GHIP-GHISIZZLE PROVES FRIENDLY
CHAPTER 7.
The Royal Palace was certainly a magnificent building, with large andlofty rooms and superb furnishings, all being in shades of blue. Thesoldier and the boy passed through several broad corridors and then cameto a big hall where many servants were congregated. These were staringin bewilderment at Cap'n Bill, who had been introduced to them byCaptain Ultramarine. Now they turned in no less surprise to examine theboy, and their looks expressed not only astonishment but dislike.
The servants were all richly attired in blue silk liveries and theyseemed disposed to resent the fact that these strangers had been addedto their ranks. They scowled and muttered and behaved in a veryunfriendly way, even after Captain Ultramarine had explained that thenewcomers were merely base slaves, and not to be classed with the freeroyal servants of the palace.
One of those present, however, showed no especial enmity toButton-Bright and Cap'n Bill, and this Blueskin attracted the boy'snotice because his appearance was so strange. He looked as if he weremade of two separate men, each cut through the middle and then joinedtogether, half of one to half of the other. One side of his blue hairwas curly and the other half straight; one ear was big and stuck outfrom the side of his head, while the other ear was small and flat; oneeye was half shut and twinkling while the other was big and staring; hisnose was thin on one side and flat on the other, while one side of hismouth curled up and the other down. Button-Bright also noticed that helimped as he walked, because one leg was a trifle longer than the other,and that one hand was delicate and slender and the other thick andhardened by use.
"Don't stare at him," a voice whispered in the boy's ear; "the poorfellow has been patched, that's all."
Button-Bright turned to see who had spoken and found by his side a tallyoung Blueskin with a blue-gold chain around his neck. He was quite thebest looking person the boy had seen in Sky Island and he spoke in apleasant way and seemed quite friendly. But the two-sided man hadoverheard the remark and he now stepped forward and said, in a carelesstone:
"Never mind; it's no disgrace to be patched in a country ruled by such acruel Boolooroo as we have. Let the boy look at me, if he wants to; I'mnot pretty, but that's not my fault. Blame the Boolooroo."
"I--I'm glad to meet you, sir," stammered Button-Bright. "What is _your_name, please?"
"I'm now named Jimfred Jonesjinks, and my partner is called FredjimJinksjones. He's busy at present guarding the Treasure Chamber, but I'llintroduce you to him when he comes back. We've had the misfortune to bepatched, you know."
"What is being patched?" asked the boy.
"They cut two of us in halves and mismatch the halves--half of one tohalf of the other, you know--and then the other two halves are patchedtogether. It destroys our individuality and makes us complex creatures,so it's the worst punishment than can be inflicted in Sky Island."
"Oh," said Button-Bright, alarmed at such dreadful butchery; "doesn't ithurt?"
"No; it doesn't hurt," replied Jimfred, "but it makes one frightfullynervous. They stand you under a big knife, which drops and slices youneatly in two--exactly in the middle. Then they match half of you toanother person who has likewise been sliced--and there you are, patchedto someone you don't care about and haven't much interest in. If yourhalf wants to do something, the other half is likely to want to dosomething different, and the funny part of it is you don't quite knowwhich is your half and which is the other half. It's a terriblepunishment, and in a country where one can't die or be killed until hehas lived his six hundred years, to be patched is a great misfortune."
"I'm sure it is," said Button-Bright, earnestly. "But can't you everget--get--_un_-patched again?"
"If the Boolooroo would consent, I think it could be done," Jimfredreplied; "but he never will consent. This is about the meanest Boolooroowho ever ruled this land, and he was the first to invent patching peopleas a punishment. I think we will all be glad when his three hundredyears of rule are ended."
"When will that be?" inquired the boy.
"Hush-sh-sh!" cried everyone, in a chorus, and they all looked overtheir shoulders as if frightened by the question. The officer with theblue-gold chain pulled Button-Bright's sleeve and whispered:
"Follow me, please." And then he beckoned to Cap'n Bill and led the twoslaves to another room, where they were alone.
"I must instruct you in your duties," said he, when they were allcomfortably seated in cosy chairs with blue cushions. "You must learnhow to obey the Boolooroo's commands, so he won't become angry and haveyou patched."
"How could he patch _us_?" asked the sailorman, curiously.
"Oh, he'd just slice you all in halves and then patch half of the boy tohalf of the girl, and the other half to half of you, and the other halfof you to the other half of the girl. See?"
"Can't say I do," said Cap'n Bill, much bewildered. "It's a reg'larmix-up."
"That's what it's meant to be," explained the young officer.
"An' seein' as we're Earth folks, an' not natives of Sky Island, I've anidea the slicing machine would about end us, without bein' patched,"continued the sailor.
"Oh," said Button-Bright; "so it would."
"While you are in this country you can't die till you've lived sixhundred years," declared the officer.
"Oh," said Button-Bright; "that's different, of course. But who are you,please?"
"My name is Ghip-Ghi-siz-zle. Can you remember it?"
"I can 'member the 'sizzle,'" said the boy; "but I'm 'fraid theGwip--Grip--Glip----"
"Ghip-Ghi-siz-zle," repeated the officer, slowly. "I want you toremember my name, because if you are going to live here you are sure tohear of me a great many times. Can you keep a secret?"
"I can try," said Button-Bright.
"I've kep' secrets--once in a while," asserted Cap'n Bill.
"Well, try to keep this one. I'm to be the next Boolooroo of SkyIsland."
"Good for you!" cried the sailor. "I wish you was the Boolooroo now,sir. But it seems you' ve got to wait a hundred years or more afore youcan take his place."
Ghip-Ghisizzle rose to his feet and paced up and down the room for atime, a frown upon his blue face. Then he halted and faced Cap'n Bill.
"Sir," said he, "there lies all my trouble. I'm quite sure the presentBoolooroo has reigned three hundred years next Thursday; but he claimsit is only two hundred years, and as he holds the Royal Book of Recordsunder lock and key in the Royal Treasury, there is no way for us toprove he is wrong."
"Oh," said Button-Bright. "How old is the Boolooroo?"
"He was two hundred years old when he was elected," repliedGhip-Ghisizzle. "If he has already reigned three hundred years, as Isuspect, then he is now five hundred years old. You see, he is trying tosteal another hundred years of rule, so as to remain a tyrant all hislife."
"He don't seem as old as that," observed Cap'n Bill, thoughtfully. "Why,I'm only sixty, myself, an' I guess I look twice as old as your kingdoes."
"We do not show our age in looks," the officer answered. "I am justabout your own age, sir--sixty-two my next birth-day--but I'm sure Idon't look as old as you."
"That's a fact," agreed Cap'n Bill. Then he turned to Button-Bright andadded: "Don't that prove Sky Island is a fairy country, as I said?"
"Oh, I've known that all along," said the boy. "The slicing andpatching proves it, and so do lots of other things."
"Now, then," said Ghip-Ghisizzle, "let us talk over your duties. Itseems you must mix the royal nectar, Cap'n Bill. Do you know how to dothat?"
"I'm free to say as I don't, friend Sizzle."
"The Boolooroo is very particular about his nectar. I think he has givenyou this job so he can find fault with you and have you punished. But wewill fool him. You are strangers here, and I don't want you imposedupon. I'll send Tiggle to the royal pantry and keep him there to mix thenectar. Then when the Boolooroo, or the Queen, or any of the SnubnosedPrincesses call for a drink, you can carry it to them and it will
besure to suit them."
"Thank'e, sir," said Cap'n Bill; "that's real kind of you."
"Your job, Button-Bright, is easier," continued Ghip-Ghisizzle.
"I'm no bootblack," declared the boy. "The Boolooroo has no right tomake me do his dirty work."
"You're a slave," the officer reminded him; "and a slave must obey."
"Why?" asked Button-Bright.
"Because he can't help himself. No slave ever wants to obey, but he justhas to. And it isn't dirty work at all. You don't black the royal bootsand shoes; you merely blue them with a finely perfumed blue paste. Thenyou shine them neatly and your task is done. You will not be humiliatedby becoming a bootblack. You'll be a bootblue."
"Oh," said Button-Bright. "I don't see much difference, but perhaps it'sa little more respectable."
"Yes; the Royal Bootblue is considered a high official in Sky Island.You do your work at evening or early morning, and the rest of the dayyou are at liberty to do as you please."
"It won't last long, Button-Bright," said Cap'n Bill, consolingly."Somethin's bound to happen pretty soon, you know."
"I think so myself," answered the boy.
"And now," remarked Ghip-Ghisizzle, "since you understand your newduties, perhaps you'd like to walk out with me and see the Blue City andthe glorious Blue Country of Sky Island."
"We would that!" cried Cap'n Bill, promptly.
So they accompanied their new friend through a maze of passages--for thepalace was very big--and then through a high arched portal into thestreets of the City. So rapid had been their descent when the umbrellalanded them in the royal garden that they had not even caught a glimpseof the Blue City, so now they gazed with wonder and interest at thesplendid sights that met their eyes.
Sky Island Page 8
