_Chap. 17._
_The_ QUEEN'S GOLDEN SWORD]
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Trot, raising herself by a flirt of herpink-scaled tail and a wave of her fins; "isn't it dreadful hot here?"
The mermaids had risen at the same time, and Cap'n Bill came swimmingin from the Peony Room in time to hear the little girl's speech.
"Hot!" echoed the sailor, "why, I feel like the inside of a steamengine!"
The perspiration was rolling down his round, red face, and he tookout his handkerchief and carefully wiped it away, waving his fishtailgently at the same time.
"What we need most in this room," said he, "is a fan."
"What's the trouble, do you s'pose?" inquired Trot.
"It is another trick of the monster Zog," answered the Queen, calmly."He has made the water in our rooms boiling hot, and if it could touchus we would be well cooked by this time. Even as it is, we are all madeuncomfortable by breathing the heated air."
"What shall we do, ma'am?" the sailorman asked, with a groan. "Iexpected to get into hot water afore we've done with this foolishness,but I don't like the feel o' bein' par-boiled, jes' the same."
The queen was waving her fairy wand, and paid no attention to Cap'nBill's moans. Already, the water felt cooler and they began to breathemore easily. In a few moments more the heat had passed from thesurrounding water altogether, and all danger from this source was over.
"This is better," said Trot, gratefully.
"Do you care to sleep again?" asked the Queen.
"No; I'm wide awake, now," answered the child.
"I'm afraid if I goes to sleep ag'in I'll wake up a pot roast," saidCap'n Bill.
"Let us consider ways to escape," suggested Clia. "It seems useless forus to remain here, quietly, until Zog discovers a way to destroy us."
"But we must not blunder," added Aquareine, cautiously. "To fail in ourattempt would be to acknowledge Zog's superior power, so we must thinkwell upon our plan before we begin to carry it out. What do you advise,sir?" she asked, turning to Cap'n Bill.
"My opinion, ma'am, is that the only way for us to escape is to getout o' here," was the sailor's vague answer. "How to do it is yourbusiness, seein' as I ain't no fairy myself, either in looks or ineddication."
The queen smiled, and said to Trot:
"What is your opinion, my dear?"
"I think we might swim out the same way we came in," answered thechild. "If we could get Sacho to lead us back through the maze, wewould follow that long tunnel to the open ocean, and--"
"And there would be the sea devils waitin' for us," added Cap'n Bill,with a shake of his bald head. "They'd drive us back inter the tunnel,like they did the first time, Trot. It won't do, mate; it won't do."
"Have you a suggestion, Clia?" inquired the Queen.
"I have thought of an undertaking," replied the pretty princess; "butit is a bold plan, your Majesty, and you may not care to risk it."
"Let us hear it, anyway," said Aquareine, encouragingly.
"It is to destroy Zog himself, and put him out of the world forever.Then we would be free to go home, whenever we pleased."
"Can you suggest a way to destroy Zog?" asked Aquareine.
"No, your Majesty," Clia answered. "I must leave the way for you todetermine."
"In the old days," said the Queen, thoughtfully, "the mighty King Ankocould not destroy this monster. He succeeded in defeating Zog, anddrove him into this great cavern; but even Anko could not destroy him."
"I have heard the sea serpent explain that it was because he could notreach the magician," returned Clia. "If King Anko could have seized Zogin his coils he would have made an end of the wicked monster quickly.Zog knows this, and that is why he does not dare to venture forth fromhis retreat. Anko is the enemy he constantly dreads. But with you, myqueen, the case is different. You may easily reach Zog, and the onlyquestion is whether your power is sufficient to destroy him."
For a while, Aquareine remained silent.
"I am not sure of my power over Zog," she said at last, "and for thatreason I hesitate to attack him personally. His slaves, and his alliesthe sea devils, I can easily conquer; so I prefer to find a way toovercome the guards at the entrances, rather than to encounter theirterrible master. But even the guards have been given strength and powerby the magician, as we have already discovered; so I must procure aweapon with which to fight them."
"A weapon, ma'am?" said Cap'n Bill; and then he took a jackknife fromhis coat pocket and opened the big blade, afterward handing it to thequeen. "That ain't a bad weapon," he announced.
"But it is useless in this case," she replied, smiling at the oldsailor's earnestness. "For my purpose I must have a golden sword."
"Well, there's plenty of gold around this castle," said Trot, lookingaround her. "Even in this room there's enough to make a hundred goldenswords."
"But we can't melt or forge gold under water, mate," the Cap'n said.
"Why not? Don't you s'pose all these gold roses and things were madeunder water?" asked the little girl.
"Like enough," admitted the sailor; "but I don't see how."
Just then, the gong at their door sounded and the boy Sacho came in,smiling and cheerful as ever. He said Zog had sent him to inquire aftertheir health and happiness.
"You may tell him that his water became a trifle too warm, so we cooledit," replied the Queen. Then they told Sacho how the boiling water hadmade them uncomfortable while they slept.
Sacho whistled a little tune, and seemed thoughtful.
"Zog is foolish," said he. "How often have I told him that vengeanceis but a waste of time. He is worried to know how to destroy you, andthat is wasting more time. You are worried for fear he will injure you,and so you also are wasting time. My, my! what a waste of time is goingon in this castle!"
"Seems to me that we have so much time it doesn't matter," said Trot."What's time for, anyhow?"
"Time is given us to be happy, and for no other reason," replied theboy, soberly. "When we waste time, we waste happiness. But there is notime for preaching, so I'll go."
"Please wait a moment, Sacho," said the Queen.
"Can I do anything to make you happy?" he asked, smiling again.
"Yes," answered Aquareine. "We are curious to know who does all thisbeautiful gold work and ornamentation."
"Some of the slaves here are goldsmiths, having been taught by Zog toforge and work metal under water," explained Sacho. "In parts of theocean lie many rocks filled with veins of pure gold and golden nuggets,and we get large supplies from sunken ships, as well. There is nolack of gold here, but it is not as precious as it is upon the earth,because here we have no need of money."
"We would like to see the goldsmiths at work," announced the Queen.
The boy hesitated a moment. Then he said:
"I will take you to their room, where you may watch them for a time. Iwill not ask Zog's permission to do this, for he might refuse. But myorders were to allow you the liberty of the castle, and so I will letyou see the goldsmiths' shop."
"Thank you," replied Aquareine, quietly; and then the four followedSacho along various corridors until they came to a large room, where adozen men were busily at work. The shop was flooded with the brilliant,unknown light. Lying here and there were heaps of virgin gold, somein its natural state and some already fashioned into ornaments andfurniture of various sorts. Each man worked at a bench where there wasa curious iron furnace in which glowed a vivid, white light. Althoughthis workshop was all under water, and the workmen were obliged tobreathe as fishes do, the furnaces glowed so hot that the watertouching them was turned into steam. Gold, or other metal, held over afurnace quickly softened or melted, when it could be forged or moldedinto any shape desired.
"The furnaces are electric," explained Sacho, "and heat as well underwater as they would in the open air. Let me introduce you to theforeman, who will tell you of his work better than I can."
The foreman was a slave named Agga-Groo, who was lean and
lank, and hadan expression more surly and unhappy than any slave they had yet seen.Yet he seemed willing to leave his work and explain to the visitors howhe made so many beautiful things out of gold, for he took much pridein this labor and knew its artistic worth. Moreover, since he had beenin Zog's castle, these were the first strangers to enter his workshop,so he welcomed them in his own gruff way.
The queen asked him if he was happy, and he shook his head and replied:
"It isn't like Calcutta, where I used to work in gold before I waswrecked at sea, and nearly drowned. Zog rescued me and brought me herea slave. It is a stupid life we lead, doing the same things over andover every day; but perhaps it is better than being dead. I'm not sure.The only pleasure I get in life is in creating pretty things out ofgold."
"Could you forge me a golden sword?" asked the Queen, smiling sweetlyupon the goldsmith.
"I could, madam; but I won't unless Zog orders me to do it."
"Do you like Zog better than you do me?" inquired Aquareine.
"No," was the answer. "I hate Zog."
"Then won't you make the sword to please me--and to show your skill?"pleaded the pretty mermaid.
"I'm afraid of my master. He might not like it," the man replied.
"But he will never know," said Princess Clia.
"You cannot say what Zog knows; or what he doesn't know," growled theman. "I can't take chances of offending Zog, for I must live with himalways as a slave."
With this he turned away and resumed his work, hammering the leaf of agolden tulip.
Cap'n Bill had listened carefully to this conversation, and being awise old sailor, in his way, he thought he understood the nature ofold Agga-Groo better than the mermaids did. So he went close to thegoldsmith, and feeling in the pockets of his coat drew out a silvercompass, shaped like a watch.
"I'll give you this, if you'll make the queen the golden sword," hesaid.
Agga-Groo looked at the compass with interest, and tested its power ofpointing north. Then he shook his head, and handed it back to Cap'nBill.
The sailor dived into his pocket again and pulled out a pair ofscissors, which he placed beside the compass on the palm of his bighand.
"You may have them both," he said.
Agga-Groo hesitated, for he wanted the scissors badly; but finallyhe shook his head again. Cap'n Bill added a piece of cord, an ironthimble, some fishhooks, four buttons, and a safety pin; but, still thegoldsmith would not be tempted. So, with a sigh, the sailor brought outhis fine, big jackknife, and at sight of this Agga-Groo's eyes beganto sparkle. Steel was not to be had at the bottom of the sea, althoughgold was so plentiful.
"All right, friend," he said; "give me that lot of trinkets and I'llmake you a pretty gold sword. But it won't be any good except to lookat, for our gold is so pure that it is very soft."
"Never mind that," replied Cap'n Bill. "All we want is the sword."
The goldsmith set to work at once, and so skillful was he that in a fewminutes he had forged a fine sword of yellow gold, with an ornamentalhandle. The shape was graceful, and the blade keen and slender.
It was evident to them all that the golden sword would not stand harduse, for the edge of the blade would nick and curl like lead; but thequeen was delighted with the prize, and took it eagerly in her hand.
Just then Sacho returned to say that they must go back to theirrooms, and after thanking the goldsmith, who was so busy examininghis newly-acquired treasures that he made no response, they joyfullyfollowed the boy back to the Rose Chamber.
Sacho told them that he had just come from Zog, who was still wastingtime in plotting vengeance.
"You must be careful," he advised them, "for my cruel master intendsto stop you from living, and he may succeed. Don't be unhappy; butbe careful. Zog is angry because you escaped his Yell-Maker, and thefalling stones, and the hot water. While he is angry he is wastingtime; but that will not help you. Take care not to waste any timeyourselves."
"Do you know what Zog intends to do to us next?" asked Princess Clia.
"No," said Sacho; "but it is reasonable to guess that, being evil, heintends evil. He never intends to do good, I assure you."
Then the boy went away.
"I am no longer afraid," declared the Mermaid Queen, when they werealone. "When I have bestowed certain fairy powers upon this goldensword, it will fight its way against any who dare oppose us, and evenZog himself will not care to face so powerful a weapon. I am now ableto promise you that we shall make our escape."
"Good!" cried Trot, joyfully. "Shall we start now?"
"Not yet, my dear. It will take me a little while to charm this goldenblade so that it will obey my commands, and do my work. There is noneed of undue haste, so I propose we all sleep for a time and obtainwhat rest we can. We must be fresh and ready for our great adventure."
As their former nap had been interrupted, they readily agreed toAquareine's proposal and at once went to their couches and composedthemselves to slumber. When they were asleep the fairy mermaid charmedher golden sword, and then she also lay down to rest herself.