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[Illustration: The House Guards]
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The Twelfth Chapter.
_In which something is told of the fine Castle on the Hill, where
is held the Royal Banquet. Also of an Alarm that interrupted the
Glorious Feast._
[Illustration]
On reaching the Castle Tommy and Helen had been filled with surprise
and wonder at its marvellous beauty. The decorations were all so rich
and so appropriate, that they could not refrain from expressions of the
warmest admiration. The Lords and Ladies, too, said they had never seen
anything quite so beautiful.
The Prime Minister met the King and Queen, and when he had presented
them with the Castle, in the name of the happy people of Toyville, he
announced that the banquet was ready to be served. {90}
After the King and Queen had changed their dusty, travel stained
clothes for the pretty robes that had been prepared for them, the Lords
and Ladies, led by their Majesties, entered the Royal Dining Room,
where were a number of little tables laden with all manner of good
things. Here the decorations were even more beautiful than in any other
room of the Castle, and when the company were seated in the quaint
chairs at the tables and partaking of the fine banquet that was served
for them, one and all felt that in no way could they have been blessed
with a more gracious Queen, or a more perfect hostess.
The first course, as it always should be, was ice cream, served in many
fanciful shapes and of the most delicious flavors. With the ice cream
there was served cake—light, feathery and perfectly cooked; with just
the right amount of egg, not a bit too much sugar, and flavored to the
point of nicety.
There were many kinds of cake served, so that everybody might have the
special kind which was best liked. After the cake course, there were
cream puffs, luscious eclairs, thin, delicate sugar wafers, candies,
fruits, nuts and every dainty confection which could be imagined.
The Queen, remembering what she had been told about the candy fruit in
the orchard, that it wouldn’t make them ill, as city candy did at home,
very thoughtfully told her guests that each might have two helpings of
everything, or even three, or four, if they desired.
Mr. Poodle, thinking it would be a rare treat to the Toy people to
have something from the city over the hills, reminded the Queen of the
chicken sandwiches and the {91} two rosy red apples. He said these had
come safely through the hills, and had been delivered at the Castle by
the driver of the express wagon.
The Queen hurriedly sent for the sandwiches and the apples. When these
were cut up and served to the guests, everyone spoke of them in the
highest terms of praise, and said that never before had they tasted
quite such a nice dessert.
It was as plain as it could be that everyone had spoken the truth, for
when the banquet was finished, not as much as one single crumb of the
dessert could be found on the plates.
During the progress of the banquet, Long Jim, as we already know, had
been busy spreading his news in the streets of the city.
It didn’t take long for this news to travel, I can tell you; and just
as the King and Queen and their guests were about to rise from the
tables, there was a big commotion in the Castle; and through the open
windows were heard the cries of alarm in the town.
Then the Major Domo came hurriedly into the Royal Dining Room and
announced that the city had been attacked by the army of Grumbletown.
As may well be imagined, there was now great excitement in the Castle,
and especially, among the Ladies. The Queen turned anxiously to the
King. “Is there going to be a war?” she asked, “because I don’t want a
war; battles are awfully scarey.”
“Don’t be afraid, Helen,” said King Tommy. “Nothing will harm you.
It won’t take us long, with the fine army of Toyville, to drive the
enemy out of the hills and back to {92} their own Grumbletown.” Then
mounting a chair, and being quickly surrounded by the House Guards, he
cried: “There is no time to be lost; every man will be needed among the
defenders to-day; let every man buckle on his sword and follow me!”
The Mayor also jumped up on a chair. “A cheer for Toyville!” he cried;
“long may it prosper! Three cheers for our brave and noble King; long
may he reign!”
Everybody joined in the cheering, the sweet voices of the ladies
mingling pleasantly with the strong, lusty shouts of the men.
But no time had been lost by the cheering; for all the while the
attendants were busy buckling on the swords and fetching helmets and
shields. Meanwhile, the neighing and stamping of horses in the court
outside the Castle, indicated that the grooms also were busy, and
already had the strong, noble steeds waiting for the brave and fearless
riders.
When the King and his companions reached the streets, they found
everything in commotion, with brave soldiers galloping here and there,
and frightened faces peering out of the windows of the houses.
“Ha, ha, ha!” chuckled Long Jim when he saw the King depart; “I tell
you, I am a clever one! That’s the time I fooled the King of Toyville!
And now there is no time to lose; the Queen is in the Castle without
any guards, and the three Buccaneers in the _Black Rover_ will be
waiting out on the lake.” With his face twisted in a wicked grin the
crafty courtier now entered the gates and went through the quiet,
deserted court yard, where presently, with a rap, tap, tap, he stood
waiting at the front door of the Palace. {93}
Meanwhile, King Tommy and his companions rode to the barracks of the
cavalry. As might have been anticipated, it took hard, quick work to
get out all the soldiers, cannons and ammunition wagons, and to issue
orders so that everything would go smoothly. But the King was equal to
the task, and before long, the sound of galloping cavalry, tramping
infantry, and rumbling wheels of cannons and ammunition wagons, told
the frightened Toy people that the troops were hurrying off to the
hills and to the defense of the realm.
[Illustration: In the Windows.]
When King Tommy had issued all his orders and arranged every little
detail, he mounted a fine war horse, and asking Mr. Poodle to ride with
him, the two with the King’s Guards set forth at a fast gallop for the
front. But {94} when they came to the hills where the horses were
obliged to walk, the King found time to do a little thinking. The most
he had to think about was the coming battle, but some of the time he
thought of Helen, and wondered if she would be frightened upon hearing
the cannon roaring, and if she would really be safe in the Castle.
He wished now that he had left more guards at the Castle. “I will be
glad,” he thought, “when the war is over, and I can go back again to
Helen.”
The roads were now one mass of hurrying troops, all in bright colored
uniforms, with the sun glistening on the polished gun barrels and on
the officers’ swords. The King noticed how willingly the big horses
tugged at their heavy loads, and how the drivers never used their
whips, but always spoke kindly to them.
Upon reaching the front, they found many cannons mounted on the hills,
and company upon company of soldiers waiting in battle array, but never
a sign anywhere of the enemy.
“Have you sent out scouts?” asked the King to the Commanding General.
“Yes, your Majesty,” answered the General; “and all report that none of
the enemy can be found.”
“That is strange,” said the King. “How about the prisoners, have you
rescued them?”
“There have been no prisoners taken, your Majesty,” answered the
General; “neither has there been any attack made upon our outposts.”
[Illustration: The Artillery]
While the King and the General were talking, another scout came to
report. “My General,” said the scout, “I have ridden to the very
walls of Grumbletown, where I was {96} told by a peasant that the
Grumbletown army has not ventured outside the gates of their city.”
While this scout was reporting, another came riding up as fast as his
horse could gallop.
[Illustration: A Scout]
“My General,” cried the second scout, “I have come from the high hills
yonder. There is a ship entering the Lake of Toyville. It is the
pirate ship from Grumbletown, called the _Black Rover_ manned by the
Buccaneers.”
“We have been tricked!” cried the King. “We have left the Castle
unguarded, and the Queen without protection. The Queen will be made
captive! We must ride to her rescue!”
“To the Queen’s rescue! To the Queen’s rescue!” cried an officer of the
King’s Guard; and, shaking the reins over their horses’ necks, a great
company of riders led by the King and Mr. Poodle went galloping back to
Toyville. {97}
[Illustration]