"Thank you, thank you most kindly, me boy, not only a villain, but a polished villain." "She won't stay there long after I have seen Bogie Man." Nickel Plate snapped his fingers in Billy's face. "That for you, I do not fear your threats, I have you in me power now." "That for you," cried all the Aztecs and the Gillies, snapping their fingers and treading on Billy's toes, just to show that they didn't fear him. "The note--the note, or I shall strike you to the gr-r-ound," cried Nickel Plate, and raising his cane he stepped back to strike. But it was a fatal step, for he stumbled over Big Gillie and fell flat on his back. In falling he let go of Billy's collar, and you may be sure Billy didn't waste any time in jumping up and away. "Catch him," cried Nickel Plate. "Certainly," cried the Gillies, stumbling over each other. "Certainly," cried His Terics and Her Terics, stumbling over the Gillies and falling plump onto Nickel Plate. And you can well imagine that it was not a very light fall. "Ugh!" groaned Nickel Plate. "How funny. He-he-he," laughed the Fragments, rolling over and over on Nickel Plate. "'Rah! 'rah! 'rah!" cried Billy, and floated away. CHAPTER X. SEA URCHIN AND NE'ER DO EEL. Now, although Billy felt very happy indeed to have escaped Nickel Plate, the Aztec Fragments, and the Gillies, he was very much worried about Honey Girl. And as he floated along through the air he pictured her weeping in her lonely cell. "I wonder if Nickel Plate told me the truth," he said to himself, "and if he did, what happened to good old General Merchandise and the Bee Soldiers. I wish I knew." "Hello!" called a voice in his ear. He looked around but could see no one. "That's strange," he said. "Hello!! Is that Billy Bounce?" "Yes. Who are you and where are you?" said Billy, in amaze. "I am Mr. Gas and I'm at home," said the voice. "Then where am I?" said Billy, thinking he had suddenly lost his mind. "You're wherever you are," said Mr. Gas's voice. "I'm talking to you over the wireless telephone--less telephone." "Oh!" said Billy, "how wonderful!" "You wanted to find out about Princess Honey Girl, I believe." "Yes, sir." "Don't worry about her, she is perfectly safe--I have my eye on her as well as on you. How are you getting along?" "Very well, thank you--but I suppose I'm still a long way off from Bogie Man's house?" "You are nearer than you were when you were not so near as you are now, so keep afloat and you will get there all right." "Thank you," said Billy; "I'll try." "Well, good-bye--I thought I would ease your mind a bit--the suit can't carry you and a heavy heart very fast nor far, you know." "Thank you," said Billy, "good-bye." "Now I feel lighter hearted," he said, and sure enough instead of falling (which he had just begun to do) he rose several feet in the air.