Mustafa Keeps Watch
Mustafa, seated on his blue throne, stared steadily at his magic
ring. He had done little else since Bob and Notta's departure, and
in consequence was beginning to squint fearfully. On his lap lay the
lion book, and when he was not gazing at his ring, the blue-whiskered
monarch looked longingly at the picture of the Cowardly Lion.
In one corner of the tent, in a large cage, crouched the twenty Uns
Notta had wished into Mudge, and in the tent top were twenty blue
patches where they had burst through. At first Mustafa had been
terribly angry and ordered the Featherheads thrown to the lions. But
Mixtuppa, pleased by the color and brilliancy of their feathers,
begged that they be saved, so she might always have fresh feathers for
her turbans. Then the Uns, seeing that Mustafa was almost as wicked
and bad tempered as themselves, promised to teach him all the Unish
they knew--so that every hour Mustafa was growing unhappier and
unpleasanter.
Panapee stepped about breathlessly on tiptoe, for each time Notta had
done anything to turn Mustafa's ring black the ruler of Mudge had flown
at his royal chamberlain and shaken him unmercifully.
"He is escaping, you villain!" screamed Mustafa the first time--that
was when Notta had determined not to betray his faithful four-footed
friend.
"Help! Ouch! Does your Majesty expect to stop him by pulling my beard?
Let go! Take off your ring," spluttered the unhappy Mudger, "there is
no magic in my whiskers."
Realizing the truth of this, Mustafa snatched off his ring, with what
alarming consequences to Bob and Notta we all know. Since then his
watchfulness had increased, and even while he ate he held his thumb
before his eyes so that no move of the clown would escape him. While
Mustafa kept watch, the royal jewelers worked day and night upon a gold
collar, studded with sapphires, and the forger of swords and scimitars
hammered early and late upon a heavy gold chain--for once the Cowardly
Lion entered Mudge, Mustafa was determined he should never leave the
kingdom. Tazzywaller, who was still lion feeder, peering at intervals
through the tent flap thanked his lucky stars he was no longer high
chamberlain of Mudge.
"When this Cowardly Lion actually appears will be time enough for me
to be reinstated," muttered the wily fellow to himself. "Meanwhile let
Panny take his Majesty's ill-tempered thumps and shakings!"