"There isn't much more," sighed the mer-man gloomily. "Everything went well and happily till the day the little Prince of the Ozure Isles was two years old. Then Mombi suddenly appeared, snatched up her Majesty and flew off. The same day Quiberon came roaring across the lake. One by one, he devoured the herd of sea horses on which the Ozure Islanders were accustomed to ride to the mainland. When I tried to defend them he seized me and thrust me into his cave. Leaping through the water-fall, I escaped to Cave City and have been a prisoner ever since. If I refuse to obey the cave men, they shut me up without water. Without water I cannot live, so as their slave I have been forced to work in this dismal underground cavern." "Just wait till Ozma hears this," cried Trot indignantly. "That monster tried to catch us too, but he's caught himself now, and never _will_ get away." "Do you mean it?" Orpah sprang to his crutches and looked joyfully from one to the other. Trot hastily told him how the bird-man had carried them from the Emerald City to Quiberon's cave, how they, too, had escaped through the water-fall and how the great monster, rushing after them, had become wedged in the narrow passageway. "I wish the King knew about this. If Cheeriobed knew, he'd start at once in search of the Queen," cried Orpah excitedly. "We'll tell him as soon as we're out," proposed the Scarecrow cheerfully, "and help him find the Queen besides." "But how are we to get out?" groaned the mer-man dismally. "I've been here for twenty years." "I will fight these cave men," declared Benny, picking up a rock and glancing belligerently from left to right. "Hush," warned the Scarecrow in a low voice. "We are being shadowed." "What's that?" shivered Trot, as a cold damp wind went whistling past her ears and a long series of wails came echoing through the cavern. [Illustration: "HUSH," WARNED THE SCARECROW] "The cave men," whispered Orpah, quickening his pace. "They are coming to get you." "They won't get me," blustered Benny, brandishing his umbrella in one hand and the rock in the other. "Why, they're shadows!" cried Trot, seizing the Scarecrow's arm. "Live shadows." "Silhouettes," corrected the mer-man, placing himself boldly in front of the little girl. Rushing along both sides of the wall, came the cave men, shouting and yelling and waving their shadow swords and clubs. You have seen the pictures of Egyptian silhouettes carved on old tombs and walls? Well, the cave men were like that, except that they could move and talk. "Pooh! Who's afraid?" stuttered Trot, as the threatening shadows swept along each side of the cave. "Surrender!" called a blue shade, armed with a long spear. "Surrender in the name of King Silly the Second."