Oz 08: Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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tunnel had made rags of every inch of_their once brilliant uniforms .a more tattered and woeful army never came out of a battle, than these harmless victims of_the rocky passage . but it had seemed their only means of escape from_the cruel Nome king; so they had crawled on, regardless of_their sufferings .

when_they reached the metal forest their eyes beheld more plunder than they had ever dreamed of; yet they were prisoners in_this huge dome and could_not escape with_the riches heaped about_them . perhaps a more unhappy and homesick lot of "conquerors" never existed than this band from Oogaboo .

after several_days of wandering in their marvelous prison they were frightened by_the discovery that Ruggedo had come among them . rendered desperate by their sad condition, the officers exhibited courage for_the first time since they left home and, ignorant of_the fact that Ruggedo was no longer king of_the nomes, they threw themselves upon him and had just succeeded in capturing him when their fellow adventurers reached the spot .

" goodness gracious ! " cried Betsy ." what has happened to_you all ? "

Ann came forward to greet them, sorrowful and indignant .

" we were obliged to escape from_the pit through a small tunnel, which_was lined with sharp and jagged rocks," said she, " and not_only was our clothing torn to rags but our flesh is so bruised and sore that we_are stiff and lame in every joint . to add to our troubles we_find we_are still prisoners; but now that we_have succeeded in capturing the wicked metal monarch we_shall force him to grant us our liberty ."

"Ruggedo is no longer metal monarch, or king of_the nomes," Files informed her ." he has_been deposed and cast out of_his kingdom by Quox; but here_is_the new king, whose name is Kaliko, and I_am pleased to assure your majesty that he_is our friend ."

" glad to meet your majesty, I'm sure," said Kaliko, bowing as courteously as if_the queen still wore splendid raiment .

the officers, having heard this explanation, now set Ruggedo free; but, as he had no place to_go, he stood by and faced his former servant, who was now king in_his place, in a humble and pleading manner .

" what_are you doing here ? " asked Kaliko sternly .

" why, i_was promised as_much treasure as I_could carry in my pockets," replied Ruggedo; " so I_came here to_get it, not wishing to disturb your majesty ."

" you were commanded to leave the country of_the nomes forever ! " declared Kaliko .

" I_know; and I'll go as_soon_as I_have filled my pockets," said Ruggedo, meekly .

" then fill them, and be gone," returned the new king .

Ruggedo obeyed .Stooping down, he began gathering up jewels by_the handful and stuffing them into his many pockets . they were heavy things, these diamonds and rubies and emeralds and amethysts and_the like, so before long Ruggedo was staggering with_the weight he bore, while the pockets were_not yet filled . when he_could no longer stoop over without falling, Betsy and polychrome and_the rose princess came to_his assistance, picking up the finest gems and tucking them into his pockets .

at last these were all filled and Ruggedo presented a comical sight, for surely no man ever before had so_many pockets, or any at all filled with_such a choice collection of precious stones . he neglected to thank the young ladies for their kindness, but gave them a surly nod of farewell and staggered down the path by_the_way he had come . they let him depart in silence, for with all he had taken, the masses of jewels upon_the ground seemed scarcely to_have_been disturbed, so numerous were they . also they hoped they had seen the last of_the degraded king .

"I'm awful glad he's gone," said Betsy, sighing deeply ." if he doesn't get reckless and spend his wealth foolishly, he's got enough to start a bank when he gets to Oklahoma ."

" but my brother-- my dear brother ! where is he ? " inquired shaggy anxiously ." have_you seen him, queen Ann ? "

" what does your brother look like ? " asked the queen .

shaggy hesitated to reply, but Betsy said: " he's called the ugly one . perhaps you'll know him by_that ."

" the only person we_have seen in_this cavern," said Ann, " has run away from_us whenever we approached him . he hides over yonder, among_the trees that_are_not gold, and we_have never been able to catch sight of_his face . so I_can not tell whether he_is ugly or not ."

" that_must be my dear brother ! " exclaimed shaggy .

" yes, it must_be," assented Kaliko ." no one else inhabits this splendid dome, so there can_be no mistake ."

" but why does he hide among those green trees, instead of enjoying all these glittery golden ones ? " asked Betsy .

" because he finds food among_the natural trees," replied Kaliko, " and I remember that he has built a little house there, to sleep in . as for_these glittery golden trees, i_will admit they_are very pretty at first sight . one cannot fail to admire them, as_well as_the rich jewels scattered beneath them; but if one has_to look at them always, they become pretty tame ."

"I believe that_is true," declared shaggy ." my dear brother is very wise to prefer real trees to_the imitation ones . but come; let_us go there and find him ."

shaggy started for_the green grove at once, and_the others followed him, being curious to witness the final rescue of_his long- sought, long- lost brother .

not far from_the edge of_the grove they came upon a small hut, cleverly made of twigs and golden branches woven together . as_they approached the place they caught a glimpse of a form that darted into_the hut and slammed the door tight shut after him .

shaggy man ran to_the door and cried aloud:

" brother ! brother ! "

" who calls," demanded a sad, hollow voice from within .

" it_is shaggy-- your own loving brother-- who has_been searching for_you a long_time and has now come to rescue you ."

" too late ! " replied the gloomy voice ." no one can rescue me now ."

"Oh, but you_are mistaken about_that," said shaggy ." there_is a new king of_the nomes, named Kaliko, in Ruggedo's place, and he has promised you shall go free ."

" free ! I dare not go free ! " said the ugly one, in a voice of despair .

" why_not, brother ? " asked shaggy, anxiously .

" do_you_know what they_have done to_me ? " came the answer through_the closed door .

" no . tell me, brother, what have they done ? "

" when Ruggedo first captured me i_was very handsome .Don't you remember, shaggy ? "

" not very_well, brother; you were so young when I left home . but I remember that mother thought you were beautiful ."

" she was right ! I_am_sure she was right," wailed the prisoner ." but Ruggedo wanted to injure me-- to_make me ugly in_the eyes of all the world-- so he performed a wicked enchantment .I went to bed beautiful-- or you_might say handsome-- to_be very modest i_will merely claim that i_was good- looking-- and I wakened the next morning the homeliest man in all the world ! I_am so repulsive that when I look in a mirror I frighten myself ."

" poor brother ! " said shaggy softly, and all the others were silent from sympathy .

" i_was so ashamed of_my looks," continued the voice of shaggy's brother, " that I tried to hide; but the cruel king Ruggedo forced me to appear before all the legion of nomes, to_whom he_said: ' behold the ugly one ! ' but when_the nomes saw my face they all fell to laughing and jeering, which prevented them from working at their tasks .Seeing this, Ruggedo became angry and pushed me into a tunnel, closing the rock entrance so_that I_could_not get out .I followed the length of_the tunnel until I reached this huge dome, where the marvelous metal forest stands, and here I_have remained ever_since ."

" poor brother ! " repeated shaggy ." but I beg you now to_come forth and face us, who_are your friends . none here will laugh or jeer, however unhandsome you_may_be ."

" no, indeed," they all added pleadingly .

but the ugly one refused the invitation .

" I_cannot," said he; " indeed, I_cannot face strangers, ugly as I_am ."

shaggy man turned to_the group surrounding him .

" what shall I_do ? " he asked in sorrowful tones ." I_cannot leave my dear brother here, and he refuses to_come out of_that house and face us ."

"I'll tell you," replied Betsy ." let him put on a mask ."

" the very idea i_was seeking ! " exclaimed shaggy joyfully; and then he_called out: " brother, put a mask over your face, and then none of us can_see what your features are like ."

" I_have no mask," answered the ugly one .

" look here," said Betsy; " he_can use my handkerchief ."

shaggy looked at_the little square of cloth and shook his head .

" it isn't big enough," he objected; "I'm sure it isn't big enough to hide a man's face . but he_can use mine ."

Saying this he_took from_his pocket his own handkerchief and went to_the door of_the hut .

" here, my brother," he_called, " take this handkerchief and make a mask of it . i_will also pass you my knife, so_that you_may cut holes for_the eyes, and then you_must tie it over your face ."

the door slowly opened, just far enough for_the ugly one to thrust out his hand and take_the handkerchief and_the knife . then it closed again .

"Don't forget a hole for your nose," cried Betsy ." you_must breathe, you_know ."

for a time there_was silence . queen Ann and her army sat down upon_the ground to rest .Betsy sat on Hank's back . polychrome danced lightly up and down the jeweled paths while Files and_the princess wandered through_the groves arm in arm .Tik-Tok, who never tired, stood motionless .

by and by a noise sounded from within_the hut .

" are_you ready ? " asked shaggy .

" yes, brother," came the reply and_the door was thrown open to allow the ugly one to step forth .

Betsy might_have laughed aloud had she not remembered how sensitive to ridicule shaggy's brother was, for_the handkerchief with_which he had masked his features was a red one covered with big white polka dots . in_this two holes had_been cut-- in front of_the eyes-- while two smaller ones before_the nostrils allowed the man to breathe freely . the cloth was then tightly drawn over the ugly one's face and knotted at_the back of_his neck .

he_was dressed in clothes that had once been good, but now were sadly worn and frayed . his silk stockings had holes in_them, and_his shoes were stub- toed and needed blackening ." but what can_you expect," whispered Betsy, " when_the poor man has_been a prisoner for so_many years ? "

shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found brother with both his arms . the brother also embraced shaggy, who then led him forward and introduced him to all the assembled company .

" this_is_the new Nome king," he_said when he_came to Kaliko ." he_is our friend, and has granted you your freedom ."

" that_is a kindly deed," replied ugly in a sad voice, " but I dread to_go back to_the world in_this direful condition . unless I remain forever masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop all the clocks ."

" can't the enchantment be broken in some way ? " inquired Betsy .

shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head .

" I_am_sure I_can't break the enchantment," he_said ."Ruggedo was fond of magic, and learned a good_many enchantments that we nomes know nothing of ."

" perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," suggested Ann; " but unfortunately we_have allowed the old king to escape ."

" never mind, my dear brother," said shaggy consolingly; " I_am very happy to_have found you again, although I_may never see your face . so let_us_make the most of_this joyful reunion ."

the ugly one was affected to tears by_this tender speech, and_the tears began to wet the red handkerchief; so shaggy gently wiped them away with_his coat sleeve .

chapter Twenty- two

kindly Kisses

" won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place ? " Betsy asked the ugly one .

" no, indeed," said he ."Jewels and gold are cold and heartless things, and I_am_sure i_would presently have died of loneliness had I not found the natural forest at_the edge of_the artificial one .Anyhow, without these real trees i_should soon have starved to death ."

Betsy looked around at_the quaint trees .

"I don't just understand that," she admitted ." what could you find to eat here ."

" the best food in_the_world," ugly answered ." do you_see that grove at your left ? " he added, pointing it out; " well, such trees as_those do_not grow in your country, or in any_other place but this cavern . I_have named them ' hotel Trees,' because they bear a certain kind of table d'hote fruit called ' three- course Nuts .' "

" that's funny ! " said Betsy ." what_are the ' three- course Nuts' like ? "

" something like cocoanuts, to look at," explained the ugly one ." all you_have to_do is to pick one_of_them and then sit down and eat your dinner . you first unscrew the top part and find acupfull of good soup . after you've eaten that, you unscrew the middle part and find a hollow filled with meat and potatoes, vegetables and a fine salad . eat that, and unscrew the next section, and you come to_the dessert in_the bottom of_the nut . that_is, pie and cake, cheese and crackers, and nuts and raisins . the three-

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