THE MISSION OF THE DOVE
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After the huge boulder had shut in the unsuspecting Brownies their only
alternative was to follow the winding passage-way of the mine wherever
it might take them. They could not remain where they were to perish
miserably of hunger and thirst, so they crept cautiously along in the
dark with the faint hope that in some way they might gain the open. But
the passage they were forced to travel led them direct to the main-shaft
where the mine-sprites were at work. Nearly all of Dragonfel's followers
were there waiting to receive them. For the Demon Usher after
imprisoning them had descended by the main entrance and gleefully
imparted the news, claiming high honors.
Sheepishly the Brownies slunk in, with the Dude's white handkerchief
fluttering at the end of his cane in token of the band's complete
surrender, for King Stanislaus knew how useless it would be to offer any
resistance.
They were all huddled together in a body, and a sorry, crestfallen lot
they were. Never before had such great misfortune overtaken them.
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At times the Student Brownie would discourse on Liberty, Justice, or
Good Fellowship, and find appreciative listeners, and he lifted up their
hearts by assuring them that history repeats itself, and that they would
yet enjoy the freedom of the comets and wandering stars.
While others of Dragonfel's followers guarded the Brownies so that they
could not escape, and brandished sharp-pointed spikes, battle-axes,
bludgeons, and other formidable-looking weapons significantly, Grouthead
ran in hot haste to inform his master.
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Soon the wicked enchanter made his appearance, and his rubicund face
showed high elation.
"Put 'em all to work!" he shouted.
"Don't let 'em stand here idle."
"What do you want me to do?" asked King Stanislaus meekly.
"Here, stop your talking, and get busy!" cried Snoutpimple, thrusting in
the king's hand a pick.
"I haven't any choice," said His Majesty, "so I'll have to take my
pick!"
The airy persiflage was lost upon Dragonfel, who frowned on him
severely.
"I'm a king in my own right," continued the monarch, pointing to his
crown, "and never used a pick except to bury a dead dog, but I'll not
make a scene in the presence of my subjects, so here goes for the
jewels." His cheerfulness told on others.
"If it was digging shedder-crabs or scallops," remarked the Sailor,
"I'd soon fill a basket."
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"I've broken stones before," said the Irishman, "but this is the first
chance I ever had to get a whack at diamonds."
"Vell," said the German Brownie, "if I see somedings in dot blace
shining like blitzen I bulls him oudt alretty yed und say noddings!"
They were then hustled off to their new tasks.
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With the mine-sprites and Brownies the king started to dig away, and he
tried not to shirk, but to do his stint with the rest of them. The sight
of royalty reduced to hard labor affected all his subjects greatly,
though they had little opportunity for sympathy so severely did their
taskmasters press them.
The heaps of precious stones piled up higher and higher, and their eyes
fairly blinked at the sight of them.
"I never saw so many jewels before in all my life," declared His
Majesty, wincing as he felt a sudden crick in his back. "Whenever I
look at them I feel just as though I were going to break out with
carbuncles."
"I wonder when they'll bring us something to eat," said Florimel, who
was beginning to grow hungry.
He was very much relieved when some time later Boundingbore appeared
with a cauldron of lukewarm soup, which was served in skimpy little
plates.
"Here, take mine back," complained King Stanislaus. "Look what's in it!
Just imagine what would have happened to me if I had swallowed it."
As he spoke he held up a pin which he had found in his soup.
"It wouldn't have hurt you, Your Majesty," said the Policeman. "It's a
safety pin."
Now and then some adventurous Brownies would discover a new dark
passage, and with the hope that it might lead to liberty the more
progressive would get their heads together and plan a break for freedom.
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For a time it looked as though one of these attempts would be crowned
with success, and liberty itself seemed to beckon in the offing. But,
just as promising enterprises in our own uncertain careers often end in
disappointment, so would each noble effort only result in a punishment
of heavier burdens and shorter rations.
Mandrake with a tray of food went down one of the dark passages, and
soon returned empty-handed. This Florimel noted, and he said to King
Stanislaus:
"Your Majesty, Titania and her companions must be over there. I am going
to try to find them."
He took from the Sailor, who had charge of it, Euphrosyne's dove, and,
opening the bosom of his jacket, let it cuddle close against his breast,
with just its head now and then showing.
At a moment when the attention of all Dragonfel's followers was
temporarily diverted by some remarkable discovery he made a sudden dash
down the passage where he believed Queen Titania and the others were
imprisoned.
His companions grouped themselves together to screen his fleeing form as
best they could, and he succeeded in getting away without detection.
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Florimel ran along the passage, and his supernatural vision guided him.
So when he came to a gem-crusted door he was able to see stretched
before it a form that he at once recognized as the Red Spirit.
The lazy fellow had been left to guard the prisoners, but had neglected
his duty, and was fast asleep.
Florimel heard him snoring away so that he knew his slumber was a heavy
one, and he tiptoed up to him with confidence.
He was rejoiced to see lying beside him the bow and four arrows, and he
noiselessly reached for the bow, and restored the arrows to his quiver.
Then he turned the big diamond that served as a knob for the door, and
stepping cautiously over the unconscious Red Spirit, entered.
Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil were seated upon one of the
divans, and they sprang up joyously when they saw him.
"Florimel!" cried Titania, and ran toward him.
"'Sh!" he warned, and closed the door softly after him. "The Red Spirit
is supposed to be guarding you, but he has fallen asleep. We must be
careful not to wake him."
They embraced fondly, and Titania asked:
"When will the Brownies take us away from here?"
Florimel shook his head despondently as he answered:
"I am sorry to say that we are all prisoners like yourselves. See,
Titania, I have brought you this. I thought perhaps that it might help
us."
He took the little cooing creature from the bosom of his jacket and
stroked its soft sides.
"Euphrosyne's dove!" exclaimed Titania. "There is a shaft above through
which it can escape. Let us send it with a message to her."
Upon a scrap of paper she hastily wrote the words:
"_Euphrosyne, Fair Goddess of Mirth:_
"Dragonfel the wicked enchanter holds us captive in his country.
Help us, we beseech you, before it is too late.
"QUEEN TITANIA."
While she wrote Florimel noticed with some uneasiness that water was
trickling down the walls and that in some places on the floor pools had
already formed.
"Tie the note to the dove's neck," he said. "Let us dispatch it
immediately."
They did so, and he flung the little creature upward toward the shaft.
Its talons clutched a side precariously while it fluttered its wings to
sustain itself in the frail, uncertain hold it had.
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"Poor little thing!" said Titania, when she noticed that it was in great
danger of falling. "It cannot help us."
"Look!" cried the excited Violet. "It is making for the opening."
To the relief of all its watchers the bird crept through the shaft and
disappeared.
"Good luck go with it!" was Dame Drusilda's fervent ejaculation.
"Oh, Titania, Titania," said Florimel, "it may be our happiness depends
upon that bird!"
Then almost immediately afterward to their utter horror and
consternation water in immense volumes began to pour down through the
shaft until blinded and drenched as they suddenly became it seemed to
them as if all the flood-gates of the earth had been opened.
"Quick!" shouted Florimel. "We must get out of here!"
He flung open the door, fearing that the Red Spirit was still outside,
but the terrified clamor of voices that rose from all sides had caused
him to desert his post.
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The water which in an incredibly short time had risen nearly to their
waists began racing down the passage, but still it did not appear to
recede. "Let us go at once," urged Florimel, "for if we stay here we
shall be lost." He gathered up the trembling Titania in his arms, and
with his burden staggered through the water toward the door, while Dame
Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil followed close upon his heels.
Down the passage that had now become a violent raceway of raging,
foaming water they all fled, for Florimel realized that their only
chance of escape, small as it might be, was to join those who were
familiar with the entrances to the mine.
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But as they got closer to the main-shaft the confusion and uproar grew
wilder, and with a sickening feeling he became aware that those whose
help he had hoped for were quite as powerless as he. Ear-splitting
shrieks of horror made a very pandemonium of awful sound, and over all
was heard the despairing cry of Grouthead: "The mine is flooded, and the
force-pumps can't save us. We shall all be drowned!"