Part 28 (1/2)
”You won't!” screamed Cobalt. ”I'll rule it!”
”I'll rule it myself!” cried Cerulia.
”No, no!” yelled Turquoise. ”I'll be the Ruler.”
”That shall be MY privilege!” shouted Sapphire. Cobalt began to say, ”I'm the--”
”Be quiet!” said Trot sternly. ”Would you have your own father sliced so that you could rule in his place?”
”Yes, yes, of course!” rejoined the six Princesses without a second's hesitation.
”Well, well! What d' ye think o' that, Mr. Boolooroo?” asked Cap'n Bill.
”They're undutiful daughters. Don't pay any attention to them,” replied the frightened Boolooroo.
”We're not goin' to,” said Trot. ”Now, you Blue Cap'n, who are you and your soldiers going to obey, me or the snubnosed ones?”
”You!” declared the Captain of the Guards positively, for he hated the Princesses, as did all the Blueskins.
”Then escort those girls to their rooms, lock 'em in, an' put a guard before the door.”
At once the soldiers seized the Princesses and notwithstanding their snarls and struggles marched them to their rooms and locked them in.
While they were gone on this errand, the Boolooroo begged to be released, whining and wailing for fear the knife would fall upon him.
But Trot did not think it safe to unbind him just then. When the soldiers returned, she told their leader to put a strong guard before the palace and to admit no one unless either she or Cap'n Bill gave the order to do so. The soldiers obeyed readily, and when Trot and Cap'n Bill were left alone, they turned the goat loose in the Room of the Great Knife and then locked the animal in with the Boolooroo.
”The billygoat is the very best guard we could have, for ever'body's 'fraid o' him,” remarked Cap'n Bill as he put the key of the room in his pocket. ”So now, Queen Trot, what's next on the program?”
”Next,” said Trot, ”we're goin' to hunt for that umbrel, Cap'n. I don't mean to stay in this dismal Blue Country long, even if I am the Queen.
Let's find the umbrel and go home as soon as we can.”
”That suits me,” the sailor joyfully exclaimed, and then the two began a careful search through the palace. They went into every room and looked behind the furniture and underneath the beds and in every crack and corner, but no place could they spy the Magic Umbrella. Cap'n Bill even ventured to enter the rooms of the Six Snubnosed Princesses, who were by this time so thoroughly alarmed that they had become meek and mild as could be. But the umbrella wasn't there, either.
Finally, they returned to the great throne room of the palace, where they seated themselves on the throne and tried to think what could possibly have become of the precious umbrella. While they were sitting and talking together, the Captain of the Guards entered and bowed respectfully. ”Beg pardon, your Small-Sized Majesty,” said he to Trot, ”but it is my duty to report that the Pinkies are preparing to attack the City.”
”Oh! I'd forgotten the Pinkies!” exclaimed the girl. ”Tell me, Captain, have you such a thing as a Bra.s.s Band in this City?”
”We have two fine bands, but they are not bra.s.s,” replied the Captain.
”Their instruments are made of blue metal.”
”Well, order 'em out,” commanded Trot. ”And say, get all the soldiers together and tell all the people there's going to be a high time in the Blue City tonight. We'll have music and dancing and eating and--”
”An' neckties to drink, Trot. Don't forget the royal neckties,” urged Cap'n Bill.
”We'll have all the fun there is going,” continued the girl, ”for we are to entertain the Army of the Pinkies.”
”The Pinkies!” exclaimed the Captain of the Guards. ”Why, they're our enemies, your Short Highness.”