"Where could they come from and what are they doing here?" the King demanded. "Speak," he commanded them.
Owl took it upon himself to answer.
"We were hunting the great Cat and Grater, who are our enemies."
"So the boy and girl said who escaped the other night, no one knows how. For all we know, you may be servants of the terrible Grater of whom my most valiant soldiers are afraid, and of the great Cat with the claws."
"Show us either of them and we"ll prove our quality," Malay Kris boasted. "I have once before run Grater through and pinned him to the floor."
The King pulled at his beard.
"It is true that I have heard he now wears a piece of pink court-plaster."
"Give me arms and put me into your service," said Malay Kris, "and I will prove my mettle."
"You are indeed a likely looking soldier," said the King, regarding him with favor. "I"m inclined to try you. Give him," said he to the Captain of the Guard, "armor and a sword, and we"ll see what he can do. As for these others, we"ll put them in cages for the present and decide later what to do with them."
At these words Owl flew into the top of a tree and hooted.
"I do not like cages," said he. "I prefer a tree top."
And though the King tried soft words and made promises, the Owl refused to budge, looking down upon them all with great round eyes.
Coal and Ember growled and showed their teeth, and Alligator opened wide his great jaws and lashed about with his tail; but the little soldiers threw themselves valiantly upon them and bore them away as the King ordered.
"You two," said the King to Andy and Hortense, "have proved yourselves brave and are deserving of reward. We attach you to our person. You may stand guard in the palace."
The Queen, who had been looking hard at Hortense, spoke.
"May I not have them?" said she.
"Certainly, my love," the King replied graciously. "All that is mine is yours. Besides, you may need stout protection from our enemy. Already it has taken from us our Court Jester and Court Poet." The King walked nervously up and down. "Our magic power is of no avail," said he, "against such evil."
Andy and Hortense, in obedience to the Queen"s wish, took their place at the door of her apartment, and soon she called them to her.
"I see," said she to Hortense, "that you are the little girl who was here before, and this, I suppose, is the little boy. Now tell me all about it."
Hortense was much surprised but did as she was told, for she felt the Queen to be her friend.
"Alas," said the Queen, "Grater has already made prisoners of Highboy and Lowboy. I had persuaded the King to make them his Court Jester and Poet but before they could even be brought here, they were waylaid and borne away."
"In that case," said Hortense, "we must go to their rescue. Will you grant us permission?"
"Gladly," said the Queen, "although I cannot free the others without appealing to the King, and it is best for the present not to tell him who you are. I shall contrive to see Malay Kris and send him after you.
Wait near by."
Accordingly, Andy and Hortense slipped out of the palace unseen and waited where they were joined shortly by Malay Kris, who was so eager for a fight that Andy and Hortense had to beg him to be cautious.
They quietly crept close to the Cat"s house, and Owl, who had joined them, peeped in at the window.
"All quiet," said he.
The four entered.
"Highboy and Lowboy are in the cooky jar," said the Clock, not waiting to be asked. "Make haste!"
It was not easy to free them. The jar was far taller than Andy and Hortense, and as smooth and slippery as ice. Andy and Malay Kris finally made a rope by tying together table covers and sheets and, throwing the end of this over the edge of the jar, at last succeeded in pulling Highboy and Lowboy to the top. From this they dropped safely to the floor.
"Now we must hurry," said Hortense, and away they went.
But they were not in time, for barely had they reached the gate when they were seen by Jeremiah and Grater. Thereupon ensued a fierce battle. Jeremiah seemed as big as a lion. He lashed his bushy tail, arched his back, and spat; his great eyes glowed, and his claws were long and sharp as knives. Andy and Hortense were glad for their breastplates, for these the Cat"s sharp claws could not pierce.
Highboy and Lowboy, however, had no armor.
"Oh, my nice coat of varnish!" Highboy moaned as Jeremiah"s claws reached him.
"I shall no longer be a polished person," said Lowboy.
Hortense and Andy kept in front of the two in so far as they could, but with Jeremiah in front and Grater at one side they were hard-pressed.
"Get into the bushes," Andy ordered, and they retreated slowly into the raspberry patch.
Here Jeremiah was at a disadvantage, for the thorns tore his coat, and he could not use his claws freely. Thorns meant nothing to Grater, however, in his bright suit of mail. Malay Kris, undaunted, struck him a great blow and bore him to the ground.
"Tie his hands," cried Malay Kris.
Hortense and Andy, using their shoe laces for the purpose, bound Grater fast. Jeremiah, thereupon, yowled dismally and retreated towards the house.
"Let"s hurry as fast as we can," Hortense ordered.
Malay Kris brought up the rear, prodding Grater to make him go faster; Owl flew ahead to spy out the way; and Andy and Hortense followed, running.
They reached the entrance of the tunnel and hurried in, expecting every moment to see Jeremiah reappear, and now, without the protection of the raspberry bushes, they feared his great claws. Safely they crossed the dripping cave and were halfway through the tunnel on the other side when they perceived Jeremiah hot after them.
"Grater!" shrieked Lowboy.
Grater had seized the moment while their backs were turned to free himself of the cords which bound him and was running rapidly up the tunnel.
"He"ll close the door on us!" Malay Kris shouted, and set off in pursuit.
With dismay Hortense and Andy perceived that they must meet Jeremiah"s attack, for Highboy and Lowboy were of no use in a fight. Here it was that Owl proved himself most unexpectedly useful. While Andy and Hortense backed slowly through the tunnel facing Jeremiah"s claws, Owl tweaked his tail and pulled bits of fur from his back. Jeremiah"s claws were useless against such a foe who flew away whenever Jeremiah turned on him.
So the retreat was effected in good order and without serious hurt to any one, while from the rear came the clash of arms and the shouts of Kris and Grater in fierce conflict. Kris, having eaten the thirteen cookies and reduced his size, found Grater a far more formidable foe than before. But though small, Kris was as fast as lightning and darted here and there, evading Grater"s blows and putting in quick stabs.
Although Grater came more and more to resemble a sieve, he still stood his ground with his back to the door, and until he was forced aside, escape was impossible.
Lowboy then displayed a courage and intelligence which his fondness for poor jokes led n.o.body to expect. Throwing himself at Grater"s knees and holding them tight, he threw their enemy to the ground with a crash.
Malay Kris quickly disarmed and bound him and the way was clear.
Jeremiah, seeing that the battle was won, turned tail and fled, Owl hooting derisively after him. Every one sat down to get his breath.