Oz 08: Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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to shaggy .

" which road leads to_the metal monarch's cavern ? "

" we don't know, your majesty," was_the reply .

" but this_is absurd ! " said Ann with a frown ." if_we_can't get to Ruggedo, it_is certain that we_can't conquer him ."

" you_are right," admitted shaggy; " but I_did_not_say we_could_not get to him . we_have only to discover the way, and_that was_the matter we were considering when_you and your magnificent army arrived here ."

" well, then, get busy and discover it," snapped the queen .

that was no easy task . they all stood looking from one road to another in perplexity . the paths radiated from_the little clearing like the rays of_the midday sun, and each path seemed like all the others .

Files and_the rose princess, who had by_this_time become good friends, advanced a little way along one_of_the roads and found that_it_was bordered by pretty wild flowers .

" why don't you ask_the flowers to_tell you the way ? " he_said to_his companion .

" the flowers ? " returned the princess, surprised at_the question .

" of_course," said Files ." the field-flowers must_be second-cousins to a rose princess, and I believe if_you ask them they_will tell you ."

she looked more closely at_the flowers . there were hundreds of white daisies, golden buttercups, bluebells and daffodils growing by_the roadside, and each flower- head was firmly set upon its slender but stout stem . there were even a few wild roses scattered here and there and perhaps it was_the sight of_these that gave the princess courage to ask_the important question .

she dropped to her knees, facing the flowers, and extended both her arms pleadingly toward them .

" tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her sweet, gentle voice, " which_way will lead us to_the kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome king ? "

at once all the stems bent gracefully to_the right and_the flower heads nodded once-- twice-- thrice in_that direction .

" that's it ! " cried Files joyfully ." now we_know the way ."

Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly at_the field-flowers, which had now resumed their upright position .

" was_it the wind, do_you_think ? " she asked in a low whisper .

" no, indeed," replied Files ." there_is not a breath of wind stirring . but these lovely blossoms are indeed your cousins and answered your question at once, as I_knew they_would ."

chapter Nine

Ruggedo's rage is rash and reckless

the way taken by_the adventurers led up hill and down dale and wound here and there in a fashion that seemed aimless . but always it drew nearer to a range of low mountains and Files said more than once that he_was certain the entrance to Ruggedo's cavern would_be found among_these rugged hills .

in_this he_was quite correct . far underneath the nearest mountain was a gorgeous chamber hollowed from_the solid rock, the walls and roof of_which glittered with thousands of magnificent jewels . here, on a throne of virgin gold, sat the famous Nome king, dressed in splendid robes and wearing a superb crown cut from a single blood- red ruby .

Ruggedo, the monarch of all the Metals and precious Stones of_the underground world, was a round little man with aflowing white beard, a red face, bright eyes and a scowl that covered all his forehead . one would think, to look at him, that he ought_to_be jolly; one might think, considering his enormous wealth, that he ought_to_be happy; but this_was not the case . the metal monarch was surly and cross because mortals had dug so_much treasure out_of_the earth and kept it above ground, where all the power of Ruggedo and_his nomes was unable to recover it . he hated not_only the mortals but also the fairies who live upon_the earth or above it, and instead of being content with_the riches he still possessed he_was unhappy because he_did_not own all the gold and jewels in_the_world .

Ruggedo had_been nodding, half asleep, in_his chair when suddenly he sat upright, uttered a roar of rage and began pounding upon a huge gong that stood beside him .

the sound filled the vast cavern and penetrated to many caverns beyond, where countless thousands of nomes were working at their unending tasks, hammering out gold and silver and other metals, or melting ores in great furnaces, or polishing glittering gems . the nomes trembled at_the sound of_the king's gong and whispered fearfully to one another that something unpleasant was sure to happen; but none dared pause in_his task,

the heavy curtains of cloth- of- gold were pushed aside and Kaliko, the king's high chamberlain, entered the royal presence .

" what's up, your majesty ? " he asked, with a wide yawn, for he had just wakened .

" up ? " roared Ruggedo, stamping his foot viciously ." those foolish mortals are up, that's what ! and they_want to_come down ."

" down here ? " inquired Kaliko .

" yes ! "

" how do_you_know ? " continued the chamberlain, yawning again .

" I_feel it in my bones," said Ruggedo ." I_can always feel it when_those hateful earth-crawlers draw near to my kingdom . I_am positive, Kaliko, that mortals are this very minute on their way here to annoy me-- and I hate mortals more than I_do catnip tea ! "

" well, what's to_be_done ? " demanded the nome .

" look through your spyglass, and_see where the invaders are," commanded the king .

so Kaliko went to a tube in_the wall of rock and put his eye to_it . the tube ran from_the cavern up_to_the side of_the mountain and turned several curves and corners, but as it_was a magic spyglass Kaliko was able to_see through it just as easily as_if it had_been straight .

"Ho-- hum," said he ." I_see 'em, your majesty ."

" what do they look like ? " inquired the monarch .

" that's a hard question to answer, for a queerer assortment of creatures I never yet beheld," replied the nome ." however, such a collection of curiosities may prove dangerous . there's a copper man, worked by machinery--"

"Bah ! that's only Tik-Tok," said Ruggedo ."I'm not afraid of him . why, only the other day I met the fellow and threw him down a well ."

" then some one must_have pulled him out again," said Kaliko ." and there's a little girl--"

" Dorothy ? " asked Ruggedo, jumping up in fear .

" no; some other girl . in_fact, there_are several girls, of various sizes; but Dorothy is_not with_them, nor is Ozma ."

" that's good ! " exclaimed the king, sighing in relief .

Kaliko still had his eye to_the spyglass .

" I_see," said he, " an army of men from Oogaboo . they_are all officers and carry swords . and there_is a shaggy man-- who seems very harmless-- and a little donkey with big ears ."

"Pooh ! " cried Ruggedo, snapping his fingers in scorn ."I've no fear of_such a mob as_that .a dozen of_my nomes can destroy them all in ajiffy ."

"I'm not so sure of_that," said Kaliko ." the people of Oogaboo are hard to destroy, and I believe the rose princess is a fairy . as for polychrome, you_know very_well that_the rainbow's daughter cannot_be injured by anome ."

" polychrome ! is she among them ? " asked the king .

" yes; I_have just recognized her ."

" then these people are coming here on no peaceful errand," declared Ruggedo, scowling fiercely ." in_fact, no one ever comes here on a peaceful errand .I hate everybody, and everybody hates me ! "

" very true," said Kaliko .

" I_must in some way prevent these people from reaching my dominions . where are they now ? "

" just now they_are crossing the rubber country, your majesty ."

" good ! are your magnetic rubber wires in working order ? "

" i_think so," replied Kaliko ." is_it your royal will that we_have some fun with_these invaders ? "

" it_is," answered Ruggedo ." i_want to teach them a lesson they_will never forget ."

now, shaggy had no idea that he_was in a rubber country, nor had any of_his companions . they noticed that everything around them was of a dull gray color and_that the path upon_which they walked was soft and springy, yet they had no suspicion that_the rocks and trees were rubber and even the path they trod was_made of rubber .

presently they came to a brook where sparkling water dashed through a deep channel and rushed away between high rocks far down the mountain- side . across the brook were stepping-stones, so placed that travelers might easily leap from one to another and in_that manner cross the water to_the farther bank .

Tik-Tok was marching ahead, followed by his officers and queen Ann . after them came Betsy bobbin and Hank, polychrome and shaggy, and last of all the rose princess with Files . the clockwork man saw the stream and_the stepping stones and, without making a pause, placed his foot upon_the first stone .

the result was astonishing . first he sank down in_the soft rubber, which then rebounded and sent Tik-Tok soaring high in_the air, where he turned a succession of flip-flops and alighted upon a rubber rock far in_the rear of_the party .

general apple did_not see Tik-Tok bound, so quickly had he disappeared; therefore he also stepped upon_the stone ( which you_will guess was connected with Kaliko's magnetic rubber wire) and instantly shot upward like an arrow . general cone came next and met with a like fate, but the others now noticed that something was wrong and with one accord they halted the column and looked back along the path .

there_was Tik-Tok, still bounding from one rubber rock to another, each_time rising a less distance from_the ground . and there_was general apple, bounding away in another direction, his three- cornered hat jammed over his eyes and_his long sword thumping him upon_the arms and head as it swung this_way and_that . and there, also, appeared general cone, who had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up that his round body looked more like abouncing- ball than_the form of a man .

Betsy laughed merrily at_the strange sight and polychrome echoed her laughter . but Ozga was grave and wondering, while queen Ann became angry at seeing the chief officers of_the army of Oogaboo bounding around in so undignified a manner . she shouted to_them to stop, but they were unable to obey, even though they_would_have been glad to_do_so . finally, however, they all ceased bounding and managed to_get upon their feet and rejoin the army .

" why did you do_that ? " demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked .

"Don't ask them why," said shaggy earnestly ." I_knew you_would ask them why, but you ought not to_do_it . the reason is plain . those stones are rubber; therefore they_are_not stones . those rocks around us are rubber, and therefore they_are_not rocks . even this path is_not a path; it's rubber . unless we_are very careful, your majesty, we_are all likely to_get the bounce, just as_your poor officers and Tik-Tok did ."

" then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom; but polychrome wanted to test the quality of_the rubber, so she began dancing . every step sent her higher and higher into_the air, so_that she resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly . presently she made a great bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and steadily on_the other side .

" there_is no rubber over here," she called to_them ." suppose you all try to bound over the stream, without touching the stepping-stones ."

Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of_the suggestion and began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as high as polychrome had done . then she suddenly leaned forward and_the next bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by_the side of_the rainbow's daughter .

" come on, Hank ! " called the girl, and_the donkey tried to obey . he managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across the stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into_the middle of_the water .

"Hee-haw ! " he wailed, struggling toward the far bank .Betsy rushed forward to help him out, but when_the mule stood safely beside her she was amazed to_find he_was not wet at all .

" it's dry water," said polychrome, dipping her hand into_the stream and showing how the water fell from_it and left it perfectly dry .

" in_that case," returned Betsy, " they_can all walk through_the water ."

she called to Ozga and shaggy to wade across, assuring them the water was shallow and would_not wet them . at once they followed her advice, avoiding the rubber stepping stones, and made the crossing with ease . this encouraged the entire party to wade through_the dry water, and in_a_few_minutes all had assembled on_the bank and renewed their journey along the path that led to_the Nome king's dominions .

when Kaliko again looked through his magic spyglass he exclaimed:

" bad luck, your majesty ! all the invaders have passed the rubber country and now are fast approaching the entrance to your caverns ."

Ruggedo raved and stormed at_the news and_his anger was so great that several_times, as he strode up and down his jeweled cavern, he paused to kick Kaliko upon his shins, which were so sensitive that_the poor nome howled with pain . finally the king said:

" there's no help for_it; we_must drop these audacious invaders down the hollow tube ."

Kaliko gave a jump, at_this, and looked at his master wonderingly .

" if_you_do that, your majesty," he_said, " you_will make Tititi-Hoochoo very angry ."

" never mind that," retorted Ruggedo ."Tititi- Hoochoo lives on_the other side of_the world, so what do I care for_his anger ? "

Kaliko shuddered and uttered a little groan .

" remember his terrible powers," he pleaded, " and remember that he warned you, the last time you slid people through_the hollow tube, that if you_did it again he_would take

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