The habits of this monstrous animal are very little known , as , of course , he never comes above ground , or at least very seldom , when he makes tracks like a dry river-bed across country . We are certain that there are Earthquakers , otherwise how can we account for earthquakes ? But how to tackle an Earthquaker , how to get at him , and what to do with him when you have got at him , are questions which might puzzle even King Prigio . It was not easy to have the better of an enchantress like Jaqueline and a prince like Ricardo . In no ordinary circumstances could they have been baffled and defeated ; but now it must be admitted that they were in a very trying and alarming situation , especially the princess . The worst of it was , that as Jaqueline sat and thought and thought , she began to remember that she was back in her own country . The hills were those she used to see from her father 's palace windows when she was a child . And she remembered with horror that once a year her people used to send a beautiful girl to the Earthquaker , by way of keeping him quiet , as you shall hear presently . And now she heard light footsteps and a sound of weeping , and lo ! a great troop of pretty girls passed , sweeping in and out of the halls in a kind of procession , and looking unhappy and lost . Jaqueline ran to them . `` Where am I ? who are you ? '' she cried , in the language of her own country , which came back to her on a sudden . `` We are nurses of the Earthquaker , '' they said . `` Our duty is to sing him asleep , and every year he must have a new song ; and every year a new maiden must be sent down from earth , with a new sleepy song she has learned from the priests of Manoa , the City of the Sun . Are you the new singer ? '' `` No , I 'm not , '' said Jaqueline . `` I do n't know the priests of Manoa ; I do n't know any new sleepy song . I only want to find the way out . ''
`` There is no way , or we should have found it , '' said one of the maidens ; `` and , if you are the wrong girl , by the day after to-morrow they must send the right one , otherwise the Earthquaker will waken , and shake the world , and destroy Manoa , the City XXXXX the Sun . ''
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