"Oh, dot don'd make some ice!" said Louie Knobloch, accompanying the words with sarcastic shakes of his head. "I don'd see no medals on you."
He looked complacently down at his own chest and regarded with satisfaction the big assortment there. Emil Muller was evidently taken aback, but he recovered himself sufficiently to say:
"I am de leater, und you gan ged oudt off der pandt. Ve gan ged along mitout you."
"Oh, vell," said Louie Knobloch, "I gan go."
"Den vhy don'd you? Vat are you shtanding here for?"
"I vass vaiding for my money."
"How much do you owe me?" asked Emil Muller.
"I owe you a veek's vages," said Louie Knobloch. "No, you owe me a veek's vages. You bay me my money und I go."
"You dake dot bum node und bay yourself," said Muller.
That settled the controversy, and Louis Knobloch made no effort to go, nor did Emil Muller urge him.
They made another attempt, without any further interruption, and, while their cheeks puffed out, and they got red in their faces, no one could tell what tune they were playing.
Dragonfel from the throne silently motioned to Grouthead who went out, and returned a few seconds later with a tray on which were four tiny glasses of ginger ale.
[Illustration]
Jacob Schnittger turned and saw him, and then rushed to help himself to one of the glasses of ginger ale. A moment later Hermann Sweinskopf followed his example, and then Peter Dinkelspeil. Louie Knobloch suddenly noticed his companions preparing to refresh themselves, and made a frantic dash to join them. That left only Emil Muller, the leader, playing. He looked around to find out what was the matter, and then sprinted toward Grouthead, but there was no ginger ale left on the tray. He stood with ill-concealed envy watching the other four who were clinking their glasses hilariously. Then the quartet began to sing:
"'Halli, hallo, halli, hallo; Bei uns geht's immer, Je langer je schlimmer; Halli, hallo, halli, hallo, Bei uns geht's immer noch so!'"
"Prosit, leater!" said Louie Knobloch mockingly, as he lifted his glass, with the other three facing around and following suit.
Emil Muller was speechless. He kicked his heels together as he watched them drinking and smacking their lips. Dragonfel again signalled to Grouthead who went out, and came back bearing an immense glass of ginger ale upon the tray.
[Illustration]
Emil Muller swooped down upon it exultingly, and with great difficulty held it aloft. The others of the band gathered around in awe, while Louie Knobloch stood on tiptoe to obtain a better view of the glass.
Emil Muller blew the froth into Louie's face, and the latter wiped it off with his fingers, afterwards putting them in his mouth, as though even small favors sometimes count.
"Do you know vot dot man Vilhelm Shake-a-sbeare vonct saidt?" he asked.
[Illustration: "THE BROWNIES!"]
"No," replied Louie Knobloch, wiping the froth from his eyes. "Vot dit he say?"
Emil Muller raised the glass to his lips, remarking with great emphasis:
"Shake-a-sbeare vonct saidt, 'Dere iss odders!'"
But before he could partake of the cooling drink all of a sudden the Red Spirit with the bow and quiver of arrows he had taken surreptitiously from Prince Florimel flew through the window into the room, shattering the glass all to pieces, and lit right at Dragonfel's feet.
"Be not deceived, kind master!" he cried, in great excitement. "They are the Brownies!"
CHAPTER XVI
THE EARTHQUAKE AND VOLCANO
[Illustration]
The big glass with not so much as a single drop tasted by Emil Muller's lips fell from his hand with a loud crash, and its contents flowed like an amber-colored river along the floor.
Almost instantly at the Red Spirit's startling announcement Dragonfel had sprung up from his throne stiff and rigid, and was regarding the embryo musicians with a glare of peculiar malevolence.
"The Brownies!" he involuntarily ejaculated. "I thought they played too well for a German band!"
Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil had also risen as though they had received an electric shock. Their breath came fast in their sudden agitation. They started to go to the musicians, but Wolfinger, Mandrake, and Snoutpimple roughly grasped them, and held them back.
Realizing the failure of a deception that might have achieved success had it not been for the sly spying of the malicious Red Spirit, Emil Muller, otherwise King Stanislaus, turned and faced Dragonfel, his very attitude hurling a strong challenge of defiance.
Knowing that further subterfuge would be useless, the doughty monarch in a flash whisked off his false nose and moustache, and slipped from his baggy clothes. Likewise Louie Knobloch, Peter Dinkelspeil, Hermann Sweinskopf, and Jacob Schnittger removed their disguises, and the unmistakable features of the Sailor, Policeman, German, and Irishman were revealed. "Yes, we are the Brownies," cried King Stanislaus, "come to demand the instant surrender of Queen Titania and her companions."
"Idiots!" snarled Dragonfel, in a fury. "You have rushed to your destruction!" And he clapped his hands together, and shouted to his followers around him: "What ho, there! Summon everyone in the palace!
We'll see that these presumptuous sprites meet with fitting punishment."
The Demon Usher half flew, and half ran, with even more celerity than usual, to do his bidding. With teeth showing, and fists clenched, the infuriated enchanter advanced threateningly toward the intrepid members of the band who looked at him without even so much as flinching.
"Have a care!" warned King Stanislaus. "Beware of the Brownies' mystic power!" And, turning to the Sailor, he added: "Quick! the signal!"
Instantly the Sailor blew a deafening blast upon his cornet, and in a trice there was the pounding of many fists upon the outer doors, with crashing sounds as though heavy logs were being directed with the force of many hands against them.
[Illustration]
Under the fierce, determined assault the doors gave way and toppled in, while through the opening swarmed and crowded the band of eager Brownies, with Prince Florimel in their lead.
At almost the same instant, through other doors, poured Dragonfel's hosts, with Vulcan's red imps somersaulting and leaping among them, and there were so many of them, and all so big and powerful, they well might cause dismay to the stoutest heart.
"So be it then!" cried Dragonfel, grandiloquently, for the sight of all these great, hulking fellows gave him renewed confidence. "It is power against power!"
And, striking a pompous attitude, he cleared his throat, and placed his hand on his chest.
"Stand back!" shouted King Stanislaus. "He's going to speak a piece!"
Then Dragonfel poetically spouted:
"Much rather than in spite of me, The union of these bands should be, From thy long rest, oh, Vulcan, wake; Let earth to its dark centre quake, And these strong walls that round us stand Come crumbling down in lime and sand!"