Tik-Tok of Oz | Page 8

Clock, "for by
running away we are now able to assist Your Majesty in conquering the
world; whereas, had Files been eaten by the Rak, he would have
deserted your Army."
After a brief rest they descended into the valley, and as soon as they
were out of sight of the Rak the spirits of the entire party rose quickly.
Just at dusk they came to a brook, on the banks of which Queen Ann
commanded them to make camp for the night.
Each officer carried in his pocket a tiny white tent. This, when placed
upon the ground, quickly grew in size until it was large enough to
permit the owner to enter it and sleep within its canvas walls. Files was
obliged to carry a knapsack, in which was not only his own tent but an
elaborate pavilion for Queen Ann, besides a bed and chair and a magic
table. This table, when set upon the ground in Ann's pavilion, became
of large size, and in a drawer of the table was contained the Queen's
supply of extra clothing, her manicure and toilet articles and other
necessary things. The royal bed was the only one in the camp, the
officers and private sleeping in hammocks attached to their tent poles.
There was also in the knapsack a flag bearing the royal emblem of
Oogaboo, and this flag Files flew upon its staff every night, to show
that the country they were in had been conquered by the Queen of
Oogaboo. So far, no one but themselves had seen the flag, but Ann was
pleased to see it flutter in the breeze and considered herself already a
famous conqueror.
Chapter Four
Betsy Braves the Billows
The waves dashed and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and
the ship struck a rock. Betsy Bobbin was running across the deck and
the shock sent her flying through the air until she fell with a splash into
the dark blue water. The same shock caught Hank, a thin little,

sad-faced mule, and tumbled him also into the sea, far from the ship's
side.
When Betsy came up, gasping for breath because the wet plunge had
surprised her, she reached out in the dark and grabbed a bunch of hair.
At first she thought it was the end of a rope, but presently she heard a
dismal "Hee-haw!" and knew she was holding fast to the end of Hank's
tail.
Suddenly the sea was lighted up by a vivid glare. The ship, now in the
far distance, caught fire, blew up and sank beneath the waves.
Betsy shuddered at the sight, but just then her eye caught a mass of
wreckage floating near her and she let go the mule's tail and seized the
rude raft, pulling herself up so that she rode upon it in safety. Hank also
saw the raft and swam to it, but he was so clumsy he never would have
been able to climb upon it had not Betsy helped him to get aboard.
They had to crowd close together, for their support was only a
hatch-cover torn from the ship's deck; but it floated them fairly well
and both the girl and the mule knew it would keep them from
drowning.
The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down.
Blinding bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the clamor of
deep thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves tossed the little
raft here and there as a child tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a
solemn feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every direction
there was no living thing besides herself and the small donkey.
Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose
against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice, as if
to comfort her.
"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried helplessly, and the
mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that meant a promise.
On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when the

sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, while the
girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in this dreadful
emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a mule's power to
guard her safety.
All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out and
passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had grown
smaller and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet raft
and fell asleep.
Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard Betsy.
Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and
watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over