CHAPTER XVI
THE EARTHQUAKE AND VOLCANO
The big glass with not so much as a single drop tasted by Emil Muller'slips fell from his hand with a loud crash, and its contents flowed likean amber-colored river along the floor.
Almost instantly at the Red Spirit's startling announcement Dragonfelhad sprung up from his throne stiff and rigid, and was regarding theembryo musicians with a glare of peculiar malevolence.
"The Brownies!" he involuntarily ejaculated. "I thought they played toowell for a German band!"
Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil had also risen asthough they had received an electric shock. Their breath came fastin their sudden agitation. They started to go to the musicians, butWolfinger, Mandrake, and Snoutpimple roughly grasped them, and held themback.
Realizing the failure of a deception that might have achieved successhad it not been for the sly spying of the malicious Red Spirit, EmilMuller, otherwise King Stanislaus, turned and faced Dragonfel, his veryattitude hurling a strong challenge of defiance.
Knowing that further subterfuge would be useless, the doughty monarchin a flash whisked off his false nose and moustache, and slipped fromhis baggy clothes. Likewise Louie Knobloch, Peter Dinkelspeil, HermannSweinskopf, and Jacob Schnittger removed their disguises, and theunmistakable features of the Sailor, Policeman, German, and Irishmanwere revealed. "Yes, we are the Brownies," cried King Stanislaus, "cometo demand the instant surrender of Queen Titania and her companions."
"Idiots!" snarled Dragonfel, in a fury. "You have rushed to yourdestruction!" And he clapped his hands together, and shouted to hisfollowers around him: "What ho, there! Summon everyone in the palace!We'll see that these presumptuous sprites meet with fitting punishment."
The Demon Usher half flew, and half ran, with even more celerity thanusual, to do his bidding. With teeth showing, and fists clenched, theinfuriated enchanter advanced threateningly toward the intrepid membersof the band who looked at him without even so much as flinching.
"Have a care!" warned King Stanislaus. "Beware of the Brownies' mysticpower!" And, turning to the Sailor, he added: "Quick! the signal!"
Instantly the Sailor blew a deafening blast upon his cornet, and in atrice there was the pounding of many fists upon the outer doors, withcrashing sounds as though heavy logs were being directed with the forceof many hands against them.
Under the fierce, determined assault the doors gave way and toppled in,while through the opening swarmed and crowded the band of eagerBrownies, with Prince Florimel in their lead.
At almost the same instant, through other doors, poured Dragonfel'shosts, with Vulcan's red imps somersaulting and leaping among them, andthere were so many of them, and all so big and powerful, they well mightcause dismay to the stoutest heart.
"So be it then!" cried Dragonfel, grandiloquently, for the sight of allthese great, hulking fellows gave him renewed confidence. "It is poweragainst power!"
And, striking a pompous attitude, he cleared his throat, and placed hishand on his chest.
"Stand back!" shouted King Stanislaus. "He's going to speak a piece!"
Then Dragonfel poetically spouted:
"Much rather than in spite of me, The union of these bands should be, From thy long rest, oh, Vulcan, wake; Let earth to its dark centre quake, And these strong walls that round us stand Come crumbling down in lime and sand!"
This incantation, punctuated, as it were, by Vulcan's imps, who threwballs of fire into the air where the commas, semicolon, and exclamationpoint are above transcribed, was delivered with only fair elocutionaryability, but its effect was electrifying.
Almost with the last word uttered by his vindictive lips a tremor ranthrough the earth that brought to all a sickening sensation of fear. Theheavy walls and ornate supporting pillars shook, tottered, and then fellwith a terrific crash, that might well horrify all, as the vibrations ofthe earth continued.
In another instant the magnificent palace lay in ruins illumined byfierce flames that leaped wildly from the apex of the volcano and lickedwith fiery tongues the very sky.
Shrieking and screaming with the horror of it all Dragonfel's followersand the Brownies alike ran hither and thither, their warfare temporarilyforgotten in this more appalling danger that suddenly had come to them.In their fright some sought ridiculous places of refuge but it was amatter of speed.
True to their nature to help in all times of distress, the Browniesworked well to save things from complete ruin, and if the properimplements had been at hand the havoc would not have been so severe. ButVulcan was in no mood to quit the quake that was felt in all parts ofthe palace.
Even the State bed-chamber was not exempt, and things that had gone upwith great care and cost came down with great crash and confusion.
But more terrible danger menaced them. The shock of the earthquake wasover, and had wrought utter ruin. Still, as far as could be learned, inall the confusion, uproar, and wild excitement no lives had been lost.Far greater peril, however, threatened from which there did not seem tobe a possible way of escape, new horrors faced them on every side.
Round and pear-shaped volcanic bombs shot up with tremendous velocityfrom the crater's boiling mouth, formed from the precious mineralsstored for centuries deep in the treasury of the earth. And all of thesein a molten red-hot liquid mass were flowing swiftly and irresistibly ina bubbling, hissing, steaming, seething, blood-red river straight on towhere the unfortunate Brownies were among the ruins of the once proudand haughty palace.
Before all this occurred Florimel's quick eye had noticed the audaciousRed Spirit with his stolen bow and arrows, and he had sprung forward towrest them from him. But the strange, repulsive creature evaded himmockingly, and flew off with his booty.
The disappointment of the prince was transformed to delight when thenext moment he beheld Titania running to him with arms extended. Butthey never met, for before she could reach his side the terriblecatastrophe of the earthquake and volcano happened, and they werejostled and crowded apart by the throng, who in their great terrorseemed to have lost all control of their senses. In all the turmoilcareful watch was kept of the captives. Nearer and nearer came themolten stream of lava, and hotter and hotter grew its scorching breath,while huge trees in its remorseless path flared up and shriveled away inan instant.
When the stunning shock to his nerves was exhausting itself, KingStanislaus in a dazed way began to think, with the full realization thatwhatever there was to be done had to be accomplished quickly.
Suddenly he recalled the frame building they had passed in going tothe palace. If it housed as he most fervently hoped it did a completeequipment for fighting fires it might prove the very means by which theBrownies could grapple with a situation that was becoming more and moreintolerable.
Promptly he communicated his plan to various members of the band, as hespied them, and the word was passed around from one to the other, untilall were fully conversant with His Majesty's views. And very soon allthese agile sprites, with King Stanislaus and Prince Florimel in thelead, were racing helter-skelter back to the wooden structure that borethe inscription: NEPTUNE HOOK AND LADDER CO. NO. 1.
They broke in the doors, and soon were prying into every nook and cornerof the place. And, while King Stanislaus forthwith seized a fire-trumpetthat was hanging from a hook on the wall, Brownies were donning with thegreatest haste fire helmets that even with paper stuffed in them camedown over their ears, and putting on rubber boots and coats intended byDragonfel for his followers, and which proved but sorry fits, for theboots came well up over their waists, and had to be turned back, and thecoats trailed after them like the long trains of fashionable ladies'gowns.
The energetic monarch was rather disappointed to find upon inspectionthat the machine instead of being one of the modern, up-to-date kindwas of a very antiquated type, a brake-engine with man-handles that hadto be worked by hand to throw a stream of water. But he was greatlyrelieved to discover that there was a
n abundant supply of hose, for inproviding himself with this the enchanter evidently had made a nicecalculation of the distance from the crater of the volcano to thestand-pipe connection in the palace, and he had allowed plenty to spare.
In stentorian tones His Majesty shouted out his orders through thefire-trumpet, and the Brownies hauled out the engine and hose-carriage.Then they all took hold of the long ropes attached to them, and startedon a run for Dragonfel's ruined palace, that now was little more than atumbled heap.
Brownies perched on the engine, and one kept clanging the bellfuriously. Some who ran with the ropes tripped on the trailing tails oftheir rubber coats, but they never let go, and were dragged along bytheir surer-footed companions.
After they had gone some distance the Policeman began shouting inremonstrance, and King Stanislaus ordered a halt to hear what he had tosay. "What is it, officer?" asked His Majesty. "We've got to go back,"panted the Policeman. "Some of us forgot to put on red shirts."
Though King Stanislaus felt very much chagrined at such neglect, herealized that it was now too late to remedy this most important matter,for every passing moment was precious. So he bellowed through thetrumpet instructions to continue, and pulling and straining at the ropesthey flew on, with the engine and hose-carriage bumping, lurching, andswaying after them.
On and on they went, pit-patting at last across the rickety old woodenbridge, but before they could drag the engine across it one of theplanks snapped in two under its weight, and the wheels on one side wentdown through the opening almost as far as the water below.
The engine was firmly stuck, and though the Brownies tugged and strainedat the rope, puffing, panting, and exerting all their strength, theycould not even so much as budge it.
Nearer and nearer came the terrible river of fire, and the volcanoseemed to be reaching even greater activity. It looked as though thiseffort of the Brownies was in vain.