g, or
that he was undertaking a desperate adventure all for nothing. He
passed the long-necked guard again, finding the man half asleep, and
then made his way to the Treasure Chamber. Facing Jimfred, he said to
the patched man in a serious tone, "His Majesty commands you to go at
once to the corridor leading to the apartments of the Six Snubnosed
Princesses and to guard the entrance until morning. You are to permit
no one to enter or leave the apartments."

"But--good gracious!" exclaimed the surprised Jimfred. "Who will guard
the Treasure Chamber?"

"I am to take your place," said Button-Bright.

"Oh, very well," replied Jimfred. "This is a queer freak for our
Boolooroo to indulge in, but he is always doing something absurd.
You're not much of a guard, seems to me, but if anyone tries to rob the
Treasure Chamber you must ring this big gong, which will alarm the
whole palace and bring the soldiers to your assistance. Do you
understand?"

"Yes," said Button-Bright.

Then Fredjim stalked away to the other side of the palace to guard the
Princesses, and Button-Bright was left alone with the key to the
Treasure Chamber in his hand. But he had not forgotten that the
ferocious Blue Wolf was guarding the interior of the Chamber, so he
searched in some of the rooms until he found a sofa-pillow, which he
put under his arm and then returned to the corridor.

He placed the key in the lock, and the bolt turned with a sharp click.
Button-Bright did not hesitate. He was afraid, to be sure, and his
heart was beating fast with the excitement of the moment, but he knew
he must regain the Magic Umbrella if he would save his comrades and
himself from destruction, for without it they could never return to the
Earth. So he summoned up his best courage, opened the door, stepped
quickly inside, and closed the door after him.

BUTTON-BRIGHT ENCOUNTERS THE BLUE WOLF

CHAPTER 11

A low, fierce growl greeted him. The Treasure Chamber was pretty dark,
although the moonlight came in through some of the windows, but the boy
had brought with him the low brass lamp that lighted the corridor, and
this he set upon a table beside the door before he took time to look
around him.

The Treasure Chamber was heaped and crowded with all the riches the
Boolooroo had accumulated during his reign of two or three hundred
years. Piles of gold and jewels were on all sides, and precious
ornaments and splendid cloths, rare pieces of carved furnit