So the Nome King forgot to be angry with Kaliko and ordered his Chamberlain to summon General Guph and the army of nomes and have them properly armed. They were then to march to the mouth of the Tube, where they could seize the travelers as soon as they appeared.
CHAPTER 15 The Dragon Defies Danger
You see, said Shaggy, in his frank way, Quox is on our side, and therefore the dragon is a good fellow. If he happened to be an enemy, instead of a friend, I am sure I should dislike him very much, for his breath smells of brimstone, he is very conceited and he is so strong and fierce that he would prove a dangerous foe.
Yes, indeed, returned Quox, who had listened to this speech with pleasure; I suppose I am about as terrible as any living thing. I am glad you find me conceited, for that proves I know my good qualities. As for my breath smelling of brimstone, I really cant help it, and I once met a man whose breath smelled of onions, which I consider far worse.
I dont, said Betsy; I love onions.
And I love brimstone, declared the dragon, so dont let us quarrel over one anothers peculiarities.
Saying this, he breathed a long breath and shot a flame fifty feet from his mouth. The brimstone made Betsy cough, but she remembered about the onions and said nothing.
They had no idea how far they had gone through the center of the earth, nor when to expect the trip to end. At one time the little girl remarked:
I wonder when well reach the bottom of this hole. And isnt it funny, Shaggy Man, that what is the bottom to us now, was the top when we fell the other way?
What puzzles me, said Files, is that we are able to fall both ways.
That, announced Tik-Tok, is be-cause the world is round.
Exactly, responded Shaggy. "The machinery in your head is in fine working order, Tik-Tok. You know, Betsy, that there is such a thing as the Attraction of Gravitation, which draws everything toward the center of the earth. That is why we fall out of bed, and why everything clings to the surface of the earth."
Then why doesnt everything go on down to the center of the earth? inquired the little girl.
I was afraid you were going to ask me that, replied Shaggy in a sad tone. The reason, my dear, is that the earth is so solid that other solid things cant get through it. But when theres a hole, as there is in this case, we drop right down to the center of the world.
Why dont we stop there? asked Betsy.
Because we go so fast that we acquire speed enough to carry us right up to the other end.
I dont understand that, and it makes my head ache to try to
figure it out, she said after some thought. One thing draws us to the center and another thing pushes us away from it. But
Dont ask me why, please, interrupted the Shaggy Man. If you cant understand it, let it go at that.
Do you understand it? she inquired.
All the magic isnt in fairyland, he said gravely. Theres lots of magic in all Nature, and you may see it as well in the United States, where you and I once lived, as you can here.
I never did, she replied.
Because you were so used to it all that you didnt realize it was magic. Is anything more wonderful than to see a flower grow and blossom, or to get light out of the electricity in the air? The cows that manufacture milk for us must have machinery fully as remarkable as that in Tik-Toks copper body, and perhaps youve noticed that
And then, before Shaggy could finish his speech, the strong light of day suddenly broke upon them, grew brighter, and completely enveloped them. The dragons claws no longer scraped against the metal Tube, for he shot into the open air a hundred feet or more and sailed so far away from the slanting hole that when he landed it was on the peak of a mountain and just over the entrance to the many underground caverns of the Nome King.
Some of the officers tumbled off their seats when Quox struck the ground, but most of the dragons passengers only felt a slight jar. All were glad to be on solid earth again and they at once dismounted and began to look about them. Queerly enough, as soon as they had left the dragon, the seats that were strapped to the monsters back disappeared, and this probably happened because there was no further use for them and because Quox looked far more dignified in just his silver scales. Of course he still wore the forty yards of ribbon around his neck, as well as the great locket, but these only made him look dressed up, as Betsy remarked.
Now the army of nomes had gathered thickly around the mouth of the Tube, in order to be ready to capture the band of invaders as soon as they popped out. There were, indeed, hundreds of nomes assembled, and they were led by Guph, their most famous General. But they did not expect the dragon to fly so high, and he shot out of the Tube so suddenly that it took them by surprise. When the nomes had rubbed the astonishment out of their eyes and regained their wits, they discovered the dragon quietly seated on the mountain-side far above their heads, while the other strangers were standing in a group and calmly looking down upon them.