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WhenthechiefnomesassembledbeforetheirnewKingtheyjoyfullysalutedhimandpromisedtoobeyhiscommands.
But,whenKalikoquestionedthem,noneknewthewaytotheMetalForest,althoughallhadassistedinitsmaking.
SotheKinginstructedthemtosearchcarefullyforoneofthepassagesandtobringhimthenewsassoonastheyhadfoundit.
MeantimeQuoxhadmanagedtobackoutoftherockycorridorandsoregaintheopenairandhisoldstationonthemountain-side,andtherehelayupontherocks,soundasleep,untilthenextday.
Theothersofthepartywereallgivenasgoodroomsasthecavernsofthenomesafforded,forKingKalikofeltthathewasindebtedtothemforhispromotionandwasanxioustobeashospitableashecould.
MuchwondermenthadbeencausedbytheabsolutedisappearanceofthesixteenofficersofOogabooandtheirQueen.
Notanomehadseenthem,norweretheydiscoveredduringthesearchforthepassagesleadingtotheMetalForest.
Perhapsnoonewasunhappyovertheirloss,butallwerecurioustoknowwhathadbecomeofthem.
Onthenextday,whenourfriendswenttovisitthedragon,Quoxsaidtothem:“Imustnowbidyougood-bye,formymissionhereisfinishedandImustdepartfortheothersideoftheworld,whereIbelong.”
“WillyougothroughtheTubeagain?”askedBetsy.
“Tobesure.Butitwillbealonelytripthistime,withnoonetotalkto,andIcannotinviteanyofyoutogowithme.
Therefore,assoonasIslideintotheholeIshallgotosleep,andwhenIpopoutattheotherendIwillwakeupathome.”
Theythankedthedragonforbefriendingthemandwishedhimapleasantjourney.
AlsotheysenttheirthankstothegreatJinjin,whosejustcondemnationofRuggedohadservedtheirinterestssowell.
ThenQuoxyawnedandstretchedhimselfandambledovertotheTube,intowhichheslidheadforemostanddisappeared.
Theyreallyfeltasiftheyhadlostafriend,forthedragonhadbeenbothkindandsociableduringtheirbriefacquaintancewithhim;buttheyknewitwashisdutytoreturntohisowncountry.
Sotheywentbacktothecavernstorenewthesearchforthehiddenpassagesthatledtotheforest,butforthreedaysalleffortstofindthemprovedinvain.
ItwasPolychrome’scustomtogoeverydaytothemountainandwatchforherfather,theRainbow,forshewasgrowingtiredwithwanderingupontheearthandlongedtorejoinhersistersintheirskypalaces.
Andonthethirdday,whileshesatmotionlessuponapointofrock,whomshouldsheseeslylycreepingupthemountainbutRuggedo!
TheformerKinglookedveryforlorn.Hisclothesweresoiledandtornandhehadnosandalsuponhisfeetorhatuponhishead.
Havinglefthiscrownandsceptrebehindwhenhefled,theoldnomenolongerseemedkingly,butmorelikeabeggerman.
SeveraltimeshadRuggedocreptuptothemouthofthecaverns,onlytofindthesixeggsstillonguard.
Heknewquitewellthathemustaccepthisfateandbecomeahomelesswanderer,buthischiefregretnowwasthathehadneglectedtofillhispocketswithgoldandjewels.
Hewasawarethatawandererwithwealthathiscommandwouldfaremuchbetterthanonewhowasapauper,sohestillloiteredaroundthecavernswhereinheknewsomuchtreasurewasstored,hopingforachancetofillhispockets.
ThatwashowhecametorecollecttheMetalForest.
“Aha!”saidhetohimself,“IaloneknowthewaytothatForest,andoncethereIcanfillmypocketswiththefinestjewelsinalltheworld.”
Heglancedathispocketsandwasgrievedtofindthemsosmall.
Perhapstheymightbeenlarged,sothattheywouldholdmore.
Heknewofapoorwomanwholivedinacottageatthefootofthemountain,sohewenttoherandbeggedhertosewpocketsalloverhisrobe,payingherwiththegiftofadiamondring,whichhehadwornuponhisfinger.
ThewomanwasdelightedtopossesssovaluablearingandshesewedasmanypocketsonRuggedo’srobeasshepossiblycould.
Thenhereturnedupthemountainand,aftergazingcautiouslyaroundtomakesurehewasnotobserved,hetouchedaspringinarockanditswungslowlybackward,disclosingabroadpassageway.
Thisheentered,swingingtherockinplacebehindhim.
However,Ruggedohadfailedtolookascarefullyashemighthavedone,forPolychromewasseatedonlyalittledistanceoffandhercleareyesmarkedexactlythemannerinwhichRuggedohadreleasedthehiddenspring.
Sosheroseandhurriedintothecavern,whereshetoldKalikoandherfriendsofherdiscovery.
“I’venodoubtthatthatisawaytotheMetalForest,”exclaimedShaggy.“Come,letusfollowRuggedoatonceandrescuemypoorbrother!”
TheyagreedtothisandKingKalikocalledtogetherabandofnomestoassistthembycarryingtorchestolighttheirway.
“TheMetalForesthasabrilliantlightofitsown,”saidhe,“butthepassageacrossthevalleyislikelytobedark.”
Polychromeeasilyfoundtherockandtouchedthespring,soinlessthananhourafterRuggedohadenteredtheywereallinthepassageandfollowingswiftlyaftertheformerKing.
“HemeanstorobtheForest,I’msure,”saidKaliko;“buthewillfindheisnolongerofanyaccountinthisKingdomandIwillhavemynomesthrowhimout.”
“Thenpleasethrowhimashardasyoucan,”saidBetsy,“forhedeservesit.
Idon’tmindanhonest,out-an’-outenemy,whofightssquare;butchanginggirlsintofiddlesandordering‘emputintoSlimyCavesismeanandtricky,andRuggedodoesn’tdeserveanysympathy.
Butyou’llhavetolethimtakeasmuchtreasureashecangetinhispockets,Kaliko.”
“Yes,theJinjinsaidso;butwewon’tmissitmuch.ThereismoretreasureintheMetalForestthanamillionnomescouldcarryintheirpockets.”
Itwasnotdifficulttowalkthroughthispassage,especiallywhenthetorcheslightedtheway,sotheymadegoodprogress.
ButitprovedtobealongdistanceandBetsyhadtiredherselfwithwalkingandwasseateduponthebackofthemulewhenthepassagemadeasharpturnandawonderfulandgloriouslightburstuponthem.
ThenextmomenttheywereallstandingupontheedgeofthemarvelousMetalForest.
Itlayunderanothermountainandoccupiedagreatdomedcavern,theroofofwhichwashigherthanachurchsteeple.
Inthisspacetheindustriousnomeshadbuilt,duringmanyyearsoflabor,themostbeautifulforestintheworld.
Thetrees—trunks,branchesandleaves—wereallofsolidgold,whilethebushesandunderbrushwereformedoffiligreesilver,virginpure.
Thetreestoweredashighasnaturalliveoaksdoandwereofexquisiteworkmanship.
Onthegroundwerethicklystrewnpreciousgemsofeveryhueandsize,whilehereandthereamongthetreeswerepathspebbledwithcutdiamondsoftheclearestwater.
Takenalltogether,moretreasurewasgatheredinthisMetalForestthaniscontainedinalltherestoftheworld—ifweexceptthelandofOz,whereperhapsitsvalueisequaledinthefamousEmeraldCity.
Ourfriendsweresoamazedatthesightthatforawhiletheystoodgazinginsilentwonder.ThenShaggyexclaimed.
“Mybrother!Mydearlostbrother!Isheindeedaprisonerinthisplace?”
“Yes,”repliedKaliko.“TheUglyOnehasbeenherefortwoorthreeyears,tomypositiveknowledge.”
“Butwhatcouldhefindtoeat?”inquiredBetsy.“It’sanawfullyswellplacetolivein,butonecan’tbreakfastonrubiesanddi’monds,orevengold.”
“Onedoesn’tneedto,mydear,”Kalikoassuredher.
“TheMetalForestdoesnotfillallofthisgreatcavern,byanymeans.
Beyondthesegoldandsilvertreesareothertreesoftherealsort,whichbearfoodsverynicetoeat.
Letuswalkinthatdirection,forIamquitesurewewillfindShaggy’sbrotherinthatpartofthecavern,ratherthaninthis.”
Sotheybegantotrampoverthediamond-pebbledpaths,andateverysteptheyweremoreandmorebewilderedbythewondrousbeautyofthegoldentreeswiththeirglitteringfoliage.
Suddenlytheyheardascream.Jewelsscatteredineverydirectionassomeonehiddenamongthebushesscamperedawaybeforethem.Thenaloudvoicecried:“Halt!”andtherewasthesoundofastruggle.
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