“We must search the cavern until we find them,” declared Shaggy; but when he went to the door leading to the other caverns he found it shut and barred.
“I’ve a pretty strong push in my forehead,” said Quox, “and I believe I can break down that door, even though it’s made of solid gold.”
"But you are a prisoner, and the chains that hold you are fastened in some other room, so that we cannot release you," Files said anxiously.
“Oh, never mind that,” returned the dragon. “I have remained a prisoner only because I wished to be one,” and with this he stepped forward and burst the stout chains as easily as if they had been threads.
But when he tried to push in the heavy metal door, even his mighty strength failed, and after several attempts he gave it up and squatted himself in a corner to think of a better way.
“I’ll o-pen the door,” asserted Tik-Tok, and going to the King’s big gong he pounded upon it until the noise was almost deafening.
Kaliko, in the next cavern, was wondering what had happened to Ruggedo and if he had escaped the eggs and outwitted the dragon. But when he heard the sound of the gong, which had so often called him into the King’s presence, he decided that Ruggedo had been victorious; so he took away the bar, threw open the door and entered the royal cavern.
Great was his astonishment to find the King gone and the enchantments removed from the Princess and Shaggy. But the eggs were also gone and so Kaliko advanced to the dragon, whom he knew to be Tititi-Hoochoo’s messenger, and bowed humbly before the beast.
“What is your will?” he inquired.