On came the cavalcade, the wicked attendants of the king inside the castle opening the gates and allowing him and his men to enter the courtyard.
Ned looked down from his window and wondered what had become of the bluebird. He did not feel afraid, but at the same time he realized that he was not in friendly hands. The giant, on hearing the gates open, had quickly drawn in his feet and was struggling to get his shoes on when Ned appeared at the door.
"It"s all up!" said the big fellow, with a wry face and a catch in his gruff voice. "I can feel already the pine-needles beginning to stick out all over me."
"Oh, that"s gooseflesh, you"re so scared!" replied Ned, smiling in spite of the gravity of the situation. "It may not be as bad as you think!"
Just then a great pounding on the front doors told them that the King was seeking admittance. "Who has locked the doors?" he shouted.
"Wait a minute," said the sweet voice of the princess; "we did not expect you so late," and she ran down the stairs and opened the door herself.
"I have two visitors upstairs," she said, as the angry monarch stepped inside.
"What!" he shouted hoa.r.s.ely, "bring them to me. How do I know but that they are enemies?"
"Indeed they are not," she replied, "as you will see in 500 short seconds."
"Ned, come down!" she called, "bring your friend with you, for I would have you meet the King!"
Ned turned to the giant, whose big face was twitching with terror.
"He"ll recognize me as sure as eggs is eggs!" he groaned.
"What! is that thunder?" exclaimed the King below, mistaking the giant"s moan for a thunderclap, but before his question was answered Ned and his friend appeared at the head of the stairway.
After shaking hands with Ned in quite a friendly way the wicked King turned to the giant. "Ha, ha!" he cried, "have I not had the pleasure of meeting you before, my fine friend?"
The giant said nothing, for what could he say?
"Have I not met you before?" repeated the King, with a fierce gesture.
"Methinks you would look better as a pine tree than a hulking giant,"
and before the words were fairly out of the King"s mouth a stately pine tree was standing in the courtyard, through which the wind of the early morning made a moaning noise much like the pitiful groan of the poor, late giant.
"And you, my little c.o.c.katoo," continued the wicked King, turning quickly to Ned, "would look better in a cage!"
And in another minute Ned found himself in a wicker cage, suspended from the lowest limb of the pine tree.
"And now," cried the wicked King, "where is your third guest?" The princess paused a moment. "Oh, the little bluebird!" she exclaimed, "where has it gone?"
"No, not the little bluebird, but he that was the bluebird."
At this the poor princess became very pale. She had hidden her brother the evening before when they had gone to bed in a closet in her room, hoping to have the opportunity of disguising him and sending him away with Ned and the giant the first thing in the morning. But, now, alas, her wicked stepfather undoubtedly suspected something. For else why should he ask for him?
She was in despair, for she knew not what to say. And where was Ned"s little friend, the bluebird herself, all this time? Had she deserted her friends, the little princess asked herself?
"Answer my question!" cried the King, grasping hold of her wrist.
The princess screamed with terror and her brother, hearing her cry, rushed forth from the closet and down the stairs.
Whipping his sword from its scabbard, he made for the cruel tyrant.
Alas, that bravery and valor do not always win! It was useless for him to fight against so experienced a swordsman as the King, and in short time the prince was wounded and his sword thrown from his grasp.
"Little gamec.o.c.k!" cried his conqueror, "you must needs grow larger spurs before you tackle an old rooster like me! And since you remind me of one, a rooster you shall be," and in five short seconds the little prince was changed into a young gamec.o.c.k.
"Out into the courtyard!" cried the King; "a castle is no chicken house," and the little prince found himself unceremoniously thrown under the big pine tree.
"Have pity!" cried the little princess. "Is there no pity for a little orphan princess?"
"Enough," answered the King, with a stamp of his foot. "Go to your room, else you may find yourself also changed into a bird, or a tree, or a pretty b.u.t.terfly."
So the unhappy little princess went up the stairs, crying bitterly, to her own chamber. Closing the door, she leaned out of the window and sobbed as if her heart would break.
For a moment she did not notice that the topmost branch of the pine tree was close to her cas.e.m.e.nt. In fact, she would not have noticed it for some time probably, as her face was buried in her hands, had not the branch brushed against her fingers.
As she withdrew her hands from her face she heard the giant"s voice, very much subdued, speaking to her.
"Ned says not to despair, for he feels sure that his little friend, the bluebird, will yet find a way to liberate us all."
THE MAGIC BALLOON
Ned leaves the Magic Soap Bubble.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE MAGIC BALLOON
GREAT was the grief of the little bluebird as she skimmed over the waters of the moat, realizing how impossible it was for her to regain the lost ring.
She had not the heart for the moment to return to the castle to inform Ned of his loss; so she perched herself disconsolately on a bush which grew close to the margin of the moon-lit water, wondering what was best to do.
Suddenly the speckled trout rose to the surface, and, seeing how despondent was the pretty bluebird, inquired the cause of her grief.
"Ah, me!" she sighed in answer. "I have lost a magic gold ring, and I know not what to do, nor how to recover it."
At this the speckled trout flapped his silvery tail gleefully, and answered: "Worry no more, pretty bluebird, for I have it safely tucked away inside of me."
"If that be the case, Sir Trout," joyously chirped the happy bird, "swim at your greatest speed and deliver the ring to her majesty, the Waterfall Fairy, Queen of the Lake. Tell her that Ned, her little mortal friend, is in dire peril and that he needs her aid."
"That will I gladly do," answered the speckled trout, and without more delay he darted off down the moat toward the dam at the farther side, over which the water ran in a clear stream into the purling brook, which finally led to the lake, where lived Ned"s friend, the Fairy Queen. Down the silvery cascade he glided and whirled away through the running water, frightening the minnows and miller"s thumbs lying among the stones in the shallow places, and startling the crawfishes and little fresh water lobsters hidden under the hollow banks.
Faster and faster he swam, like a courier with important dispatches, down the clear stream running over its pebbly bed, with the luscious meadow sweet and the large blue geranium blooming all about its banks, and the wild rose on its bushes.
Nor did he pause until with a loud splash he dived over the waterfall safely into the lake and rose to the surface close to the palace of the Queen of the Lake.