Trot watched from the window the escape of Ghip-Ghisizzle but did
not know, of course, who it was. Then, after the City had quieted
down again, she lay upon the bed without undressing and was sound
asleep in a minute.
The blue dawn was just breaking when she opened her eyes with a
start of fear that she might have overslept, but soon she found that
no one else in the palace was yet astir. Even the guards had gone to
sleep by this time and were adding their snores to the snores of the
other inhabitants of the Royal Palace. So the little girl got up
and, finding a ewer of water and a basin upon the dresser, washed
herself carefully and then looked in a big mirror to see how her
hair was. To her astonishment, there was no reflection at all; the
mirror was blank so far as Trot was concerned. She laughed a little
at that, remembering she wore the ring of Rosalie the Witch, which
rendered her invisible. Then she slipped quietly out of the room and
found it was already light enough in the corridors for her to see
all objects distinctly.
After hesitating a moment which way to turn, she decided to visit
the Snubnosed Princesses and passed through the big reception room
to the sleeping room of Indigo. There this Princess, the crossest
and most disagreeable of all the disagreeable six, was curled up in
bed and slumbering cozily. The little blue dog came trotting out of
Indigo's boudoir and crowed like a rooster, for although he could
not see Trot, his keen little nose scented her presence. Thinking it
time the Princess awoke, Trot leaned over and gave her snub nose a
good tweak, and at once Indigo sprang out of her bed and rushed into
the chamber of Cobalt, which adjoined her own. Thinking it was this
sister who had slyly attacked her, Indigo rushed at the sleeping
Cobalt and slapped her face.
At once there was war. The other four Princesses, hearing the
screams and cries of rage, came running into Cobalt's room, and as
fast as they appeared, Trot threw pillows at them, so that presently
all six were indulging in a free-for-all battle and snarling like
tigers. The blue lamb came trotting into the room, and Trot leaned
over and patted the pretty little animal, but as she did so, she
became visible for an instant, each pat destroying the charm of the
ring while the girl was in contact with a living creature. These
flashes permitted some of the Princesses to see her, and at once
they rushed toward her with furious cries. But the girl realized
what had happened, and leaving the lamb, she stepped back into a
corner and her frenzied enemies failed to find her. It was a little
dangerous, though, remaining in a room where six girls were feeling
all around for her, so she went away and left them to their vain
search while she renewed her hunt for Cap'n Bill.
The sailorman did not seem to be in any of the rooms she entered, so
she decided to visit the Boolooroo's own apartments. In the room
where Rosalie's vision had shown them the Magic Umbrella lying under
a cabinet, Trot attempted to find it, for she considered that next
to rescuing Cap'n Bill this was the most important task to
accomplish; but the umbrella had been taken away and was no longer
beneath the cabinet. This was a severe disappointment to the child, but she reflected that the umbrella was surely someplace in the Blue city, so there was no need to despair.
Finally, she entered the King's own sleeping chamber and found the
Boolooroo in bed and asleep, with a funny nightcap tied over his
egg-shaped head. As Trot looked at him, she was surprised to see
that he had one foot out of bed and that to his big toe was tied a
cord that led out of the bedchamber into a small dressing room
beyond. Trot slowly followed this cord and in the dressing room came
upon Cap'n Bill, who was lying asleep upon a lounge and snoring with
great vigor. His arms were tied to his body, and his body was tied
fast to the lounge. The wooden leg stuck out into the room at an
angle, and the shoe on his one foot had been removed so that the end
of the cord could be fastened to the sailor's big toe.