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[Illustration: The Parley]
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The Eighteenth Chapter.
_In which something is told of how the Page brought a Message which
proved a Surprise. Also of what the Dame found in the Fountain of the
Fish._
[Illustration]
With everyone enjoying such a good time in the gardens, it would not
have been surprising if the King had forgotten his guard at the gate.
This he did not do, however, and at the moment when Red Beard and his
men were entering, a page was being dispatched for Rolie Polie.
Thus, it happened then, that when the page was about to enter the court
yard, he saw it thronged with ruffians.
“We are betrayed!” he cried as he ran hurrying back to the gardens.
“The gates have been opened and the enemy is now within the walls!”
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At this cry, the Ladies turned pale with fright and the Nobles sought
hastily for the swords they had laid aside at the beginning of the
dance. “Every man be brave!” shouted the King. “We must rally to the
defence of the Ladies! Let King Red Beard and his ruffians come, they
will find us ready!”
But for all King Tommy spoke so bravely, he was not at all deceived,
and realized quite the same, as did the Mayor and some others, that
any defence would prove practically useless, and at best do no more
than prolong an engagement, which in the end could result only in their
defeat and capture.
To reach the gardens from the court yard, it was necessary to go half
way around, or else right through the Castle; the Grumbletown company,
therefore, divided; one party going one way, the other going another
way.
As has been told, Red Beard and his followers, when once within the
walls of the Castle, were in high glee. “We will make a fine big
capture of prisoners to-day, my hearties,” said the King. “When this
fine boy and girl are marching to Grumbletown dragging their heavy
chains along the highway, they will wish that that old toy maker, Peter
Poodle, had never brought them on a visit to Toyville. What ho, my
brave followers, do I speak the truth?”
“Aye, aye, aye!” answered the band, barely above a whisper, not wishing
to be heard by the Toy people.
“Aye,” said Red Beard, “we will make a fine capture of prisoners and
a big haul of treasure. Every man must fill his pockets with gold and
silver and jewels, all he can carry; we will loot the whole Castle.
That will be a haul worth making; what ho, my hearties?” {137}
“Aye, aye, aye!” replied the band.
“We must make no noise,” said Red Beard. “Every man creep along
stealthily, take them by surprise. I say that’s the way to make a good
capture.”
[Illustration: The Page.]
While Red Beard was talking and creeping along so slowly, King Tommy
would have had time to make new plans for defence, had any chance
existed of such plans proving successful. “There is nothing for us to
do but depend upon our swords,” said he to Mr. Poodle. {138}
“Yes,” replied Mr. Poodle, “and our swords are far too few to withstand
an onslaught from so many big burly ruffians. I was going to suggest
that we make a dash for the Castle and bar the doors. Our chances would
then be better. But judging from the sounds, I fear that the Castle is
already occupied.”
Meanwhile, much excitement prevailed among all the Ladies who by now
were occupying one of the pavilions on the far side of the lawn.
Tommy attributed this excitement to a fear which the circumstances
rendered only natural. But now the excitement seemed to be from some
other cause, and presently the King was surprised to see Queen Helen,
accompanied by the Royal Ladies, come hurrying across the lawn.
“O, Tommy,” said the Queen, “an old lady, an old servant, I think, has
just told me she knows of a secret passage underground, through which
we can escape! come quickly!”
The old dame, a little lady wearing a tall peaked cap, had followed
immediately after the Queen. “Yes, your Majesty, I can show you the
way; come with me,” she said.
That funny little twinkle went dancing about in Mr. Poodle’s eyes
again, when he saw the old dame. There was a twinkle in her eyes, too;
but though she tipped him a courtsey and he bowed politely, neither
spoke even one word to the other.
On the lawn, midway between where the King and his men had assembled,
and the pavilion from which the Queen had just come, there foamed a
beautiful fountain, made in the manner of a great marble basin. On
the rim of the basin there was the green head of a great bronze {139}
fish, apparently just rising from out the water. On the back of the
fish sat a chubby little boy, sculptured so faithfully in marble as
almost to seem alive.
The little old dame hurriedly led the King and Queen, accompanied by
all the company, straight towards the great head of the fish. Putting
forth her hand, she three times wiggled the big toe of the chubby boy;
at the third wiggle the mouth of the fish opened, revealing a long
flight of stairs running down under the fountain. The next minute, the
little old dame stepped into this mouth and onto the stairs, being
quickly followed by all the others. The King was the last to enter. As
he did so, he turned for one look at the Castle, and saw the infuriated
Red Beard and his followers entering the gardens. Then the jaws of the
fish closed and the passage became sealed.
The way was now pitch dark. Overhead could be heard the tumbling waters
of the fountain. A scarey sound that seemed too, but not half so scarey
as the terrible wild cry of the baffled Red Beard, which could be heard
even through the thick walls of marble.
King Tommy could hear the step, step, step, of those ahead of him and
the muffled drone of their voices, as they spoke words of encouragement
to one another. “Where are we?” he wondered. Then his feet no longer
kept going down when he stepped, but travelled on a level pavement,
and he knew that the end of the stairs had been reached. Minute after
minute passed, and still the passage continued. Would its end never be
reached? Could it be possible the little old dame was a Grumbletown
spy and had deceived them? Did the way lead to some trap? With these
thoughts chasing through his mind, {140} the King came almost to the
point of wishing that the company had remained in the garden.
The next moment, however, he realized that almost any fate would be
better than that which would have befallen them at the hands of King
Red Beard and his ruffians. Then he remembered the look in the old
dame’s eyes, when she had bid them hurry, and he thought, “I won’t
believe any ill of her before it happens. She looked kind and honest,
and I am sure in the end everything will come out all right.”
Those were certainly the kind of thoughts a King should have; and the
moment Tommy let the bright sunshine of hope enter his mind and travel
along with him for wayfellow, just that very moment he came to a turn
in the path, and not a hundred feet beyond saw the bright sunshine of
day streaming into a broad space at what appeared to be the end of the
passage.
[Illustration]
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[Illustration]