WITH 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.”