-handed; but I won't try to. I'll summon my army of +nomes to drive the invaders out of my territory, and if we catch +any of them I intend to stick needles into them until they hop +with pain.<br> +</p> + +"I hope you won't hurt any of the girls," said Kaliko. <br> +<p>"I'll hurt 'em all!" roared the angry Metal Monarch. "And that +braying Mule I'll make into hoof-soup, and feed it to my nomes, +that it may add to their strength."<br> +</p> + +"Why not be good to the strangers and release your prisoner, the +Shaggy Man's brother?" suggested Kaliko. <br> +<p>"Never!"<br> +</p> + +"It may save you a lot of annoyance. And you don't want the Ugly +One." <br> +<p>"I don't want him; that's true. But I won't allow anybody to +order me around. I'm King of the Nomes and I'm the Metal Monarch, +and I shall do as I please and what I please and when I +please!"<br> +</p> + +With this speech Ruggedo threw his sceptre at Kaliko's head, +aiming it so well that the Royal Chamberlain had to fall flat +upon the floor in order to escape it. But the Hearer did not see +the sceptre coming and it swept past his head so closely that it +broke off the tip of one of his long ears. He gave a dreadful +yell that quite startled Ruggedo, and the King was sorry for the +accident because those long ears of the Hearer were really +valuable to him. <br> +<p>So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered +his Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and +have them properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of +the Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon as they +appeared.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_16">Chapter Fifteen</h1> + +<br> +The Dragon Defies Danger <br> +<p>Although the journey through the Tube was longer, this time, +than before, it was so much more comfortable that none of our +friends minded it at all. They talked together most of the time +and as they found the dragon good-natured and fond of the sound +of his own voice they soon became well acquainted with him and +accepted him as a companion.<br> +</p> + +"You see," said Shaggy, in his frank way, "Quox is on our side, +and therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be +an enemy, instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him +very much, for his breath smells of brimstone, he is very +conceited and he is so strong and fierce that he would prove a +dangerous foe." <br> +<p>"Yes, indeed," returned Quox, who had listened to this speech +with pleasure; "I suppose I am about as terrible as any living +thing. I am glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my +good qualities. As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really +can't help it, and I once met a man whose breath smelled of +onions, which I consider far worse."<br> +</p> + +"I don't," said Betsy; "I love onions. <br> +<p>"And I love brimstone," declared the dragon, "so don't let us +quarrel over one another's peculiarities."<br> +</p> + +Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty +feet from his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she +remembered about the onions and said nothing. <br> +<p>They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of +the earth, nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the +little girl remarked:<br> +</p> + +"I wonder when we'll reach the bottom of this hole. And isn't it +funny, Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top +when we fell the other way?" <br> +<p>"What puzzles me," said Files, "is that we are able to fall +both ways.<br> +</p> + +"That," announced Tik-Tok, "is because the world is round." <br> +<p>"Exactly," responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in +fine working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such +a thing as the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything +toward the center of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, +and why everything clings to the surface of the earth."<br> +</p> + +"Then why doesn't everyone go on down to the center of the +earth?" inquired the little girl. <br> +<p>"I was afraid you were going to ask me that," replied Shaggy +in a sad tone. "The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so +solid that other solid things can't get through it. But when +there's a hole, as there is in this case, we drop right down to +the center of the world."<br> +</p> + +"Why don't we stop there?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry +us right up to the other end."<br> +</p> + +"I don't understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to +figure it out," she said after some thought. "One thing draws us +to the center and another thing pushes us away from it. But--" +<br> +<p>"Don't ask me why, please," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "If +you can't understand it, let it go at that."<br> +</p> + +"Do you understand it?" she inquired. <br> +<p>"All the magic isn't in fairyland," he said gravely. "There's +lots of magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the +United States, where you and I once lived, as you can here."<br> +</p> + +"I never did," she replied. <br> +<p>"Because you were so used to it all that you didn't realize it +was magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow +and blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? +The cows that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully +as remarkable as that in Tik-Tok's copper body, and perhaps +you've noticed that--"<br> +</p> + +And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light +of day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely +enveloped them. The dragon's claws no longer scraped against the +metal Tube, for he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more +and sailed so far away from the slanting hole that when he landed +it was on the peak of a mountain and just over the entrance to +the many underground caverns of the Nome King. <br> +<p>Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck +the ground, hut most of the dragon's passengers only felt a +slight jar. All were glad to be on solid earth again and they at +once dismounted and began to look about them. Queerly enough, as +soon as they had left the dragon, the seats that were strapped to +the monster's back disappeared, and this probably happened +because there was no further use for them and because Quox looked +far more dignified in just his silver scales. Of course he still +wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as well as the +great locket, but these only made him look "dressed up," as Betsy +remarked.<br> +</p> + +Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of +the Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as +soon as they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes +assembled, and they were led by Guph, their most famous General. +But they did not expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot +out of the Tube so suddenly that it took them by surprise. When +the nomes had rubbed the astonishment out of their eyes and +regained their wits, they discovered the dragon quietly seated on +the mountainside far above their heads, while the other strangers +were standing in a group and calmly looking down upon them. <br> +<p>General Guph was very angry at the escape, which was no one's +fault but his own.<br> +</p> + +"Come down here and be captured!" he shouted, waving his sword at +them. <br> +<p>"Come up here and capture us--if you dare!" replied Queen Ann, +who was winding up the clockwork of her Private Soldier, so he +could fight more briskly.<br> +</p> + +Guph's first answer was a roar of rage at the defiance; then he +turned and issued a command to his nomes. These were all armed +with sharp spears and with one accord they raised these spears +and threw them straight at their foes, so that they rushed +through the air in a perfect cloud of flying weapons. <br> +<p>Some damage might have been done had not the dragon quickly +crawled before the others, his body being so big that it shielded +every one of them, including Hank. The spears rattled against the +silver scales of Quox and then fell harmlessly to the ground. +They were magic spears, of course, and all straightway bounded +back into the hands of those who had thrown them, but even Guph +could see that it was useless to repeat the attack.<br> +</p> + +It was now Queen Ann's turn to attack, so the Generals yelled +"For-ward march!" and the Colonels and Majors and Captains +repeated the command and the valiant Army of Oogaboo, which +seemed to be composed mainly of TikTok, marched forward in single +column toward the nomes, while Betsy and Polychrome cheered and +Hank gave a loud "Hee-haw!" and Shaggy shouted "Hooray!" and +Queen Ann screamed: "At 'em, Tik-Tok-at 'em!" <br> +<p>The nomes did not await the Clockwork Man's attack but in a +twinkling disappeared into the underground caverns. They made a +great mistake in being so hasty, for Tik-Tok had not taken a +dozen steps before he stubbed his copper toe on a rock and fell +flat to the ground, where he cried: "Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick +me up!" until Shaggy and Files ran forward and raised him to his +feet again.<br> +</p> + +The dragon chuckled softly to himself as he scratched his left +ear with his hind claw, but no one was paying much attention to +Quox just then. <br> +<p>It was evident to Ann and her officers that there could be no +fighting unless the enemy was present, and in order to find the +enemy they must boldly enter the underground Kingdom of the +nomes. So bold a step demanded a council of war.<br> +</p> + +"Don't you think I'd better drop in on Ruggedo and obey the +orders of the Jinjin?" asked Quox. <br> +<p>"By no means!" returned Queen Ann. "We have already put the +army of nomes to flight and all that yet remains is to force our +way into those caverns, and conquer the Nome King and all his +people.'<br> +</p> + +"That seems to me something of a job," said the dragon, closing +his eyes sleepily. "But go ahead, if you like, and I'll wait here +for you. Don't be in any hurry on my account. To one who lives +thousands of years the delay of a few days means nothing at all, +and I shall probably sleep until the time comes for me to act. +<br> +<p>Ann was provoked at this speech.<br> +</p> + +"You may as well go back to Tititi-Hoochoo now," she said, "for +the Nome King is as good as conquered already." <br> +<p>But Quox shook his head. "No," said he; "I'll wait."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_17">Chapter Sixteen</h1> + +<br> +The Naughty Nome <br> +<p>Shaggy Man had said nothing during the conversation between +Queen Ann and Quox, for the simple reason that he did not +consider the matter worth an argument. Safe within his pocket +reposed the Love Magnet, which had never failed to win every +heart. The nomes, he knew, were not like the heartless Roses and +therefore could be won to his side as soon as he exhibited the +magic talisman.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy's chief anxiety had been to reach Ruggedo's Kingdom and +now that the entrance lay before him he was confident he would be +able to rescue his lost brother. Let Ann and the dragon quarrel +as to who should conquer the nomes, if they liked; Shaggy would +let them try, and if they failed he had the means of conquest in +his own pocket. <br> +<p>But Ann was positive she could not fail, for she thought her +Army could do anything. So she called the officers together and +told them how to act, and she also instructed Tik-Tok what to do +and what to say.<br> +</p> + +"Please do not shoot your gun except as a last resort," she +added, "for I do not wish to be cruel or to shed any +blood--unless it is absolutely necessary." <br> +<p>"All right," replied Tik-Tok; "but I do not think Rug-ge-do +would bleed if I filled him full of holes and put him in a ci-der +press."<br> +</p> + +Then the officers fell in line, the four Generals abreast and +then the four Colonels and the four Majors and the four Captains. +They drew their glittering swords and commanded Tik-Tok to march, +which he did. Twice he fell down, being tripped by the rough +rocks, but when he struck the smooth path he got along better. +Into the gloomy mouth of the cavern entrance he stepped without +hesitation, and after him proudly pranced the officers and Queen +Ann. The others held back a little, waiting to see what would +happen. <br> +<p>Of course the Nome King knew they were coming and was prepared +to receive them. Just within the rocky passage that led to the +jeweled throne-room was a deep pit, which was usually covered. +Ruggedo had ordered the cover removed and it now stood open, +scarcely visible in the gloom.<br> +</p> + +The pit was so large around that it nearly filled the passage and +there was barely room for one to walk around it by pressing close +to the rock walls. This Tik-Tok did, for his copper eyes saw the +pit clearly and he avoided it; but the officers marched straight +into the hole and tumbled in a heap on the bottom. An instant +later Queen Ann also walked into the pit, for she had her chin in +the air and was careless where she placed her feet. Then one of +the nomes pulled a lever which replaced the cover on the pit and +made the officers of Oogaboo and their Queen fast prisoners. <br> +<p>As for Tik-Tok, he kept straight on to the cavern where +Ruggedo sat in his throne and there he faced the Nome King and +said:<br> +</p> + +"I here-by con-quer you in the name of Queen Ann So-forth of +Oo-ga-boo, whose Ar-my I am, and I declare that you are her +pris-on-er!" <br> +<p>Ruggedo laughed at him.<br> +</p> + +"Where is this famous Queen?" he asked. <br> +<p>"She'll be here in a min-ute," said Tik-Tok. "Per-haps she +stopped to tie her shoe-string."<br> +</p> + +"Now, see here, Tik-Tok," began the Nome King, in a stern voice, +"I've had enough of this nonsense. Your Queen and her officers +are all prisoners, having fallen into my power, so perhaps you'll +tell me what you mean to do." <br> +<p>"My orders were to con-quer you," replied TikTok, "and my +ma-chin-er-y has done the best it knows how to car-ry out those +or-ders."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo pounded on his gong and Kaliko appeared, followed closely +by General Guph. <br> +<p>"Take this copper man into the shops and set him to work +hammering gold," commanded the King. "Being run by machinery he +ought to be a steady worker. He ought never to have been made, +but since he exists I shall hereafter put him to good use."<br> +</p> + +"If you try to cap-ture me," said Tik-Tok, "I shall fight." <br> +<p>"Don't do that!" exclaimed General Guph, earnestly, "for it +will be useless to resist and you might hurt some one."<br> +</p> + +But Tik-Tok raised his gun and took aim and not knowing what +damage the gun might do the nomes were afraid to face It. <br> +<p>While he was thus defying the Nome King and his high +officials, Betsy Bobbin rode calmly into the royal cavern, seated +upon the back of Hank the mule. The little girl had grown tired +of waiting for "something to happen" and so had come to see if +Ruggedo had been conquered.<br> +</p> + +"Nails and nuggets!" roared the King; "how dare you bring that +beast here and enter my presence unannounced?" <br> +<p>"There wasn't anybody to announce me, replied Betsy. "I guess +your folks were all busy. Are you conquered yet?"<br> +</p> + +"No!" shouted the King, almost beside himself with rage. <br> +<p>"Then please give me something to eat, for I'm awful hungry," +said the girl. "You see, this conquering business is a good deal +like waiting for a circus parade; it takes a long time to get +around and don't amount to much anyhow."<br> +</p> + +The nomes were so much astonished at this speech that for a time +they could only glare at her silently, not finding words to +reply. The King finally recovered the use of his tongue and said: +<br> +<p>"Earth-crawler! this insolence to my majesty shall be your +death-warrant. You are an ordinary mortal, and to stop a mortal +from living is so easy a thing to do that I will not keep you +waiting half so long as you did for my conquest."<br> +</p> + +"I'd rather you wouldn't stop me from living," remarked Betsy, +getting off Hank's back and standing beside him. "And it would be +a pretty cheap King who killed a visitor while she was hungry. If +you'll give me something to eat, I'll talk this killing business +over with you afterward; only, I warn you now that I don't +approve of it, and never will." <br> +<p>Her coolness and lack of fear impressed the Nome King, +although he bore an intense hatred toward all mortals.<br> +</p> + +"What do you wish to eat?" he asked gruffly. <br> +<p>"Oh, a ham-sandwich would do, or perhaps a couple of +hard-boiled eggs--"<br> +</p> + +"Eggs!" shrieked the three nomes who were present, shuddering +till their teeth chattered. <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Betsy wonderingly. "Are eggs as +high here as they are at home?"<br> +</p> + +"Guph," said the King in an agitated voice, turning to his +General, "let us destroy this rash mortal at once! Seize her and +take her to the Slimy Cave and lock her in." <br> +<p>Guph glanced at Tik-Tok, whose gun was still pointed, but just +then Kaliko stole softly behind the copper man and kicked his +knee-joints so that they suddenly bent forward and tumbled +Tik-Tok to the floor, his gun falling from his grasp.<br> +</p> + +Then Guph, seeing Tik-Tok helpless, made a grab at Betsy. At the +same time Hank's heels shot out and caught the General just where +his belt was buckled. He rose into the air swift as a cannonball, +struck the Nome King fairly and flattened his Majesty against the +wall of rock on the opposite side of the cavern. Together they +fell to the floor in a dazed and crumpled condition, seeing which +Kaliko whispered to Betsy: <br> +<p>"Come with me--quick!--and I will save you."<br> +</p> + +She looked into Kaliko's face inquiringly and thought he seemed +honest and good-natured, so she decided to follow him. He led her +and the mule through several passages and into a small cavern +very nicely and comfortably furnished. <br> +<p>"This is my own room," said he, "but you are quite welcome to +use it. Wait here a minute and I'll get you something to +eat."<br> +</p> + +When Kaliko returned he brought a tray containing some broiled +mushrooms, a loaf of mineral bread and some petroleum-butter. The +butter Betsy could not eat, but the bread was good and the +mushrooms delicious. <br> +<p>"Here's the door key," said Kaliko, "and you'd better lock +yourself in."<br> +</p> + +"Won't you let Polychrome and the Rose Princess come here, too?" +she asked. <br> +<p>"I'll see. Where are they?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't know. I left them outside," said Betsy. <br> +<p>"Well, if you hear three raps on the door, open it," said +Kaliko; "but don't let anyone in unless they give the three +raps."<br> +</p> + +"All right," promised Betsy, and when Kaliko left the cosy cavern +she closed and locked the door. <br> +<p>In the meantime Ann and her officers, finding themselves +prisoners in the pit, had shouted and screamed until they were +tired out, but no one had come to their assistance. It was very +dark and damp in the pit and they could not climb out because the +walls were higher than their heads and the cover was on. The +Queen was first angry and then annoyed and then discouraged; but +the officers were only afraid. Every one of the poor fellows +heartily wished he was back in Oogaboo caring for his orchard, +and some were so unhappy that they began to reproach Ann for +causing them all this trouble and danger.<br> +</p> + +Finally the Queen sat down on the bottom of the pit and leaned +her back against the wall. By good luck her sharp elbow touched a +secret spring in the wall and a big flat rock swung inward. Ann +fell over backward, but the next instant she jumped up and cried +to the others: <br> +<p>"A passage! A passage! Follow me, my brave men, and we may yet +escape."<br> +</p> + +Then she began to crawl through the passage, which was as dark +and dank as the pit, and the officers followed her in single +file. They crawled, and they crawled, and they kept on crawling, +for the passage was not big enough to allow them to stand +upright. It turned this way and twisted that, sometimes like a +corkscrew and sometimes zigzag, but seldom ran for long in a +straight line. <br> +<p>"It will never end--never!" moaned the officers, who were +rubbing all the skin off their knees on the rough rocks.<br> +</p> + +"It must end," retorted Ann courageously, "or it never would have +been made. We don't know where it will lead us to, but any place +is better than that loathsome pit." <br> +<p>So she crawled on, and the officers crawled on, and while they +were crawling through this awful underground passage Polychrome +and Shaggy and Files and the Rose Princess, who were standing +outside the entrance to Ruggedo's domains, were wondering what +had become of them.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_18">Chapter Seventeen</h1> + +<br> +A Tragic Transformation <br> +<p>"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it +may take the Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as +Tik-Tok has to do everything in his slow, mechanical way."<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose +Princess. <br> +<p>"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a +powerful fellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas +our bold Queen commands a Clockwork Man and a band of +fainthearted officers."<br> +</p> + +"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, +dancing lightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful +draperies. "But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, +for when she fails to conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest +in her ambitions." <br> +<p>"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga.<br> +</p> + +"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may +see him from here. He said he would take a little nap while we +were mixing up with Ruggedo, and he added that after we had +gotten into trouble he would wake up and conquer the Nome King in +a jiffy, as his master the Jinjin has ordered him to do." <br> +<p>"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall +need his services; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen +Ann and her army have failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter +the caverns and show the King my Love Magnet. That he cannot +resist; therefore the conquest will be made with ease."<br> +</p> + +This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared +Hearer, who was at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For +when the King and Guph had recovered from Hank's kick and had +picked themselves up, their first act was to turn Tik-Tok on his +back and put a heavy diamond on top of him, so that he could not +get up again. Then they carefully put his gun in a corner of the +cavern and the King sent Guph to fetch the Long-Eared Hearer. +<br> +<p>The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, +but he acknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready +to obey his commands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to +the King, who at once realized that his Kingdom was in grave +danger. For Ruggedo knew of the Love Magnet and its powers and +was horrified at the thought that Shaggy might show him the magic +talisman and turn all the hatred in his heart into love. Ruggedo +was proud of his hatred and abhorred love of any sort.<br> +</p> + +"Really," said he, "I'd rather he conquered and lose my wealth +and my Kingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do +to prevent the Shaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?" <br> +<p>Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this +question, and being a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he +answered by saying:<br> +</p> + +"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his +body, he could not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket." <br> +<p>"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the +problem. "Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them +in the passage where they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he +enters.<br> +</p> + +This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance +were growing more and more uneasy about their friends. <br> +<p>"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said +Polychrome, who had grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a +little nervous, "for they could not be killed, even though +Ruggedo might cause them much suffering and perhaps destroy them +utterly. But we should not have allowed Betsy and Hank to go +alone into the caverns. The little girl is mortal and possesses +no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures her she will be +wholly at his. mercy."<br> +</p> + +"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have +anything happen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in +right away and put an end to all this worry." <br> +<p>"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of +the Love Magnet, you can soon bring the Nome King to reason.<br> +</p> + +So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the +entrance first, and after him came the others. They had no +thought of danger to themselves, and Shaggy, who was going along +with his hands thrust into his pockets, was much surprised when a +rope shot out from the darkness and twined around his body, +pinning down his arms so securely that he could not even withdraw +his hands from the pockets. Then appeared several grinning nomes, +who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then led the prisoner +along the passage to the cavern. No attention was paid to the +others, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy, +determined not to desert their friend and hoping that an +opportunity might arise to rescue him. <br> +<p>As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had +overtaken Shaggy she turned and ran lightly back through the +passage and out of the entrance. Then she easily leaped from rock +to rock until she paused beside the great dragon, who lay fast +asleep.<br> +</p> + +"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act." <br> +<p>But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, +absolutely motionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The +eyelids had big silver scales on them, like all the rest of his +body.<br> +</p> + +Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known +that dragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge +body swelling as he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and +pounded against his eyelids with it, saying: <br> +<p>"Wake up, Quox-wake up!" But he would not waken.<br> +</p> + +"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. +"I wonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All +our friends may be captured and destroyed while this great beast +lies asleep." <br> +<p>She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover +some tender place on his body where a thump or a punch might he +felt; but he lay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon +the ground and his legs drawn underneath his body, and all that +one could see was his thick sky-blue skin--thicker than that of a +rhinoceros--and his silver scales.<br> +</p> + +Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over +the fate of her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the +entrance and hurried along the passage into the Nome King's +cavern. <br> +<p>Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a +long pipe. Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged +before the King were the Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. +Tik-Tok still lay upon the floor, weighted down by the big +diamond.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he +had met the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love +Magnet was indeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from +the King, but Shaggy was powerless to show it and unless +Ruggudo's eyes beheld the talisman it could not affect him. As +for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he believed Kaliko had placed them +in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her officers he thought safely +imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear of Files or Ozga, but +to be on the safe side he had ordered golden handcuffs placed +upon their wrists. These did not cause them any great annoyance +but prevented them from making an attack, had they been inclined +to do so. <br> +<p>The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the +situation, was laughing and jeering at his prisoners when +Polychrome, exquisitely beautiful and dancing like a ray of +light, entered the cavern.<br> +</p> + +"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he +stared hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up +and pulled the wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his +whiskers. "On my word," said he, "you are a very captivating +creature; moreover, I perceive you are a fairy." <br> +<p>"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said +proudly.<br> +</p> + +"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate +everybody--but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this +beautiful cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls +have every tint and color of your Rainbow--and they are not so +elusive. I'll have fresh dewdrops gathered for your feasting +every day and you shall be Queen of all my nomes and pull +Kaliko's nose whenever you like." <br> +<p>"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, +and I'm only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, +Ruggedo, why my friends have been wound with cords and bound with +chains?"<br> +</p> + +"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know +how powerful I am." <br> +<p>"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and +send them back to the earth's surface?"<br> +</p> + +"Because I hate 'em and mean to make em suffer for their +invasion. But I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain +here and live with me and I'll set all these people free. You +shall be my daughter or my wife or my aunt or +grandmother-whichever you like only stay here to brighten my +gloomy kingdom and make me happy!" <br> +<p>Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to +Shaggy and asked:<br> +</p> + +"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?" <br> +<p>"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something +of a Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome."<br> +</p> + +She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my +friends would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long +the society of such a wicked monster as you. <br> +<p>"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you +also are in my power."<br> +</p> + +"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of +your spite or malice." <br> +<p>"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph +sprang forward to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when +Guph attempted to clutch her his hands met in air, and now the +Rainbow's Daughter was in another part of the room, as smiling +and composed as before.<br> +</p> + +Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even +came down from his throne to assist his General; but never could +they lay hands upon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and +there with the swiftness of light and constantly defied them with +her merry laughter as she evaded their efforts. <br> +<p>So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned +to his throne and wiped the perspiration from his face with a +finely-woven handkerchief of cloth-of-gold.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?" <br> +<p>"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," +replied the Nome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the +executioners."<br> +</p> + +Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of +nomes, all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated +master. They bore great golden pincers, and prods of silver, and +clamps and chains and various wicked-looking instruments, all +made of precious metals and set with diamonds and rubies. <br> +<p>"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the +executioners, "fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the +pit and torture them here in my presence--as well as in the +presence of their friends. It will be great sport."<br> +</p> + +"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, +and went with his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he +returned and bowed to Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"They're all gone," said he.<br> +</p> + +"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?" <br> +<p>"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the +pit."<br> +</p> + +"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?" +<br> +<p>"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners +were not under it."<br> +</p> + +"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his +disappointment, "go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl +and the donkey. And while we are torturing them Kaliko must take +a hundred nomes and search for the escaped prisoners--the Queen +of Oogaboo and her officers. If he does not find them, I will +torture Kaliko." <br> +<p>Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the +King was cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang +and the executioners also went away, in another direction, but +when they came back Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was +Hank.<br> +</p> + +"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang. +<br> +<p>"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are +you sure you found the right cave?"<br> +</p> + +"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," +returned Pang positively. <br> +<p>Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, +these disappointments but made him the more vindictive and he +cast an evil look at the other prisoners and said:<br> +</p> + +"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who +cannot escape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my +mind about Tik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, +seething heat, and then we'll dump the copper man into it and +melt him up. <br> +<p>"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the +room after sending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo +people, you must remember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and +interesting machine. It would be a shame to deprive the world of +such a clever contrivance."<br> +</p> + +"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" +roared the King. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first +thing you know I'll turn you into a potato and make Saratogachips +of you! The next to consider," he added more mildly, "is the +Shaggy Man. As he owns the Love Magnet, I think I'll transform +him into a dove, and then we can practice shooting at him with +TikTok's gun. Now, this is a very interesting ceremony and I beg +you all to watch me closely and see that I've nothing up my +sleeve." <br> +<p>He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and +then he waved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles +over his victim's head, saying in a low but clear tone of voice +the magic wugwa:<br> +</p> + +"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! <br> +<p>Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"<br> +</p> + +The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead +of the Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, +its wings confined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave +an order to Pang, who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. +Being freed, the dove quickly flew upward and alighted on the +shoulder of the Rose Princess, who stroked it tenderly. <br> +<p>"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands +gleefully together. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the +others."<br> +</p> + +(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the above +transformation; for, although the exact magical formula has been +described, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone +to transform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo +used. There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing +this transformation, but if it should be attempted in any other +country, and the magic worked, the magician would be severely +punished.) <br> +<p>When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and +realized that Ruggedo was about do something as dreadful to the +Princess and Files, and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a +crucible, she turned and ran from the cavern, through the passage +and back to the place where Quox lay asleep.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_19">Chapter Eighteen</h1> + +<br> +A Clever Conquest <br> +<p>The great dragon still had his eyes closed and was even +snoring in a manner that resembled distant thunder; but +Polychrome was now desperate, because any further delay meant the +destruction of her friends. She seized the pearl necklace, to +which was attached the great locket, and jerked it with all her +strength.<br> +</p> + +The result was encouraging. Quox stopped snoring and his eyelids +flickered. So Polychrome jerked again--and again--till slowly the +great lids raised and the dragon looked at her steadily. Said he, +in a sleepy tone: <br> +<p>"What's the matter, little Rainbow?"<br> +</p> + +"Come quick!" exclaimed Polychrome. "Ruggedo has captured all our +friends and is about to destroy them." <br> +<p>"Well, well," said Quox, "I suspected that would happen. Step +a little out of my path, my dear, and I'll make a rush for the +Nome King's cavern."<br> +</p> + +She fell back a few steps and Quox raised himself on his stout +legs, whisked his long tail and in an instant had slid down the +rocks and made a dive through the entrance. <br> +<p>Along the passage he swept, nearly filling it with his immense +body, and now he poked his head into the jeweled cavern of +Ruggedo.<br> +</p> + +But the King had long since made arrangements to capture the +dragon, whenever he might appear. No sooner did Quox stick his +head into the room than a thick chain fell from above and +encircled his neck. Then the ends of the chain were drawn +tight-for in an adjoining cavern a thousand nomes were pulling on +them--and so the dragon could advance no further toward the King. +He could not use his teeth or his claws and as his body was still +in the passage he had not even room to strike his foes with his +terrible tail. <br> +<p>Ruggedo was delighted with the success of his stratagem. He +had just transformed the Rose Princess into a fiddle and was +about to transform Files into a fiddle bow, when the dragon +appeared to interrupt him. So he called out:<br> +</p> + +"Welcome, my dear Quox, to my royal entertainment. Since you are +here, you shall witness some very neat magic, and after I have +finished with Files and Tik-Tok I mean to transform you into a +tiny lizard--one of the chameleon sort--and you shall live in my +cavern and amuse me. <br> +<p>"Pardon me for contradicting Your Majesty," returned Quox in a +quiet voice, "but I don't believe you'll perform any more +magic."<br> +</p> + +"Eh? Why not?" asked the King in surprise. <br> +<p>"There's a reason," said Quox. "Do you see this ribbon around +my neck?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes; and I'm astonished that a dignified dragon should wear such +a silly thing." <br> +<p>"Do you see it plainly?" persisted the dragon, with a little +chuckle of amusement.<br> +</p> + +"I do," declared Ruggedo. <br> +<p>"Then you no longer possess any magical powers, and are as +helpless as a clam," asserted Quox. "My great master, +Tititi-Hoochoo, the Jinjin, enchanted this ribbon in such a way +that whenever Your Majesty looked upon it all knowledge of magic +would desert you instantly, nor will any magical formula you can +remember ever perform your bidding."<br> +</p> + +"Pooh! I don't believe a word of it!" cried Ruggedo, half +frightened, nevertheless. Then he turned toward Files and tried +to transform him into a fiddle bow. But he could not remember the +right words or the right pass of the hands and after several +trials he finally gave up the attempt. <br> +<p>By this time the Nome King was so alarmed that he was secretly +shaking in his shoes.<br> +</p> + +"I told you not to anger Tititi-Hoochoo," grumbled Kaliko, "and +now you see the result of your disobedience." <br> +<p>Ruggedo promptly threw his sceptre at his Royal Chamberlain, +who dodged it with his usual cleverness, and then he said with an +attempt to swagger:<br> +</p> + +"Never mind; I don't need magic to enable me to destroy these +invaders; fire and the sword will do the business and I am still +King of the Nomes and lord and master of my Underground Kingdom!" +<br> +<p>"Again I beg to differ with Your Majesty," said Quox. "The +Great Jinjin commands you to depart instantly from this Kingdom +and seek the earth's surface, where you will wander for all time +to come, without a home or country, without a friend or follower, +and without any more riches than you can carry with you in your +pockets. The Great Jinjin is so generous that he will allow you +to fill your pockets with jewels or gold, but you must take +nothing more."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo now stared at the dragon in amazement. <br> +<p>"Does Tititi-Hoochoo condemn me to such a fate?" he asked in a +hoarse voice.<br> +</p> + +"He does," said Quox. <br> +<p>"And just for throwing a few strangers down the Forbidden +Tube?"<br> +</p> + +"Just for that," repeated Quox in a stern, gruff voice. <br> +<p>"Well, I won't do it. And your crazy old Jinjin can't make me +do it, either!" declared Ruggedo. "I intend to remain here, King +of the Nomes, until the end of the world, and I defy your +TititiHoochoo and all his fairies--as well as his clumsy +messenger, whom I have been obliged to chain up!"<br> +</p> + +The dragon smiled again, but it was not the sort of smile that +made Ruggedo feel very happy. Instead, there was something so +cold and merciless in the dragon's expression that the condemned +Nome King trembled and was sick at heart. <br> +<p>There was little comfort for Ruggedo in the fact that the +dragon was now chained, although he had boasted of it. He glared +at the immense head of Quox as if fascinated and there was fear +in the old King's eyes as he watched his enemy's movements.<br> +</p> + +For the dragon was now moving; not abruptly, but as if he had +something to do and was about to do it. Very deliberately he +raised one claw, touched the catch of the great jeweled locket +that was suspended around his neck, and at once it opened wide. +<br> +<p>Nothing much happened at first; half a dozen hen's eggs rolled +out upon the floor and then the locket closed with a sharp click. +But the effect upon the nomes of this simple thing was +astounding. General Guph, Kaliko, Pang and his band of +executioners were all standing close to the door that led to the +vast series of underground caverns which constituted the +dominions of the nomes, and as soon as they saw the eggs they +raised a chorus of frantic screams and rushed through the door, +slamming it in Ruggedo's face and placing a heavy bronze bar +across it.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo, dancing with terror and uttering loud cries, now leaped +upon the seat of his throne to escape the eggs, which had rolled +steadily toward him. Perhaps these eggs, sent by the wise and +crafty Tititi-Hoochoo, were in some way enchanted, for they all +rolled directly after Ruggedo and when they reached the throne +where he had taken refuge they began rolling up the legs to the +seat. <br> +<p>This was too much for the King to bear. His horror of eggs was +real and absolute and he made a leap from the throne to the +center of the room and then ran to a far corner.<br> +</p> + +The eggs followed, rolling slowly but steadily in his direction. +Ruggedo threw his sceptre at them, and then his ruby crown, and +then he drew off his heavy golden sandals and hurled these at the +advancing eggs. But the eggs dodged every missile and continued +to draw nearer. The King stood trembling, his eyes staring in +terror, until they were but half a yard distant; then with an +agile leap he jumped clear over them and made a rush for the +passage that led to the outer entrance. <br> +<p>Of course the dragon was in his way, being chained in the +passage with his head in the cavern, but when he saw the King +making toward him he crouched as low as he could and dropped his +chin to the floor, leaving a small space between his body and the +roof of the passage.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo did not hesitate an instant. Impelled by fear, he leaped +to the dragon's nose and then scrambled to his back, where he +succeeded in squeezing himself through the opening. After the +head was passed there was more room and he slid along the +dragon's scales to his tail and then ran as fast as his legs +would carry him to the entrance. Not pausing here, so great was +his fright, the King dashed on down the mountain path, but before +he had gone very far he stumbled and fell. <br> +<p>When he picked himself up he observed that no one was +following him, and while he recovered his breath he happened to +think of the decree of the Jinjin--that he should be driven from +his Kingdom and made a wanderer on the face of the earth. Well, +here he was, driven from his cavern in truth; driven by those +dreadful eggs; but he would go back and defy them; he would not +submit to losing his precious Kingdom and his tyrannical powers, +all because Tititi-Hoochoo had said he must.<br> +</p> + +So, although still afraid, Ruggedo nerved himself to creep back +along the path to the entrance, and when he arrived there he saw +the six eggs lying in a row just before the arched opening. <br> +<p>At first he paused a safe distance away to consider the case, +for the eggs were now motionless. While he was wondering what +could be done, he remembered there was a magical charm which +would destroy eggs and render them harmless to nomes. There were +nine passes to be made and six verses of incantation to be +recited; but Ruggedo knew them all. Now that he had ample time to +be exact, he carefully went through the entire ceremony.<br> +</p> + +But nothing happened. The eggs did not disappear, as he had +expected; so he repeated the charm a second time. When that also +failed, he remembered, with a moan of despair, that his magic +power had been taken away from him and in the future he could do +no more than any common mortal. <br> +<p>And there were the eggs, forever barring him from the Kingdom +which he had ruled so long with absolute sway! He threw rocks at +them, but could not hit a single egg. He raved and scolded and +tore his hair and beard, and danced in helpless passion, but that +did nothing to avert the just judgment of the Jinjin, which +Ruggedo's own evil deeds had brought upon him.<br> +</p> + +From this time on he was an outcast--a wanderer upon the face of +the earth--and he had even forgotten to fill his pockets with +gold and jewels before he fled from his former Kingdom! <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_20">Chapter Nineteen</h1> + +<br> +<p>King Kaliko<br> +</p> + +After the King had made good his escape Files said to the dragon, +in a sad voice: <br> +<p>"Alas! why did you not come before? Because you were sleeping +instead of conquering, the lovely Rose Princess has become a +fiddle without a how, while poor Shaggy sits there a cooing +dove!"<br> +</p> + +"Don't worry," replied Quox. "Tititi-Hoochoo knows his business, +and I have my orders from the Great Jinjin himself. Bring the +fiddle here and touch it lightly to my pink ribbon." <br> +<p>Files obeyed and at the moment of contact with the ribbon the +Nome King's charm was broken and the Rose Princess herself stood +before them as sweet and smiling as ever.<br> +</p> + +The dove, perched on the back of the throne, had seen and heard +all this, so without being told what to do it flew straight to +the dragon and alighted on the ribbon. Next instant Shaggy was +himself again and Quox said to him grumblingly: <br> +<p>"Please get off my left toe, Shaggy Man, and be more +particular where you step."<br> +</p> + +"I beg your pardon!" replied Shaggy, very glad to resume his +natural form. Then he ran to lift the heavy diamond off Tik-Tok's +chest and to assist the Clockwork Man to his feet. <br> +<p>"Ma-ny thanks!" said Tik-Tok. "Where is the wicked King who +want-ed to melt me in a cru-cible?"<br> +</p> + +"He has gone, and gone for good," answered Polychrome, who had +managed to squeeze into the room beside the dragon and had +witnessed the occurrences with much interest. "But I wonder where +Betsy Bobbin and Hank can be, and if any harm has befallen them." +<br> +<p>"We must search the cavern until we find them," declared +Shaggy; but when he went to the door leading to the other caverns +he found it shut and barred.<br> +</p> + +"I've a pretty strong push in my forehead," said Quox, "and I +believe I can break down that door, even though it's made of +solid gold." <br> +<p>"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are +fastened in some other room, so that we cannot release you," +Files said anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a +prisoner only because I wished to be one," and with this he +stepped forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if they +had been threads. <br> +<p>But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his +mighty strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up +and squatted himself in a corner to think of a better way.<br> +</p> + +"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's +big gong he pounded upon It until the noise was almost deafening. +<br> +<p>Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to +Ruggedo and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. +But when he heard the sound of the gong, which had so often +called him into the King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had +been victorious; so he took away the bar, threw open the door and +entered the royal cavern.<br> +</p> + +Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the +enchantments removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs +were also gone and so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew +to be Tititi-Hoochoo's messenger, and bowed humbly before the +beast. <br> +<p>"What is your will?" he inquired.<br> +</p> + +"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon. <br> +<p>"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"Go and get her!" commanded Quox. <br> +<p>So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the +door. The little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and +opened the door.<br> +</p> + +"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in +disgrace and your friends are asking for you." <br> +<p>So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the +throne cavern, where she was received with great joy by her +friends. They told her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told +them how kind Kaliko had been to her. Quox did not have much to +say until the conversation was ended, but then he turned to +Kaliko and asked:<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has +done?" <br> +<p>"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the +question. "Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure."<br> +</p> + +"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon. <br> +<p>"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they +did Ruggedo."<br> +</p> + +"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the +Nomes, and Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely +and well," said Quox. <br> +<p>"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I +salute Your Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old +Kingdom!"<br> +</p> + +"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made +haste to congratulate the new King. <br> +<p>"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo +long ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered +to help your brother to escape, but he would not go." <br> +<p>"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of +our family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he +added anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King. <br> +<p>"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in +these dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great +that it worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has +only to amuse himself." <br> +<p>"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," +asserted Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or +when he pleases, and is not his own master." <br> +<p>"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"In the Metal Forest." <br> +<p>"Where is that?"<br> +</p> + +"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in +all our dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out +of doors, it is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to +amuse himself, as well as to tire out his hardworking nomes. All +the trees are gold and silver and the ground is strewn with +precious stones, so it is a sort of treasury." <br> +<p>"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded +Shaggy earnestly.<br> +</p> + +Kaliko hesitated. <br> +<p>"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made +three secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the +location of these passages every week, so that no one can get to +the Metal Forest without his permission. However, if we look +sharp, we may be able to discover one of these secret ways."<br> +</p> + +"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the +Officers of Oogaboo," said Files. <br> +<p>"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?" <br> +<p>"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit +in the passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but +when the executioners went to look for them they had all +disappeared from the pit and we could find no trace of them."<br> +</p> + +"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann +knew any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear +like that seems like magic; now, doesn't it?" <br> +<p>They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the +mystery.<br> +</p> + +"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we +cannot help them or be helped by them. And the important thing +just now is to rescue my dear brother from captivity." <br> +<p>"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I can not remember his looks +very well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our +family are noted for their handsome faces." <br> +<p>Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome +relieved his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in +looks, but lovely in disposition."<br> +</p> + +"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, +"is to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest." +<br> +<p>"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief +nomes of my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am +their new King. Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for +the secret passages.<br> +</p> + +"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting +sleepy again. <br> +<p>Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo +used to do; but no one answered the summons.<br> +</p> + +"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he +had seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal +Chamberlain, and will be until I appoint another in my place." +<br> +<p>So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to +answer the summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the +royal cavern, Kaliko first pounded the gong and then sat in the +throne, wearing Ruggedo's discarded ruby crown and holding in his +hand the sceptre which Ruggedo had so often thrown at his +head.<br> +</p> + +When Guph entered he was amazed. <br> +<p>"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," +he said warningly.<br> +</p> + +"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his +stead," announced Kaliko. <br> +<p>"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of +those who stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new +King.<br> +</p> + +Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a +hard master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, +informed Guph that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and +promised not to throw the sceptre at his head unless he deserved +it. <br> +<p>All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went +away to tell the news to all the nomes of the underground +Kingdom, every one of whom would be delighted with the change in +Kings.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_21">Chapter Twenty</h1> + +<br> +Quox Quietly Quits <br> +<p>When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they +joyfully saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when +Kaliko questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, +although all had assisted in its making. So the King instructed +them to search carefully for one of the passages and to bring him +the news as soon as they had found it.<br> +</p> + +Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and +so regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, +and there he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next +day. The others of the party were all given as good rooms as the +caverns of the nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was +indebted to them for his promotion and was anxious to be as +hospitable as he could. <br> +<p>Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance +of the sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome +had seen them, nor were they discovered during the search for the +passages leading to the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy +over their loss, but all were curious to know what had become of +them.<br> +</p> + +On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox +said to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here +is finished and I must depart for the other side of the world, +where I belong." <br> +<p>"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one +to talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. +Therefore, as soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, +and when I pop out at the other end I will wake up at home." <br> +<p>They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a +pleasant journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great +Jinjin, whose just condemnation of Ruggedo had served their +interests so well. Then Quox yawned and stretched himself and +ambled over to the Tube, into which he slid head-foremost and +disappeared.<br> +</p> + +They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had +been both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with +him; but they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. +So they went back to the caverns to renew the search for the +hidden passages that led to the forest, but for three days all +efforts to find them proved in vain. <br> +<p>It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and +watch for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with +wandering upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in +their sky palaces. And on the third day, while she sat motionless +upon a point of rock, whom should she see slyly creeping up the +mountain but Ruggedo!<br> +</p> + +The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and +torn and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. +Having left his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old +nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman. <br> +<p>Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the +caverns, only to find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite +well that he must accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, +but his chief regret now was that he had neglected to fill his +pockets with gold and jewels. He was aware that a wanderer with +wealth at his command would fare much better than one who was a +pauper, so he still loitered around the caverns wherein he knew +so much treasure was stored, hoping for a chance to fill his +pockets.<br> +</p> + +That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest. <br> +<p>"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that +Forest, and once there I can fill my pockets with the finest +jewels in all the world."<br> +</p> + +He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. +Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He +knew of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the +mountain, so he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all +over his robe, paying her with the gift of a diamond ring which +he had worn upon his finger. The woman was delighted to possess +so valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets on Ruggedo's +robe as she possibly could. <br> +<p>Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously +around to make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a +rock and it swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. +This he entered, swinging the rock in place behind him.<br> +</p> + +However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have +done, for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and +her clear eyes marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had +released the hidden spring. So she rose and hurried into the +cavern, where she told Kaliko and her friends of her discovery. +<br> +<p>"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," +exclaimed Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue +my poor brother!"<br> +</p> + +They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of +nomes to assist them by carrying torches to light their way. <br> +<p>"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, +"but the passage across the valley is likely to be dark."<br> +</p> + +Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in +less than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the +passage and following swiftly after the former King. <br> +<p>"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he +will find he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I +will have my nomes throw him out."<br> +</p> + +"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he +deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who +fights square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em +put into Slimy Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't +deserve any sympathy. But you'll have to let him take as much +treasure as he can get in his pockets, Kaliko." <br> +<p>"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is +more treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could +carry in their pockets."<br> +</p> + +It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially +when the torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But +it proved to be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with +walking and was seated upon the back of the mule when the passage +made a sharp turn and a wonderful and glorious light burst upon +them. The next moment they were all standing upon the edge of the +marvelous Metal Forest. <br> +<p>It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed +cavern, the roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In +this space the industrious nomes had built, during many years of +labor, the most beautiful forest in the world. The trees--trunks, +branches and leaves--were all of solid gold, while the bushes and +underbrush were formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees +towered as high as natural live oaks do and were of exquisite +workmanship.<br> +</p> + +On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and +size, while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled +with cut diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more +treasure was gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in +all the rest of the world--if we except the land of Oz, where +perhaps its value is equalled in the famous Emerald City. <br> +<p>Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they +stood gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed.<br> +</p> + +"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in +this place?" <br> +<p>"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or +three years, to my positive knowledge."<br> +</p> + +"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully +swell place to live in, but one can't breakfast On rubies and +di'monds, or even gold." <br> +<p>"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal +Forest does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. +Beyond these gold and silver trees are other trees of the real +sort, which bear foods very nice to eat. Let us walk in that +direction, for I am quite sure we will find Shaggy's brother in +that part of the cavern, rather than in this."<br> +</p> + +So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at +every step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous +beauty of the golden trees with their glittering foliage. <br> +<p>Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every +direction as some one hidden among the bushes scampered away +before them. Then a loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the +sound of a struggle.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_22">Chapter Twenty-One</h1> + +<br> +A Bashful Brother <br> +<p>With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a +group of stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing +scene.<br> +</p> + +There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a +dozen of whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast +in spite of his efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, +looking grimly upon the scene of strife; but when she observed +her former companions approaching she turned away in a shamefaced +manner. <br> +<p>For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her +Majesty's clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and +torn into shreds by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by +the way, had led her directly into the Metal Forest. It was, +indeed, one of the three secret passages, and by far the most +difficult of the three. Ann had not only torn her pretty skirt +and jacket, but her crown had become bent and battered and even +her shoes were so cut and slashed that they were ready to fall +from her feet.<br> +</p> + +The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for +holes were worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp +points of rock in the roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags +of every inch of their once brilliant uniforms. A more tattered +and woeful army never came out of a battle, than these harmless +victims of the rocky passage. But it had seemed their only means +of escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had crawled on, +regardless of their sufferings. <br> +<p>When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more +plunder than they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in +this huge dome and could not escape with the riches heaped about +them. Perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" +never existed than this band from Oogaboo.<br> +</p> + +After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they +were frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among +them. Rendered desperate by their sad condition, the officers +exhibited courage for the first time since they left home and, +ignorant of the fact that Ruggedo was no longer King of the +nomes, they threw themselves upon him and had just succeeded in +capturing him when their fellow adventurers reached the spot. +<br> +<p>"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you +all?"<br> +</p> + +Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant. <br> +<p>"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small +tunnel, which was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, +"and not only was our clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so +bruised and sore that we are stiff and lame in every joint. To +add to our troubles we find we are still prisoners; but now that +we have succeeded in capturing the wicked Metal Monarch we shall +force him to grant us our liberty."<br> +</p> + +"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files +informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by +Quox; but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am +pleased to assure Your Majesty that he is our friend." <br> +<p>"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as +courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment.<br> +</p> + +The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo +free; but, as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his +former servant, who was now King in his place, in a humble and +pleading manner. <br> +<p>"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly.<br> +</p> + +"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my +pockets," replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing +to disturb Your Majesty." <br> +<p>"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes +forever!" declared Kaliko.<br> +</p> + +"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said +Ruggedo, meekly. <br> +<p>"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by +the handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were +heavy things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and +amethysts and the like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering +with the weight he bore, while the pockets were not yet filled. +When he could no longer stoop over without falling, Betsy and +Polychrome and the Rose Princess came to his assistance, picking +up the finest gems and tucking them into his pockets. <br> +<p>At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical +sight, for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any +at all filled with such a choice collection of precious stones. +He neglected to thank the young ladies for their kindness, but +gave them a surly nod of farewell and staggered down the path by +the way he had come. They let him depart in silence, for with all +he had taken, the masses of jewels upon the ground seemed +scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous were they. Also they +hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King.<br> +</p> + +"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he +doesn't get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got +enough to start a bank when he gets to Oklahoma." <br> +<p>"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired +Shaggy anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?"<br> +</p> + +"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen. <br> +<p>Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the +Ugly One. Perhaps you'll know him by that."<br> +</p> + +"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run +away from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, +among the trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to +catch sight of his face. So I can not tell whether he is ugly or +not." <br> +<p>"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this +splendid dome, so there can be no mistake." <br> +<p>"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of +enjoying all these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, +"and I remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep +in. As for these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are +very pretty at first sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as +well as the rich jewels scattered beneath them; but if one has to +look at them always, they become pretty tame." <br> +<p>"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is +very wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; +let us go there and find him."<br> +</p> + +Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others +followed him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his +long-sought, long-lost brother. <br> +<p>Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, +cleverly made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As +they approached the place they caught a glimpse of a form that +darted into the hut and slammed the door tight shut after +him.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud: <br> +<p>"Brother! Brother!"<br> +</p> + +"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within. <br> +<p>"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has been searching +for you a long time and has now come to rescue you."<br> +</p> + +"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now. +<br> +<p>"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is +a new King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he +has promised you shall go free."<br> +</p> + +"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of +despair. <br> +<p>"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously.<br> +</p> + +"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through +the closed door. <br> +<p>"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?"<br> +</p> + +"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you +remember, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. +But I remember that mother thought you were beautiful."<br> +</p> + +"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. +"But Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to make me ugly in the eyes of +all the world--so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to +bed beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very modest I +will merely claim that I was goodlooking--and I wakened the next +morning the homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive +that when I look in a mirror I frighten myself." <br> +<p>"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were +silent from sympathy.<br> +</p> + +"I was so ashamed of my looks," continued the voice of Shaggy's +brother, "that I tried to hide; but the cruel King Ruggedo forced +me to appear before all the legion of nomes, to whom he said: +'Behold the Ugly One!' But when the nomes saw my face they all +fell to laughing and jeering, which prevented them from working +at their tasks. Seeing this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me +into a tunnel, closing the rock entrance so that I could not get +out. I followed the length of the tunnel until I reached this +huge dome, where the marvelous Metal Forest stands, and here I +have remained ever since. <br> +<p>"Poor Brother!" repeated Shaggy. "But I beg you now to come +forth and face us, who are your friends. None here will laugh or +jeer, however unhandsome you may be."<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," they all added pleadingly. <br> +<p>But the Ugly One refused the invitation.<br> +</p> + +"I cannot," said he; "indeed, I cannot face strangers, ugly as I +am." <br> +<p>Shaggy Man turned to the group surrounding him.<br> +</p> + +"What shall I do?" he asked in sorrowful tones. "I cannot leave +my dear brother here, and he refuses to come out of that house +and face us. <br> +<p>"I'll tell you," replied Betsy. "Let him put on a mask."<br> +</p> + +"The very idea I was seeking!" exclaimed Shaggy joyfully; and +then he called out: "Brother, put a mask over your face, and then +none of us can see what your features are like." <br> +<p>"I have no mask," answered the Ugly One.<br> +</p> + +"Look here," said Betsy; "he can use my handkerchief." <br> +<p>Shaggy looked at the little square of cloth and shook his +head.<br> +</p> + +"It isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough +to hide a man's face. But he can use mine. <br> +<p>Saying this he took from his pocket his own handkerchief and +went to the door of the hut.<br> +</p> + +"Here, my Brother," he called, "take this handkerchief and make a +mask of it. I will also pass you my knife, so that you may cut +holes for the eyes, and then you must tie it over your face." +<br> +<p>The door slowly opened, just far enough for the Ugly One to +thrust out his hand and take the handkerchief and the knife. Then +it closed again.<br> +</p> + +"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy. "You must +breathe, you know." <br> +<p>For a time there was silence. Queen Ann and her army sat down +upon the ground to rest. Betsy sat on Hank's back. Polychrome +danced lightly up and down the jeweled paths while Files and the +Princess wandered through the groves arm in arm. Tik-Tok, who +never tired, stood motionless.<br> +</p> + +By and by a noise sounded from within the hut. <br> +<p>"Are you ready?" asked Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Brother," came the reply and the door was thrown open to +allow the Ugly One to step forth. <br> +<p>Betsy might have laughed aloud had she not remembered how +sensitive to ridicule Shaggy's brother was, for the handkerchief +with which he had masked his features was a red one covered with +big white polka dots. In this two holes had been cut--in front of +the eyes--while two smaller ones before the nostrils allowed the +man to breathe freely. The cloth was then tightly drawn over the +Ugly One's face and knotted at the back of his neck.<br> +</p> + +He was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were +sadly worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and +his shoes were stubtoed and needed blackening. "But what can you +expect," whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner +for so many years?" <br> +<p>Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found +brother with both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who +then led him forward and introduced him to all the assembled +company.<br> +</p> + +"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He +is our friend, and has granted you your freedom." <br> +<p>"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I +dread to go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I +remain forever masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk +and stop all the clocks."<br> +</p> + +"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy. +<br> +<p>Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head.<br> +</p> + +"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was +fond of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes +know nothing of." <br> +<p>"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," +suggested Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to +escape."<br> +</p> + +"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am +very happy to have found you again, although I may never see your +face. So let us make the most of this joyful reunion." <br> +<p>The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and +the tears began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently +wiped them away with his coat sleeve.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_23">Chapter Twenty-Two</h1> + +<br> +Kindly Kisses <br> +<p>"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" +Betsy asked the Ugly One.<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless +things, and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness +had I not found the natural forest at the edge of the artificial +one. Anyhow, without these real trees I should soon have starved +to death." <br> +<p>Betsy looked around at the quaint trees.<br> +</p> + +"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you +find to eat here." <br> +<p>"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that +grove at your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees +as those do not grow in your country, or in any other place but +this cavern. I have named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a +certain kind of table d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.' +"<br> +</p> + +"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Course Nuts' +like?" <br> +<p>"Something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the Ugly +One. "All you have to do is to pick one of them and then sit down +and eat your dinner. You first unscrew the top part and find a +cupfull of good soup. After you've eaten that, you unscrew the +middle part and find a hollow filled with meat and potatoes, +vegetables and a fine salad. Eat that, and unscrew the next +section, and you come to the dessert in the bottom of the nut. +That is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and raisins. +The Three-Course Nuts are not all exactly alike in flavor or in +contents, but they are all good and in each one may be found a +complete three-course dinner.<br> +</p> + +"But how about breakfasts?" inquired Betsy. <br> +<p>"Why, there are Breakfast Trees for that, which grow over +there at the right. They bear nuts, like the others, only the +nuts contain coffee or chocolate, instead of soup; oatmeal +instead of meat-and-potatoes, and fruits instead of dessert. Sad +as has been my life in this wonderful prison, I must admit that +no one could live more luxuriously in the best hotel in the world +than I have lived here; but I will be glad to get into the open +air again and see the good old sun and the silvery moon and the +soft green grass and the flowers that are kissed by the morning +dew. Ah, how much more lovely are those blessed things than the +glitter of gems or the cold gleam of gold!"<br> +</p> + +"Of course," said Betsy. "I once knew a little boy who wanted to +catch the measles, because all the little boys in his +neighborhood but him had 'em, and he was really unhappy 'cause he +couldn't catch 'em, try as he would. So I'm pretty certain that +the things we want, and can't have, are not good for us. Isn't +that true, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"Not always, my dear," he gravely replied. "If we didn't want +anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our +longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't +go far wrong."<br> +</p> + +"For my part," said Queen Ann, "I think the world would be a +dreary place without the gold and jewels." <br> +<p>"All things are good in their way," said Shaggy; "but we may +have too much of any good thing. And I have noticed that the +value of anything depends upon how scarce it is, and how +difficult it is to obtain."<br> +</p> + +"Pardon me for interrupting you," said King Kaliko, coming to +their side, "but now that we have rescued Shaggy's brother I +would like to return to my royal cavern. Being the King of the +Nomes, it is my duty to look after my restless subjects and see +that they behave themselves." <br> +<p>So they all turned and began walking through the Metal Forest +to the other side of the great domed cave, where they had first +entered it. Shaggy and his brother walked side by side and both +seemed rejoiced that they were together after their long +separation. Betsy didn't dare look at the polka dot handkerchief, +for fear she would laugh aloud; so she walked behind the two +brothers and led Hank by holding fast to his left ear.<br> +</p> + +When at last they reached the place where the passage led to the +outer world, Queen Ann said, in a hesitating way that was unusual +with her: <br> +<p>"I have not conquered this Nome Country, nor do I expect to do +so; but I would like to gather a few of these pretty jewels +before I leave this place."<br> +</p> + +"Help yourself, ma'am," said King Kaliko, and at once the +officers of the Army took advantage of his royal permission and +began filling their pockets, while Ann tied a lot of diamonds in +a big handkerchief. <br> +<p>This accomplished, they all entered the passage, the nomes +going first to light the way with their torches. They had not +proceeded far when Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Why, there are jewels here, too!" <br> +<p>All eyes were turned upon the ground and they found a regular +trail of jewels strewn along the rock floor.<br> +</p> + +"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I must send some +of my nomes to gather up these gems and replace them in the Metal +Forest, where they belong. I wonder how they came to be here?" +<br> +<p>All the way along the passage they found this trail of jewels, +but when they neared the end the mystery was explained. For +there, squatted upon the floor with his back to the rock wall, +sat old Ruggedo, puffing and blowing as if he was all tired out. +Then they realized it was he who had scattered the jewels, from +his many pockets, which one by one had burst with the weight of +their contents as he had stumbled along the passage.<br> +</p> + +"But I don't mind," said Ruggedo, with a deep sigh. "I now +realize that I could not have carried such a weighty load very +far, even had I managed to escape from this passage with it. The +woman who sewed the pockets on my robe used poor thread, for +which I shall thank her." <br> +<p>"Have you any jewels left?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +He glanced into some of the remaining pockets. <br> +<p>"A few," said he, "but they will be sufficient to supply my +wants, and I no longer have any desire to be rich. If some of you +will kindly help me to rise, I'll get out of here and leave you, +for I know you all despise me and prefer my room to my +company.<br> +</p> + +Shaggy and Kaliko raised the old King to his feet, when he was +confronted by Shaggy's brother, whom he now noticed for the first +time. The queer and unexpected appearance of the Ugly One so +startled Ruggedo that he gave a wild cry and began to tremble, as +if he had seen a ghost. <br> +<p>"Wh--wh--who is this?" he faltered.<br> +</p> + +"I am that helpless prisoner whom your cruel magic transformed +from a handsome man into an ugly one!" answered Shaggy's brother, +in a voice of stern reproach. <br> +<p>"Really, Ruggedo," said Betsy, "you ought to be ashamed of +that mean trick."<br> +</p> + +"I am, my dear," admitted Ruggedo, who was now as meek and humble +as formerly he had been cruel and vindictive. <br> +<p>"Then," returned the girl, "you'd better do some more magic +and give the poor man his own face again."<br> +</p> + +"I wish I could," answered the old King; "but you must remember +that Tititi-Hoochoo has deprived me of all my magic powers. +However, I never took the trouble to learn just how to break the +charm I cast over Shaggy's brother, for I intended he should +always remain ugly." <br> +<p>"Every charm," remarked pretty Polychrome, "has its antidote; +and, if you knew this charm of ugliness, Ruggedo, you must have +known how to dispel it."<br> +</p> + +He shook his head. <br> +<p>"If I did, I--I've forgotten," he stammered regretfully.<br> +</p> + +"Try to think!" pleaded Shaggy, anxiously. "Please try to think!" +<br> +<p>Ruggedo ruffled his hair with both hands, sighed, slapped his +chest, rubbed his ear, and stared stupidly around the group.<br> +</p> + +"I've a faint recollection that there was one thing that would +break the charm," said he; "but misfortune has so addled my brain +that I can't remember what it was." <br> +<p>"See here, Ruggedo," said Betsy, sharply, "we've treated you +pretty well, so far, but we won't stand for any nonsense, and if +you know what's good for yourself you'll think of that +charm!"<br> +</p> + +"Why?" he demanded, turning to look wonderingly at the little +girl. <br> +<p>"Because it means so much to Shaggy's brother. He's dreadfully +ashamed of himself, the way he is now, and you're to blame for +it. Fact is, Ruggedo, you've done so much wickedness in your life +that it won't hurt you to do a kind act now."<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo blinked at her, and sighed again, and then tried very +hard to think. <br> +<p>"I seem to remember, dimly," said he, "that a certain kind of +a kiss will break the charm of ugliness."<br> +</p> + +"What kind of a kiss?" <br> +<p>"What kind? Why, it was--it was--it was either the kiss of a +Mortal Maid; or--or--the kiss of a Mortal Maid who had once been +a Fairy; or--or the kiss of one who is still a Fairy. I can't +remember which. But of course no maid, mortal or fairy, would +ever consent to kiss a person so ugly--so dreadfully, fearfully, +terribly ugly--as Shaggy's brother."<br> +</p> + +"I'm not so sure of that," said Betsy, with admirable courage; +"I'm a Mortal Maid, and if it is my kiss that will break this +awful charm, I-I'll do it!" <br> +<p>Oh, you really couldn't," protested Ugly. "I would be obliged +to remove my mask, and--when you saw my face, nothing could +induce you to kiss me, generous as you are."<br> +</p> + +"Well, as for that," said the little girl, "I needn't see your +face at all. Here's my plan: You stay in this dark passage, and +we'll send away the nomes with their torches. Then you'll take +off the handkerchief, and I--I'll kiss you." <br> +<p>"This is awfully kind of you, Betsy!" said Shaggy, +gratefully.<br> +</p> + +"Well, it surely won't kill me," she replied; "and, if it makes +you and your brother happy, I'm willing to take some chances." +<br> +<p>So Kaliko ordered the torch-bearers to leave the passage, +which they did by going through the rock opening. Queen Ann and +her army also went out; but the others were so interested in +Betsy's experiment that they remained grouped at the mouth of the +passageway. When the big rock swung into place, closing tight the +opening, they were left in total darkness.<br> +</p> + +"Now, then," called Betsy in a cheerful voice, "have you got that +handkerchief off your face, Ugly?" <br> +<p>"Yes," he replied.<br> +</p> + +"Well, where are you, then?" she asked, reaching out her arms. +<br> +<p>"Here," said he.<br> +</p> + +"You'll have to stoop down, you know." <br> +<p>He found her hands and clasping them in his own stooped until +his face was near to that of the little girl. The others heard a +clear, smacking kiss, and then Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"There! I've done it, and it didn't hurt a bit!" <br> +<p>"Tell me, dear brother; is the charm broken?" asked +Shaggy.<br> +</p> + +"I do not know," was the reply. "It may be, or it may not be. I +cannot tell." <br> +<p>"Has anyone a match?" inquired Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"I have several," said Shaggy. <br> +<p>"Then let Ruggedo strike one of them and look at your +brother's face, while we all turn our backs. Ruggedo made your +brother ugly, so I guess he can stand the horror of looking at +him, if the charm isn't broken."<br> +</p> + +Agreeing to this, Ruggedo took the match and lighted it. He gave +one look and then blew out the match. <br> +<p>"Ugly as ever!" he said with a shudder. "So it wasn't the kiss +of a Mortal Maid, after all."<br> +</p> + +"Let me try," proposed the Rose Princess, in her sweet voice. "I +am a Mortal Maid who was once a Fairy. Perhaps my kiss will break +the charm." <br> +<p>Files did not wholly approve of this, but he was too generous +to interfere. So the Rose Princess felt her way through the +darkness to Shaggy's brother and kissed him.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo struck another match, while they all turned away. <br> +<p>"No," announced the former King; "that didn't break the charm, +either. It must be the kiss of a Fairy that is required--or else +my memory has failed me altogether."<br> +</p> + +"Polly," said Betsy, pleadingly, "won't you try?" <br> +<p>"Of course I will!" answered Polychrome, with a merry laugh. +"I've never kissed a mortal man in all the thousands of years I +have existed, but I'll do it to please our faithful Shaggy Man, +whose unselfish affection for his ugly brother deserves to be +rewarded."<br> +</p> + +Even as Polychrome was speaking she tripped lightly to the side +of the Ugly One and quickly touched his cheek with her lips. <br> +<p>"Oh, thank you--thank you!" he fervently cried. "I've changed, +this time, I know. I can feel it! I'm different. Shaggy--dear +Shaggy--I am myself again!"<br> +</p> + +Files, who was near the opening, touched the spring that released +the big rock and it suddenly swung backward and let in a flood of +daylight. <br> +<p>Everyone stood motionless, staring hard at Shaggy's brother, +who, no longer masked by the polka-dot handkerchief, met their +gaze with a glad smile.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Shaggy Man, breaking the silence at last and drawing +a long, deep breath of satisfaction, "you are no longer the Ugly +One, my dear brother; but, to be entirely frank with you, the +face that belongs to you is no more handsome than it ought to +be." <br> +<p>"I think he's rather good looking," remarked Betsy, gazing at +the man critically.<br> +</p> + +"In comparison with what he was," said King Kaliko, "he is really +beautiful. You, who never beheld his ugliness, may not understand +that; but it was my misfortune to look at the Ugly One many +times, and I say again that, in comparison with what he was, the +man is now beautiful." <br> +<p>"All right," returned Betsy, briskly, "we'll take your word +for it, Kaliko. And now let us get out of this tunnel and into +the world again."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_24">Chapter Twenty-Three</h1> + +<br> +Ruggedo Reforms <br> +<p>It did not take them long to regain the royal cavern of the +Nome King, where Kaliko ordered served to them the nicest +refreshments the place afforded.<br> +</p> + +Ruggedo had come trailing along after the rest of the party and +while no one paid any attention to the old King they did not +offer any objection to his presence or command him to leave them. +He looked fearfully to see if the eggs were still guarding the +entrance, but they had now disappeared; so he crept into the +cavern after the others and humbly squatted down in a corner of +the room. <br> +<p>There Betsy discovered him. All of the little girl's +companions were now so happy at the success of Shaggy's quest for +his brother, and the laughter and merriment seemed so general, +that Betsy's heart softened toward the friendless old man who had +once been their bitter enemy, and she carried to him some of the +food and drink. Ruggedo's eyes filled with tears at this +unexpected kindness. He took the child's hand in his own and +pressed it gratefully.<br> +</p> + +"Look here, Kaliko," said Betsy, addressing the new King, "what's +the use of being hard on Ruggedo? All his magic power is gone, so +he can't do any more harm, and I'm sure he's sorry he acted so +badly to everybody." <br> +<p>"Are you?" asked Kaliko, looking down at his former +master.<br> +</p> + +"I am," said Ruggedo. "The girl speaks truly. I'm sorry and I'm +harmless. I don't want to wander through the wide world, on top +of the ground, for I'm a nome. No nome can ever be happy any +place but underground." <br> +<p>"That being the case," said Kaliko, "I will let you stay here +as long as you behave yourself; but, if you try to act badly +again, I shall drive you out, as Tititi-Hoochoo has commanded, +and you'll have to wander."<br> +</p> + +"Never fear. I'll behave," promised Ruggedo. "It is hard work +being a King, and harder still to be a good King. But now that I +am a common nome I am sure I can lead a blameless life." <br> +<p>They were all pleased to hear this and to know that Ruggedo +had really reformed.<br> +</p> + +"I hope he'll keep his word," whispered Betsy to Shaggy; "but if +he gets bad again we will be far away from the Nome Kingdom and +Kaliko will have to 'tend to the old nome himself." <br> +<p>Polychrome had been a little restless during the last hour or +two. The lovely Daughter of the Rain how knew that she had now +done all in her power to assist her earth friends, and so she +began to long for her sky home.<br> +</p> + +"I think," she said, after listening intently, "that it is +beginning to rain. The Rain King is my uncle, you know, and +perhaps he has read my thoughts and is going to help me. Anyway I +must take a look at the sky and make sure." <br> +<p>So she jumped up and ran through the passage to the outer +entrance, and they all followed after her and grouped themselves +on a ledge of the mountain-side. Sure enough, dark clouds had +filled the sky and a slow, drizzling rain had set in.<br> +</p> + +"It can't last for long," said Shaggy, looking upward, "and when +it stops we shall lose the sweet little fairy we have learned to +love. Alas," he continued, after a moment, "the clouds are +already breaking in the west, and--see!--isn't that the Rainbow +coming?" <br> +<p>Betsy didn't look at the sky; she looked at Polychrome, whose +happy, smiling face surely foretold the coming of her father to +take her to the Cloud Palaces. A moment later a gleam of sunshine +flooded the mountain and a gorgeous Rainbow appeared.<br> +</p> + +With a cry of gladness Polychrome sprang upon a point of rock and +held out her arms. Straightway the Rainbow descended until its +end was at her very feet, when with a graceful leap she sprang +upon it and was at once clasped in the arms of her radiant +sisters, the Daughters of the Rainbow. But Polychrome released +herself to lean over the edge of the glowing arch and nod, and +smile and throw a dozen kisses to her late comrades. <br> +<p>"Good-bye!" she called, and they all shouted "Good-bye!" in +return and waves their hands to their pretty friend.<br> +</p> + +Slowly the magnificent bow lifted and melted into the sky, until +the eyes of the earnest watchers saw only fleecy clouds flitting +across the blue. <br> +<p>"I'm dreadful sorry to see Polychrome go," said Betsy, who +felt like crying; "but I s'pose she'll be a good deal happier +with her sisters in the sky palaces."<br> +</p> + +"To be sure," returned Shaggy, nodding gravely. "It's her home, +you know, and those poor wanderers who, like ourselves, have no +home, can realize what the means to her." <br> +<p>"Once," said Betsy, "I, too, had a home. Now, I've +only--only--dear old Hank!"<br> +</p> + +She twined her arms around her shaggy friend who was not human, +and he said: "Hee-haw!" in a tone that showed he understood her +mood. And the shaggy friend who was human stroked the child's +head tenderly and said: "You're wrong about that, Betsy, dear. I +will never desert you." <br> +<p>"Nor I!" exclaimed Shaggy's brother, in earnest tones.<br> +</p> + +The little girl looked up at them gratefully, and her eyes smiled +through their tears. <br> +<p>"All right," she said. "It's raining again, so let's go back +into the cavern."<br> +</p> + +Rather soberly, for all loved Polychrome and would miss her, they +reentered the dominions of the Nome King. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_25">Chapter Twenty-Four</h1> + +<br> +<p>Dorothy is Delighted<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Queen Ann, when all were again seated in Kaliko's +royal cavern, "I wonder what we shall do next. If I could find my +way back to Oogaboo I'd take my army home at once, for I'm sick +and tired of these dreadful hardships." <br> +<p>"Don't you want to conquer the world?" asked Betsy.<br> +</p> + +"No; I've changed my mind about that," admitted the Queen. "The +world is too big for one person to conquer and I was happier with +my own people in Oogaboo. I wish--Oh, how earnestly I wish--that +I was back there this minute!" <br> +<p>"So do I!" yelled every officer in a fervent tone.<br> +</p> + +Now, it is time for the reader to know that in the far-away Land +of Oz the lovely Ruler, Ozma, had been following the adventures +of her Shaggy Man, and Tik-Tok, and all the others they had met. +Day by day Ozma, with the wonderful Wizard of Oz seated beside +her, had gazed upon a Magic Picture in a radium frame, which +occupied one side of the Ruler's cosy boudoir in the palace of +the Emerald City. The singular thing about this Magic Picture was +that it showed whatever scene Ozma wished to see, with the +figures all in motion, just as it was taking place. So Ozma and +the Wizard had watched every action of the adventurers from the +time Shaggy had met shipwrecked Betsy and Hank in the Rose +Kingdom, at which time the Rose Princess, a distant cousin of +Ozma, had been exiled by her heartless subjects. <br> +<p>When Ann and her people so earnestly wished to return to +Oogaboo, Ozma was sorry for them and remembered that Oogaboo was +a corner of the Land of Oz. She turned to her attendant and +asked:<br> +</p> + +"Can not your magic take these unhappy people to their old home, +Wizard?" <br> +<p>"It can, Your Highness," replied the little Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"I think the poor Queen has suffered enough in her misguided +effort to conquer the world," said Ozma, smiling at the absurdity +of the undertaking, "so no doubt she will hereafter be contented +in her own little Kingdom. Please send her there, Wizard, and +with her the officers and Files." <br> +<p>"How about the Rose Princess?" asked the Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"Send her to Oogaboo with Files," answered Ozma. "They have +become such good friends that I am sure it would make them +unhappy to separate them." <br> +<p>"Very well," said the Wizard, and without any fuss or mystery +whatever he performed a magical rite that was simple and +effective. Therefore those seated in the Nome King's cavern were +both startled and amazed when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly +disappeared from the room, and with them the Rose Princess. At +first they could not understand it at all; but presently Shaggy +suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma was now taking an +interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny instrument +which he placed against his ear.<br> +</p> + +Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught +up a similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to +her own ear. The two instruments recorded the same delicate +vibrations of sound and formed a wireless telephone, an invention +of the Wizard. Those separated by any distance were thus enabled +to converse together with perfect ease and without any wire +connection. <br> +<p>"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Your Highness," he replied. <br> +<p>"I have Sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little +valley," announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their +disappearance."<br> +</p> + +"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must +permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have +found my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the +enchantment of ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has +served me and my comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, +and I hope you will now transport the Clockwork Man back to your +fairyland of Oz." <br> +<p>"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, +Shaggy?"<br> +</p> + +"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others +forces me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take +care of my new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new +comrade in a dear little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home +to go to, and no other friends but me and a small donkey named +Hank. I have promised Betsy never to desert her as long as she +needs a friend, and so I must give up the delights of the Land of +Oz forever." <br> +<p>He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but +laid the tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all +further communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler +of Oz still watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful +expression upon her face, and the little Wizard of Oz watched +Ozma and smiled softly to himself.<br> +</p> + +In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless +telephone in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful +a voice as he could muster: <br> +<p>"Well, little comrade, what shall we do next?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't know, I'm sure," she answered with a puzzled face. "I'm +kind of sorry our adventures are over, for I enjoyed them, and +now that Queen Ann and her people are gone, and Polychrome is +gone, and--dear me!--where's Tik-Tok, Shaggy?" <br> +<p>"He also has disappeared," said Shaggy, looking around the +cavern and nodding wisely. "By this time he is in Ozma's palace +in the Land of Oz, which is his home."<br> +</p> + +"Isn't it your home, too?" asked Betsy. <br> +<p>"It used to be, my dear; but now my home is wherever you and +my brother are. We are wanderers, you know, but if we stick +together I am sure we shall have a good time."<br> +</p> + +"Then," said the girl, "let us get out of this stuffy, +underground cavern and go in search of new adventures. I'm sure +it has stopped raining." <br> +<p>"I'm ready," said Shaggy, and then they bade good-bye to King +Kaliko, and thanked him for his assistance, and went out to the +mouth of the passage.<br> +</p> + +The sky was now clear and a brilliant blue in color; the sun +shone brightly and even this rugged, rocky country seemed +delightful after their confinement underground. There were but +four of them now--Betsy and Hank, and Shaggy and his brother--and +the little party made their way down the mountain and followed a +faint path that led toward the southwest. <br> +<p>During this time Ozma had been holding a conference with the +Wizard, and later with TikTok, whom the magic of the Wizard had +quickly transported to Ozma's palace. Tik-Tok had only words of +praise for Betsy Bobbin, "who," he said, "is al-most as nice as +Dor-o-thy her-self."<br> +</p> + +"Let us send for Dorothy," said Ozma, and summoning her favorite +maid, who was named Jellia Jamb, she asked her to request +Princess Dorothy to attend her at once. So a few moments later +Dorothy entered Ozma's room and greeted her and the Wizard and +Tik-Tok with the same gentle smile and simple manner that had won +for the little girl the love of everyone she met. <br> +<p>"Did you want to see me, Ozma?" she asked.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, dear. I am puzzled how to act, and I want your advice." +<br> +<p>"I don't b'lieve it's worth much," replied Dorothy, "but I'll +do the best I can. What is it all about, Ozma?"<br> +</p> + +"You all know," said the girl Ruler, addressing her three +friends, "what a serious thing it is to admit any mortals into +this fairyland of Oz. It is true I have invited several mortals +to make their home here, and all of them have proved true and +loyal subjects. Indeed, no one of you three was a native of Oz. +Dorothy and the Wizard came here from the United States, and +Tik-Tok came from the Land of Ev. But of course he is not a +mortal. Shaggy is another American, and he is the cause of all my +worry, for our dear Shaggy will not return here and desert the +new friends he has found in his recent adventures, because he +believes they need his services." <br> +<p>"Shaggy Man was always kind-hearted," remarked Dorothy. "But +who are these new friends he has found?"<br> +</p> + +"One is his brother, who for many years has been a prisoner of +the Nome King, our old enemy Ruggedo. This brother seems a +kindly, honest fellow, but he has done nothing to entitle him to +a home in the Land of Oz." <br> +<p>"Who else?" asked Dorothy.<br> +</p> + +"I have told you about Betsy Bobbin, the little girl who was +shipwrecked--in much the same way you once were--and has since +been following the Shaggy Man in his search for his lost brother. +You remember her, do you not?" <br> +<p>"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've often watched her and Hank +in the Magic Picture, you know. She's a dear little girl, and old +Hank is a darling! Where are they now?"<br> +</p> + +"Look and see," replied Ozma with a smile at her friend's +enthusiasm. <br> +<p>Dorothy turned to the Picture, which showed Betsy and Hank, +with Shaggy and his brother, trudging along the rocky paths of a +barren country.<br> +</p> + +"Seems to me," she said, musingly, "that they're a good way from +any place to sleep, or any nice things to eat." <br> +<p>"You are right," said Tik-Tok. "I have been in that coun-try, +and it is a wilder-ness."<br> +</p> + +"It is the country of the nomes," explained the Wizard, "who are +so mischievous that no one cares to live near them. I'm afraid +Shaggy and his friends will endure many hardships before they get +out of that rocky place, unless--" <br> +<p>He turned to Ozma and smiled.<br> +</p> + +"Unless I ask you to transport them all here?" she asked. <br> +<p>"Yes, your Highness."<br> +</p> + +"Could your magic do that?" inquired Dorothy. <br> +<p>"I think so," said the Wizard.<br> +</p> + +"Well," said Dorothy, "as far as Betsy and Hank are concerned, +I'd like to have them here in Oz. It would be such fun to have a +girl playmate of my own age, you see. And Hank is such a dear +little mule!" <br> +<p>Ozma laughed at the wistful expression in the girl's eyes, and +then she drew Dorothy to her and kissed her.<br> +</p> + +"Am I not your friend and playmate?" she asked. <br> +<p>Dorothy flushed.<br> +</p> + +"You know how dearly I love you, Ozma!" she cried. "But you're so +busy ruling all this Land of Oz that we can't always be +together." <br> +<p>"I know, dear. My first duty is to my subjects, and I think it +would be a delight to us all to have Betsy with us. There's a +pretty suite of rooms just opposite your own where she can live, +and I'll build a golden stall for Hank in the stable where the +Sawhorse lives. Then we'll introduce the mule to the Cowardly +Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and I'm sure they will soon become +firm friends. But I cannot very well admit Betsy and Hank into Oz +unless I also admit Shaggy's brother."<br> +</p> + +"And, unless you admit Shaggy's brother, you will keep out poor +Shaggy, whom we are all very fond of," said the Wizard. <br> +<p>"Well, why not ad-mit him?" demanded Tik-Tok.<br> +</p> + +"The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress," +explained Ozma. "I do not wish to be unkind to Shaggy Man, but +his brother has no claim on me." <br> +<p>"The Land of Oz isn't crowded," suggested Dorothy.<br> +</p> + +"Then you advise me to admit Shaggy's brother?" inquired Ozma. +<br> +<p>"Well, we can't afford to lose our Shaggy Man, can we?"<br> +</p> + +"No, indeed!" returned Ozma. "What do you say, Wizard?" <br> +<p>"I'm getting my magic ready to transport them all."<br> +</p> + +"And you, Tik-Tok?" <br> +<p>"Shag-gy's broth-er is a good fel-low, and we can't spare +Shag-gy."<br> +</p> + +"So, then; the question is settled," decided Ozma. "Perform your +magic, Wizard!" <br> +<p>He did so, placing a silver plate upon a small standard and +pouring upon the plate a small quantity of pink powder which was +contained in a crystal vial. Then he muttered a rather difficult +incantation which the sorceress Glinda the Good had taught him, +and it all ended in a puff of perfumed smoke from the silver +plate. This smoke was so pungent that it made both Ozma and +Dorothy rub their eyes for a moment.<br> +</p> + +"You must pardon these disagreeable fumes," said the Wizard. "I +assure you the smoke is a very necessary part of my wizardry." +<br> +<p>"Look!" cried Dorothy, pointing to the Magic Picture; "they're +gone! All of them are gone."<br> +</p> + +Indeed, the picture now showed the same rocky landscape as +before, but the three people and the mule had disappeared from +it. <br> +<p>"They are gone," said the Wizard, polishing the silver plate +and wrapping it in a fine cloth, "because they are here."<br> +</p> + +At that moment Jellia Jamb entered the room. <br> +<p>"Your Highness," she said to Ozma, "the Shaggy Man and another +man are in the waiting room and ask to pay their respects to you. +Shaggy is crying like a baby, but he says they are tears of +joy."<br> +</p> + +"Send them here at once, Jellia!" commanded Ozma "Also," +continued the maid, "a girl and a smallsized mule have +mysteriously arrived, but they don't seem to know where they are +or how they came here. Shall I send them here, too?" <br> +<p>"Oh, no!" exclaimed Dorothy, eagerly jumping up from her +chair; "I'll go to meet Betsy myself, for she'll feel awful +strange in this big palace."<br> +</p> + +And she ran down the stairs two at a time to greet her new +friend, Betsy Bobbin. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_26">Chapter Twenty-Five</h1> + +<br> +<p>The Land of Love<br> +</p> + +"Well, is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" inquired the +Sawhorse, as he examined Hank with his knot eyes and slowly +wagged the branch that served him for a tail. <br> +<p>They were in a beautiful stable in the rear of Ozma's palace, +where the wooden Sawhorse--very much alive--lived in a +gold-paneled stall, and where there were rooms for the Cowardly +Lion and the Hungry Tiger, which were filled with soft cushions +for them to lie upon and golden troughs for them to eat from.<br> +</p> + +Beside the stall of the Sawhorse had been placed another for +Hank, the mule. This was not quite so beautiful as the other, for +the Sawhorse was Ozma's favorite steed; but Hank had a supply of +cushions for a bed (which the Sawhorse did not need because he +never slept) and all this luxury was so strange to the little +mule that he could only stand still and regard his surroundings +and his queer companions with wonder and amazement. <br> +<p>The Cowardly Lion, looking very dignified, was stretched out +upon the marble floor of the stable, eyeing Hank with a calm and +critical gaze, while near by crouched the huge Hungry Tiger, who +seemed equally interested in the new animal that had just +arrived. The Sawhorse, standing stiffly before Hank, repeated his +question<br> +</p> + +"Is 'hee-haw' all you are able to say?" <br> +<p>Hank moved his ears in an embarrassed manner.<br> +</p> + +"I have never said anything else, until now," he replied; and +then he began to tremble with fright to hear himself talk. <br> +<p>"I can well understand that," remarked the Lion, wagging his +great head with a swaying motion. "Strange things happen in this +Land of Oz, as they do everywhere else. I believe you came here +from the cold, civilized, outside world, did you not?"<br> +</p> + +"I did," replied Hank. "One minute I was outside of Oz--and the +next minute I was inside! That was enough to give me a nervous +shock, as you may guess; but to find myself able to talk, as +Betsy does, is a marvel that staggers me." <br> +<p>"That is because you are in the Land of Oz," said the +Sawhorse. "All animals talk, in this favored country, and you +must admit it is more sociable than to bray your dreadful +'hee-haw,' which nobody can understand."<br> +</p> + +"Mules understand it very well," declared Hank. <br> +<p>"Oh, indeed! Then there must be other mules in your outside +world," said the Tiger, yawning sleepily.<br> +</p> + +"There are a great many in America," said Hank. "Are you the only +Tiger in Oz?" <br> +<p>"No," acknowledged the Tiger, "I have many relatives living in +the Jungle Country; but I am the only Tiger living in the Emerald +City."<br> +</p> + +"There are other Lions, too," said the Sawhorse; "but I am the +only horse, of any description, in this favored Land." <br> +<p>"That is why this Land is favored," said the Tiger. "You must +understand, friend Hank, that the Sawhorse puts on airs because +he is shod with plates of gold, and because our beloved Ruler, +Ozma of Oz, likes to ride upon his back."<br> +</p> + +"Betsy rides upon my back," declared Hank proudly. <br> +<p>"Who is Betsy?"<br> +</p> + +"The dearest, sweetest girl in all the world!" <br> +<p>The Sawhorse gave an angry snort and stamped his golden feet. +The Tiger crouched and growled. Slowly the great Lion rose to his +feet, his mane bristling.<br> +</p> + +"Friend Hank," said he, "either you are mistaken in judgment or +you are willfully trying to deceive us. The dearest, sweetest +girl in the world is our Dorothy, and I will fight anyone--animal +or human-who dares to deny it!" <br> +<p>"So will I!" snarled the Tiger, showing two rows of enormous +white teeth.<br> +</p> + +"You are all wrong!" asserted the Sawhorse in a voice of scorn. +"No girl living can compare with my mistress, Ozma of Oz!" <br> +<p>Hank slowly turned around until his heels were toward the +others. Then he said stubbornly:<br> +</p> + +"I am not mistaken in my statement, nor will I admit there can be +a sweeter girl alive than Betsy Bobbin. If you want to fight, +come on--I'm ready for you!" <br> +<p>While they hesitated, eyeing Hank's heels doubtfully, a merry +peal of laughter startled the animals and turning their heads +they beheld three lovely girls standing just within the richly +carved entrance to the stable. In the center was Ozma, her arms +encircling the waists of Dorothy and Betsy, who stood on either +side of her. Ozma was nearly half a head taller than the two +other girls, who were almost of one size. Unobserved, they had +listened to the talk of the animals, which was a very strange +experience indeed to little Betsy Bobbin.<br> +</p> + +"You foolish beasts!" exclaimed the Ruler of Oz, in a gentle but +chiding voice. "Why should you fight to defend us, who are all +three loving friends and in no sense rivals? Answer me!" she +continued, as they bowed their heads sheepishly. <br> +<p>"I have the right to express my opinion, your Highness," +pleaded the Lion.<br> +</p> + +"And so have the others," replied Ozma. "I am glad you and the +Hungry Tiger love Dorothy best, for she was your first friend and +companion. Also I am pleased that my Sawhorse loves me best, for +together we have endured both joy and sorrow. Hank has proved his +faith and loyalty by defending his own little mistress; and so +you are all right in one way, but wrong in another. Our Land of +Oz is a Land of Love, and here friendship outranks every other +quality. Unless you can all be friends, you cannot retain our +love." <br> +<p>They accepted this rebuke very meekly.<br> +</p> + +"All right," said the Sawhorse, quite cheerfully; "shake hoofs, +friend Mule." <br> +<p>Hank touched his hoof to that of the wooden horse.<br> +</p> + +"Let us be friends and rub noses," said the Tiger. So Hank +modestly rubbed noses with the big beast. <br> +<p>The Lion merely nodded and said, as he crouched before the +mule:<br> +</p> + +"Any friend of a friend of our beloved Ruler is a friend of the +Cowardly Lion. That seems to cover your case. If ever you need +help or advice, friend Hank, call on me. <br> +<p>"Why, this is as it should be," said Ozma, highly pleased to +see them so fully reconciled. Then she turned to her companions: +"Come, my dears, let us resume our walk."<br> +</p> + +As they turned away Betsy said wonderingly: <br> +<p>"Do all the animals in Oz talk as we do?<br> +</p> + +"Almost all," answered Dorothy. "There's a Yellow Hen here, and +she can talk, and so can her chickens; and there's a Pink Kitten +upstairs in my room who talks very nicely; but I've a little +fuzzy black dog, named Toto, who has been with me in Oz a long +time, and he's never said a single word but 'Bow-wow!'" <br> +<p>"Do you know why?" asked Ozma.<br> +</p> + +"Why, he's a Kansas dog; so I s'pose he's different from these +fairy animals," replied Dorothy. <br> +<p>"Hank isn't a fairy animal, any more than Toto," said Ozma, +"yet as soon as he came under the spell of our fairyland he found +he could talk. It was the same way with Billina, the Yellow Hen +whom you brought here at one time. The same spell has affected +Toto, I assure you; but he's a wise little dog and while he knows +everything that is said to him he prefers not to talk."<br> +</p> + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I never s'pected Toto was +fooling me all this time." Then she drew a small silver whistle +from her pocket and blew a shrill note upon it. A moment later +there was a sound of scurrying foot-steps, and a shaggy black dog +came running up the path <br> +<p>Dorothy knelt down before him and shaking her finger just +above his nose she said:<br> +</p> + +"Toto, haven't I always been good to you?" <br> +<p>Toto looked up at her with his bright black eyes and wagged +his tail.<br> +</p> + +"Bow-wow!" he said, and Betsy knew at once that meant yes, as +well as Dorothy and Ozma knew it, for there was no mistaking the +tone of Toto's voice. <br> +<p>"That's a dog answer," said Dorothy. "How would you like it, +Toto, if I said nothing to you but 'bow-wow'?"<br> +</p> + +Toto's tail was wagging furiously now, but otherwise he was +silent. <br> +<p>"Really, Dorothy," said Betsy, "he can talk with his bark and +his tail just as well as we can. Don't you understand such dog +language?"<br> +</p> + +"Of course I do," replied Dorothy. "But Toto's got to be more +sociable. See here, sir!" she continued, addressing the dog, +"I've just learned, for the first time, that you can say +words--if you want to. Don't you want to, Toto?" <br> +<p>"Woof!" said Toto, and that meant no.<br> +</p> + +"Not just one word, Toto, to prove you're as any other animal in +Oz?" <br> +<p>"Woof!"<br> +</p> + +"Just one word, Toto--and then you may run away." <br> +<p>He looked at her steadily a moment.<br> +</p> + +"All right. Here I go!" he said, and darted away as swift as an +arrow. <br> +<p>Dorothy clapped her hands in delight, while Betsy and Ozma +both laughed heartily at her pleasure and the success of her +experiment. Arm in arm they sauntered away through the beautiful +gardens of the palace, where magnificent flowers bloomed in +abundance and fountains shot their silvery sprays far into the +air. And by and by, as they turned a corner, they came upon +Shaggy Man and his brother, who were seated together upon a +golden bench.<br> +</p> + +The two arose to bow respectfully as the Ruler of Oz approached +them. <br> +<p>"How are you enjoying our Land of Oz?" Ozma asked the +stranger.<br> +</p> + +"I am very happy here, Your Highness," replied Shaggy's brother. +"Also I am very grateful to you for permitting me to live in this +delightful place." <br> +<p>"You must thank Shaggy for that," said Ozma. "Being his +brother, I have made you welcome here."<br> +</p> + +"When you know Brother better," said Shaggy earnestly, "you will +be glad he has become one of your loyal subjects. I am just +getting acquainted with him myself and I find much in his +character to admire." <br> +<p>Leaving the brothers, Ozma and the girls continued their walk. +Presently Betsy exclaimed:<br> +</p> + +"Shaggy's brother can't ever be as happy in Oz as I am. Do you +know, Dorothy, I didn't believe any girl could ever have such a +good time-anywhere--as I'm having now?" <br> +<p>"I know," answered Dorothy. "I've felt that way myself, lots +of times.<br> +</p> + +"I wish," continued Betsy, dreamily, "that every little girl in +the world could live in the Land of Oz; and every little boy, +too!" <br> +<p>Ozma laughed at this.<br> +</p> + +"It is quite fortunate for us, Betsy, that your wish cannot be +granted," said she, "for all that army of girls and boys would +crowd us so that we would have to move away. <br> +<p>"Yes," agreed Betsy, after a little thought, "I guess that's +true."<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum <br> +<p>THE WIZARD OF OZ THE LAND OF OZ OZMA OF OZ DOROTHY AND THE +WIZARD IN OZ THE ROAD TO OZ THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ THE PATCHWORK +GIRL OF OZ TIK-TOK OF OZ THE SCARECROW OF OZ RINKITINK IN OZ THE +LOST PRINCESS OF OZ THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ THE MAGIC OF OZ GLINDA +OF OZ<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tik-Tok of Oz by Baum <br> +</body> +</html> + |