CHAPTER XVII
THE BROWNIES FIGHT THE FLAMES
But once more the indomitable spirit of King Stanislaus manifesteditself. Though the fire-engine was jammed in between the joists andtimbers of the bridge, and could not be extracted by pulling the rope,the plucky monarch would not allow himself to be vanquished without astruggle.
He caused the Brownies to bring heavy planks, and farther directed themto wrench off the guard-rails of the bridge. The ends of these wereplaced under the engine, while at those opposite the sprites exerted aspowerful a leverage as they could at the same time comrades were pullingwith all their might and main at the rope.
Finally their combined efforts resulted in raising the engine up on thebridge again, after which it was easily rolled upon the road.
This unfortunate delay had seemed much longer than it really was, owingto the exigency of the situation, but they made up for lost time duringthe rest of the distance, and reached the site of the ruins withoutfurther mishap.
The lava was almost upon them, and they were nearly suffocated by theintense heat. But, while King Stanislaus ran here and there directingthe preparations, and shouting his orders through the fire-trumpet, theyquickly unwound the coils of hose and effected a connection with thestand-pipe.
The water was thereupon turned on, and while Brownies in helmets, rubbercoats, and boots held grimly on to the hose and trained the big brassnozzle on the fast approaching lava, others manned the handles of theengine, a half dozen or more being required at each end, and flewhanging to them up and down through the air to furnish the necessarypressure.
Though the engine was old and out of repair, it had one redeemingfeature. It could throw two or three streams of water at once as well asone, and the Brownies in their great need forced it to the limit.
Immense volumes of water gushed out at the lava, and their contactproduced a hissing, boiling sound, while the air was almost immediatelyfilled with steam which became so thick that it could almost be cutwith a knife. In the thick vapors that arose their forms could only bedistinguished dimly, and they seemed like shadows flitting to and fro.
At times the hose burst in various places, and streams of water fromthem spouted high into the air involving waste, but King Stanislausproved himself equal to all emergencies.
"Stick your fingers in the holes to keep the water in," he shoutedthrough the trumpet.
Brownies either poked their fingers through the openings or held theirhands against them to prevent the escape of water. The hose got awayfrom those who were holding it, and the terrific stream drenched theDude, Chinaman, and Indian who were directly in its path, sweeping themoff their feet. In another moment the Brownies regained their mastery ofit, and once more the water was directed full at the blazing lava.
Such efforts were bound to achieve results, and these King Stanislausnoted with great satisfaction.
"We're gaining on it!" he announced exultantly. "Just keep it up, boys,and we'll soon have the fire out."
Thus encouraged, higher and higher flew the Brownies on the handles ofthe engine, while others continued to play the hose upon the descendinglava, which hissed, steamed, and bubbled as the water struck it.
As the lava cooled off it formed a composition resembling asphalt, andupon this the Brownies could walk, unwinding as they did so more andmore hose, and all the while getting nearer and nearer to the volcano.
Finally they were directing the stream down the crater's mouth, whichgurgled, gasped, and then instead of flame began to emit smolderingsmoke which grew less and less in volume.
"I guess that settles Mr. Volcano!" triumphantly cried King Stanislaus,as he wiped beads of perspiration from his royal brow.
"It's a pity the palace was destroyed," remarked the Student.
"It's Dragonfel's own fault," said the king, "and he has only himself toblame. I wouldn't have that man's mean disposition, no, not for all thejewels and mines he possesses."
"Even if he has lost his palace," said the Dude, "he's got a fine newmacadamized road to the volcano. With a jitney-bus he can make a lot ofmoney from tourists."
The fire was practically extinguished, and all danger from it hadpassed. It was well that this was so, for the first rays of the sun werebeginning to appear in the brightening east, and the mystic powers ofthe Brownies which come at night were fast being exhausted.
When the valiant fire-fighters at last had the volcano under control,Prince Florimel gazed anxiously around for Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda,Violet, and Daffodil, but none of them was in sight.
Neither could he observe Dragonfel nor any of his followers, for whenthey had become assured of safety these cravens had fled, leaving theBrownies to do all the work.
Florimel ran hither and thither, searching among the ruins for those hewas so eager to find, and calling aloud their names, but there was noresponse to his cries, nor could he discover the slightest trace of themanywhere, which alarmed him greatly.
The Brownies were taking a much needed rest, but he got them all to joinin the quest, and they hunted in every nook and corner thereaboutwithout success.
"This is indeed strange," said King Stanislaus, very much puzzled. "Theywere here just a little while ago, for I saw them myself. I didn't payany particular attention to them at the time, for the volcano waskeeping me pretty busy."
"They have made their escape," said Florimel, "and have again carriedoff the queen and her companions. The question is, where have theygone?"
"I do not think they have gone far," said the king, and his eye sweptthe harbor where the galleon was plainly visible. "Perhaps they are onthe ship, but I very much doubt it. It may be they are hiding somewherenear."
Suddenly the Policeman who was still prowling stealthily around pokedhis club in a dark, out-of-the-way corner into something flabby which atonce emitted a queer, cackling shriek so uncanny that everyone jumpedback in fright.
The next moment he quickly reached in his arm and drew out by the earthe quaking, shaking Demon Usher who had no opportunity to practice hiseccentric locomotion, but was obliged to crawl after his captor on hishands and knees.
The Policeman led him by the ear to King Stanislaus who eyed himsternly.
"Mercy, have mercy!" shrieked the Demon Usher, in abject terror, and heshook as though he had the dumb ague, chills and fever, and somethingelse besides. "Oh, kind sir, I will be your slave for life, and obeyyour slightest wish. Only don't kill or torture me, I beg you!"
"Tell the truth, or it will be the worse for you," said King Stanislaus.
His words in no sense were a threat, for it is always the worse foranyone who does not tell the truth. But they only served to increasethe fears of the poor, frightened wretch who shook as if he had addedSt. Vitus dance to all his other symptoms.
"Spare my life!" he whined, with his teeth clicking against each otherlike castenets. "Oh, please, sir, spare my life! Ask me anything youlike, and I will answer you. Yes, and though it is very hard for me todo so, I will speak the truth. Let me be your slave, and fan you, andblack your boots!"
"Where is your master?"
"He is gone."
"Yes, we know that already. Where has he gone?"
The Demon Usher looked around timidly as though to assure himself thatneither Dragonfel nor any of his followers was within hearing, and thensaid, with an air of great cunning:
"If I tell you, will you let me go?"
"Yes," said King Stanislaus. "I give you my promise."
"Then I will tell you," said the Demon Usher. "He has flown with hiscaptives to his mine."
"His mine?" echoed His Majesty.
"Have you not heard of it?" asked the Demon Usher in great surprise."Why, it is the most wonderful mine in all the world. Every jewel knownto a lapidary is there."
"Where is it?"
"Near by."
"Lead us to it," broke in Florimel eagerly.
"Come with me," said the Demon Usher. "I will show you the secretpassage-way through which Dragonfel a
nd the rest entered."
Florimel made an impatient start to be off, and the Brownies showedtheir willingness to follow him through all dangers, but KingStanislaus, more careful, raised his hand to call a halt.
"Stay!" he cautioned. "This may only be a ruse to trap us. How do weknow this is the truth?"
"It is the truth," averred the Demon Usher. "Follow me and I will soonprove it to you."
He moved off with his queer half-skip and half-jump, cocking his eyebehind at them as if he feared they would try to stop him. But no onemade any attempt to do so, and he appeared very much relieved.
Close at his heels came Florimel and the Brownies, with King Stanislausamong them, but the monarch looked ill at ease, as though he suspectedtreachery of some kind.
The Demon Usher led them to a slight rise where there was a rockyformation, and stopped before a boulder so huge that it would haverequired the strength of many men to move it.
Searching with his long, thin fingers for a certain place, he found itat length, and pressed against it as hard as he could.
To the surprise of all the rest, the boulder began to slide easily away,disclosing the entrance to a dark, subterranean passage.
"TRICKED!"]
"Follow the passage," cried the Demon Usher triumphantly, "and it willlead you to Dragonfel and his captives!"
Florimel and the Brownies at once entered, and King Stanislaus ran afterthem.
"Stop!" came his warning. "Before we go any farther let us firstconsider."
But when they were all inside it suddenly grew pitch-black, as theboulder quickly slid back into its place.
From outside they heard the Demon Usher give a hoarse cackle ofexultation.
"Tricked!" ejaculated King Stanislaus. "We are caught like rats in atrap!"