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IsupposethatPolychrome,andperhapsQueenAnnandherArmy,mighthavebeenabletodispeltheenchantmentofRuggedo’sChiefMagicianhadtheyknownthatdangerlayintheirpathway;fortheRainbow’sDaughterwasafairyandasOogabooisapartoftheLandofOzitsinhabitantscannoteasilybedeceivedbysuchcommonmagicastheNomeKingcouldcommand.
ButnoonesuspectedanyespecialdangeruntilaftertheyhadenteredRuggedo’scavern,andsotheywerejourneyingalonginquiteacontentedmannerwhenTik-Tok,whomarchedahead,suddenlydisappeared.
Theofficersthoughthemusthaveturnedacorner,sotheykeptontheirwayandallofthemlikewisedisappeared—oneafteranother.
QueenAnnwasrathersurprisedatthis,andinhasteningforwardtolearnthereasonshealsovanishedfromsight.
BetsyBobbinhadtiredherfeetbywalking,soshewasnowridinguponthebackofthestoutlittlemule,facingbackwardandtalkingtoShaggyandPolychrome,whowerejustbehind.
SuddenlyHankpitchedforwardandbeganfallingandBetsywouldhavetumbledoverhisheadhadshenotgrabbedthemule’sshaggyneckwithbotharmsandheldonfordearlife.
Allaroundwasdarkness,andtheywerenotfallingdirectlydownwardbutseemedtobeslidingalongasteepincline.
Hank’shoofswererestinguponsomesmoothsubstanceoverwhichheslidwiththeswiftnessofthewind.
OnceBetsy’sheelsflewupandstruckasimilarsubstanceoverhead.
Theywere,indeed,descendingthe“HollowTube”thatledtotheothersideoftheworld.
“Stop,Hank—stop!”criedthegirl;butHankonlyutteredaplaintive“Hee-haw!”foritwasimpossibleforhimtoobey.
Afterseveralminuteshadpassedandnoharmhadbefallenthem,Betsygainedcourage.
Shecouldseenothingatall,norcouldshehearanythingexcepttherushofairpastherearsastheyplungeddownwardalongtheTube.
WhethersheandHankwerealone,ortheotherswerewiththem,shecouldnottell.
ButhadsomeonebeenabletotakeaflashlightphotographoftheTubeatthattimeamostcuriouspicturewouldhaveresulted.
TherewasTik-Tok,flatuponhisbackandslidingheadforemostdowntheincline.
AndthereweretheOfficersoftheArmyofOogaboo,alltangledupinaconfusedcrowd,flappingtheirarmsandtryingtoshieldtheirfacesfromtheclankingswords,whichswungbackandforthduringtheswiftjourneyandpummeledeveryonewithintheirreach.
NowfollowedQueenAnn,whohadstrucktheTubeinasittingpositionandwentflyingalongwithadashandabandonthatthoroughlybewilderedthepoorlady,whohadnoideawhathadhappenedtoher.
Then,alittledistanceaway,butunseenbytheothersintheinkydarkness,slidBetsyandHank,whilebehindthemwereShaggyandPolychromeandfinallyFilesandthePrincess.
WhenfirsttheytumbledintotheTubeallweretoodazedtothinkclearly,butthetripwasalongone,becausethecavityledstraightthroughtheearthtoaplacejustoppositetheNomeKing’sdominions,andlongbeforetheadventurersgottotheendtheyhadbeguntorecovertheirwits.
“Thisisawful,Hank!”criedBetsyinaloudvoice,andQueenAnnheardherandcalledout:“Areyousafe,Betsy?”
“Mercy,no!”answeredthelittlegirl.“Howcouldanyonebesafewhenshe’sgoingaboutsixtymilesaminute?”Then,afterapause,sheadded:“Butwheredoyous’posewe’regoingto,YourMaj’sty?”
“Don’taskherthat,pleasedon’t!”saidShaggy,whowasnottoofarawaytooverhearthem.“Andpleasedon’taskmewhy,either.”
“Why?”saidBetsy.
“Noonecantellwherewearegoinguntilwegetthere,”repliedShaggy,andthenheyelled“Ouch!”forPolychromehadovertakenhimandwasnowsittingonhishead.
TheRainbow’sDaughterlaughedmerrily,andsoinfectiouswasthisjoyouslaughthatBetsyechoeditandHanksaid“Heehaw!”inamildandsympathetictoneofvoice.
“I’dliketoknowwhereandwhenwe’llarrive,justthesame,”exclaimedthelittlegirl.
“Bepatientandyou’llfindout,mydear,”saidPolychrome.“Butisn’tthisanoddexperience?
HereamI,whosehomeisintheskies,makingajourneythroughthecenteroftheearth—whereIneverexpectedtobe!”
“Howdoyouknowwe’reinthecenteroftheearth?”askedBetsy,hervoicetremblingalittlethroughnervousness.
“Why,wecan’tbeanywhereelse,”repliedPolychrome.
“Ihaveoftenheardofthispassage,whichwasoncebuiltbyaMagicianwhowasagreattraveler.
Hethoughtitwouldsavehimthebotherofgoingaroundtheearth’ssurface,buthetumbledthroughtheTubesofastthatheshotoutattheotherendandhitastarinthesky,whichatonceexploded.”
“Thestarexploded?”askedBetsywonderingly.
“Yes;theMagicianhititsohard.”
“AndwhatbecameoftheMagician?”inquiredthegirl.
“Nooneknowsthat,”answeredPolychrome.“ButIdon’tthinkitmattersmuch.”
“Itmattersagooddeal,ifwealsohitthestarswhenwecomeout,”saidQueenAnn,withamoan.
“Don’tworry,”advisedPolychrome.“IbelievetheMagicianwasgoingtheotherway,andprobablyhewentmuchfasterthanwearegoing.”
“It’sfastenoughtosuitme,”remarkedShaggy,gentlyremovingPolychrome’sheelfromhislefteye.“Couldn’tyoumanagetofallallbyyourself,mydear?”
“I’lltry,”laughedtheRainbow’sDaughter.
AllthistimetheywereswiftlyfallingthroughtheTube,anditwasnotsoeasyforthemtotalkasyoumayimaginewhenyoureadtheirwords.
Butalthoughtheyweresohelplessandaltogetherinthedarkastotheirfate,thefactthattheywereabletoconverseatallcheeredthem,considerably.
FilesandOzgawerealsoconversingastheyclungtightlytooneanother,andtheyoungfellowbravelystrovetoreassurethePrincess,althoughhewasterriblyfrightened,bothonheraccountandonhisown.
Anhour,undersuchtryingcircumstances,isaverylongtime,andformorethananhourtheycontinuedtheirfearfuljourney.
Then,justastheybegantofeartheTubewouldneverend,Tik-Tokpoppedoutintobroaddaylightand,aftermakingagracefulcircleintheair,fellwithasplashintoagreatmarblefountain.
Outcametheofficers,inquicksuccession,tumblingheelsoverheadandstrikingthegroundinmanyundignifiedattitudes.
“Fortheloveofsassafras!”exclaimedaPeculiarPersonwhowashoeingpinkvioletsinagarden.“Whatcanallthismean?”
Foranswer,QueenAnnsailedupfromtheTube,tookaridethroughtheairashighasthetreetops,andalightedsquarelyontopofthePeculiarPerson’shead,smashingajeweledcrownoverhiseyesandtumblinghimtotheground.
ThemulewasheavierandhadBetsyclingingtohisback,sohedidnotgosohighup.
Fortunatelyforhislittleriderhestruckthegrounduponhisfourfeet.
BetsywasjarredatriflebutnothurtandwhenshelookedaroundhershesawtheQueenandthePeculiarPersonstrugglingtogetherupontheground,wherethemanwastryingtochokeAnnandshehadbothhandsinhisbushyhairandwaspullingwithallhermight.
Someoftheofficers,whentheygotupontheirfeet,hastenedtoseparatethecombatantsandsoughttorestrainthePeculiarPersonsothathecouldnotattacktheirQueenagain.
Bythistime,Shaggy,Polychrome,OzgaandFileshadallarrivedandwerecuriouslyexaminingthestrangecountryinwhichtheyfoundthemselvesandwhichtheyknewtobeexactlyontheoppositesideoftheworldfromtheplacewheretheyhadfallenintotheTube.
Itwasalovelyplace,indeed,andseemedtobethegardenofsomegreatPrince,forthroughthevistasoftreesandshrubberycouldbeseenthetowersofanimmensecastle.
ButasyettheonlyinhabitanttogreetthemwasthePeculiarPersonjustmentioned,whohadshakenoffthegraspoftheofficerswithouteffortandwasnowtryingtopullthebatteredcrownfromoffhiseyes.
Shaggy,whowasalwayspolite,helpedhimtodothisandwhenthemanwasfreeandcouldseeagainhelookedathisvisitorswithevidentamazement.
“Well,well,well!”heexclaimed.“Wheredidyoucomefromandhowdidyougethere?”
Betsytriedtoanswerhim,forQueenAnnwassurlyandsilent.
“Ican’tsay,exac’lywherewecamefrom,causeIdon’tknowthenameoftheplace,”saidthegirl,“butthewaywegotherewasthroughtheHollowTube.”
“Don’tcallita‘hollow’Tube,please,”exclaimedthePeculiarPersoninanirritatedtoneofvoice.“Ifit’satube,it’ssuretobehollow.”
“Why?”askedBetsy.
“Becausealltubesaremadethatway.ButthisTubeisprivatepropertyandeveryoneisforbiddentofallintoit.”
“Wedidn’tdoitonpurpose,”explainedBetsy,andPolychromeadded:“IamquitesurethatRuggedo,theNomeKing,pushedusdownthatTube.”
“Ha!Ruggedo!DidyousayRuggedo?”criedtheman,becomingmuchexcited.
“Thatiswhatshesaid,”repliedShaggy,“andIbelievesheisright.WewereonourwaytoconquertheNomeKingwhensuddenlywefellintotheTube.”
“ThenyouareenemiesofRuggedo?”inquiredthepeculiarPerson.
“Notexac’lyenemies,”saidBetsy,alittlepuzzledbythequestion,“‘causewedon’tknowhimatall;butwestartedouttoconquerhim,whichisn’tasfriendlyasitmightbe.”
“True,”agreedtheman.Helookedthoughtfullyfromonetoanotherofthemforawhileandthenheturnedhisheadoverhisshoulderandsaid:“Nevermindthefireandpincers,mygoodbrothers.
ItwillbebesttotakethesestrangerstothePrivateCitizen.”
“Verywell,Tubekins,”respondedaVoice,deepandpowerful,thatseemedtocomeoutoftheair,forthespeakerwasinvisible.
Allourfriendsgaveajump,atthis.EvenPolychromewassostartledthathergauzedraperiesflutteredlikeabannerinabreeze.
Shaggyshookhisheadandsighed;QueenAnnlookedveryunhappy;theofficersclungtoeachother,tremblingviolently.
ButsoontheygainedcouragetolookmorecloselyatthePeculiarPerson.
Ashewasatypeofalltheinhabitantsofthisextraordinarylandwhomtheyafterwardmet,Iwilltrytotellyouwhathelookedlike.
Hisfacewasbeautiful,butlackedexpression.
Hiseyeswerelargeandblueincolorandhisteethfinelyformedandwhiteassnow.
Hishairwasblackandbushyandseemedinclinedtocurlattheends.
Sofarnoonecouldfindanyfaultwithhisappearance.
Heworearobeofscarlet,whichdidnotcoverhisarmsandextendednolowerthanhisbareknees.
Onthebosomoftherobewasembroideredaterribledragon’shead,ashorribletolookatasthemanwasbeautiful.
Hisarmsandlegswereleftbareandtheskinofonearmwasbrightyellowandtheskinoftheotherarmavividgreen.
Hehadonebluelegandonepinkone,whilebothhisfeet—whichshowedthroughtheopensandalshewore—werejetblack.
Betsycouldnotdecidewhetherthesegorgeouscolorsweredyesorthenaturaltintsoftheskin,butwhileshewasthinkingitoverthemanwhohadbeencalled“Tubekins”said:
“FollowmetotheResidence—allofyou!”
ButjustthenaVoiceexclaimed:“Here’sanotherofthem,Tubekins,lyinginthewaterofthefountain.”
“Gracious!”criedBetsy;“itmustbeTik-Tok,andhe’lldrown.”
“Waterisabadthingforhisclockworks,anyway,”agreedShaggy,aswithoneaccordtheyallstartedforthefountain.
Butbeforetheycouldreachit,invisiblehandsraisedTik-Tokfromthemarblebasinandsethimuponhisfeetbesideit,waterdrippingfromeveryjointofhiscopperbody.
“Ma—nytha—tha—tha—thanks!”hesaid;andthenhiscopperjawsclickedtogetherandhecouldsaynomore.
Henextmadeanattempttowalkbutafterseveralawkwardtrialsfoundhecouldnotmovehisjoints.
PealsofjeeringlaughterfrompersonsunseengreetedTik-Tok’sfailure,andthenewarrivalsinthisstrangelandfounditveryuncomfortabletorealizethatthereweremanycreaturesaroundthemwhowereinvisible,yetcouldbeheardplainly.
“ShallIwindhimup?”askedBetsy,feelingverysorryforTik-Tok.
“Ithinkhismachineryiswound;butheneedsoiling,”repliedShaggy.
Atonceanoilcanappearedbeforehim,heldonalevelwithhiseyesbysomeunseenhand.
ShaggytookthecanandtriedtooilTik-Tok’sjoints.
Asiftoassisthim,astrongcurrentofwarmairwasdirectedagainstthecopperman,whichquicklydriedhim.Soonhewasabletosay“Ma-nythanks!”
quitesmoothlyandhisjointsworkedfairlywell.
“Come!”commandedTubekins,andturninghisbackuponthemhewalkedupthepathtowardthecastle.
“Shallwego?”askedQueenAnn,uncertainly;butjustthenshereceivedashovethatalmostpitchedherforwardonherhead;soshedecidedtogo.
Theofficerswhohesitatedreceivedseveralenergetickicks,butcouldnotseewhodeliveredthem;thereforetheyalsodecided—verywisely—togo.
Theothersfollowedwillinglyenough,forunlesstheyventureduponanotherterriblejourneythroughtheTubetheymustmakethebestofthecountrytheywerein,andthebestseemedtobetoobeyorders.
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