Peter Poodle, by William Henry Bradley (continued 2)

While this scout was reporting, another came riding up as fast as his horse could gallop.

“My General,” cried the second scout, “I have come from the high hills yonder. There is a ship entering the Lake of Toyville. It is the pirate ship from Grumbletown, called the manned by the Buccaneers.”

“We have been tricked!” cried the King. “We have left the Castle unguarded, and the Queen without protection. The Queen will be made captive! We must ride to her rescue!”

“To the Queen’s rescue! To the Queen’s rescue!” cried an officer of the King’s Guard; and, shaking the reins over their horses’ necks, a great company of riders led by the King and Mr. Poodle went galloping back to Toyville.

The Thirteenth Chapter.

Here the Crafty Courtier plays a clever Trick on Queen Helen and her Ladies. Here, too, is told of an Adventure with the Three Buccaneers.

EFORE Long Jim had time to give a second rap, tap, tap, the front door of the Castle opened and a servant in royal livery stood ready to usher the crafty courtier into the Audience Hall.

“You may announce to Her Majesty the Queen, that I come from the King with a very important message,” said Long Jim.

The servant departed. “Ha, ha, ha,” chuckled Long Jim, “I certainly am a clever one! I told the man to tell the Queen I had a message from the King, but I didn’t tell him it was from the King of Grumbletown; and he thinks it {100} is from his own King. He does not know what a clever one I am and how I can fool all of them, but he will find out very soon.”

“Her Majesty will give you an audience,” announced the servant, as he returned. Then, he conducted Long Jim to the Royal Parlors, where the Queen sat surrounded by her Ladies.

“Your Majesty,” said Long Jim, addressing the Queen, after taking off his hat and bowing courteously, “the King sends you greeting, and begs to inform you that the army of Grumbletown is being held in check and has even been driven back in some places. He wished me to say to you that there is no danger at present, and he hopes you and these noble Ladies will have a good time and enjoy yourselves. He suggests that you might find it a pleasure to go for a sail on the lake.”

The Queen was much pleased at this message. She clapped her hands and said: “O, I dearly love to go sailing! If it pleases the Ladies to do so, we will go at once.”

The Ladies said they certainly would enjoy taking a sail on the beautiful lake.

But though the Ladies spoke this way, all in truth were quite a little afraid, and wondered if it were wise for them to venture out of the Castle, with the army of Grumbletown so near the city; they were sure, however, the King would not have sent such a message unless he knew the outing to be perfectly safe.

When the Queen and her Ladies had gone to their apartments to dress in their yachting costumes, Long Jim took a careful survey of the room to see that there was nobody near, then he broke into a villainous laugh. “I have {101} fooled them now,” he said. “King Red Beard will reward me for this. I tell you, I am a clever one,—too clever for these numskulls in Toyville! When their King comes home and finds his Queen gone, won’t he tear around and be angry though! And won’t he be twice as angry when he learns she has been betrayed into the hands of the Buccaneers of Grumbletown! Big Bill, the captain of the Buccaneers, will say I am a clever one too, when he sees the boat bearing the Queen and her fine Ladies sailing away out on the lake. It won’t take Big Bill long to run his fine ship, the , that flies the black flag, right alongside of the Queen’s boat, and then in about two jiffies he will have the Queen and her Ladies made captive. I tell you I am a clever one to plan all this! Ha, ha, ha! yes, I certainly am a clever one!”

That was a long speech for the crafty courtier to make, and he had but little breath left when he finished, so that his laugh at the end didn’t ring nearly so loud as it did at the beginning. Lucky for his wicked plans that his laugh wasn’t so loud either, for he had hardly finished when he heard the Queen and the Ladies returning.

Bowing again very courteously, Long Jim said: “It is the King’s wish that I escort the Queen and the Ladies to the lake. Is this also the Queen’s wish?”

The Queen answered that the ladies and herself would certainly be pleased to comply with the King’s wishes, and, as it was yet early in the afternoon, she had no doubt that all would have a very pleasant sail, and thoroughly enjoy their outing.

Long Jim thanked the Queen and said he was sure the sail would prove very entertaining. {102}

When Long Jim said that, if the Queen had but glanced at his face, she would have seen an expression, sly and crafty enough to frighten her; for the entertainment which he meant was of a kind that would not prove very safe for the Queen.

The Queen, however, had no suspicions, so, telling Long Jim they were now ready to start, the little company left the Castle and set forth for the lake. Laughing and chatting merrily, with never a thought of danger, they came presently to the Royal Boat Landing.

Two trained sailors rowed them to the , now riding at anchor a little way from the shore. After assisting the last Lady to step aboard, Long Jim ordered the sail hoisted, when, a gentle breeze filling the canvas, the trim boat cut a way through the silver tipped ripples, and sped rapidly out on the lake.

Long Jim was such a good sailor that Queen Helen could not help remarking to her companions the pleasure it gave her to see the boat handled so skilfully. The Ladies said it pleased them, too, for now they felt perfectly safe and had not the least particle of fear of anything happening to cause danger, or to mar the enjoyment of such a nice afternoon, and such a delightful sail.

Long Jim chuckled to himself when he heard this conversation, for he thought, “I guess these Ladies would sing a new tune if they knew how this sail is going to end, and the Queen would certainly think I am a clever one if she knew how I have kept the boat headed right up the lake towards the river, and all the while with the sail set so not one of them can see that black pirate ship just beyond the bend.” {103}

But if Queen Helen and her Ladies did not see the pirate ship, the Buccaneers saw their ship, and now ran up their long black flag; and steering a course for the mouth of the river, drew the sail taut, so as to catch every particle of the breeze and went scudding out of the river into the lake, laying their course straight for the .

“Down with the helm!” cried Big Bill. “Run out the cannon, take careful aim, I will touch the fuse, and we will put a round shot across their bow, that will make them stop, I think. Then we can run alongside and board their vessel. Every man to his post! There now, are you ready?”

“All ready!” yelled the two Buccaneers. “Fire!”

No sooner was the word uttered than there sprang from the mouth of the cannon a flash of flame, followed by a great puff of black smoke and a mighty rumbling roar, like thunder. Then skipping through the water, not ten feet before the bow of the went the big ball, sending up sheets of spray which spattered the deck of the yacht and even reached the little group seated in the cockpit.

The Queen and her Ladies screamed with fright, which certainly was no more than natural, for they were taken very much by surprise. Before any of them could utter one single word, Long Jim threw over the helm and headed the yacht into the wind so that in a moment it lost headway and drifted with the sail flapping useless in the breeze.

Meanwhile, the pirate ship drew rapidly nearer, and presently swung about and came alongside. The Buccaneers then threw grappling irons on to the deck of the yacht, and lashed the two boats together. {104}

“Ha, ha, ha! We have them now!” laughed Big Bill. “Come, my little birds, which one is your Queen?”

Not one of the Ladies answered Big Bill. No one would be so disloyal as to betray the Queen, and none of the Ladies, at least none of the Royal Ladies, would ever stoop so low as to speak to a pirate.

Long Jim quickly stepped forward. “This is the Queen,” he said as he pointed to Helen. “Take her and don’t bother with the others. That cannon shot of yours is sure to alarm the whole town, and we will have to make rapid work of it, if we get away safely. You were a stupid old noodle head to make such a noise.”

Big Bill scowled and drew his pistol when Long Jim said this.

“A stupid old noodle head, am I? Well, that shows how much you know about pirating. Did you ever hear of a pirate capturing a ship without firing a shot across her bow? Answer that now, if you can.”

But Long Jim, when he looked into the muzzle of the pistol, didn’t care to say any more, so he jumped across to the deck of the pirate ship and left Big Bill, who was not long in capturing Helen.

The Fourteenth Chapter.

The Chase. In which is told how Big Bill sailed the Black Rover, and of the glee of the Buccaneers at their cunning baffling of the King & Mr. Poodle.

HEN Long Jim said the shooting of the cannon would alarm the whole town he told but the truth. It did more than that however, for it warned King Tommy and Mr. Poodle that it was the lake and not the castle to which their company must ride, thus saving them much valuable time. What a clatter the horses did make galloping through the town; out of one street and into another they went, all the while willingly straining in every muscle to attain the utmost speed of which they were capable, seemingly realizing the great anxiety of their riders. King Tommy rode at the head of the column, his sword in his fist, his head thrown back and his hair blowing in the {108} breeze, while he shouted words of encouragement to his followers, bidding them keep stout hearts and strong arms for the defence of the city, and the rescue of their Queen.

When presently the little company came to the lake, the good horses bore them almost into the water before their mad gallop could be checked; and then only by pulling the fiery steeds back on their haunches were the brave riders saved from getting a good ducking.

It was the work of only a moment to dismount. What to do next the King did not quite know, for already those on the pirate craft were casting off their grappling irons, and as soon as the could get free from the , with a piping breeze filling her sails she would soon reach the mouth of the river, when all hope of capture would be lost. Being such a cunningly built craft, and drawing so little water, under the skilful handling of the Buccaneers, the tortuous bends of the river would be navigated through shallow and twisting channels where no other ship could follow.

“If we only had a gunboat,” said the King, “I could go into the conning tower and direct the shots, so as to rake that pirate ship fore and aft, and in about a minute sink her.”

“Yes, that would no doubt be the right thing to do,” said Mr. Poodle, “provided there are no captives aboard. But—”

“Do you think they have captured Queen Helen?” said Tommy, never once realizing how he had interrupted the words of Mr. Poodle. “See! There are ladies in the waving to us. Every man to the rescue!”

Row boats were now quickly boarded, and with stout men tug­ging most man­ful­ly at the oars, were made to skip over the wa­ter at no slow rate, and so reached the {109} before the had sailed over half the dis­tance to the river. It could now be seen with one glance that the Queen had been cap­tured, and even this was not required, as the ladies were excitedly cal­ling the news the moment the boats came within hail­ing distance.

King Tommy and Mr. Poodle were the first to reach the abandoned yacht, and without waiting for the others, they sprang quickly to the sail and the helm, and soon had the boat headed for the river and chasing the pirates’ craft.

The was a good sailer, and under some con­di­tions might have over­hauled the . But now, King Tommy saw such a task to be hopeless and that the Buccaneers would enter the river before there was any chance of their being overtaken. The only hope lay in a shot from the yacht cannon, and as this meant danger to {110} the Queen, it was no sooner thought of than abandoned. Meanwhile the had reached the mouth of the river, and Big Bill, in glee at his successful capture of the Queen and no less successful escape from the King, trained his brass cannon on the fast approaching yacht and fired a parting shot. Buccaneers are usually fine shots, but from a careless aim, due probably to excitement, the cannon ball went wide, never coming within yards of doing any harm. This it did do, however: it showed to the King the danger of continuing the pursuit, especially when fear of hitting the Queen made it unwise to return the fire.

By this time the had reached the first bend in the river. Once past that there would be no hope of rescuing the Queen. The Buccaneers were again training their cannon on the approaching yacht, this time with a more determined aim, and Tommy, as he stood manfully at the helm, felt for the first time that he had been beaten, and for the safety of the ladies aboard the yacht he should keep out of range of the next shot. Quickly throwing over the helm, he allowed the yacht to head up into the teeth of the wind, and gave up the chase. Hardly had the yacht changed her course before there was a flash and a boom from the deck of the , and a big shot plowed through the water only a few feet astern, drenching King Tommy with a sheet of spray. But for this quick maneuver, the would un­doubt­ed­ly have been hit be­low the water line and sunk.

When the Buccaneers now saw that the chase had been abandoned they waved their hats and shouted in wildest glee, and the next minute, reaching the bend in the river, were lost to sight behind the overhanging trees.

The Fifteenth Chapter.

Of Rolie Polie’s visit to the Barley Mill. And of what the Miller of Dee saw from the Roof. Also of the threatening shouts of the Toy People.

S King Tommy headed the to the wind and gave up the chase, the ladies, almost with one voice, begged of him not to abandon the rescue of the Queen. But upon thinking how near their boat had come to being sunk by the shot from the cannon on the deck of the , they realized that the King had chosen the only course possible.

Tommy now held a consultation with Mr. Poodle. In their hurried talk neither one could present a plan which promised success, or even held any hope. Meanwhile, the being out of sight and there now existing {114} no danger from the cannon shots, the yacht was again headed for the river, though what would be gained by this course the King for a moment could not see.

During this activity on board the yacht, there had been no less activity on the land, for the sound of the firing had brought a great gathering of people to the shore of the lake, to the roofs of houses and to every high point from which might be had a good view.

Now, as has been told, Rolie Polie had gone off to see the town and have luncheon with the Miller of Dee. Thus it happened that when the Buccaneers fired their first cannon shot, the little clown was sitting at the door of the mill, watching the great wheel turn and the barley corns go bobbing up and down in the hopper.

“Oh, ho, Rolie Polie,” cried the Miller of Dee; “there must be a battle out on the lake! Come in and tend the mill a minute, while I go up on the roof and see what is causing all this firing!”

Rolie Polie jumped quickly to his feet, and didn’t say no to that proposition, I can tell you, for he thought it would be great sport to tend the mill. Presently the Miller of Dee was telling him to turn this lever this way, and that lever another way, and to be sure not to touch the third lever, and then the mill would grind, or stop grinding, and all would be well. “Be sure, Rolie Polie, not to touch the third lever,” finally cautioned the Miller, as he went hurrying out of the door.

After Rolie Polie had tended the mill for a while, he too began to wonder what was happening out on the lake. “I will shut off the mill,” said he, “and get up on the roof and see.” {115}

“Now, was it this lever the Miller said to turn, or that one, or the third one?” wondered Rolie Polie. Then he pushed down a lever, and no sooner had it turned than Rolie Polie heard a great rushing and roaring which nearly shook the mill from off its foundations.

“Oh, Rolie Polie!” cried the Miller’s wife, scaring her cat from its nap in the sun, as she ran hurriedly into the mill, “What have you done? What have you done? The gates to the dam are open and the water is tearing wildly through the mill brook. We must turn the lever again and shut the gates!”

But, work as hard as they could, the gates would not budge one inch, and presently the Miller was heard calling loudly: “Shut the gates! Shut the gates!”

Rolie Polie began to shake and tremble. “I think it is time for me to go and hide,” he said. “There is no telling what the Miller might do.” Then off he hurried and soon had tucked himself in a corner behind some meal bags.

“Shut the gates! Shut the gates!” yelled the Miller, as he bounded through the open door and ran across the mill to the levers. But for all his hard tugging, the Miller of Dee never closed the gates even one particle. Then he went outside and called for help, and presently there was no less than a dozen stout Toy people tugging at the lever, which little by little, as the pressure of the water grew less, began to turn and finally shut the gates.

“It is a fine mess this little clown has made for us now,” said the Miller. “He deserves to have a good birch twig laid upon his back, only, of course, that is against the laws of Toyville, and besides he is such a jolly little fellow, it would be a shame to give him a whipping.” {116}

While the little Miller of Dee was talking this way, Rolie Polie, now much frightened, kept creeping further into his nook behind the barley bags.

If he had not been so intent upon hiding he would have heard the Miller laugh and say that: “Perhaps the little clown was not after all much to blame, for he hadn’t had much experience at mill tending.” That was the way it was with the Toy people; they never could be cross with anybody, or, at least, they could not be cross for long.

Rolie Polie did not hear the Miller say this though, but what he did hear was an approaching throng in the street. These, with shouts and cries of: “Who opened the gates? Who opened the gates?” were now almost at the mill.

As for the little Miller, he too heard the cry. “Oh me, oh my!” said he, “this certainly looks threatening for Rolie {117} Polie; and really the fault was not so much his as mine. I should never have left the mill in his care.” The next {118} minute the Miller of Dee stepped briskly to the open door. “I am the one for whom you are looking,” said he.

Whatever the Miller of Dee expected would happen when he made the announcement, I do not know, but of this much I am certain, that which did happen was without doubt a big surprise.

“The Miller of Dee! the Miller of Dee! Hurrah for the Miller of Dee!” cried the throng as they rushed forward; and, taking hold of the little Miller, twined a wreath of roses about his shoulders and placed him on the back of Rolie Polie’s donkey.

“To the Castle!” they cried; and off they started.

It was as much as two minutes before the little Miller could get enough breath to speak. “Why am I being taken to the Castle? Why is this wreath about my neck? And why do you cheer?” he asked.

“Listen!” cried one of the Toy people to his companions. “The Miller of Dee asks why we cheer! Why shouldn’t we cheer? Hurrah for the Miller of Dee, who opened the gates of the dam and let the water out of the lake, so the pirate ship was left high and dry in the river!”

When, at last, the noise had subsided enough for the little Miller to be heard, he asked: “Is that what has really happened? Has the pirate boat been captured and has Queen Helen been rescued?”

“Yes,” answered the Toy people; “Queen Helen has been rescued, and all due to the Miller of Dee.”

“No,” answered the little Miller, “the honor is not mine; I did not open the gates. They were opened by the little clown. Turn back, my fellow Toy people, this wreath of roses is for Rolie Polie.”

The Sixteenth Chapter.

The bestowing of the Rose Wreath. Also of two surprising Rewards. And of the New Joy that came to the Miller of Dee, and the Toy People.

OLIE POLIE could not understand why the Toy people cheered, and he wondered at their hasty departure. Then he crawled out from behind the bags and went to the door of the mill. There the returning Toy people found him, his clothes powdered white with barley meal and his face full of wonderment.

Well, the end of the matter was just this: Rolie Polie, astride his little donkey and loaded down with garlands of roses, was carried off to the Castle. By his side walked the Miller, now wearing his best clothes, and as happy a little body as there was in all the town. {122}

On the way the people told him of what had happened, and how, when the gates were opened, the water ran out from the lake and made the river so shallow, that the first thing the Buccaneers knew, the stranded high and dry on a gravelly sand bar, with no possible chance to escape capture.

“But,” interrupted one of the Toy people, “Buccaneers are clever ones when it comes to getting out of a tight place, and it did not take them long to climb over the side of their ship and run for the woods.”

“The four rogues had good legs for running, too,” said another of the Toy people.

“Had any harm come to Queen Helen?” asked the Miller of Dee.

“Oh no,” answered one of his companions. “You see the grounded at the mouth of the river, and King Tommy jumped quickly over the side into the shallow water and was the first to reach the . He found Queen Helen tied to the mast with a rope. The Queen acted bravely, and the Buccaneers, seeing that she was no cry baby, did not treat her roughly; for although they had tied her to the mast, the ropes were not tight enough to really hurt.”

“Buccaneers always treat brave captives that way,” said another of the Toy people. “It is only the scarey ones that they handle roughly.”

“Probably Queen Helen couldn’t help being a little frightened though,” said the Barley Miller.

“But perhaps she bit her lip and did not show one single particle of it to the Buccaneers,” said Rolie Polie. “That would be just like Helen.” {123}

“Yes,” said one of the Toy people, “I think she was somewhat frightened, because that would be enough to scare any Queen; and when Tommy cut her bonds and set her free, she looked so glad and so excited, that I think she would have cried if there had not been so many people about.”

“When the gates were closed and the lake began to fill, you should have seen the people on the sand bar run!” said a Toy man who was walking by the donkey; and then he laughed long and heartily. “Why, in a jiffy the water was up to their ankles, and I think it would have soon been to their knees had they not waded to the shore, or hastily clambered over the side of the .”

“That was a fine race the two boats had back to the landing pier,” said another Toy man. “The pirate ship is a fast boat, but I think the is faster, and I don’t believe the could have beaten but for being so skilfully handled. Tommy certainly knows how to get speed out of a boat.”

When Rolie Polie came into the presence of the King, and the story was told of how everything had happened, King Tommy said: “Rolie Polie, you shall have a fine reward for this; three times your tricks have saved us sorrow. I am going to give you a medal and make you Captain of my Royal Guards. Go now and change this clown’s dress for a new uniform.”

“Your Highness,” said Mr. Poodle, after Rolie Polie had thanked the King and departed, “I think the Miller of Dee also deserves a reward, for, from what I hear, he has acted most nobly; taking blame when he thought that it would save Rolie Polie, and as graciously according credit when {124} he found the opening of the gates had brought honor and the praise of his fellow Toy people.”

“That is true,” said the King. “I will make the Miller of Dee my first assistant Prime Minister.”

The little Miller thanked the King, then laughed and said: “I think the place for me is in the mill, simply grinding my barley corns.”

Mr. Poodle then told King Tommy that a good Miller was a very handy fellow to have in the Kingdom, especially one who had something more beneath his cap than the dust upon his hair, as without doubt this one had. {125}

Tommy felt that there might be some truth in what the toymaker said, but he told Mr. Poodle he thought that such a noble deed certainly deserved a reward.

“That is true,” replied Mr. Poodle; “and now I would suggest that, as a reward to the Miller, you make this a holiday, to be observed every year and to be called the Miller’s Holiday.”

Tommy said that would be fine, and immediately issuing the order, Heralds were soon proclaiming it throughout the city.

The Toy people shouted and cheered at these words of the Heralds, as they were all fond of holidays, and so thought the King had found a fine way to reward their friend, the good Miller of Dee.

As for the Miller, he felt very much embarrassed, but at last found words to thank the King, and then started off home to talk it all over with his neighbors. A big man the Miller was in his neighbors’ eyes now, you may be sure; all were glad enough to rub shoulders with him, and no one minded the white barley dust on his clothes, I can tell you, which was very nice for the little Miller.

Meanwhile the three Buccaneers, led by Long Jim, the crafty courtier, made their way back to Grumbletown. Their clothes had been badly torn by the wild scramble through the bushes; while brambles and briars had made sad havoc with their faces, so that altogether it was four sorry, dilapidated looking specimens that now appeared before King Red Beard.

“Blunderheads!” That is what Red Beard called Long Jim and the three Buccaneers, not once but a dozen times. Then he called them “noodle skulls,” and, last of all, he {126} called them “four big cowardly babies,” which certainly was a hard name to give, even to wicked Buccaneers.

But, by and by, when Red Beard began to quiet down, he said: “Well, you have now failed three times, but we can’t allow that boy and girl to rule in Toyville.” Then ordering his spies to return to Toyville, he set about the making of new plans.

The Seventeenth Chapter.

How the Mayor makes New Plans. And of a Delightful and happy Gathering in the Gardens. Also of a Parley held at the Castle Gate.

HINKING there was now nothing to fear from an attack by the army of Grumbletown, the Toyville soldiers were ordered to return from the hills, and already the sound of rumbling wheels in the streets, told how promptly this order had been obeyed by the Commanding General.

“We have much to make us thankful,” said the Mayor to one of his councillors. “It certainly would have been a sad occurrence had the capture of the Queen resulted in her being carried away to Grumbletown. I think the occasion demands a celebration, and I should suggest that {130} we at once prepare a big party to take place on the lawns and in the pavilions of the Palace gardens.”

“A splendid suggestion,” cried the councillors with one accord. “Let us lose no time in getting under way the arrangements.”

The gardens, brilliant with pots of flowering shrubs and beds of blossoming plants, their broad stretches of lawn bordered by hedges of box, and interlaced with white pebbled walks, formed an ideal place for the holding of a social gathering of this nature.

When to the natural beauty of the gardens there was added the beauty of the handsome dresses and uniforms worn by the guests, the scene thus presented proved of untold loveliness.

In one of the pavilions sat an orchestra which rendered the most delightful music imaginable; in another pavilion were many little tables where were served refreshments of the daintiest confections; in a third pavilion the highly polished and waxed floor was given over to dancing.

Under such delightful conditions, the King and Queen, as well as the Lords and Ladies, soon forgot their recent fears, and with Rolie Polie in his new uniform standing guard at the front gate, one and all felt perfectly safe.

Outside the walls of the Castle and gardens, the streets of the city were quiet and almost deserted, for the Toy people had repaired to the park, where they, too, were celebrating with all manner of jolly games and sports.

Meanwhile, King Red Beard had not been idle, and by the time his spies returned to tell how matters were going in Toyville, he had two hundred picked ruffians ready to make a last attempt to capture the King and Queen. {131}

How Red Beard did laugh when his spies told him of the celebration that was being held in Toyville. “Ha, ha, ha,” said he, “those Toy people think they have seen the last of old Red Beard, do they? Well, we will soon show them their mistake.”

After that it wasn’t long before the Grumbletown King and his two hundred hardy rascals had travelled through the secret passage of the hills and were in the quiet, deserted streets of Toyville.

When the company came near the Castle and could hear the sweet strains of music and the sound of happy laughter, King Red Beard sent Long Jim on ahead to spy how the land lay.

Presently, Long Jim returned. He had taken a peek here and there, and told Red Beard that there was only one soldier standing guard at the front gate. “And your Majesty,” said he, “I think the soldier is that stupid clown, Rolie Polie, now dressed in the uniform of the King’s Guard.”

Red Beard gave a wild laugh when he heard what Long Jim had to say. “Forward, march!” he cried; “we can easily fool that simpleton.” Then away they all went, and in two jiffies Red Beard was tapping at the front gate and parleying courteously through the wicket with Rolie Polie.

Now, the kernel to the nut Red Beard tried to crack on Rolie Polie’s skull, was just this: he wanted to have the gates opened so he and his two hundred tatterdemalion followers could enter the gardens and capture all the people.

Red Beard was good at arguing and gave all manner of reasons, but none of these availed him in the least, for {132} Rolie Polie, now very proud of being a King’s Guard, would never think of doing anything untrue to his trust.

At the last, when Red Beard was about ready to give up trying trickery and guile, and almost on the point of ordering his men to make an assault, a brilliant idea came jumping into the brain of Rolie Polie. “Oh, ho,” thought he, “I know King Tommy would like to have me capture this old Red Beard, and here, the very first thing, is my chance. I will just open the gate and let them inside the walls, then I will jump outside, close and lock the gate, and there I shall have the whole company safe and sound where they can’t get away.”

No sooner did this clever idea enter the brain of Rolie Polie, than the little guard was unlocking the gate and throwing it wide open. Then step, step, step, every man going softly on tiptoe, through the gate went Red Beard followed by his two hundred ragamuffin ruffians.

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Rolie Polie, as he turned the key in the lock, “that is the time I was too clever for Red Beard!”

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Red Beard, “did anyone ever see a body so stupid as that Rolie Polie? Here I have King Tommy and Queen Helen, and all the Lords and Ladies at my mercy. It is a fine company of captives I will get to put in chains and march as slaves to Grumbletown.”

The Eighteenth Chapter.

In which something is told of how the Page brought a Message which proved a Surprise. Also of what the Dame found in the Fountain of the Fish.

ITH everyone enjoying such a good time in the gardens, it would not have been surprising if the King had forgotten his guard at the gate. This he did not do, however, and at the moment when Red Beard and his men were entering, a page was being dispatched for Rolie Polie.

Thus, it happened then, that when the page was about to enter the court yard, he saw it thronged with ruffians.

“We are betrayed!” he cried as he ran hurrying back to the gardens. “The gates have been opened and the enemy is now within the walls!” {136}

At this cry, the Ladies turned pale with fright and the Nobles sought hastily for the swords they had laid aside at the beginning of the dance. “Every man be brave!” shouted the King. “We must rally to the defence of the Ladies! Let King Red Beard and his ruffians come, they will find us ready!”

But for all King Tommy spoke so bravely, he was not at all deceived, and realized quite the same, as did the Mayor and some others, that any defence would prove practically useless, and at best do no more than prolong an engagement, which in the end could result only in their defeat and capture.

To reach the gardens from the court yard, it was necessary to go half way around, or else right through the Castle; the Grumbletown company, therefore, divided; one party going one way, the other going another way.

As has been told, Red Beard and his followers, when once within the walls of the Castle, were in high glee. “We will make a fine big capture of prisoners to-day, my hearties,” said the King. “When this fine boy and girl are marching to Grumbletown dragging their heavy chains along the highway, they will wish that that old toy maker, Peter Poodle, had never brought them on a visit to Toyville. What ho, my brave followers, do I speak the truth?”

“Aye, aye, aye!” answered the band, barely above a whisper, not wishing to be heard by the Toy people.

“Aye,” said Red Beard, “we will make a fine capture of prisoners and a big haul of treasure. Every man must fill his pockets with gold and silver and jewels, all he can carry; we will loot the whole Castle. That will be a haul worth making; what ho, my hearties?” {137}

“Aye, aye, aye!” replied the band.

“We must make no noise,” said Red Beard. “Every man creep along stealthily, take them by surprise. I say that’s the way to make a good capture.”

While Red Beard was talking and creeping along so slowly, King Tommy would have had time to make new plans for defence, had any chance existed of such plans proving successful. “There is nothing for us to do but depend upon our swords,” said he to Mr. Poodle. {138}

“Yes,” replied Mr. Poodle, “and our swords are far too few to withstand an onslaught from so many big burly ruffians. I was going to suggest that we make a dash for the Castle and bar the doors. Our chances would then be better. But judging from the sounds, I fear that the Castle is already occupied.”

Meanwhile, much excitement prevailed among all the Ladies who by now were occupying one of the pavilions on the far side of the lawn. Tommy attributed this excitement to a fear which the circumstances rendered only natural. But now the excitement seemed to be from some other cause, and presently the King was surprised to see Queen Helen, accompanied by the Royal Ladies, come hurrying across the lawn.

“O, Tommy,” said the Queen, “an old lady, an old servant, I think, has just told me she knows of a secret passage underground, through which we can escape! come quickly!”

The old dame, a little lady wearing a tall peaked cap, had followed immediately after the Queen. “Yes, your Majesty, I can show you the way; come with me,” she said.

That funny little twinkle went dancing about in Mr. Poodle’s eyes again, when he saw the old dame. There was a twinkle in her eyes, too; but though she tipped him a courtsey and he bowed politely, neither spoke even one word to the other.

On the lawn, midway between where the King and his men had assembled, and the pavilion from which the Queen had just come, there foamed a beautiful fountain, made in the manner of a great marble basin. On the rim of the basin there was the green head of a great bronze {139} fish, apparently just rising from out the water. On the back of the fish sat a chubby little boy, sculptured so faithfully in marble as almost to seem alive.

The little old dame hurriedly led the King and Queen, accompanied by all the company, straight towards the great head of the fish. Putting forth her hand, she three times wiggled the big toe of the chubby boy; at the third wiggle the mouth of the fish opened, revealing a long flight of stairs running down under the fountain. The next minute, the little old dame stepped into this mouth and onto the stairs, being quickly followed by all the others. The King was the last to enter. As he did so, he turned for one look at the Castle, and saw the infuriated Red Beard and his followers entering the gardens. Then the jaws of the fish closed and the passage became sealed.

The way was now pitch dark. Overhead could be heard the tumbling waters of the fountain. A scarey sound that seemed too, but not half so scarey as the terrible wild cry of the baffled Red Beard, which could be heard even through the thick walls of marble.

King Tommy could hear the step, step, step, of those ahead of him and the muffled drone of their voices, as they spoke words of encouragement to one another. “Where are we?” he wondered. Then his feet no longer kept going down when he stepped, but travelled on a level pavement, and he knew that the end of the stairs had been reached. Minute after minute passed, and still the passage continued. Would its end never be reached? Could it be possible the little old dame was a Grumbletown spy and had deceived them? Did the way lead to some trap? With these thoughts chasing through his mind, {140} the King came almost to the point of wishing that the company had remained in the garden.

The next moment, however, he realized that almost any fate would be better than that which would have befallen them at the hands of King Red Beard and his ruffians. Then he remembered the look in the old dame’s eyes, when she had bid them hurry, and he thought, “I won’t believe any ill of her before it happens. She looked kind and honest, and I am sure in the end everything will come out all right.”

Those were certainly the kind of thoughts a King should have; and the moment Tommy let the bright sunshine of hope enter his mind and travel along with him for wayfellow, just that very moment he came to a turn in the path, and not a hundred feet beyond saw the bright sunshine of day streaming into a broad space at what appeared to be the end of the passage.

The Nineteenth Chapter.

Of what was found at the End of the Passage. Also of the Guard at the Gate. And of the Happy Conclusion to an Exciting Experience.

RYSTAL lights lit the passage, and seemed to be glowing and glimmering through a great globe set in the black earth above their heads. At first, no one could understand the meaning of this, but presently the doubt was dispelled by the little old dame who led the way up a flight of stairs cut in the solid rock, and out through an opening into a little park, scarcely a stone’s throw from the Castle gates.

An expression of surprise now escaped from the lips of everyone, for upon looking back, it was found that the passage had led right in under a great crystal bowl, full to {144} the brim of tumbling, tossing, sunkissed water. Yes, the secret passage had begun at one fountain and ended at another; but while the basin of the first was all marble, that of the second was all of glass, and although the entrance had been through the mouth of a great green fish, the exit led through the mouth of a great green frog.

Everybody now hurried and hid behind the vases and pots and shrubs scattered through the park, not knowing how soon they might be discovered by Red Beard. In this hurry the King held tightly to the hand of the Queen, and close upon their heels followed Mr. Poodle. The sun, slowly sinking, seemed now quite close to the hills of Troubleland, and the afternoon was drawing towards evening.

“I see no sign of the Grumbletown people,” said the King. “Do you think they have departed, Mr. Poodle? Look, Rolie Polie is standing guard at the gate. Perhaps Red Beard is robbing the Castle. I wish we could get word to the army.”

Meanwhile, finding no immediate danger threatening them, the Toy people, one after another gathered about their King. Some were in favor of arresting Rolie Polie, and putting him in irons for opening the gates and betraying the Castle. Others counselled against this.

Although King Tommy could not understand why Rolie Polie had opened the gates, nevertheless he felt sure the little clown had not betrayed his trust, and that in the end a reason would be found justifying the action. He was, therefore, glad to hear the little old lady speak, cautioning the Toy people not to act rashly. Then, turning to the King, she said: “Not knowing whether Red {145} Beard is within or outside the Castle walls, it seems unwise to dispatch a messenger for the soldiers and risk his being made captive. Why not go and speak a word or two with yonder guard?”

King Tommy appreciated this advice; and drawing his sword, he stepped forth boldly towards the little man at the gate.

Rolie Polie, hearing footsteps, looked about and saw the King.

“Your Majesty,” he cried, his face full of pride, his eyes dancing with happiness, “come quickly and help guard the gate; I have the Grumbletown King and all of his ruffians captive in the Castle. Am I not a fine soldier?”

These words were spoken so suddenly that for a moment the King failed to grasp their meaning. Then, all at once, it came to him why Rolie Polie had opened the gates, and he saw that the little guard had indeed laid a clever trap, in which, without doubt, were now captive King Red Beard and all of his Grumbletown followers.

“Hurrah!” he cried, turning and waving his sword to Mr. Poodle and the others. “Rolie Polie has captured the Grumbletown ruffians, come quickly and help hold the gate.”

A glad shout greeted this cry from the King, as with one accord the little company, each man drawing his sword, made a rush to reinforce the clever and brave guard, Rolie Polie.

Meanwhile, much had happened within the walls of the Castle, for Red Beard and his followers had entered the gardens at the exact moment when King Tommy was stepping into the mouth of the fish. {146}

“Look, my men! look!” cried Red Beard, his face white with fright, his hair standing on end. “The Green Fish of the Fountain has swallowed all the Toy people. It is some mighty magician! Oh, why did we ever come into this city! why did we ever leave peaceful Grumbletown!” Then, unable longer to make his trembling legs support him, Red Beard fell fainting with fright.

The faces of his followers were as white as their King’s, save only a few, who were too far behind to see what had happened.

These few, when they reached the garden and found their fellows almost fainting and Red Beard lying like one dead, upon the ground, knew not what to do, until presently one of them, seeing the King yet breathing, cried: “We must get water; somebody bring water to the King!”

This request was more easily asked than answered, as nowhere near at hand could be found anything in which to carry the water. But the ruffians were not long without a way for solving that difficulty, and quick as a wink they had Red Beard in their arms, and the next minute were tumbling him heels over head into the fountain.

It didn’t take long for that ducking to make the Grumbletown King open his eyes. “Where am I? Where am I?” he cried, floundering about in the basin and blowing the water out of his nose and mouth. Then, he looked up and saw the green fish. “Help! help! help!” he called. “The Fish has me! Save me from the Fish!” and with one big effort he reached the rim of the basin, clambered over, and without once turning to look back, he ran with all possible speed through the garden towards the Castle gate, followed by his whole band. {147}

But now the gate was locked, and outside could be heard the cheering Toy people.

“Open the gate, little Guard! Open the gate!” cried the shivering, shaking Red Beard. “Open the gate little Guard! Open it quickly! The Green Fish is after us! Open the gate, and we will lay down our swords and pistols and go back to Grumbletown! Open the gate, little Guard, and never again will we come to Toyville! Save us from the Green Fish!”

The jolly, laughing eyes of the little old lady twinkled at Mr. Poodle. “King Tommy may open the gates without any fear now,” she said. “Red Beard and his fellows are so frightened at the Green Fish that they will never again venture near Toyville.”

Mr. Poodle quickly repeated this message to the King, and as a result, it was not long before the Grumbletown ruffians, led by their King, had laid their swords and guns on the lawn, and were marching out of the gates; a crestfallen and woebegone looking fellowship they were, too, and no mistake.

Rolie Polie and one of the Royal Guards accompanied them to the hills. Every little while Red Beard looked back over his shoulder, fearing constantly that he was being followed by the Green Fish. At the foot of the hills they came upon men who were awaiting them with horses and donkeys. Among the animals, Rolie Polie found Coal Black and Snow White, who neighed with pleasure at seeing their old comrade. Rolie Polie now bade good day to Red Beard, who was yet too frightened to answer, and leading Coal Black while his companion led Snow White, took the road back to Toyville. {148}

“That is a fine soldier, your Majesty,” said the little dame to the King, as Rolie Polie came prancing into the court yard upon his return from the hills. “Such a fine and clever little soldier could well fill a higher station than that of Royal Guard. Not that I want to say a Royal Guard is not a fine position, for it is quite true, few are finer. But there are not many guards could capture, single handed, such a bold ruffian as Red Beard, to say nothing of his two hundred followers.”

“You are right,” replied the King; “and I have a reward for him which I think will prove a big suprise.”

And a suprise it certainly was, as we shall soon see.

The Twentieth Chapter.

How Peace follows Trouble. And of how Happiness came at the Bestowing of another Reward.

HE suggestion of the little old dame in reference to Rolie Polie came just in the nick of time. Tommy enjoyed very much being a King, and Helen found no less pleasure in being a Queen; but the day had been so full of excitement that both were feeling tired.

It was now drawing towards the close of the afternoon and Helen began to realize that, although it was delightful to be a Queen daytimes, the going down of the sun at the approach of evening made nothing quite so nice as her home and her mamma. This, I am told, is a truth that has also come to many another little girl.

“Your Majesty,” she then said to King Tommy, “do you think it is almost time to start on our return journey?” {152}

“Yes, I do,” answered Tommy. “And, Helen, now that I am a King myself, I need not hunt for the Fairy King to get riches for the kind lady in the hills. I am sure the Toy people will allow me to take some of their treasure.”

“Yes, I am sure they will,” said Helen, “because they will want to make the kind lady happy.”

“I will go at once and find Mr. Poodle,” said Tommy. Then a look of trouble came into his happy face and he added; “What do you think the Toy people will do without a King and Queen when they are threatened by the ruffians of Grumbletown? Perhaps there will be an attack to-night. Do you think I should remain here and be their protector, Helen? Of course you must go home, for if you are late, your mamma will worry.”

Mr. Poodle stood not far away and overheard this talk.

“You need not fear an attack from Grumbletown, at night,” said he, laughing. “Why, King Red Beard and his subjects are such ‘fraid cats’ of the dark, that they never stir out of their houses after sunset. Then, too, they had such a fright to-day, I do not believe they will ever again come to Toyville.”

It was at this moment that the return of Rolie Polie called forth the words of praise from the little old dame.

A bright idea then came to the King, and he hurried off to see his Prime Minister. “Assemble the Lords and Nobles in the Throne Room,” he said to that gentleman, as soon as he had found him.

The Prime Minister hurried to obey the King’s command.

A few moments later, when his Majesty stepped upon his Golden Throne, he found such a gathering of the noblest in the land, as any King might be proud to see. {153}

“My beloved subjects,” he said, “your Queen and your King have ruled over this happy and joyous realm of Toyville as wisely and as loyally as has been within their power. It is now time for us to depart for our home over the hills. We both wish that some person worthy of your trust could occupy the throne in our absence; some one to bear the title, First Assistant King, and we would suggest for this high and responsible position, the brave and clever guard, Mr. Rolie Polie.” Then the King seated himself beside his Queen on the Golden Throne.

In a moment the Mayor was on his feet. “Three cheers for Rolie Polie! Three cheers for the First Assistant King!” he cried, and the answer came long and loud.

Rolie Polie was taken completely by surprise, and knew not what to say. Mr. Poodle also was taken by surprise, but being a man of experience, he was not embarrassed, and told the people he thought their choice was wise.

“Order out the Royal Guard of Honor,” was the message the Mayor now sent to the General of the army. So, not until the little company reached the big gate at the top of the curly road did the time arrive to say good-bye, for in addition to being accompanied by the Royal Guard, their escort included every notable in Toyville.

“Good-bye, your Majesties, good-bye Mr. Poodle,” said Rolie, shaking their hands warmly. Then he added: “I will be a good King and do my best.”

“We know you will,” answered Tommy.

“Yes,” said Mr. Poodle, “do your best, Rolie Polie, then you will win, for that is the way to get on in the world.”

These were the last words spoken as the little company passed through the gates and the big cannon boomed {154} out a parting salute. The sun was now low in the sky, casting a golden glow along the path, and making blue shadows gather in the valley.

They had not ridden long, when Mr. Poodle said: “Here we are at home;” and sure enough, as he spoke, Coal Black and Snow White went galloping into Mr. Poodle’s back garden and over the threshold into the toy shop.

“Do you think Rolie Polie will get along all right, Mr. Poodle?” asked Tommy, as they were bidding good night to the toy maker.

“O, yes,” said Mr. Poodle. “Nobody need worry about a King who has Mother Goose near his throne to help him in his ruling.”

“Mother Goose?” repeated Tommy, wonderingly. “Is Mother Goose in Toyville?” “O, yes,” answered Mr. Poodle, “she was the little old dame who led us out of the garden and saved our being captured by Red Beard. And, by the way, Mother Goose said that she hoped on our next journey, we would continue through the Valley of Happiness, until we came to her realm, where she promised there would be awaiting us the finest kind of a good time.”

“O, Tommy, isn’t Mr. Poodle kind to us!” said Helen, her eyes moist with little pearls of happiness. Tommy’s lips trembled when he tried to reply. Mr. Poodle was such a clever man, though, that I guess he knew what kind of a lump had swelled up in Tommy’s throat, for he didn’t say one single word, but held out both his arms, and in a second there were his playmates hugging him so tightly that it was almost as much as he could do to breathe.

The Twenty-first Chapter.

Of the next Morning and how Tommy found a New Joy. Also of the Questions asked by Helen, and of how her Mamma answered.

HE sun had been up some hours when Tommy awoke in his little bed at the toymaker’s the next day. Then, oh my, what a surprise he did have! for the moment he opened his eyes, they looked right into the loveliest, sweetest eyes in all the world; and he knew that those eyes belonged to—his dear mother.

Yes, Tommy’s own dear mother was leaning over his little bed in Peter Poodle’s toy shop. She hugged him ever and ever so tight, and there were happy tears in her eyes. And, on the other side of the bed, was—his father!

All in a pop, Tommy’s memory had come back to him; the memory that went away when he was so sick at the wood-chopper’s house in the hills.

Tommy didn’t know how his father and mother happened to be in Peter Poodle’s toy shop, and he was too happy to try and think. Then he remembered that his {158} name wasn’t Tommy. “Oh, Mr. Poodle,” he said, as he saw the little toy maker come into the room, “I am not a King any more, because my father is the King. But I am a Prince, Mr. Poodle, and my name is Arthur.”

“Yes, indeed, you are a Prince,” said Mr. Poodle, “and sometime you will be King.”

A troubled look now came into Prince Arthur’s eyes. “Will the Toy people love me when I am a real King, Mr. Poodle?” he asked; “and will they have me for their King, too? Because I like to be the King of Toyville, and I want to drive away the King of Grumbletown.”

“Toy people will always love you,” said Mr. Poodle, “because you are always very kind to them; and when you are a real King, you can ask all the children to be kind to their toys, and then, pretty soon, there won’t be any more Grumbletown, because no toys will go there.”

“That is what I will do the very first day I am King,” said the Prince. “And now I will get up and send the Toyville treasure to the kind lady in the hills.”

“No need to do that, dear,” said his mother. “The wood chopper and his good wife are right here, and no longer poor, for the King has rewarded their care of his boy.”

The Prince looked across the room, and there, sure enough, was the kind lady, and the wood chopper who now wore a uniform of the King’s Royal House Guard.

Although the Prince felt tired, from his long journey to Toyville, he quickly jumped out of bed, and the next minute was giving the kind lady a big hug. Then he dressed, and by that time Helen came to play with him.

“I am not a King any more,” he said to Helen, “because, you see, I am only a King’s son. But I am a Prince, and {159} my name is Arthur. You may call me Tommy, though, if you wish. Some time I am going to be a King, and then will you be my Queen, Helen?”

“Yes, I will,” said Helen, “and I am going to call you Arthur, because that is your really truly name. I wish you would come and play now. I have brought you Captain Pinkle and Captain Poddle, but I couldn’t bring Rolie Polie, because he is not here any more.”

“Oh, no,” answered the Prince, “it wouldn’t be right for Rolie Polie to come, because he must stay and be King in Toyville. Thank you, Helen, for bringing Captain Pinkle and Captain Poddle. Why, this is the same box I carried to the Black Lion! Did the bad men send it to Mr. Poodle?”

“The bad men were captured by the King’s soldiers and are now in prison,” answered the Queen. “Thanks to the wood chopper’s good wife, who followed you in your long tramp through the hills, we have our boy again, and those who stole him away are punished.”

The Prince did not play very hard that afternoon, and by and by he said to Helen: “I do not know why going to Toyville has made me so tired, but I suppose being a King is hard work. Do you think it is, Helen?”

“Yes, I do,” said Helen. “I think being a King is very hard, and takes a big man like your papa. But some time you will be a big man, and then being a King won’t make you tired any more.”

This happy time of their playing passed all too hurriedly for Helen, who hardly realized its ending before she found herself saying goodbye to her little playmate.

“You will come and see me soon, won’t you Helen?” said the Prince, his lips trembling. “Come very soon {160} Helen, because I want a little girl to play with and to go with me on journeys; and O, Helen, now I have a mamma of my own, and perhaps she will read us stories.”

“Yes, indeed, I will read stories to you,” said the Queen, turning from talking earnestly with Helen’s mamma, who had come to say goodbye to the Prince, “and Helen is coming to see us very, very soon.”

Then the goodbys were all said, and amidst the cheering of the townspeople who were lining the streets outside the toyshop, the King and Queen, accompanied by the Royal House Guards, bore the Prince away to his new home in the Castle among the hills.

That evening when Helen had been tucked snugly in her little bed, she said: “Mamma, how did Prince Arthur get lost; did somebody steal him away from his home?”

“Yes, dear,” said Helen’s mamma. Then she snuggled down on the bed and hugging Helen close, told her how, a while ago, the young Prince had been stolen away by the ruffians and left in the forest where he was found by the good wood chopper.

“Was the Prince ill when he was found?” asked Helen.

“Yes, dear,” answered her mamma, “the Prince was so ill that, when the fever left him, it took away his memory, and he did not know that he was a King’s son.”

“Did the wood chopper know that the little boy he found was a Prince, mamma?”

“No,” said her mamma; “the wicked men had dressed the Prince in ragged clothes when they left him in the forest to starve, and he did not look at all like a Prince.”

“How did the King ever find the Prince?” asked Helen. “Did he go to the wood chopper’s house, mamma?” {161}

“No, dear, he was hunting everywhere for some trace of his lost boy, and the wood chopper’s wife was hunting too, and she had followed the Prince almost to this city. Then one day the King met her, and he knew from what she told him that his Arthur was alive; so he came riding with his soldiers as fast as ever he could and saw the little Prince just as he entered the Black Lion Inn. Now dear, it is time for my little girl to go to sleep!”

But Helen wasn’t one bit sleepy. “Why was the Prince stolen away, mamma?” she asked.

“I do not know,” answered her mamma. “Some people say that the King’s brother, Duke Robert, who is called Robert the Red, had him stolen so his own son would be heir to the throne, but no one knows this for certain. If Robert the Red did have him taken away, he never can steal him again, because the King has made the wood chopper the Prince’s own special guard, and he and his good wife will now live in the Castle.”

“Robert the Red was a wicked man to steal away the Prince, wasn’t he, mamma!” said Helen. “Will the Prince be a King some day, mamma, and will he come for me and make me a Queen, like he said?”

“Listen,” said Helen’s mamma, “there is Grandpapa calling me. Good night, little Wideawake.” Then she gave Helen a hug, and turning the light low, left the room.

“Mamma didn’t answer my question,” thought Helen. “But never mind, I know he will, because Tommy said he would,—Prince Arthur, I mean.” Then she closed her eyes and soon was fast asleep.