MAYRE, QUEEN OF THE PINK COUNTRY
CHAPTER 18.
Polychrome now dismissed all but Button-Bright, Cap'n Bill, Rosalie theWitch and the new Queen of the Pinkies. Tourmaline hastened away to herfather's house to put on a beautiful gown all covered with flounces andribbons, for she was glad to be relieved of the duties of Queen and waseager to be gaily dressed and one of the people again.
"I s'pose," said Trot, "I'll have to put on one of Tourmaline's commonpink dresses."
"Yes," replied Polychrome, "you must follow the customs of the country,absurd though they may be. In the little sleeping chamber adjoining thisroom you will find plenty of gowns poor enough for the Queen to wear.Shall I assist you to put one on?"
"No," answered Trot, "I guess I can manage it alone."
When she withdrew to the little chamber the Rainbow's Daughter beganconversing with the Witch, whom she urged to stay with the new queen andprotect her as long as she ruled the Pink Country. Rosalie, who longedto please the powerful Polychrome, whose fairy powers as Daughter of theRainbow were far superior to her own witchcraft, promised faithfully todevote herself to Queen Mayre as long as she might need her services.
By the time Trot was dressed in pink, and had returned to the room,there was an excited and clamorous crowd assembled in the court, andPolychrome took the little girl's hand and led her out to greet her newsubjects.
The Pinkies were much impressed by the fact that the Rainbow's Daughterwas their new Queen's friend, and that Rosalie the Witch stood on Trot'sleft hand and treated her with humble deference. So they shouted theirapproval very enthusiastically and pressed forward one by one to kneelbefore their new Ruler and kiss her hand.
The parrot was now on Cap'n Bill's shoulder, for Trot thought a Queenought not to carry a bird around; but the parrot did not mind the changeand was as much excited as anyone in the crowd.
"Oh, what bliss to kiss a miss!" he shouted, as Trot held out her handto be kissed by her subjects; and then he would scream:
"We're in the sky and flyin' high: We're goin' to live instead of die, It's time to laugh instead of cry; Oh, my! ki-yi! ain't this a pie!"
Cap'n Bill let the bird jabber as he pleased, for the occasion was ajoyful one and it was no wonder the parrot was excited.
And, while the throng shouted greetings to the Queen, suddenly the greatRainbow appeared in the sky and dropped its end right on the Court ofthe Statues. Polychrome stooped to kiss Trot and Button-Bright, gaveCap'n Bill a charming smile and Rosalie the Witch a friendly nod offarewell. Then she sprang lightly upon the arch of the Rainbow and wasgreeted by the bevy of dancing, laughing maidens who were her sisters.
"I shall keep watch over you, Button-Bright," she called to the boy."Don't despair, whatever happens, for behind the clouds is always theRainbow!"
"Thank you, Polly," he answered, and Trot also thanked the lovelyPolychrome--and so did Cap'n Bill. The parrot made quite a long speech,flying high above the arch where Polychrome stood and then back to Cap'nBill's shoulder. Said he:
"We Pollys know our business, and we're--all--right! We'll take good care of Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright You watch 'em from the Rainbow, and I'll watch day and night, And we'll call a sky policeman if trouble comes in sight!"
Suddenly the bow lifted and carried the dancing maidens into the sky.The colors faded, the arch slowly dissolved and the heavens were clear.
Trot turned to the Pinkies.
"Let's have a holiday to-day," she said. "Have a good time and enjoyyourselves. I don't jus' know how I'm goin' to rule this country, yet,but I'll think it over an' let you know."
Then she went into the palace hut with Cap'n Bill and Button-Bright andRosalie the Witch, and the people went away to enjoy themselves and talkover the surprising events of the day.
"Dear me," said Trot, throwing herself into a chair, "wasn't that asudden change of fortune, though? That Rainbow's Daughter is a prettygood fairy. I'm glad you knew her, Button-Bright."
"I was sure something would happen to save you," remarked Rosalie, "andthat was why I voted to have you thrown off the edge. I wanted todiscover who would come to your assistance, and I found out. Now I havemade a friend of Polychrome and that will render me more powerful as aWitch, for I can call upon her for assistance whenever I need her."
"But--see here," said Cap'n Bill; "you can't afford to spend your timea-rulin' this tucked-up country, Trot."
"Why not?" asked Trot, who was pleased with her new and importantposition.
"It'd get pretty tiresome, mate, after you'd had a few quarrels with thePinkies, for they expec' their Queen to be as poor as poverty an' neverhave any fun in life."
"You wouldn't like it for long, I'm sure," added Button-Bright,seriously.
Trot seemed thoughtful.
"No; I don't know's I would," she admitted. "But as long as we stay hereit seems a pretty good thing to be Queen. I guess I'm a little proud ofit. I wish mother could see me rulin' the Pinkies--an' Papa Griffith,too. Wouldn't they open their eyes?"
"They would, mate; but they can't see you," said Cap'n Bill. "So thequestion is, what's to be done?"
"We ought to get home," observed the boy. "Our folks will worry about usand Earth's the best place to live, after all. If we could only get holdof my Magic Umbrella, we'd be all right."
"The rose is red, the violet's blue, But the umbrel's stole by the Boo-loo-roo!"
screamed the parrot.
"That's it," said Cap'n Bill; "the Boolooroo's got the umbrel, an' thatsettles the question."
"Tell me," said Rosalie; "if you had your Magic Umbrella, could you flyhome again in safety?"
"Of course we could," replied Button-Bright.
"And would you prefer to go home to remaining here?"
"We would, indeed!"
"Then why do you not get the umbrella?"
"How?" asked Trot, eagerly.
The Witch paused a moment. Then she said:
"You must go into the Blue Country and force the Boolooroo to give upyour property."
"Through the Fog Bank?" asked Cap'n Bill, doubtfully.
"And let the Boolooroo capture us again?" demanded Button-Bright, with ashiver.
"An' have to wait on the Snubnoses instead of bein' a Queen!" said Trot.
"You must remember that conditions have changed, and you are now apowerful Ruler," replied Rosalie. "The Pinkies are really a greatnation, and they are pledged to obey your commands. Why not assemble anarmy, march through the Fog Bank, fight and conquer the Boolooroo andrecapture the Magic Umbrella?"
"Hooray!" shouted Cap'n Bill, pounding his wooden leg on the floor;"that's the proper talk! Let's do it, Queen Trot."
"It doesn't seem like a bad idea," added Button-Bright.
"Do you think the Pinkies could fight the Blueskins?" asked Trot.
"Why not?" replied the sailorman. "They have sharp sticks, an' know howto use 'em, whereas the Blueskins have only them windin'-up cords, withweights on the ends."
"The Blueskins are the biggest people," said the girl.
"But they're cowards, I'm sure," declared the boy.
"Anyhow," the sailor remarked, "that's our only hope of ever gett'n'home again. I'd like to try it, Trot."
"If you decide on this adventure," said Rosalie, "I believe I can be ofmuch assistance to you."
"That'll help," asserted Cap'n Bill.
"And we've one good friend among the Blueskins," said Button-Bright."I'm sure Ghip-Ghisizzle will side with us, and I've got the RoyalRecord Book, which proves that the Boolooroo has already reigned hislawful three hundred years."
"Does the book say that?" inquired Trot, with interest.
"Yes; I've been reading it."
"Then Sizzle'll be the new Boolooroo," said the girl, "an' p'raps wewon't have to fight, after all."
"We'd better go prepared, though," advised Cap'n Bill, "fer that awfulol' Boolooroo won't give up without a struggle. When shall we start?"
Trot hesitated, so they all looked to Rosalie for advice.
"Just as soon as we can get the army together and ready," decided theWitch. "That will not take long--perhaps two or three days."
"Good!" cried Cap'n Bill, and the parrot screamed:
"Here's a lovely how-d'y'-do-- We're going to fight the Boo-loo-roo! We'll get the Six Snubnoses, too, And make'em all feel mighty blue."
"Either that or the other thing," said Trot. "Anyhow, we're in for it."
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