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brought you safely back to these shores! Welcome, most welcome, small King
and ruler of the Ozamanders!" Speaking calmly but with black fury in his
heart to have his plans so unexpectedly thwarted, Didjabo advanced rapidly
toward Nikobo. "And now that you are here and really safe, we must see that
you are locked securely in the White Tower of the Wise Man away from all
future hurt and harm!" Reaching the side of the hippopotamus, he put up his
hand to help Tandy dismount.
"I'm not going back to the Tower!" said Tandy, looking the Chief Ozamandarin
straight in the eye. "Ever! I'm riding on to the castle, so kindly order
some refreshments for my friends and shipmates."
"Hi, yi, yi!" approved the old tribesman, pounding the cliff with his lance.
"Here's a King for us. What good did your Tower do before, old Square-Hat?
He was carried off in spite of it, wasn't he? Well, trot along now and do
as he says; he's the King, and I'm here to see he gets his rights!" Shocked
by the determination in Tandy's voice and the evident delight of the crowd
at his defiance, Didjabo put up his hand for silence.
"It is the law of the land that the nine Ozamandarins shall guard the life
and preserve the health of the country's sovereign," stated Didjabo in his
cold and impressive voice. "Until this boy becomes of age he must be cared
for and protected from his enemies. Forward, guards! On to the Tower! You
OTHERS!" Didjabo nodded disagreeably at Samuel Salt, Ato, Roger and Nikobo.
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"You others may return to your ship, where a suitable reward will be sent
out to you. We are deeply indebted to you for finding our King, but the law
of Ozamaland says that all foreigners landing on our shores shall be
instantly and without delay be flung over the cliffs. In your case we
graciously permit you to leave. Come, Tazander!"
While Samuel Salt could not help admiring the way the old Ozamandarin was
trying to keep the upper hand, he had no intention of leaving till he had
assured himself that Tandy was in safe and proper hands. "But surely you
will wish to hear the story of how we found this boy and explain how he
happened to be on that jungle island!" observed Samuel mildly. "Step back,
my good fellow, Nikobo has large feet, and she just might happen to tread
on you."
"Yes," wheezed Nikobo sullenly, "I must might happen to do that very thing."
Slipping round to the other side of the hippopotamus, Didjabo, paying no
attention to either remark, tried to pull Tandy to the ground. But the
little boy, remembering Roger's advice about lubbers, gave him a fast and
sudden poke in the nose that sent his hat flying off and the Ozamandarin
himself rolling head over heels.
"Hurray, hurray! Avast and belay! And down with old Square-Hats forever!"
shrilled the Read Bird, while Ato and Samuel exchanged a proud and pleased
glance. While the other Ozamandarins stood uncertainly, the crowd, long
weary of the rigid rule of the nine judges, began to laugh and cheer.
"The King is King! Long live the King!" shouted the old tribesman
vociferously.
But Didjabo, pulling himself furiously to his feet, flung up his arm.
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"Guards! Guards!" he screeched venomously. "Do your work! Save this poor,
misguided child from these unspeakable foreigners, or we are all lost. Can
you not see they are savages, sorcerers and enemies? Seize the King and
over the cliff with these hippopotamic invaders!"
CHAPTER 19
BOGLODORE'S REVENGE
The word "hippopotamic" seemed to rouse the undecided guards to action, and
Samuel, as the crowd moved uneasily aside to let the elephant- and
camel-mounted guardsmen through, heartily wished himself back on the ship.
Nikobo, squealing with rage and defiance, began moving cautiously back
toward the path down the cliffs. But Ato, who had been merely biding his
time, tore open his package and began tossing right and left the
tumbleweeds and creeping vines which fortunately it had contained.
The first creeper caught Didjabo, bound him up and laid him by the heels
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