CHAPTER 17
A Tragic Transformation
"Don't let us worry," said Shaggy to his companions, "for it may takethe Queen some time to conquer the Metal Monarch, as Tik-Tok has to doeverything in his slow, mechanical way."
"Do you suppose they are likely to fail?" asked the Rose Princess.
"I do, indeed," replied Shaggy. "This Nome King is really a powerfulfellow and has a legion of nomes to assist him, whereas our bold Queencommands a Clockwork Man and a band of faint-hearted officers."
"She ought to have let Quox do the conquering," said Polychrome, dancinglightly upon a point of rock and fluttering her beautiful draperies."But perhaps the dragon was wise to let her go first, for when she failsto conquer Ruggedo she may become more modest in her ambitions."
"Where is the dragon now?" inquired Ozga.
"Up there on the rocks," replied Files. "Look, my dear; you may see himfrom here. He said he would take a little nap while we were mixing upwith Ruggedo, and he added that after we had gotten into trouble he wouldwake up and conquer the Nome King in a jiffy, as his master the Jinjinhas ordered him to do."
"Quox means well," said Shaggy, "but I do not think we shall need hisservices; for just as soon as I am satisfied that Queen Ann and her armyhave failed to conquer Ruggedo, I shall enter the caverns and show theKing my Love Magnet. That he cannot resist; therefore the conquest willbe made with ease."
This speech of Shaggy Man's was overheard by the Long-Eared Hearer, whowas at that moment standing by Ruggedo's side. For when the King and Guphhad recovered from Hank's kick and had picked themselves up, their firstact was to turn Tik-Tok on his back and put a heavy diamond on top ofhim, so that he could not get up again. Then they carefully put his gunin a corner of the cavern and the King sent Guph to fetch the Long-EaredHearer.
The Hearer was still angry at Ruggedo for breaking his ear, but heacknowledged the Nome King to be his master and was ready to obey hiscommands. Therefore he repeated Shaggy's speech to the King, who at oncerealized that his Kingdom was in grave danger. For Ruggedo knew of theLove Magnet and its powers and was horrified at the thought that Shaggymight show him the magic talisman and turn all the hatred in his heartinto love. Ruggedo was proud of his hatred and abhorred love of any sort.
"Really," said he, "I'd rather be conquered and lose my wealth and myKingdom than gaze at that awful Love Magnet. What can I do to prevent theShaggy Man from taking it out of his pocket?"
Kaliko returned to the cavern in time to overhear this question, andbeing a loyal nome and eager to serve his King, he answered by saying:
"If we can manage to bind the Shaggy Man's arms, tight to his body, hecould not get the Love Magnet out of his pocket.
"True!" cried the King in delight at this easy solution of the problem."Get at once a dozen nomes, with ropes, and place them in the passagewhere they can seize and bind Shaggy as soon as he enters."
This Kaliko did, and meanwhile the watchers outside the entrance weregrowing more and more uneasy about their friends.
"I don't worry so much about the Oogaboo people," said Polychrome, whohad grown sober with waiting, and perhaps a little nervous, "for theycould not be killed, even though Ruggedo might cause them much sufferingand perhaps destroy them utterly. But we should not have allowed Betsyand Hank to go alone into the caverns. The little girl is mortal andpossesses no magic powers whatever, so if Ruggedo captures her she willbe wholly at his mercy."
"That is indeed true," replied Shaggy. "I wouldn't like to have anythinghappen to dear little Betsy, so I believe I'll go in right away and putan end to all this worry."
"We may as well go with you," asserted Files, "for by means of the LoveMagnet you can soon bring the Nome King to reason."
So it was decided to wait no longer. Shaggy walked through the entrancefirst, and after him came the others. They had no thought of danger tothemselves, and Shaggy, who was going along with his hands thrust intohis pockets, was much surprised when a rope shot out from the darknessand twined around his body, pinning down his arms so securely that hecould not even withdraw his hands from the pockets. Then appeared severalgrinning nomes, who speedily tied knots in the ropes and then led theprisoner along the passage to the cavern. No attention was paid to theothers, but Files and the Princess followed on after Shaggy, determinednot to desert their friend and hoping that an opportunity might arise torescue him.
As for Polychrome, as soon as she saw that trouble had overtaken Shaggyshe turned and ran lightly back through the passage and out of theentrance. Then she easily leaped from rock to rock until she pausedbeside the great dragon, who lay fast asleep.
"Wake up, Quox!" she cried. "It is time for you to act."
But Quox did not wake up. He lay as one in a trance, absolutelymotionless, with his enormous eyes tight closed. The eyelids had bigsilver scales on them, like all the rest of his body.
Polychrome might have thought Quox was dead had she not known thatdragons do not die easily or had she not observed his huge body swellingas he breathed. She picked up a piece of rock and pounded against hiseyelids with it, saying:
"Wake up, Quox--wake up!" But he would not waken.
"Dear me, how unfortunate!" sighed the lovely Rainbow's Daughter. "Iwonder what is the best and surest way to waken a dragon. All our friendsmay be captured and destroyed while this great beast lies asleep."
She walked around Quox two or three times, trying to discover sometender place on his body where a thump or a punch might be felt; but helay extended along the rocks with his chin flat upon the ground and hislegs drawn underneath his body, and all that one could see was his thicksky-blue skin--thicker than that of a rhinoceros--and his silver scales.
Then, despairing at last of wakening the beast, and worried over the fateof her friends, Polychrome again ran down to the entrance and hurriedalong the passage into the Nome King's cavern.
Here she found Ruggedo lolling in his throne and smoking a long pipe.Beside him stood General Guph and Kaliko, and ranged before the King werethe Rose Princess, Files and the Shaggy Man. Tik-Tok still lay upon thefloor weighted down by the big diamond.
Ruggedo was now in a more contented frame of mind. One by one he hadmet the invaders and easily captured them. The dreaded Love Magnet wasindeed in Shaggy's pocket, only a few feet away from the King, but Shaggywas powerless to show it and unless Ruggedo's eyes beheld the talismanit could not affect him. As for Betsy Bobbin and her mule, he believedKaliko had placed them in the Slimy Cave, while Ann and her officers hethought safely imprisoned in the pit. Ruggedo had no fear of Files orOzga, but to be on the safe side he had ordered golden handcuffs placedupon their wrists. These did not cause them any great annoyance butprevented them from making an attack, had they been inclined to do so.
The Nome King, thinking himself wholly master of the situation, waslaughing and jeering at his prisoners when Polychrome, exquisitelybeautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern.
"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he staredhard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and pulled thewrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers. "On my word," saidhe, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you are afairy."
"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly.
"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hateeverybody--but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautifulcavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls have every tintand color of your Rainbow--and they are not so elusive. I'll have freshdewdrops gathered for your feasting every day and you shall be Queen ofall my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like."
"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, and I'm onlyon a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why myfriends have been wound with cords and bound with chains?"
"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know howpowe
rful I am."
"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send themback to the earth's surface?"
"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer for their invasion. ButI'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with meand I'll set all these people free. You shall be my daughter or my wifeor my aunt or grandmother--whichever you like--only stay here to brightenmy gloomy kingdom and make me happy!"
Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to Shaggy and asked:
"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?"
"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something of a LoveMagnet yourself, Polychrome."
She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my friendswould I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long the society ofsuch a wicked monster as you."
"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also are inmy power."
"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of yourspite or malice."
"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang forwardto obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to clutchher his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was in anotherpart of the room, as smiling and composed as before.
Several times Guph endeavored to capture her and Ruggedo even came downfrom his throne to assist his General; but never could they lay handsupon the lovely sky fairy, who flitted here and there with the swiftnessof light and constantly defied them with her merry laughter as she evadedtheir efforts.
So after a time they abandoned the chase and Ruggedo returned to histhrone and wiped the perspiration from his face with a finely-wovenhandkerchief of cloth-of-gold.
"Well," said Polychrome, "what do you intend to do now?"
"I'm going to have some fun, to repay me for all my bother," replied theNome King. Then he said to Kaliko: "Summon the executioners."
Kaliko at once withdrew and presently returned with a score of nomes,all of whom were nearly as evil looking as their hated master. They boregreat golden pincers, and prods of silver, and clamps and chains andvarious wicked-looking instruments, all made of precious metals and setwith diamonds and rubies.
"Now, Pang," said Ruggedo, addressing the leader of the executioners,"fetch the Army of Oogaboo and their Queen from the pit and torture themhere in my presence--as well as in the presence of their friends. It willbe great sport."
"I hear Your Majesty, and I obey Your Majesty," answered Pang, and wentwith his nomes into the passage. In a few minutes he returned and bowedto Ruggedo.
"They're all gone," said he.
"Gone!" exclaimed the Nome King. "Gone where?"
"They left no address, Your Majesty; but they are not in the pit."
"Picks and puddles!" roared the King; "who took the cover off?"
"No one," said Pang. "The cover was there, but the prisoners were notunder it."
"In that case," snarled the King, trying to control his disappointment,"go to the Slimy Cave and fetch hither the girl and the donkey. And whilewe are torturing them Kaliko must take a hundred nomes and search for theescaped prisoners--the Queen of Oogaboo and her officers. If he does notfind them, I will torture Kaliko."
Kaliko went away looking sad and disturbed, for he knew the Kingwas cruel and unjust enough to carry out this threat. Pang and theexecutioners also went away, in another direction, but when they cameback Betsy Bobbin was not with them, nor was Hank.
"There is no one in the Slimy Cave, Your Majesty," reported Pang.
"Jumping jellycakes!" screamed the King. "Another escape? Are you sureyou found the right cave?"
"There is but one Slimy Cave, and there is no one in it," returned Pangpositively.
Ruggedo was beginning to be alarmed as well as angry. However, thesedisappointments but made him the more vindictive and he cast an evil lookat the other prisoners and said:
"Never mind the girl and the donkey. Here are four, at least, who cannotescape my vengeance. Let me see; I believe I'll change my mind aboutTik-Tok. Have the gold crucible heated to a white, seething heat, andthen we'll dump the copper man into it and melt him up."
"But, Your Majesty," protested Kaliko, who had returned to the room aftersending a hundred nomes to search for the Oogaboo people, "you mustremember that Tik-Tok is a very curious and interesting machine. It wouldbe a shame to deprive the world of such a clever contrivance."
"Say another word, and you'll go into the furnace with him!" roared theKing. "I'm getting tired of you, Kaliko, and the first thing you knowI'll turn you into a potato and make Saratoga-chips of you! The next toconsider," he added more mildly, "is the Shaggy Man. As he owns the LoveMagnet, I think I'll transform him into a dove, and then we can practiceshooting at him with Tik-Tok's gun. Now, this is a very interestingceremony and I beg you all to watch me closely and see that I've nothingup my sleeve."
He came out of his throne to stand before the Shaggy Man, and then hewaved his hands, palms downward, in seven semicircles over his victim'shead, saying in a low but clear tone of voice the magic wugwa:
"Adi, edi, idi, odi, udi, oo-i-oo! Idu, ido, idi, ide, ida, woo!"
The effect of this well-known sorcery was instantaneous. Instead ofthe Shaggy Man, a pretty dove lay fluttering upon the floor, its wingsconfined by tiny cords wound around them. Ruggedo gave an order to Pang,who cut the cords with a pair of scissors. Being freed, the dove quicklyflew upward and alighted on the shoulder of the Rose Princess, whostroked it tenderly.
"Very good! Very good!" cried Ruggedo, rubbing his hands gleefullytogether. "One enemy is out of my way, and now for the others."
(Perhaps my readers should be warned not to attempt the abovetransformation; for, although the exact magical formula has beendescribed, it is unlawful in all civilized countries for anyone totransform a person into a dove by muttering the words Ruggedo used.There were no laws to prevent the Nome King from performing thistransformation, but if it should be attempted in any other country, andthe magic worked, the magician would be severely punished.)
When Polychrome saw Shaggy Man transformed into a dove and realized thatRuggedo was about to do something as dreadful to the Princess and Files,and that Tik-Tok would soon be melted in a crucible, she turned and ranfrom the cavern, through the passage and back to the place where Quox layasleep.
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