“Tell me,” said Ghip-Ghisizzle, “did
you not take the Royal Record Book from the Treasure
Chamber of the Boolooroo?”
“I did,” replied the boy. “I
remember that you wanted it, and so I have kept it
with me ever since that night. Here it is.”
And he presented the little blue book to the Majordomo,
the only friend the adventurers had found among all
the Blueskins.
Ghip-Ghisizzle took the book eagerly and at once began
turning over its leaves. “Ah!” he
exclaimed presently. “It is just as I suspected.
The wicked Boolooroo had already reigned over the Blue
Country three hundred years last Thursday, so that
now he has no right to rule at all. I myself
have been the rightful Ruler of the Blues since Thursday,
and yet this cruel and deceitful man has not only
deprived me of my right to succeed him, but he has
tried to have me patched so that I could never become
the Boolooroo.”
“Does the book tell how old he is?” asked
Button-Bright.
“Yes. He is not five hundred years old,
and has yet another hundred years to live. He
planned to rule the Blue Country until the last, but
I now know the deception he has practiced and have
the Royal Record Book to prove it. With this
I shall be able to force him to resign that I may
take his place, for all the people will support me
and abide by the Law. The tyrant will perhaps
fight me and my cause desperately, but I am sure to
win in the end.”
“If we can help you,” said Button-Bright,
“the whole Pink Army will fight for you.
Only, if you win, you must promise to give me back
my Magic Umbrella and let us fly away to our own homes
again.”
“I will do that most willingly,” agreed
Ghip-Ghisizzle. “And now let us consult
together how best to take the Blue City and capture
the Boolooroo. As I know my own country much
better than you or the Pinkies do, I think I can find
a way to accomplish our purpose.”
The shouting and excitement in the City following
upon the recapture of Cap’n Bill aroused the
sleeping Boolooroo. He found the cord still tied
to his big toe and at first imagined his prisoner safe
in the dressing room. While he put on his clothes,
the king occasionally gave the cord a sudden pull,
hoping to hurt Cap’n Bill’s big toe and
make him yell; but as no response came to this mean
action, the Boolooroo finally looked into the room
only to find he had been pulling on a leg of the couch
and that his prisoner had escaped.
Then he flew into a mighty rage, and running out into
the hall he aimed a blow at the unfaithful guard,
knocking the fellow off his feet. Then he rushed
downstairs into the courtyard, shouting loudly for
his soldiers and threatening to patch everybody in
his dominions if the sailorman was not recaptured.
While the Boolooroo stormed and raged, a band of soldiers
and citizens came marching in, surrounding Cap’n
Bill, who was again firmly bound.
