"He must have broken loose!" cried Chick. "Let us run, John Dough,
before he can eat you."
At once John turned to fly, with Chick grasping his hand to urge him
on. Ali Dubh had indeed succeeded in breaking through the iron grating
of his prison, and had even managed to untie his hands. But his legs
were still firmly bound together from his ankles to his knees, so that
he could only move toward them by hopping.
Nevertheless, at sight of the gingerbread man, who was mixed with his
precious Elixir, the Arab began bounding toward his victim with long
hops, and had John and Chick not run so fast as they did it is certain
the Arab would soon have overtaken them. Through the throne-room they
fled, with Ali Dubh just behind them, and then they began mounting the
marble stairways to the upper stories of the castle.
Their pursuer, nothing daunted by his bound legs, hopped up the stairs
after them with remarkable swiftness.
"Hurry!" cried Chick; "hurry, John Dough, or you'll be eaten."
They came to the second flight of stairs, and still the Arab followed.
"We are lost," said John, in despair. "He'll surely get me this time."
But Chick tugged at his puffy brown hand and hurried him on, for the
Incubator Baby at that very moment thought of a clever way to save the
gingerbread man. Still holding John's hand, the child ran through the
upper passages to the foot of the tower of Imar, and began climbing
up the steep stairs as fast as possible. Luckily for the fugitives,
these stairs to the tower were very difficult for Ali Dubh to climb by
hopping. When he was half-way up he lost his balance and tumbled down
again, and this accident gave John and Chick time to enter the body of
the bird flying-machine, which still lay stretched upon the roof of the
tower.
"Quick!" shouted the child, shutting and fastening the silver door
behind them. "Pull over that lever, and away we go!"
"Is it safe?" asked John, hesitating.
[Illustration]
"Is it safe to be eaten?" inquired Chick.
John quickly grabbed the lever, pulled it over, and the huge bird
fluttered its wings once or twice and rose slowly into the air. It
sailed away from the roof just as the Arab appeared at the top of the
stairs.
"Stop!" screamed Ali Dubh. "You're mine, John Dough. Come back and be
eaten."
"Don't mind him," said the Cherub, peeping at the Arab through a little
window in the bottom of the bird's body. "And don't worry about this
flying-machine, either. Imar has told me how to run it, and it will
carry us somewhere, never fear. This button that I pushed is to start
it, and there's another button somewhere to stop it."
[Illustration: "HURRY, JOHN DOUGH, OR YOU'LL BE EATEN!"]
"Where?" asked John.
"I don't remember. But never mind that; we don't want to stop just yet,
anyhow."
[Illustration]
John stooped to look through the little window, and saw spread out
beneath him the Isle of Phreex. The Brotherhood of Failings stood upon
the shore watching the flight of the machine, and the kinglet was
riding along calmly upon his two-legged horse without any idea that the
Incubator Baby and the gingerbread man were leaving his kingdom for
good and all and he would probably never see them again.
The great bird flew steadily westward, and Chick laughed and chatted,
and seemed to enjoy the journey immensely. They were flying over the
ocean now, and before long the Isle they had left became a mere speck
upon the water.
"Where are we going?" John asked.
"I don't know," answered Chick.
"What land lies in this direction?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Baby.
John became thoughtful.
"How long will this machine fly?" he inquired.
"Who knows?" said Chick. "Imar was always afraid to go very far from
the island with it. We'll just have to wait and find out."
This was not very encouraging, but it was too late to return now, the
Isle of Phreex being lost in the vastness of the great sea. Moreover,
John reflected that he would be in greater danger there from Ali Dubh
than in riding in an untried flying-machine. The only thing to do was
to continue the flight through the air until they sighted some other
land--provided the machine did not suddenly break down. It seemed to be
all right just at present, and John's admiration of Imar's genius in
constructing it grew steadily as the bird flopped on and on without a
sign of giving out.
Chick wasn't frightened, that was certain. The Baby laughed and sang
little songs, and seemed as happy and contented as when upon firm
land; so John gradually forgot his fears. The sun had sank low upon
the horizon, and was looking for a good place to dive into the sea,
when the voyagers discovered something far ahead of them that glittered
brightly upon the water. Neither could determine what the glitter
meant, until they drew nearer and saw a small, rocky islet, upon which
was perched an enormous palace that seemed to be made of pure gold,
having many crystal windows set in its domes and sides.
[Illustration]
"It is certainly a beautiful place," said John. "Let us land upon the
islet."
"All right," returned Chick. "I'll see if I can find out which button
stops the thing."
The Baby pushed one of the buttons, and at once the bird shot up higher
into the air.
"That isn't it!" cried John, in sudden alarm.
Chick pushed another button, and the machine began whirling around in
short circles.
"Dear me!" said John; "what's going to happen to us?"
Chick laughed and pushed another button.
"One of 'em _must_ be to stop," declared Chick, cheerfully; "and
there's only two more left."
The bird paused, with a quick trembling of its wings, and slowly
fluttered downward.
"Oh, now we're all right," gayly announced the queer child, "for
there's only one button left; and when I push it, John Dough, you must
pull back the silver lever and steer straight for the golden palace."
Down, down they sank, and fortunately the descent was made to the flat
roof of a wing of the palace. When they had almost reached it, Chick,
who was watching the roof through the little window, pushed the last
button, while John threw over the lever.
Immediately the flying-machine fell with a thump that made the
gingerbread man's candy teeth knock together.
"Wow!" said Chick. "That was a jolt and a half! I hope nothing's
broken."
"I don't believe I will ever ride in it again," said John, smoothing
the wrinkles out of his frosted shirt-front and pulling the baker's
hat off his eyes, where it had become jammed. "These air-ships are too
dangerous to suit me."
"Why, the bird has saved your life, and it may save it again," said
Chick. "For my part, I rather like flying through the air. You never
know what's going to happen next. And see how lucky we are! This is
the only part of the palace roof that is flat, and we struck it to a
dot. If we'd fallen upon one of those spikes"--pointing to the numerous
spires and minarets--"our clocks would have stopped by this time."
"You have a queer way of expressing yourself, my friend," said John,
looking upon the child gravely. "The vast knowledge I gained by means
of the Elixir taught me nothing of your methods of twisting language."
"That's too bad," answered Chick. "I can't always figure out what you
mean to say; but you always know what I mean, don't you?"
"Almost always," John acknowledged.
"Then don't complain," said the Baby, sweetly; and the gingerbread man
looked at his feet with a puzzled expression, and then back into the
child's smiling face, and sighed.
[Illustration: CHICK DISCOVERS A TRAP DOOR]
By this time they had climbed out of the bird's body and stood upon the
roof. It was so high above the rocks that it made John dizzy to look
down; but Chick soon discovered a trap-door that led downward into the
palace by means of a tiny staircase. They descended the stairs, and,
having pushed aside a heavy drapery that hung across a doorway, came
upon a broad passage running through the upper story of the palace.
This led to still another passage, and still another; but although they
turned this way and that in the maze of passages, no living person did
they meet with. The tiled floors and paneled walls were very beautiful
and splendid; but they were so much alike that our adventurers
completely lost their way before they came by accident to a broad
staircase leading downward to the next story. These stairs were covered
with soft carpeting and the balusters were of filigree gold. Still no
one was to be seen either on the stairs or in the passages, and the
palace was silent as could be.
They found another staircase, by and by, and descended to the main
floor of the palace, passing through magnificent parlors and galleries,
until finally a hum of pleasant voices reached their ears.
"I feel much relieved," said John, "for I had begun to think the place
was uninhabited."
"Let us go on," replied Chick, "and see who these people are."
Turning first to the right and then to left, and now following a
high-arched marble passage, the adventurers suddenly found themselves
before heavy draperies of crimson velvet, from beyond which came
clearly the sounds of laughter and the merry chattering of many people.
They pushed aside the draperies and entered a splendid domed chamber
of such exquisite beauty that the sight made even Chick pause in
astonishment.
All around the sides and in the ceiling were set handsome windows made
of bits of colored glass, so arranged that they formed very pleasing
pictures. Between the windows were panels of wrought gold having many
brilliant gems set in the metal. The floor was covered with priceless
rugs of quaint patterns, and the furniture consisted of many settees
and easy-chairs designed to afford the highest degree of comfort.
Fountains of perfumed waters sparkled here and there, falling into
golden basins; and little tables scattered about the room bore trays of
dainty refreshments.
[Illustration]
Seated within the room were groups of ladies and gentlemen, all
clothed in gorgeous apparel, soft of speech, graceful and courteous in
demeanor, and with kindly faces.
These looked up with joyous surprise as the gingerbread man and
Chick entered, and the gentlemen all arose and bowed politely to the
strangers.
"Welcome!" cried the ladies, in a soft chorus; and then two of their
number came forward and led their unexpected guests to seats in the
very center of the room. Others offered them refreshment, of which
Chick eagerly partook, for the child was hungry. John Dough was obliged
to explain that he did not eat, and they accepted his speech very
graciously and did not remark at all upon his unusual personality.
When the child had finished eating, John said:
"May I ask what palace this is, and who rules upon this island?"
The ladies and gentlemen exchanged significant looks, and smiled; but
one made answer, in a deferential voice:
"Good sir, this is the Palace of Romance; and we have no ruler at
all, each one of our number having equal power and authority with the
others."
"We pass our time," said another, "in telling of tales of romance and
adventure; and, whenever a stranger comes to our palace, we require him
to amuse us by telling all the stories he may know."
"That is a fair requirement," replied John. "I think I shall like this
Palace of Romance, although I do not know many tales."
"The more tales you know the longer you may enjoy our palace," one of
the ladies remarked, earnestly.
"How is that?" asked John, surprised.
[Illustration]
They were silent for a time, and ceased laughing. But finally one of
the gentlemen said:
"Our laws oblige us to destroy every stranger, after he has related
to us all the stories he knows. It grieves us very much to tell you
this; but the laws cannot be changed, and the death is very simple and
without much pain. For you will be dropped through a trap into a long
slide leading to the bottom of the sea; and it is said there is little
discomfort in drowning."
Now, at this John looked pale and worried, and even the laughing Chick
became thoughtful. Several of the ladies wiped their eyes with delicate
handkerchiefs, as if in sorrow for their fate, and the men all sighed
sympathetically.
"Why can we not live, and join your pleasant party?" asked John. "Why
are your laws so severe regarding strangers?"
"We number exactly one hundred--fifty ladies and fifty gentlemen,"
was the reply. "And, as the island is small, a large number of people
would crowd the palace and render it uncomfortable. We do not entice
strangers here; but neither dare we permit them to escape and tell the
world of our pleasant home; for then the ocean would be white with the
ships of curious people coming to visit us. So, long ago, the laws were
enacted obliging us to destroy whatever strangers chanced upon our
retreat. But you are in no immediate danger. As long as your stories
last you will live; and while you live you shall enjoy every pleasure
our palace affords."
John tried to think how many stories he knew through the virtue of the
magic Elixir; but the startling news he had just heard so confused his
mind that it drove all recollection of romance out of his head.
[Illustration]
"Never mind," whispered Chick. "All stories except the true ones have
to be made up; so I'll make up some. And don't you worry, John Dough.
I've been in worse boxes than this, I can tell you."
The gingerbread man didn't know exactly what Chick meant, but the
tone of confidence relieved his embarrassment and inspired him with
hope. The ladies and gentlemen set Chick and John in the center of
their group and drew their chairs around them and prepared to listen
attentively to the child's story.
One might suppose the Incubator Baby's lifetime had been so brief that
it knew no stories at all; but Chick was full of imagination and glad
of the chance to invent wonderful tales for others to listen to. And
the child had resolved to make the stories so long and so interesting
that a chance of escape from death might finally be discovered. The
flying-machine still rested upon the roof, and if they could manage
to regain it there would be no need of their being dumped through the
trap-door into the sea.
So Chick began to tell the company a story about an astonishing Silver
Pig that once lived in Dagupan (wherever that may be), and was the king
of all the pigs of that vast country. His squeal could be heard for
seven miles, the child solemnly declared, and the pig's feet were so
swift and tireless that he could have run around the world in a single
day had there been no oceans to stop him.
The ladies and gentlemen were much interested in the story, and
listened very attentively while Chick related a host of wonderful
adventures that befell the Silver Pig. Daylight faded away and the
golden lamps were lighted, but still the Incubator Baby kept the story
going.
Finally one of the company interrupted the tale to say that it was
bedtime and they must all retire, but that Chick should continue the
story on the following day.
That was exactly what the Cherub wanted, and presently John and his
comrade were escorted to beautiful rooms, and the company of ladies and
gentlemen had bidden them a gracious and kindly good-night.
[Illustration]