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Sky Island
By
L. Frank Baum
(AKA Edith Van Dyne)
SKY ISLAND
BEING THE FURTHER
EXCITING ADVENTURES OF =
TROT
AND CAP'N BILL AFTER THEIR VISIT TO THE SEA FAIRIES
BY
L. FRANK BAUM
TO
MY SISTER
MARY LOUISE BREWS=
TER
Contents:
CHAPTER
1 - A MYSTERIOUS ARRIVAL
CHAPTER 2 - THE MAGIC=
UMBRELLA
CHAPTER 3 - A WONDERF=
UL
EXPERIENCE
CHAPTER 4 - THE ISLAN=
D IN THE
SKY
CHAPTER 5 - THE BOOLO=
OROO OF
THE BLUES
CHAPTER 6 - THE SIX S=
NUBNOSED
PRINCESSES
CHAPTER 7 - GHIP-GHIS=
IZZLE
PROVES FRIENDLY
CHAPTER 9 - THE TRIBU=
LATION
OF TROT
CHAPTER 10 - THE KING=
'S
TREASURE CHAMBER
CHAPTER 11 - BUTTON-B=
RIGHT
ENCOUNTERS THE BLUE WOLF
CHAPTER 12 - THROUGH =
THE FOG
BANK
CHAPTER 13 - THE PINK=
COUNTRY
CHAPTER 14 - TOURMALI=
NE THE
POVERTY QUEEN
CHAPTER 15 - THE SUNR=
ISE
TRIBE AND THE SUNSET TRIBE
CHAPTER 16 - ROSALIE =
THE
WITCH
CHAPTER 17 - THE ARRI=
VAL OF
POLYCHROME
CHAPTER 18 - MAYRE, Q=
UEEN OF
THE PINK COUNTRY
CHAPTER 19 - THE WAR =
OF THE PINKS
AND BLUES
CHAPTER 20 - GHIP-GHI=
SIZZLE
HAS A BAD TIME
CHAPTER 21 - THE CAPT=
URE OF
CAP'N BILL
CHAPTER 22 - TROT'S I=
NVISIBLE
ADVENTURE
CHAPTER 23 - THE GIRL=
AND THE
BOOLOOROO
CHAPTER 24 - THE AMAZ=
ING
CONQUEST OF THE BLUES
CHAPTER 25 - THE RULE=
R OF SKY
ISLAND
CHAPTER 26 - TROT CEL=
EBRATES
THE VICTORY
CHAPTER 27 - THE FATE=
OF THE
MAGIC UMBRELLA
CHAPTER 28 - THE ELEP=
HANT'S
HEAD COMES TO LIFE
CHAPTER 29 - TROT REG=
ULATES
THE PINKIES
CHAPTER 30 - THE JOUR=
NEY HOME
WITH "The Sea
Fairies," my book for 1911, I ventured into a new field of fairy
literature and to my delight the book was received with much approval by my
former readers, many of whom have written me that they like Trot "almo=
st
as well as Dorothy." As Dorothy was an old, old friend and Trot a new =
one,
I think this is very high praise for Cap'n Bill's little companion. Cap'n B=
ill
is also a new character who seems to have won approval, and so both Trot and
the old sailor are again introduced in the present story, which may be call=
ed
the second of the series of adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill.
But you will
recognize some other acquaintances in "Sky Island." Here, for
instance, is Button-Bright, who once had an adventure with Dorothy in Oz, a=
nd
without Button-Bright and his Magic Umbrella you will see that the story of
"Sky Island" could never have been written. As Polychrome, the
Rainbow's Daughter, lives in the sky, it is natural that Trot and Button-Br=
ight
meet her during their adventures there.
This story of Sky
Island has astonished me considerably, and I think it will also astonish yo=
u.
The sky country is certainly a remarkable fair land, but after reading abou=
t it
I am sure you will agree with me that our old Mother Earth is a very good p=
lace
to live upon and that Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill were fortunate =
to
get back to it again.
By the way, one o=
f my
little correspondents has suggested that I print my address in this book, so
that the children may know where letters will reach me. I am doing this, as=
you
see, and hope that many will write to me and tell me how they like "Sky
Island." My greatest treasures are these letters from my readers and I=
am
always delighted to receive them.
L. FRANK BAUM.
"OZCOT"=
at
HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA
"Hello,"
said the boy.
"Hello," answered Trot, looking up surprised. "Where did you come from?" <= o:p>
"Philadelphi=
a,"
said he.
"Dear me,&qu=
ot;
said Trot, "you're a long way from home, then."
"'Bout as fa=
r as
I can get, in this country," the boy replied, gazing out over the wate=
r.
"Isn't this the Pacific Ocean?"
"Of
course."
"Why of
course?" he asked.
"Because it's
the biggest lot of water in all the world."
"How do you
know?"
"Cap'n Bill =
told
me," she said.
"Who's Cap'n
Bill?"
"An old
sailorman who's a friend of mine. He lives at my house, too--the white house
you see over there on the bluff."
"Oh; is that
your home?"
"Yes," =
said
Trot proudly. "Isn't it pretty?"
"It's pretty
small, seems to me," answered the boy.
"But it's big
enough for mother and me, an' for Cap'n Bill," said Trot.
"Haven't you=
any
father?"
"Yes, 'ndeed.
Cap'n Griffith is my father, but he's gone most of the time, sailin' on his
ship. You mus' be a stranger in these parts, little boy, not to know 'bout
Cap'n Griffith," she added, looking at her new acquaintance intently. =
Trot wasn't very =
big
herself, but the boy was not quite as big as Trot. He was thin, with a rath=
er
pale complexion, and his blue eyes were round and earnest. He wore a blouse
waist, a short jacket, and knickerbockers. Under his arm he held an old
umbrella that was as tall as he was. Its covering had once been of thick, b=
rown
cloth, but the color had faded to a dull drab except in the creases, and Tr=
ot
thought it looked very old-fashioned and common. The handle, though, was re=
ally
curious. It was of wood and carved to resemble an elephant's head. The long
trunk of the elephant was curved to make a crook for the handle. The eyes of
the beast were small red stones, and it had two tiny tusks of ivory.
The boy's dress w=
as
rich and expensive, even to his fine silk stockings and tan shoes, but the
umbrella looked old and disreputable.
"It isn't the
rainy season now," remarked Tot with a smile.
The boy glanced at
his umbrella and hugged it tighter. "No," he said, "but
umbrellas are good for other things 'sides rain."
"'Fraid of
gett'n sun-struck?" asked Trot.
He shook his head,
still gazing far out over the water. "I don't b'lieve this is bigger t=
han
any other ocean," said he. "I can't see any more of it than I can=
of
the Atlantic."
"You'd find =
out
if you had to sail across it," she declared.
"When I was =
in
Chicago I saw Lake Michigan," he went on dreamily, "and it looked
just as big as this water does."
"Looks don't
count, with oceans," she asserted. "Your eyes can only see jus' so
far, whether you're lookin' at a pond or a great sea."
"Then it doe=
sn't
make any difference how big an ocean is," he replied. "What are t=
hose
buildings over there?" pointing to the right, along the shore of the b=
ay.
"That's the
town," said Trot. "Most of the people earn their living by fishin=
g.
The town is half a mile from here, an' my house is almost a half-mile the o=
ther
way, so it's 'bout a mile from my house to the town."
The boy sat down
beside her on the flat rock.
"Do you like
girls?" asked Trot, making room for him.
"Not very
well," the boy replied. "Some of 'em are pretty good fellows, but=
not
many. The girls with brothers are bossy, an' the girls without brothers hav=
en't
any 'go' to 'em. But the world's full o' both kinds, and so I try to take '=
em
as they come. They can't help being girls, of course. Do you like boys?&quo=
t;
"When they d=
on't
put on airs or get roughhouse," replied Trot. "My 'sperience with
boys is that they don't know much, but think they do."
"That's
true," he answered. "I don't like boys much better than I do girl=
s,
but some are all right, and--you seem to be one of 'em."
"Much
obliged," laughed Trot. "You aren't so bad, either, an' if we don=
't
both turn out worse than we seem, we ought to be friends."
He nodded rather =
absently
and tossed a pebble into the water. "Been to town?" he asked.
"Yes. Mother
wanted some yarn from the store. She's knittin' Cap'n Bill a stocking."=
;
"Doesn't he =
wear
but one?"
"That's all.
Cap'n Bill has one wooden leg," she explained. "That's why he don=
't
sailor any more. I'm glad of it, 'cause Cap'n Bill knows ev'rything. I s'po=
se
he knows more than anyone else in all the world."
"Whew!"
said the boy. "That's taking a good deal for granted. A one-legged sai=
lor
can't know much."
"Why not?&qu=
ot;
asked Trot a little indignantly. "Folks don't learn things with their
legs, do they?"
"No, but they
can't get around without legs to find out things."
"Cap'n Bill =
got
'round lively 'nough once, when he had two meat legs," she said.
"He's sailed to most ev'ry country on the earth, an' found out all that
the people in 'em knew and a lot besides. He was shipwrecked on a desert is=
land
once, and another time a cannibal king tried to boil him for dinner, an' one
day a shark chased him seven leagues through the water, an'--"
"What's a
league?" asked the boy.
"It's a--a
distance, like a mile is. But a league isn't a mile, you know."
"What is it,
then?"
"You'll have=
to
ask Cap'n Bill. He knows ever'thing."
"Not
ever'thing," objected the boy. "I know some things Cap'n Bill don=
't
know."
"If you do,
you're pretty smart," said Trot.
"No, I'm not
smart. Some folks think I'm stupid. I guess I am. But I know a few things t=
hat
were wonderful. Cap'n Bill may know more'n I do--a good deal more--but I'm =
sure
he can't know the same things. Say, what's your name?"
"I'm Mayre
Griffith, but ever'body calls me 'Trot.' I's a nickname I got when I was a
baby, 'cause I trotted so fast when I walked, an' it seems to stick. What's
YOUR name?"
"Button-Brig=
ht."
"How did it
happen?"
"How did what
happen?"
"Such a funny
name."
The boy scowled a
little. "Just like your own nickname happened," he answered gloom=
ily.
"My father once said I was bright as a button, an' it made ever'body
laugh. So they always call me Button-Bright."
"What's your
real name?" she inquired.
"Saladin
Paracelsus de Lambertine Evagne von Smith."
"Guess I'll =
call
you Button-Bright," said Trot, sighing. "The only other thing wou=
ld
be 'Salad,' an' I don't like salads. Don't you find it hard work to 'member=
all
of your name?"
"I don't try
to," he said. "There's a lot more of it, but I've forgotten the
rest."
"Thank
you," said Trot. "Oh, here comes Cap'n Bill!" as she glanced=
over
her shoulder.
Button-Bright tur=
ned
also and looked solemnly at the old sailor who came stumping along the path
toward them. Cap'n Bill wasn't a very handsome man. He was old, not very ta=
ll,
somewhat stout and chubby, with a round face, a bald head, and a scraggly
fringe of reddish whisker underneath his chin. But his blue eyes were frank=
and
merry, and his smile like a ray of sunshine. He wore a sailor shirt with a =
broad
collar, a short peajacket and wide-bottomed sailor trousers, one leg of whi=
ch
covered his wooden limb but did not hide it. As he came "pegging"
along the path--as he himself described his hobbling walk--his hands were
pushed into his coat pockets, a pipe was in his mouth, and his black necksc=
arf
was fluttering behind him in the breeze like a sable banner.
Button-Bright lik=
ed
the sailor's looks. There was something very winning--something jolly and
carefree and honest and sociable--about the ancient seaman that made him
everybody's friend, so the strange boy was glad to meet him.
"Well, well,
Trot," he said, coming up, "is this the way you hurry to town?&qu=
ot;
"No, for I'm=
on
my way back," said she. "I did hurry when I was going, Cap'n Bill,
but on my way home I sat down here to rest an' watch the gulls--the gulls s=
eem
awful busy today, Cap'n Bill--an' then I found this boy."
Cap'n Bill looked=
at
the boy curiously. "Don't think as ever I sawr him at the village,&quo=
t;
he remarked. "Guess as you're a stranger, my lad."
Button-Bright nod=
ded.
"Hain't walk= ed the nine mile from the railroad station, have ye?" asked Cap'n Bill. <= o:p>
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright.
The sailor glanced
around him. "Don't see no waggin er no autymob'l," he added.
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright.
"Catch a ride
wi' some one?"
Button-Bright sho=
ok
his head.
"A boat can't
land here; the rocks is too thick an' too sharp," continued Cap'n Bill,
peering down toward the foot of the bluff on which they sat and against whi=
ch
the waves broke in foam.
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright, "I didn't come by water."
Trot laughed.
"He must 'a' dropped from the sky, Cap'n Bill!" she exclaimed.
Button-Bright nod=
ded
very seriously. "That's it," he said.
"Oh, a airsh=
ip,
eh?" cried Cap'n Bill in surprise. "I've hearn tell o' them sky
keeridges; someth'n' like flyin' autymob'ls, ain't they?"
"I don't
know," said Button-Bright. "I've never seen one."
Both Trot and Cap=
'n
Bill now looked at the boy in astonishment. "Now then, lemme think a
minute," said the sailor reflectively. "Here's a riddle for us to
guess, Trot. He dropped from the sky, he says, an' yet he didn't come in a
airship!"
"'Riddlecum, riddlecum ree; <=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> What can the answer be?'"=
;
Trot looked the b=
oy
over carefully. She didn't see any wings on him. The only queer thing about=
him
was his big umbrella. "Oh!" she said suddenly, clapping her hands
together. "I know now."
"Do you?&quo=
t;
asked Cap'n Bill doubtfully. "Then you're some smarter ner I am,
mate."
"He sailed d=
own
with the umbrel!" she cried. "He used his umbrel as a para--para-=
-"
"Shoot,"
said Cap'n Bill. "They're called parashoots, mate; but why, I can't sa=
y.
Did you drop down in that way, my lad?" he asked the boy.
"Yes," =
said
Button-Bright. "That was the way."
"But how did=
you
get up there?" asked Trot. "You had to get up in the air before y=
ou
could drop down, an'--oh, Cap'n Bill! He says he's from Phillydelfy, which =
is a
big city way at the other end of America."
"Are you?&qu=
ot;
asked the sailor, surprised.
Button-Bright nod=
ded
again. "I ought to tell you my story," he said, "and then yo=
u'd
understand. But I'm afraid you won't believe me, and--" he suddenly br=
oke
off and looked toward the white house in the distance "--Didn't you say
you lived over there?" he inquired.
"Yes," =
said
Trot. "Won't you come home with us?"
"I'd like
to," replied Button-Bright.
"All right,
let's go then," said the girl, jumping up.
The three walked
silently along the path. The old sailorman had refilled his pipe and lighte=
d it
again, and he smoked thoughtfully as he pegged along beside the children.
"Know anyone around here?" he asked Button-Bright.
"No one but =
you
two," said the boy, following after Trot, with his umbrella tucked
carefully underneath his arm.
"And you don=
't
know us very well," remarked Cap'n Bill. "Seems to me you're pret=
ty
young to be travelin' so far from home an' among strangers. But I won't say
anything more till we've heard your story. Then, if you need my advice, or
Trot's advice--she's a wise little girl, fer her size, Trot is--we'll freely
give it an' be glad to help you."
"Thank
you," replied Button-Bright. "I need a lot of things, I'm sure, a=
nd
p'raps advice is one of 'em."
When they reached=
the
neat frame cottage which stood on a high bluff a little back from the sea a=
nd
was covered with pretty green vines, a woman came to the door to meet them.=
She
seemed motherly and good, and when she saw Button-Bright, she exclaimed,
"Goodness me! Who's this you've got, Trot?"
"It's a boy =
I've
just found," explained the girl. "He lives way off in Phillydelph=
y."
"Mercy sakes
alive!" cried Mrs. Griffith, looking into his upturned face. "I d=
on't
believe he's had a bite to eat since he started. Ain't you hungry, child?&q=
uot;
"Yes," =
said
Button-Bright.
"Run, Trot, =
an'
get two slices o' bread-an'-butter," commanded Mrs. Griffith. "Cut
'em thick, dear, an' use plenty of butter."
"Sugar on
'em?" asked Trot, turning to obey.
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "Just bread-an'-butter's good enough when you're hungry,
and it takes time to spread sugar on."
"We'll have
supper in an hour," observed Trot's mother briskly, "but a hungry
child can't wait a whole hour, I'm sure. What are you grinning at, Cap'n Bi=
ll?
How dare you laugh when I'm talking? Stop it this minute, you old pirate, or
I'll know the reason why!"
"I didn't,
mum," said Cap'n Bill meekly. "I on'y--"
"Stop right
there, sir! How dare you speak when I'm talking?" She turned to
Button-Bright, and her tone changed to one of much gentleness as she said,
"Come in the house, my poor boy, an' rest yourself. You seem tired out.
Here, give me that clumsy umbrella."
"No,
please," said Button-Bright, holding the umbrella tighter.
"Then put it=
in
the rack behind the door," she urged.
The boy seemed a
little frightened. "I--I'd rather keep it with me, if you please,"=
; he
pleaded.
"Never
mind," Cap'n Bill ventured to say, "it won't worry him so much to
hold the umbrella, mum, as to let it go. Guess he's afraid he'll lose it, b=
ut
it ain't any great shakes, to my notion. Why, see here, Button-Bright, we've
got half-a-dozen umbrellas in the closet that's better ner yours."
"Perhaps,&qu=
ot;
said the boy. "Yours may look a heap better, sir, but--I'll keep this =
one,
if you please."
"Where did y=
ou
get it?" asked Trot, appearing just then with a plate of bread-and-but=
ter.
"It--it belo=
ngs
in our family," said Button-Bright, beginning to eat and speaking betw=
een
bites. "This umbrella has been in our family years, an' years, an' yea=
rs.
But it was tucked away up in our attic an' no one ever used it 'cause it wa=
sn't
pretty."
"Don't blame=
'em
much," remarked Cap'n Bill, gazing at it curiously. "It's a pretty
old-lookin' bumbershoot." They were all seated in the vine-shaded porc=
h of
the cottage--all but Mrs. Griffith, who had gone into the kitchen to look a=
fter
the supper--and Trot was on one side of the boy, holding the plate for him,
while Cap'n Bill sat on the other side.
"It is
old," said Button-Bright. "One of my great-great-grandfathers was=
a
Knight--an Arabian Knight--and it was he who first found this umbrella.&quo=
t;
"An Arabian
Night!" exclaimed Trot. "Why, that was a magic night, wasn't
it?"
"There's
diff'rent sorts o' nights, mate," said the sailor, "an' the knight
Button-Bright means ain't the same night you mean. Soldiers used to be call=
ed
knights, but that were in the dark ages, I guess, an' likely 'nough
Butt'n-Bright's great-gran'ther were that sort of a knight."
"But he said=
an
Arabian Knight," persisted Trot.
"Well, if he went to Araby, or was born there, he'd be an Arabian Knight, wouldn't he? T= he lad's gran'ther were prob'ly a furriner, an' yours an' mine were, too, Trot= , if you go back far enough; for Ameriky wasn't diskivered in them days." <= o:p>
"There!"
said Trot triumphantly. "Didn't I tell you, Button-Bright, that Cap'n =
Bill
knows ever'thing?"
"He knows a =
lot,
I expect," soberly answered the boy, finishing the last slice of
bread-and-butter and then looking at the empty plate with a sigh. "But=
if
he really knows ever'thing, he knows about the Magic Umbrella, so I won't h=
ave
to tell you anything about it."
"Magic!"
cried Trot with big, eager eyes. "Did you say MAGIC Umbrel, Button-Bri=
ght?"
"I said 'Mag=
ic.'
But none of our family knew it was a Magic Umbrella till I found it out for=
myself.
You're the first people I've told the secret to," he added, glancing i=
nto
their faces rather uneasily.
"Glory me!&q=
uot;
exclaimed the girl, clapping her hands in ecstacy. "It must be jus'
ELEGANT to have a Magic Umbrel!"
Cap'n Bill coughe=
d.
He had a way of coughing when he was suspicious. "Magic," he obse=
rved
gravely, "was once lyin' 'round loose in the world. That was in the Da=
rk
Ages, I guess, when the magic Arabian Nights was. But the light o' Civiliza=
tion
has skeered it away long ago, an' magic's been a lost art since long afore =
you
an' I was born, Trot."
"I know that
fairies still live," said Trot reflectively. She didn't like to contra=
dict
Cap'n Bill, who knew "ever'thing."
"So do I,&qu=
ot;
added Button-Bright. "And I know there's magic still in the world--or =
in
my umbrella, anyhow."
"Tell us abo=
ut
it!" begged the girl excitedly.
"Well,"
said the boy, "I found it all out by accident. It rained in Philadelph=
ia
for three whole days, and all the umbrellas in our house were carried out by
the family and lost or mislaid or something, so that when I wanted to go to
Uncle Bob's house, which is at Germantown, there wasn't an umbrella to be
found. My governess wouldn't let me go without one, and--"
"Oh," s=
aid
Trot. "Do you have a governess?"
"Yes, but I
don't like her. She's cross. She said I couldn't go to Uncle Bob's because I
had no umbrella. Instead she told me to go up in the attic and play. I was
sorry 'bout that, but I went up in the attic, and pretty soon I found in a
corner this old umbrella. I didn't care how it looked. It was whole and str=
ong
and big, and would keep me from getting wet on the way to Uncle Bob's. So o=
ff I
started for the car, but I found the streets awful muddy, and once I steppe=
d in
a mud-hole way up to my ankle. 'Gee!,' I said, 'I wish I could fly through =
the
air to Uncle Bob's.'
"I was holdi=
ng
up the open umbrella when I said that, and as soon as I spoke, the umbrella
began lifting me up into the air. I was awful scared at first, but I held on
tight to the handle, and it didn't pull very much, either. I was going pret=
ty
fast, for when I looked down all the big buildings were sliding past me so
swift that it made me dizzy, and before I really knew what had happened the
umbrella settled down and stood me on my feet at Uncle Bob's front gate.
"I didn't te=
ll
anybody about the wonderful thing that had happened, 'cause I thought no one
would believe me. Uncle Bob looked sharp at the thing an' said, 'Button-Bri=
ght,
how did your father happen to let you take that umbrella?' 'He didn't,' I s=
aid.
'Father was away at the office, so I found it in the attic an' I jus' took =
it.'
Then Uncle Bob shook his head an' said I ought to leave it alone. He said it
was a fam'ly relic that had been handed down from father to son for many ge=
nerations.
But I told him my father had never handed it to me, though I'm his son. Unc=
le
Bob said our fam'ly always believed that it brought 'em good luck to own th=
is
umbrella. He couldn't say why, not knowing its early history, but he was af=
raid
that if I lost the umbrella, bad luck would happen to us. So he made me go
right home to put the umbrella back where I got it. I was sorry Uncle Bob w=
as
so cross, and I didn't want to go home yet, where the governess was crosser=
'n
he was. I wonder why folks get cross when it rains? But by that time it had=
stopped
raining--for awhile, anyhow--and Uncle Bob told me to go straight home and =
put
the umbrella in the attic an' never touch it again.
"When I was
around the corner, I thought I'd see if I could fly as I had before. I'd he=
ard
of Buffalo, but I didn't know just where it was, so I said to the umbrella,
'Take me to Buffalo.' Up in the air I went, just as soon as I said it, and =
the
umbrella sailed so fast that I felt as if I was in a gale of wind. It was a
long, long trip, and I got awful tired holding onto the handle, but just as=
I
thought I'd have to let go, I began to drop down slowly, and then I found
myself in the streets of a big city. I put down the umbrella and asked a man
what the name of the city was, and he said 'Buffalo'."
"How
wonderful!" gasped Trot. Cap'n Bill kept on smoking and said nothing. =
"It was magi=
c,
I'm sure," said Button-Bright. "It surely couldn't have been anyt=
hing
else."
"P'raps,&quo=
t;
suggested Trot, "the umbrella can do other magic things."
"No," s=
aid
the boy. "I've tried it. When I landed in Buffalo I was hot and thirst=
y. I
had ten cents car fare, but I was afraid to spend it. So I held up the umbr=
ella
and wished I had an ice-cream soda, but I didn't get it. Then I wished for a
nickel to buy an ice-cream soda with, but I didn't get that, either. I got
frightened and was afraid the umbrella didn't have any magic left, so to tr=
y it
I said 'Take me to Chicago.' I didn't want to go to Chicago, but that was t=
he
first place I thought of, and I soon saw this was going to be another long
journey, so I called out to the umbrella, 'Never mind. Stop! I guess I won'=
t go
to Chicago. I've changed my mind, so take me home again.' But the umbrella =
wouldn't.
It kept right on flying, and I shut my eyes and held on. At last I landed in
Chicago, and then I was in a pretty fix. It was nearly dark, and I was too
tired and hungry to make the trip home again. I knew I'd get an awful scold=
ing,
too, for running away and taking the family luck with me, so I thought that=
as
long as I was in for it, I'd better see a good deal of the country while I =
had
the chance. I wouldn't be allowed to come away again, you know."
"No, of cour=
se
not," said Trot.
"I bought so=
me
buns and milk with my ten cents, and then I walked around the streets of Ch=
icago
for a time and afterward slept on a bench in one of the parks. In the morni=
ng I
tried to get the umbrella to give me a magic breakfast, but it won't do
anything but fly. I went to a house and asked a woman for something to eat,=
and
she gave me all I wanted and advised me to go straight home before my mother
worried about me. She didn't know I lived in Philadelphia. That was this mo=
rning."
"This
mornin'!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill. "Why, lad, it takes three or four=
days
for the railroad trains to get to this coast from Chicago."
"I know,&quo=
t;
replied Button-Bright. "But I didn't come on a railroad train. This
umbrella goes faster than any train ever did. This morning I flew from Chic=
ago
to Denver, but no one there would give me any lunch. A policeman said he'd =
put
me in jail if he caught me begging, so I got away and told the umbrella to =
take
me to the Pacific Ocean. When I stopped I landed over there by the big rock=
. I
shut up the umbrella and saw a girl sitting on the rock, so I went up and s=
poke
to her. That's all."
"Goodness
me!" said Trot. "If that isn't a fairy story, I never heard one.&=
quot;
"It IS a fai=
ry
story," agreed Button-Bright. "Anyhow, it's a magic story, and the
funny part of it is, it's true. I hope you believe me, but I don't know as =
I'd
believe it myself if it hadn't been me that it happened to."
"I believe e=
v'ry
word of it!" declared Trot earnestly.
"As fer
me," said Cap'n Bill slowly, "I'm goin' to believe it, too, by'm'=
by,
when I've seen the umbrel fly once."
"You'll see =
me
fly away with it," asserted the boy. "But at present it's pretty =
late
in the day, and Philadelphia is a good way off. Do you s'pose, Trot, your
mother would let me stay here all night?"
"Course she
would!" answered Trot. "We've got an extra room with a nice bed in
it, and we'd love to have you stay just as long as you want to, wouldn't we,
Cap'n Bill?"
"Right you a=
re,
mate," replied the old man, nodding his bald head. "Whether the
umbrel is magic or not, Butt'n-Bright is welcome."
Mrs. Griffith came
out soon after and seconded the invitation, so the boy felt quite at home in
the little cottage. It was not long before supper was on the table and in s=
pite
of all the bread-and-butter he had eaten Button-Bright had a fine appetite =
for
the good things Trot's mother had cooked. Mrs. Griffith was very kind to the
children, but not quite so agreeable toward poor Cap'n Bill. When the old
sailorman at one time spilled some tea on the tablecloth, Trot's mother flew
angry and gave the culprit such a tongue-lashing that Button-Bright was sor=
ry for
him. But Cap'n Bill was meek and made no reply. "He's used to it, you
know," whispered Trot to her new friend, and indeed, Cap'n Bill took it
all cheerfully and never minded a bit.
Then it came Trot=
's
turn to get a scolding. When she opened the parcel she had bought at the
village, it was found she had selected the wrong color of yarn, and Mrs.
Griffith was so provoked that Trot's scolding was almost as severe as that =
of
Cap'n Bill. Tears came to the little girl's eyes, and to comfort her the boy
promised to take her to the village next morning with his magic umbrella, so
she could exchange the yarn for the right color.
Trot quickly
brightened at this promise, although Cap'n Bill looked grave and shook his =
head
solemnly. When supper was over and Trot had helped with the dishes, she joi=
ned
Button-Bright and the sailorman on the little porch again. Dusk had fallen,=
and
the moon was just rising. They all sat in silence for a time and watched the
silver trail that topped the crests of the waves far out to sea.
"Oh,
Button-Bright!" cried the little girl presently. "I'm so glad you=
're
going to let me fly with you way to town and back tomorrow. Won't it be fin=
e,
Cap'n Bill?"
"Dunno,
Trot," said he. "I can't figger how both of you can hold on to th=
e handle
o' that umbrel."
Trot's face fell.
"I'll hold on to the handle," said Button-Bright, "and she c=
an
hold on to me. It doesn't pull hard at all. You've no idea how easy it is to
fly that way after you get used to it."
"But Trot ai=
n't
used to it," objected the sailor. "If she happened to lose her ho=
ld
and let go, it's goodbye Trot. I don't like to risk it, for Trot's my chum,=
an'
I can't afford to lose her."
"Can't you t=
ie
us together, then?" asked the boy.
"We'll see,
we'll see," replied Cap'n Bill, and began to think very deeply. He for=
got
that he didn't believe the umbrella could fly, and after Button-Bright and =
Trot
had both gone to bed, the old sailor went out into the shed and worked a wh=
ile
before he, too, turned into his "bunk." The sandman wasn't around,
and Cap'n Bill lay awake for hours thinking of the strange tale of the Magic
Umbrella before he finally sank into slumber. Then he dreamed about it, and
waking or dreaming he found the tale hard to believe.
They had early
breakfasts at Trot's house, because they all went to bed early, and it is
possible to sleep only a certain number of hours if one is healthy in body =
and
mind. And right after breakfast Trot claimed Button-Bright's promise to take
her to town with the Magic Umbrella.
"Any time su=
its
me," said the boy. He had taken his precious umbrella to bed with him =
and
even carried it to the breakfast table, where he stood it between his knees=
as
he ate; so now he held it close to him and said he was ready to fly at a
moment's notice. This confidence impressed Cap'n Bill, who said with a sigh=
:
"Well, if you
MUST go, Trot, I've pervided a machine that'll carry you both comf'table. I=
'm
summat of an inventor myself, though there ain't any magic about me." =
Then he brought f=
rom
the shed the contrivance he had made the night before. It was merely a swing
seat. He had taken a wide board that was just long enough for both the boy =
and
girl to sit upon, and had bored six holes in it, two holes at each end and =
two in
the middle. Through these holes he had run stout ropes in such a way that t=
he
seat could not turn and the occupants could hold on to the ropes on either =
side
of them. The ropes were all knotted together at the top, where there was a =
loop
that could be hooked upon the crooked handle of the umbrella.
Button-Bright and
Trot both thought Cap'n Bill's invention very clever. The sailor placed the
board upon the ground while they sat in their places, Button-Bright at the
right of Trot, and then the boy hooked the rope loop to the handle of the
umbrella, which he spread wide open. "I want to go to the town over
yonder," he said, pointing with his finger to the roofs of the houses =
that
showed around the bend in the cliff.
At once the umbre=
lla
rose into the air, slowly at first, but quickly gathering speed. Trot and
Button-Bright held fast to the ropes and were carried along very easily and
comfortably. It seemed scarcely a minute before they were in the town, and =
when
the umbrella set them down just in front of the store--for it seemed to know
just where they wanted to go--a wondering crowd gathered around them. Trot =
ran
in and changed the yarn, while Button-Bright stayed outside and stared at t=
he
people who stared at him. They asked questions, too, wanting to know what s=
ort
of an aeroplane this was and where his power was stored and lots of other t=
hings,
but the boy answered not a sound. When the little girl came back and took h=
er
seat, Button-Bright said, "I want to go to Trot's house."
The simple villag=
ers
could not understand how the umbrella suddenly lifted the two children into=
the
air and carried them away. They had read of airships, but here was something
wholly beyond their comprehension.
Cap'n Bill had st=
ood
in front of the house, watching with a feeling akin to bewilderment the fli=
ght
of the Magic Umbrella. He could follow its course until it descended in the
village, and he was so amazed and absorbed that his pipe went out. He had n=
ot
moved from his position when the umbrella started back. The sailor's big bl=
ue
eyes watched it draw near and settle down with its passengers upon just the
spot it had started from.
Trot was joyous a=
nd
greatly excited. "Oh, Cap'n, it's gal-lor-ious!" she cried in
ecstasy. "It beats ridin' in a boat or--or--in anything else. You feel=
so
light an' free an'--an'--glad! I'm sorry the trip didn't last longer, thoug=
h.
Only trouble is, you go too fast."
Button-Bright was
smiling contentedly. He had proved to both Trot and Cap'n Bill that he had =
told
the truth about the Magic Umbrella, however marvelous his tale had seemed to
them. "I'll take you on another trip, if you like," said he.
"I'm in no hurry to go home, and if you will let me stay with you anot=
her
day, we can make two or three little trips with the family luck."
"You mus' st=
ay a
whole week," said Trot decidedly. "An' you mus' take Cap'n Bill f=
or
an air-ride, too."
"Oh, Trot! I
dunno as I'd like it," protested Cap'n Bill nervously.
"Yes you wou=
ld.
You're sure to like it."
"I guess I'm=
too
heavy."
"I'm sure the
umbrella could carry twenty people if they could be fastened to the
handle," said Button-Bright.
"Solid land's
pretty good to hold on to," decided Cap'n Bill. "A rope might bre=
ak,
you know."
"Oh, Cap'n B=
ill!
You're scared stiff," said Trot.
"I ain't, ma=
te.
It ain't that at all. But I don't see that human critters has any call to f=
ly
in the air, anyhow. The air were made for the birds, an'--an' muskeeters,
an'--"
"An'
flyin'-fishes," added Trot. "I know all that, Cap'n, but why wasn=
't
it made for humans, too, if they can manage to fly in it? We breathe the ai=
r,
an' we can breathe it high up, just as well as down on the earth."
"Seein' as y=
ou
like it so much, Trot, it would be cruel for me to go with Butt'n-Bright an'
leave you at home," said the sailor. "When I were younger--which =
is
ancient history--an' afore I had a wooden leg, I could climb a ship's ropes
with the best of 'em, an' walk out on a boom or stand atop a mast. So you k=
now
very well I ain't skeered about the highupness."
"Why can't we
all go together?" asked the boy. "Make another seat, Cap'n, and s=
wing
it right under ours. Then we can all three ride anywhere we want to go.&quo=
t;
"Yes, do!&qu=
ot;
exclaimed Trot. "And see here, Cap'n, let's take a day off and have a
picnic. Mother is a little cross today, and she wants to finish knitting yo=
ur
new stockin', so I guess she'll be glad to get rid of us."
"Where'll we
go?" he asked, shifting on his wooden leg uneasily.
"Anywhere. I
don't care. There'll be the air-ride there an' the air-ride back, an' that's
the main thing with ME. If you say we'll go, Cap'n, I'll run in an' pack a
basket of lunch."
"How'll we c=
arry
it?"
"Swing it to=
the
bottom of your seat."
The old sailor st=
ood
silent a moment. He really longed to take the air-ride but was fearful of
danger. However, Trot had gone safely to town and back and had greatly enjo=
yed
the experience. "All right," he said. "I'll risk it, mate,
although I guess I'm an old fool for temptin' fate by tryin' to make a bird=
o'
myself. Get the lunch, Trot, if your mother'll let you have it, and I'll ri=
g up
the seat."
He went into the =
shed
and Trot went to her mother. Mrs. Griffith, busy with her work, knew nothin=
g of
what was going on in regard to the flight of the Magic Umbrella. She never
objected when Trot wanted to go away with Cap'n Bill for a day's picnicking.
She knew the child was perfectly safe with the old sailor, who cared for Tr=
ot
even better than her mother would have done. If she had asked any questions
today and had found out they intended to fly in the air, she might have
seriously objected, but Mrs. Griffith had her mind on other things and mere=
ly told
the girl to take what she wanted from the cupboard and not bother her. So T=
rot,
remembering that Button-Bright would be with them and had proved himself to=
be
a hearty eater, loaded the basket with all the good things she could find. =
By the time she c=
ame
out, lugging the basket with both hands, Cap'n Bill appeared with the new s=
eat
he had made for his own use, which he attached by means of ropes to the dou=
ble
seat of the boy and girl. "Now then, where'll we go?" asked Trot.=
"Anywhere su=
its
me," replied Cap'n Bill. They had walked to the high bluff overlooking=
the
sea, where a gigantic acacia tree stood on the very edge. A seat had been b=
uilt
around the trunk of the tree, for this was a favorite spot for Trot and Cap=
'n
Bill to sit and talk and watch the fleet of fishing boats sail to and from =
the
village. When they came to this tree, Trot was still trying to think of the
most pleasant place to picnic. She and Cap'n Bill had been every place that=
was
desirable and nearby, but today they didn't want a nearby spot. They must
decide upon one far enough away to afford them a fine trip through the air.=
Looking
far out over the Pacific, the girl's eyes fell upon a dim island lying on t=
he
horizon line just where the sky and water seemed to meet, and the sight gave
her an idea.
"Oh, Cap'n
Bill!" she exclaimed. "Let's go to that island for our picnic. We=
've
never been there yet, you know."
The sailor shook =
his
head. "It's a good many miles away, Trot," he said, "further
than it looks to be from here."
"That won't
matter," remarked Button-Bright. "The umbrella will carry us ther=
e in
no time."
"Let's go!&q=
uot;
repeated Trot. "We'll never have another such chance, Cap'n. It's too =
far to
sail or row, and I've always wanted to visit that island."
"What's the = name of it?" inquired Button-Bright while the sailor hesitated to decide. <= o:p>
"Oh, it's go=
t an
awful hard name to pernounce," replied the girl, "so Cap'n Bill a=
nd I
jus' call it 'Sky Island' 'cause it looks as if it was half in the sky. We'=
ve
been told it's a very pretty island, and a few people live there and keep c=
ows
and goats and fish for a living. There are woods and pastures and springs of
clear water, and I'm sure we would find it a fine place for a picnic."=
"If anything
happened on the way," observed Cap'n Bill, "we'd drop in the
water."
"Of
course," said Trot, "and if anything happened while we were flyin=
' over
the land, we'd drop there. But nothing's goin' to happen, Cap'n. Didn't
Button-Bright come safe all the way from Philydelfy?"
"I think I'd
like to go to Sky Island," said the boy. "I've always flown above=
the
land so far, and it will be something new to fly over the ocean."
"All right, =
I'm
agree'ble," decided Cap'n Bill. "But afore we starts on such a lo=
ng
journey, s'pose we make a little trial trip along the coast. I want to see =
if
the new seat fits me an' make certain the umbrel will carry all three of
us."
"Very
well," said Button-Bright. "Where shall we go?"
"Let's go as=
far
as Smuggler's Cove an' then turn 'round an' come back. If all's right an'
shipshape, then we can start for the island."
They put the broad
double seat on the ground, and then the boy and girl sat in their places and
Button-Bright spread open the Magic Umbrella. Cap'n Bill sat in his seat ju=
st
in front of them, all being upon the ground.
"Don't we lo=
ok
funny?" said Trot with a chuckle of glee. "But hold fast the rope=
s,
Cap'n, an' take care of your wooden leg."
Button-Bright
addressed the umbrella, speaking to it very respectfully, for it was a thin=
g to
inspire awe. "I want to go as far as Smuggler's Cove and then turn aro=
und
in the air and come back here," he said. At once the umbrella rose into
the air, lifting after it first the seat in which the children sat, and then
Cap'n Bill's seat.
"Don't kick =
your
heels, Trot!" cried the sailor in a voice that proved he was excited by
his novel experience. "You might bump me in the nose."
"All
right," she called back. "I'll be careful."
It was really a
wonderful, exhilarating ride, and Cap'n Bill wasn't long making up his mind=
he
liked the sensation. When about fifty feet above the ground the umbrella be=
gan
moving along the coast toward Smuggler's Cove, which it soon reached. Looki=
ng
downward, Cap'n Bill suddenly exclaimed, "Why, there' a boat cast loos=
e,
an' it's goin' to smash on the rocks. Hold on a minute, Butt'n-Bright, till=
we
can land an' drag it ashore."
"Hold on a
minute, Umbrella!" cried the boy. But the Magic Umbrella kept steadily
upon its way. It made a circle over the Cove and then started straight back=
the
way it had come. "It's no use, sir," said Button-Bright to the
sailor. "If I once tell it to go to a certain place, the umbrella will=
go
there, and nowhere else. I've found that out before this. You simply CAN'T =
stop
it."
"Won't let y=
ou
change your mind, eh?" replied Cap'n Bill. "Well, that has its
advantidges, an' its disadvantiges. If your ol' umbrel hadn't been so
obstinate, we could have saved that boat."
"Never
mind," said Trot briskly, "here we are safe back again. Wasn't it
jus' the--the fascinatingest ride you ever took, Cap'n?"
"It's pretty
good fun," admitted Cap'n Bill. "Beats them aeroplanes an' things=
all
holler, 'cause it don't need any regulatin.'"
"If we're go=
ing
to that island, we may as well start right away," said Button-Bright w=
hen
they had safely landed.
"All right. =
I'll
tie on the lunch-basket," answered the sailor. He fastened it so it wo=
uld
swing underneath his own seat, and they all took their places again.
"Ready?"
asked the boy.
"Let 'er go,=
my
lad."
"I want to g=
o to
Sky Island," said Button-Bright to the umbrella, using the name Trot h=
ad
given him. The umbrella started promptly. It rose higher than before, carry=
ing
the three voyagers with it, and then started straight away over the ocean. =
They clung tightl=
y to
the ropes, but the breeze was with them, so after a few moments, when they
became accustomed to the motion, they began to enjoy the ride immensely.
Larger and larger
grew the island, and although they were headed directly toward it, the umbr=
ella
seemed to rise higher and higher into the air the farther it traveled. They=
had
not journeyed ten minutes before they came directly over the island, and
looking down they could see the forests and meadows far below them. But the
umbrella kept up its rapid flight.
"Hold on,
there!" cried Cap'n Bill. "If it ain't keerful, the ol' thing will
pass by the island."
"I--I'm sure=
it
has passed it already," exclaimed Trot. "What's wrong, Button-Bri=
ght?
Why don't we stop?"
Button-Bright see=
med
astonished, too.
"Perhaps I
didn't say it right," he replied after a moment's thought. Then, looki=
ng
up at the umbrella, he repeated distinctly, "I said I wanted to go to =
Sky
Island! Sky Island, don't you understand?"
The umbrella swept
steadily along, getting farther and farther out to sea and rising higher and
higher toward the clouds.
"Mack'rel an'
herrings!" roared Cap'n Bill, now really frightened. "Ain't there=
any
blamed way at all to stop her?"
"None that I
know of," said Button-Bright anxiously.
"P'raps,&quo=
t;
said Trot after a pause during which she tried hard to think. "P'raps =
'Sky
Island' isn't the name of that island at all."
"Why, we know
very well it ain't the name of it," yelled Cap'n Bill from below. &quo=
t;We
jus' called it that 'cause its right name is too hard to say."
"That's the
whole trouble, then," returned Button-Bright. "Somewhere in the w=
orld
there's a real Sky Island, and having told the Magic Umbrella to take us th=
ere,
it's going to do so."
"Well, I
declare!" gasped the sailorman. "Can't we land anywhere else?&quo=
t;
"Not unless =
you
care to tumble off," said the boy. "I've told the umbrella to tak=
e us
to Sky Island, so that's the exact place we're bound for. I'm sorry. It was
your fault for giving me the wrong name."
They glided along=
in
silence for a while. The island was now far behind them, growing small in t=
he
distance. "Where do you s'pose the real Sky Island can be?" asked
Trot presently.
"We can't te=
ll
anything about it until we get there," Button-Bright answered. "S=
eems
to me I've heard of the Isle of Skye, but that's over in Great Britain,
somewhere the other side of the world, and it isn't Sky Island, anyhow.&quo=
t;
"This miser'=
ble
ol' umbrel is too pertic'ler," growled Cap'n Bill. "It won't let =
you
change your mind an' it goes ezzac'ly where you say."
"If it didn't," said Trot, "we'd never know where we were going." <= o:p>
"We don't kn=
ow
now," said the sailor. "One thing's certain, folks: we're gett'n'=
a
long way from home."
"And see how=
the
clouds are rolling just above us," remarked the boy, who was almost as
uneasy as Cap'n Bill.
"We're in the
sky, all right," said the girl. "If there could be an island up h=
ere
among the clouds, I'd think it was there we're going."
"Couldn't th=
ere
be one?" asked Button-Bright. "Why couldn't there be an island in=
the
sky that would be named Sky Island?"
"Of course
not!" declared Cap'n Bill. "There wouldn't be anything to hold it=
up,
you know."
"What's hold=
ing
US up?" asked Trot.
"Magic, I
guess."
"Then magic
might hold an island in the sky. Whee-e-e! What a black cloud!"
It grew suddenly
dark, for they were rushing through a thick cloud that rolled around them in
billows. Trot felt little drops of moisture striking her face and knew her
clothing was getting damp and soggy. "It's a rain cloud," she sai=
d to
Button-Bright, "and it seems like an awful big one, 'cause it takes so
long for us to pass through it."
The umbrella never
hesitated a moment. It made a path through the length of the heavy, black c=
loud
at last and carried its passengers into a misty, billowy bank of white, whi=
ch
seemed as soft and fleecy as a lady's veil. When this broke away, they caug=
ht
sight of a majestic rainbow spanning the heavens, its gorgeous colors glint=
ing
brightly in the sun, its arch perfect and unbroken from end to end. But it =
was
only a glimpse they had, for quickly they dove into another bank of clouds =
and
the rainbow disappeared.
Here the clouds w=
ere
not black, nor heavy, but they assumed queer shapes. Some were like huge sh=
ips,
some like forest trees, and others piled themselves into semblances of turr=
eted
castles and wonderful palaces. The shapes shifted here and there continuall=
y,
and the voyagers began to be bewildered by the phantoms.
"Seems to me
we're goin' down," called Trot.
"Down
where?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Who
knows?" said Button-Bright. "But we're dropping, all right."=
It was a gradual
descent. The Magic Umbrella maintained a uniform speed, swift and unfalteri=
ng,
but its path through the heavens was now in the shape of an arch, as a flyi=
ng
arrow falls. The queer shapes of the clouds continued for some time, and on=
ce
or twice Trot was a little frightened when a monstrous airy dragon passed
beside them or a huge giant stood upon a peak of cloud and stared savagely =
at
the intruders into his domain. But none of these fanciful, vapory creatures
seemed inclined to molest them or to interfere with their flight, and after=
a while
the umbrella dipped below this queer cloudland and entered a clear space wh=
ere
the sky was of an exquisite blue color.
"Oh, look!&q=
uot;
called Cap'n Bill. "There's land below us." The boy and girl lean=
ed
over and tried to see this land, but Cap'n Bill was also leaning over, and =
his
big body hid all that was just underneath them.
"Is it an
island?" asked Trot solemnly.
"Seems so,&q=
uot;
the old sailor replied. "The blue is around all one side of it an' a p=
ink
sunshine around the other side. There's a big cloud just over the middle, b=
ut I
guess it's surely an island, Trot, an' bein' as it's in the sky, it's likel=
y to
be Sky Island."
"Then we sha=
ll
land there," said the boy confidently. "I knew the umbrella would=
n't
make a mistake."
Presently Cap'n B=
ill
spoke again. "We're goin' down on the blue part o' the island," he
said. "I can see trees an' ponds an' houses. Hold tight, Trot! Hold ti=
ght,
Butt'n-Bright! I'm afeared we're a'goin' to bump somethin'!"
They were certain=
ly
dropping very quickly now, and the rush of air made their eyes fill with wa=
ter
so that they could not see much below them. Suddenly, the basket that was
dangling below Cap'n Bill struck something with a loud thud, and this was
followed by a yell of anger. Cap'n Bill sat flat upon the ground, landing w=
ith
such a force that jarred the sailorman and made his teeth click together, w=
hile
down upon him came the seat that Trot and Button-Bright occupied, so that f=
or a
moment they were all tangled up.
"Get off from
me! Get off from my feet, I say!" cried an excited voice. "What in
the Sky do you mean by sitting on my feet? Get off! Get off at once!" =
Cap'n Bill suspec=
ted
that these remarks were addressed to him, but he couldn't move just then
because the seat was across him, and a boy and girl were sprawling on the s=
eat.
As the Magic Umbrella was now as motionless as any ordinary umbrella might =
be,
Button-Bright first released the catch and closed it up, after which he
unhooked the crooked handle from the rope and rose to his feet. Trot had
managed by this time to stand up, and she pulled the board off from Cap'n B=
ill.
All this time the shrill, excited voice was loudly complaining because the
sailor was on his feet, and Trot looked to see who was making the protest,
while Cap'n Bill rolled over and got on his hands and knees so he could pull
his meat leg and his wooden leg into an upright position, which wasn't a ve=
ry
easy thing to do.
Button-Bright and
Trot were staring with all their might at the queerest person they had ever
seen. They decided it must be a man because he had two long legs, a body as
round as a ball, a neck like an ostrich, and a comical little head set on t=
he
top of it. But the most curious thing about him was his skin, which was of a
lovely sky-blue tint. His eyes were also sky-blue, and his hair, which was
trained straight up and ended in a curl at the top of his head, was likewis=
e blue
in color and matched his skin and his eyes. He wore tight-fitting clothes m=
ade
of sky-blue silk, with a broad blue ruffle around his long neck, and on his
breast glittered a magnificent jewel in the form of a star, set with splend=
id
blue stones.
If the blue man
astonished the travelers, they were no less surprised by his surroundings, =
for
look where they might, everything they beheld was of the same blue color as=
the
sky above. They seemed to have landed in a large garden, surrounded by a hi=
gh
wall of blue stone. The trees were all blue, the grass was blue, the flowers
were blue, and even the pebbles in the paths were blue. There were many
handsomely carved benches and seats of blue wood scattered about the garden,
and near them stood a fountain made of blue marble, which shot lovely spray=
s of
blue water into the blue air.
But the angry
inhabitants of this blue place would not permit them to look around them in
peace, for as soon as Cap'n Bill rolled off his toes, he began dancing arou=
nd
in an excited way and saying very disrespectful things of his visitors.
"You brutes! You apes! You miserable, white-skinned creatures! How dare
you come into my garden and knock me on the head with that awful basket and
then fall on my toes and cause me pain and suffering? How dare you, I say?
Don't you know you will be punished for your impudence? Don't you know the =
Boolooroo
of the Blues will have revenge? I can have you patched for this insult, and=
I
will--just as sure as I'm the Royal Boolooroo of Sky Island!"
"Oh, is this=
Sky
Island, then?" asked Trot.
"Of course i=
t's
Sky Island. What else could it be? And I'm its Ruler, its King, its sole Ro=
yal
Potentate and Dictator. Behold in the Personage you have injured the Mighty
Quitey Righty Boolooroo of the Blues!" Here he strutted around in a ve=
ry
pompous manner and wagged his little head contemptuously at them.
"Glad to meet
you, sir," said Cap'n Bill. "I allus had a likin' for kings, bein=
' as
they're summat unusual. Please 'scuse me for a-sittin' on your royal toes, =
not
knowin' as your toes were there."
"I won't exc=
use
you!" roared the Boolooroo. "But I'll punish you. You may depend =
upon
that."
"Seems to
me," said Trot, "you're actin' rather imperlite to strangers. If
anyone comes to our country to visit us, we always treat 'em decent." =
"YOUR
country!" exclaimed the Boolooroo, looking at them more carefully and
seeming interested in their appearance. "Where in the Sky did you come
from, then, and where is your country located?"
"We live on =
the
Earth when we're at home," replied the girl.
"The Earth?
Nonsense! I've heard of the Earth, my child, but it isn't inhabited. No one=
can
live there because it's just a round, cold, barren ball of mud and water,&q=
uot;
declared the Blueskin.
"Oh, you're
wrong about that," said Button-Bright.
"You surely
are," added Cap'n Bill.
"Why, we live
there ourselves," cried Trot.
"I don't bel=
ieve
it. I believe you are living in Sky Island, where you have no right to be, =
with
your horrid white skins. And you've intruded into the private garden of the
palace of the Greatly Stately Irately Boolooroo, which is a criminal offens=
e.
And you've bumped my head with your basket and smashed my toes with your bo=
ards
and bodies, which is a crime unparalleled in all the history of Sky Island!
Aren't you sorry for yourselves?"
"I'm sorry f=
or
you," replied Trot, "'cause you don't seem to know the proper way=
to
treat visitors. But we won't stay long. We'll go home pretty soon."
"Not until y=
ou
have been punished!" exclaimed the Boolooroo sternly. "You are my
prisoners."
"Beg parding,
your Majesty," said Cap'n Bill, "but you're takin' a good deal for
granted. We've tried to be friendly and peaceable, an' we've 'poligized for
hurtin' you, but if that don't satisfy you, you'll have to make the most of=
it.
You may be the Boolooroo of the Blues, but you ain't even a tin whistle to =
us,
an' you can't skeer us for half a minute. I'm an ol' man, myself, but if you
don't behave, I'll spank you like I would a baby, an' it won't be any troub=
le
at all to do it, thank'e. As a matter o' fact, we've captured your whole
bloomin' blue island, but we don't like the place very much, and I guess we=
'll
give it back. It gives us the blues, don't it, Trot? So as soon as we eat a=
bite
of lunch from our basket, we'll sail away again."
"Sail away?
How?" asked the Boolooroo.
"With the Ma=
gic
Umbrel," said Cap'n Bill, pointing to the umbrella that Button-Bright =
was
holding underneath his arm.
"Oh, ho! I s=
ee,
I see," said the Boolooroo, nodding his funny head. "Go ahead, th=
en,
and eat your lunch."
He retreated a li=
ttle
way to a marble seat beside the fountain, but watched the strangers careful=
ly.
Cap'n Bill, feeling sure he had won the argument, whispered to the boy and =
girl
that they must eat and get away as soon as possible, as this might prove a
dangerous country for them to remain in. Trot longed to see more of the str=
ange
blue island, and especially wanted to explore the magnificent blue palace t=
hat adjoined
the garden and which had six hundred tall towers and turrets; but she felt =
that
her old friend was wise in advising them to get away quickly. So she opened=
the
basket, and they all three sat in a row on a stone bench and began to eat
sandwiches and cake and pickles and cheese and all the good things that were
packed in the lunch basket.
They were hungry =
from
the long ride, and while they ate they kept their eyes busily employed in
examining all the queer things around them. The Boolooroo seemed quite the
queerest of anything, and Trot noticed that when he pulled the long curl th=
at
stuck up from the top of his head, a bell tinkled somewhere in the palace. =
He
next pulled at the bottom of his right ear, and another faraway bell tinkle=
d;
then he touched the end of his nose, and still another bell was faintly hea=
rd.
The Boolooroo said not a word while he was ringing the bells, and Trot wond=
ered
if that was the way he amused himself. But now the frown died away from his
face and was replaced with a look of satisfaction.
"Have you ne=
arly
finished?" he inquired.
"No," s=
aid
Trot, "we've got to eat our apples yet."
"Apples? App=
les?
What are apples?" he asked.
Trot took some fr=
om
the basket. "Have one?" she said. "They're awful good."=
The Boolooroo
advanced a step and took the apple, which he regarded with much curiosity. =
"Guess they
don't grow anywhere but on the Earth," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"Are they go=
od
to eat?" asked the Boolooroo.
"Try it and
see," answered Trot, biting into an apple herself.
The Blueskin sat =
down
on the end of their bench, next to Button-Bright, and began to eat his appl=
e.
He seemed to like it, for he finished it in a hurry, and when it was gone he
picked up the Magic Umbrella.
"Let that
alone!" said Button-Bright, making a grab for it. But the Boolooroo je=
rked
it away in an instant, and standing up he held the umbrella behind him and
laughed aloud.
"Now then,&q=
uot;
said he, "you can't get away until I'm willing to let you go. You are =
my
prisoners."
"I guess
not," returned Cap'n Bill, and reaching out one of his long arms, the
sailorman suddenly grasped the Boolooroo around his long, thin neck and sho=
ok
him until his whole body fluttered like a flag. "Drop that umbrel. Drop
it!" yelled Cap'n Bill, and the Boolooroo quickly obeyed. The Magic
Umbrella fell to the ground, and Button-Bright promptly seized it. Then the
sailor let go his hold and the King staggered to a seat, choking and coughi=
ng
to get his breath back.
"I told you =
to
let things alone," growled Cap'n Bill. "If you don't behave, your
Majesty, this Blue Island'll have to get another Boolooroo."
"Why?"
asked the Blueskin.
"Because I'll
prob'ly spoil you for a king, an' mebbe for anything else. Anyhow, you'll g=
et
badly damaged if you try to interfere with us, an' that's a fact."
"Don't kill =
him,
Cap'n Bill," said Trot cheerfully.
"Kill me? Wh=
y,
he couldn't do that," observed the King, who was trying to rearrange t=
he
ruffle around his neck. "Nothing can kill me."
"Why not?&qu=
ot;
asked Cap'n Bill.
"Because I
haven't lived my six hundred years yet. Perhaps you don't know that every
Blueskin in Sky Island lives exactly six hundred years from the time he is
born."
"No, I didn't
know that," admitted the sailor.
"It's a
fact," said the King. "Nothing can kill us until we've lived to t=
he
last day of our appointed lives. When the final minute is up, we die; but w=
e're
obliged to live all of the six hundred years whether we want to or not. So =
you
needn't think of trying to kill anybody on Sky Island. It can't be done.&qu=
ot;
"Never
mind," said Cap'n Bill. "I'm no murderer, thank goodness, and I w=
ouldn't
kill you if I could, much as you deserve it."
"But isn't s=
ix
hundred years an awful long time to live?" questioned Trot.
"It seems li=
ke
it at first," replied the King, "but I notice that whenever any o=
f my
subjects get near the end of their six hundred, they grow nervous and say t=
he
life is altogether too short."
"How long ha=
ve
you lived?" asked Button-Bright.
The King coughed
again and turned a bit bluer. "That is considered an impertinent quest=
ion
in Sky Island," he answered, "but I will say that every Boolooroo=
is
elected to reign three hundred years, and I've reigned not quite--ahem!--two
hundred."
"Are your ki=
ngs
elected, then?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Yes, of cou=
rse.
This is a Republic, you know. The people elect all their officers from the =
King
down. Every man and every woman is a voter. The Boolooroo tells them whom to
vote for, and if they don't obey, they are severely punished. It's a fine
system of government, and the only thing I object to is electing the Booloo=
roo
for only three hundred years. It ought to be for life. My successor has alr=
eady
been elected, but he can't reign for a hundred years to come."
"I think thr=
ee
hundred years is plenty long enough," said Trot. "It gives someone
else a chance to rule, an' I wouldn't be s'prised if the next king is a bet=
ter
one. Seems to me you're not much of a Boolooroo."
"That,"
replied the King indignantly, "is a matter of opinion. I like myself v=
ery
much, but I can't expect you to like me, because you're deformed and
ignorant."
"I'm not!&qu=
ot;
cried Trot.
"Yes, you ar=
e.
Your legs are too short and your neck is nothing at all. Your color is most
peculiar, but there isn't a shade of blue about any of you, except the
deep-blue color of the clothes the old ape that choked me wears. Also, you =
are
ignorant because you know nothing of Sky Island, which is the Center of the
Universe and the only place anyone would care to live."
"Don't liste=
n to
him, Trot," said Button-Bright. "He's an ignorant himself." =
Cap'n Bill packed=
up
the lunch basket. One end of the rope was still tied to the handle of the
basket, and the other end to his swing seat, which lay on the ground before
them.
"Well,"
said he, "let's go home. We've seen enough of this Blue Country and its
Blue Boolooroo, I guess, an' it's a long journey back again."
"All
right," agreed Trot, jumping up.
Button-Bright sto=
od
on the bench and held up the Magic Umbrella, so he could open it, and the
sailor had just attached the ropes when a thin blue line shot out from behi=
nd
them and in a twinkling wound itself around the umbrella. At the same insta=
nt
another blue cord wound itself around the boy's body, and others caught Trot
and Cap'n Bill in their coils, so that all had their arms pinned fast to th=
eir
sides and found themselves absolutely helpless.
The Boolooroo was
laughing and dancing around in front of them as if well pleased. For a mome=
nt
the prisoners could not imagine what had happened to them, but presently ha=
lf a
dozen Blueskins, resembling in shape and costume their ruler but less
magnificently dressed, stepped in front of them and bowed low to the Booloo=
roo.
"Your orders,
most Mighty, Flighty, Tight and Righty Monarch, have been obeyed," said
the leader.
"Very well,
Captain. Take that umbrella and carry it to my Royal Treasury. See that it =
is
safely locked up. Here's the key, and if you don't return it to me within f=
ive
minutes, I'll have you patched."
The Captain took =
the
key and the Magic Umbrella and hastened away to the palace. Button-Bright h=
ad
already hooked the ropes to the elephant-trunk handle, so that when the Cap=
tain
carried away the umbrella, he dragged after him first the double seat, then
Cap'n Bill's seat, which was fastened to it, and finally the lunch-basket,
which was attached to the lower seat. At every few steps some of these would
trip up the Captain and cause him to take a tumble, but as he had only five=
minutes'
time in which to perform his errand, he would scramble to his feet again and
dash along the path until a board or the basket tripped him up again.
They all watched =
him
with interest until he had disappeared within the palace, when the King tur=
ned
to his men and said:
"Release the
prisoners. They are now quite safe, and cannot escape me."
So the men unwound
the long cords that were twined around the bodies of our three friends, and=
set
them free. These men seemed to be soldiers, although they bore no arms exce=
pt
the cords. Each cord had a weight at the end, and when the weight was skill=
fully
thrown by a soldier, it wound the cord around anything in the twinkling of =
an
eye and held fast until it was unwound again.
Trot decided these
Blueskins must have stolen into the garden when summoned by the bells the
Boolooroo had rung, but they had kept out of sight and crept up behind the
bench on which our friends were seated until a signal from the king aroused
them to action.
The little girl w=
as
greatly surprised by the suddenness of her capture, and so was Button-Brigh=
t.
Cap'n Bill shook his head and said he was afeared they'd get into trouble.
"Our mistake," he added, "was in stoppin' to eat our lunch. =
But
it's too late now to cry over spilt milk."
"I don't min=
d,
not much anyhow," asserted Trot bravely. "We're in no hurry to get
back, are we, Button-Bright?"
"I'm not,&qu=
ot;
said the boy. "If they hadn't taken the umbrella, I wouldn't care how =
long
we stopped in this funny island. Do you think it's a fairy country, Trot?&q=
uot;
"Can't say, =
I'm
sure," she answered. "I haven't seen anything here yet that remin=
ds
me of fairies, but Cap'n Bill said a floating island in the sky was sure to=
be
a fairyland."
"I think so =
yet,
mate," returned the sailor. "But there's all sorts o' fairies, I'=
ve
heard. Some is good, an' some is bad, an' if all the Blueskins are like the=
ir
Boolooroo, they can't be called fust-class."
"Don't let me
hear any more impudence, prisoners!" called the Boolooroo sternly.
"You are already condemned to severe punishment, and if I have any fur=
ther
trouble with you, you are liable to be patched."
"What's being
patched?" inquired the girl.
The soldiers all
laughed at this question, but the King did not reply. Just then a door in t=
he
palace opened and out trooped a group of girls. There were six of them, all
gorgeously dressed in silken gowns with many puffs and tucks and ruffles and
flounces and laces and ribbons, everything being in some shade of blue, gra=
ding
from light blue to deep blue. Their blue hair was elaborately dressed and c=
ame
to a point at the top of their heads. The girls approached in a line along =
the
garden path, all walking with mincing steps and holding their chins high. T=
heir
skirts prevented their long legs from appearing as grotesque as did those of
the men, but their necks were so thin and long that the ruffles around them
only made them seem the more absurd.
"Ah," s=
aid
the King with a frown, "here come the Six Snubnosed Princesses, the mo=
st
beautiful and aristocratic ladies in Sky Island."
"They're
snubnosed, all right," observed Trot, looking at the girls with much i=
nterest,
"but I should think it would make 'em mad to call 'em that."
"Why?"
asked the Boolooroo in surprise. "Is not a snub nose the highest mark =
of
female beauty?"
"Is it?"
asked the girl.
"Most certai= nly. In this favored island, which is the Center of the Universe, a snub nose is= an evidence of high breeding which any lady would be proud to possess." <= o:p>
The Six Snubnosed
Princesses now approached the fountain and stood in a row, staring with hau=
ghty
looks at the strangers.
"Goodness me,
your Majesty!" exclaimed the first. "What queer, dreadful-looking
creatures are these? Where in all the Sky did they come from?"
"They say th=
ey
came from the Earth, Cerulia," answered the Boolooroo.
"But that is
impossible," said another Princess. "Our scientists have proved t=
hat
the Earth is not inhabited."
"Your
scientists'll have to guess again, then," said Trot.
"But how did
they get to Sky Island?" inquired the third snubnosed one.
"By means of=
a
Magic Umbrella, which I have captured and put away in my Treasure Chamber,&=
quot;
replied the Boolooroo.
"What will y=
ou
do with the monsters, papa?" asked the fourth Princess.
"I haven't
decided yet," said the Boolooroo. "They're curiosities, you see, =
and
may serve to amuse us. But as they're only half civilized, I shall make the=
m my
slaves."
"What are th=
ey
good for? Can they do anything useful?" asked the fifth.
"We'll
see," returned the King impatiently. "I can't decide in a hurry. =
Give
me time, Azure, give me time. If there's anything I hate, it's a hurry.&quo=
t;
"I've an ide=
a,
your Majesty," announced the sixth Snubnosed Princess, whose complexion
was rather darker than that of her sisters, "and it has come to me qui=
te
deliberately, without any hurry at all. Let us take the little girl to be o=
ur
maid--to wait upon us and amuse us when we're dull. All the other ladies of=
the
court will be wild with envy, and if the child doesn't prove of use to us, =
we
can keep her for a living pincushion."
"Oh! Ah! That
will be fine!" cried all the other five, and the Boolooroo said:
"Very well,
Indigo, it shall be as you desire." Then he turned to Trot and added,
"I present you to the Six Lovely Snubnosed Princesses, to be their sla=
ve.
If you are good and obedient, you won't get your ears boxed oftener than on=
ce
an hour."
"I won't be
anybody's slave," protested Trot. "I don't like these snubnosed,
fussy females, an' I won't have anything to do with 'em."
"How
impudent!" cried Cerulia.
"How
vulgar!" cried Turquoise.
"How
unladylike!" cried Sapphire.
"How
silly!" cried Azure.
"How
absurd!" cried Cobalt.
"How
wicked!" cried Indigo. And then all six held up their hands as if horr=
ified.
The Boolooroo
laughed. "You'll know how to bring her to time, I imagine," he
remarked, "and if the girl isn't reasonable and obedient, send her to =
me
and I'll have her patched. Now, then, take her away."
But Trot was
obstinate and wouldn't budge a step. "Keep us together, your
Majesty," begged Cap'n Bill. "If we're to be slaves, don't separa=
te
us, but make us all the same kind o' slaves."
"I shall do =
what
pleases me," declared the Boolooroo angrily. "Don't try to dictat=
e,
old Moonface, for there's only one Royal Will in Sky Island, and that's my
own."
He then gave a
command to a soldier, who hastened away to the palace and soon returned wit=
h a
number of long, blue ribbons. One he tied around Trot's waist and then atta=
ched
to it six other ribbons. Each of the Six Snubnosed Princesses held the end =
of a
ribbon, and then they turned and marched haughtily away to the palace, drag=
ging
the little girl after them.
"Don't worry,
Trot," cried Button-Bright. "We'll get you out of this trouble pr=
etty
soon."
"Trust to us,
mate," added Cap'n Bill. "We'll manage to take care o' you."=
"Oh, I'm all
right," answered Trot with fine courage. "I'm not afraid of these
gawkies."
But the princesses
pulled her after them, and soon they had all disappeared into one of the
entrances to the Blue Palace.
"Now,
then," said the Boolooroo. "I will instruct you two in your future
duties. I shall make old Moonface--"
"My name's C=
ap'n
Bill Weedles," interrupted the sailor.
"I don't care
what your name is. I shall call you old Moonface," replied the king,
"for that suits you quite well. I shall appoint you the Royal Nectar M=
ixer
to the court of Sky Island, and if you don't mix our nectar properly, I'll =
have
you patched."
"How do you =
mix
it?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"I don't mix=
it.
It's not the Boolooroo's place to mix nectar," was the stern reply.
"But you may inquire of the palace servants, and perhaps the Royal Che=
f or
the Major-domo will condescend to tell you. Take him to the servants' quart=
ers,
Captain Ultramarine, and give him a suit of the royal livery."
So Cap'n Bill was=
lad
away by the chief of the soldiers, and when he had gone, the king said to
Button-Bright, "You, slave, shall be the Royal Bootblue. Your duty wil=
l be
to keep the boots and shoes of the royal family nicely polished with
blue."
"I don't know
how," answered Button-Bright surlily.
"You'll soon
learn. The Royal Steward will supply you with blue paste, and when you've b=
rushed
this on our shoes, you must shine them with Q-rays of Moonshine. Do you
understand?"
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright.
Then the Boolooroo
told one of the soldiers to take the boy to the shoeblue den and have him
instructed in his duties, and the soldiers promptly obeyed and dragged
Button-Bright away to the end of the palace where the servants lived.
The Royal Palace =
was
certainly a magnificent building, with large and lofty rooms and superb
furnishings, all being in shades of blue. The soldier and the boy passed
through several broad corridors and then came to a big hall where many serv=
ants
were congregated. These were staring in bewilderment at Cap'n Bill, who had
been introduced to them by Captain Ultramarine. Now they turned in no less
surprise to examine the boy, and their looks expressed not only astonishment
but dislike.
The servants were=
all
richly attired in blue silk liveries, and they seemed disposed to resent the
fact that these strangers had been added to their ranks. They scowled and
muttered and behaved in a very unfriendly way, even after Captain Ultramari=
ne
had explained that the newcomers were merely base slaves, and not to be cla=
ssed
with the free royal servants of the palace.
One of those pres=
ent,
however, showed no especial enmity to Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill, and this
Blueskin attracted the boy's notice because his appearance was so strange. =
He
looked as if he were made of two separate men, each cut through the middle =
and
then joined together, half of one to half of the other. One side of his blue
hair was curly and the other half straight; one ear was big and stuck out f=
rom
the side of his head, while the other ear was small and flat; one eye was h=
alf
shut and twinkling, while the other was big and staring; his nose was thin =
on
one side and flat on the other, while one side of his mouth curled up and t=
he
other down. Button-Bright also noticed that he limped as he walked because =
one
leg was a trifle longer than the other, and that one hand was delicate and
slender and the other thick and hardened by use.
"Don't stare=
at
him," a voice whispered in the boy's ear. "The poor fellow has be=
en
patched, that's all."
Button-Bright tur=
ned
to see who had spoken and found by his side a tall young Blueskin with a
blue-gold chain around his neck. He was quite the best looking person the b=
oy
had seen in Sky Island, and he spoke in a pleasant way and seemed quite
friendly. But the two-sided man had overheard the remark, and he now stepped
forward and said in a careless tone:
"Never mind.
It's no disgrace to be patched in a country ruled by such a cruel Boolooroo=
as
we have. Let the boy look at me if he wants to. I'm not pretty, but that's =
not
my fault. Blame the Boolooroo."
"I--I'm glad=
to
meet you, sir," stammered Button-Bright. "What is your name,
please?"
"I'm now nam=
ed
Jimfred Jonesjinks, and my partner is called Fredjim Jinksjones. He's busy =
at
present guarding the Treasure Chamber, but I'll introduce you to him when he
comes back. We've had the misfortune to be patched, you know."
"What is bei=
ng
patched?" asked the boy.
"They cut tw=
o of
us in halves and mismatch the halves--half of one to half of the other, you
know--and then the other two halves are patched together. It destroys our
individuality and makes us complex creatures, so it's the worst punishment =
than
can be inflicted in Sky Island."
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright, alarmed at such dreadful butchery. "Doesn't it hurt?&qu=
ot;
"No, it does=
n't
hurt," replied Jimfred. "But it makes one frightfully nervous. Th=
ey
stand you under a big knife, which drops and slices you neatly in two, exac=
tly
in the middle. Then they match half of you to another person who has likewi=
se
been sliced, and there you are, patched to someone you don't care about and
haven't much interest in. If your half wants to do something, the other hal=
f is
likely to want to do something different, and the funny part of it is you d=
on't
quite know which is your half and which is the other half. It's a terrible =
punishment,
and in a country where one can't die or be killed until he has lived his six
hundred years, to be patched is a great misfortune."
"I'm sure it
is," said Button-Bright earnestly. "But can't you ever get--get--=
UNpatched
again?"
"If the
Boolooroo would consent, I think it could be done," Jimfred replied,
"but he never will consent. This is about the meanest Boolooroo who ev=
er
ruled this land, and he was the first to invent patching people as a
punishment. I think we will all be glad when his three hundred years of rule
are ended."
"When will t=
hat
be?" inquired the boy.
"Hush-sh-sh!=
"
cried everyone in a chorus, and they all looked over their shoulders as if
frightened by the question. The officer with the blue-gold chain pulled
Button-Bright's sleeve and whispered, "Follow me, please." And th=
en
he beckoned to Cap'n Bill and led the two slaves to another room where they
were alone.
"I must inst=
ruct
you in your duties," said he when they were all comfortably seated in =
cozy
chairs with blue cushions. "You must learn how to obey the Boolooroo's
commands, so he won't become angry and have you patched."
"How could he
patch US?" asked the sailorman curiously.
"Oh, he'd ju=
st
slice you all in halves and then patch half of the boy to half of the girl,=
and
the other half to half of you, and the other half of you to the other half =
of
the girl. See?"
"Can't say I
do," said Cap'n Bill, much bewildered. "It's a reg'lar mix-up.&qu=
ot;
"That's what
it's meant to be," explained the young officer.
"An' seein' =
as
we're Earth folks, an' not natives of Sky Island, I've an idea the slicing
machine would about end us, without bein' patched," continued the sail=
or.
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright, "so it would."
"While you a=
re
in this country, you can't die till you've lived six hundred years,"
declared the officer.
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "That's different, of course. But who are you,
please?"
"My name is
Ghip-Ghi-siz-zle. Can you remember it?"
"I can 'memb=
er
the 'sizzle,'" said the boy, "but I'm 'fraid the Gwip--Grip--Glip=
--"
"Ghip-Ghi-si=
z-zle"
repeated the officer slowly. "I want you to remember my name, because =
if
you are going to live here, you are sure to hear of me a great many times. =
Can
you keep a secret?"
"I can
try," said Button-Bright.
"I've kep'
secrets--once in a while," asserted Cap'n Bill.
"Well, try to
keep this one. I'm to be the next Boolooroo of Sky Island."
"Good for
you!" cried the sailor. "I wish you was the Boolooroo now, sir. B=
ut
it seems you've got to wait a hundred years or more afore you can take his
place."
Ghip-Ghisizzle ro=
se
to his feet and paced up and down the room for a time, a frown upon his fac=
e.
Then he halted and faced Cap'n Bill. "Sir," said he, "there =
lies
all my trouble. I'm quite sure the present Boolooroo has reigned three hund=
red
years next Thursday, but he claims it is only two hundred years, and as he
holds the Royal Book of Records under lock and key in the Royal Treasury, t=
here
is no way for us to prove he is wrong."
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "How old is the Boolooroo?"
"He was two
hundred years old when he was elected," replied Ghip-Ghisizzle. "=
If
he has already reigned three hundred years as I suspect, then he is now five
hundred years old. You see, he is trying to steal another hundred years of =
rule
so as to remain a tyrant all his life."
"He don't se=
em
as old as that," observed Cap'n Bill thoughtfully. "Why, I'm only
sixty myself, an' I guess I look twice as old as your king does."
"We do not s=
how
our age in looks," the officer answered. "I am just about your ag=
e,
sir--sixty-two my next birthday--but I'm sure I don't look as old as
that."
"That's a
fact," agreed Cap'n Bill. Then he turned to Button-Bright and added,
"Don't that prove Sky Island is a fairy country as I said?"
"Oh, I've kn=
own
that all along," said the boy. "The slicing and patching proves i=
t, and
so do lots of other things."
"Now then,&q=
uot;
said Ghip-Ghisizzle, "let us talk over your duties. It seems you must =
mix
the royal nectar, Cap'n Bill. Do you know how to do that?"
"I'm free to=
say
as I don't, friend Sizzle."
"The Booloor=
oo
is very particular about his nectar. I think he has given you this job so he
can find fault with you and have you punished. But we will fool him. You are
strangers here, and I don't want you imposed upon. I'll send Tiggle to the
royal pantry and keep him there to mix the nectar. Then when the Boolooroo =
or
the Queen or any of the Snubnosed Princesses call for a drink, you can carr=
y it
to them and it will be sure to suit them."
"Thank'e
sir," said Cap'n Bill. "That's real kind of you."
"Your job,
Button-Bright, is easier," continued Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"I'm no
bootblack," declared the boy. "The Boolooroo has no right to make=
me
do his dirty work."
"You're a slave," the officer reminded him, "and a slave must obey." <= o:p>
"Why?"
asked Button-Bright.
"Because he
can't help himself. No slave ever wants to obey, but he just has to. And it
isn't dirty work at all. You don't black the royal boots and shoes, you mer=
ely
blue them with a finely perfumed blue paste. Then you shine them neatly and
your task is done. You will not be humiliated by becoming a bootblack. You'=
ll
be a bootblue."
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "I don't see much difference, but perhaps it's a little
more respectable."
"Yes, the Ro=
yal
Bootblue is considered a high official in Sky Island. You do your work at
evening or early morning, and the rest of the day you are at liberty to do =
as
you please."
"It won't la=
st
long, Button-Bright," said Cap'n Bill consolingly. "Somethin's bo=
und
to happen pretty soon, you know."
"I think so
myself," answered the boy.
"And now,&qu=
ot;
remarked Ghip-Ghisizzle, "since you understand your new duties, perhaps
you'd like to walk out with me and see the Blue City and the glorious Blue
Country of Sky Island."
"We would
that!" cried Cap'n Bill promptly.
So they accompani=
ed
their new friend through a maze of passages--for the palace was very big--a=
nd
then through a high, arched portal into the streets of the City. So rapid h=
ad
been their descent when the umbrella landed them in the royal garden that t=
hey
had not even caught a glimpse of the Blue City, so now they gazed with wond=
er
and interest at the splendid sights that met their eyes.
The Blue City was
quite extensive, and consisted of many broad streets paved with blue marble=
and
lined with splendid buildings of the same beautiful material. There were ho=
uses
and castles and shops for the merchants, and all were prettily designed and=
had
many slender spires and imposing turrets that rose far into the blue air.
Everything was blue here, just as was everything in the Royal Palace and
gardens, and a blue haze overhung all the city.
"Doesn't the=
sun
ever shine?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Not in the =
blue
part of Sky Island," replied Ghip-Ghisizzle. "The moon shines here
every night, but we never see the sun. I am told, however, that on the other
half of the Island--which I have never seen--the sun shines brightly but th=
ere
is no moon at all."
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "Is there another half to Sky Island?'
"Yes, a drea=
dful
place called the Pink Country. I'm told everything there is pink instead of
blue. A fearful place it must be, indeed!" said the Blueskin with a
shudder.
"I dunno 'bo=
ut
that," remarked Cap'n Bill. "That Pink Country sounds kind o'
cheerful to me. Is your Blue Country very big?"
"It is
immense," was the proud reply. "This enormous city extends a half
mile in all directions from the center, and the country outside the City is
fully a half-mile further in extent. That's very big, isn't it?"
"Not very,&q=
uot;
replied Cap'n Bill with a smile. "We've cities on the Earth ten times
bigger, an' then some big besides. We'd call this a small town in our
country."
"Our Country=
is
thousands of miles wide and thousands of miles long--it's the great United
States of America!" added the boy earnestly.
Ghip-Ghisizzle se=
emed
astonished. He was silent a moment, and then he said, "Here in Sky Isl=
and
we prize truthfulness very highly. Our Boolooroo is not very truthful, I ad=
mit,
for he is trying to misrepresent the length of his reign, but our people as=
a
rule speak only the truth."
"So do we,&q=
uot;
asserted Cap'n Bill. "What Button-Bright said is the honest truth, eve=
ry
word of it."
"But we have
been led to believe that Sky Island is the greatest country in the
universe--meaning, of course, our half of it, the Blue Country."
"It may be f=
or you,
perhaps," the sailor stated politely. "An' I don't imagine any is=
land
floatin' in the sky is any bigger. But the Universe is a big place, an' you
can't be sure of what's in it till you've traveled like we have."
"Perhaps you=
are
right," mused the Blueskin, but he still seemed to doubt them.
"Is the Pink
side of Sky Island bigger than the Blue side?" asked Button-Bright.
"No, it is
supposed to be the same size," was the reply.
"Then why
haven't you ever been there? Seems to me you could walk across the whole is=
land
in an hour," said the boy.
"The two par=
ts
are separated by an impassable barrier," answered Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"Between them lies the Great Fog Bank."
"A fog bank?
Why, that's no barrier!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill.
"It is
indeed," returned the Blueskin. "The Fog Bank is so thick and hea=
vy
that it blinds one, and if once you got into the Bank, you might wander for=
ever
and not find your way out again. Also, it is full of dampness that wets your
clothes and your hair until you become miserable. It is furthermore said th=
at
those who enter the Fog Bank forfeit the six hundred years allowed them to =
live
and are liable to die at any time. Here we do not die, you know; we merely =
pass
away."
"How's
that?" asked the sailor. "Isn't 'pass'n' away' jus' the same as d=
yin'?"
"No indeed. =
When
our six hundred years are ended, we march into the Great Blue Grotto, throu=
gh
the Arch of Phinis, and are never seen again."
"That's
queer," said Button-Bright. "What would happen if you didn't march
through the Arch?"
"I do not kn=
ow,
for no one has ever refused to do so. It is the Law, and we all obey it.&qu=
ot;
"It saves
funeral expenses, anyhow," remarked Cap'n Bill. "Where is this
Arch?"
"Just outside
the gates of the City. There is a mountain in the center of the Blue land, =
and
the entrance to the Great Blue Grotto is at the foot of the mountain. Accor=
ding
to our figures, the Boolooroo ought to march into this Grotto a hundred yea=
rs
from next Thursday, but he is trying to steal a hundred years and so perhap=
s he
won't enter the Arch of Phinis. Therefore, if you will please be patient for
about a hundred years, you will discover what happens to one who breaks the
Law."
"Thank'e,&qu=
ot;
remarked Cap'n Bill. "I don't expect to be very curious a hundred years
from now."
"Nor I,"=
; added
Button-Bright, laughing at the whimsical speech. "But I don't see how =
the
Boolooroo is able to fool you all. Can't any of you remember two or three
hundred years back when he first began to rule?"
"No," s=
aid
Ghip-Ghisizzle, "that's a long time to remember, and we Blueskins try =
to
forget all we can, especially whatever is unpleasant. Those who remember are
usually the unhappy ones; only those able to forget find the most joy in
life."
During this
conversation they had been walking along the streets of the Blue City, where
many of the Blueskin inhabitants stopped to gaze wonderingly at the sailor =
and
the boy, whose strange appearance surprised them. They were a nervous, rest=
less
people, and their egg-shaped heads, set on the ends of long, thin necks, se=
emed
so grotesque to the strangers that they could scarcely forbear laughing at =
them.
The bodies of these people were short and round and their legs exceptionally
long, so when a Blueskin walked, he covered twice as much ground at one ste=
p as
Cap'n Bill or Button-Bright did. The women seemed just as repellent as the =
men,
and Button-Bright began to understand that the Six Snubnosed Princesses wer=
e,
after all, rather better looking than most of the females of the Blue Count=
ry
and so had a certain right to be proud and haughty.
There were no hor=
ses
nor cows in this land, but there were plenty of blue goats, from which the
people got their milk. Children tended the goats--wee Blueskin boys and gir=
ls
whose appearance was so comical that Button-Bright laughed whenever he saw =
one
of them.
Although the nati=
ves
had never seen before this any human beings made as Button-Bright and Cap'n
Bill were, they took a strong dislike to the strangers and several times
threatened to attack them. Perhaps if Ghip-Ghisizzle, who was their favorit=
e,
had not been present, they would have mobbed our friends with vicious ill-w=
ill
and might have seriously injured them. But Ghip-Ghisizzle's friendly protec=
tion
made them hold aloof.
By and by they pa=
ssed
through a City gate, and their guide showed them the outer walls, which
protected the City from the country beyond. There were several of these gat=
es,
and from their recesses stone steps led to the top of the wall. They mounte=
d a
flight of these steps and from their elevation plainly saw the low mountain
where the Arch of Phinis was located, and beyond that the thick, blue-gray =
Fog
Bank, which constantly rolled like billows of the ocean and really seemed, =
from
a distance, quite forbidding.
"But it woul=
dn't
take long to get there," decided Button-Bright, "and if you were
close up, it might not be worse than any other fog. Is the Pink Country on =
the
other side of it?"
"So we are t=
old
in the Book of Records," replied Ghip-Ghisizzle. "None of us now
living know anything about it, but the Book of Records calls it the 'Sunset
Country' and says that at evening the pink shades are drowned by terrible
colors of orange and crimson and golden-yellow and red. Wouldn't it be horr=
ible
to be obliged to look upon such a sight? It must give the poor people who l=
ive
there dreadful headaches."
"I'd like to=
see
that Book of Records," mused Cap'n Bill, who didn't think the descript=
ion
of the Sunset Country at all dreadful.
"I'd like to=
see
it myself," returned Ghip-Ghisizzle with a sigh, "but no one can =
lay
hands on it because the Boolooroo keeps it safely locked up in his Treasure
Chamber."
"Where's the=
key
to the Treasure Chamber?" asked Button-Bright.
"The Booloor=
oo
keeps it in his pocket night and day," was the reply. "He is afra=
id
to let anyone see the Book because it would prove he has already reigned th=
ree
hundred years next Thursday, and then he would have to resign the throne to=
me
and leave the Palace and live in a common house."
"My Magic
Umbrella is in that Treasure Chamber," said Button-Bright, "and I=
'm
going to try to get it."
"Are you?&qu=
ot;
inquired Ghip-Ghisizzle eagerly. "Well, if you manage to enter the
Treasure Chamber, be sure to bring me the Book of Records. If you can do th=
at,
I will be the best and most grateful friend you ever had!"
"I'll see,&q=
uot;
said the boy. "It ought not to be hard work to break into the Treasure
chamber. Is it guarded?"
"Yes. The
outside guard is Jimfred Jinksjones, the double patch of the Fredjim whom y=
ou
have met, and the inside guard is a ravenous creature known as the Blue Wol=
f,
which has teeth a foot long and as sharp as needles."
"Oh," s=
aid
Button-Bright. "But never mind the Blue Wolf; I must manage to get my
umbrella somehow or other."
They now walked b=
ack
to the palace, still objects of much curiosity to the natives, who sneered =
at
them and mocked them but dared not interfere with their progress. At the pa=
lace
they found that dinner was about to be served in the big dining hall of the
servants and dependents and household officers of the royal Boolooroo. Ghip=
-Ghisizzle
was the Majordomo and Master of Ceremonies, so he took his seat at the end =
of
the long table and placed Cap'n Bill on one side of him and Button-Bright on
the other, to the great annoyance of the other Blueskins present, who favor=
ed
the strangers with nothing pleasanter than envious scowls.
The Boolooroo and=
his
Queen and daughters--the Six Snubnosed Princesses--dined in formal state in=
the
Banquet Hall, where they were waited upon by favorite soldiers of the Royal
Bodyguard. Here in the servants' hall there was one vacant seat next to
Button-Bright which was reserved for Trot; but the little girl had not yet
appeared, and the sailorman and the boy were beginning to be uneasy about h=
er.
The apartments oc=
cupied
by the Six Snubnosed Princesses were so magnificent that when Trot first
entered them, led by her haughty captors, she thought they must be the most
beautiful rooms in the world. There was a long and broad reception room, wi=
th
forty-seven windows in it, and opening out of it were six lovely bedchamber=
s,
each furnished in the greatest luxury. Adjoining each sleeping room was a m=
arble
bath, and each Princess had a separate boudoir and a dressing room. The
furnishings were of the utmost splendor, blue-gold and blue gems being
profusely used in the decorations, while the divans and chairs were of rich=
ly
carved bluewood upholstered in blue satins and silks. The draperies were
superbly embroidered, and the rugs upon the marble floors were woven with
beautiful scenes in every conceivable shade of blue.
When they first
reached the reception room, Princess Azure cast herself upon a divan while =
her
five sisters sat or reclined in easy chairs with their heads thrown back and
their blue chins scornfully elevated. Trot, who was much annoyed at the
treatment she had received, did not hesitate to seat herself also in a big =
easy
chair.
"Slave!"
cried Princess Cerulia, "Fetch me a mirror."
"Slave!"
cried Princess Turquoise, "A lock of my hair is loosened; bind it
up."
"Slave!"
cried Princess Cobalt, "Unfasten my shoes; they're too tight."
"Slave!"
cried Princess Sapphire, "Bring hither my box of blue chocolates."=
;
"Slave!"
cried Princess Azure, "Stand by my side and fan me."
"Slave!"
cried Princess Indigo, "Get out of that chair. How dare you sit in our
presence?"
"If you're
saying all those things to me," replied Trot, "you may as well sa=
ve
your breath. I'm no slave." And she cuddled down closer in the chair. =
"You ARE a
slave!" shouted the six all together.
"I'm not!&qu=
ot;
"Our father,=
the
Revered and Resplendent Royal Ruler of the Blues, has made you our slave,&q=
uot;
asserted Indigo with a yawn.
"But he
can't," objected the little girl. "I'm some Royal an' Rapturous a=
n'
Ridic'lous myself, an' I won't allow any cheap Boolooroo to order me
'round."
"Are you of
royal birth?" asked Azure, seeming surprised.
"Royal! Why,=
I'm
an American, Snubnoses, and if there's anything royaler than an American, I=
'd
like to know what it is."
The Princesses se=
emed
uncertain what reply to make to this speech and began whispering together.
Finally, Indigo said to Trot, "We do not think it matters what you wer=
e in
your own country, for having left there you have forfeited your rank. By
recklessly intruding into our domain, you have become a slave, and being a
slave you must obey us or suffer the consequences."
"What
cons'quences?" asked the girl.
"Dare to dis=
obey
us and you will quickly find out," snapped Indigo, swaying her head fr=
om
side to side on its long, swan-like neck like the pendulum of a clock.
"I don't want
any trouble," said Trot gravely. "We came to Sky Island by mistake
and wanted to go right away again; but your father wouldn't let us. It isn't
our fault we're still here, an' I'm free to say you're a very dis'gree'ble =
an'
horrid lot of people with no manners to speak of, or you'd treat us
nicely."
"No
impertinence!" cried Indigo savagely.
"Why, it's t=
he
truth," replied Trot.
Indigo made a rush
and caught Trot by both shoulders. The Princess was twice the little girl's
size, and she shook her victim so violently that Trot's teeth rattled toget=
her.
Then Princess Cobalt came up and slapped one side of the slave's face, and
Princess Turquoise ran forward and slapped the other side. Cerulia gave Tro=
t a
push one way, and Sapphire pushed her the other way, so the little girl was
quite out of breath and very angry when finally her punishment ceased. She =
had not
been much hurt, though, and she was wise enough to understand that these
Princesses were all cruel and vindictive, so that her safest plan was to
pretend to obey them.
"Now then,&q=
uot;
commanded Princess Indigo, "go and feed my little blue dog that crows =
like
a rooster."
"And feed my
pretty blue cat that sings like a bird," said Princess Azure.
"And feed my
soft, blue lamb that chatters like a monkey," said Princess Cobalt.
"And feed my
poetic blue parrot that barks like a dog," said Princess Sapphire.
"And feed my
fuzzy blue rabbit that roars like a lion," said Princess Turquoise.
"And feed my
lovely blue peacock that mews like a cat," said Princess Cerulia.
"Anything
else?" asked Trot, drawing a long breath.
"Not until y=
ou
have properly fed our pets," replied Azure with a scowl.
"What do they
eat, then?"
"Meat!"=
"Milk!"=
"Clover!&quo=
t;
"Seeds!"=
;
"Bread!"=
;
"Carrots!&qu=
ot;
"All
right," said Trot, "where do you keep the menagerie?"
"Our pets ar=
e in
our boudoirs," said Indigo harshly. "What a little fool you
are!"
"Perhaps,&qu=
ot;
said Trot, pausing as she was about to leave the room, "when I grow up
I'll be as big a fool as any of you."
Then she ran away=
to
escape another shaking, and in the first boudoir she found the little blue =
dog
curled up on a blue cushion in a corner. Trot patted his head gently, and t=
his
surprised the dog, who was accustomed to cuffs and kicks. So he licked Trot=
's
hand and wagged his funny little tail and then straightened up and crowed l=
ike
a rooster. The girl was delighted with the queer doggie, and she found some
meat in a cupboard and fed him out of her hand, patting the tiny creature a=
nd
stroking his soft blue hair. The doggie had never in his life known anyone =
so
kind and gentle, so when Trot went into the next boudoir, the animal follow=
ed
close at her heels, wagging his tail every minute.
The blue cat was
asleep on a window seat, but it woke up when Trot tenderly took it in her l=
ap
and fed it milk from a blue-gold dish. It was a pretty cat and instantly kn=
ew
the little girl was a friend vastly different from its own bad-tempered
mistress, so it sang beautifully as a bird sings, and both the cat and the =
dog
followed Trot into the third boudoir.
Here was a tiny b=
aby
lamb with fleece as blue as a larkspur and as soft as milk.
"Oh, you
darling!" cried Trot, hugging the little lamb tight in her arms. At on=
ce
the lamb began chattering just as a monkey chatters, only in the most frien=
dly
and grateful way, and Trot fed it a handful of fresh blue clover and smooth=
ed
and petted it until the lamb was eager to follow her wherever she might go.=
When she came to =
the
fourth boudoir, a handsome blue parrot sat on a blue perch and began barkin=
g as
if it were nearly starved. Then it cried out,
"Rub-a-dub, dub, Gimme some grub!"
Trot laughed and =
gave
it some seeds, and while the parrot ate them she stroked gently his soft
feathers. The bird seemed much astonished at the unusual caress and turned =
upon
the girl first one little eye and then the other as if trying to discover w=
hy
she was so kind. He had never experienced kind treatment in all his life. S=
o it
was no wonder that when the little girl entered the fifth boudoir she was
followed by the parrot, the lamb, the cat and the dog, who all stood beside=
her
and watched her feed the peacock, which she found strutting around and mewi=
ng
like a cat for his dinner. Said the parrot,
"I spy a peacock's eye On every feather. I wonder
why?"
The peacock soon =
came
to love Trot as much as the other bird and all the beasts did, and it spread
its tail and strutted after her into the next boudoir, the sixth one. As she
entered this room, Trot gave a start of fear, for a terrible roar like the =
roar
of a lion greeted her. But there was no lion there; a fuzzy, blue rabbit was
making all the noise. "For goodness sake keep quiet," said Trot.
"Here's a nice blue carrot for you. The color seems all wrong, but it =
may
taste jus' as good as if it was red."
Evidently it did
taste good, for the rabbit ate it greedily. When it was not roaring, the
creature was so soft and fluffy that Trot played with it and fondled it a l=
ong
time after it had finished eating, and the rabbit played with the cat and t=
he
dog and the lamb and did not seem a bit afraid of the parrot or the peacock.
But all of a sudden in pounced Princess Indigo with a yell of anger.
"So this is =
how
you waste your time, is it?" exclaimed the Princess, and grabbing Trot=
's
arm, she jerked the girl to her feet and began pushing her from the room. A=
ll
the pets began to follow her, and seeing this, Indigo yelled at them to keep
back. As they paid no attention to this command, the princess seized a basi=
n of
water and dashed the fluid over the beasts and birds, after which she renew=
ed
her attempt to push Trot from the room. The pets rebelled at such treatment,
and believing they ought to protect Trot, whom they knew to be their friend,
they proceeded to defend her. The little blue dog dashed at Indigo and bit =
her
right ankle, while the blue cat scratched her left leg with its claws and t=
he
parrot flew upon her shoulder and pecked her ear. The lamb ran up and butted
Indigo so that she stumbled forward on her face, when the peacock proceeded=
to
pound her head with his wings. Indigo, screaming with fright, sprang to her
feet again, but the rabbit ran between her legs and tripped her up, all the
time roaring loudly like a lion, and the dog crowed triumphantly, as a roos=
ter
crows, while the cat warbled noisily and the lamb chattered and the parrot
barked and the peacock screeched "me-ow!"
Altogether, Indigo
was, as Trot said, "scared stiff," and she howled for help until =
her
sisters ran in and rescued her, pulling her through the bedchamber into the
reception room. When she was alone, Trot sat down on the floor and laughed
until the tears came to her eyes, and she hugged all the pets and kissed th=
em
every one and thanked them for protecting her.
"That's all right; We like a fight,"
declared the parr=
ot
in reply.
The Princesses we=
re
horrified to find Indigo so scratched and bitten, and they were likewise am=
azed
at the rebellion of their six pets, which they had never petted, indeed, but
kept in their boudoirs so they could abuse them whenever they felt especial=
ly
wicked or ill-natured. None of the snubnosed ones dared enter the room where
the girl was, but they called through a crack in the door for Trot to come =
out
instantly. Trot, pretending not to hear, paid no attention to these demands=
.
Finding themselves
helpless and balked of their revenge, the Six Snubnosed Princesses finally
recovered from their excitement and settled down to a pleasant sisterly
quarrel, as was their customary amusement. Indigo wanted to have Trot patch=
ed,
and Cerulia wanted her beaten with knotted cords, and Cobalt wanted her loc=
ked
up in a dark room, and Sapphire wanted her fed on sand, and Turquoise wanted
her bound to a windmill, and so between these various desires, they quarrel=
ed
and argued until dinner time arrived.
Trot was occupying
Indigo's room, so that Princess was obliged to dress with Azure, not daring=
to
enter her own chamber, and the two sisters quarreled so enthusiastically th=
at
they almost came to blows before they were ready for dinner.
Before the Six
Snubnosed Princesses went to the Royal Banquet Hall, Cobalt stuck her head
through a crack of the door and said to Trot, "If you want any dinner,
you'll find it in the servants' hall. I advise you to eat, for after our di=
nner
we will decide upon a fitting punishment for you, and then I'm sure you won=
't
have much appetite."
"Thank
you," replied the girl. "I'm right hungry, jus' now." She wa=
ited
until the snubnosed sextette had pranced haughtily away, and then she came =
out,
followed by all the pets, and found her way to the servants' quarters.
All the Blueskins
assembled in the servants' hall were amazed to see the pets of the Princess=
es
trailing after the strange little girl, but Trot took her place next to
Button-Bright at the table, and the parrot perched upon her shoulder, while=
the
peacock stood upon one side of her chair, and the lamb upon the other, and =
the
cat and dog lay at her feet and the blue rabbit climbed into her lap and
cuddled down there. Some of the Blueskins insisted that the animals and bir=
ds
must be put out of the room, but Ghip-Ghisizzle said they could remain, as =
they
were the favored pets of the lovely Snubnosed Princesses.
Cap'n Bill was
delighted to see his dear little friend again, and so was Button-Bright, and
now that they were reunited--for a time, at least--they paid little heed to=
the
sour looks and taunting remarks of the ugly Blueskins and ate heartily of t=
he
dinner, which was really very good.
The meal was no
sooner over than Ghip-Ghisizzle was summoned to the chamber of his Majesty =
the
Boolooroo, but before he went away, he took Trot and Cap'n Bill and
Button-Bright into a small room and advised them to stay there until he
returned so that the servants and soldiers would not molest them. "My
people seem to dislike strangers," said the Majordomo thoughtfully,
"and that surprises me because you are the first strangers they have e=
ver
seen. I think they imagine you will become favorites of the Boolooroo and of
the Princesses, and that is why they are jealous and hate you."
"They needn't
worry 'bout that," replied Trot. "The Snubnoses hate me worse than
the people do."
"I can't ima=
gine
a bootblue becoming a royal favorite," grumbled Button-Bright.
"Or a necktie
mixer," added Cap'n Bill.
"You don't m=
ix
neckties; you're a nectar mixer," said Ghip-Ghisizzle correcting the
sailor. "I'll not be gone long, for I'm no favorite of the Boolooroo,
either, so please stay quietly in this room until my return."
The Majordomo fou=
nd
the Boolooroo in a bad temper. He had finished his dinner, where his six
daughters had bitterly denounced Trot all through the meal and implored the=
ir
father to invent some new and terrible punishment for her. Also, his wife, =
the
Queen, had made him angry by begging for gold to buy ribbons with. Then, wh=
en
he had retired to his own private room, he decided to send for the umbrella=
he
had stolen from Button-Bright and test its magic powers. But the umbrella, =
in
his hands, proved just as common as any other umbrella might be. He opened =
it
and closed it, and turned it this way and that, commanding it to do all sor=
ts
of things, but of course the Magic Umbrella would obey no one but a member =
of
the family that rightfully owned it. At last the Boolooroo threw it down and
stamped upon it and then kicked it into a corner, where it rolled underneat=
h a
cabinet. Then he sent for Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"Do you know=
how
to work that Magic Umbrella?" he asked the Majordomo.
"No, your
Majesty, I do not," was the reply.
"Well, find =
out.
Make the Whiteskins tell you so that I can use it for my own amusement.&quo=
t;
"I'll do my
best, your Majesty," said Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"You'll do m=
ore
than that, or I'll have you patched!" roared the angry Boolooroo.
"And don't waste any time, either, for as soon as we find out the secr=
et
of the umbrella I'm going to have the three strangers marched through the A=
rch
of Phinis, and that will be the end of them."
"You can't do
that, your Majesty," said the Majordomo.
"Why can't
I?"
"They haven't
lived six hundred years yet, and only those who have lived that length of t=
ime
are allowed to march through the Arch of Phinis into the Great Blue
Grotto."
The King looked at
him with a sneer. "Has anyone ever come out of that Arch alive?" =
he
asked.
"No," s=
aid
Ghip-ghisizzle, "but no one has ever gone into the Blue Grotto until h=
is
allotted time was up."
"Well, I'm g=
oing
to try the experiment," declared the Boolooroo. "I shall march th=
ese
three strangers through the Arch, and if by chance they come out alive, I'l=
l do
a new sort of patching--I'll chop off their heads and mix 'em up, putting t=
he
wrong head on each of 'em. Ha, ha! Won't it be funny to see the old Moonfac=
e's
head on the little girl? Ho, ho! I really hope they'll come out of the Great
Blue Grotto alive!"
"I also hope=
they
will," replied Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"Then I'll b=
et
you four buttonholes they don't. I've a suspicion that once they enter the
Great Blue Grotto that's the last of them."
Ghip-Ghisizzle we=
nt
away quite sad and unhappy. He did not approve the way the strangers were b=
eing
treated and thought it was wicked and cruel to try to destroy them.
During his absenc=
e,
the prisoners had been talking together very earnestly. "We must get a=
way
from here somehow 'r other," said Cap'n Bill, "but o' course we c=
an't
stir a step without the Magic Umbrel."
"No, I must
surely manage to get my umbrella first," said Button-Bright.
"Do it quick,
then," urged Trot, "for I can't stand those snubnoses much
longer."
"I'll do it
tonight," said the boy.
"The sooner,=
the
better, my lad," remarked the sailor, "but seein' as the Blue
Boolooroo has locked it up in his Treasure Chamber, it mayn't be easy to get
hold of."
"No, it won'=
t be
easy," Button-Bright admitted. "But it has to be done, Cap'n Bill,
and there's no use waiting any longer. No one here likes us, and in a few d=
ays
they may make an end of us."
"Oh,
Button-Bright! There's a Blue Wolf in the Treasure Chamber!" exclaimed
Trot.
"Yes, I
know."
"An' a patch=
ed
man on guard outside," Cap'n Bill reminded him.
"I know,&quo=
t;
repeated Button-Bright.
"And the key=
's
in the King's own pocket," added Trot despairingly.
The boy nodded. He
didn't say how he would overcome all these difficulties, so the little girl
feared they would never see the Magic Umbrella again. But their present pos=
ition
was a very serious one, and even Cap'n Bill dared not advise Button-Bright =
to
give up the desperate attempt.
When Ghip-Ghisizz=
le
returned, he said, "You must be very careful not to anger the Boolooro=
o,
or he may do you a mischief. I think the little girl had better keep away f=
rom
the Princesses for tonight unless they demand her presence. The boy must go=
for
the King's shoes and blue them and polish them and then take them back to t=
he
Royal Bedchamber. Cap'n Bill won't have anything to do, for I've ordered Ti=
ggle
to mix the nectar."
"Thank 'e,
friend Sizzle," said Cap'n Bill.
"Now follow =
me,
and I will take you to your rooms."
He led them to the
rear of the palace, where he gave them three small rooms on the ground floo=
r,
each having a bed in it. Cap'n Bill's room had a small door leading out into
the street of the City, but Ghip Ghisizzle advised him to keep this door
locked, as the city people would be sure to hurt the strangers if they had =
the
chance to attack them.
"You're safe=
r in
the palace than anywhere else," said the Majordomo, "for there is=
no
way you can escape from the island, and here the servants and soldiers dare=
not
injure you for fear of the Boolooroo."
He placed Trot and
her six pets--which followed her wherever she went--in one room, and Cap'n =
Bill
in another, and took Button-Bright away with him to show the boy the way to=
the
King's bedchamber. As they proceeded, they passed many rooms with closed do=
ors,
and before one of these a patched Blueskin was pacing up and down in a tired
and sleepy way. It was Jimfred Jinksjones, the double of the Fredjim Jonesj=
inks
they had talked with in the servants' hall, and he bowed low before the Maj=
ordomo.
"This is the
King's new bootblue, a stranger who has lately arrived here," said
Ghip-Ghisizzle, introducing the boy to the patched man.
"I'm sorry f=
or
him," muttered Jimfred. "He's a queer-looking chap, with his pale
yellow skin, and I imagine our cruel Boolooroo is likely to patch him before
long, as he did me--I mean us."
"No he
won't," said Button-Bright positively. "The Boolooroo's afraid of
me."
"Oh, that's
different," said Jimfred. "You're the first person I ever knew th=
at
could scare our Boolooroo."
They passed on, a=
nd
Ghip-Ghisizzle whispered, "That is the Royal Treasure Chamber."
Button-Bright nodded. He had marked the place well so he couldn't miss it w=
hen
he wanted to find it again. When they came to the King's apartments there w=
as
another guard before the door, this time a long-necked soldier with a terri=
ble
scowl.
"This slave =
is
the Royal Bootblue," said Ghip-Ghisizzle to the guard. "You will
allow him to pass into his Majesty's chamber to get the royal shoes and to
return them when they are blued."
"All
right," answered the guard. "Our Boolooroo is in an ugly mood ton=
ight.
It will go hard with this little short-necked creature if he doesn't polish=
the
shoes properly."
Then Ghip-Ghisizz=
le
left Button-Bright and went away, and the boy passed through several rooms =
to
the Royal Bedchamber, where his Majesty sat undressing.
"Hi, there! =
What
are you doing here?" he roared as he saw Button-Bright.
"I've come f=
or
the shoes," said the boy.
The king threw th=
em
at his head, aiming carefully, but Button-Bright dodged the missiles, and o=
ne
smashed a mirror while the other shattered a vase on a small table. His Maj=
esty
looked around for something else to throw, but the boy seized the shoes and=
ran
away, returning to his own room.
While he polished=
the
shoes he told his plans to Cap'n Bill and Trot and asked them to be ready to
fly with him as soon as he returned with the Magic Umbrella. All they need =
to
do was to step out into the street, through the door of Cap'n Bill's room, =
and
open the umbrella. Fortunately, the seats and the lunch-basket were still
attached to the handle--or so they thought--and there would be nothing to
prevent their quickly starting on the journey home.
They waited a long
time, however, to give the Boolooroo time to get to sleep, so it was after
midnight when Button-Bright finally took the shoes in his hand and started =
for
the Royal Bedchamber. He passed the guard of the Royal Treasury and Fredjim
nodded good-naturedly to the boy. But the sleepy guard before the King's
apartments was cross and surly.
"What are you
doing here at this hour?" he demanded.
"I'm returni=
ng
his Majesty's shoes," said Button-Bright.
"Go back and
wait till morning," commanded the guard.
"If you prev=
ent
me from obeying the Boolooroo's orders," returned the boy quietly,
"he will probably have you patched."
This threat
frightened the long-necked guard, who did not know what orders the Boolooroo
had given his Royal Bootblue. "Go in, then," said he, "but if
you make a noise and waken his Majesty, the chances are you'll get yourself
patched."
"I'll be
quiet," promised the boy.
Indeed, Button-Br=
ight
had no desire to waken the Boolooroo, whom he found snoring lustily with the
curtains of his high-posted bed drawn tightly around him. The boy had taken=
off
his own shoes after he passed the guard and now he tiptoed carefully into t=
he
room, set down the royal shoes very gently and then crept to the chair where
his Majesty's clothes were piled. Scarcely daring to breathe for fear of
awakening the terrible monarch, the boy searched in the royal pockets until=
he found
a blue-gold key attached to a blue-gold chain. At once he decided this must=
be
the key to the Treasure Chamber, but in order to make sure he searched in e=
very
other pocket--without finding another key.
Then Button-Bright
crept softly out of the room again, and in one of the outer rooms he sat do=
wn
near a big cabinet and put on his shoes. Poor Button-Bright did not know th=
at
lying disregarded beneath that very cabinet at his side was the precious
umbrella he was seeking, or that he was undertaking a desperate adventure a=
ll
for nothing. He passed the long-necked guard again, finding the man half
asleep, and then made his way to the Treasure Chamber. Facing Jimfred, he s=
aid
to the patched man in a serious tone, "His Majesty commands you to go =
at once
to the corridor leading to the apartments of the Six Snubnosed Princesses a=
nd
to guard the entrance until morning. You are to permit no one to enter or l=
eave
the apartments."
"But--good
gracious!" exclaimed the surprised Jimfred. "Who will guard the
Treasure Chamber?"
"I am to take
your place," said Button-Bright.
"Oh, very
well," replied Jimfred. "This is a queer freak for our Boolooroo =
to
indulge in, but he is always doing something absurd. You're not much of a
guard, seems to me, but if anyone tries to rob the Treasure Chamber you must
ring this big gong, which will alarm the whole palace and bring the soldier=
s to
your assistance. Do you understand?"
"Yes," =
said
Button-Bright.
Then Fredjim stal=
ked
away to the other side of the palace to guard the Princesses, and Button-Br=
ight
was left alone with the key to the Treasure Chamber in his hand. But he had=
not
forgotten that the ferocious Blue Wolf was guarding the interior of the
Chamber, so he searched in some of the rooms until he found a sofa-pillow,
which he put under his arm and then returned to the corridor.
He placed the key=
in
the lock, and the bolt turned with a sharp click. Button-Bright did not
hesitate. He was afraid, to be sure, and his heart was beating fast with the
excitement of the moment, but he knew he must regain the Magic Umbrella if =
he
would save his comrades and himself from destruction, for without it they c=
ould
never return to the Earth. So he summoned up his best courage, opened the d=
oor,
stepped quickly inside, and closed the door after him.
A low, fierce gro=
wl
greeted him. The Treasure Chamber was pretty dark, although the moonlight c=
ame
in through some of the windows, but the boy had brought with him the low br=
ass
lamp that lighted the corridor, and this he set upon a table beside the door
before he took time to look around him.
The Treasure Cham=
ber
was heaped and crowded with all the riches the Boolooroo had accumulated du=
ring
his reign of two or three hundred years. Piles of gold and jewels were on a=
ll
sides, and precious ornaments and splendid cloths, rare pieces of carved
furniture, vases, bric-a-brac and the like, were strewn about the room in
astonishing profusion.
Just at the boy's
feet crouched a monstrous animal of most fearful aspect. He knew at a glanc=
e it
was the terrible Blue Wolf, and the sight of the beast sent a shiver through
him. The Blue Wolf's head was fully as big as that of a lion, and its wide =
jaws
were armed with rows of long, pointed teeth. His shoulders and front legs w=
ere
huge and powerful, but the rest of the wolf's body dwindled away until at t=
he tail
it was no bigger than a dog. The jaws were therefore the dangerous part of =
the
creature, and its small blue eyes flashed wickedly at the intruder.
Just as the boy m=
ade
his first step forward, the Blue Wolf sprang upon him with its enormous jaws
stretched wide open. Button-Bright jammed the sofa-pillow into the brute's
mouth and crowded it in as hard as he could. The terrible teeth came togeth=
er
and buried themselves in the pillow, and then Mr. Wolf found he could not p=
ull
them out again--because his mouth was stuffed full. He could not even growl=
or yelp,
but rolled upon the floor trying in vain to release himself from the conque=
ring
pillow.
Button-Bright pai=
d no
further attention to the helpless animal, but caught up the blue-brass lamp=
and
began a search for his umbrella. Of course he could not find it, as it was =
not
there. He came across a small book bound in light-blue leather which lay up=
on
an exquisitely carved center-table. It was named, in dark-blue letters stam=
ped
on the leather, "The Royal Record Book," and remembering
Ghip-Ghisizzle longed to possess this book, Button-Bright hastily concealed=
it
inside his blouse. Then he renewed his search for the umbrella, but it was
quite in vain. He hunted in every crack and corner, bumbling the treasures =
here
and there in the quest, but at last he became positive that the Magic Umbre=
lla
was not there.
The boy was bitte=
rly
disappointed and did not know what to do next. But he noticed that the Blue
Wolf had finally seized an edge of the sofa-pillow in its sharp claws and w=
as
struggling to pull the thing out of his mouth; so, there being no object in=
his
remaining longer in the room where he might have to fight the wolf again,
Button-Bright went out and locked the door behind him.
While he stood in=
the
corridor wondering what to do next, a sudden shouting reached his ears. It =
was
the voice of the Boolooroo, saying "My Key, my Key! Who has stolen my
golden Key?" And then there followed shouts of soldiers and guards and
servants, and the rapid pattering of feet was heard throughout the palace. =
Button-Bright too=
k to
his heels and ran along the passages until he came to Cap'n Bill's room, wh=
ere
the sailorman and Trot were anxiously awaiting him.
"Quick!"
cried the boy. "We must escape from here at once, or we will be caught=
and
patched."
"Where's the
umbrel?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"I don't kno=
w. I
can't find it. But all the palace is aroused, and the Boolooroo is furious.
Come, let's get away at once!"
"Where'll we
go?" inquired Trot.
"We must make
for the open country and hide in the Fog Bank or in the Arch of Phinis,&quo=
t;
replied the boy.
They did not stop=
to
argue any longer, but all three stepped out of the little door into the str=
eet,
where they first clasped hands so they would not get separated in the dark,=
and
then ran as swiftly as they could down the street, which was deserted at th=
is
hour by the citizens. They could not go very fast because the sailorman's
wooden leg was awkward to run with and held them back, but Cap'n Bill hobbl=
ed
quicker than he had ever hobbled before in all his life, and they really ma=
de pretty
good progress.
They met no one on
the streets and continued their flight until at last they came to the City
Wall, which had a blue-iron gate in it. Here was a Blueskin guard, who had =
been
peacefully slumbering when aroused by the footsteps of the fugitives.
"Halt!" cried the guard fiercely.
Cap'n Bill halted
long enough to grab the man around his long neck with one hand and around h=
is
long leg with the other hand. Then he raised the Blueskin in the air and th=
rew
him far over the wall. A moment later they had unfastened the gate and fled
into the open country, where they headed toward the low mountain whose outl=
ines
were plainly visible in the moonlight.
The guard was now
howling and crying for help. In the city were answering shouts. A hue and c=
ry
came from every direction, reaching as far as the palace. Lights began to
twinkle everywhere in the streets, and the Blue city hummed like a beehive
filled with angry bees. "It won't do for us to get caught now,"
panted Cap'n Bill as they ran along. "I'm more afeared o' them Blue
citizens ner I am 'o the Blue Boolooroo. They'd tear us to pieces if they
could."
Sky Island was no=
t a
very big place, especially the blue part of it, and our friends were now ve=
ry
close to the low mountain. Presently they paused before a grim archway of b=
lue
marble, above which was carved the one word, "Phinis." The interi=
or
seemed dark and terrible as they stopped to regard it as a possible place of
refuge.
"Don't like =
that
place, Cap'n," whispered Trot.
"No more do =
I,
mate," he answered.
"I think I'd
rather take a chance on the Fog Bank," said Button-Bright.
Just then they we=
re
all startled by a swift flapping of wings, and a voice cried in shrill tone=
s,
"Where are y=
ou,
Trot? As like as not I've been forgot!"
Cap'n Bill jumped this way and Button-Bright that, and then there alighted on Trot's shoulder= the blue parrot that had been the pet of the Princess Cerulia. Said the bird, <= o:p>
"Gee! I've flown Here all alone. It's pretty far, But here we are!"
and then he barked
like a dog and chuckled with glee at having found his little friend.
In escaping the
palace, Trot had been obliged to leave all the pets behind her, but it seem=
ed
that the parrot had found some way to get free and follow her. They were all
astonished to hear the bird talk--and in poetry, too--but Cap'n Bill told T=
rot
that some parrots he had known had possessed a pretty fair gift of language,
and he added that this blue one seemed an unusually bright bird. "As f=
er
po'try," said he, "that's as how you look at po'try. Rhymes come =
from
your head, but real po'try from your heart, an' whether the blue parrot has=
a heart
or not, he's sure got a head."
Having decided no=
t to
venture into the Arch of Phinis, they again started on, this time across the
country straight toward the Fog Bank, which hung like a blue-grey cloud
directly across the center of the island. They knew they were being followe=
d by
bands of the Blueskins, for they could hear the shouts of their pursuers
growing louder and louder every minute, since their long legs covered the
ground more quickly than our friends could possibly go. Had the journey been
much farther, the fugitives would have been overtaken, but when the leaders=
of
the pursuing Blueskins were only a few yards behind them, they reached the =
edge
of the Fog Bank and without hesitation plunged into its thick mist, which
instantly hid them from view.
The Blueskins fell
back, horrified at the mad act of the strangers. To them the Fog Bank was t=
he
most dreadful thing in existence, and no Blueskin had ever ventured within =
it
even for a moment.
"That's the =
end
of those short-necked Yellowskins," said one, shaking his head. "=
We
may as well go back and report the matter to the Boolooroo."
It was rather moi=
st
in the Fog Bank. "Seems like a reg'lar drizzle," said Trot.
"I'll be soaked through in a minute." She had been given a costum=
e of
blue silk in exchange for her own dress, and the silk was so thin that the
moisture easily wetted it.
"Never
mind," said Cap'n Bill. "When it's a case of life 'n' death, clo's
don't count for much. I'm sort o' drippy myself."
Cried the parrot,
fluttering his feathers to try to keep them from sticking together,
"Floods and gushes fill our p=
ath-- This is not my day for a bath=
! Shut if off, or fear my
wrath."
"We can't,&q=
uot;
laughed Trot. "We'll jus' have to stick it out till we get to the other
side."
"Had we bett=
er go
to the other side?" asked Button-Bright anxiously.
"Why not?&qu=
ot;
returned Cap'n Bill. "The other side's the only safe side for us."=
;
"We don't kn=
ow
that, sir," said the boy. "Ghip-Ghisizzle said it was a terrible
country."
"I don't bel=
ieve
it," retorted the sailor stoutly. "Sizzle's never been there, an'=
he
knows nothing about it. 'The Sunset Country' sounds sort o' good to me.&quo=
t;
"But how'll =
we
ever manage to get there?" inquired Trot. "Aren't we already lost=
in
this fog?"
"Not yet,&qu=
ot;
said Cap'n Bill. "I've kep' my face turned straight ahead ever since we
climbed inter this bank o' wetness. If we don't get twisted any, we'll go
straight through to the other side."
It was no darker =
in
the Fog Bank than it had been in the Blue Country. They could see dimly the
mass of fog, which seemed to cling to them, and when they looked down, they
discovered that they were walking upon white pebbles that were slightly tin=
ged
with the blue color of the sky. Gradually this blue became fainter until, as
they progressed, everything became a dull gray.
"I wonder how
far it is to the other side," remarked Trot wearily.
"We can't say
till we get there, mate," answered the sailor in a cheerful voice. Cap=
'n
Bill had a way of growing more and more cheerful when danger threatened.
"Never
mind," said the girl. "I'm as wet as a dishrag now, and I'll never
get any wetter."
"Wet, wet, wet! It's awful wet, you bet!"=
;
moaned the parrot=
on
her shoulder.
"I'm a fish-pond, I'm a well;=
I'm a clam without a shell!&q=
uot;
"Can't you d=
ry up?"
asked Cap'n Bill.
"Not this evening, thank you,=
sir; To talk and grumble I prefer,=
"
replied the parrot
dolefully.
They walked along
more slowly now, still keeping hold of hands, for although they were anxiou=
s to
get through the Fog Bank, they were tired with the long run across the coun=
try
and with their day's adventures. They had no sleep and it was a long time p=
ast
midnight.
"Look out!&q=
uot;
cried the parrot sharply; and they all halted to find a monstrous frog
obstructing their path. Cap'n Bill thought it was as big as a whale, and as=
it
squatted on the gray pebbles, its eyes were on a level with those of the old
sailor.
"Ker-chug,
herk-choo!" grunted the frog. "What in the Sky is THIS crowd?&quo=
t;
"W-we're
strangers," stammered Trot, "an' we're tryin' to 'scape from the
Blueskins an' get into the Pink Country."
"I don't bla=
me
you," said the frog in a friendly tone. "I hate those Blueskins. =
The
Pinkies, however, are very decent neighbors."
"Oh, I'm gla=
d to
hear that!" cried Button-Bright. "Can you tell us, Mister--Mistre=
ss--good
Mr. Frog--eh, eh, your Royal Highness, if we're on the right road to the Pi=
nk
Country?"
The frog seemed to
laugh, for he gurgled in his throat in a very funny way. "I'm no Royal
Highness," he said. "I'm just a common frog, and a little wee tiny
frog, too. But I hope to grow in time. This Fog Bank is the Paradise of Fro=
gs,
and our King is about ten times as big as I am."
"Then he's a=
big
'un, an' no mistake," admitted Cap'n Bill. "I'm glad you like your
country, but it's a mite too damp for us, an' we'd be glad to get out of
it."
"Follow
me," said the frog. "I'll lead you to the border. It's only about=
six
jumps." He turned around, made a mighty leap and disappeared in the gr=
ay
mist. Our friends looked at one another in bewilderment.
"Don't see h=
ow
we can foller that lead," remarked Cap'n Bill, "but we may as well
start in the same direction."
"Brooks and creeks, How it leaks!"
muttered the parr=
ot.
"How can we jog To a frog in the fog?" <= o:p>
The big frog seem=
ed
to understand their difficulty, for he kept making noises in his throat to
guide them to where he had leaped. When at last they came up to him, he mad=
e a
second jump--out of sight, as before--and when they attempted to follow, th=
ey
found a huge lizard lying across the path. Cap'n Bill thought it must be a
giant alligator at first, it was so big, but he looked at them sleepily and=
did
not seem at all dangerous.
"O, Liz--you
puffy Liz--Get out of our way and mind your biz," cried the parrot.
"Creep-a-mousie, crawl-a-mous=
ie,
please move on! We can'=
t move
a step till you are gone."
"Don't distu=
rb
me," said the lizard. "I'm dreaming about parsnips. Did you ever
taste a parsnip?"
"We're in a
hurry, if it's the same to you, sir," said Cap'n Bill politely.
"Then climb =
over
me or go around, I don't care which," murmured the lizard. "When
they're little, they're juicy; when they're big, there's more of 'em; but
either way there's nothing so delicious as a parsnip. There are none here in
the Fog Bank, so the best I can do is dream of them. Oh, parsnips, par-snip=
s,
p-a-r-snips!" He closed his eyes sleepily and resumed his dreams.
Walking around the
lizard, they resumed their journey and soon came to the frog, being guided =
by
its grunts and croaks. Then off it went again, its tremendous leap carrying=
it
far into the fog. Suddenly, Cap'n Bill tripped and would have fallen flat h=
ad
not Trot and Button-Bright held him up. Then he saw that he had stumbled ov=
er
the claw of a gigantic land-crab, which lay sprawled out upon the pebbly bo=
ttom.
"Oh, beg
parding, I'm sure!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill, backing away.
"Don't menti=
on
it," replied the crab in a tired tone. "You did not disturb me, so
there is no harm done."
"We didn't k=
now
you were here," explained Trot.
"Probably
not," said the crab. "It's no place for me, anyhow, for I belong =
in
the Constellations, you know, with Taurus and Gemini and the other fellows.=
But
I had the misfortune to tumble out of the Zodiac some time ago. My name is
Cancer, but I'm not a disease. Those who examine the heavens in these days,
alas! can find no Cancer there."
"Yes we can,
sir, Mister Cancer!" said the parrot with a chuckle.
"Once,"
remarked Cap'n Bill, "I sawr a picter of you in an almanac."
"Ah, the
almanacs always did us full justice," the crab replied, "but I'm =
told
they're not fashionable now."
"If you don't
mind, we'd like to pass on," said Button-Bright.
"No, I don't
mind, but be careful not to step on my legs. They're rheumatic, it's so moi=
st
here."
They climbed over
some of the huge legs and walked around others. Soon they had left the crea=
ture
far behind. "Aren't you rather slow?" asked the frog when once mo=
re
they came up to him.
"It isn't
that," said Trot. "You are rather swift, I guess." The frog =
chuckled
and leaped again. They noticed that the fog had caught a soft rose tint and=
was
lighter and less dense than before, for which reason the sailor remarked th=
at
they must be getting near to the Pink Country.
On this jump they=
saw
nothing but a monstrous turtle, which lay asleep with its head and legs dra=
wn
into its shell. It was not in their way, so they hurried on and rejoined the
frog, which said to them, "I'm sorry, but I'm due at the King's Court =
in a
few minutes, and I can't wait for your short, weak legs to make the journey=
to
the Pink Country. But if you will climb upon my back, I think I can carry y=
ou
to the border in one more leap."
"I'm
tired," said Trot, "an' this awful fog's beginnin' to choke me. L=
et's
ride on the frog, Cap'n."
"Right you a=
re,
mate," he replied, and although he shook a bit with fear, the old man =
at
once began to climb to the frog's back. Trot seated herself on one side of =
him
and Button-bright on the other, and the sailor put his arms around them bot=
h to
hold them tight together.
"Are you
ready?" asked the frog.
"Ding-dong!&=
quot;
cried the parrot.
"All aboard, let 'er go! Jump the best jump that you
know."
"Don't--don'=
t!
Jump sort o' easy, please," begged Cap'n Bill.
But the frog was
unable to obey his request. Its powerful hind legs straightened like steel
springs and shot the big body, with its passengers, through the fog like an
arrow launched from a bow. They gasped for breath and tried to hang on, and
then suddenly the frog landed just at the edge of the Fog Bank, stopping so
abruptly that his three riders left his back and shot far ahead of him. They
felt the fog melt away and found themselves bathed in glorious rays of
sunshine, but they had no time to consider this change because they were st=
ill shooting
through the air, and presently--before they could think of anything at all-=
-all
three were rolling heels over head on the soft grass of a meadow.
When the travelers
could collect their senses and sit up, they stared about them in bewilderme=
nt,
for the transition from the sticky, damp fog to this brilliant scene was so
abrupt as to daze them at first.
It was a Pink Cou=
ntry
indeed. The grass was a soft pink, the trees were pink, all the fences and
buildings which they saw in the near distance were pink--even the gravel in=
the
pretty paths was pink. Many shades of color were there, of course, grading =
from
a faint blush rose to deep pink verging on red, but no other color was visi=
ble.
In the sky hung a pink glow, with rosy clouds floating here and there, and =
the sun
was not silvery white, as we see it from the Earth, but a distinct pink.
The sun was high =
in
the sky just now, which proved the adventurers had been a long time in pass=
ing
through the Fog Bank. But all of them were wonderfully relieved to reach th=
is beautiful
country in safety, for aside from the danger that threatened them in the Bl=
ue
Country, the other side of the island was very depressing. Here the scene t=
hat confronted
them was pretty and homelike, except for the prevailing color and the fact =
that
all the buildings were round, without a single corner or angle.
Half a mile dista=
nt
was a large City, its pink tintings glistening bravely in the pink sunshine,
while hundreds of pink banners floated from its numerous domes. The country
between the Fog Bank and the city was like a vast garden, very carefully ke=
pt
and as neat as wax.
The parrot was
fluttering its wings and pruning its feathers to remove the wet of the fog.
Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill were all soaked to the skin and chill=
ed
through, but as they sat upon the pink grass they felt the rays of the sun
sending them warmth and rapidly drying their clothes; so, being tired out, =
they
laid themselves comfortably down and first one and then another fell cozily
asleep.
It was the parrot=
that
aroused them.
"Look out--look out-- There's folks about!"
it screamed.
"The
apple-dumplings, fat and pink, Will be here quicker than a wink!"
Trot stared up in
alarm and rubbed her eyes; Cap'n Bill rolled over and blinked, hardly
remembering where he was; Button-Bright was on his feet in an instant.
Advancing toward them were four of the natives of the Pink Country.
Two were men and =
two
were women, and their appearance was in sharp contrast to that of the
Blueskins. For the Pinkies were round and chubby--almost like
"apple-dumplings," as the parrot called them--and they were not v=
ery
tall, the highest of the men being no taller than Trot or Button-Bright. Th=
ey
all had short necks and legs, pink hair and eyes, rosy cheeks and pink
complexions, and their faces were good-natured and jolly in expression.
The men wore
picturesque pink clothing and round hats with pink feathers in them, but the
apparel of the women was still more gorgeous and striking. Their dresses
consisted of layer after layer of gauzy tuck and ruffles and laces, caught =
here
and there with bows of dainty ribbon. The skirts--which of course were of m=
any
shades of pink--were so fluffy and light that they stuck out from the fat
bodies of the Pinkie women like the skirts of ballet-dancers, displaying th=
eir
chubby pink ankles and pink kid shoes. They wore rings and necklaces and br=
acelets
and brooches of rose-gold set with pink gems, and all four of the new arriv=
als,
both men and women, carried sharp-pointed sticks made of rosewood for weapo=
ns.
They halted a lit=
tle
way from our adventurers, and one of the women muttered in a horrified voic=
e,
"Blueskins!"
"Guess again! The more you gu=
ess I rather think you'll know the
less,"
retorted the parr=
ot,
and then he added grumblingly in Trot's ear, "Blue feathers don't make
bluebirds."
"Really,&quo=
t;
said the girl, standing up and bowing respectfully to the Pinkies, "we=
are
not Blueskins, although we are wearing the blue uniforms of the Boolooroo a=
nd
have just escaped from the Blue Country. If you will look closely, you will=
see
that our skins are white."
"There is so=
me
truth in what she says," remarked one of the men thoughtfully. "T=
heir
skins are not blue, but neither are they white. To be exact, I should call =
the
skin of the girl and that of the boy a muddy pink, rather faded, while the =
skin
of the gigantic monster with them is an unpleasant brown."
Cap'n Bill looked
cross for a minute, for he did not like to be called a "gigantic
monster," although he realized he was much larger than the pink people=
.
"What country
did you come from" asked the woman who had first spoken.
"From the
Earth," replied Button-Bright.
"The Earth! =
The
Earth!" they repeated. "That is a country we have never heard of.
Where is it located?"
"Why, down b=
elow
somewhere," said the boy, who did now know in which direction the Earth
lay. "It isn't just one country, but a good many countries."
"We have thr=
ee
countries in Sky Island," returned the woman. "They are the Blue
Country, the Fog Country and the Pink Country. But of course this end of the
Island is the most important."
"How came yo=
u in
the Blue Country, from whence you say you escaped?" asked the man.
"We flew the=
re
by means of a Magic Umbrella," explained Button-Bright, "but the
wicked Boolooroo stole it from us."
"Stole it! H=
ow
dreadful," they all cried in a chorus.
"And they ma=
de
us slaves," said Trot.
"An' wanted =
fer
to patch us," added Cap'n Bill indignantly.
"So we ran a=
way
and passed through the Fog Bank and came here," said Button-Bright.
The Pinkies turned
away and conversed together in low tones. Then one of the women came forward
and addressed the strangers. "Your story is the strangest we have ever
heard," said she, "and your presence here is still more strange a=
nd
astonishing. So we have decided to take you to Tourmaline and let her decide
what shall be your fate."
"Who is
Tourmaline?" inquired Trot doubtfully, for she didn't like the idea of
being "taken" to anyone.
"The Queen of
the Pinkies. She is the sole Ruler of our country, so the word of Tourmalin=
e is
the Law of the Land."
"Seems to me
we've had 'bout enough of kings an' queens," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"Can't we shy your Tut-Tor-mar-line--or whatever you call her--in some=
way
an' deal with you direct?"
"No. Until we
prove your truth and honor we must regard you as enemies of our race. If you
had a Magic Umbrella, you may be magicians and sorcerers come here to decei=
ve
us and perhaps betray us to our natural enemies, the Blueskins."
"Mud and bricks, fiddlesticks=
! We don't play such nasty tric=
ks,"
yelled the parrot
angrily, and this caused the Pinkies to shrink back in alarm, for they had
never seen a parrot before.
"Surely this=
is
magic!" declared one of the men. "No bird can talk unless inspire=
d by
witchcraft."
"Oh yes, par=
rots
can," said Trot. But this incident had determined the Pinkies to consi=
der
our friends prisoners and to take them immediately before their Queen.
"Must we fig=
ht
you?" asked the woman. "Or will you come with us peaceably?"=
"We'll go
peaceable," answered Cap'n Bill. "You're a-makin' a sad mistake, =
for
we're as harmless as doves; but seein' as you're suspicious, we'd better ha=
ve
it out with your Queen first as last."
Their clothing was
quite dry by this time, although much wrinkled and discolored by the
penetrating fog, so at once they prepared to follow the Pinkies. The two men
walked on either side of them, holding the pointed sticks ready to jab them=
if
they attempted to escape, and the two women followed in the rear, also armed
with sharp sticks.
So the procession
moved along the pretty roadways to the City, which they soon reached. There=
was
a strong, high wall of pink marble around it, and they passed through a gate
made of pink metal bars and found themselves in a most delightful and
picturesque town. The houses were big and substantial, all round in shape, =
with
domed roofs and circular windows and doorways. In all the place there was b=
ut
one street--a circular one that started at the gate and wound like a corksc=
rew
toward the center of the City. It was paved with pink marble, and between t=
he street
and the houses that lined both sides of it were gardens filled with pink
flowers and pink grass lawns, which were shaded by pink trees and shrubbery=
.
As the Queen live=
d in
the very center of the city, the captives were obliged to parade the entire
length of this street, and that gave all the Pink Citizens a chance to have=
a
good look at the strangers. The Pinkies were every one short and fat and
gorgeously dressed in pink attire, and their faces indicated that they were
contented and happy. They were much surprised at Cap'n Bill's great size and
wooden leg--two very unusual things in their experience--and the old sailor
frightened more than one Pink boy and girl and sent them scampering into th=
e houses,
where they viewed the passing procession from behind the window shutters in
comparative safety. As for the grown people, many of them got out their
sharp-pointed sticks to use as weapons in case the strangers attacked them =
or
broke away from their guards. A few, more bold than the others, followed on=
at
the tail of the procession, and so presently they all reached an open, circ=
ular
place in the exact center of the Pink City.
CHAPTER 14 - TOURMALINE T=
HE
POVERTY QUEEN
The open space wh=
ich
they entered was paved with pink marble, and around it were two rows of lar=
ge,
pink statues, at least life-size and beautifully sculptured. All were set u=
pon
nicely carved pink pedestals. They were, of course, statues of Pinky men and
women, and all had bands of pink metal around their foreheads, in the cente=
r of
each band being a glistening pink jewel.
About the middle =
of
the open space inside the statues, which appeared to be the public meeting
place of the Pinkies, was a small, low house, domed like all the other hous=
es
but built of a coarse pink stone instead of the fine marble to be seen
everywhere else. It had no ornamentation, being exceedingly plain in
appearance. No banners floated from it; no flowers grew near it.
"Here,"
said one of their guides as the procession halted before the little stone
building, "is the palace of Tourmaline, who is our Queen."
"What, that
little cabin?" exclaimed Trot.
"Of course. =
Did
you suppose a palace would be like one of our handsome residences?" as=
ked
the woman, evidently surprised.
"I thought it
would be better," said the girl. "All the palaces I've seen were
splendid."
"A splendid
palace!" exclaimed one of the Pinkies, and then they looked at one ano=
ther
in amazement and seemed to doubt that their ears had heard aright.
"These intru=
ders
are very peculiar people," remarked a man in the crowd.
"They seem v=
ery
ignorant, poor things!" said another in reply.
"Come!"
commanded the woman who led the party. "You three must follow me to the
presence of Tourmaline. The people must wait outside, for there is no room =
for
them in the palace."
So they followed =
her
through the low archway, and in a room beyond, very simply furnished, sat a
young girl engaged in darning a pair of pink stockings. She was a beautiful
girl of about seventeen years of age, not fat like all the rest of the Pink=
ies
but slender and well formed according to our own ideas of beauty. Her
complexion was not a decided pink, but a soft, rosy tint not much deeper th=
an
that of Trot's skin. Instead of a silken gown furbelowed like all the others
they had seen women wear in this land, Tourmaline was dressed in a severely=
plain
robe of coarse pink cloth much resembling bedticking. Across her brow, howe=
ver,
was a band of rose gold, in the center of which was set a luminous pink jew=
el
which gleamed more brilliantly than a diamond. It was her badge of office a=
nd
seemed very incongruous when compared with her poor rainment and simple
surroundings.
As they entered, =
the
girl sighed and laid down her work. Her expression was patient and resigned=
as
she faced her audience. "What is it, Coralie?" she asked the woma=
n.
"Here are th=
ree
strange people, Tourmaline," was the reply, "who say they have
entered our country through the Fog Bank. They tell a queer story of an esc=
ape
from the Blueskins, so I decided to bring them to you, that you may determi=
ne
their fate."
The Queen gazed u=
pon
our friends with evident interest. She smiled--a little sadly--at Trot, see=
med
to approve Button-Bright's open, frank face, and was quite surprised because
Cap'n Bill was so much bigger than her own people. "Are you a giant?&q=
uot;
she asked the sailor in a soft, sweet voice.
"No, your
Majesty," he replied, "I'm only--"
"Majesty!&qu=
ot;
she exclaimed, flushing a deeper pink. "Are you addressing that word to
me?"
"O' course,
ma'am," answered Cap'n Bill. "I'm told that's the proper way to s=
peak
to a Queen."
"Perhaps you=
are
trying to ridicule me," she continued, regarding the sailor's face
closely. "There is nothing majestic about me, as you know very well.
Coralie, do you consider 'majesty' a proper word to use when addressing a
Queen?" she added, appealing to the Pinky woman.
"By no
means," was the prompt reply.
"What shall I
call her, then?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"Just Tourmaline. That is her name, and it is sufficient," said the woman. <= o:p>
"The Ruler o=
f a
country ought to be treated with great respec'," declared Trot a little
indignantly, for she thought the pretty little queen was not being properly
deferred to.
"Why?"
asked Tourmaline curiously.
"Because the
Ruler is the mos' 'risticratic person in any land," explained the litt=
le
girl. "Even in America ever'body bows low to our President, an' the
Blueskins are so 'fraid o' their Boolooroo that they tremble whenever they =
go
near him."
"But surely =
that
is all wrong," said Tourmaline gravely. "The Ruler is appointed to
protect and serve the people, and here in the Pink Country I have the full
power to carry out the laws. I even decree death when such a punishment is
merited. Therefore I am a mere agent to direct the laws, which are the Will=
of
the People, and am only a public servant obliged constantly to guard the
welfare of my subjects."
"In that
case," said Button-Bright, "you're entitled to the best there is =
to
pay for your trouble. A powerful ruler ought to be rich and to live in a
splendid palace. Your folks ought to treat you with great respect, as Trot
says."
"Oh no,"
responded Tourmaline quickly. "That would indeed be very wrong. Too mu=
ch
should never be given to anyone. If, with my great power, conferred upon me=
by
the people, I also possessed great wealth, I might be tempted to be cruel a=
nd
overbearing. In that case my subjects would justly grow envious of my super=
ior
station. If I lived as luxuriously as my people do and had servants and cos=
tly
gowns, the good Pinkies would say that their Queen had more than they
themselves, and it would be true. No, our way is best. The Ruler, be it kin=
g or
queen, has absolute power to rule, but no riches, no high station, no false
adulation. The people have the wealth and honor, for it is their due. The Q=
ueen
has nothing but the power to execute the laws, to adjust grievances and to
compel order."
"What pays y=
ou,
then, for all your bother?" asked Trot.
"I have one
great privilege. After my death a pink marble statue of me will be set up in
the Grand Court, with the statues of the other Kings and Queens who have ru=
led
this land, and all the Pinkies in ages to come will then honor me as having
been a just and upright queen. That is my reward."
"I'm sorry f=
or
you, ma'am," said Cap'n Bill. "Your pay for bein' a queen is sort=
o'
like a life-insurance. If don't come due till after you're dead, an' then y=
ou
can't get much fun out o' it."
"I did not
choose to be the Queen," answered Tourmaline simply. "A misfortun=
e of
birth placed me here, and I cannot escape my fate. It is much more desirabl=
e to
be a private citizen, happy and carefree. But we have talked long enough of
myself. Tell me who you are, and why you have come here."
Between them they
told the story of how the Magic Umbrella had taken them to Sky Island, which
they did not know when they started was anywhere in existence. Button-Bright
told this, and then Trot related their adventures among the Blueskins and h=
ow
the Boolooroo had stolen the umbrella and prevented them from going home ag=
ain.
The parrot on her shoulder kept interrupting her continually, for the menti=
on
of the Boolooroo seemed to make the bird frantic with rage.
"Naughty, naughty Boolooroo! =
He's the worst I ever knew!&q=
uot;
the parrot repeat=
ed
over and over again.
Cap'n Bill finish=
ed
the story by telling of their escape through the Fog Bank. "We didn't =
know
what your Pink Country was like, o' course," he said, "but we kne=
w it
couldn't be worse than the Blue Country, an' we didn't take any stock in th=
eir
stories that the Fog Bank would be the death o' us."
"Pretty wet! Pretty wet Was the journey, you can bet!=
"
declared the parr=
ot
in conclusion.
"Yes, it was=
wet
an' sticky, all right," agreed the sailor, "but the big frog help=
ed
us an' we got through all right."
"But what can
you do here?" asked Tourmaline. "You are not like my people, the
Pinkies, and there is no place for you in our country."
"That's true
enough," said Cap'n Bill, "but we had to go somewhere, an' this w=
as
the likeliest place we could think of. Your Sky Island ain't very big, so w=
hen
we couldn't stay in the Blue Country, where ever'body hated us, or in the F=
og
Bank, which ain't healthy an' is too wet for humans to live in for long, we
nat'rally were forced to enter the Pink Country, where we expected to find =
nice
people."
"We ARE
nice," said Tourmaline, "but it is our country, not yours, and we
have no place here for strangers. In all our history you are the first peop=
le
from outside our borders who have ever stepped a foot in our land. We do no=
t hate
you, as you say the Blueskins do, nor are we savage or cruel, but we do not
want you here, and I am really puzzled what to do with you."
"Isn't there=
a
law to cover this case?" asked Coralie.
"I do not
remember any such law," replied the queen, "but I will search in =
the
Great Book and see if I can find anything that refers to strange people
entering our land."
"If not,&quo=
t;
said the woman, "you must make a law. It is your duty."
"I know,&quo=
t;
answered Tourmaline, "but I hope such a responsibility will not fall u=
pon
my shoulders. These poor strangers are in a very uncomfortable position, an=
d I
wish I could help them to get back to their own country."
"Thank
you," said Trot. "We wish so, too. Haven't you any fairies
here?"
"Oh, there a=
re
fairies, of course, as there are everywhere," answered Tourmaline,
"but none that we can call to our assistance or command to do our
bidding."
"How about
witches?" asked Button-Bright.
"I know of o=
ne
witch," said Tourmaline thoughtfully, "but she is not very obligi=
ng.
She says it makes her head ache to perform witchcraft, and so she seldom
indulges in it. But if there is no other way, I may be obliged to call upon
Rosalie for help. I'll look in the Great Book first. Meantime, you will go =
home
with Coralie, who will feed you and give you entertainment. Tomorrow morning
come to me again and then I will decree your fate." The little queen t=
hen
picked up her stocking and began to darn the holes in it, and Coralie, with=
out
any formal parting, led the strangers from the miserable palace.
Although Trot and=
her
comrades were still prisoners, they were far more comfortable than they had
been in the Blue Country. Coralie took them to her own home, where she live=
d in
great luxury, being one of the prominent women of the Pinkies. In this coun=
try
the women seemed fully as important as the men, and instead of being coddled
and petted, they performed their share of the work, both in public and priv=
ate
affairs, and were expected to fight in the wars exactly as the men did.
Our friends learn=
ed
considerable about the Pinkies during that afternoon and evening, for their
hostess proved kind and agreeable and frankly answered all their questions.
Although this half of Sky Island was no larger than the Blue Country, being=
no
more than two miles square, it had several hundred inhabitants. These were
divided into two tribes, which were called the Sunrise Tribe and the Sunset
Tribe. The Sunrise Tribe lived in the eastern half of the Pink Country and =
the Sunset
Tribe in the west half, and there was great rivalry between them, and somet=
imes
war.
It was all a ques=
tion
of social importance. The Sunrise Tribe claimed that every day the sun gree=
ted
them first of all, which proved they were the most important; but on the ot=
her
hand, the Sunset Tribe claimed that the sun always deserted the other tribe=
and
came to them, which was evidence that they were the most attractive people.=
On
Sky Island--at least on the Pink side--the sun arose in wonderful splendor,=
but
also it set in a blaze of glory, and so there were arguments on both sides,=
and
for want of something better to argue about, the Pinkies took this queer
subject as a cause of dispute.
Both Tribes
acknowledged Tourmaline their Queen and obeyed the laws of the country, and
just at this time there was peace in the land, and all the inhabitants of t=
he
east and west were friendly. But they had been known, Coralie said, to fight
one another fiercely with their sharp sticks, at which times a good many we=
re
sure to get hurt.
"Why do they
call this an Island?" asked Button-Bright. "There isn't any water
around it, is there?"
"No, but the=
re
is sky all around it," answered Coralie. "And if one should step =
off
the edge, he would go tumbling into the great sky and never be heard of
again."
"Is there a
fence around the edge?" asked Trot.
"Only a few
places are fenced," was the reply. "Usually there are rows of thi=
ck
bushes set close to the edge to prevent people from falling off. Once there=
was
a King of the Pinkies who was cruel and overbearing and imagined he was
superior to the people he ruled, so one day his subjects carried him to the
edge of the island and threw him over the bushes."
"Goodness
me!" said Trot. "He might have hit someone on the Earth."
"Guess he
skipped it, though," added Cap'n Bill, "for I never heard of a Pi=
nky
till I came here."
"And I have
never heard of the Earth," retorted Coralie. "Of course, there mu=
st
be such a place, because you came from there, but the Earth is never visibl=
e in
our sky."
"No," s=
aid
Button-Bright, "'cause it's UNDER your island. But it's there, all rig=
ht,
and it's a pretty good place to live. I wish I could get back to it." =
"So do I,
Button-Bright!" exclaimed Trot.
"Let's
fly!" cried the parrot, turning his head so that one bright little eye
looked directly into the girl's eye. "Say goodbye and let's fly through
the sky, far and high!"
"If we only =
had
my umbrella, we'd fly in a minute," sighed Button-Bright. "But the
Boolooroo stole it."
"Naughty, naughty Boolooroo, =
What a wicked thing to do!&qu=
ot;
wailed the parrot,
and they all agreed with him.
Coralie belonged =
to
the Sunset Tribe, as she lived west of the queen's palace, which was the ce=
nter
of the Pink Country. A servant came to the room where they were conversing =
to
state that the sun was about to set, and at once Coralie arose and took the
strangers to an upper balcony, where all the household had assembled.
The neighboring
houses also had their balconies and roofs filled with people, for it seemed=
all
the Sunset Tribe came out every night to witness the setting of the sun. It=
was
really a magnificent sight, and Trot scarcely breathed as the great, golden
ball sank low in the sky and colored all the clouds with gorgeous tints of
orange, red and yellow. Never on the Earth was there visible such splendor,=
and
as the little girl watched the ever-changing scene, she decided the Sunset =
Tribe
was amply justified in claiming that the West was the favored country of the
sun.
"You see,&qu=
ot;
said Cap'n Bill, "the sky is all around us, an' we're high up, so the =
sun
really loses itself in the clouds an' leaves a trail of beauty behind
him."
"He does
that!" agreed Trot. "This is almost worth comin' for, Cap'n."=
;
"But not
quite," said Button-bright sadly. "I'd get along without the suns=
et
if only we could go home."
They went in to
dinner after this, and sat at Coralie's own table with her husband and chil=
dren
and found the meal very good. After a pleasant evening, during which no
reference was made to their being prisoners, they were shown to prettily
furnished rooms--all in pink--and slept soundly in the soft beds provided f=
or
them. Trot wakened early the next morning and went out on the balcony to see
the sunrise. The little girl was well repaid, for the splendor of the rising
sun was almost equal to that of the setting sun. Surely this was a wonderful
country and much more delightful than the Blue side of the island, where the
sun was hidden by the great Fog and only the moon was visible.
When she went in,=
she
found that both Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill were up and dressed, so they
decided to take a walk before breakfast. No one restrained them or interfer=
ed
with them in any way. "They know we can't get away," observed the
sailor, "so they don't need to watch us."
"We could go
into the Fog Bank again," suggested Trot.
"We could, m=
ate,
but we won't," answered Cap'n Bill. "If there's no way for us to =
get
clean off'n Sky Island, I'd rather stay with the Pinkies than with the
Blues."
"I wonder wh=
at
they'll do with us," said Button-Bright. "The Queen seems like a =
nice
girl, and I don't think she'll hurt us, whatever happens."
They walked freely
along the circular street, seeing such sights as the Pink City afforded, and
then returned to Coralie's house for breakfast. Coralie herself was not the=
re,
as she had been summoned to the Queen's palace, but her husband looked after
the guests, and when breakfast was finished he said to them, "I am to =
take
you to Tourmaline, who has promised to decide your fate this morning. I am =
curious
to know what she will do with you, for in all our history we have never bef=
ore
had strangers intrude upon us."
"We're curio=
us,
too," said Trot, "but we'll soon find out." As they walked d=
own
the street, they observed that the sky was now covered with dark clouds whi=
ch
entirely hid the sun.
"Does it ever
rain here?" inquired Button-Bright.
"Certainly,&=
quot;
answered Coralie's husband, "that is the one drawback of our country: =
it
rains quite often. And although it makes the flowers and the grass grow, I =
think
rain is very disagreeable. I am always glad to see the rainbow, which is a =
sign
that the sun will shine again."
"Looks like =
rain
now," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"It does,&qu=
ot;
said the man, glancing at the sky. "We must hurry, or we may get
wet."
"Haven't you=
any
umbrellas?" asked Button-Bright.
"No, we don't
know what umbrellas are," replied the Pinky man.
It did not rain at
once, and they reached Tourmaline's wretched hut in safety. There they found
quite a number of Pinkies assembled, and a spirited discussion was taking p=
lace
when they arrived.
"Come in,
please," said Tourmaline, opening the door for them, and when they had
entered, she placed a pinkwood bench for them to sit upon and went back to =
her
throne, which was a common rocking chair. At her right were seated six men =
and
women of the Sunrise Tribe, and on her left six men and women of the Sunset
Tribe, among the latter being Coralie. The contrast between the plain, simp=
le
dress of the Queen and the gorgeous apparel of her Counselors was quite rem=
arkable,
yet her beauty far surpassed that of any of her people, and her demeanor wa=
s so
modest and unassuming that it was difficult for the prisoners to believe th=
at
her word would decree life or death and that all the others were subservien=
t to
her. Tourmaline's eyes were so deep a shade of pink that they were almost
hazel, and her hair was darker than that of the others, being a golden-red =
in
color. These points, taken with her light-pink skin and slender form, rende=
red
her distinctive among the Pinkies, whatever gown she might wear.
When the strangers
were seated, she turned to them and said, "I have searched through the
Great Book of Laws and found nothing about foreign people entering our land.
There is a law that if any of the Blueskins break through the Fog Bank, they
shall be driven back with sharp sticks; but you are not Blueskins, so this =
Law
does not apply to you. Therefore, in order to decide your fate, I have summ=
oned
a Council of twelve of my people, who will vote as to whether you shall be =
permitted
to remain here or not. They wanted to see you before they cast their final
vote, that they may examine you carefully and discover if you are worthy to
become inhabitants of the Pink Country."
"The rose is red, the violet's
blue, But Trot is sweet=
er
than the two!"
declared the parr=
ot
in a loud voice. It was a little verse Cap'n Bill had taught the bird that =
very
morning while Trot was seeing the sun rise.
The Pinkies were
startled and seemed a little frightened at hearing a bird speak so clearly.
Trot laughed and patted the bird's head in return for the compliment. "=
;Is
the Monster Man whose legs are part wood a dangerous creature?" asked =
one
of the Sunrise Tribe.
"Not to my
friends," replied Cap'n Bill, much amused. "I s'pose I could fight
your whole crowd of Pinkies if I had to, an' make you run for your lives, b=
ut
bein' as you're friendly to us, you ain't in any danger." The sailor
thought this speech was diplomatic and might "head off any trouble,&qu=
ot;
but the Pinkies seemed uneasy, and several of them picked up their slender,
pointed sticks and held them in their hands. They were not cowardly, but it=
was
evident they mistrusted the big man, who on Earth was not considered big at
all, but rather undersized.
"What we'd
like," said Trot, "is to stay here, cozy an' peaceable, till we c=
an
find a way to get home to the Earth again. Your country is much nicer than =
the
Blue Country, and we like you pretty well from what we've seen of you, so if
you'll let us stay, we won't be any more trouble to you than we can help.&q=
uot;
They all gazed up=
on
the little girl curiously, and one of them said, "How strangely light =
her
color is! And it is pink, too, which is in her favor. But her eyes are of t=
hat
dreadful blue tint which prevails in the other half of Sky Island, while her
hair is a queer color unknown to us. She is not like our people and would n=
ot
harmonize with the universal color here."
"That's
true," said another. "The three strangers are all inharmonious. If
allowed to remain here, they would ruin the color scheme of the country, wh=
ere
all is now pink."
"In spite of
that," said Coralie, "they are harmless creatures and have done u=
s no
wrong."
"Yes they
have," replied a nervous little Sunrise man, "they wronged us by
coming here."
"They could =
not
help doing that," argued Coralie, "and it is their misfortune that
they are here on Sky Island at all. Perhaps if we keep them with us for a
while, they may find a way to return safely to their own country."
"We'll fly
through the sky by-and-by--ki-yi!" yelled the parrot with startling
suddenness.
"Is that
true?" asked a Pinky seriously.
"Why, we wou=
ld
if we could," answered Trot. "We flew to this island, anyhow.&quo=
t;
"Perhaps,&qu=
ot;
said another, "if we pushed them off the edge, they could fly down aga=
in.
Who knows?"
"We know,&qu=
ot;
answered Cap'n Bill hastily. "We'd tumble, but we wouldn't fly." =
"They'd take a fall-- And that is all!"
observed the parr=
ot,
fluttering its wings. There was silence for a moment while all the Pinkies
seemed to think deeply. Then the Queen asked the strangers to step outside
while they counseled together. Our friends obeyed, and leaving the room they
all entered the courtyard and examined the rows of pink marble statues for
nearly an hour before they were summoned to return to the little room in
Tourmaline's palace.
"We are now
ready to vote as to your fate," said the pretty Queen to them. "We
have decided there are but two things for us do to: either permit you to re=
main
here as honored guests or take you to an edge of the island and throw you o=
ver
the bushes into the sky."
They were silent =
at
hearing this dreadful alternative, but the parrot screamed shrilly,
"Oh, what a dump! Oh, what a =
jump! Won't we all thump when we la=
nd
with a bump?"
"If we do,&q=
uot;
said Cap'n Bill thoughtfully, "we'll none of us know it."
Trot and
Button-Bright had now become worried and anxious, for they knew if they were
tossed over the edge of the island they would be killed. Cap'n Bill frowned=
and
set his jaws tight together. The old sailor had made up his mind to make a =
good
fight for his boy and girl, as well as for his own life, if he was obliged =
to
do so.
The twelve Counse=
lors
then voted, and when the vote was counted, Tourmaline announced that six had
voted to allow the strangers to remain and six to toss them over the bushes.
"We seem evenly divided on this matter," remarked the Queen with a
puzzled look at her Council.
Trot thought the
pretty Queen was their friend, so she said, "Of course you'll have the
deciding vote, then, you being the Ruler."
"Oh no,"
replied Tourmaline. "Since I have asked these good people to advise me=
, it
would be impolite to side against some of them and with the others. That wo=
uld
imply that the judgment of some of my Counselors is wrong, and the judgment=
of
others right. I must ask someone else to cast the deciding vote."
"Who will it=
be,
then?" inquired Trot. "Can't I do it? Or Cap'n Bill or Button-Bri=
ght?"
Tourmaline smiled=
and
shook her head, while all the Counselors murmured their protests.
"Let Trot do it Or you'll rue it!"
advised the parro=
t,
and then he barked like a dog and made them all jump.
"Let me thin=
k a
moment," said the Queen, resting her chin on her hand.
"A Pink can think As quick's a wink!"
the parrot declar=
ed. But
Tourmaline's thoughts required time, and all her Counselors remained silent=
and
watched her anxiously.
At last she raised
her head and said, "I shall call upon Rosalie the Witch. She is wise a=
nd
honest and will decide the matter justly."
The Pinkies seeme=
d to
approve this choice, so Tourmaline rose and took a small, pink paper parcel
from a drawer. In it was a pink powder, which she scattered upon the seat o=
f a
big armchair. Then she lighted this powder, which at first flashed vivid pi=
nk
and then filled all the space around the chair with a thick, pink cloud of
smoke. Presently the smoke cleared away, when they all saw seated within the
chair Rosalie the Witch.
This famous woman=
was
much like the other Pinkies in appearance except that she was somewhat tall=
er
and not quite so fat as most of the people. Her skin and hair and eyes were=
all
of a rosy, pink color, and her gown was of spiderweb gauze that nicely matc=
hed
her complexion. She did not seem very old, for her features were smiling and
attractive and pleasant to view. She held in her hand a slender staff tipped
with a lustrous pink jewel.
All the Pinkies
present bowed very respectfully to Rosalie, who returned the salutation wit=
h a
dignified nod. Then Tourmaline began to explain the presence of the three
strangers and the difficulty of deciding what to do with them.
"I have summ=
oned
you here that you may cast the deciding vote," added the Queen. "=
What
shall we do, Rosalie, allow them to remain here as honored guests, or toss =
them
over the bushes into the sky?"
Rosalie, during
Tourmaline's speech, had been attentively examining the faces of the three
Earth people. Now she said,
"Before I
decide, I must see who these strangers are. I will follow their adventures =
in a
vision to discover if they have told you the truth. And in order that you m=
ay
all share my knowledge, you shall see the vision as I see it." She then
bowed her head and closed her eyes.
"Rock-a-bye, baby, on a treet=
op; Don't wake her up, or the vis=
ion
will stop,"
muttered the parr=
ot,
but no one paid any attention to the noisy bird.
Gradually, a pink
mist formed in the air about the Witch, and in this mist the vision began to
appear.
First, there was
Button-bright in the attic of his house, finding the Magic Umbrella. Then h=
is
first flight was shown, and afterward his trip across the United States unt=
il
he landed on the bluff where Trot sat. In rapid succession the scenes shift=
ed
and disclosed the trial flights, with Trot and Cap'n Bill as passengers, th=
en
the trip to Sky Island and the meeting with the Boolooroo. No sound was hea=
rd,
but it was easy from the gestures of the actors for the Pinkies to follow a=
ll
the adventures of the strangers in the Blue Country. Button-Bright was grea=
tly
astonished to see in this vision how the Boolooroo had tested the Magic
Umbrella and in a fit of rage cast it into a corner underneath the cabinet,
with the seats and lunch basket still attached to the handle by means of the
rope. The boy now knew why he could not find the umbrella in the Treasure C=
hamber,
and he was provoked to think he had several times been quite close to it
without knowing it was there. The last scene ended with the trip through the
Fog Bank and the assistance rendered them by the friendly frog. After the t=
hree
tumbled upon the grass of the Pink Country, the vision faded away, and Rosa=
lie lifted
her head with a smile of triumph at the success of her witchcraft.
"Did you see
clearly?" she asked.
"We did, O
Wonderful Witch!" they declared.
"Then,"
said Rosalie, "there can be no doubt in your minds that these strangers
have told you the truth."
"None at
all," they admitted.
"What argume=
nts
are advanced by the six Counselors who voted to allow them to remain here as
guests?" inquired the Witch.
"They have d=
one
us no harm," answered Coralie, speaking for her side, "therefore =
we
should, in honor and justice, do them no harm."
Rosalie nodded.
"What arguments have the others advanced?" she asked.
"They interf=
ere
with our color scheme and do not harmonize with our people," a man of =
the
Sunrise Tribe answered.
Again Rosalie nod=
ded,
and Trot thought her eyes twinkled a little.
"I think I n=
ow
fully comprehend the matter," said she, "and so I will cast my vo=
te.
I favor taking the Earth people to the edge of the island and casting them =
into
the sky."
For a moment there
was perfect silence in the room. All present realized that this was a decre=
e of
death to the strangers. Trot was greatly surprised at the decision, and for=
a
moment she thought her heart had stopped beating, for a wave of fear swept =
over
her. Button-Bright flushed red as a Pinky and then grew very pale. He crept=
closer
to Trot and took her hand in his own, pressing it to give the little girl
courage. As for Cap'n Bill, he was watching the smiling face of the Witch i=
n a
puzzled but not hopeless way, for he thought she did not seem wholly in ear=
nest
in what she had said.
"The case is
decided," announced Tourmaline in a clear, cold voice. "The three
strangers shall be taken at once to the edge of the island and thrown over =
the bushes
into the sky."
"It's raining
hard outside," announced Coralie, who sat near the door. "Why not
wait until this shower is over?"
"I have said=
'at
once,'" replied the little Queen with dignity, "and so it must be=
at
once. We are accustomed to rain, so it need not delay us, and when a
disagreeable duty is to be performed, the sooner it is accomplished the
better."
"May I ask,
ma'am," said Cap'n Bill, addressing the Witch, "why you have deci=
ded
to murder of us in this cold-blooded way?"
"I did not d=
ecide
to murder you," answered Rosalie.
"To throw us=
off
the island will be murder," declared the sailor.
"Then they
cannot throw you off," the Witch replied.
"The Queen s=
ays
they will."
"I know,&quo=
t;
said Rosalie, "but I'm quite positive her people can't do it."
This statement
astonished all the Pinkies, who looked at the Witch inquiringly. "Why
not?" asked Tourmaline.
"It is evide=
nt
to me," said the Witch, speaking slowly and distinctly, "that the=
se
Earth people are protected in some way by fairies. They may not be aware of
this themselves, nor did I see any fairies in my vision. But if you will th=
ink
upon it carefully, you will realize that the Magic Umbrella has no power in
itself, but is enchanted by fairy power so that it is made to fly and carry
passengers through the air BY FAIRIES. This being the case, I do not think =
you
will be allowed to injure these favored people in any way; but I am curious=
to
see in what manner the fairies will defend them, and therefore I have voted=
to
have them thrown off the island. I bear these strangers no ill will, nor do=
I
believe they are in any danger. But since you, Tourmaline, have determined =
to
attempt this terrible thing at once, I shall go with you and see what will
happen."
Some of the Pinki=
es
looked pleased and some troubled at this speech, but they all prepared to
escort the prisoners to the nearest edge of the island. The rain was pouring
down in torrents, and umbrellas were unknown; but all of them, both men and
women, slipped gossamer raincoats over their clothing, which kept the rain =
from
wetting them. Then they caught up their sharp sticks and surrounding the do=
omed
captives commanded them to march to meet their fate.
Cap'n Bill had
determined to fight desperately for their lives, but he was a shrewd old
sailorman, and he found much that was reasonable in the Witch's assertion t=
hat
fairies would protect them. He had often wondered how the Magic Umbrella co=
uld
fly and obey spoken commands, but now he plainly saw that the thing must be
directed by some invisible power, and that power was quite likely to save t=
hem
from the cruel death that had been decreed. To be sure, the Magic Umbrella =
was
now in the Blue Country, and the fairies that directed its flight might be =
with
the umbrella instead of with them, yet the old sailor had already experienc=
ed
some strange adventures in Trot's company and knew she had managed to escape
every danger that had threatened. So he decided not to fight until the last
moment and meekly hobbled along the street as he was commanded to do. Trot =
was
also encouraged by the Witch's suggestion, for she believed in fairies and
trusted them; but Button-Bright could find no comfort in their situation, a=
nd
his face was very sad as he marched along by Trot's side.
If they had follo=
wed
the corkscrew windings of the street, it would have been a long journey to =
the
outer edge of the Pink Country, but Tourmaline took a shortcut, leading them
through private gardens and even through houses, so that they followed almo=
st a
bee line to their destination. It rained all the way and the walking was ve=
ry disagreeable,
but our friends were confronting an important crisis in their strange
adventures, and with possible death at their journey's end, they were in no
hurry to arrive there.
Once free of the =
City
they traversed the open country, and here they often stepped into sticky, p=
ink
mud up to their ankles. Cap'n Bill's wooden leg would often go down deep and
stick fast in this mud, and at such times he would be helpless until two of=
the
Pinkies--who were a strong people--pulled him out again. The parrot was get=
ting
its feathers sadly draggled in the rain, and the poor bird soon presented a=
wet
and woebegone appearance.
"Soak us again, Drown us with rain!"
it muttered in a
resigned tone; and then it would turn to Trot and moan, "The rose is r=
ed,
the violet's blue, The Pinkies are a beastly crew!"
The country was n=
ot
so trim and neatly kept near the edge, for it was evident the people did not
care to go too near to the dangerous place. There was a row of thick bushes
which concealed the gulf below, and as they approached these bushes the rain
abruptly ceased, and the clouds began to break and drift away in the sky.
"Two of you seize the girl and throw her over," said Tourmaline i=
n a
calm, matter-of-fact way, "and two others must throw the boy over. It =
may
take four, perhaps, to lift the huge and ancient man."
"More'n
that," said Cap'n Bill grimly. "I'm pretty sure it'll take all o'
you, young lady, an' the chances are you won't do it then."
They had halted a
short distance from the bushes, and now there suddenly appeared through a r=
ift
in the clouds an immense Rainbow. It was perfectly formed and glistened wit=
h a
dozen or more superb tintings that were so vivid and brilliant and blended =
into
one another so exquisitely that everyone paused to gaze enraptured upon the
sight. Steadily, yet with wonderful swiftness, the end of the great bow des=
cended
until it rested upon the pink field--almost at the feet of the little party=
of
observers. Then they saw, dancing gaily upon the arch, a score of beautiful
maidens, dressed in fleecy robes of rainbow tints which fluttered around th=
em
like clouds.
"The Daughte=
rs
of the Rainbow!" whispered Tourmaline in an awed voice, and the Witch
beside her nodded and said, "Fairies of the sky. What did I tell you,
Tourmaline?"
Just then one of =
the
maidens tripped lightly down the span of the arch until near the very end,
leaning over to observe the group below. She was exquisitely fair, dainty a=
s a
lily and graceful as a bough swaying in the breeze. "Why, it's
Polychrome!" exclaimed Button-Bright in a voice of mingled wonder and
delight. "Hello, Polly! Don't you remember me?"
"Of course I
remember Button-Bright," replied the maiden in a sweet, tinkling voice.
"The last time I saw you was in the Land of Oz."
"Oh!" c=
ried
Trot, turning to stare at the boy with big, wide-open eyes. "Were you =
ever
in the Land of Oz?"
"Yes," =
he
answered, still looking at the Rainbow's Daughter, and then he said
appealingly, "These people want to kill us, Polly. Can't you help
us?"
"Polly wants a cracker! Polly wants a cracker!" =
screeched the par=
rot.
Polychrome
straightened up and glanced at her sisters. "Tell Father to call for m=
e in
an hour or two," said she. "There is work for me to do here, for =
one
of my old friends is in trouble."
With this she spr=
ang
lightly from the rainbow and stood beside Button-Bright and Trot, and scarc=
ely
had she left the splendid arch when it lifted and rose into the sky. The ot=
her
end had been hidden in the clouds, and now the Rainbow began to fade gradua=
lly,
like mist, and the sun broke through the clouds and shot its cheering rays =
over
the Pink Country until presently the Rainbow had vanished altogether and the
only reminder of it was the lovely Polychrome standing among the wondering =
band
of Pinkies. "Tell me," she said gently to the boy, "why are =
you
here, and why do these people of the sky wish to destroy you?"
In a few hurried
words Button-Bright related their adventures with the Magic Umbrella and how
the Boolooroo had stolen it and they had been obliged to escape into the Pi=
nk
Country. Polychrome listened and then turned to the Queen. "Why have y=
ou
decreed death to these innocent strangers?" she asked.
"They do not=
harmonize
with our color scheme," replied Tourmaline.
"That is utt=
er
nonsense," declared Polychrome impatiently. "You're so dreadfully
pink here that your color, which in itself is beautiful, had become tame and
insipid. What you really need is some sharp contrast to enhance the charm of
your country, and to keep these three people here would be a benefit rather
than an injury to you."
At this, the Pink=
ies
looked downcast and ashamed, while only Rosalie the Witch laughed and seeme=
d to
enjoy the rebuke. "But," protested Tourmaline, "the Great Bo=
ok
of Laws says our country shall harbor none but the Pinkies."
"Does it
indeed?" asked the Rainbow's Daughter. "Come, let us return at on=
ce
to your City and examine your Book of Laws. I am quite sure I can find in t=
hem
absolute protection for these poor wanderers."
They dared not
disobey Polychrome's request, so at once they all turned and walked back to=
the
City. As it was still muddy underfoot, the Rainbow's Daughter took a cloak =
from
one of the women, partly rolled it, and threw it upon the ground. Then she
stepped upon it and began walking forward. The cloak unrolled as she advanc=
ed,
affording a constant carpet for her feet and for those of the others who
followed her. So, being protected from the mud and wet, they speedily gained
the City and in a short time were all gathered in the low room of Tourmalin=
e's
palace, where the Great Book of Laws lay upon a table.
Polychrome began
turning over the leaves, while the others all watched her anxiously and in
silence. "Here," she said presently, "is a Law which reads as
follows: 'Everyone in the Pink Country is entitled to the protection of the
Ruler and to a house and a good living, except only the Blueskins. If any of
the natives of the Blue Country should ever break through the Fog Bank, they
must be driven back with sharp sticks.' Have you read this Law,
Tourmaline?"
"Yes," =
said
the Queen, "but how does that apply to these strangers?"
"Why, being =
in
the Pink Country, as they surely are, and not being Blueskins, they are by =
this
Law entitled to protection, to a home and good living. The Law does not say
'Pinkies,' it says any who are in the Pink Country."
"True,"
agreed Coralie, greatly pleased, and all the other Pinkies nodded their hea=
ds
and repeated, "True, true!"
"The rose is red, the violet's
blue, The law's the thi=
ng,
because it's true!"
cried the parrot.=
"I am indeed
relieved to have you interpret the Law in this way," declared Tourmali=
ne.
"I knew it was cruel to throw these poor people over the edge, but that
seemed to us the only thing to be done."
"It was cruel
and unjust," answered Polychrome as sternly as her sweet voice could
speak. "But here," she added, for she had still continued to turn=
the
leaves of the Great Book, "is another Law which you have also overlook=
ed.
It says, 'The person, whether man or woman, boy or girl, living in the Pink
Country who has the lightest skin shall be the Ruler--King or Queen--as lon=
g as
he or she lives, unless someone of a lighter skin is found, and this Ruler's
commands all the people must obey.' Do you know this Law?"
"Oh yes,&quo=
t;
replied Tourmaline. "That is why I am the Queen. You will notice my
complexion is of a lighter pink than that of any other of my people." =
"Yes,"
remarked Polychrome, looking at her critically, "when you were made Qu=
een
without doubt you had the lightest-colored skin in all the Pink Country. But
now you are no longer Queen of the Pinkies, Tourmaline."
Those assembled w=
ere
so startled by this statement that they gazed at the Rainbow's Daughter in
astonishment for a time. Then Tourmaline asked, "Why not, your
Highness?"
"Because her=
e is
one lighter in color than yourself," pointed to Trot. "This girl =
is,
by the Law of the Great Book, the rightful Queen of the Pinkies, and as loy=
al
citizens you are all obliged to obey her commands. Give me that circlet from
your brow, Tourmaline." Without hesitation Tourmaline removed the
rose-gold circlet with its glittering jewel and handed it to Polychrome, who
turned and placed it upon Trot's brow. Then she called in a loud, imperative
voice, "Greet your new Queen, Pinkies!"
One by one they a=
ll
advanced, knelt before Trot and pressed her hand to their lips. "Long =
live
Queen Mayre!" called out Cap'n Bill, dancing around on his wooden leg =
in
great delight. "Vive la--Vive la--ah, ah, Trot!"
"Thank you,
Polly," said Button-Bright gratefully. "This will fix us all righ=
t,
I'm sure."
"Why, I have
done nothing," returned Polychrome, smiling upon him. "It is the =
Law
of the Country. Isn't it surprising how little people know of their Laws? A=
re
you all contented, Pinkies?" she asked, turning to the people.
"We are!&quo=
t;
they cried. Then several of the men ran out to spread the news throughout t=
he
City and Country, so that a vast crowd soon began to gather in the Court of=
the
Statues.
Polychrome now
dismissed all but Button-Bright, Cap'n Bill, Rosalie the Witch and the new
Queen of the Pinkies. Tourmaline hastened away to her father's house to put=
on
a beautiful gown all covered with flounces and ribbons, for she was glad to=
be
relieved of the duties of the Queen and was eager to be gaily dressed and o=
ne
of the people again.
"I s'pose,&q=
uot;
said Trot, "I'll have to put on one of Tourmaline's common pink
dresses."
"Yes,"
replied Polychrome, "you must follow the customs of the country, absurd
though they may be. In the little sleeping chamber adjoining this room you =
will
find plenty of gowns poor enough for the Queen to wear. Shall I assist you =
to
put one on?"
"No,"
answered Trot, "I guess I can manage it alone."
When she withdrew=
to
the little chamber, the Rainbow's Daughter began conversing with the Witch,
whom she urged to stay with the new queen and protect her as long as she ru=
led
the Pink Country. Rosalie, who longed to please the powerful Polychrome, wh=
ose
fairy powers as Daughters of the Rainbow were far superior to her own
witchcraft, promised faithfully to devote herself to Queen Mayre as long as=
she
might need her services.
By the time Trot =
was
dressed in pink and had returned to the room, there was an excited and
clamorous crowd assembled in the court, and Polychrome took the little girl=
's
hand and led her out to greet her new subjects. The Pinkies were much impre=
ssed
by the fact that the Rainbow's Daughter was their new Queen's friend, and t=
hat
Rosalie the Witch stood on Trot's left hand and treated her with humble
deference. So they shouted their approval very enthusiastically and pressed=
forward
one by one to kneel before their new Ruler and kiss her hand.
The parrot was no=
w on
Cap'n Bill's shoulder, for Trot thought a Queen ought not to carry a bird
around, but the parrot did not mind the change and was as much excited as
anyone in the crowd. "Oh, what bliss to kiss a miss!" he shouted =
as
Trot held out her hand to be kissed by her subjects, and then he would scre=
am,
"We're in the sky and flyin' =
high; We're goin' to live instead o=
f die,
It's time to laugh inst=
ead of
cry; Oh, my! Ki-yi! Ain=
't
this a pie?"
Cap'n Bill let the
bird jabber as he pleased, for the occasion was a joyful one, and it was no
wonder the parrot was excited. And while the throng shouted greetings to the
Queen, suddenly the great Rainbow appeared in the sky and dropped its end r=
ight
on the Court of the Statues. Polychrome stooped to kiss Trot and Button-Bri=
ght,
gave Cap'n Bill a charming smile and Rosalie the Witch a friendly nod of
farewell. Then she sprang lightly upon the arch of the Rainbow and was gree=
ted
by the bevy of dancing, laughing maidens who were her sisters. "I shal=
l keep
watch over you, Button-Bright," she called to the boy. "Don't des=
pair,
whatever happens, for behind the clouds is always the Rainbow!"
"Thank you,
Polly," he answered, and Trot also thanked the lovely Polychrome, and =
so
did Cap'n Bill. The parrot made quite a long speech, flying high above the =
arch
where Polychrome stood and then back to Cap'n Bill's shoulder. Said he,
"We Pollys know our business,=
and
we're all right! We'll =
take
good care of Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright. You watch 'em from the Rainbo=
w, and
I'll watch day and night, And
we'll call a sky policeman if trouble comes in sight!"
Suddenly, the bow
lifted and carried the dancing maidens into the sky. The colors faded, the =
arch
slowly dissolved and the heavens were clear. Trot turned to the Pinkies.
"Let's have a holiday today," she said. "Have a good time and
enjoy yourselves. I don't jus' know how I'm goin' to rule this country yet,=
but
I'll think it over an' let you know." Then she went into the palace hut
with Cap'n Bill and Button-Bright and Rosalie the Witch, and the people went
away to enjoy themselves and talk over the surprising events of the day.
"Dear me,&qu=
ot;
said Trot, throwing herself into a chair, "wasn't that a sudden change=
of
fortune, though? That Rainbow's Daughter is a pretty good fairy. I'm glad y=
ou
know her, Button-Bright."
"I was sure
something would happen to save you," remarked Rosalie, "and that =
was
why I voted to have you thrown off the edge. I wanted to discover who would
come to your assistance, and I found out. Now I have made a friend of
Polychrome, and that will render me more powerful as a Witch, for I can call
upon her for assistance whenever I need her."
"But see
here," said Cap'n Bill. "You can't afford to spend your time a-ru=
lin'
this tucked-up country, Trot."
"Why not?&qu=
ot;
asked Trot, who was pleased with her new and important position.
"It'd get pr=
etty
tiresome, mate, after you'd had a few quarrels with the Pinkies, for they
expec' their Queen to be as poor as poverty an' never have any fun in
life."
"You wouldn't
like it for long, I'm sure," added Button-Bright seriously.
Trot seemed
thoughtful. "No, I don't know's I would," she admitted. "But=
as
long as we stay here, it seems a pretty good thing to be Queen. I guess I'm=
a
little proud of it. I wish mother could see me rulin' the Pinkies, an' Papa
Griffith, too. Wouldn't they open their eyes?"
"They would,
mate, but they can't see you," said Cap'n Bill. "So the question =
is,
what's to be done?"
"We ought to=
get
home," observed the boy. "Our folks will worry about us, and Eart=
h's
the best place to live, after all. If we could only get hold of my Magic
Umbrella, we'd be all right."
"The rose is red, the violet's
blue, But the umbrel's =
stolen
by the Boolooroo!"
screamed the parr=
ot.
"That's
it," said Cap'n Bill. "The Boolooroo's got the umbrel, an' that s=
ettles
the question."
"Tell me,&qu=
ot;
said Rosalie, "If you had your Magic Umbrella, could you fly home agai=
n in
safety?"
"Of course we
could," replied Button-Bright.
"And would y=
ou
prefer to go home to remaining here?"
"We would
indeed!"
"Then why do=
you
not get the umbrella?"
"How?"
asked Trot eagerly.
"You must go
into the Blue Country and force the Boolooroo to give up your property.&quo=
t;
"Through the=
Fog
Bank?" asked Cap'n Bill doubtfully.
"And let the
Boolooroo capture us again?" demanded Button-Bright with a shiver.
"An' have to
wait on the Snubnoses instead of bein' a Queen?" said Trot.
"You must
remember that conditions have changed, and you are now a powerful Ruler,&qu=
ot;
replied Rosalie. "The Pinkies are really a great nation, and they are
pledged to obey your commands. Why not assemble an army, march through the =
Fog
Bank, fight and conquer the Boolooroo and recapture the Magic Umbrella?&quo=
t;
"Hooray!&quo=
t;
shouted Cap'n Bill, pounding his wooden leg on the floor. "That's the
proper talk! Let's do it, Queen Trot."
"It doesn't =
seem
like a bad idea," added Button-Bright.
"Do you think
the Pinkies would fight the Blueskins?" asked Trot.
"Why not?&qu=
ot;
replied the sailorman. "They have sharp sticks an' know how to use 'em,
whereas the Blueskins have only them windin'-up cords with weights on the
ends."
"The Blueski=
ns
are the biggest people," said the girl.
"But they're
cowards, I'm sure," declared the boy.
"Anyhow,&quo=
t;
the sailor remarked, "that's our only hope of ever gett'n' home again.=
I'd
like to try it, Trot."
"If you deci=
de
on this adventure," said Rosalie, "I believe I can be of much
assistance to you."
"That'll
help," asserted Cap'n Bill.
"And we've o=
ne
good friend among the Blueskins," said Button-Bright. "I'm sure
Ghip-Ghisizzle will side with us, and I've got the Royal Record Book, which
proves that the Boolooroo has already reigned his lawful three hundred
years."
"Does the bo=
ok
say that?" inquired Trot with interest.
"Yes, I've b=
een
reading it."
"Then Sizzle=
'll
be the new Boolooroo," said the girl, "an' p'raps we won't have to
fight, after all."
"We'd better=
go
prepared, though," advised Cap'n Bill, "fer that awful ol' Booloo=
roo
won't give up without a struggle. When shall we start?"
Trot hesitated, so
they all looked to Rosalie for advice. "Just as soon as we can get the
army together and ready," decided the Witch. "That will not take
long. Perhaps two or three days."
"Good!"
cried Cap'n Bill, and the parrot screamed,
"Here's a lovely how-d'y'-do-=
- We're going to fight the Bool=
ooroo!
We'll get the Six Snubn=
oses,
too, And make 'em all f=
eel
mighty blue."
"Either that=
or
the other thing," said Trot. "Anyhow, we're in for it."
Much to the surpr=
ise
of the Earth people, the Pinkies made no objection whatever to undertaking =
the
adventure. Their lives were so monotonous and uninteresting that they welco=
med
anything in the way of excitement. This march through the unknown Fog Bank =
to
fight the unknown Blueskins aroused them to enthusiasm, and although the re=
sult
of the expedition could not be foretold and some of them were almost certai=
n to
get hurt, they did not hesitate to undertake the war.
It appeared that
Coralie was Captain of the Sunset Tribe and a man named Tintint the Captain=
of
the Sunrise Tribe. Tintint had a very pink skin and eyes so faded in their =
pink
color that he squinted badly in order to see anything around him. He was a =
fat
and pompous little fellow and loved to strut up and down his line of warrio=
rs
twirling his long, pointed stick so that all might admire him.
By Rosalie's advi=
ce
the Army of Conquest consisted of one hundred Sunsets and one hundred Sunri=
ses.
Many more were eager to go, but the Witch thought that would be enough. The
warriors consisted of both men and women, equally divided, and there was no
need to provide uniforms for them because their regular pink clothing was a
distinctive uniform in itself. Each one bore a long, pointed stick as the m=
ain
weapon and had two short, pointed sticks stuck in his belt.
While the army was
getting ready, Rosalie the Witch went to the central edge of the Fog Bank a=
nd
fearlessly entered it. There she called for the King of the Giant Frogs, who
came at her bidding, and the two held an earnest and long talk together.
Meantime, Cap'n Bill had the army assembled in the Court of the Statues, wh=
ere
Queen Mayre appeared and told the Pinkies that the sailorman was to be
Commander in Chief of the Expedition and all must obey his commands. Then C=
ap'n
Bill addressed the army and told them what the Fog Bank was like. He advised
them all to wear their raincoats over their pretty pink clothes so they wou=
ld not
get wet, and he assured them that all the creatures to be met with in the F=
og
were perfectly harmless.
"When we com=
e to
the Blue Country, though," he added, "you're liable to be pretty
busy. The Blueskins are tall an' lanky, an' ugly an' fierce, an' if they ha=
ppen
to capture you, you'll all be patched, which is a deep disgrace an' a uncom=
fortable
mix-up."
"Will they t=
hrow
us over the edge?" asked Captain Tintint.
"I don't thi=
nk
so," replied Cap'n Bill. "While I was there I never heard the edge
mentioned. They're cruel enough to do that--'specially the Boolooroo--but I
guess they've never thought o' throwin' folks over the edge. They fight with
long cords that have weights on the ends, which coil 'round you an' make you
helpless in a jiffy; so whenever they throw them cords you mus' ward 'em off
with your long sticks. Don't let 'em wind around your bodies, or you're done
for."
He told them other
things about the Blueskins, so they would not be frightened when they faced=
the
enemy and found them so different in appearance from themselves, and also he
assured them that the Pinkies were so much the braver and better armed that=
he
had no doubt they would easily conquer.
On the third day,
just at sunrise, the army moved forward to the Fog Bank, headed by Cap'n Bi=
ll,
clad in an embroidered pink coat with wide, flowing pink trousers, and acco=
mpanied
by Trot and Button-Bright and Rosalie the Witch, all bundled up in their pi=
nk
raincoats. The parrot was there, too, as the bird refused to be left behind=
.
They had not adva=
nced
far into the deep fog when they were halted by a queer barrier consisting o=
f a
long line of gigantic frogs, crouching so close together that no Pinkie cou=
ld
squeeze between them. As the heads of the frogs were turned the other way,
toward the Blue Country, the army could not at first imagine what the barri=
er
was. But Rosalie said to them, "Our friends the frogs have agreed to h=
elp
us through the Fog Bank. Climb upon their backs, as many on each frog as are
able to hold on, and then we shall make the journey more quickly." Obe=
ying
this injunction, the Pinkies began climbing upon the frogs, and by crowding=
close
together, all were able to find places. On the back of the King Frog rode T=
rot
and her parrot, besides Rosalie, Button-Bright, Cap'n Bill and the captains=
of
the two companies of the army.
When all were sea=
ted,
clinging to one another so they would not slide off, Cap'n Bill gave the wo=
rd
of command and away leaped the frogs, all together. They bounded a long
distance at this jump--some farther than others--and as soon as they landed
they jumped again, without giving their passengers a chance to get their
breaths. It was a bewildering and exciting ride, but a dozen of the huge ju=
mps
accomplished the journey, and at the edge of the Fog Bank each frog stopped=
so
suddenly that the Pinkies went flying over their heads to tumble into the b=
lue fields
of the Blue Country, where they rolled in a confused mass until they could
recover and scramble to their feet. No one was hurt, however, and the King =
Frog
had been wise enough to treat his passengers more gently by slowing down at=
the
edge and allowing his riders to slip to the ground very comfortably.
Cap'n Bill at once
formed his army into line of battle and had them all remove the cumbersome
raincoats, which they piled in a heap at the edge of the Fog Bank. It was a
splendid array of warriors, and from where they stood they could discover
several Blueskins rushing in a panic toward the Blue City as fast as their
long, blue legs could carry them.
"Well, they =
know
we're here, anyhow," said Cap'n Bill, "and instead of waitin' to =
see
what'll they do, I guess we'll jus' march on the City an' ask 'em to please
surrender."
The Boolooroo was
quite busy at the time the Pinkies invaded his country. He had discovered t=
he
loss of the Book of Records, and after being frightened 'most to death at t=
he
prospect of his fraud on the people's being made public, he decided to act
boldly and hold his position as Boolooroo at any cost.
Since Ghip-Ghisiz=
zle
was to be the next Boolooroo, the king suspected him first of all, so he had
the Majordomo bound with cords and brought before him, when he accused him =
of
stealing the Book of Records. Of course, Ghip-Ghisizzle denied taking the B=
ook,
but he became almost as nervous at its loss as had the Boolooroo. He secret=
ly
believed that Button-Bright had taken the Book from the Treasure Chamber, a=
nd
if this were true it might prove as great a misfortune as if the king had k=
ept it
locked up. For Button-Bright had escaped into the Fog Bank, and Ghip-Ghisiz=
zle
was afraid the boy would never again be seen in the Blue Country.
He did not tell t= he Boolooroo of this suspicion, because in that case the king would realize he= was secure and that his deception could never be proved against him. The Majord= omo simply denied taking the Record Book, and the Boolooroo did not believe he spoke truly. To prevent his rival from ever becoming the Ruler of the Blue Country, the Boolooroo determined to have him patched, but for some time he could find no other Blueskin to patch him with. No one had disobeyed a comm= and or done anything wrong, so the king was in a quandary until he discovered t= hat a servant named Tiggle had mixed the royal nectar for Cap'n Bill, who had b= een ordered to do it at the time of his capture. This was sufficient excuse for= the Boolooroo, who at once had Tiggle made a prisoner and brought before him. <= o:p>
This servant was =
not
so long-legged as Ghip-Ghisizzle, and his head was thicker and his nose
flatter. But that pleased the Boolooroo all the more. He realized that when=
the
great knife had sliced the prisoners in two and their halves were patched
together, they would present a ridiculous sight and all the Blueskins would
laugh at them and avoid them. So on the very morning that the Pinkies arriv=
ed,
the Boolooroo had ordered his two prisoners brought into the room of the pa=
lace
where the Great Knife stood, and his soldiers were getting ready to perform=
the
operation of patching Ghip-Ghisizzle with Tingle when a messenger came runn=
ing
to say that a great army of the Pinkies had broken through the Fog Bank.
"Never
mind," said the Boolooroo, "I'll attend to them in a minute. I'm =
busy
now."
"They are
marching on the City," said the frightened messenger. "If you del=
ay,
Most High and Mighty One, we shall all be captured. You'd better save your =
City
first and do your patching afterward."
"What!"
roared the Boolooroo. "Dare you dictate to me?" But he was impres=
sed
by the man's logic. After locking the prisoners, who were still bound, in t=
he
Room of the Great Knife, the Ruler hurried away to assemble his soldiers. By
this time the Pinkies had advanced halfway to the walls of the City, so the
first thing the Boolooroo did was to order all the gates closed and locked,=
and
then he placed a line of soldiers on the wall to prevent any of the Pinkies
from climbing over. Therefore, when Cap'n Bill's army reached the wall, he =
was
obliged to halt his ranks until he could find a way to enter the City.
Now when the
Boolooroo looked through the blue-steel bars of the main gate and saw the e=
nemy
armed with sharp-pointed sticks, he began to tremble; and when he thought h=
ow
painful it would be to have his body and arms and legs prodded and pricked =
by
such weapons, he groaned aloud and was very miserable. But the thought occu=
rred
to him that if he could avoid being caught by the Pinkies, they would be un=
able
to harm him. So he went among his people and reminded them how horrible it =
would
feel to be punched full of holes by the invaders and urged them to fight
desperately and drive the Pinkies back into the Fog Bank.
Only a few of the
Blueskins were soldiers, and these all belonged to the King's bodyguard, but
the citizens realized that they must indeed fight bravely to save themselves
from getting hurt, so they promised the Boolooroo to do all they could. They
armed themselves with long cords having weights fastened to the ends and
practiced throwing these weights in such a manner that the cords would wind
around their enemies. Also, they assembled in the streets in small groups a=
nd
told each other in frightened whispers that all their trouble was due to th=
e Boolooroo's
cruel treatment of the Earth people. If he had received them as friends ins=
tead
of making them slaves, they would never have escaped to the Pinkies and bro=
ught
an army into the Blue Country that they might be revenged. The Blueskins had
not liked their Boolooroo before this, and now they began to hate him,
forgetting they had also treated the strangers in a very disagreeable manne=
r.
Meantime, the Six
Snubnosed Princesses had seen from their rooms in a tower of the palace the
army of the Pinkies marching upon them, and the sight had served to excite =
them
greatly. They had been quarreling bitterly among themselves all morning, and
strangely enough this quarrel was all about which of them should marry
Ghip-Ghisizzle. They knew that some day the Majordomo would become Boolooro=
o,
and each one of the six had determined to marry him so as to be Queen and t=
hus
force her sisters to obey her commands. They paid no attention to the fact =
that
Ghip-Ghisizzle did not want to marry any of them, for they had determined t=
hat
when it was agreed who should have him, they would ask their father to force
the man to marry.
While they quarre=
led
in one room of the palace, Ghip-Ghisizzle was in danger of being patched in
another room; but the Six Snubnosed Princesses did not know that. The arriv=
al
of the Pinkies gave them something new to talk about, so they hurried
downstairs and along the corridors so as to gain the courtyard and take par=
t in
the exciting scenes. But as they passed the closed doors of the Room of the
Great Knife, they heard a low moan and stopped to listen. The moan was repe=
ated,
and being curious, they unlocked the door--the key having been left on the
outside--and entered the room.
At once, the Pink=
ies
were forgotten, for there upon the floor, tightly bound, lay Ghip-Ghisizzle,
and beside him poor Tiggle, who had uttered the moans.
The six Princesses
sat down in a circle facing the captives, and Cerulia said, "Ghip, my
dear, we will release you on one condition: That you choose a wife from amo=
ng
us and promise to marry the one selected as soon as the Pinkies are driven =
back
into the Fog Bank."
Ghip-Ghisizzle
managed to shake his head. Then he said, "Really, ladies, you must exc=
use
me. I'd rather be patched than mismatched, as I would be with a lovely,
snub-nosed wife. You are too beautiful for me; go seek your husbands
elsewhere."
"Monster!&qu=
ot;
cried Indigo. "If you choose me, I'll scratch your eyes out!"
"If you choo=
se
me," said Cobalt in a rage, "I'll tear out your hair by the
roots!"
"If I am to =
be
your wife," screamed Azure, "I'll mark your obstinate face with my
fingernails!"
"And I,"
said Turquoise passionately, "will pound your head with a broomstick!&=
quot;
"I'll shake =
him
till his teeth rattle!" shrieked Sapphire.
"The best wa=
y to
manage a husband," observed Cerulia angrily, "is to pull his
nose."
"Ladies,&quo=
t;
said Ghip-Ghisizzle when he had a chance to speak, "do not anticipate
these pleasures, I beg of you, for I shall choose none among you for a
wife."
"We'll see a=
bout
that," said Indigo.
"I think you
will soon change your mind," added Azure.
"I'm going t=
o be
patched to Tingle, here, as soon as the Boolooroo returns," said
Ghip-Ghisizzle, "and it's against the law for a patched man to marry a=
nyone.
It's regarded as half-bigamy."
"Dear me!&qu=
ot;
cried Cerulia. "If he's patched, he never can be Boolooroo."
"Then he mus=
n't
be patched," declared Sapphire. "We must save him from that fate,
girls, and force him to decide among us. Otherwise, none of us can ever be =
the
Queen."
This being eviden=
t,
they proceeded to unbind the long legs of Ghip-Ghisizzle, leaving his body =
and
arms, however, tied fast together. Then between them they got him upon his =
feet
and led him away, paying no attention to poor Tiggle, who whined to be rele=
ased
so he could fight in the war. After a hurried consultation, the Six Snubnos=
ed Princesses
decided to hide the Majordomo in one of their boudoirs, so they dragged him=
up
the stairs to their reception room and fell to quarreling as to whose boudo=
ir
should be occupied by their captive. Not being able to settle the question,
they finally locked him up in a vacant room across the hall and told him he
must stay there until he had decided to marry one of the Princesses and cou=
ld
make a choice among them.
While this was
transpiring in the palace, Cap'n Bill and the Pinkies had encamped before t=
he
principal gate of the City and a tent had been pitched for Trot and
Button-Bright and Rosalie. The army had been very fearful and weak-kneed wh=
en
it first entered the Blue Country, but perceiving that the Boolooroo and his
people were afraid of them and had locked themselves up in the City, the
Pinkies grew bolder and longed to make an attack.
One of them, in h=
is
curiosity to examine the Blue City, got a little too near the wall, and a b=
lue
soldier threw his cord-and-weight at him. The cord didn't wind around the
Pinkie, as he was too far off, but the weight hit him in the eye and made h=
im
howl lustily as he trotted back to this comrades at full speed. After this
experience, the invaders were careful to keep a safe distance from the wall=
.
The Boolooroo, ha=
ving
made all preparations to receive the enemy, was annoyed because they held b=
ack.
He was himself so nervous and excited that he became desperate, and after an
hour of tedious waiting, during which time he pranced around impatiently, he
decided to attack the hated Pinkies and rid the country of them.
"Their dread=
ful
color makes me hysterical," he said to his soldiers, "so if I am =
to
have any peace of mind, we must charge the foe and drive them back into the=
Fog
Bank. But take all the prisoners you can, my brave men, and tomorrow we will
have a jolly time patching them. Don't be afraid; those pink creatures have=
no
blue blood in their veins, and they'll run like rabbits when they see us
coming."
Then he ordered t=
he
gate thrown open, and immediately the Blueskins poured out into the open pl=
ain
and began to run toward the Pinkies. The Boolooroo went out, too, but he ke=
pt
well behind his people, remembering the sharp sticks with which the enemy w=
ere
armed.
Cap'n Bill was al=
ert
and had told his army what to do in case of an attack. The Pinkies did not =
run
like rabbits, but formed a solid line and knelt down with their long, sharp
sticks pointed directly toward the Blueskins, the other ends being set firm=
ly
upon the ground. Of course, the Blueskins couldn't run against these sharp
points, so they halted a few feet away and began swinging their cord-and-we=
ights.
But the Pinkies were too close together to be caught in this manner, and no=
w by
command of Cap'n Bill they suddenly rose to their feet and began jabbing th=
eir
sticks at the foe. The Blueskins hesitated until a few got pricked and bega=
n to
yell with terror, when the whole of the Boolooroo's attacking party turned
around and ran back to the gate, their Ruler reaching it first of all. The
Pinkies tried to chase them, but their round, fat legs were no match for the
long, thin legs of the Blueskins, who quickly gained the gate and shut
themselves up in the City again.
"It is
evident," panted the Boolooroo, facing his defeated soldiers wrathfull=
y,
"that you are a pack of cowards!"
"But we foll=
owed
your own royal example in running," replied the Captain.
"I merely ran
back to the City to get a drink of water, for I was thirsty," declared=
the
Boolooroo.
"So did we! =
So
did we!" cried the soldiers eagerly. "We were all thirsty." =
"Your High a=
nd
Mighty Spry and Flighty Majesty," remarked the Captain respectfully,
"it occurs to me that the weapons of the Pinkies are superior to our o=
wn.
What we need in order to oppose them successfully is a number of sharp stic=
ks
which are longer than their own."
"True,
true!" exclaimed the Boolooroo enthusiastically. "Get to work at =
once
and make yourselves long, sharp sticks, and then we will attack the enemy
again."
So the soldiers a=
nd
citizens all set to work preparing long, sharp sticks, and while they were
doing this, Rosalie the Witch had a vision in which she saw exactly what was
going on inside the City wall. Queen Trot and Cap'n Bill and Button-Bright =
saw
the vision, too, for they were all in the tent together, and the sight made
them anxious.
"What can be
done?" asked the girl. "The Blueskins are bigger and stronger than
the Pinkies, and if they have sharp sticks which are longer than ours, they
will surely defeat us."
"I have one
magic charm," said Rosalie thoughtfully, "that will save our army;
but I am allowed to work only one magic charm every three days--not oftener=
--and
perhaps I'll need the magic for other things."
"Strikes me,
ma'am," returned the sailor, "that what we need most on this
expedition is to capture the Blueskins. If we don't, we'll need plenty of m=
agic
to help us back to the Pink Country; but if we do, we can take care of
ourselves without magic."
"Very
well," replied Rosalie. "I will take your advice, Cap'n, and ench=
ant
the weapons of the Pinkies." She then went out and had all the Pinkies
come before her, one by one, and she enchanted their sharp sticks by mutter=
ing
some cabalistic words and making queer passes with her hands over the weapo=
ns.
"Now," she said to them, "you will be powerful enough to def=
eat
the Blueskins whatever they may do." The Pinkies were overjoyed at this
promise, and it made them very brave indeed, since they now believed they w=
ould
surely be victorious.
When the Boolooro=
o's
people were armed with long, thin, lances of bluewood all sharpened to fine
points at one end, they prepared to march once more against the invaders. T=
heir
sticks were twice as long as those of the Pinkies, and the Boolooroo chuckl=
ed
with glee to think what fun they would have in punching holes in the round,=
fat
bodies of his enemies.
Out from the gate
they marched very boldly and pressed on to attack the Pinkies, who were dra=
wn
up in line of battle to receive them, with Cap'n Bill at their head. When t=
he
opposing forces came together, however, and the Blueskins pushed their poin=
ts
against the Pinkies, the weapons which had been enchanted by Rosalie began =
to
whirl in swift circles--so swift that the eye could scarcely follow the mot=
ion.
The result was that the lances of the Boolooroo's people could not touch the
Pinkies, but were thrust aside with violence and either broken in two or se=
nt
hurling through the air in all directions. Finding themselves so suddenly
disarmed, the amazed Blueskins turned about and ran again, while Cap'n Bill,
greatly excited by his victory, shouted to his followers to pursue the enem=
y,
and hobbled after them as fast as he could make his wooden leg go, swinging=
his
sharp stick as he advanced.
The Blues were in
such a frightened, confused mass that they got in one another's way and cou=
ld
not make very good progress on the retreat, so the old sailor soon caught up
with them and began jabbing at the crowd with his stick. Unfortunately, the
Pinkies had not followed their commander, being for the moment dazed by the=
ir
success, so that Cap'n Bill was all alone among the Blueskins when he stepp=
ed
his wooden leg into a hole in the ground and tumbled full length, his sharp
stick flying from his hand and pricking the Boolooroo in the leg as it fell=
.
At this, the Rule=
r of
the Blues stopped short in his flight to yell with terror, but seeing that =
only
the sailorman was pursuing them and that this solitary foe had tumbled flat
upon the ground, he issued a command and several of his people fell upon po=
or
Cap'n Bill, seized him in their long arms, and carried him struggling into =
the
City, where he was fast bound.
Then a panic fell
upon the Pinkies at the loss of their leader, and Trot and Button-Bright ca=
lled
out in vain for them to rescue Cap'n Bill. By the time the army recovered t=
heir
wits and prepared to obey, it was too late. And although Trot ran with them=
in
her eagerness to save her friend, the gate was found to be fast barred, and=
she
knew it was impossible for them to force an entrance into the City.
So she went
sorrowfully back to the camp, followed by the Pinkies, and asked Rosalie wh=
at
could be done.
"I'm sure I =
do
not know," replied the Witch. "I cannot use another magic charm u=
ntil
three days have expired, but if they do not harm Cap'n Bill during that tim=
e, I
believe I can then find a way to save him."
"Three days =
is a
long time," remarked Trot dismally.
"The Booloor=
oo
may decide to patch him at once," added Button-Bright with equal sadne=
ss,
for he, too, mourned the sailor's loss.
"It can't be
helped," replied Rosalie. "I am not a fairy, my dears, but merely=
a
witch, and so my magic powers are limited. We can only hope that the Booloo=
roo
won't patch Cap'n Bill for three days."
When night settled
down upon the camp of the Pinkies, where many tents had now been pitched, a=
ll
the invaders were filled with gloom. The band tried to enliven them by play=
ing
the "Dead March," but it was not a success. The Pinkies were
despondent in spite of the fact that they had repulsed the attack of the Bl=
ues,
for as yet they had not succeeded in gaining the City or finding the Magic
Umbrella, and the blue dusk of this dread country--which was so different f=
rom
their own land of sunsets--made them all very nervous. They saw the moon ri=
se
for the first time in their lives, and its cold, silvery radiance made them=
shudder
and prevented them from going to sleep. Trot tried to interest them by tell=
ing
them that on the Earth the people had both the sun and the moon and loved t=
hem
both; but nevertheless it is certain that had not the terrible Fog Bank sto=
od
between them and the Pink Land, most of the invading army would have prompt=
ly
deserted and gone back home.
Trot couldn't sle=
ep,
either, she was so worried over Cap'n Bill. She went back to the tent where
Rosalie and Button-Bright were sitting in the moonlight and asked the Witch=
if
there was no way in which she could secretly get into the City of the Blues=
and
search for her friend. Rosalie thought it over for some time and then repli=
ed:
"We can make= a rope ladder that will enable you to climb to the top of the wall and descend into the City. But if anyone should see you, you would be captured." <= o:p>
"I'll risk
that," said the child, excited at the prospect of gaining the side of
Cap'n Bill in this adventurous way. "Please make the rope ladder at on=
ce,
Rosalie!"
So the Witch took
some ropes and knotted together a ladder long enough to reach the top of the
wall. When it was finished, the three--Rosalie, Trot and Button-Bright--sto=
le
out into the moonlight and crept unobserved into the shadow of the wall. The
Blueskins were not keeping a very close watch, as they were confident the
Pinkies could not get into the City.
The hardest part =
of
Rosalie's task was to toss up one end of the rope ladder until it would cat=
ch
on some projection on top of the wall. There were few such projections, but
after creeping along the wall for a distance, they saw the end of a broken =
flagstaff
near the top edge. The Witch tossed up the ladder, trying to catch it upon =
this
point, and on the seventh attempt she succeeded.
"Good!"
cried Trot. "Now I can climb up."
"Don't you w=
ant
me to go with you?" asked Button-Bright a little wistfully.
"No," s=
aid
the girl. "You must stay to lead the army. And if you can think of a w=
ay,
you must try to rescue us. Perhaps I'll be able to save Cap'n Bill by mysel=
f;
but if I don't, it's all up to you, Button-Bright."
"I'll do my
best," he promised.
"And here, k=
eep
my polly till I come back," added Trot, giving him the bird. "I c=
an't
take it with me, for it would be a bother, an' if it tried to spout po'try,=
I'd
be discovered in a jiffy."
As the beautiful
Witch kissed the little girl goodbye, she slipped upon her finger a curious
ring. At once, Button-Bright exclaimed, "Why, where has she gone?"=
;
"I'm right
here," said Trot's voice by his side. "Can't you see me?"
"No,"
replied the boy, mystified.
Rosalie laughed.
"It's a magic ring I've loaned you, my dear," said she, "and=
as
long as you wear it, you will be invisible to all eyes, those of Blueskins =
and
Pinkies alike. I'm going to let you wear this wonderful ring, for it will s=
ave
you from being discovered by your enemies. If at any time you wish to be se=
en,
take the ring from your finger; but as long as you wear it, no one can see =
you,
not even Earth people."
"Oh, thank
you!" cried Trot. "That will be fine."
"I see you h=
ave
another ring on your hand," said Rosalie, "and I perceive it is
enchanted in some way. Where did you get it?"
"The Queen of
the Mermaids gave it to me," answered Trot. "But Sky Island is so=
far
away from the sea that the ring won't do me any good while I'm here. It's o=
nly
to call the mermaids to me if I need them, and they can't swim in the sky, =
you
see."
Rosalie smiled and
kissed her again. "Be brave, my dear," she said, "and I am s=
ure
you will be able to find Cap'n Bill without getting in danger yourself. But=
be
careful not to let any Blueskin touch you, for while you are in contact with
any person you will become visible. Keep out of their way, and you will be
perfectly safe. Don't lose the ring, for you must give it back to me when y=
ou
return. It is one of my witchcraft treasures, and I need it in my
business."
The Trot climbed =
the
ladder, although neither Button-Bright nor Rosalie could see her do so, and
when she was on top the broad wall she pulled up the knotted ropes and bega=
n to
search for a place to let it down on the other side. A little way off she f=
ound
a bluestone seat near to the inner edge, and attaching the ladder to this, =
she
easily descended it and found herself in the Blue City. A guard was pacing =
up
and down near her, but as he could not see the girl, he of course paid no
attention to her. So after marking the place where the ladder hung that she
might know how to reach it again, Trot hurried away through the streets of =
the
city.
All the Blueskins
except a few soldiers had gone to bed and were sound asleep. A blue gloom h=
ung
over the city, which was scarcely relieved by a few bluish, wavering lights
here and there, but Trot knew the general direction in which the palace lay,
and she decided to go there first. She believed the Boolooroo would surely =
keep
so important a prisoner as Cap'n Bill locked up in his own palace.
Once or twice the
little girl lost her way, for the streets were very puzzling to one not
accustomed to them, but finally she sighted the great palace and went up to=
the
entrance. There she found a double guard posted. They were sitting on a ben=
ch
outside the doorway, and both stood up as she approached.
"We thought =
we
heard footsteps," said one.
"So did
we," replied the other, "yet there is no one in sight."
Trot then saw that
the guards were the two patched men, Jimfred Jonesjinks and Fredjim Jinksjo=
nes,
who had been talking together quite cheerfully. It was the first time the g=
irl
had seen them together, and she marveled at the queer patching that had bee=
n so
strongly united here, yet so thoroughly separated them.
"You see,&qu=
ot;
remarked Jimfred as they seated themselves again upon the bench, "The
Boolooroo has ordered the patching to take place tomorrow morning after
breakfast. The old Earth man is to be patched to poor Tiggle instead of
Ghip-Ghisizzle, who has in some way managed to escape from the Room of the
Great Knife--no one knows how but Tiggle, and Tiggle won't tell."
"We're sorry=
for
anyone who has to be patched," replied Fredjim in a reflective tone,
"for although it didn't hurt us as much as we expected, it's a terrible
mix-up to be in until we become used to our strange combination. You and we=
are
about alike, now, Jimfred, although we were so different before."
"Not so,&quo=
t;
said Jimfred. "We are really more intelligent than you are, for the le=
ft
side of our brain was always the keenest before we were patched."
"That may
be," admitted Fredjim, "but we are much the strongest, because our
right arm was by far the best before we were patched."
"We are not =
sure
of that," responded Jimfred, "for we have a right arm, too, and i=
t is
pretty strong."
"We will test
it," suggested the other, "by all pulling upon one end of this be=
nch
with our right arms. Whichever can pull the bench from the others must be t=
he
strongest."
While they were
tussling at the bench, dragging it first here and then there in the trial of
strength, Trot opened the door of the palace and walked in. It was pretty d=
ark
in the hall, and only a few dim blue lights showed at intervals down the lo=
ng
corridors. As the girl walked through these passages, she could hear snores=
of
various degrees coming from behind some of the closed doors and knew that a=
ll
the regular inmates of the place were sound asleep. So she mounted to the u=
pper
floor, and thinking she would be likely to find Cap'n Bill in the Room of t=
he
Great Knife, she went there and tried the door. It was locked, but the key =
had
been left on the outside. She waited until the sentry who was pacing the
corridor had his back toward her, and then she turned the key and slipped
within, softly closing the door behind her.
It was pitch dark=
in
the room, and Trot didn't know how to make a light. After a moment's thought
she began feeling her way to the window, stumbling over objects as she went.
Every time she made a noise, someone groaned, and that made the child uneas=
y.
At last she found a window and managed to open the shutters and let the
moonlight in. It wasn't a very strong moonlight, but it enabled her to exam=
ine the
interior of the room. In the center stood the Great Knife, which the Booloo=
roo
used to split people in two when he patched them, and at one side was a dark
form huddled upon the floor and securely bound.
Trot hastened to =
this
form and knelt beside it, but was disappointed to find it was only Tiggle. =
The
man stirred a little and rolled against Trot's knee, when she at once became
visible to him. "Oh, it's the Earth child," said he. "Are you
condemned to be patched, too, little one?"
"No,"
answered Trot. "Tell me where Cap'n Bill is."
"I can't,&qu=
ot;
said Tiggle. "The Boolooroo has hidden him until tomorrow morning, when
he's to be patched to me. Ghip-Ghisizzle was to have been my mate, but Ghip
escaped, being carried away by the Six Snubnosed Princesses."
"Why?" =
she
asked.
"One of them
means to marry him," explained Tiggle.
"Oh, that's
worse than being patched!" cried Trot.
"Much
worse," said Tiggle with a groan.
But now an idea
occurred to the girl. "Would you like to escape?" she asked the
captive. "If I get you out of the palace, can you hide yourself so that
you won't be found?"
"Certainly!&=
quot;
he declared. "I know a house where I can hide so snugly that all the
Boolooroo's soldiers cannot find me."
"All
right," said Trot. "I'll do it, for when you're gone, the Booloor=
oo
will have no one to patch Cap'n Bill to."
"He may find
someone else," suggested the prisoner.
"But it will
take him time to do that, and time is all I want," answered the child.
Even while she spoke, Trot was busy with the knots in the cords, and presen=
tly
she had unbound Tiggle, who soon got upon his feet. "Now I'll go to one
end of the passage and make a noise," said she, "and when the gua=
rd
runs to see what it is, you must run the other way. Outside the palace, Jim=
fred
and Fredjim are on guard, but if you tip over the bench they are seated on,=
you
can easily escape them."
"I'll do tha=
t,
all right," promised the delighted Tiggle. "You've made a friend =
of
me, little girl, and if ever I can help you, I'll do it with pleasure."=
;
Then Trot started=
for
the door, and Tiggle could no longer see her because she was not now touchi=
ng
him. The man was much surprised at her disappearance, but listened carefull=
y,
and when he heard the girl make a noise at one end of the corridor, he open=
ed
the door and ran in the opposite direction as he had been told to do.
Of course, the gu=
ard
could not discover what made the noise, and Trot ran little risk, as she was
careful not to let him touch her. When Tiggle had escaped, the little girl
wandered through the palace in search of Cap'n Bill, but soon decided such a
quest in the dark was likely to fail and she must wait until morning. She w=
as
tired, too, and thought she would find a vacant room--of which there were m=
any
in the big palace--and go to sleep until daylight. She remembered there was=
a comfortable
vacant room just opposite the suite of the Six Snubnosed Princesses, so she
stole softly up to it and tried the door. It was locked, but the key was
outside, as the Blueskins seldom took a door key from its place. So she tur=
ned
the key, opened the door, and walked in.
Now this was the
chamber in which Ghip-Ghisizzle had been confined by the Princesses, his ar=
ms
being bound tight to his body, but his legs left free. The Boolooroo in his
search had failed to discover what had become of Ghip Ghisizzle, but the po=
or
man had been worried every minute for fear his retreat would be discovered =
or
that the terrible Princesses would come for him and nag him until he went
crazy. There was one window in his room, and the prisoner had managed to pu=
sh
open the sash with his knees. Looking out, he found that a few feet below t=
he
window was the broad wall that ran all around the palace gardens. A little =
way
to the right the wall joined the wall of the City, being on the same level =
with
it.
Ghip-Ghisizzle had
been thinking deeply upon this discovery, and he decided that if anyone ent=
ered
his room, he would get through the window, leap down upon the wall, and try=
in
this way to escape. It would be a dangerous leap, for as his arms were boun=
d,
he might topple off the wall into the garden; but he resolved to take this
chance. Therefore, when Trot rattled at the door of his room, Ghip-Ghisizzl=
e ran
and seated himself upon the window sill, dangling his long legs over the ed=
ge.
When she finally opened the door, he slipped off and let himself fall to the
wall, where he doubled up in a heap. The next minute, however, he had scram=
bled
to his knees and was running swiftly along the garden wall.
Trot, finding the
window open, came and looked out, and she saw the Majordomo's tall form
hastening along the top of the wall. The guards saw him, too, outlined agai=
nst
the sky in the moonlight, and they began yelling at him to stop, but
Ghip-Ghisizzle kept right on until he reached the city Wall, when he began =
to
follow that. More guards were yelling now, running along the foot of the wa=
ll
to keep the fugitive in sight, and people began to pour out of the houses a=
nd
join in the chase.
Poor Ghip realized
that if he kept on the wall, he would merely circle the city and finally be
caught. If he leaped down into the City, he would be seized at once. Just t=
hen
he came opposite the camp of the Pinkies and decided to trust himself to the
mercies of his Earth friends rather than be made a prisoner by his own peop=
le,
who would obey the commands of their detested but greatly feared Boolooroo.=
So suddenly
he gave a mighty leap and came down into the field outside the city. Again =
he
fell in a heap and rolled over and over, for it was a high wall and the jum=
p a
dangerous one; but finally he recovered and got upon his feet, delighted to
find he had broken none of his bones.
Some of the Blues=
kins
had by now opened a gate, and out rushed a crowd to capture the fugitive; b=
ut
Ghip-Ghisizzle made straight for the camp of the Pinkies, and his pursuers =
did
not dare follow him far in that direction. They soon gave up the chase and
returned to the City, while the runaway Majordomo was captured by Captain
Coralie and marched away to the tent of Rosalie the Witch, a prisoner of the
Pinkies.
Trot watched from=
the
window the escape of Ghip-Ghisizzle but did not know, of course, who it was.
Then, after the City had quieted down again, she lay upon the bed without
undressing and was sound asleep in a minute.
The blue dawn was
just breaking when she opened her eyes with a start of fear that she might =
have
overslept, but soon she found that no one else in the palace was yet astir.
Even the guards had gone to sleep by this time and were adding their snores=
to
the snores of the other inhabitants of the Royal Palace. So the little girl=
got
up and, finding a ewer of water and a basin upon the dresser, washed herself
carefully and then looked in a big mirror to see how her hair was. To her a=
stonishment,
there was no reflection at all; the mirror was blank so far as Trot was
concerned. She laughed a little at that, remembering she wore the ring of
Rosalie the Witch, which rendered her invisible. Then she slipped quietly o=
ut
of the room and found it was already light enough in the corridors for her =
to
see all objects distinctly.
After hesitating a
moment which way to turn, she decided to visit the Snubnosed Princesses and
passed through the big reception room to the sleeping room of Indigo. There
this Princess, the crossest and most disagreeable of all the disagreeable s=
ix,
was curled up in bed and slumbering cozily. The little blue dog came trotti=
ng
out of Indigo's boudoir and crowed like a rooster, for although he could not
see Trot, his keen little nose scented her presence. Thinking it time the P=
rincess
awoke, Trot leaned over and gave her snub nose a good tweak, and at once In=
digo
sprang out of her bed and rushed into the chamber of Cobalt, which adjoined=
her
own. Thinking it was this sister who had slyly attacked her, Indigo rushed =
at
the sleeping Cobalt and slapped her face.
At once there was
war. The other four Princesses, hearing the screams and cries of rage, came
running into Cobalt's room, and as fast as they appeared, Trot threw pillow=
s at
them, so that presently all six were indulging in a free-for-all battle and
snarling like tigers. The blue lamb came trotting into the room, and Trot
leaned over and patted the pretty little animal, but as she did so, she bec=
ame
visible for an instant, each pat destroying the charm of the ring while the
girl was in contact with a living creature. These flashes permitted some of=
the
Princesses to see her, and at once they rushed toward her with furious crie=
s.
But the girl realized what had happened, and leaving the lamb, she stepped =
back
into a corner and her frenzied enemies failed to find her. It was a little
dangerous, though, remaining in a room where six girls were feeling all aro=
und
for her, so she went away and left them to their vain search while she rene=
wed
her hunt for Cap'n Bill.
The sailorman did=
not
seem to be in any of the rooms she entered, so she decided to visit the
Boolooroo's own apartments. In the room where Rosalie's vision had shown th=
em
the Magic Umbrella lying under a cabinet, Trot attempted to find it, for she
considered that next to rescuing Cap'n Bill this was the most important tas=
k to
accomplish; but the umbrella had been taken away and was no longer beneath =
the
cabinet. This was a severe disappointment to the child, but she reflected t=
hat the
umbrella was surely someplace in the Blue city, so there was no need to
despair.
Finally, she ente=
red
the King's own sleeping chamber and found the Boolooroo in bed and asleep, =
with
a funny nightcap tied over his egg-shaped head. As Trot looked at him, she =
was
surprised to see that he had one foot out of bed and that to his big toe was
tied a cord that led out of the bedchamber into a small dressing room beyon=
d.
Trot slowly followed this cord and in the dressing room came upon Cap'n Bil=
l,
who was lying asleep upon a lounge and snoring with great vigor. His arms w=
ere
tied to his body, and his body was tied fast to the lounge. The wooden leg
stuck out into the room at an angle, and the shoe on his one foot had been
removed so that the end of the cord could be fastened to the sailor's big t=
oe.
This arrangement =
had
been a clever thought of the Boolooroo. Fearing his important prisoner might
escape before he was patched as Ghip-Ghisizzle had done, the cruel King of =
the
Blues had kept Cap'n Bill in his private apartments and had tied his own big
toe to the prisoner's big toe, so that if the sailor made any attempt to get
away, he would pull on the cord, and that would arouse the Boolooroo.
Trot saw through =
this
cunning scheme at once, so the first thing she did was to untie the cord fr=
om
Cap'n Bill's big toe and retie it to the leg of the lounge. Then she unfast=
ened
her friend's hands and leaned over to give his leathery face a smacking kis=
s.
Cap'n Bill sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked around the room and rubbed=
his
eyes again, seeing no one who could have kissed him. Then he discovered that
his bonds had been removed, and he rubbed his eyes once more to make sure he
was not dreaming. The little girl laughed softly.
"Trot!"
exclaimed the sailor, recognizing her voice.
Then Trot came up=
and
took his hand, the touch at once rendering her visible to him. "Dear
me!" said the bewildered sailor. "However did you get here, mate,=
in
the Boolooroo's own den? Is the Blue City captured?"
"Not yet,&qu=
ot;
she replied, "but YOU are, Cap'n, and I've come to save you."
"All alone,
Trot?"
"All alone,
Cap'n Bill. But it's got to be done, jus' the same." And then she
explained about the magic ring Rosalie had lent her, which rendered her
invisible while she wore it--unless she touched some living creature. Cap'n
Bill was much interested.
"I'm willing=
to
be saved, mate," he said, "for the Boolooroo is set on patchin' me
right after breakfas', which I hope the cook'll be late with."
"Who are you=
to
be patched to?" she asked.
"A feller na= med Tiggle, who's in disgrace 'cause he mixed the royal necktie for me." <= o:p>
"That was
nectar, not necktie," corrected Trot. "But you needn't be 'fraid =
of
bein' patched with Tiggle, 'cause I've set him loose. By this time he's in
hiding, where he can't be found."
"That's
good," said Cap'n Bill, nodding approval, "but the blamed ol' Boo=
looroo's
sure to find someone else. What's to be done, mate?"
Trot thought abou=
t it
for a moment. Then she remembered how some unknown man had escaped from the
palace the night before by means of the wall, which he had reached from the
window of the very chamber in which she had slept. Cap'n Bill might easily =
do
the same. And the rope ladder she had used would help the sailor down from =
the
top of the wall. "Could you climb down a rope ladder, Cap'n?" she
asked.
"Like enough=
,"
said he. "I've done it many a time on shipboard."
"But you had=
n't
a wooden leg then," she reminded him.
"The wooden =
leg
won't bother much," he assured her.
So Trot tied a sm=
all
sofa cushion around the end of his wooden leg so it wouldn't make any noise
pounding upon the floor, and then she quietly led the sailor through the ro=
om
of the sleeping Boolooroo and through several other rooms until they came to
the passage. Here a soldier was on guard, but he had fallen asleep for a mo=
ment
in order to rest himself. They passed the Blueskin without disturbing him a=
nd
soon reached the chamber opposite the suite of the Six Snubnosed Princesses=
, whom
they could hear still quarreling loudly among themselves.
Trot locked the d=
oor
from the inside so no one could disturb them, and then led the sailor to the
window. The garden was just below.
"But good
gracious me! It's a drop o' ten feet, Trot," he exclaimed.
"And you've =
only
one foot to drop, Cap'n," she said, laughing. "Couldn't you let
yourself down with one of the sheets from the bed?"
"I'll try,&q=
uot;
he rejoined. "But can YOU do that circus act, Trot?"
"Oh, I'm goi=
n'
to stay here an' find the Magic Umbrella," she replied. "Bein'
invis'ble, Cap'n, I'm safe enough. What I want to do is to see you safe back
with the Pinkies, an' then I'll manage to hold my own all right, never
fear."
So they brought a
blue sheet and tied one end to a post of the blue bed and let the other end
dangle out the blue window. "Goodbye, mate," said Cap'n Bill,
preparing to descend. "Don't get reckless."
"I won't, Ca=
p'n.
Don't worry."
Then he grasped t=
he
sheet with both hands and easily let himself down to the wall. Trot had told
him where to find the rope ladder she had left and how to fasten it to the
broken flagstaff so he could climb down into the field outside the City. As
soon as he was safe on the wall, Cap'n Bill began to hobble along the broad=
top
toward the connecting wall that surrounded the entire City--just as
Ghip-Ghisizzle had done--and Trot anxiously watched him from the window.
But the Blue City=
was
now beginning to waken to life. One of the soldiers came from a house, slee=
pily
yawning and stretching himself, and presently his eyes lit upon the huge fo=
rm
of Cap'n Bill hastening along the top of the wall. The soldier gave a yell =
that
aroused a score of his comrades and brought them tumbling into the street. =
When
they saw how the Boolooroo's precious prisoner was escaping, they instantly=
became
alert and wide-awake, and every one started in pursuit along the foot of the
wall.
Of course, the
long-legged Blueskins could run faster than poor Cap'n Bill. Some of them s=
oon
got ahead of the old sailorman and came to the rope ladder which Trot had l=
eft
dangling from the stone bench, where it hung down inside the City. The Blue
soldiers promptly mounted this ladder and so gained the wall, heading off t=
he
fugitive. When Cap'n Bill came up, panting and all out of breath, the Blues=
kins
seized him and held him fast.
Cap'n Bill was
terribly disappointed at being recaptured, and so was Trot, who had eagerly
followed his every movement from her window in the palace. The little girl
would have cried with vexation, and I think she did weep a few tears before=
she
recovered her courage; but Cap'n Bill was a philosopher, in his way, and had
learned to accept ill fortune cheerfully. Knowing he was helpless, he made =
no
protest when they again bound him and carried him down the ladder like a ba=
le
of goods.
Others were also
disappointed by his capture. Button-Bright had heard the parrot squawking,
"Oh, there's Cap'n Bill! There's Cap'n Bill! I see him still, up on th=
at
hill! It's Cap'n Bill!" So the boy ran out of his tent to find the sai=
lor
scurrying along the top of the wall as fast as he could go. At once
Button-Bright aroused Coralie, who got her Pinkies together and quickly mar=
ched
them toward the wall to assist in the escape of her Commander in Chief. But
they were too late. Before they could reach the wall, the Blueskins had
captured Trot's old friend and lugged him down in to the City, so Coralie a=
nd
Button-Bright were forced to return to their camp discomfited. There
Ghip-Ghisizzle and Rosalie were awaiting them, and they all went into the
Witch's tent and held a council of war.
"Tell me,&qu=
ot;
said Ghip-Ghisizzle, "did you not take the Royal Record Book from the
Treasure Chamber of the Boolooroo?"
"I did,"
replied the boy. "I remember that you wanted it, and so I have kept it
with me ever since that night. Here it is." And he presented the little
blue book to the Majordomo, the only friend the adventurers had found among=
all
the Blueskins.
Ghip-Ghisizzle to=
ok
the book eagerly and at once began turning over its leaves. "Ah!"=
he
exclaimed presently. "It is just as I suspected. The wicked Boolooroo =
had
already reigned over the Blue Country three hundred years last Thursday, so
that now he has no right to rule at all. I myself have been the rightful Ru=
ler
of the Blues since Thursday, and yet this cruel and deceitful man has not o=
nly
deprived me of my right to succeed him, but he has tried to have me patched=
so
that I could never become the Boolooroo."
"Does the bo=
ok
tell how old he is?" asked Button-Bright.
"Yes. He is =
not
five hundred years old, and has yet another hundred years to live. He plann=
ed
to rule the Blue Country until the last, but I now know the deception he has
practiced and have the Royal Record Book to prove it. With this I shall be =
able
to force him to resign that I may take his place, for all the people will
support me and abide by the Law. The tyrant will perhaps fight me and my ca=
use
desperately, but I am sure to win in the end."
"If we can h=
elp
you," said Button-Bright, "the whole Pink Army will fight for you.
Only, if you win, you must promise to give me back my Magic Umbrella and le=
t us
fly away to our own homes again."
"I will do t=
hat
most willingly," agreed Ghip-Ghisizzle. "And now let us consult
together how best to take the Blue City and capture the Boolooroo. As I kno=
w my
own country much better than you or the Pinkies do, I think I can find a wa=
y to
accomplish our purpose."
The shouting and
excitement in the City following upon the recapture of Cap'n Bill aroused t=
he
sleeping Boolooroo. He found the cord still tied to his big toe and at first
imagined his prisoner safe in the dressing room. While he put on his clothe=
s,
the king occasionally gave the cord a sudden pull, hoping to hurt Cap'n Bil=
l's
big toe and make him yell; but as no response came to this mean action, the
Boolooroo finally looked into the room only to find he had been pulling on a
leg of the couch and that his prisoner had escaped.
Then he flew into=
a
mighty rage, and running out into the hall he aimed a blow at the unfaithful
guard, knocking the fellow off his feet. Then he rushed downstairs into the
courtyard, shouting loudly for his soldiers and threatening to patch everyb=
ody
in his dominions if the sailorman was not recaptured.
While the Booloor=
oo
stormed and raged, a band of soldiers and citizens came marching in,
surrounding Cap'n Bill, who was again firmly bound.
"So-ho!"
roared the monarch. "You thought you could defy me, Earth Clod, did yo=
u?
But you were mistaken. No one can resist the Mighty Boolooroo of the Blues,=
so
it is folly for you to rebel against my commands. Hold him fast, my men, an=
d as
soon as I've had my coffee and oatmeal I'll take him to the Room of the Gre=
at
Knife and patch him."
"I wouldn't =
mind
a cup o' coffee myself," said Cap'n Bill. "I've had consid'ble
exercise this mornin', and I'm all ready for breakfas'."
"Very
well," replied the Boolooroo, "you shall eat with me, for then I =
can
keep an eye on you. My guards are not to be trusted, and I don't mean to let
you out of my sight again until you are patched."
So Cap'n Bill and=
the
Boolooroo had breakfast together, six Blueskins standing in a row back of t=
he
sailorman to grab him if he attempted to escape. But Cap'n Bill made no such
attempt, knowing it would be useless.
Trot was in the r=
oom,
too, standing in a corner and listening to all that was said while she rack=
ed
her little brain for an idea that would enable her to save Cap'n Bill from
being patched. No one could see her, so no one--not even Cap'n Bill--knew s=
he
was there.
After breakfast w=
as
over, a procession was formed, headed by the Boolooroo, and they marched the
prisoner through the palace until they came to the Room of the Great Knife.
Invisible Trot followed soberly after them, still wondering what she could =
do
to save her friend.
As soon as they
entered the Room of the great Knife, the Boolooroo gave a yell of disappoin=
tment.
"What's beco=
me
of Tiggle?" he shouted. "Where's Tiggle? Who has released Tiggle?=
Go
at once, you dummies, and find him, or it will go hard with you!"
The frightened
soldiers hurried away to find Tiggle, and Trot was well pleased because she=
knew
Tiggle was by this time safely hidden.
The Boolooroo sta=
mped
up and down the room, muttering threats and declaring Cap'n Bill should be
punished whether Tiggle was found or not, and while they waited, Trot took =
time
to make an inspection of the place, which she now saw for the first time in
broad daylight.
The Room of the G=
reat
Knife was high and big, and around it ran rows of benches for the spectator=
s to
sit upon. In one place at the head of the room was a raised platform for the
royal family, with elegant throne-chairs for the King and Queen and six sma=
ller
but richly upholstered chairs for the Snubnosed Princesses. The poor Queen,=
by
the way, was seldom seen, as she passed all her time playing solitaire with=
a
deck that was one card short, hoping that before she had lived her entire s=
ix
hundred years she would win the game. Therefore, her Majesty paid no attent=
ion
to anyone and no one paid any attention to her.
In the center of =
the
room stood the terrible knife that gave the place its name, a name dreaded =
by
every inhabitant of the Blue City. The knife was built into a huge framework
like a derrick, that reached to the ceiling, and it was so arranged that wh=
en
the Boolooroo pulled a cord the great blade would drop down in its frame and
neatly cut in two the person who stood under it. And in order that the slic=
ing
would be accurate, there was another frame to which the prisoner was tied s=
o that
he couldn't wiggle either way. This frame was on rollers so that it could be
placed directly underneath the knife.
While Trot was
observing this dreadful machine, the door opened and in walked the Six
Snubnosed Princesses, all in a row and with their chins up as if they disda=
ined
everyone but themselves. They were magnificently dressed, and their blue ha=
ir
was carefully arranged in huge towers upon their heads, with blue plumes st=
uck
into the tops. These plumes waved gracefully in the air with every mincing =
step
the Princesses took. Rich jewels of blue stones glittered upon their person=
s,
and the royal ladies were fully as gorgeous as they were haughty and
overbearing. They marched to their chairs and seated themselves to enjoy the
cruel scene their father was about to enact, and Cap'n Bill bowed to them
politely and said:
"Mornin', gi=
rls.
Hope ye feel as well as ye look."
"Papa,"
exclaimed Turquoise angrily, "can you not prevent this vile Earth Being
from addressing us? It is an insult to be spoken to by one about to be
patched."
"Control
yourselves, my dears," replied the Boolooroo. "The worst punishme=
nt I
know how to inflict on anyone this prisoner is about to suffer. You'll see a
very pretty patching, my royal daughters."
"When?"
inquired Cobalt.
"When? As so=
on
as the soldiers return with Tiggle," said he.
But just then in =
came
the soldiers to say that Tiggle could not be found anywhere in the City; he=
had
disappeared as mysteriously as had Ghip-Ghisizzle. Immediately, the Booloor=
oo
flew into another towering rage.
"Villains!&q=
uot;
he shouted. "Go out and arrest the first living thing you meet, and
whoever it proves to be will be instantly patched to Cap'n Bill."
The Captain of the
Guards hesitated to obey this order. "Suppose it's a friend?" he
suggested.
"Friend!&quo=
t;
roared the Boolooroo. "I haven't a friend in the country. Tell me, sir=
, do
you know of anyone who is my friend?"
The Captain shook=
his
head. "I can't think of anyone just now, your Spry and Flighty High and
Mighty Majesty," he answered.
"Of course
not," said the Boolooroo. "Everyone hates me, and I don't object =
to
that because I hate everybody. But I'm the Ruler here, and I'll do as I ple=
ase.
Go and capture the first living creature you see and bring him here to be
patched to Cap'n Bill."
So the Captain to=
ok a
file of soldiers and went away very sorrowful, for he did not know who woul=
d be
the victim, and if the Boolooroo had no friends, the Captain had plenty and=
did
not wish to see them patched.
Meanwhile, Trot,
being invisible to all, was roaming around the room, and behind a bench she
found a small end of rope, which she picked up. Then she seated herself in =
an
out-of-the-way place and quietly waited.
Suddenly there wa=
s a
noise in the corridor and evidence of scuffling and struggling. Then the do=
or
flew open and in came the soldiers dragging a great blue billygoat, which w=
as
desperately striving to get free.
"Villains!&q=
uot;
howled the Boolooroo. "What does this mean?"
"Why, you sa=
id
to fetch the first living creature we met, and that was this billygoat,&quo=
t;
replied the Captain, panting hard as he held fast to one of the goat's horn=
s.
The Boolooroo sta=
red
a moment, and then he fell back to his throne, laughing boisterously. The i=
dea
of patching Cap'n Bill to a goat was vastly amusing to him, and the more he
thought of it the more he roared with laughter. Some of the soldiers laughe=
d,
too, being tickled with the absurd notion, and the Six Snubnosed Princesses=
all
sat up straight and permitted themselves to smile contemptuously. This would
indeed be a severe punishment, therefore the Princesses were pleased at the=
thought
of Cap'n Bill's becoming half a billygoat, and the billygoat's being half C=
ap'n
Bill.
"They look
something alike, you know," suggested the Captain of the Guards, looki=
ng
from one to the other doubtfully, "and they're nearly the same size if=
you
stand the goat on his hind legs. They've both got the same style of whisker=
s,
and they're both of 'em obstinate and dangerous, so they ought to make a go=
od
patch."
"Splendid! F=
ine!
Glorious!" cried the Boolooroo, wiping the tears of merriment from his
eyes. "We will proceed with the Ceremony of Patching at once."
Cap'n Bill regard=
ed
the billygoat with distinct disfavor, and the billygoat glared evilly upon
Cap'n Bill. Trot was horrified, and wrung her little hands in sore perplexi=
ty,
for this was a most horrible fate that awaited her dear friend.
"First, bind=
the
Earth Man in the frame," commanded the Boolooroo. "We'll slice hi=
m in
two before we do the same to the billygoat."
So they seized Ca=
p'n
Bill and tied him into the frame so that he couldn't move a jot in any
direction. Then they rolled the frame underneath the Great Knife and handed=
the
Boolooroo the cord that released the blade. But while this was going on, Tr=
ot
had crept up and fastened one end of her rope to the frame in which Cap'n B=
ill
was confined. Then she stood back and watched the Boolooroo, and just as he=
pulled
the cord, she pulled on her rope and dragged the frame on its rollers away,=
so
that the Great Knife fell with a crash and sliced nothing but the air.
"Huh!"
exclaimed the Boolooroo. "That's queer. Roll him up again, soldiers.&q=
uot;
The soldiers again
rolled the frame in position, having first pulled the Great Knife once more=
to
the top of the derrick. The immense blade was so heavy that it took the
strength of seven Blueskins to raise it. When all was in readiness, the King
pulled the cord a second time, and Trot at the same instant pulled upon her
rope. The same thing happened as before. Cap'n Bill rolled away in his fram=
e,
and the knife fell harmlessly.
Now, indeed, the
Boolooroo was as angry as he was amazed. He jumped down from the platform a=
nd
commanded the soldiers to raise the Great Knife into position. When this was
accomplished, the Boolooroo leaned over to try to discover why the frame ro=
lled
away--seemingly of its own accord--and he was the more puzzled because it h=
ad
never done such a thing before.
As he stood, bent
nearly double, his back was toward the billygoat, which in their interest a=
nd
excitement the soldiers were holding in a careless manner. Before any could
stop him, he butted his Majesty so furiously that the King soared far into =
the
air and tumbled in a heap among the benches, where he lay moaning and groan=
ing.
The goat's warlike
spirit was roused by this successful attack. Finding himself free, he turned
and assaulted the soldiers, butting them so fiercely that they tumbled down=
in
bunches, and as soon as they could rise again ran frantically from the room=
and
along the corridors as if a fiend was after them. By this time the goat was=
so
animated by the spirit of conquest that he rushed at the Six Snubnosed
Princesses, who had all climbed upon their chairs and were screaming in a p=
anic
of fear. Six times the goat butted, and each time he tipped over a chair and
sent a haughty Princess groveling upon the floor, where the ladies got mixe=
d up
in their long, blue trains and flounces and laces and struggled wildly until
they recovered their footing. Then they sped in great haste for the door, a=
nd
the goat gave a final butt that sent the row of royal ladies all diving into
the corridor in another tangle, whereupon they shrieked in a manner that
terrified everyone within sound of their voices.
As the Room of the
Great Knife was now cleared of all but Cap'n Bill, who was tied in his fram=
e,
and of Trot and the moaning Boolooroo, who lay hidden behind the benches, t=
he
goat gave a victorious bleat and stood in the doorway to face any enemy that
might appear. Trot had been as surprised as anyone at this sudden change of
conditions, but she was quick to take advantage of the opportunities it
afforded. First she ran with her rope to the goat, and as the animal could =
not
see her, she easily succeeded in tying the rope around its horns and fasten=
ing
the loose end to a pillar of the doorway. Next she hurried to Cap'n Bill and
began to unbind him, and as she touched the sailor she became visible. He
nodded cheerfully, then, and said, "I had a notion it was you, mate, as
saved me from the knife. But it were a pretty close call, an' I hope it won=
't
happen again. I couldn't shiver much, bein' bound so tight, but when I'm lo=
ose
I mean to have jus' one good shiver to relieve my feelin's."
"Shiver all =
you
want to, Cap'n," she said as she removed the last bonds. "But fir=
st
you've got to help me save us both."
"As how?&quo=
t;
he asked, stepping from the frame.
"Come and get
the Boolooroo," she said, going toward the benches. The sailor followed
and pulled out the Boolooroo, who, when he saw the terrible goat was captur=
ed
and tied fast, quickly recovered his courage. "Hi, there!" he cri=
ed.
"Where are my soldiers? What do you mean, prisoner, by daring to lay h=
ands
upon me? Let me go this minute or I'll--I'll have you patched TWICE!" =
"Don't mind =
him,
Cap'n," said Trot, "but fetch him along to the frame." The
Boolooroo looked around to see where the voice came from, and Cap'n Bill
grinned joyfully and caught up the king in both his strong arms, dragging t=
he
struggling Monarch of the Blues to the frame.
"Stop it! How
dare you?" roared the frightened Boolooroo. "I'll have revenge!
I'll--I'll--"
"You'll take=
it
easy, 'cause you can't help yourself," said Cap'n Bill. "What nex=
t,
Queen Trot?"
"Hold him st=
eady
in the frame, and I'll tie him up," she replied. So Cap'n Bill held the
Boolooroo, and the girl tied him fast in position as Cap'n Bill had been ti=
ed,
so that his Majesty couldn't wiggle at all. Then they rolled the frame in
position underneath the Great Knife and Trot held in her hand the cord which
would release it.
"All right,
Cap'n," she said in a satisfied tone. "I guess we can run this Bl=
ue
Country ourselves after this." The Boolooroo was terrified to find him=
self
in danger of being sliced by the same knife he had so often wickedly employ=
ed
to slice others. Like Cap'n Bill, he had no room to shiver, but he groaned =
very
dismally and was so full of fear that his blue hair nearly stood on end.
The girl now took=
off
Rosalie's ring and put it carefully away in her pocket. "It won't matt=
er
who sees me now," she remarked, "an' I want 'em to know that you =
an'
me, Cap'n, are running this kingdom. I'm Queen o' the Pinkies an' Boolooroo=
ess
o' the Blues, an'--"
"What's
that?" asked the sailor. "You're--you're WHAT, Trot?"
"Booloorooes=
s.
Isn't that right, Cap'n?"
"I dunno, ma=
te.
It sounds bigger ner you are, an' I don't like the word, anyhow. S'pose you=
jus'
call yourself the Boss? That fills the bill an' don't need pernouncin'.&quo=
t;
"All
right," she said. "Queen o' the Pinkies an' Boss o' the Blues. Se=
ems
funny, don't it, Cap'n Bill?"
Just then they he=
ard
a sound of footsteps in the corridor. The soldiers had recovered their cour=
age,
and fearful of the anger of their dreaded Boolooroo, whom the Princesses
declared would punish them severely, had ventured to return to the room. Th=
ey
came rather haltingly, though, and the Captain of the Guards first put his =
head
cautiously through the doorway to see if the coast was clear. The goat
discovered him and tried to make a rush, but the rope held the animal back,=
and
when the Captain saw this, he came forward more boldly.
"Halt!"
cried Trot. The Captain halted, his soldiers peering curiously over his
shoulders and the Six Snubnosed Princesses looking on from behind, where th=
ey
considered themselves safe. "If anyone dares enter this room without my
permission," said Trot, "I'll pull this cord and slice your master
that once was the Boolooroo."
"Don't come =
in!
Don't come in!" yelled the Boolooroo in a terrified voice.
Then they saw that
the sailor was free and the Boolooroo bound in his place. The soldiers were
secretly glad to observe this, but the Princesses were highly indignant.
"Release his Majesty at once!" cried Indigo from the corridor.
"You shall be severely punished for this rebellion."
"Don't
worry," replied Trot. "His Majesty isn't his Majesty any longer. =
He's
jus' a common Blueskin. Cap'n Bill and I perpose runnin' this Island oursel=
ves,
after this. You've all got to obey ME, for I'm the Booloorooess--no, I mean=
the
Boss--o' the Blues, and I've a notion to run things my own way."
"You
can't," said Turquoise scornfully. "The Law says--"
"Bother the
Law!" exclaimed Trot. "I'll make the Laws myself from now on, and
I'll unmake every Law you ever had before I conquered you."
"Oh, have you
conquered us, then?" asked the Captain of the Guards in a surprised to=
ne.
"Of
course," said Trot. "Can't you see?"
"It looks li=
ke
it," admitted the Captain.
"Cap'n Bill =
is
goin' to be my General o' the Army an' the Royal Manager o' the Blue
Country," continued Trot, "so you'll mind what he says."
"Nonsense!&q=
uot;
shouted Indigo. "March in and capture them, Captain! Never mind if the=
y do
slice the Boolooroo. I'm his daughter, and I'LL rule the kingdom."
"You
won't!" screamed Cobalt. "I'll rule it!"
"I'll rule it
myself!" cried Cerulia.
"No, no!&quo=
t;
yelled Turquoise. "I'll be the Ruler."
"That shall =
be
MY privilege!" shouted Sapphire. Cobalt began to say, "I'm
the--"
"Be quiet!&q=
uot;
said Trot sternly. "Would you have your own father sliced so that you
could rule in his place?"
"Yes, yes, of
course!" rejoined the six Princesses without a second's hesitation.
"Well, well!
What d' ye think o' that, Mr. Boolooroo?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"They're
undutiful daughters. Don't pay any attention to them," replied the
frightened Boolooroo.
"We're not g=
oin'
to," said Trot. "Now, you Blue Cap'n, who are you and your soldie=
rs
going to obey, me or the snubnosed ones?"
"You!"
declared the Captain of the Guards positively, for he hated the Princesses,=
as
did all the Blueskins.
"Then escort
those girls to their rooms, lock 'em in, an' put a guard before the door.&q=
uot;
At once the soldi=
ers
seized the Princesses and notwithstanding their snarls and struggles marched
them to their rooms and locked them in. While they were gone on this errand,
the Boolooroo begged to be released, whining and wailing for fear the knife
would fall upon him. But Trot did not think it safe to unbind him just then.
When the soldiers returned, she told their leader to put a strong guard bef=
ore the
palace and to admit no one unless either she or Cap'n Bill gave the order t=
o do
so. The soldiers obeyed readily, and when Trot and Cap'n Bill were left alo=
ne,
they turned the goat loose in the Room of the Great Knife and then locked t=
he
animal in with the Boolooroo.
"The billygo=
at
is the very best guard we could have, for ever'body's 'fraid o' him,"
remarked Cap'n Bill as he put the key of the room in his pocket. "So n=
ow,
Queen Trot, what's next on the program?"
"Next,"
said Trot, "we're goin' to hunt for that umbrel, Cap'n. I don't mean to
stay in this dismal Blue Country long, even if I am the Queen. Let's find t=
he
umbrel and go home as soon as we can."
"That suits
me," the sailor joyfully exclaimed, and then the two began a careful
search through the palace. They went into every room and looked behind the
furniture and underneath the beds and in every crack and corner, but no pla=
ce
could they spy the Magic Umbrella. Cap'n Bill even ventured to enter the ro=
oms
of the Six Snubnosed Princesses, who were by this time so thoroughly alarmed
that they had become meek and mild as could be. But the umbrella wasn't the=
re,
either.
Finally, they ret=
urned
to the great throne room of the palace, where they seated themselves on the
throne and tried to think what could possibly have become of the precious
umbrella. While they were sitting and talking together, the Captain of the
Guards entered and bowed respectfully. "Beg pardon, your Small-Sized
Majesty," said he to Trot, "but it is my duty to report that the
Pinkies are preparing to attack the City."
"Oh! I'd
forgotten the Pinkies!" exclaimed the girl. "Tell me, Captain, ha=
ve
you such a thing as a Brass Band in this City?"
"We have two
fine bands, but they are not brass," replied the Captain. "Their
instruments are made of blue metal."
"Well, order=
'em
out," commanded Trot. "And say, get all the soldiers together and
tell all the people there's going to be a high time in the Blue City tonigh=
t.
We'll have music and dancing and eating and--"
"An' necktie=
s to
drink, Trot. Don't forget the royal neckties," urged Cap'n Bill.
"We'll have =
all
the fun there is going," continued the girl, "for we are to enter=
tain
the Army of the Pinkies."
"The
Pinkies!" exclaimed the Captain of the Guards. "Why, they're our =
enemies,
your Short Highness."
"Not any
more," replied Trot. "I'm Queen of the Pinkies, an' I'm also Quee=
n of
the Blues, so I won't have my people quarreling. Tell the Blue people we ar=
e to
throw open the gates and welcome the Pinkies to the City, where everybody w=
ill
join in a grand celebration. And jus' as soon as you've spread the news an'=
got
the bands tuned up and the soldiers ready to march, you let us know, and we=
'll
head the procession."
"Your
Microscopic Majesty shall be obeyed," said the Captain, and went away =
to
carry out these commands.
The Blue people w=
ere
by this time dazed with wonder at all the events that had transpired that
eventful day, but they still had wit enough to be glad the war was over, fo=
r in
war someone is likely to get hurt, and it is foolish to take such chances w=
hen
one can remain quietly at home. The Blues did not especially admire the
Pinkies, but it was easier to entertain them than to fight them, and above =
all,
the Blueskins were greatly rejoiced that their wicked Boolooroo had been
conquered and could no longer abuse them. So they were quite willing to obey
the orders of their girl Queen and in a short time the blasts of trumpets a=
nd
roll of drums and clashing of cymbals told Trot and Cap'n Bill that the Blue
Bands had assembled before the palace.
So they went down=
and
found that a great crowd of people had gathered, and these cheered Trot with
much enthusiasm--which was very different from the scowls and surly looks w=
ith
which they had formerly greeted their strange visitors from the Earth.
The soldiers wore
their best blue uniforms and were formed before the palace in marching orde=
r,
so Trot and Cap'n Bill headed the procession, and then came the soldiers--a=
ll
keeping step--and then the bands, playing very loud noises on their
instruments, and finally the crowd of Blue citizens waving flags and banners
and shouting joyfully. In this order they proceeded to the main gate, which
Trot ordered the guards to throw wide open. Then they all marched out a lit=
tle
way into the fields and found that the Army of Pinkies had already formed a=
nd
was advancing steadily toward them.
At the head of the
Pinkies were Ghip-Ghisizzle and Button-Bright, who had the parrot on his
shoulder, and they were supported by Captain Coralie and Captain Tintint and
Rosalie the Witch. They had decided to capture the Blue City at all hazards,
that they might rescue Trot and Cap'n Bill and conquer the Boolooroo, so wh=
en
from a distance they saw the Blueskins march from the gate with banners fly=
ing
and bands playing, they supposed a most terrible fight was about to take pl=
ace.
However, as the t=
wo
forces came nearer together, Button-Bright spied Trot and Cap'n Bill standi=
ng
before the enemy, and the sight astonished him considerably.
"Welcome,
friends!" shouted Cap'n Bill in a loud voice; and "Welcome!"=
cried
Trot; and "Welcome!" roared the Blue soldiers and the people of t=
he
Blue City.
"Hooray!&quo=
t;
yelled the parrot,
"Welcome to our happy home From which no longer will we
roam!"
And then he flapp=
ed
his wings and barked like a dog with pure delight, and added as fast as his
bird's tongue could speak,
"One army's pink and one is b=
lue, But neither one is in a stew =
Because the naughty Boolooroo=
Is out of sight, so what we'l=
l do Is try to be a jolly crew
"Stop it!&qu=
ot;
said Button-Bright, "I can't hear myself think."
The Pinkies were
amazed at the strange reception of the Blues and hesitated to advance, but =
Trot
now ran up in front of them and made a little speech. "Pinkies," =
said
she, "your Queen has conquered the Boolooroo and is now the Queen of t=
he
Blues. All of Sky Island except the Fog Bank is now my kingdom, so I welcom=
e my
faithful Pinkies to my Blue City, where you are to be royally entertained a=
nd
have a good time. The war is over an' ever'body must be sociable an' happy =
or
I'll know the reason why!"
Now, indeed, the
Pinkies raised a great shout of joy, and the Blues responded with another
joyful shout, and Rosalie kissed the little girl and said she had performed
wonders, and everybody shook hands with Cap'n Bill and congratulated him up=
on
his escape, and the parrot flew to Trot's shoulder and screeched,
"The Pinkies are pink, the Bl=
ues
are blue, But Trot's the
Queen, so too-ral-loo!"
When the Blueskins
saw Ghip-Ghisizzle, they raised another great shout, for he was the favorit=
e of
the soldiers and very popular with all the people. But Ghip-Ghisizzle did n=
ot
heed the shouting. He was looking downcast and sad, and it was easy to see =
he
was disappointed because he had not conquered the Boolooroo himself. But the
people called upon him for a speech, so he faced the Blueskins and said,
"I escaped from the City because the Boolooroo tried to patch me as you
all know, and the Six Snubnosed Princesses tried to marry me, which would h=
ave
been a far greater misfortune. But I have recovered the Book of Royal Recor=
ds, which
has long been hidden in the Treasure Chamber, and by reading it I find that=
the
Boolooroo is not your lawful Boolooroo at all, having reigned more than his
three hundred years. Since last Thursday, I, Ghip-Ghisizzle, have been the
lawful Boolooroo of the Blue Country, but now that you are conquered by Que=
en
Trot, I suppose I am conquered, too, and you have no Boolooroo at all."=
;
"Hooray!&quo=
t;
cried the parrot.
"Here's a pretty howdy-do-- <=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> You haven't any Boolooroo!&qu=
ot;
Trot had listened
carefully to the Majordomo's speech. When he finished, she said cheerfully,
"Don't worry, Sizzle dear, it'll all come right pretty soon. Now then,
let's enter the City an' enjoy the grand feast that's being cooked. I'm nea=
rly
starved, myself, for this conquerin' kingdoms is hard work."
So the Pinkies and
the Blues marched side by side into the City, and there was great rejoicing=
and
music and dancing and feasting and games and merrymaking that lasted for th=
ree
full days. Trot carried Rosalie and Captain Coralie and Ghip-Ghisizzle to t=
he
palace, and of course Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill were with her. They had =
the
Royal chef serve dinner at once, and they ate in great state, seated in the
Royal Banquet Hall, where they were waited on by a hundred servants. The pa=
rrot
perched upon the back of Queen Trot's chair, and the girl fed it herself, b=
eing
glad to have the jolly bird with her again.
After they had ea=
ten
all they could and the servants had been sent away, Trot related her
adventures, telling how with the assistance of the billygoat she had turned=
the
tables on the wicked Boolooroo. Then she gave Rosalie back her magic ring,
thanking the kind Witch for all she had done for them. "And now,"
said she, "I want to say to Ghip-'Sizzle that jus' as soon as we can f=
ind
Button-Bright's umbrel we're going to fly home again. I'll always be Queen =
of
Sky Island, but the Pink and Blue Countries must each have a Ruler. I think
I'll make 'Sizzle the Boolooroo of the Blues, but I want you to promise me,
Ghip, that you'll destroy the Great Knife and its frame and clean up the ro=
om and
turn it into a skating rink an' never patch anyone as long as you rule the
Blueskins."
Ghip-Ghisizzle was
overjoyed at the prospect of being Boolooroo of the Blues, but he looked so=
lemn
at the promise Trot exacted. "I'm not cruel," he said, "and I
don't approve of patching in general, so I'll willingly destroy the Great
Knife. But before I do that, I want the privilege of patching the Snubnosed
Princesses to each other--mixing the six as much as possible--and then I wa=
nt
to patch the former Boolooroo to the billygoat, which is the same punishmen=
t he
was going to inflict upon Cap'n Bill."
"No," s=
aid
Trot positively. "There's been enough patching in this country, and I
won't have any more of it. The old Boolooroo and the six stuck-up Princesses
will be punished enough by being put out of the palace. The people don't li=
ke
'em a bit, so they'll be outcasts and wanderers, and that will make 'em sor=
ry
they were so wicked an' cruel when they were powerful. Am I right, Cap'n
Bill?"
"You are,
mate," replied the sailor.
"Please, Que=
en
Trot," begged Ghip-Ghisizzle, "let me patch just the Boolooroo. It
will be such a satisfaction."
"I have said=
no,
an' I mean it," answered the girl. "You let the poor old Boolooroo
alone. There's nothing that hurts so much as a come-down in life, an' I 'sp=
ect
the old rascal's goin' to be pretty miser'ble by'm'by."
"What does he
say to his reversal of fortune?" asked Rosalie.
"Why, I don't
b'lieve he knows about it," said Trot. "Guess I'd better send for=
him
an' tell him what's happened."
So the Captain of=
the
Guards was given the key and told to fetch the Boolooroo from the Room of t=
he
Great Knife. The guards had a terrible struggle with the goat, which was lo=
ose
in the room and still wanted to fight, but finally they subdued the animal,=
and
then they took the Boolooroo out of the frame he was tied in and brought bo=
th
him and the goat before Queen Trot, who awaited them in the throne room of =
the palace.
When the courtiers and the people assembled saw the goat, they gave a great
cheer, for the beast had helped to dethrone their wicked Ruler.
"What's goin=
' to
happen to this tough ol' warrior, Trot?" asked Cap'n Bill. "It's =
my
idee as he's braver than the whole Blue Army put together."
"You're righ=
t,
Cap'n," she returned. "I'll have 'Sizzle make a fine yard for the
goat, where he'll have plenty of blue grass to eat. An' I'll have a pretty
fence put around it an' make all the people honor an' respec' him jus' as l=
ong
as he lives."
"I'll gladly=
do
that," promised the new Boolooroo, "and I'll feed the honorable g=
oat
all the shavings and leather and tin cans he can eat, besides the grass. He=
'll
be the happiest goat in Sky Island, I assure you."
As they led the
now-famous animal from the room, the Boolooroo shuddered and said, "How
dare you people give orders in my palace? I'm the Boolooroo!"
"'Scuse
me," said Trot. "I neglected to tell you that you're not the Bool=
ooroo
any more. We've got the Royal Record Book, an' it proves you've already rul=
ed
this country longer than you had any right to. 'Sides all that, I'm the Que=
en
o' Sky Island--which means Queen o' the Pinkies an' Queen o' the Blues, bot=
h of
'em. So things are run as I say, an' I've made Ghip-Ghisizzle Boolooroo in =
your
place. He'll look after this end of the Island hereafter, an' unless I'm mu=
ch
mistaken, he'll do it a heap better than you did."
The former Booloo=
roo
groaned. "What's going to become of me, then?" he asked. "Am=
I
to be patched, or what?"
"You won't be
hurt," answered the girl, "but you'll have to find some other pla=
ce
to stay besides this palace, an' perhaps you'll enjoy workin' for a livin' =
by
way of variety."
"Can't I take
any of the treasure with me?" he pleaded.
"Not even a =
bird
cage," said she. "Ever'thing in the palace now belongs to
Ghip-Ghisizzle."
"Except the =
Six
Snubnosed Princesses," exclaimed the new Boolooroo earnestly. "Wo=
n't
you please get rid of them, too, your Majesty? Can't they be discharged?&qu=
ot;
"Of
course," said Trot. "They must go with their dear father an' moth=
er.
Isn't there some house in the City they can all live in, Ghip?"
"Why, I own a
little cabin at the end of the town," said Ghip-Ghisizzle, "and I=
'll
let them use that, as I won't need it any longer. It isn't a very pretty ca=
bin,
and the furniture is cheap and common, but I'm sure it is good enough for t=
his
wicked man and his family."
"I'll not be
wicked any more," sighed the old Boolooroo. "I'll reform. It's al=
ways
best to reform when it is no longer safe to remain wicked. As a private
citizen, I shall be a model of deportment, because it would be dangerous to=
be
otherwise."
Trot now sent for=
the
Princesses, who had been weeping and wailing and fighting among themselves =
ever
since they learned that their father had been conquered. When first they
entered the throne room, they tried to be as haughty and scornful as ever, =
but
the Blues who were assembled there all laughed at them and jeered them, for
there was not a single person in all the Blue Country who loved the Princes=
ses
the least little bit.
Trot told the gir=
ls
that they must go with their father to live in Ghip-Ghisizzle's little old
cabin, and when they heard this dreadful decree, the six snubnosed ones beg=
an
to scream and have hysterics, and between them they managed to make so much
noise that no one could hear anything else. So Ghip-Ghisizzle ordered the
Captain to take a file of soldiers and escort the raving beauties to their =
new
home.
This was done, the
once-royal family departing from the palace with shamed and downcast looks.
Then the Room of the Great Knife was cleared of its awful furniture. The fr=
ames
were split into small pieces of bluewood and the benches chopped into kindl=
ing
and the immense sharp knife broken into bits. All the rubbish was piled into
the square before the palace and a bonfire made of it, while the Blue peopl=
e clustered
around and danced and sang with joy as the blue flames devoured the dreadful
instrument that had once caused them so much unhappiness.
That evening Trot
gave a grand ball in her palace, to which the most important of the Pinkies=
and
the Blueskins were invited. The combined bands of both the countries played=
the
music, and a fine supper was served. The Pinkies would not dance with the B=
lues,
however, nor would the Blues dance with the Pinkies. The two nations were so
different in all ways that they were unable to agree at all, and several ti=
mes during
the evening quarrels arose and there was fighting between them, which Trot
promptly checked.
"I think it
would be best for us to go back to our own country as soon as possible,&quo=
t;
suggested Rosalie the Witch, "for if we stay here very long, the Blues=
kins
may rise against us and cause the Pinkies much trouble."
"Jus' as soo=
n as
we find that umbrel," promised Trot, "we'll dive into the Fog Bank
an' make tracks for the Land of Sunrise an' Sunset."
Next morning the
search for the Magic Umbrella began in earnest. With many to hunt for it and
the liberty of the whole palace to aid them, every inch of the great buildi=
ng
was carefully examined. But no trace of the umbrella could be found. Cap'n =
Bill
and Button-Bright went down to the cabin of the former Boolooroo and tried =
to
find out what he had done with the umbrella, but the old Boolooroo said,
"I had it
brought from the Treasure Chamber and tried to make it work, but there was =
no
magic about the thing. So I threw it away. I haven't any idea what became of
it."
The six former
Princesses were sitting upon a rude bench, looking quite bedraggled and unt=
idy.
Said Indigo:
"If you will
make Ghip-Ghisizzle marry me, I'll find your old umbrella."
"Where is
it?" asked Button-Bright eagerly.
"Make
Ghip-Ghisizzle marry me, and I'll tell you," repeated Indigo. "Bu=
t I
won't say another word about it until after I am married."
So they went back=
to
the palace and proposed to the new Boolooroo to marry Indigo so they could =
get
their Magic Umbrella. But Ghip-Ghisizzle positively refused.
"I'd like to
help you," said he, "but nothing will ever induce me to marry one=
of
those snubnoses."
"They're very
pretty--for Blueskins," said Trot.
"But when you
marry a girl, you marry the inside as well as the outside," declared
Ghip-Ghisizzle, "and inside these Princesses there are wicked hearts a=
nd
evil thoughts. I'd rather be patched than marry the best of them."
"Which IS the
best?" asked Button-Bright.
"I don't kno=
w,
I'm sure," was the reply. "Judging from their actions in the past,
there is no best."
Rosalie the Witch=
now
went to the cabin and put Indigo into a deep sleep by means of a powerful
charm. Then, while the Princess slept, the Witch made her tell all she knew,
which wasn't a great deal, to be sure; but it was soon discovered that Indi=
go
had been deceiving them and knew nothing at all about the umbrella. She had
hoped to marry Ghip-Ghisizzle and become Queen, after which she could affor=
d to
laugh at their reproaches. So the Witch woke her up and went back to the pa=
lace
to tell Trot of her failure.
The girl and
Button-bright and Cap'n Bill were all rather discouraged by this time, for =
they
had searched high and low and had not found a trace of the all-important
umbrella. That night none of them slept much, for they all lay awake wonder=
ing
how they could ever return to the Earth and to their homes.
In the morning of=
the
third day after Trot's conquest of the Blues, the little girl conceived ano=
ther
idea. She called all the servants of the palace to her and questioned them
closely. But not one could remember having seen anything that looked like an
umbrella.
"Are all the
servants of the old Boolooroo here?" inquired Cap'n Bill, who was sorr=
y to
see Trot looking so sad and downcast.
"All but
one," was the reply. "Tiggle used to be a servant, but he escaped=
and
ran away."
"Oh, yes!&qu=
ot;
exclaimed Trot. "Tiggle is in hiding somewhere. Perhaps he doesn't know
there's been a revolution and a new Boolooroo rules the country. If he did,
there's no need for him to hide any longer, for he is now in no danger.&quo=
t;
She now dispatched
messengers all through the City and the surrounding country, who cried aloud
for Tiggle, saying that the new Boolooroo wanted him. Tiggle, hiding in the
cellar of a deserted house in a back street, at last heard these cries and
joyfully came forth to confront the messengers. Having heard of the old
Boolooroo's downfall and disgrace, the old man consented to go to the palace
again, and as soon as Trot saw him she asked about the umbrella.
Tiggle thought ha=
rd
for a minute and then said he remembered sweeping the King's rooms and find=
ing
a queer thing--that might have been an umbrella--lying beneath a cabinet. It
had ropes and two wooden seats and a wicker basket all attached to the hand=
le.
"That's
it!" cried Button-Bright excitedly, and "That's it! That's it!&qu=
ot; cried
both Trot and Cap'n Bill.
"But what did
you do with it?" asked Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"I dragged it
out and threw it on the rubbish heap in an alley back of the palace," =
said
Tiggle. At once they all rushed out to the alley and began digging in the
rubbish heap. By and by Cap'n Bill uncovered the lunch basket, and pulling =
on
this he soon drew up the two seats, and finally the Magic Umbrella.
"Hurrah!&quo=
t;
shouted Button-Bright, grabbing the umbrella and hugging it tight in his ar=
ms.
"Hooray!&quo=
t;
shrieked the parrot.
"Cap'n Bill's a lucky fellah,=
'Cause he found the old
umbrella!"
Trot's face was
wreathed in smiles. "This is jus' the best luck that could have happen=
ed
to us," she exclaimed, "'cause now we can go home whenever we
please."
"Let's go no=
w--this
minute--before we lose the umbrella again," said Button-Bright.
But Trot shook her
head. "Not yet," she replied. "We've got to straighten out
things in Sky Island first of all. A Queen has some duties, you know, and as
long as I'm Queen here, I've got to live up to the part."
"What has to=
be
did, mate?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"Well, we've
fixed the Blue Country pretty well by makin' 'Sizzle the Boolooroo of it; b=
ut
the Pinkies mus' be looked after, too, 'cause they've stood by us an' helpe=
d us
to win. We must take 'em home again safe an' sound and get a new Queen to r=
ule
over 'em. When that's done, we can go home any time we want to."
"Quite right,
Trot," said the sailor approvingly. "When do we march?"
"Right
away," she replied. "I've had enough of the Blue Country, haven't
you?"
"We have,
mate."
"We've had
plenty of it," observed Button-Bright.
"And the Pin=
kies
are anxious to get home," added Rosalie, who was present.
So Cap'n Bill
unhooked the seats from the handle of the umbrella and wound the ropes arou=
nd
the two boards and made a package of them, which he carried under his arm. =
Trot
took the empty lunch basket, and Button-Bright held fast to the precious
umbrella. Then they returned to the palace to bid goodbye to Ghip-Ghisizzle=
and
the Blues.
The new Boolooroo
seemed rather sorry to lose his friends, but the people were secretly glad =
to
get rid of the strangers, especially of the Pinkies. They maintained a sull=
en
silence while Coralie and Captain Tintint formed their ranks in marching or=
der,
and they did not even cheer when Trot said to them in a final speech:
"I'm the Que=
en
of Sky Island, you know, and the new Boolooroo has to carry out my orders a=
nd
treat you all nicely while I'm away. I don't know when I'll come back, but
you'd better watch out an' not make any trouble, or I'll find a way to make=
you
sorry for it. So now, goodbye!"
"And good
riddance!" screamed the Six Snubnosed Girls who had once been Princess=
es
and who were now in the crowd that watched the departure.
But Trot paid no
attention to them. She made a signal to the Pinkie Band, which struck up a =
fine
Pink March, and then the Army stepped out with the left foot first, and away
went the conquerors down the streets of the Blue City, out of the blue-barr=
ed
gateway and across the country toward the Fog Bank.
When they reached=
the
edge of the Fog Bank, the Pinkies all halted to put on their raincoats, and
Button-Bright put up his umbrella and held it over himself and Trot. Then, =
when
everybody was ready, they entered the Fog and Rosalie the Witch made a sign=
al
to call the Frog King and his subjects to aid them as they had done before.=
Pretty soon the g=
reat
frogs appeared, a long line of them facing Trot and her Pink Army and sitti=
ng
upon their haunches close together.
"Turn around=
so
we can get upon your backs," said Rosalie.
"Not yet,&qu=
ot;
answered the Frog King in a gruff, deep voice. "You must first take th=
at
insulting umbrella out of my dominions."
"Why, what is
there about my umbrella that seems insulting?" asked Button-Bright in
surprise.
"It is an
intimation that you don't like our glorious climate and object to our
delightful fog and are trying to ward off its soulful, clinging kisses,&quo=
t;
replied the Frog King in an agitated voice. "There has never been an
umbrella in my kingdom before, and I'll not allow one in it now. Take it aw=
ay
at once!"
"But we
can't," explained Trot. "We've got to take the umbrella with us to
the Pink Country. We'll put it down if you like, an' cross the bank in this
drizzle--which may be clingin' an' soulful, but is too wet to be comfort'bl=
e.
But the umbrella's got to go with us."
"It can't go
another inch," cried the obstinate frog with an angry croak, "nor
shall any of your people advance another step while that insulting umbrella=
is
with you."
Trot turned to
Rosalie. "What shall we do?" she asked.
"I really do=
not
know," replied the Witch, greatly perplexed.
"Can't you M=
AKE
the frogs let us through?" inquired the boy.
"No, I have =
no
power over the frogs," Rosalie answered. "They carried us before =
as a
favor, but if the king now insists that we cannot pass with the umbrella, we
must go back to the Blue Country or leave your umbrella behind us."
"We won't do
that!" said Button-Bright indignantly. "Can't we fight the frogs?=
"
"Fight!"
cried Trot. "Why, see how big they are. They could eat up our whole ar=
my
if they wanted to."
But just then, wh=
ile
they stood dismayed at this unfortunate position, a queer thing happened. T=
he
umbrella in Button-Bright's hand began to tremble and shake. He looked down=
at
the handle and saw that the red eyes of the carved elephant's head were rol=
ling
fiercely and sending out red sparks of anger in all directions. The trunk
swayed from side to side, and the entire head began to swell and grow large=
r.
In his fright, the
boy sprang backward a step and dropped the umbrella to the ground, and as he
did so, it took the form of a complete elephant, growing rapidly to a monst=
rous
size. Then, flapping its ears and wagging its tail--which was merely the
covered frame of the umbrella--the huge elephant lifted its trunk and charg=
ed
the line of astonished frogs.
In a twinkling the
frogs all turned and made the longest leaps their powerful legs enabled them
to. The King jumped first of all, and in a panic of fear the others followed
his example. They were out of sight in an instant, and then the elephant tu=
rned
its head and looked at Button-Bright and at once trotted into the depths of=
the
fog.
"He wants us=
to
follow," said the boy, gasping in amazement at this wonderful
transformation. So immediately they began marching through the fog behind t=
he
elephant, and as the great beast advanced the frogs scrambled out of his way
and hid themselves in the moist banks until he had passed them by.
Cap'n Bill had to
mind his wooden leg carefully, and the old sailor was so excited that he
mumbled queer sentences about "Araby Ann Knights" and
"ding-donged magic" and the "fool foolishness of fussin' wit=
h witches
an' sich," until Trot wondered whether her old friend had gone crazy or
was only badly scared.
It was a long
journey, and all the Pinkies were dripping water from their raincoats, and
their fat little legs were tired and aching when the pink glow showing thro=
ugh
the fog at last announced that they were nearing the Pink Country.
At the very edge =
of
the Fog Bank the elephant halted, winked at Button-Bright, lowered its head=
and
began to shrink in size and dwindle away. By the time the boy came up to it,
closely followed by Trot and Cap'n Bill, the thing was only the well-known
Magic Umbrella, with the carved elephant's head for a handle, and it lay
motionless upon the ground. Button-Bright picked it up, and as he examined =
it
he thought the tiny eyes still twinkled a little, as if with triumph and pr=
ide.
Trot drew a long
breath.
"That was SO=
ME
magic, I guess!" she exclaimed. "Don't you think so, Rosalie?&quo=
t;
"It was the =
most
wonderful thing I ever saw," admitted the Witch. "The fairies who
control Button-Bright's umbrella must be very powerful indeed!"
The Pinkies were
rejoiced to find themselves again in their beloved land of sunrises and
sunsets. They sang and shouted with glee, and the Band uncovered its pink
instruments and played the National Pink Anthem, while the parrot flew from
Trot's shoulder to Cap'n Bill's shoulder and back again, screaming
ecstatically,
"Hooray! We're through the we=
tful
fogs Where the elephant
scared the fretful frogs!"
There was a
magnificent sunset in the sky just then, and it cheered the Pinkies and gave
them renewed strength. Away they hastened across the pink fields to the Pink
City, where all the Pink people who had been left behind ran out to welcome
them home again.
Trot and
Button-Bright, with Cap'n Bill and Rosalie the Witch, went to the humble
palace, where they had a simple supper of coarse food and slept upon hard b=
eds.
In the houses of the City, however, there was much feasting and merrymaking,
and it seemed to Trot that the laws of the country which forbade the Queen =
from
enjoying all the good things the people did were decidedly wrong and needed
changing.
The next morning
Rosalie said to the little girl, "Will you make Tourmaline the Queen a=
gain
when you go away?"
"I'll send f=
or
her and see about it," replied Trot.
But when Tourmali=
ne
arrived at the palace, dressed all in lovely, fluffy robes and with a dainty
pink plume in her pink hair, she begged most earnestly not to be made the Q=
ueen
again.
"I'm having a
good time just now after years of worry and uncomfortable living in this
uncomfortable old hut of a palace," said the poor girl, "so it wo=
uld
be cruel for you to make me the servant of the people again and condemn me =
to
want and misery."
"That seems
reason'ble," replied Trot thoughtfully.
"Rosalie's s=
kin
is just as light a pink as my own," continued Tourmaline. "Why do=
n't
you make her the Queen?"
"I hadn't
thought of that," said Trot. Then she turned to Rosalie and asked,
"How would you like to rule the Pinkies?"
"I wouldn't =
like
it," replied the Witch with a smile. "The Queen is the poorest and
most miserable creature in all the kingdom, and I'm sure I don't deserve su=
ch a
fate. I've always tried to be a good witch and to do my duty."
Trot thought this
over quite seriously for a time. Then one of her quaint ideas came to her--=
so
quaint that it was entirely sensible. "I'm the Queen of the Pinkies ju=
st
now, am I not?" she asked.
"Of
course," answered Rosalie. "None can dispute that."
"Then I've t=
he
right to make new laws, haven't I?"
"I believe
so."
"In that
case," said the girl, "I'm goin' to make a law that the Queen sha=
ll
have the same food an' the same dresses an' the same good times that her pe=
ople
have; and she shall live in a house jus' as good as the houses of any of her
people, an' have as much money to spend as anybody. But no more. The Queen =
can
have her share of ever'thing 'cordin' to the new law, but if she tries to g=
et
more than her share, I'll have the law say she shall be taken to the edge a=
n'
pushed off. What do you think of THAT law, Rosalie?"
"It's a good=
law
and a just one," replied the Witch approvingly.
So Trot sent for =
the
Royal Scribbler, who was a very fat Pinky with large, pink eyes and curly p=
ink
hair, and had him carefully write the new law into the Great Book of Laws. =
The
Royal Scribbler wrote it very nicely in pink ink, with a big capital letter=
at
the beginning and a fine flourish at the end. After Trot had signed her nam=
e to
it as Queen, she called all of the important people of the land to assemble=
in
the Court of the Statues and ordered the Royal Declaimer to read to them the
new law. The Pinkies seemed to think it was a just law and much better than=
the
old one, and Rosalie said:
"Now no one =
can
object to becoming Queen, since the Ruler of the Pinkies will no longer be
obliged to endure suffering and hardships."
"All
right," said Trot. "In that case, I'll make you the Queen, Rosali=
e,
for you've got more sense than Tourmaline has and your powers as a witch wi=
ll
help you protect the people."
At once she made =
the
announcement, telling the assembled Pinkies that by virtue of her high offi=
ce
as Queen of Sky Island she would leave Rosalie the Witch to rule over the P=
ink
Country while she returned to the Earth with her friends. As Rosalie was
greatly loved and respected, the people joyfully accepted her as their Quee=
n,
and Trot ordered them to tear down the old hut and build a new palace for
Rosalie--one which would be just as good as any other house in the City, bu=
t no
better. She further ordered a pink statue of Tourmaline to be set up in the=
Court,
and also a pink statue of herself, so that the record of all the rulers of =
the
Pinkies should be complete.
The people agreed=
to
do all this as soon as possible, and some of the leaders whispered together=
and
then asked Coralie to be their spokesman in replying to Queen Trot's speech=
.
Coralie stood on a
chair and made a bow, after which she thanked Trot in the name of the Pinki=
es
for leading them safely into the Blue Country and out again, and for giving
them so good a Queen as Rosalie. The Pinkies would be sorry to have their n=
ew
friends, the Earth people, leave them, but asked the Queen of Sky Island to
carry with her the royal band of pink gold which she now wore upon her brow,
together with the glistening pink jewel set in its center. It would remind =
her,
Coralie declared, of the Beautiful Land of Sunset and Sunrise and of the fa=
ct
that the Pinkies would always be glad to welcome her back.
Trot knew she wou=
ld
never return to Sky Island, but she did not tell them that. She merely than=
ked
Coralie and the Pinkies and said they might all come to the Court after din=
ner
and see her and her comrades fly away through the sky.
After the Pinkies=
had
been dismissed, their new Queen Rosalie, by means of a clever charm, conjur=
ed
up a dinner table set with very nice things to eat. They all enjoyed a hear=
ty
meal and afterward sat and talked over their adventures.
"Will you ta=
ke
the parrot home with you, Trot?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Guess not, =
Cap'n,"
she answered. "Mother wouldn't like to have him hangin' 'round an'
screechin' bad po'try ev'ry minute. I'll give him to Rosalie, for I'm sure
she'll take good care of him."
Rosalie accepted =
the
gift with pleasure, but the parrot looked sober for a while and then said, =
"This looks to me like a give=
away; But here I am, and here I'll =
stay. The country's pink, but we'll=
all
be blue When Trot goes =
home
as she says she'll do."
They now packed t=
he
lunchbasket with the remains of the feast, for they knew a long journey was
before them and feared they might be hungry before they landed again. Cap'n
Bill straightened out the ropes and adjusted the seats, while Button-Bright
examined the umbrella to see if it had been injured in any way when the
elephant tramped through the Fog Bank.
The boy looked in=
to
the small red eyes of the carved elephant's-head handle with some misgiving=
s,
but as seen in the strong sunshine the eyes were merely red stones, while t=
he
handle plainly showed the marks of the tool that had carved it.
When all was read=
y,
they went into the Court of the Statues, where all the Pinkies were
assembled--together with their Pink Band--and Cap'n Bill hooked the swinging
seats onto the handle of the Magic Umbrella.
Trot kissed Rosal=
ie
and Coralie and Tourmaline goodbye and said to them:
"If you ever
happen to come to Earth, you must be sure to visit me, and I'll try to give=
you
a good time. But p'raps you'll stay here all your lives."
"I think we
shall," replied Rosalie, laughing, "for in all Sky Island there w=
ill
be no Magic Umbrella for us to fly with."
"And when you
see Polychrome," added Trot, "jus' give her my love."
Then she and
Button-Bright seated themselves in the double seat, which was flat upon the
pink ground, and Cap'n Bill sat before them on his own seat, to which the l=
unch
basket had been fastened by means of a stout cord.
"Hold
fast!" said the sailor man, and they all held fast to the ropes while =
the
boy, glancing up toward the open umbrella he held, said solemnly and distin=
ctly:
"Take us to
Trot's house on the Earth." The umbrella obeyed, at once mounting into=
the
air. It moved slowly at first, but gradually increased its speed. First it
lifted the seat of the boy and the girl, then Cap'n Bill's seat, and finally
the lunch basket.
"Fly high!--Mind your eye! Don't cry!--Bye-bye!"
shouted the parrot
from the Pink Witch's shoulder.
Trot leaned over =
and
waved her hand. The Pink Band played as loud as it could--in order that the
travelers might hear it as long as possible--and Rosalie and Coralie and
Tourmaline threw kisses to their vanishing friends as long as they remained=
in
sight.
* * * * *
"Seems good =
to
be on the way home again," remarked Trot as the umbrella bumped into a
big, black cloud.
"It reely do=
es,
mate," answered the sailorman joyously.
Fast through the
cloud the umbrella swept, and then suddenly it sailed into a clear, blue sk=
y,
across which a great and gorgeous Rainbow spread its radiant arch. Upon the=
bow
danced the dainty Daughters of the Rainbow, and the umbrella passed near en=
ough
to it for the passengers to observe Polychrome merrily leading her sisters,=
her
fleecy robes waving prettily in the gentle breeze.
"Goodbye,
Polly!" cried Button-Bright, and Trot and Cap'n Bill both called out,
"Goodbye!"
Polychrome heard =
and
nodded to them smilingly, never halting in her graceful dance. Then the
umbrella dropped far below the arch, which presently faded from view.
It was an exciting
ride. Scenes presented themselves entirely different from those they had se=
en
on their former voyage, for the sky changes continually, and the clouds of a
moment ago are not the clouds of an hour ago. Once they passed between two
small stars as brilliant as diamonds, and once an enormous bird whose wings
spread so wide that they shadowed the sun soared directly over them and lost
itself in the vague distance of the limitless sky.
They rode quite
comfortably, however, and were full of eager interest in what they saw. The
rush of air past them made them hungry, so Cap'n Bill drew up the lunchbask=
et
and held it so that Button-Bright and Trot could help themselves to the pink
food, which tasted very good. And finally a dark rim appeared below them, w=
hich
the sailor declared must be the Earth. He proved to be correct, and when th=
ey
came nearer, they found themselves flying over the waves of the ocean. Pret=
ty
soon a small island appeared, and Trot exclaimed,
"That's the =
Sky
Island we thought we were goin' to--only we didn't."
"Yes, an'
there's the mainland, mate!" cried Cap'n Bill excitedly, pointing towa=
rd a
distant coast.
On swept the Magic
Umbrella. Then its speed gradually slackened; the houses and trees on the c=
oast
could be seen, and presently--almost before they realized it--they were set
down gently upon the high bluff near the giant acacia. A little way off sto=
od
the white cottage where Trot lived.
It was growing du=
sk
as Cap'n Bill unhooked the seats and Button-Bright folded up the umbrella a=
nd
tucked it under his arm. Trot seized the lunchbasket and ran to the house,
where she found her mother busy in the kitchen.
"Well, I'm b=
ack
again," said the little girl. "Is supper ready, mama?"
Button-Bright sta=
yed
all night with them, but next morning, bright and early, he hooked one of t=
he
seats to his Magic Umbrella, said goodbye to Trot and Cap'n Bill, and flew =
into
the air to begin his journey to Philadelphia. Just before he started, Trot
said:
"Let me know=
if
you get home safe, Button-Bright, an' come an' see me again as quick as you
can."
"I'll try to
come again," said the boy. "We've had a good time, haven't we,
Trot?"
"The bes' ti=
me I
EVER had!" she replied enthusiastically. Then she asked, "Didn't =
you
like it, too, Cap'n Bill?"
"Parts o' it,
mate," the sailor answered as he thoughtfully made marks in the sand w=
ith
the end of his wooden leg, "but seems to me the bes' part of all was
gett'n' home again."
After several days
Trot received a postal card from Button-Bright. It was awkwardly scrawled, =
for
the boy was not much of a writer, but Trot managed to make out the words. It
read as follows:
"Got home safe, Trot, and the =
folks
were so worried they forgot to scold me. Father has taken the Magic Umbrella
and locked it up in the big, strong chest in the attic. He put the key in h=
is
own pocket, so I don't know as I'll ever be able to see you again. But I'll
never forget the Queen of Sky Island, and I send my love to you and Cap'n B=
ill.
"Your friend=
,
"Button-Brig=
ht."
THE END