English
ShaggyManhadsaidnothingduringtheconversationbetweenQueenAnnandQuox,forthesimplereasonthathedidnotconsiderthematterworthanargument.
SafewithinhispocketreposedtheLoveMagnet,whichhadneverfailedtowineveryheart.
Thenomes,heknew,werenotliketheheartlessRosesandthereforecouldbewontohissideassoonasheexhibitedthemagictalisman.
Shaggy’schiefanxietyhadbeentoreachRuggedo’sKingdomandnowthattheentrancelaybeforehimhewasconfidenthewouldbeabletorescuehislostbrother.
LetAnnandthedragonquarrelastowhoshouldconquerthenomes,iftheyliked;Shaggywouldletthemtry,andiftheyfailedhehadthemeansofconquestinhisownpocket.
ButAnnwaspositiveshecouldnotfail,forshethoughtherArmycoulddoanything.
Soshecalledtheofficerstogetherandtoldthemhowtoact,andshealsoinstructedTik-Tokwhattodoandwhattosay.
“Pleasedonotshootyourgunexceptasalastresort,”sheadded,“forIdonotwishtobecruelortoshedanyblood—unlessitisabsolutelynecessary.”
“Allright,”repliedTik-Tok;“butIdonotthinkRug-ge-dowouldbleedifIfilledhimfullofholesandputhiminaci-derpress.”
Thentheofficersfellinline,thefourGeneralsabreastandthenthefourColonelsandthefourMajorsandthefourCaptains.
TheydrewtheirglitteringswordsandcommandedTik-Toktomarch,whichhedid.
Twicehefelldown,beingtrippedbytheroughrocks,butwhenhestruckthesmoothpathhegotalongbetter.
Intothegloomymouthofthecavernentrancehesteppedwithouthesitation,andafterhimproudlyprancedtheofficersandQueenAnn.
Theothersheldbackalittle,waitingtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OfcoursetheNomeKingknewtheywerecomingandwaspreparedtoreceivethem.
Justwithintherockypassagethatledtothejeweledthrone-roomwasadeeppit,whichwasusuallycovered.
Ruggedohadorderedthecoverremovedanditnowstoodopen,scarcelyvisibleinthegloom.
Thepitwassolargearoundthatitnearlyfilledthepassageandtherewasbarelyroomforonetowalkarounditbypressingclosetotherockwalls.
ThisTik-Tokdid,forhiscoppereyessawthepitclearlyandheavoidedit;buttheofficersmarchedstraightintotheholeandtumbledinaheaponthebottom.
AninstantlaterQueenAnnalsowalkedintothepit,forshehadherchinintheairandwascarelesswheresheplacedherfeet.
Thenoneofthenomespulledalever,whichreplacedthecoveronthepitandmadetheofficersofOogabooandtheirQueenfastprisoners.
AsforTik-Tok,hekeptstraightontothecavernwhereRuggedosatinhisthroneandtherehefacedtheNomeKingandsaid:
“Ihere-bycon-queryouinthenameofQueenAnnSo-forthofOo-ga-boo,whoseAr-myIam,andIde-clarethatyouareherpris-on-er!”
Ruggedolaughedathim.
“WhereisthisfamousQueen?”heasked.
“She’llbehereinamin-ute,”saidTik-Tok.“Per-hapsshestoppedtotiehershoe-string.”
“Now,seehere,Tik-Tok,”begantheNomeKing,inasternvoice,“I’vehadenoughofthisnonsense.
YourQueenandherofficersareallprisoners,havingfallenintomypower,soperhapsyou’lltellmewhatyoumeantodo.”
“Myor-dersweretocon-queryou,”repliedTik-Tok,“andmyma-chin-er-yhasdonethebestitknowshowtocar-ryoutthoseor-ders.”
RuggedopoundedonhisgongandKalikoappeared,followedcloselybyGeneralGuph.
“Takethiscoppermanintotheshopsandsethimtoworkhammeringgold,”commandedtheKing.
“Beingrunbymachineryheoughttobeasteadyworker.
Heoughtnevertohavebeenmade,butsinceheexistsIshallhereafterputhimtogooduse.”
“Ifyoutrytocap-tureme,”saidTik-Tok,“Ishallfight.”
“Don’tdothat!”exclaimedGeneralGuph,earnestly,“foritwillbeuselesstoresistandyoumighthurtsomeone.”
ButTik-Tokraisedhisgunandtookaimandnotknowingwhatdamagethegunmightdothenomeswereafraidtofaceit.
WhilehewasthusdefyingtheNomeKingandhishighofficials,BetsyBobbinrodecalmlyintotheroyalcavern,seateduponthebackofHankthemule.
Thelittlegirlhadgrowntiredofwaitingfor“somethingtohappen”andsohadcometoseeifRuggedohadbeenconquered.
“Nailsandnuggets!”roaredtheKing;“howdareyoubringthatbeasthereandentermypresenceunannounced?”
“Therewasn’tanybodytoannounceme,”repliedBetsy.“Iguessyourfolkswereallbusy.Areyouconqueredyet?”
“No!”shoutedtheKing,almostbesidehimselfwithrage.
“Thenpleasegivemesomethingtoeat,forI’mawfulhungry,”saidthegirl.
“Yousee,thisconqueringbusinessisagooddeallikewaitingforacircusparade;ittakesalongtimetogetaroundanddon’tamounttomuchanyhow.”
Thenomesweresomuchastonishedatthisspeechthatforatimetheycouldonlyglareathersilently,notfindingwordstoreply.TheKingfinallyrecoveredtheuseofhistongueandsaid:
“Earth-crawler!Thisinsolencetomymajestyshallbeyourdeath-warrant.
Youareanordinarymortal,andtostopamortalfromlivingissoeasyathingtodothatIwillnotkeepyouwaitinghalfsolongasyoudidformyconquest.”
“I’dratheryouwouldn’tstopmefromliving,”remarkedBetsy,gettingoffHank’sbackandstandingbesidehim.
“AnditwouldbeaprettycheapKingwhokilledavisitorwhileshewashungry.
Ifyou’llgivemesomethingtoeat,I’lltalkthiskillingbusinessoverwithyouafterward;only,IwarnyounowthatIdon’tapproveofit,andneverwill.”
HercoolnessandlackoffearimpressedtheNomeKing,althoughheboreanintensehatredtowardallmortals.
“Whatdoyouwishtoeat?”heaskedgruffly.
“Oh,aham-sandwichwoulddo,orperhapsacoupleofhard-boiledeggs—”
“Eggs!”shriekedthethreenomeswhowerepresent,shudderingtilltheirteethchattered.
“What’sthematter?”askedBetsywonderingly.“Areeggsashighhereastheyareathome?”
“Guph,”saidtheKinginanagitatedvoice,turningtohisGeneral,“letusdestroythisrashmortalatonce!SeizeherandtakehertotheSlimyCaveandlockherin.”
GuphglancedatTik-Tok,whosegunwasstillpointed,butjustthenKalikostolesoftlybehindthecoppermanandkickedhisknee-jointssothattheysuddenlybentforwardandtumbledTik-Toktothefloor,hisgunfallingfromhisgrasp.
ThenGuph,seeingTik-Tokhelpless,madeagrabatBetsy.
AtthesametimeHank’sheelsshotoutandcaughttheGeneraljustwherehisbeltwasbuckled.
Heroseintotheairswiftasacannonball,strucktheNomeKingfairlyandflattenedhisMajestyagainstthewallofrockontheoppositesideofthecavern.
Togethertheyfelltothefloorinadazedandcrumpledcondition,seeingwhichKalikowhisperedtoBetsy:
“Comewithme—quick!—andIwillsaveyou.”
ShelookedintoKaliko’sfaceinquiringlyandthoughtheseemedhonestandgood-natured,soshedecidedtofollowhim.
Heledherandthemulethroughseveralpassagesandintoasmallcavernverynicelyandcomfortablyfurnished.
“Thisismyownroom,”saidhe,“butyouarequitewelcometouseit.WaithereaminuteandI’llgetyousomethingtoeat.”
WhenKalikoreturnedhebroughtatraycontainingsomebroiledmushrooms,aloafofmineralbreadandsomepetroleum-butter.
ThebutterBetsycouldnoteat,butthebreadwasgoodandthemushroomsdelicious.
“Here’sthedoorkey,”saidKaliko,“andyou’dbetterlockyourselfin.”
“Won’tyouletPolychromeandtheRosePrincesscomehere,too?”sheasked.
“I’llsee.Wherearethey?”
“Idon’tknow.Ileftthemoutside,”saidBetsy.
“Well,ifyouhearthreerapsonthedoor,openit,”saidKaliko;“butdon’tletanyoneinunlesstheygivethethreeraps.”
“Allright,”promisedBetsy,andwhenKalikoleftthecozycavernsheclosedandlockedthedoor.
InthemeantimeAnnandherofficers,findingthemselvesprisonersinthepit,hadshoutedandscreameduntiltheyweretiredout,butnoonehadcometotheirassistance.
Itwasverydarkanddampinthepitandtheycouldnotclimboutbecausethewallswerehigherthantheirheadsandthecoverwason.
TheQueenwasfirstangryandthenannoyedandthendiscouraged;buttheofficerswereonlyafraid.
EveryoneofthepoorfellowsheartilywishedhewasbackinOogaboocaringforhisorchard,andsomeweresounhappythattheybegantoreproachAnnforcausingthemallthistroubleanddanger.
FinallytheQueensatdownonthebottomofthepitandleanedherbackagainstthewall.
Bygoodluckhersharpelbowtouchedasecretspringinthewallandabigflatrockswunginward.
Annfelloverbackward,butthenextinstantshejumpedupandcriedtotheothers:
“Apassage!Apassage!Followme,mybravemen,andwemayyetescape.”
Thenshebegantocrawlthroughthepassage,whichwasasdarkanddankasthepit,andtheofficersfollowedherinsinglefile.
Theycrawled,andtheycrawled,andtheykeptoncrawling,forthepassagewasnotbigenoughtoallowthemtostandupright.
Itturnedthiswayandtwistedthat,sometimeslikeacorkscrewandsometimeszigzag,butseldomranforlonginastraightline.
“Itwillneverend—never!”moanedtheofficers,whowererubbingalltheskinofftheirkneesontheroughrocks.
“Itmustend,”retortedAnncourageously,“oritneverwouldhavebeenmade.Wedon’tknowwhereitwillleadusto,butanyplaceisbetterthanthatloathsomepit.”
Soshecrawledon,andtheofficerscrawledon,andwhiletheywerecrawlingthroughthisawfulundergroundpassagePolychromeandShaggyandFilesandtheRosePrincess,whowerestandingoutsidetheentrancetoRuggedo’sdomains,werewonderingwhathadbecomeofthem.
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