m, she could not tell. But had some one been able to take a
flash-light photograph of the Tube at that time a most curious picture
would have resulted. There was Tik-Tok, flat upon his back and sliding
headforemost down the incline. And there were the Officers of the Army
of Oogaboo, all tangled up in a confused crowd, flapping their arms and
trying to shield their faces from the clanking swords, which swung back
and forth during the swift journey and pommeled everyone within their
reach. Now followed Queen Ann, who had struck the Tube in a sitting
position and went flying along with a dash and abandon that thoroughly
bewildered the poor lady, who had no idea what had happened to her.
Then, a little distance away, but unseen by the others in the inky
darkness, slid Betsy and Hank, while behind them were Shaggy and
Polychrome and finally Files and the Princess.

When first they tumbled into the Tube all were too dazed to think
clearly, but the trip was a long one, because the cavity led straight
through the earth to a place just opposite the Nome King's dominions,
and long before the adventurers got to the end they had begun to
recover their wits.

"This is awful, Hank!" cried Betsy in a loud voice, and Queen Ann heard
her and called out: "Are you safe, Betsy?"

"Mercy, no!" answered the little girl. "How could anyone be safe when
she's going about sixty miles a minute?" Then, after a pause, she
added: "But where do you s'pose we're going to, Your Maj'sty?"

"Don't ask her that, please don't!" said Shaggy, who was not too far
away to overhear them. "And please don't ask me why, either."

"Why?" said Betsy.

"No one can tell where we are going until we get there," replied
Shaggy, and then he yelled "Ouch!" for Polychrome had overtaken him and
was now sitting on his head.

The Rainbow's Daughter laughed merrily, and so infectious was this
joyous laugh that Betsy echoed it and Hank said "Hee haw!" in a mild
and sympathetic tone of voice.

"I'd like to know where and when we'll arrive, just the same,"
exclaimed the little girl.

"Be patient and you'll find out, my dear," said Polychrome. "But isn't
this an odd experience? Here am I, whose home is in the skies, making a
journey through the center of the earth--where I never expected to be!"

"How do you know we're in the center of the earth?" asked Betsy, her
voice trembling a little through nervousness.

"Why, we can t be anywhere else," replied Polychrome. "I h