THE RESTORATION OF CORUMBIA

"What did he say?" begged Speedy, hurrying up to the Princess.

"First plant the date seed!" Solemnly Marygolden repeated the little dog's instructions.

"That's easy enough," observed Speedy, and taking out his knife cut a small hole in the ground and dropped the yellow stone in. Covering the stone with earth, he jumped up expectantly. "What next?" Confido looked coldly through the boy and again whispered confidingly to Marygolden.

"Pluck the six dates when they grow," directed the Princess, "for if any of the magic dates are lost, all will be restored by planting the seed of any one of them." A little patch of moonlight fell on the spot where the five watchers stood waiting for the magic seed to sprout. Speedy, growing impatient, took out his flashlight and knelt directly over the raised mound of earth. Before he could straighten up, there came a rip, tear, and rustle, and as Peter, Marygolden, and Stampedro started back, the heavy fronded head of a date palm, followed by the straight stout trunk of the tree itself, burst through the soil, and catching Speedy on the top shot up, up, and out of sight. In vain they all tried to catch a glimpse of their adventurous young comrade, but it was no use, for the palm soared above the tallest oaks in the forest.

"Now see what you've done!" panted Stampedro, glaring at Confido, but Peter Pun held up his hand warningly.

"Hark!" whispered the jester softly. "Hark! Troubles never come singly. Methinks we are pursued." True enough, heavy steps came thudding toward them, and the snap and crackle of twigs brushed by some heavy body.

"Mount up! Mount up and we'll be off!" wheezed the Yellow Knight's horse. "'Tis the Sultan, no doubt, and all his men! Up with you! Up with you!"

"And leave Speedy here all by himself?" wailed Marygolden, putting both arms round the palm tree.

"Let us not fly until we see what manner of creature pursues," murmured Peter, peering fearfully into the shadows. "Hah, 'tis a camel," he continued, as a long neck was thrust into the rim of moonlight, "a camel, and like as not the Sultan."

"It's Sir Hokus!" trilled Marygolden. "It's our very own Good Knight of Oz."

"What ho, everybody! Everybody, what HO!" blustered Sir Hokus, as Camy, with a great rattling and tossing of saddle sacks, trotted into the circle around the palm tree. "And what dost thou here? All the way from the Sultan's castle I've followed the tracks of Stampedro, and at last I have found you all." With a weary sigh, he looked from one to the other. Then, suddenly missing Speedy, he peered anxiously over the Camel's hump. "Where's the boy?" he asked sharply. Without answering they pointed up at the palm tree. Then Marygolden and Peter together told how Speedy had escaped from Samandra, had cleverly stolen Confido and had discovered the whereabouts of the magic date seed and, following the little dog's directions, had been carried aloft with the magic palm.

"How now, and we'll soon end this," grunted Sir Hokus, and tumbling without ceremony off Camy's back, he lifted his battle-axe. "I'll fell this monstrous tree."

"Stop! Stop! That were indeed a fell deed. If he fell all that way, He'd be smashed, 'lack-a-day!"

"If you take _my_ advice," yawned the little dog, curling up more cozily in Marygolden's arms, "you'll do nothing." This brought a burst of indignation from Speedy's comrades, but as they stood arguing, the palm tree began to grow down, sliding silently into the earth like a great greased pole. As the leaves at the top came into view, and before they touched the ground, Speedy leapt from the center and the palm leaves were instantly swallowed up in the earth.

"I've got them," panted the boy, triumphantly waving a bunch of ripe dates. "All six! Say, when did you come?" Rushing over to Sir Hokus, he clapped him joyfully on the back. "Say, now that we're all together nothing can molest us again!"

"Right!" boomed Sir Hokus. "And with a lad like yourself to help, we'll soon have the King in his castle. A clever move to bring the little dog. Odds bodikens! You'll be knighted for this!"

"But what happened to you?" breathed Speedy. "And is this really the Comfortable Camel of Oz?"

"At your service," mumbled Camy, beginning to nibble at the twigs and smiling kindly between mouthfuls as Sir Hokus introduced Speedy, Marygolden, and Stampedro. "But I hope never to find myself in Samandra again. What a dumb place, and what a place to be dumb!"

"I agree with you," whinnied Stampedro, pawing the earth at the very thought. "But tell us, Sir Knight, how you came off so successfully."

"Easily enough," exclaimed Sir Hokus, leaning heavily on his lance. "Guided by my nose, which has ever been as keen as my sword, I soon located the Sultan's Camel Quarters. Knocking Samandrans right and left" (he gave a little pantomime of just how this had been done) "I called loudly for Camy, who immediately answered my hail. Though he could not talk I recognized his voice and soon had him loose. Then I headed straight for this forest, picking up the footprints of Stampedro soon after I left the castle, and came hot-foot after you."

"You mean I came hot-foot," chuckled the Comfortable Camel, winking at Peter Pun.

"Have it your own way," smiled Sir Hokus. "But here we all are, and now that we have the magic dates, let us proceed with the disenchantment of this King and his subjects. Then if yon villainous Sultan rides after us, there'll be plenty of good men to fight."

"That's an idea," breathed Speedy. "I forgot about the Sultan. Now tell us, Confido, what do we do next?"

"It's long past my bedtime," sniffed the pampered little Peke. "I don't see any cushions to sleep on, and why should I bother my head about this silly King and his subjects? He never did anything for me!" At this heartless speech Stampedro put back his ears, showed all his teeth, and had to be held by Sir Hokus to keep him from biting a piece out of the Imperial Puppy. And though Speedy and Peter Pun coaxed and commanded, Confido answered all their questions with yawns, and finally closing his eyes pretended to snore. Then Marygolden, giving him a little shake, began to whisper in his ear.

"This King will no doubt reward you handsomely," promised the Princess recklessly. "He'll give you golden bowls, and collars, and anything you wish, if you release him from this cruel enchantment."

"That's so," muttered Confido, opening his eyes and wriggling his nose. "I hadn't thought of that. And since _you_ have asked me, Princess, here goes. Take the smallest date," he directed, in his insolent little voice, "eat the date and bury the seed as you did before."

"What?" cried Speedy impatiently. "All that to do over again?" Confido nodded. Speedy was not at all fond of ripe dates, but he was so curious to see what would happen that he swallowed it down without a murmur and buried the seed, this time a brilliant red stone, beneath a tall oak. Then, breathless and expectant, the little company of rescuers stood back to watch and listen.

Of all his wonderful experiences, Speedy remembered the scene in the enchanted forest best. It seemed, while it was happening, like some strange, bewildering dream. For suddenly the murmur and whisper of the leaves became the murmur and whisper of many voices. The great oak dwindled and changed to a King so tall, straight, and handsome that a little cry of admiration burst from Speedy's lips. Oaks and pines all around them melted into Knights, hale, hearty, and splendid, with gleaming lances and shining armor. From the horse chestnut trees, stamping, prancing steeds charged in a glittering array, tossing their heads, whinnying, neighing, and calling joyfully for their riders. Stampedro was off in an instant, bounding here and there among the Knights, but finding nowhere the one he was seeking. Saplings, while Speedy and Marygolden gasped and marvelled, became laughing troops of merry children, old bent trees turned into councillors and wise men of the Court. Bushes became pages and seneschals bearing flaming torches. The willows by the river were the Queen and her ladies, in great green ruffs like Marygolden had worn, in velvet and lace and the long trailing dresses of long ago. One would have thought that not a tree would remain standing in the whole forest, but the enchanted ones were hardly missed. A sage bush became a sage, in fact. The lyre bush that had so puzzled Sir Hokus, was the King's minstrel, and striking his small harp he began instantly to sing. The trumpet vines became trumpeters, and while the little band of adventurers gazed in rapture and delight, the King found the Queen, and putting his arm around her, raised his hand for silence.

"Corumbians!" cried the King in his grave, deep voice. "By some unexplained miracle we have been released from our wearisome enchantment. Is my son, the Yellow Knight of Oz in this company?" There was a tense silence and everyone looked expectantly around, but the Yellow Knight neither spoke nor answered.

"I know," cried the Queen, suddenly clapping her hands. "The Prince awaits us in the castle!"

"To the castle! On to the castle!" roared the Corumbians, swarming round their Majesties.

"All the King's horses and all the King's men, And all the King's court are together again!"

mused Peter Pun, and breaking away from Sir Hokus and Speedy, he hurried over to the King and flung both arms about his knees. The King seemed as rejoiced to see Peter as the jester was to see him, and lifting him up embraced him heartily. Then Peter, for the moment serious and strangely dignified, turned from the King and called loudly. "Under yonder oak stand the liberators of us all: Speedy, a boy from far-off America, Sir Hokus of Pokes from the Emerald City, an enchanted Princess, the Comfortable Camel of Oz, and our own Stampedro!"

"Don't forget me," barked Confido temperishly. "I'm about the most important person here!" But in the cheering and confusion following Peter's announcement, no one even heard the little dog. Marygolden, Speedy, and Sir Hokus were tossed up on the shoulders of the crowd and borne triumphantly to the Golden Castle. Two Knights led Camy, and two more walked beside Stampedro, and the flare of the torches, the blare of the trumpets, and neighing of the war horses made it a noisy and memorable march. As they entered the tumble-down and ruined courtyard, the page boys on the tower again blew upon their golden horns.

"The salute to my son!" exclaimed the King of Corumbia breathlessly. "My son, the Yellow Knight, must be somewhere near." Scarcely noting the ruin and decay in his palace, the King rushed inside. A little silence fell upon the company as by the light of the torches they looked upon the wild and weedy castle. Softly the Queen began to weep, hiding her face in her long green veil. Seeing this, Speedy slid quickly from the shoulder of the Knight who carried him.

"The same magic that restored your Majesty and your Majesty's subjects will restore the castle," he assured the Queen eagerly.

"Yes, tell us what to do now, Confido," begged Marygolden from her high perch on another Knight's shoulder. "This small dog knows the secret of all the Sultan's enchantments," the Princess told them seriously, "and is going to help restore the castle."

"Hola, for the Sultan's dog!" roared the Knights and courtiers, and cheered so loud and long that Confido felt that at last he was being properly valued and appreciated. And this time, without even waiting to be coaxed, he told what was to be done.

"Let the King of Corumbia eat the smallest date on the stalk. Let a fire be kindled in the dining hall and the seed of the date cast into the fire," directed Confido, waving his paw commandingly. The King, by this time convinced that his son was not in the castle, had returned, and quickly followed the little dog's instructions. A fire was kindled by the servants in the great dining hall, and as the date seed fell upon the flames there came a crackling and trembling throughout the whole castle! Before the eyes of the assembled courtiers and Knights, the walls straightened, tapestries became shining and bright, rugs soft and whole. Flowers appeared in the vases, and the long oak table running down the center of the tall hall suddenly groaned under the weight of silver, china and a hundred tempting viands. From the kitchens came the odor of roasting meats and browning tarts. Everything was in a moment exactly as it had been five hundred years before, when the Sultan had cast his wicked spell over Corumbia. With a cry of pleasure and delight, the Queen seized Speedy's hand.

"And now, gracious youth!" begged her Majesty. "Restore my son, and no more will I ever ask of thee."

"Bring back the Yellow Knight!" trumpeted Stampedro, who had trotted into the palace and was standing with Camy beside the King. "I can no longer endure this separation." Speedy, as anxious as anyone to see this long missing Prince, turned quickly to Confido, but this time Confido regretfully shook his head.

"The King's son cannot be disenchanted until morning! When the castle clocks strike ten, the Queen must eat the smallest of the remaining dates and fling the seed from the tallest tower. Then, and then only, will the King's son return."

"Are you sure he will be safely restored to us?" asked the Queen.

"As sure as I am of the reward I will receive from your gracious Majesties," murmured Confido, rolling his round little eyes at the King and his Royal Consort. Speedy and Peter exchanged amused glances at Confido's speech, but the King, after earnestly assuring the little dog of his willingness to bestow upon him anything whatsoever he desired, raised his right hand for silence.

"As we must wait until morning before the last and final enchantment can be broken, let us feast and be merry while we wait. But first, let a guard be set around the castle, lest that rascally Sultan attack us in the night. These travellers," the King waved graciously in the direction of Speedy and his comrades, "these travellers have come a long way and have grown weary and hungry in our service. Let us refresh and entertain them and hear from their own lips the strange adventures which brought about our miraculous release."

"'Tis a merry tale and wags like a donkey's ears," said the jester, shaking his belled stick gaily. "Tell them, Speedy, all that has happened to you and to us since you fell in the Skyrocket to Subterranea and discovered the Princess made of gold. And tell them, Sir Knight, all that happened since you set forth upon your quest and came into the enchanted forest yonder."

"Nay! Nay! First let them eat and rest!" And moving toward the head of the long oak table, the King placed Speedy on his right, Sir Hokus on his left, and Marygolden beside the Queen. Stampedro and Camy had golden tables piled with ripe apples and crisp carrots, and Confido was given a golden bowl of cream and chicken hearts, and never in his proudest days in Samandra had the little dog been so fussed over and petted. When at last Speedy could eat no more, and the whole merry company could tuck away not even one more tart, the boy and Sir Hokus related their strange experiences and adventures. The Corumbians listened spellbound, and could one blame them? After questions, exclamations and praise enough to satisfy even Confido, the travellers expressed a desire for bed. So the King, calling loudly for lights, himself conducted them to the Royal Guest Chambers, and bade them an affectionate good-night. Marygolden and Confido had a little yellow room next to the Queen's own chamber. Sir Hokus and Speedy had a whole apartment in the tower, and Camy and Stampedro spent the night in the courtyard, exchanging strange experiences and boasting of their respective masters.

"I wonder," sighed Speedy, giving his pillow a final thump, "why there are four dates left instead of three. It will take only one to restore the Yellow Knight. What about those others?" (I've been wondering that very thing myself, haven't you?)

"I trust," wheezed Sir Hokus, just before he dozed off, "I trust that rascally Sultan will ride this way. There's nothing I should like better than a raging battle, in which I shall give myself the pleasure of tweaking his nose! Odds tarts and turnips! His NOSE!"