rinkitink in oz-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



cruel。



Inga　walked　up　to　the　two　men　at　the　entrance　and

said：



〃Does　this　opening　lead　to　the　mines　of　King　Gos？〃



〃It　does；〃　replied　one　of　the　guards；　〃but　no　one　is

allowed　to　pass　out　who　once　goes　in。〃



〃Nevertheless；〃　said　the　boy；　we　intend　to　go　in　and

we　shall　come　out　whenever　it　pleases　us　to　do　so。　I　am

the　Prince　of　Pingaree；　and　I　have　come　to　liberate　my

people；　whom　King　Gos　has　enslaved。〃



Now　when　the　two　guards　heard　this　speech　they　looked

at　one　another　and　laughed；　and　one　of　them　said：　〃The

King　was　right；　for　he　said　the　boy　was　likely　to　come

here　and　that　he　would　try　to　set　his　people　free。　Also

the　King　commanded　that　we　must　keep　the　little　Prince

in　the　mines；　and　set　him　to　work；　together　with　his

companions。〃



〃Then　let　us　obey　the　King；〃　replied　the　other　man。



Inga　was　surprised　at　hearing　this；　and　asked：



〃When　did　King　Gos　give　you　this　order？〃



〃His　Majesty　was　here　in　person　last　night；〃　replied

the　man；　〃and　went　away　again　but　an　hour　ago。　He

suspected　you　were　coming　here　and　told　us　to　capture

you　if　we　could。〃



This　report　made　the　boy　very　anxious；　not　for

himself　but　for　his　father；　for　he　feared　the　King　was

up　to　some　mischief。　So　he　hastened　to　enter　the　mines

and　the　guards　did　nothing　to　oppose　him　or　his

companions；　their　orders　being　to　allow　him　to　go　in

but　not　to　come　out。



The　little　group　of　adventurers　passed　through　a　long

rocky　corridor　and　reached　a　low；　wide　cavern　where

they　found　a　dozen　guards　and　a　hundred　slaves；　the

latter　being　hard　at　work　with　picks　and　shovels

digging　for　gold；　while　the　guards　stood　over　them　with

long　whips。



Inga　found　many　of　the　men　from　Pingaree　among　these

slaves；　but　King　Kitticut　was　not　in　this　cavern；　so

they　passed　through　it　and　entered　another　corridor

that　led　to　a　second　cavern。　Here　also　hundreds　of　men

were　working；　but　the　boy　did　not　find　his　father

amongst　them；　and　so　went　on　to　a　third　cavern。



The　corridors　all　slanted　downward；　so　that　the

farther　they　went　the　lower　into　the　earth　they

descended；　and　now　they　found　the　air　hot　and　close　and

difficult　to　breathe。　Flaming　torches　were　stuck　into

the　walls　to　give　light　to　the　workers；　and　these　added

to　the　oppressive　heat。



The　third　and　lowest　cavern　was　the　last　in　the

mines；　and　here　were　many　scores　of　slaves　and　many

guards　to　keep　them　at　work。　So　far；　none　of　the　guards

had　paid　any　attention　to　Inga's　party；　but　allowed

them　to　proceed　as　they　would；　and　while　the　slaves

cast　curious　glances　at　the　boy　and　girl　and　man　and

goat；　they　dared　say　nothing。　But　now　the　boy　walked　up

to　some　of　the　men　of　Pingaree　and　asked　news　of　his

father；　telling　them　not　to　fear　the　guards　as　he　would

protect　them　from　the　whips。



Then　he　Teamed　that　King　Kitticut　had　indeed　been

working　in　this　very　cavern　until　the　evening　before；

when　King　Gos　had　come　and　taken　him　away　　still

loaded　with　chains。



〃Seems　to　me；〃　said　King　Rinkitink；　when　he　heard

this　report；　〃that　Gos　has　carried　your　father　away　to

Regos；　to　prevent　us　from　rescuing　him。　He　may　hide

poor　Kitticut　in　a　dungeon；　where　we　cannot　find　him。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃but　I　am

determined　to　find　him；　wherever　he　may　be。〃



Inga　spoke　firmly　and　with　courage；　but　he　was

greatly　disappointed　to　find　that　King　Gos　had　been

before　him　at　the　mines　and　had　taken　his　father　away。

However；　he　tried　not　to　feel　disheartened；　believing

he　would　succeed　in　the　end；　in　spite　of　all

opposition。　Turning　to　the　guards；　he　said：



〃Remove　the　chains　from　these　slaves　and　set　them

free。〃



The　guards　laughed　at　this　order；　and　one　of　them

brought　forward　a　handful　of　chains；　saying：　〃His

Majesty　has　commanded　us　to　make　you；　also；　a　slave；

for　you　are　never　to　leave　these　caverns　again。〃



Then　he　attempted　to　place　the　chains　on　Inga；　but

the　boy　indignantly　seized　them　and　broke　them　apart　as

easily　as　if　they　had　been　cotton　cords。　When　a　dozen

or　more　of　the　guards　made　a　dash　to　capture　him；　the

Prince　swung　the　end　of　the　chain　like　a　whip　and　drove

them　into　a　corner；　where　they　cowered　and　begged　for

mercy。



Stories　of　the　marvelous　strength　of　the　boy　Prince

had　already　spread　to　the　mines　of　Regos；　and　although

King　Gos　had　told　them　that　Inga　had　been　deprived　of

all　his　magic　power；　the　guards　now　saw　this　was　not

true；　so　they　deemed　it　wise　not　to　attempt　to　oppose

him。



The　chains　of　the　slaves　had　all　been　riveted　fast　to

their　ankles　and　wrists；　but　Inga　broke　the　bonds　of

steel　with　his　hands　and　set　the　poor　men　free　　not

only　those　from　Pingaree　but　all　who　had　been　captured

in　the　many　wars　and　raids　of　King　Gos。　They　were　very

grateful；　as　you　may　suppose；　and　agreed　to　support

Prince　Inga　in　whatever　action　he　commanded。



He　led　them　to　the　middle　cavern；　where　all　the

guards　and　overseers　fled　in　terror　at　his　approach；

and　soon　he　had　broken　apart　the　chains　of　the　slaves

who　had　been　working　in　that　part　of　the　mines。　Then

they　approached　the　first　cavern　and　liberated　all

there。



The　slaves　had　been　treated　so　cruelly　by　the

servants　of　King　Gos　that　they　were　eager　to　pursue　and

slay　them；　in　revenge；　but　Inga　held　them　back　and

formed　them　into　companies；　each　company　having　its　own

leader。　Then　he　called　the　leaders　together　and

instructed　them　to　march　in　good　order　along　the　path

to　the　City　of　Regos；　where　he　would　meet　them　and

tell　them　what　to　do　next。



They　readily　agreed　to　obey　him；　and；　arming

themselves　with　iron　bars　and　pick…axes　which　they

brought　from　the　mines；　the　slaves　began　their　march　to

the　city。



Zella　at　first　wished　to　be　left　behind；　that　she

might　make　her　way　to　her　home；　but　neither　Rinkitink

nor　Inga　thought　it　was　safe　for　her　to　wander　alone

through　the　forest；　so　they　induced　her　to　return　with

them　to　the　city。



The　boy　beached　his　boat　this　time　at　the　same　place

as　when　he　first　landed　at　Regos；　and　while　many　of　the

warriors　stood　on　the　shore　and　before　the　walls　of　the

city；　not　one　of　them　attempted　to　interfere　with　the

boy　in　any　way。　Indeed；　they　seemed　uneasy　and　anxious；

and　when　Inga　met　Captain　Buzzub　the　boy　asked　if

anything　had　happened　in　his　absence。



〃A　great　deal　has　happened；〃　replied　Buzzub。　〃Our

King　and　Queen　have　run　away　and　left　us；　and　we　don't

know　what　to　do。〃



〃Run　away！〃　exclaimed　Inga。　〃Where　did　they　go　to？〃



〃Who　knows？〃　said　the　man；　shaking　his　head

despondently。　〃They　departed　together　a　few　hours　ago；

in　a　boat　with　forty　rowers；　and　they　took　with　them

the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree！〃









Chapter　Fifteen



The　Flight　of　the　Rulers





Now　it　seems　that　when　Queen　Cor　fled　from　her　island

to　Regos；　she　had　wit　enough；　although　greatly　frightened；

to　make　a　stop　at　the　royal　dairy；　which　was　near

to　the　bridge；　and　to　drag　poor　Queen　Garee　from　the

butter…house　and　across　to　Regos　with　her。　The　warriors

of　King　Gos　had　never　before　seen　the　terrible　Queen

Cor　frightened；　and　therefore　when　she　came　running

across　the　bridge　of　boats；　dragging　the　Queen　of

Pingaree　after　her　by　one　arm；　the　woman's　great　fright

had　the　effect　of　terrifying　the　waiting　warriors。



〃Quick！〃　cried　Cor。　〃Destroy　the　bridge；　or　we　are

lost。〃



While　the　men　were　tearing　away　the　bridge　of　boats

the　Queen　ran　up　to　the　palace　of　Gos；　where　she　met

her　husband。



〃That　boy　is　a　wizard！〃　she　gasped。　〃There　is　no

standing　against　him。〃



〃Oh；　have　you　discovered　his　magic　at　last？〃　replied

Gos；　laughing　in　her　face。　〃Who；　now；　is　the　coward？〃



〃Don't　laugh！〃　cried　Queen　Cor。　〃It　is　no　laughing

matter。　Both　our　islands　are　as　good　as　conquered；　this

very　minute。　What　shall　we　do；　Gos？〃



〃Come　in；〃　he　said；　growing　serious；　〃and　let　us　talk

it　over。〃



So　they　went　into　a　room　of　the　palace　and　talked

long　and　earnestly。



〃The　boy　intends　to　liberate　his　father　and　mother；

and　all　the　people　of　Pingaree；　and　to　take　them　back

to　their　island；〃　said　Cor。　〃He　may　also　destroy　our

palaces　and　make　us　his　slaves。　I　can　see　but　one　way；

Gos；　to　prevent　him　from　doing　all　this；　and　whatever

else　he　pleases　to　do。〃



〃What　way　is　that？〃　asked　King　Gos。



〃We　must　take　the　boy's　parents　away　from　here　as

quickly　as　possible。　I　have　with　me　the　Queen　of

Pingaree；　and　you　can　run　up　to　the　mines　and　get　the

King。　Then　we　will　carry　them　away　in　a　boat　and　hide

them　where　the　boy　cannot　find　them；　with　all　his

magic。　We　will　use　the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree　as

hostages；　and　send　word　to　the　boy　wizard　that　if　he

does　not　go　away　from　our　islands　and　allow　us　to　rule

them　undisturbed；　in　our　own　way；　we　will　put　his

father　and　mother　to　death。　Also　we　will　say　that　as

long　as　we　are