“I don’t believe she’ll ever marry me. Let’s don’t go at all,” muttered the Prince of Pumperdink in a shaking voice.
“Oh, come on!” called Wag, who was curious to see the owner of so grand a castle.
“But we mustn’t go, Wag,” gasped Peg Amy. “How would it look to have a shabby old doll tagging along when he’s trying to talk to the Princess?”
“If Peg doesn’t go, I’m not going,” declared Pompa stubbornly.
“You’re just as good as any Princess,” said Kabumpo, “and I’m not going without you, either.”
As the Elegant Elephant refused to budge and there seemed no other way out of it, Peg Amy finally consented and the four adventurers started fearfully up the winding path, almost expecting the castle to disappear before they reached the top, so unreal did it seem in the moonlight. There was no one in the garden but there were lights in the castle windows. “Just as if they expected us,” said the Elegant Elephant, as they reached the tall gates. Pompa opened the gates and next instant they were standing before the great castle door.
“Shall we knock?” chattered Wag, his eyes sticking out with excitement.
“No! Wait a minute,” begged the Prince, who was becoming more agitated every minute.
“Here’s the mirror and the door knob,” quavered Kabumpo. “Didn’t the Question Box say to trust them? Why, look here, Pompa, my boy, it fits!” Clumsily, Kabumpo held up the glittering door knob he had brought all the way from Pumperdink; then he slipped it easily on the small gold bar projecting from the door.
But instead of looking joyful Pompa groaned dismally. He started to protest but Kabumpo had already turned the knob and they found themselves in a glittering gold court room.