“I’m not afraid,” said Aunt Rivette, confidently. And taking the key, the old lady at once flew away in the direction of the city of Nole, promising to return very soon.
Chapter XIX.
THE BRAVERY OF AUNT RIVETTE.
The Roly-Rogues were so busy rioting that they did not look into the air and discover Aunt Rivette flying over the city. So she alighted, all unobserved, upon a balcony of the palace, just outside the chamber of the Princess Fluff, and succeeded in entering the room.
The creatures had ransacked this apartment, as they had every other part of the royal palace, and Fluff’s pretty dresses and ornaments were strewn about in dreadful confusion. But the drawer in which rested the magic cloak was still locked, and in a few moments the old woman had the precious garment in her hands.
It was, as we know, the imitation cloak Queen Zixi had made and exchanged for the real one; but so closely did it resemble the fairy cloak that Aunt Rivette had no idea she was carrying a useless garment back to her little niece and nephew. On the contrary, she thought to herself: “Now we can quickly dispose of these monstrous rogues and drive them back to their own country.”
Hearing some one moving about in the next room, she ran to the window and soon was flying away with the cloak to the place where she had left Bud and Fluff.
“Good!” cried the lord high steward, when he saw the cloak. “Now we have nothing more to fear. Put on your cloak, your Majesty, and make the wish.”
Bud threw the cloak over his shoulders.
“What shall I wish?” he asked.
“Let me see,” answered Tallydab. “What we want is to get rid of these invaders. Wish them all in the kingdom of Ix.”