can break down that door, even though it's made of solid gold."
"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened in
some other room, so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously.
"Oh, never mind that," returned the dragon. "I have remained a prisoner
only because I wished to be one," and with this he stepped forward and
burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been threads.
But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty
strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted
himself in a corner to think of a better way.
"I'll o-pen the door," asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King's big
gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening.
Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo
and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he
heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the
King's presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious; so he
took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern.
Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments
removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and
so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo's
messenger, and bowed humbly before the beast.
"What is your will?" he inquired.
"Where is Betsy?" demanded the dragon.
"Safe in my own private room," said Kaliko.
"Go and get her!" commanded Quox.
So Kaliko went to Betsy's room and gave three raps upon the door. The
little girl had been asleep, but she heard the raps and opened the door.
"You may come out now," said Kaliko. "The King has fled in disgrace and
your friends are asking for you."
So Betsy and Hank returned with the Royal Chamberlain to the throne
cavern, where she was received with great joy by her friends. They told
her what had happened to Ruggedo and she told them how kind Kaliko had
been to her. Quox did not have much to say until the conversation was
ended, but then he turned to Kaliko and asked:
"Do you suppose you could rule your nomes better than Ruggedo has done?"
"Me?" stammered the Chamberlain, greatly surprised by the question.
"Well, I couldn't be a worse King, I'm sure."
"Would the nomes obey you?" inquired the dragon.
"Of course," said Kaliko. "They like me better than ever they did
Ruggedo."
"Then hereafter you shall be the Metal Monarch, King of the Nomes, and
Tititi-Hoochoo expects you to rule your Kingdom wisely and well," said
Quox.
"Hooray!" cried Betsy; "I'm glad of that. King Kaliko, I salute Your
Majesty and wish you joy in your gloomy old Kingdom!"
"We all wish him joy," said Polychrome; and then the others made haste
to congratulate the new King.
"Will you release my dear brother?" asked Shaggy.
"The Ugly One? Very willingly," replied Kaliko. "I begged Ruggedo long
ago to send him away, but he would not do so. I also offered to help
your brother to escape, but he would not go."
"He's so conscientious!" said Shaggy, highly pleased. "All of our
family have noble natures. But is my dear brother well?" he added
anxiously.
"He eats and sleeps very steadily," replied the new King.
"I hope he doesn't work too hard," said Shaggy.
"He doesn't work at all. In fact, there is nothing he can do in these
dominions as well as our nomes, whose numbers are so great that it
worries us to keep them all busy. So your brother has only to amuse
himself."
"Why, it's more like visiting, than being a prisoner," asserted Betsy.
"Not exactly," returned Kaliko. "A prisoner cannot go where or when he
pleases, and is not his own master."
"Where is my brother now?" inquired Shaggy.
"In the Metal Forest."
"Where is that?"
"The Metal Forest is in the Great Domed Cavern, the largest in all our
dominions," replied Kaliko. "It is almost like being out of doors, it
is so big, and Ruggedo made the wonderful forest to amuse himself, as
well as to tire out his hard-working nomes. All the trees are gold and
silver and the ground is strewn with precious stones, so it is a sort
of treasury."
"Let us go there at once and rescue my dear brother," pleaded Shaggy
earnestly.
Kaliko hesitated.
"I don't believe I can find the way," said he. "Ruggedo made three
secret passages to the Metal Forest, but he changes the location of
these passages every week, so that no one can get to the Metal Forest
without his permission. However, if we look sharp, we may be able to
discover one of these secret ways."
"That reminds me to ask what has become of Queen Ann and the Officers
of Oogaboo," said Files.
"I'm sure I can't say," replied Kaliko.
"Do you suppose Ruggedo destroyed them?"
"Oh, no; I'm quite sure he didn't. They fell into the big pit in the
passage, and we put the cover on to keep them there; but when the
executioners went to look for them they had all disappeared from the
pit and we could find no trace of them."
"That's funny," remarked Betsy thoughtfully. "I don't believe Ann knew
any magic, or she'd have worked it before. But to disappear like that
_seems_ like magic; now, doesn't it?"
They agreed that it did, but no one could explain the mystery.
"However," said Shaggy, "they are gone, that is certain, so we cannot
help them or be helped by them. And the important thing just now is to
rescue my dear brother from captivity."
"Why do they call him the Ugly One?" asked Betsy.
"I do not know," confessed Shaggy. "I cannot remember his looks very
well, it is so long since I have seen him; but all of our family are
noted for their handsome faces."
Betsy laughed and Shaggy seemed rather hurt; but Polychrome relieved
his embarrassment by saying softly: "One can be ugly in looks, but
lovely in disposition."
"Our first task," said Shaggy, a little comforted by this remark, "is
to find one of those secret passages to the Metal Forest."
"True," agreed Kaliko. "So I think I will assemble the chief nomes of
my kingdom in this throne room and tell them that I am their new King.
Then I can ask them to assist us in searching for the secret passages.
"That's a good idea," said the dragon, who seemed to be getting sleepy
again.
Kaliko went to the big gong and pounded on it just as Ruggedo used to
do; but no one answered the summons.
"Of course not," said he, jumping up from the throne, where he had
seated himself. "That is my call, and I am still the Royal Chamberlain,
and will be until I appoint another in my place."
So he ran out of the room and found Guph and told him to answer the
summons of the King's gong. Having returned to the royal cavern, Kaliko
first pounded the gong and then sat in the throne, wearing Ruggedo's
discarded ruby crown and holding in his hand the sceptre which Ruggedo
had so often thrown at his head.
When Guph entered he was amazed.
"Better get out of that throne before old Ruggedo comes back," he said
warningly.
"He isn't coming back, and I am now the King of the Nomes, in his
stead," announced Kaliko.
"All of which is quite true," asserted the dragon, and all of those who
stood around the throne bowed respectfully to the new King.
Seeing this, Guph also bowed, for he was glad to be rid of such a hard
master as Ruggedo. Then Kaliko, in quite a kingly way, informed Guph
that he was appointed the Royal Chamberlain, and promised not to throw
the sceptre at his head unless he deserved it.
All this being pleasantly arranged, the new Chamberlain went away to
tell the news to all the nomes of the underground Kingdom, every one of
whom would be delighted with the change in Kings.
Chapter Twenty
Quox Quietly Quits
When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully
saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kaliko
questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all
had assisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search
carefully for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as
they had found it.
Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so
regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and there
he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. The others of
the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns of the nomes
afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for his
promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could.
Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of the
sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them,
nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading to
the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all
were curious to know what had become of them.
On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said
to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished
and I must depart for the other side of the world, where I belong."
"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.
"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to
talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as
soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out
at the other end I will wake up at home."
They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasant
journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just
condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quox
yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which he
slid headforemost and disappeared.
They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had been
both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but
they knew it was his duty to return to his own country. So they went
back to the caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that
led to the forest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved
in vain.
It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch
for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering
upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces.
And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock,
whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!
The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn
and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left
his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer
seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman.
Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only to
find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must
accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret
now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels.
He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much
better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the
caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a
chance to fill his pockets.
That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.
"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and
once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the
world."
He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small.
Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew
of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so
he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying
her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger.
The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as
many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could.
Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around to
make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it
swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered,
swinging the rock in place behind him.
However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have done,
for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her clear eyes
marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hidden
spring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko
and her friends of her discovery.
"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimed
Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor
brother!"
They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes to
assist them by carrying torches to light their way.
"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but the
passage across the valley is likely to be dark."
Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in less
than an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the passage and
following swiftly after the former King.
"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he will find
he is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomes
throw him out."
"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he
deserves it. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights
square; but changing girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into Slimy
Caves is mean and tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any sympathy. But
you'll have to let him take as much treasure as he can get in his
pockets, Kaliko."
"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is more
treasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in their
pockets."
It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially when the
torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But it proved to
be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with walking and was
seated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a sharp turn and
a wonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The next moment they
were all standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal Forest.
It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed cavern, the
roof of which was higher than a church steeple. In this space the
industrious nomes had built, during many years of labor, the most
beautiful forest in the world. The trees--trunks, branches and
leaves--were all of solid gold, while the bushes and underbrush were
formed of filigree silver, virgin pure. The trees towered as high as
natural live oaks do and were of exquisite workmanship.
On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size,
while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut
diamonds of the clearest water. Taken all together, more treasure was
gathered in this Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the
world--if we except the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is equalled
in the famous Emerald City.
Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they stood
gazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed.
"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in this
place?"
"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or three
years, to my positive knowledge."
"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully swell
place to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and di'monds, or
even gold."
"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal Forest
does not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. Beyond these gold
and silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear foods
very nice to eat. Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite sure we
will find Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather than in
this."
So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at every
step they were more and more bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the
golden trees with their glittering foliage.
Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every direction as
some one hidden among the bushes scampered away before them. Then a
loud voice cried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle.
Chapter Twenty-One
A Bashful Brother
With fast beating hearts they all rushed forward and, beyond a group of
stately metal trees, came full upon a most astonishing scene.
There was Ruggedo in the hands of the officers of Oogaboo, a dozen of
whom were clinging to the old nome and holding him fast in spite of his
efforts to escape. There also was Queen Ann, looking grimly upon the
scene of strife; but when she observed her former companions
approaching she turned away in a shamefaced manner.
For Ann and her officers were indeed a sight to behold. Her Majesty's
clothing, once so rich and gorgeous, was now worn and torn into shreds
by her long crawl through the tunnel, which, by the way, had led her
directly into the Metal Forest. It was, indeed, one of the three secret
passages, and by far the most difficult of the three. Ann had not only
torn her pretty skirt and jacket, but her crown had become bent and
battered and even her shoes were so cut and slashed that they were
ready to fall from her feet.
The officers had fared somewhat worse than their leader, for holes were
worn in the knees of their trousers, while sharp points of rock in the
roof and sides of the tunnel had made rags of every inch of their once
brilliant uniforms. A more tattered and woeful army never came out of a
battle, than these harmless victims of the rocky passage. But it had
seemed their only means of escape from the cruel Nome King; so they had
crawled on, regardless of their sufferings.
When they reached the Metal Forest their eyes beheld more plunder than
they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in this huge dome and
could not escape with the riches heaped about them. Perhaps a more
unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed than this band
from Oogaboo.
After several days of wandering in their marvelous prison they were
frightened by the discovery that Ruggedo had come among them. Rendered
desperate by their sad condition, the officers exhibited courage for
the first time since they left home and, ignorant of the fact that
Ruggedo was no longer King of the nomes, they threw themselves upon him
and had just succeeded in capturing him when their fellow adventurers
reached the spot.
"Goodness gracious!" cried Betsy. "What has happened to you all?"
Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant.
"We were obliged to escape from the pit through a small tunnel, which
was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, "and not only was our
clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we are
stiff and lame in every joint. To add to our troubles we find we are
still prisoners; but now that we have succeeded in capturing the wicked
Metal Monarch we shall force him to grant us our liberty."
"Ruggedo is no longer Metal Monarch, or King of the nomes," Files
informed her. "He has been deposed and cast out of his kingdom by Quox;
but here is the new King, whose name is Kaliko, and I am pleased to
assure Your Majesty that he is our friend."
"Glad to meet Your Majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as
courteously as if the Queen still wore splendid raiment.
The officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo free; but,
as he had no place to go, he stood by and faced his former servant, who
was now King in his place, in a humble and pleading manner.
"What are you doing here?" asked Kaliko sternly.
"Why, I was promised as much treasure as I could carry in my pockets,"
replied Ruggedo; "so I came here to get it, not wishing to disturb Your
Majesty."
"You were commanded to leave the country of the nomes forever!"
declared Kaliko.
"I know; and I'll go as soon as I have filled my pockets," said
Ruggedo, meekly.
"Then fill them, and be gone," returned the new King.
Ruggedo obeyed. Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by the
handful and stuffing them into his many pockets. They were heavy
things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and the
like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering with the weight he bore,
while the pockets were not yet filled. When he could no longer stoop
over without falling, Betsy and Polychrome and the Rose Princess came
to his assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking them into his
pockets.
At last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical sight,
for surely no man ever before had so many pockets, or any at all filled
with such a choice collection of precious stones. He neglected to thank
the young ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly nod of
farewell and staggered down the path by the way he had come. They let
him depart in silence, for with all he had taken, the masses of jewels
upon the ground seemed scarcely to have been disturbed, so numerous
were they. Also they hoped they had seen the last of the degraded King.
"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply. "If he doesn't
get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a
bank when he gets to Oklahoma."
"But my brother--my dear brother! Where is he?" inquired Shaggy
anxiously. "Have you seen him, Queen Ann?"
"What does your brother look like?" asked the Queen.
Shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: "He's called the Ugly One.
Perhaps you'll know him by that."
"The only person we have seen in this cavern," said Ann, "has run away
from us whenever we approached him. He hides over yonder, among the
trees that are not gold, and we have never been able to catch sight of
his face. So I cannot tell whether he is ugly or not."
"That must be my dear brother!" exclaimed Shaggy.
"Yes, it must be," assented Kaliko. "No one else inhabits this splendid
dome, so there can be no mistake."
"But why does he hide among those green trees, instead of enjoying all
these glittery golden ones?" asked Betsy.
"Because he finds food among the natural trees," replied Kaliko, "and I
remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep in. As for
these glittery golden trees, I will admit they are very pretty at first
sight. One cannot fail to admire them, as well as the rich jewels
scattered beneath them; but if one has to look at them always, they
become pretty tame."
"I believe that is true," declared Shaggy. "My dear brother is very
wise to prefer real trees to the imitation ones. But come; let us go
there and find him."
Shaggy started for the green grove at once, and the others followed
him, being curious to witness the final rescue of his long-sought,
long-lost brother.
Not far from the edge of the grove they came upon a small hut, cleverly
made of twigs and golden branches woven together. As they approached
the place they caught a glimpse of a form that darted into the hut and
slammed the door tight shut after him.
Shaggy Man ran to the door and cried aloud:
"Brother! Brother!"
"Who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within.
"It is Shaggy--your own loving brother--who has been searching for you
a long time and has now come to rescue you."
"Too late!" replied the gloomy voice. "No one can rescue me now."
"Oh, but you are mistaken about that," said Shaggy. "There is a new
King of the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has
promised you shall go free."
"Free! I dare not go free!" said the Ugly One, in a voice of despair.
"Why not, Brother?" asked Shaggy, anxiously.
"Do you know what they have done to me?" came the answer through the
closed door.
"No. Tell me, Brother, what have they done?"
"When Ruggedo first captured me I was very handsome. Don't you
remember, Shaggy?"
"Not very well, Brother; you were so young when I left home. But I
remember that mother thought you were beautiful."
"She was right! I am sure she was right," wailed the prisoner. "But
Ruggedo wanted to injure me--to make me ugly in the eyes of all the
world--so he performed a wicked enchantment. I went to bed
beautiful--or you might say handsome--to be very modest I will merely
claim that I was good-looking--and I wakened the next morning the
homeliest man in all the world! I am so repulsive that when I look in a
mirror I frighten myself."
"Poor Brother!" said Shaggy softly, and all the others were silent from
sympathy.