Tik-Tok of Oz
Page 22
CHAPTER 20
Quox Quietly Quits
When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfullysaluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kalikoquestioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all hadassisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search carefullyfor one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as they hadfound it.
Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so regainthe open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and there he layupon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day. The others of the partywere all given as good rooms as the caverns of the nomes afforded, forKing Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for his promotion and wasanxious to be as hospitable as he could.
Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of thesixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them,nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading tothe Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but allwere curious to know what had become of them.
On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said tothem: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished and Imust depart for the other side of the world, where I belong."
"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.
"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to talkto, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as soon as Islide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out at the otherend I will wake up at home."
They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasantjourney. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose justcondemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quoxyawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which heslid headforemost and disappeared.
They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had beenboth kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but theyknew it was his duty to return to his own country. So they went back tothe caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that led to theforest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved in vain.
It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch forher father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering uponthe earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces. And onthe third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock, whom shouldshe see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!
The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and tornand he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having lefthis crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer seemedkingly, but more like a beggarman.
Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only tofind the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must accepthis fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret now wasthat he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. He wasaware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much betterthan one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the cavernswherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a chance to fillhis pockets.
That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.
"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and oncethere I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the world."
He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. Perhapsthey might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew of a poorwoman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so he went toher and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying her with thegift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger. The woman wasdelighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets onRuggedo's robe as she possibly could.
Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around tomake sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it swungslowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered, swingingthe rock in place behind him.
However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have done,for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her clear eyesmarked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hiddenspring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kalikoand her friends of her discovery.
"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimedShaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor brother!"
They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes toassist them by carrying torches to light their way.
"The Metal Forest has a brilliant light of its own," said he, "but thepassage across the valley is likely to be dark."
Polychrome easily found the rock and touched the spring, so in lessthan an hour after Ruggedo had entered they were all in the passage andfollowing swiftly after the former King.
"He means to rob the Forest, I'm sure," said Kaliko; "but he will findhe is no longer of any account in this Kingdom and I will have my nomesthrow him out."
"Then please throw him as hard as you can," said Betsy, "for he deservesit. I don't mind an honest, out-an'-out enemy, who fights square; butchanging girls into fiddles and ordering 'em put into Slimy Caves is meanand tricky, and Ruggedo doesn't deserve any sympathy. But you'll have tolet him take as much treasure as he can get in his pockets, Kaliko."
"Yes, the Jinjin said so; but we won't miss it much. There is moretreasure in the Metal Forest than a million nomes could carry in theirpockets."
It was not difficult to walk through this passage, especially whenthe torches lighted the way, so they made good progress. But it provedto be a long distance and Betsy had tired herself with walking and wasseated upon the back of the mule when the passage made a sharp turn and awonderful and glorious light burst upon them. The next moment they wereall standing upon the edge of the marvelous Metal Forest.
It lay under another mountain and occupied a great domed cavern, the roofof which was higher than a church steeple. In this space the industriousnomes had built, during many years of labor, the most beautiful forestin the world. The trees--trunks, branches and leaves--were all of solidgold, while the bushes and underbrush were formed of filigree silver,virgin pure. The trees towered as high as natural live oaks do and wereof exquisite workmanship.
On the ground were thickly strewn precious gems of every hue and size,while here and there among the trees were paths pebbled with cut diamondsof the clearest water. Taken all together, more treasure was gathered inthis Metal Forest than is contained in all the rest of the world--if weexcept the land of Oz, where perhaps its value is equalled in the famousEmerald City.
Our friends were so amazed at the sight that for a while they stoodgazing in silent wonder. Then Shaggy exclaimed:
"My brother! My dear lost brother! Is he indeed a prisoner in thisplace?"
"Yes," replied Kaliko. "The Ugly One has been here for two or threeyears, to my positive knowledge."
"But what could he find to eat?" inquired Betsy. "It's an awfully swellplace to live in, but one can't breakfast on rubies and di'monds, or evengold."
"One doesn't need to, my dear," Kaliko assured her. "The Metal Forestdoes not fill all of this great cavern, by any means. Beyond these goldand silver trees are other trees of the real sort, which bear foods verynice to eat. Let us walk in that direction, for I am quite sure we willfind Shaggy's brother in that part of the cavern, rather than in this."
So they began to tramp over the diamond-pebbled paths, and at every stepthey were more and more bewildered by the wondrous beauty of the goldentrees with their glittering foliage.
Suddenly they heard a scream. Jewels scattered in every direction as someone hidden among the bushes scampered away before them. Then a loud voicecried: "Halt!" and there was the sound of a struggle.