Boglodore's Revenge
The word "hippopotamic" seemed to rouse the undecided guards to action,
and Samuel, as the crowd moved uneasily aside to let the elephant and
camel mounted guardsmen through, heartily wished himself back on the
ship. Nikobo, squealing with rage and defiance, began moving cautiously
back toward the path down the cliffs, but Ato, who had been merely
biding his time, tore open his package and began tossing right and left
the tumbleweeds and creeping vines which fortunately it had contained.
The first creeper caught Didjabo, bound him up and laid him by the
heels before he could issue another order. Taking careful aim,
Ato threw a creeping vine at each of the other Ozamandarins. The
tumbleweeds, whirling beneath the feet of the elephants and camels,
caused them to fall to their knees, tossing their riders over their
heads, and between the yells of the guards, the squeals of the camels,
and trumpeting of the elephants, confusion was terrific. The natives
and Nobles and all who could still move or run set off at top speed for
the city without once looking behind them. Muttering angrily under his
breath, Ato continued to hurl vines and tumbleweeds till none was left.
Unable to advance an inch, the white guard and their mounts rolled and
groveled together in the deep sand.
"Now we can go on to the palace!" cried Tandy, a bit breathless by the
suddenness of it all. "Oh, Ato, how did you ever happen to bring those
plants along?"
"I suspected some of these subjects of yours were villains," answered
Ato grimly, "and the only way to meet villains is with villainy.
Forward march, my Lass! On to the King's castle!"
Picking her way around the fallen men and beasts, Nikobo, snorting at
each step to show her superiority and contempt, set out for the Royal
Palace. Of all the people who had run out on the cliffs, besides the
securely bound Ozamandarins and the guard, only the old tribesman who
had first cheered Tandy remained.
"Oh, please do come with us," invited Tandy earnestly as the old man
stepped smilingly out of Nikobo's way. "You could tell me all about the
tent dwellers and help me so much if you would."
"I am Chunum, the Sheik, head of a thousand tribes and speaking for
them, I can say they all will proudly and gladly serve your brave
young Majesty. Too long have the city dwellers ruled this great
liberty-loving land."
"Then over the side and under the hatches with 'em," cried Roger,
beside himself with joy and exuberance at the neat way Ato had handled
Tandy's subjects. "This boy's an able-bodied seaman and explorer and
will stand no nonsense!"
"My sea is the desert," said Chunum, striding jauntily along beside
Nikobo, "and my ship is a camel, but I'll wager we'll understand each
other well enough for all that."
To Tandy, conversing eagerly with Chunum, the splendor of the White
City of Om was an old story, but to the others it seemed, with its
flashing marble walks, great waving palms and towering dwellings and
castle, one of the loveliest capitals they had yet visited.
Word of the happenings on the cliff had traveled fast. Longing to
welcome the young King, but fearing the strange magicians who had come
with him, the Nobles had barred themselves in their fine houses and the
natives had fled to the hills beyond the city gates. The many-domed
marble palace was absolutely deserted when Nikobo pushed her way
through the wide doors. Not a footman, page or courtier was in sight.
Seeing no attention or service was to be had for some time, Ato hurried
away to the kitchens and was soon happily at work preparing a splendid
feast to celebrate Tandy's homecoming.
Tandy himself felt quiet and sad, examining with scant interest and
enthusiasm the splendid rooms which he had never yet been allowed to
live in. To tell the truth, he would have traded the whole castle for
his small cabin aboard Samuel's ship. Samuel himself, never really
happy or comfortable ashore, wandered about aimlessly, opening books on
the long tables, peering out windows, and finally settling with a sigh
of resignation in a huge chair beside the throne.
Nikobo had found a long pool and fountain in the same room and, lying
at full length in this luxuriant marble bath, tranquilly waited for
events to shape themselves.
"Why not sit on your throne?" asked Roger as Tandy seated himself on a
small stool beside Samuel Salt.
"Oh, it's much too big for me," sighed Tandy, thinking how very big and
lonely the palace would seem when all his shipmates had gone.
"Aho, and methinks you are right! Ahoy, the beginning of a beautiful
idea doth at this moment start to seep through the head feathers, of
which, _more_ anon!" Chunum, who had never before heard a bird talk,
stared at Roger in amazed interest and surprise, but giving him no more
satisfaction than a mischievous wink, the Read Bird flew off to help
Ato with the dinner. And now Samuel proceeded to tell the old tribesman
how he had found Tandy in the jungle imprisoned in the wooden cage. As
he finished, Chunum shook his head in stern displeasure.
"It has long been my conviction and belief," he stated solemnly, "that
the Ozamandarins are at the bottom of this. Every year they usurp more
and more power, and keeping the young King shut up in the Tower was
but an excuse to give them their own will and way. Nor can I believe
that the royal parents of this boy accidentally fell into the sea as
they were reported to have done, or that the young aunts mentioned in
the prophecy had anything at all to do with Tandy's abduction. Tell me,
how long will the vines hold those villains prisoner, for only that
long is Tazander safe. We must think and act quickly," said Chunum,
tapping his staff thoughtfully on the floor.
"The vines will not unwind for two days and before THEN--HAH!" Samuel
expelled his breath in a mighty blast and sprang purposefully to his
feet. "Before then we shall put those fellows in a very safe place
for Tandy and for them too, shiver my timbers!" Taking Chunum by the
shoulder, Samuel started toward the door, and seeing the two intended
to leave the castle, Nikobo climbed out of the fountain and offered
to carry them. Tandy nodded absently as the two left the castle, his
thoughts still far away on the _Crescent Moon_, and considering the
work they had to do, Samuel and Chunum were well pleased to leave him
behind.
With surprising speed the hippopotamus made the return trip to the
cliffs. The effects of the tumbleweed had evidently worn off and the
guards and their mounts had fled with the rest of the inhabitants
of White City to the hills. But the nine Ozamandarins still lay in
their curious cradles in the deep coarse sand. As Samuel and Chunum,
in absolute agreement as to what should be done, rolled off Nikobo's
back, a furious bellow and screech brought them up short. Nikobo,
startled out of her usual calm, fell back on her haunches and after one
horrified look upward buried her head in the sand.
"It can't be!" cried Samuel, clutching Chunum's sleeve. "It can't be,
but it is!"
"An elephant, a flying elephant!" panted Chunum, dragging Samuel from
under the immense shadow. "Flatten yourself in the sand, seaman,
and we may yet be spared." As Samuel, more amazed than scared at so
strange and curious a specimen, and even vaguely hopeful of capturing
the unwieldy creature, made no move, Chunum dragged him down by main
force. The elephant meanwhile lighted like some gigantic butterfly on
the edge of the cliff. Fairly bleating with fright and terror, the
nine Ozamandarins watched him swooping toward them with a sinister and
soundless speed. Just behind his ear perched Boglodore, the Old Man of
the Jungle, looking cruel and ugly as the genie of all evil.
"Revenge! Revenge!" shrilled the turbaned native, clenching his fists.
"Now shall Boglodore have his reward!" Addressing himself to Chunum and
Samuel Salt, the Old Man of the Jungle began screaming out the story
of his wrongs. "For these scheming rascals I carried away on Umbo,
my great and useful umbrellaphant, the young King of this country.
For this I was to receive one-tenth of the Kingdom, the Ozamandarins
themselves to divide the rest of the country among them. But Hah!
What happened?" Dancing up and down on the elephant's head, Boglodore
again clenched his fists, his face distorted with rage and fury. "What
happened? Why, these miserable cheats refused to pay me, intending to
keep the whole country for themselves. But hearken well, you and YOU!"
Jerking his thumb contemptuously toward his rigid and helpless enemies,
the Old Man continued his story.
"All along I have suspected these thieving Zamans; all along I intended
to fool them and return the little King to his castle, keeping only
the jungle for my own. That is why I built the boy his cage in the
jungle and set Nikobo, the great hippopotamus, to watch over him,
giving her the power of speech and the desire to seek out and protect
this unfortunate child of an unfortunate country. I am a magician and
could well bring about these things. You, whoever you are, who found
and brought him back to Ozamaland did no more than I myself intended to
do and intend to do now. After restoring Tandy to his throne, I meant
to deal with his enemies, and now as they are so neatly bound up and
ready, I shall reward them well for their pains and treachery."
"Stop! Stop! Avast there and belay!" shouted Samuel Salt as the
umbrellaphant, obeying an order from the terrible Old Man, picked up
Didjabo in his trunk and flew swiftly toward the cliff's edge. But
Chunum, again dragging Samuel down, whispered fiercely in his ear.
"It is justice, seaman, and only what we ourselves planned to do. The
vines will keep these rogues afloat for two days, then haply they will
sink--not to die, as death comes not to the people of my country, but
to lie for long forgotten ages at the bottom of the sea, harmless and
sodden, and unable to do any more harm to the country they have so
dishonorably served and betrayed!"
Shuddering and in a tense silence, Samuel and the Sheik watched the
umbrellaphant toss the wretched Ozamandarins one after the other into
the sea. The immense zooming monster fascinated the Captain of the
_Crescent Moon_. Not wings, but a balloon-like structure of its own
tough skin billowing over its back like a howdah, enabled Umbo to
navigate in the air. Samuel was anxious for further talk with the Old
Man of the Jungle, but as the last Ozamandarin fell over the cliff the
umbrellaphant, with a trumpet of defiance, headed rapidly for the open
sea.
"Look! Look! It's getting away!" cried Samuel, rushing to the cliff's
edge and almost tumbling over. "Do you realize that there goes the only
umbrellaphant in captivity?"
"Well, well, and what if it is?" muttered Chunum, again pulling Samuel
back to safety. "I expect Boglodore does not find this country healthy
after the pretty story he has just told us, and come, COME, Master
Seaman, what would you do with a flying elephant aboard your ship?"
"I'd tie it to the mast and carry it back to Oz," explained Samuel,
staring gloomily after the disappearing prize. "Why, it would be the
most rare and amazing specimen ever brought back from anywhere, and
now--now--I've lost it--" Samuel's arms dropped heavily to his sides
and turning away from the cliff, he began walking slowly back toward
Nikobo, who had at last ventured to lift her head from the sand.
Surprised enough was the hippopotamus to learn that she had been given
her power of speech by the ugly little magician on the umbrellaphant,
and frightened lest she forget Tandy's language, she began talking
rapidly to herself.
"But you forget what all this means!" panted Chunum, catching up with
the Explorer and shaking him energetically by the shoulder. "Why, this
clears up the whole mystery. Not an AUNT but an ELEPHant carried
Tazander to Patrippany Island. We must return quickly to the castle
and release his innocent relatives. I myself will call back Tandy's
frightened subjects and tell them of the great good fortune that has
befallen, that we are rid of nine rogues and have a brave young King
to rule Ozamaland. Come, come, do not stand here dreaming about lost
elephants; there is much to be accomplished and done."
"Goosewing my topsails, you're right!" breathed Samuel Salt, coming
completely out of his reverie. "Round up the citizens, comrade, and
I'll carry the good news to the castle."