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@@ -0,0 +1,6114 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rinkitink in Oz, by L. Frank Baum + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rinkitink in Oz + +Author: L. Frank Baum + +Posting Date: March 23, 2009 [EBook #958] +Release Date: June, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RINKITINK IN OZ *** + + + + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + + + + + + + + +RINKITINK IN OZ + + +by + +L. Frank Baum + + + + Wherein is recorded the Perilous Quest of + Prince Inga of Pingaree and King + Rinkitink in the Magical + Isles that lie beyond + the Borderland + of Oz + + By L. Frank Baum + "Royal Historian of Oz" + + + +Introducing this Story + + +Here is a story with a boy hero, and a boy of whom you have never +before heard. There are girls in the story, too, including our old +friend Dorothy, and some of the characters wander a good way from the +Land of Oz before they all assemble in the Emerald City to take part in +Ozma's banquet. Indeed, I think you will find this story quite +different from the other histories of Oz, but I hope you will not like +it the less on that account. + +If I am permitted to write another Oz book it will tell of some +thrilling adventures encountered by Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin, Trot and the +Patchwork Girl right in the Land of Oz, and how they discovered some +amazing creatures that never could have existed outside a fairy-land. I +have an idea that about the time you are reading this story of +Rinkitink I shall be writing that story of Adventures in Oz. + +Don't fail to write me often and give me your advice and suggestions, +which I always appreciate. I get a good many letters from my readers, +but every one is a joy to me and I answer them as soon as I can find +time to do so. + +"OZCOT" + at HOLLYWOOD + in CALIFORNIA, 1916. + +L. FRANK BAUM + Royal Historian of Oz + + + + +LIST OF CHAPTERS + + 1 The Prince of Pingaree + 2 The Coming of King Rinkitink + 3 The Warriors from the North + 4 The Deserted Island + 5 The Three Pearls + 6 The Magic Boat + 7 The Twin Islands + 8 Rinkitink Makes a Great Mistake + 9 A Present for Zella + 10 The Cunning of Queen Cor + 11 Zella Goes to Coregos + 12 The Excitement of Bilbil the Goat + 13 Zella Saves the Prince + 14 The Escape + 15 The Flight of the Rulers + 16 Nikobob Refuses a Crown + 17 The Nome King + 18 Inga Parts With His Pink Pearl + 19 Rinkitink Chuckles + 20 Dorothy to the Rescue + 21 The Wizard Finds an Enchantment + 22 Ozma's Banquet + 23 The Pearl Kingdom + 24 The Captive King + + + + +Chapter One + +The Prince of Pingaree + + +If you have a map of the Land of Oz handy, you will find that the great +Nonestic Ocean washes the shores of the Kingdom of Rinkitink, between +which and the Land of Oz lies a strip of the country of the Nome King +and a Sandy Desert. The Kingdom of Rinkitink isn't very big and lies +close to the ocean, all the houses and the King's palace being built +near the shore. The people live much upon the water, boating and +fishing, and the wealth of Rinkitink is gained from trading along the +coast and with the islands nearest it. + +Four days' journey by boat to the north of Rinkitink is the Island of +Pingaree, and as our story begins here I must tell you something about +this island. At the north end of Pingaree, where it is widest, the land +is a mile from shore to shore, but at the south end it is scarcely half +a mile broad; thus, although Pingaree is four miles long, from north to +south, it cannot be called a very big island. It is exceedingly pretty, +however, and to the gulls who approach it from the sea it must resemble +a huge green wedge lying upon the waters, for its grass and trees give +it the color of an emerald. + +The grass came to the edge of the sloping shores; the beautiful trees +occupied all the central portion of Pingaree, forming a continuous +grove where the branches met high overhead and there was just space +beneath them for the cosy houses of the inhabitants. These houses were +scattered everywhere throughout the island, so that there was no town +or city, unless the whole island might be called a city. The canopy of +leaves, high overhead, formed a shelter from sun and rain, and the +dwellers in the grove could all look past the straight tree-trunks and +across the grassy slopes to the purple waters of the Nonestic Ocean. + +At the big end of the island, at the north, stood the royal palace of +King Kitticut, the lord and ruler of Pingaree. It was a beautiful +palace, built entirely of snow-white marble and capped by domes of +burnished gold, for the King was exceedingly wealthy. All along the +coast of Pingaree were found the largest and finest pearls in the whole +world. + +These pearls grew within the shells of big oysters, and the people +raked the oysters from their watery beds, sought out the milky pearls +and carried them dutifully to their King. Therefore, once every year +His Majesty was able to send six of his boats, with sixty rowers and +many sacks of the valuable pearls, to the Kingdom of Rinkitink, where +there was a city called Gilgad, in which King Rinkitink's palace stood +on a rocky headland and served, with its high towers, as a lighthouse +to guide sailors to the harbor. In Gilgad the pearls from Pingaree were +purchased by the King's treasurer, and the boats went back to the +island laden with stores of rich merchandise and such supplies of food +as the people and the royal family of Pingaree needed. + +The Pingaree people never visited any other land but that of Rinkitink, +and so there were few other lands that knew there was such an island. +To the southwest was an island called the Isle of Phreex, where the +inhabitants had no use for pearls. And far north of Pingaree--six days' +journey by boat, it was said--were twin islands named Regos and +Coregos, inhabited by a fierce and warlike people. + +Many years before this story really begins, ten big boatloads of those +fierce warriors of Regos and Coregos visited Pingaree, landing suddenly +upon the north end of the island. There they began to plunder and +conquer, as was their custom, but the people of Pingaree, although +neither so big nor so strong as their foes, were able to defeat them +and drive them all back to the sea, where a great storm overtook the +raiders from Regos and Coregos and destroyed them and their boats, not +a single warrior returning to his own country. + +This defeat of the enemy seemed the more wonderful because the +pearl-fishers of Pingaree were mild and peaceful in disposition and +seldom quarreled even among themselves. Their only weapons were their +oyster rakes; yet the fact remains that they drove their fierce enemies +from Regos and Coregos from their shores. + +King Kitticut was only a boy when this remarkable battle was fought, +and now his hair was gray; but he remembered the day well and, during +the years that followed, his one constant fear was of another invasion +of his enemies. He feared they might send a more numerous army to his +island, both for conquest and revenge, in which case there could be +little hope of successfully opposing them. + +This anxiety on the part of King Kitticut led him to keep a sharp +lookout for strange boats, one of his men patrolling the beach +constantly, but he was too wise to allow any fear to make him or his +subjects unhappy. He was a good King and lived very contentedly in his +fine palace, with his fair Queen Garee and their one child, Prince Inga. + +The wealth of Pingaree increased year by year; and the happiness of the +people increased, too. Perhaps there was no place, outside the Land of +Oz, where contentment and peace were more manifest than on this pretty +island, hidden in the besom of the Nonestic Ocean. Had these conditions +remained undisturbed, there would have been no need to speak of +Pingaree in this story. + +Prince Inga, the heir to all the riches and the kingship of Pingaree, +grew up surrounded by every luxury; but he was a manly little fellow, +although somewhat too grave and thoughtful, and he could never bear to +be idle a single minute. He knew where the finest oysters lay hidden +along the coast and was as successful in finding pearls as any of the +men of the island, although he was so slight and small. He had a little +boat of his own and a rake for dragging up the oysters and he was very +proud indeed when he could carry a big white pearl to his father. + +There was no school upon the island, as the people of Pingaree were far +removed from the state of civilization that gives our modern children +such advantages as schools and learned professors, but the King owned +several manuscript books, the pages being made of sheepskin. Being a +man of intelligence, he was able to teach his son something of reading, +writing and arithmetic. + +When studying his lessons Prince Inga used to go into the grove near +his father's palace and climb into the branches of a tall tree, where +he had built a platform with a comfortable seat to rest upon, all +hidden by the canopy of leaves. There, with no one to disturb him, he +would pore over the sheepskin on which were written the queer +characters of the Pingarese language. + +King Kitticut was very proud of his little son, as well he might be, +and he soon felt a high respect for Inga's judgment and thought that he +was worthy to be taken into the confidence of his father in many +matters of state. He taught the boy the needs of the people and how to +rule them justly, for some day he knew that Inga would be King in his +place. One day he called his son to his side and said to him: + +"Our island now seems peaceful enough, Inga, and we are happy and +prosperous, but I cannot forget those terrible people of Regos and +Coregos. My constant fear is that they will send a fleet of boats to +search for those of their race whom we defeated many years ago, and +whom the sea afterwards destroyed. If the warriors come in great +numbers we may be unable to oppose them, for my people are little +trained to fighting at best; they surely would cause us much injury and +suffering." + +"Are we, then, less powerful than in my grandfather's day?" asked +Prince Inga. + +The King shook his head thoughtfully. + +"It is not that," said he. "That you may fully understand that +marvelous battle, I must confide to, you a great secret. I have in my +possession three Magic Talismans, which I have ever guarded with utmost +care, keeping the knowledge of their existence from anyone else. But, +lest I should die, and the secret be lost, I have decided to tell you +what these talismans are and where they are hidden. Come with me, my +son." + +He led the way through the rooms of the palace until they came to the +great banquet hall. There, stopping in the center of the room, he +stooped down and touched a hidden spring in the tiled floor. At once +one of the tiles sank downward and the King reached within the cavity +and drew out a silken bag. + +This bag he proceeded to open, showing Inga that it contained three +great pearls, each one as big around as a marble. One had a blue tint +and one was of a delicate rose color, but the third was pure white. + +"These three pearls," said the King, speaking in a solemn, impressive +voice, "are the most wonderful the world has ever known. They were +gifts to one of my ancestors from the Mermaid Queen, a powerful fairy +whom he once had the good fortune to rescue from her enemies. In +gratitude for this favor she presented him with these pearls. Each of +the three possesses an astonishing power, and whoever is their owner +may count himself a fortunate man. This one having the blue tint will +give to the person who carries it a strength so great that no power can +resist him. The one with the pink glow will protect its owner from all +dangers that may threaten him, no matter from what source they may +come. The third pearl--this one of pure white--can speak, and its words +are always wise and helpful." + +"What is this, my father!" exclaimed the Prince, amazed; "do you tell +me that a pearl can speak? It sounds impossible." + +"Your doubt is due to your ignorance of fairy powers," returned the +King, gravely. "Listen, my son, and you will know that I speak the +truth." + +He held the white pearl to Inga's ear and the Prince heard a small +voice say distinctly: "Your father is right. Never question the truth +of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders." + +"I crave your pardon, dear father," said the Prince, "for clearly I +heard the pearl speak, and its words were full of wisdom." + +"The powers of the other pearls are even greater," resumed the King. +"Were I poor in all else, these gems would make me richer than any +other monarch the world holds." + +"I believe that," replied Inga, looking at the beautiful pearls with +much awe. "But tell me, my father, why do you fear the warriors of +Regos and Coregos when these marvelous powers are yours?" + +"The powers are mine only while I have the pearls upon my person," +answered King Kitticut, "and I dare not carry them constantly for fear +they might be lost. Therefore, I keep them safely hidden in this +recess. My only danger lies in the chance that my watchmen might fail +to discover the approach of our enemies and allow the warrior invaders +to seize me before I could secure the pearls. I should, in that case, +be quite powerless to resist. My father owned the magic pearls at the +time of the Great Fight, of which you have so often heard, and the pink +pearl protected him from harm, while the blue pearl enabled him and his +people to drive away the enemy. Often have I suspected that the +destroying storm was caused by the fairy mermaids, but that is a matter +of which I have no proof." + +"I have often wondered how we managed to win that battle," remarked +Inga thoughtfully. "But the pearls will assist us in case the warriors +come again, will they not?" + +"They are as powerful as ever," declared the King. "Really, my son, I +have little to fear from any foe. But lest I die and the secret be lost +to the next King, I have now given it into your keeping. Remember that +these pearls are the rightful heritage of all Kings of Pingaree. If at +any time I should be taken from you, Inga, guard this treasure well and +do not forget where it is hidden." + +"I shall not forget," said Inga. + +Then the King returned the pearls to their hiding place and the boy +went to his own room to ponder upon the wonderful secret his father had +that day confided to his care. + + + + +Chapter Two + +The Coming of King Rinkitink + + +A few days after this, on a bright and sunny morning when the breeze +blew soft and sweet from the ocean and the trees waved their leaf-laden +branches, the Royal Watchman, whose duty it was to patrol the shore, +came running to the King with news that a strange boat was approaching +the island. + +At first the King was sore afraid and made a step toward the hidden +pearls, but the next moment he reflected that one boat, even if filled +with enemies, would be powerless to injure him, so he curbed his fear +and went down to the beach to discover who the strangers might be. Many +of the men of Pingaree assembled there also, and Prince Inga followed +his father. Arriving at the water's edge, they all stood gazing eagerly +at the oncoming boat. + +It was quite a big boat, they observed, and covered with a canopy of +purple silk, embroidered with gold. It was rowed by twenty men, ten on +each side. As it came nearer, Inga could see that in the stern, seated +upon a high, cushioned chair of state, was a little man who was so very +fat that he was nearly as broad as he was high This man was dressed in +a loose silken robe of purple that fell in folds to his feet, while +upon his head was a cap of white velvet curiously worked with golden +threads and having a circle of diamonds sewn around the band. At the +opposite end of the boat stood an oddly shaped cage, and several large +boxes of sandalwood were piled near the center of the craft. + +As the boat approached the shore the fat little man got upon his feet +and bowed several times in the direction of those who had assembled to +greet him, and as he bowed he flourished his white cap in an energetic +manner. His face was round as an apple and nearly as rosy. When he +stopped bowing he smiled in such a sweet and happy way that Inga +thought he must be a very jolly fellow. + +The prow of the boat grounded on the beach, stopping its speed so +suddenly that the little man was caught unawares and nearly toppled +headlong into the sea. But he managed to catch hold of the chair with +one hand and the hair of one of his rowers with the other, and so +steadied himself. Then, again waving his jeweled cap around his head, +he cried in a merry voice: + +"Well, here I am at last!" + +"So I perceive," responded King Kitticut, bowing with much dignity. + +The fat man glanced at all the sober faces before him and burst into a +rollicking laugh. Perhaps I should say it was half laughter and half a +chuckle of merriment, for the sounds he emitted were quaint and droll +and tempted every hearer to laugh with him. + +"Heh, heh--ho, ho, ho!" he roared. "Didn't expect me, I see. +Keek-eek-eek-eek! This is funny--it's really funny. Didn't know I was +coming, did you? Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo! This is certainly amusing. But I'm +here, just the same." + +"Hush up!" said a deep, growling voice. "You're making yourself +ridiculous." + +Everyone looked to see where this voice came from; but none could guess +who had uttered the words of rebuke. The rowers of the boat were all +solemn and silent and certainly no one on the shore had spoken. But the +little man did not seem astonished in the least, or even annoyed. + +King Kitticut now addressed the stranger, saying courteously: + +"You are welcome to the Kingdom of Pingaree. Perhaps you will deign to +come ashore and at your convenience inform us whom we have the honor of +receiving as a guest." + +"Thanks; I will," returned the little fat man, waddling from his place +in the boat and stepping, with some difficulty, upon the sandy beach. +"I am King Rinkitink, of the City of Gilgad in the Kingdom of +Rinkitink, and I have come to Pingaree to see for myself the monarch +who sends to my city so many beautiful pearls. I have long wished to +visit this island; and so, as I said before, here I am!" + +"I am pleased to welcome you," said King Kitticut. "But why has Your +Majesty so few attendants? Is it not dangerous for the King of a great +country to make distant journeys in one frail boat, and with but twenty +men?" + +"Oh, I suppose so," answered King Rinkitink, with a laugh. "But what +else could I do? My subjects would not allow me to go anywhere at all, +if they knew it. So I just ran away." + +"Ran away!" exclaimed King Kitticut in surprise. + +"Funny, isn't it? Heh, heh, heh--woo, hoo!" laughed Rinkitink, and this +is as near as I can spell with letters the jolly sounds of his +laughter. "Fancy a King running away from his own ple--hoo, hoo--keek, +eek, eek, eek! But I had to, don't you see!" + +"Why?" asked the other King. + +"They're afraid I'll get into mischief. They don't trust me. +Keek-eek-eek--Oh, dear me! Don't trust their own King. Funny, isn't it?" + +"No harm can come to you on this island," said Kitticut, pretending not +to notice the odd ways of his guest. "And, whenever it pleases you to +return to your own country, I will send with you a fitting escort of my +own people. In the meantime, pray accompany me to my palace, where +everything shall be done to make you comfortable and happy." + +"Much obliged," answered Rinkitink, tipping his white cap over his left +ear and heartily shaking the hand of his brother monarch. "I'm sure you +can make me comfortable if you've plenty to eat. And as for being +happy--ha, ha, ha, ha!--why, that's my trouble. I'm too happy. But +stop! I've brought you some presents in those boxes. Please order your +men to carry them up to the palace." + +"Certainly," answered King Kitticut, well pleased, and at once he gave +his men the proper orders. + +"And, by the way," continued the fat little King, "let them also take +my goat from his cage." + +"A goat!" exclaimed the King of Pingaree. + +"Exactly; my goat Bilbil. I always ride him wherever I go, for I'm not +at all fond of walking, being a trifle stout--eh, Kitticut?--a trifle +stout! Hoo, hoo, hoo-keek, eek!" + +The Pingaree people started to lift the big cage out of the boat, but +just then a gruff voice cried: "Be careful, you villains!" and as the +words seemed to come from the goat's mouth the men were so astonished +that they dropped the cage upon the sand with a sudden jar. + +"There! I told you so!" cried the voice angrily. "You've rubbed the +skin off my left knee. Why on earth didn't you handle me gently?" + +"There, there, Bilbil," said King Rinkitink soothingly; "don't scold, +my boy. Remember that these are strangers, and we their guests." Then +he turned to Kitticut and remarked: "You have no talking goats on your +island, I suppose." + +"We have no goats at all," replied the King; "nor have we any animals, +of any sort, who are able to talk." + +"I wish my animal couldn't talk, either," said Rinkitink, winking +comically at Inga and then looking toward the cage. "He is very cross +at times, and indulges in language that is not respectful. I thought, +at first, it would be fine to have a talking goat, with whom I could +converse as I rode about my city on his back; +but--keek-eek-eek-eek!--the rascal treats me as if I were a chimney +sweep instead of a King. Heh, heh, heh, keek, eek! A chimney sweep-hoo, +hoo, hoo!--and me a King! Funny, isn't it?" This last was addressed to +Prince Inga, whom he chucked familiarly under the chin, to the boy's +great embarrassment. + +"Why do you not ride a horse?" asked King Kitticut. + +"I can't climb upon his back, being rather stout; that's why. Kee, kee, +keek, eek!--rather stout--hoo, hoo, hoo!" He paused to wipe the tears +of merriment from his eyes and then added: "But I can get on and off +Bilbil's back with ease." + +He now opened the cage and the goat deliberately walked out and looked +about him in a sulky manner. One of the rowers brought from the boat a +saddle made of red velvet and beautifully embroidered with silver +thistles, which he fastened upon the goat's back. The fat King put his +leg over the saddle and seated himself comfortably, saying: + +"Lead on, my noble host, and we will follow." + +"What! Up that steep hill?" cried the goat. "Get off my back at once, +Rinkitink, or I won't budge a step. + +"But-consider, Bilbil," remonstrated the King. "How am I to get up that +hill unless I ride?" + +"Walk!" growled Bilbil. + +"But I'm too fat. Really, Bilbil, I'm surprised at you. Haven't I +brought you all this distance so you may see something of the world and +enjoy life? And now you are so ungrateful as to refuse to carry me! +Turn about is fair play, my boy. The boat carried you to this shore, +because you can't swim, and now you must carry me up the hill, because +I can't climb. Eh, Bilbil, isn't that reasonable?" + +"Well, well, well," said the goat, surlily, "keep quiet and I'll carry +you. But you make me very tired, Rinkitink, with your ceaseless +chatter." + +After making this protest Bilbil began walking up the hill, carrying +the fat King upon his back with no difficulty whatever. + +Prince Inga and his father and all the men of Pingaree were much +astonished to overhear this dispute between King Rinkitink and his +goat; but they were too polite to make critical remarks in the presence +of their guests. King Kitticut walked beside the goat and the Prince +followed after, the men coming last with the boxes of sandalwood. + +When they neared the palace, the Queen and her maidens came out to meet +them and the royal guest was escorted in state to the splendid throne +room of the palace. Here the boxes were opened and King Rinkitink +displayed all the beautiful silks and laces and jewelry with which they +were filled. Every one of the courtiers and ladies received a handsome +present, and the King and Queen had many rich gifts and Inga not a few. +Thus the time passed pleasantly until the Chamberlain announced that +dinner was served. + +Bilbil the goat declared that he preferred eating of the sweet, rich +grass that grew abundantly in the palace grounds, and Rinkitink said +that the beast could never bear being shut up in a stable; so they +removed the saddle from his back and allowed him to wander wherever he +pleased. + +During the dinner Inga divided his attention between admiring the +pretty gifts he had received and listening to the jolly sayings of the +fat King, who laughed when he was not eating and ate when he was not +laughing and seemed to enjoy himself immensely. + +"For four days I have lived in that narrow boat," said he, "with no +other amusement than to watch the rowers and quarrel with Bilbil; so I +am very glad to be on land again with such friendly and agreeable +people." + +"You do us great honor," said King Kitticut, with a polite bow. + +"Not at all--not at all, my brother. This Pingaree must be a wonderful +island, for its pearls are the admiration of all the world; nor will I +deny the fact that my kingdom would be a poor one without the riches +and glory it derives from the trade in your pearls. So I have wished +for many years to come here to see you, but my people said: 'No! Stay +at home and behave yourself, or we'll know the reason why.'" + +"Will they not miss Your Majesty from your palace at Gilgad?" inquired +Kitticut. + +"I think not," answered Rinkitink. "You see, one of my clever subjects +has written a parchment entitled 'How to be Good,' and I believed it +would benefit me to study it, as I consider the accomplishment of being +good one of the fine arts. I had just scolded severely my Lord High +Chancellor for coming to breakfast without combing his eyebrows, and +was so sad and regretful at having hurt the poor man's feelings that I +decided to shut myself up in my own room and study the scroll until I +knew how to be good--hee, heek, keek, eek, eek!--to be good! Clever +idea, that, wasn't it? Mighty clever! And I issued a decree that no one +should enter my room, under pain of my royal displeasure, until I was +ready to come out. They're awfully afraid of my royal displeasure, +although not a bit afraid of me. Then I put the parchment in my pocket +and escaped through the back door to my boat--and here I am. Oo, +hoo-hoo, keek-eek! Imagine the fuss there would be in Gilgad if my +subjects knew where I am this very minute!" + +"I would like to see that parchment," said the solemn-eyed Prince Inga, +"for if it indeed teaches one to be good it must be worth its weight in +pearls." + +"Oh, it's a fine essay," said Rinkitink, "and beautifully written with +a goosequill. Listen to this: You'll enjoy it--tee, hee, hee!--enjoy +it." + +He took from his pocket a scroll of parchment tied with a black ribbon, +and having carefully unrolled it, he proceeded to read as follows: + +"'A Good Man is One who is Never Bad.' How's that, eh? Fine thought, +what? 'Therefore, in order to be Good, you must avoid those Things +which are Evil.' Oh, hoo-hoo-hoo!--how clever! When I get back I shall +make the man who wrote that a royal hippolorum, for, beyond question, +he is the wisest man in my kingdom--as he has often told me himself." +With this, Rinkitink lay back in his chair and chuckled his queer +chuckle until he coughed, and coughed until he choked and choked until +he sneezed. And he wrinkled his face in such a jolly, droll way that +few could keep from laughing with him, and even the good Queen was +forced to titter behind her fan. + +When Rinkitink had recovered from his fit of laughter and had wiped his +eyes upon a fine lace handkerchief, Prince Inga said to him: + +"The parchment speaks truly." + +"Yes, it is true beyond doubt," answered Rinkitink, "and if I could +persuade Bilbil to read it he would be a much better goat than he is +now. Here is another selection: 'To avoid saying Unpleasant Things, +always Speak Agreeably.' That would hit Bilbil, to a dot. And here is +one that applies to you, my Prince: 'Good Children are seldom punished, +for the reason that they deserve no punishment.' Now, I think that is +neatly put, and shows the author to be a deep thinker. But the advice +that has impressed me the most is in the following paragraph: 'You may +not find it as Pleasant to be Good as it is to be Bad, but Other People +will find it more Pleasant.' Haw-hoo-ho! keek-eek! 'Other people will +find it more pleasant!'--hee, hee, heek, keek!--'more pleasant.' Dear +me--dear me! Therein lies a noble incentive to be good, and whenever I +get time I'm surely going to try it." + +Then he wiped his eyes again with the lace handkerchief and, suddenly +remembering his dinner, seized his knife and fork and began eating. + + + + +Chapter Three + +The Warriors from the North + + +King Rinkitink was so much pleased with the Island of Pingaree that he +continued his stay day after day and week after week, eating good +dinners, talking with King Kitticut and sleeping. Once in a while he +would read from his scroll. "For," said he, "whenever I return home, my +subjects will be anxious to know if I have learned 'How to be Good,' +and I must not disappoint them." + +The twenty rowers lived on the small end of the island, with the pearl +fishers, and seemed not to care whether they ever returned to the +Kingdom of Rinkitink or not. Bilbil the goat wandered over the grassy +slopes, or among the trees, and passed his days exactly as he pleased. +His master seldom cared to ride him. Bilbil was a rare curiosity to the +islanders, but since there was little pleasure in talking with the goat +they kept away from him. This pleased the creature, who seemed well +satisfied to be left to his own devices. + +Once Prince Inga, wishing to be courteous, walked up to the goat and +said: "Good morning, Bilbil." + +"It isn't a good morning," answered Bilbil grumpily. "It is cloudy and +damp, and looks like rain." + +"I hope you are contented in our kingdom," continued the boy, politely +ignoring the other's harsh words. + +"I'm not," said Bilbil. "I'm never contented; so it doesn't matter to +me whether I'm in your kingdom or in some other kingdom. Go away--will +you?" + +"Certainly," answered the Prince, and after this rebuff he did not +again try to make friends with Bilbil. + +Now that the King, his father, was so much occupied with his royal +guest, Inga was often left to amuse himself, for a boy could not be +allowed to take part in the conversation of two great monarchs. He +devoted himself to his studies, therefore, and day after day he climbed +into the branches of his favorite tree and sat for hours in his +"tree-top rest," reading his father's precious manuscripts and thinking +upon what he read. + +You must not think that Inga was a molly-coddle or a prig, because he +was so solemn and studious. Being a King's son and heir to a throne, he +could not play with the other boys of Pingaree, and he lived so much in +the society of the King and Queen, and was so surrounded by the pomp +and dignity of a court, that he missed all the jolly times that boys +usually have. I have no doubt that had he been able to live as other +boys do, he would have been much like other boys; as it was, he was +subdued by his surroundings, and more grave and thoughtful than one of +his years should be. + +Inga was in his tree one morning when, without warning, a great fog +enveloped the Island of Pingaree. The boy could scarcely see the tree +next to that in which he sat, but the leaves above him prevented the +dampness from wetting him, so he curled himself up in his seat and fell +fast asleep. + +All that forenoon the fog continued. King Kitticut, who sat in his +palace talking with his merry visitor, ordered the candles lighted, +that they might be able to see one another. The good Queen, Inga's +mother, found it was too dark to work at her embroidery, so she called +her maidens together and told them wonderful stories of bygone days, in +order to pass away the dreary hours. + +But soon after noon the weather changed. The dense fog rolled away like +a heavy cloud and suddenly the sun shot his bright rays over the island. + +"Very good!" exclaimed King Kitticut. "We shall have a pleasant +afternoon, I am sure," and he blew out the candles. + +Then he stood a moment motionless, as if turned to stone, for a +terrible cry from without the palace reached his ears--a cry so full of +fear and horror that the King's heart almost stopped beating. +Immediately there was a scurrying of feet as every one in the palace, +filled with dismay, rushed outside to see what had happened. Even fat +little Rinkitink sprang from his chair and followed his host and the +others through the arched vestibule. + +After many years the worst fears of King Kitticut were realized. + +Landing upon the beach, which was but a few steps from the palace +itself, were hundreds of boats, every one filled with a throng of +fierce warriors. They sprang upon the land with wild shouts of defiance +and rushed to the King's palace, waving aloft their swords and spears +and battleaxes. + +King Kitticut, so completely surprised that he was bewildered, gazed at +the approaching host with terror and grief. + +"They are the men of Regos and Coregos!" he groaned. "We are, indeed, +lost!" + +Then he bethought himself, for the first time, of his wonderful pearls. +Turning quickly, he ran back into the palace and hastened to the hall +where the treasures were hidden. But the leader of the warriors had +seen the King enter the palace and bounded after him, thinking he meant +to escape. Just as the King had stooped to press the secret spring in +the tiles, the warrior seized him from the rear and threw him backward +upon the floor, at the same time shouting to his men to fetch ropes and +bind the prisoner. This they did very quickly and King Kitticut soon +found himself helplessly bound and in the power of his enemies. In this +sad condition he was lifted by the warriors and carried outside, when +the good King looked upon a sorry sight. + +The Queen and her maidens, the officers and servants of the royal +household and all who had inhabited this end of the Island of Pingaree +had been seized by the invaders and bound with ropes. At once they +began carrying their victims to the boats, tossing them in as +unceremoniously as if they had been bales of merchandise. + +The King looked around for his son Inga, but failed to find the boy +among the prisoners. Nor was the fat King, Rinkitink, to be seen +anywhere about. + +The warriors were swarming over the palace like bees in a hive, seeking +anyone who might be in hiding, and after the search had been prolonged +for some time the leader asked impatiently: "Do you find anyone else?" + +"No," his men told him. "We have captured them all." + +"Then," commanded the leader, "remove everything of value from the +palace and tear down its walls and towers, so that not one stone +remains upon another!" + +While the warriors were busy with this task we will return to the boy +Prince, who, when the fog lifted and the sun came out, wakened from his +sleep and began to climb down from his perch in the tree. But the +terrifying cries of the people, mingled with the shouts of the rude +warriors, caused him to pause and listen eagerly. + +Then he climbed rapidly up the tree, far above his platform, to the +topmost swaying branches. This tree, which Inga called his own, was +somewhat taller than the other trees that surrounded it, and when he +had reached the top he pressed aside the leaves and saw a great fleet +of boats upon the shore--strange boats, with banners that he had never +seen before. Turning to look upon his father's palace, he found it +surrounded by a horde of enemies. Then Inga knew the truth: that the +island had been invaded by the barbaric warriors from the north. He +grew so faint from the terror of it all that he might have fallen had +he not wound his arms around a limb and clung fast until the dizzy +feeling passed away. Then with his sash he bound himself to the limb +and again ventured to look out through the leaves. + +The warriors were now engaged in carrying King Kitticut and Queen Garee +and all their other captives down to the boats, where they were thrown +in and chained one to another. It was a dreadful sight for the Prince +to witness, but he sat very still, concealed from the sight of anyone +below by the bower of leafy branches around him. Inga knew very well +that he could do nothing to help his beloved parents, and that if he +came down he would only be forced to share their cruel fate. + +Now a procession of the Northmen passed between the boats and the +palace, bearing the rich furniture, splendid draperies and rare +ornaments of which the royal palace had been robbed, together with such +food and other plunder as they could lay their hands upon. After this, +the men of Regos and Coregos threw ropes around the marble domes and +towers and hundreds of warriors tugged at these ropes until the domes +and towers toppled and fell in ruins upon the ground. Then the walls +themselves were torn down, till little remained of the beautiful palace +but a vast heap of white marble blocks tumbled and scattered upon the +ground. + +Prince Inga wept bitter tears of grief as he watched the ruin of his +home; yet he was powerless to avert the destruction. When the palace +had been demolished, some of the warriors entered their boats and rowed +along the coast of the island, while the others marched in a great body +down the length of the island itself. They were so numerous that they +formed a line stretching from shore to shore and they destroyed every +house they came to and took every inhabitant prisoner. + +The pearl fishers who lived at the lower end of the island tried to +escape in their boats, but they were soon overtaken and made prisoners, +like the others. Nor was there any attempt to resist the foe, for the +sharp spears and pikes and swords of the invaders terrified the hearts +of the defenseless people of Pingaree, whose sole weapons were their +oyster rakes. + +When night fell the whole of the Island of Pingaree had been conquered +by the men of the North, and all its people were slaves of the +conquerors. Next morning the men of Regos and Coregos, being capable of +no further mischief, departed from the scene of their triumph, carrying +their prisoners with them and taking also every boat to be found upon +the island. Many of the boats they had filled with rich plunder, with +pearls and silks and velvets, with silver and gold ornaments and all +the treasure that had made Pingaree famed as one of the richest +kingdoms in the world. And the hundreds of slaves they had captured +would be set to work in the mines of Regos and the grain fields of +Coregos. + +So complete was the victory of the Northmen that it is no wonder the +warriors sang songs of triumph as they hastened back to their homes. +Great rewards were awaiting them when they showed the haughty King of +Regos and the terrible Queen of Coregos the results of their ocean raid +and conquest. + + + + +Chapter Four + +The Deserted Island + + +All through that terrible night Prince Inga remained hidden in his +tree. In the morning he watched the great fleet of boats depart for +their own country, carrying his parents and his countrymen with them, +as well as everything of value the Island of Pingaree had contained. + +Sad, indeed, were the boy's thoughts when the last of the boats had +become a mere speck in the distance, but Inga did not dare leave his +perch of safety until all of the craft of the invaders had disappeared +beyond the horizon. Then he came down, very slowly and carefully, for +he was weak from hunger and the long and weary watch, as he had been in +the tree for twenty-four hours without food. + +The sun shone upon the beautiful green isle as brilliantly as if no +ruthless invader had passed and laid it in ruins. The birds still +chirped among the trees and the butterflies darted from flower to +flower as happily as when the land was filled with a prosperous and +contented people. + +Inga feared that only he was left of all his nation. Perhaps he might +be obliged to pass his life there alone. He would not starve, for the +sea would give him oysters and fish, and the trees fruit; yet the life +that confronted him was far from enticing. + +The boy's first act was to walk over to where the palace had stood and +search the ruins until he found some scraps of food that had been +overlooked by the enemy. He sat upon a block of marble and ate of this, +and tears filled his eyes as he gazed upon the desolation around him. +But Inga tried to bear up bravely, and having satisfied his hunger he +walked over to the well, intending to draw a bucket of drinking water. + +Fortunately, this well had been overlooked by the invaders and the +bucket was still fastened to the chain that wound around a stout wooden +windlass. Inga took hold of the crank and began letting the bucket down +into the well, when suddenly he was startled by a muffled voice crying +out: + +"Be careful, up there!" + +The sound and the words seemed to indicate that the voice came from the +bottom of the well, so Inga looked down. Nothing could be seen, on +account of the darkness. + +"Who are you?" he shouted. + +"It's I--Rinkitink," came the answer, and the depths of the well +echoed: "Tink-i-tink-i-tink!" in a ghostly manner. + +"Are you in the well?" asked the boy, greatly surprised. + +"Yes, and nearly drowned. I fell in while running from those terrible +warriors, and I've been standing in this damp hole ever since, with my +head just above the water. It's lucky the well was no deeper, for had +my head been under water, instead of above it--hoo, hoo, hoo, keek, +eek!--under instead of over, you know--why, then I wouldn't be talking +to you now! Ha, hoo, hee!" And the well dismally echoed: "Ha, hoo, +hee!" which you must imagine was a laugh half merry and half sad. + +"I'm awfully sorry," cried the boy, in answer. "I wonder you have the +heart to laugh at all. But how am I to get you out?" + +"I've been considering that all night," said Rinkitink, "and I believe +the best plan will be for you to let down the bucket to me, and I'll +hold fast to it while you wind up the chain and so draw me to the top." + +"I will try to do that," replied Inga, and he let the bucket down very +carefully until he heard the King call out: + +"I've got it! Now pull me up--slowly, my boy, slowly--so I won't rub +against the rough sides." + +Inga began winding up the chain, but King Rinkitink was so fat that he +was very heavy and by the time the boy had managed to pull him halfway +up the well his strength was gone. He clung to the crank as long as +possible, but suddenly it slipped from his grasp and the next minute he +heard Rinkitink fall "plump!" into the water again. + +"That's too bad!" called Inga, in real distress; "but you were so heavy +I couldn't help it." + +"Dear me!" gasped the King, from the darkness below, as he spluttered +and coughed to get the water out of his mouth. "Why didn't you tell me +you were going to let go?" + +"I hadn't time," said Inga, sorrowfully. + +"Well, I'm not suffering from thirst," declared the King, "for there's +enough water inside me to float all the boats of Regos and Coregos or +at least it feels that way. But never mind! So long as I'm not actually +drowned, what does it matter?" + +"What shall we do next?" asked the boy anxiously. + +"Call someone to help you," was the reply. + +"There is no one on the island but myself," said the boy; "--excepting +you," he added, as an afterthought. + +"I'm not on it--more's the pity!--but in it," responded Rinkitink. "Are +the warriors all gone?" + +"Yes," said Inga, "and they have taken my father and mother, and all +our people, to be their slaves," he added, trying in vain to repress a +sob. + +"So--so!" said Rinkitink softly; and then he paused a moment, as if in +thought. Finally he said: "There are worse things than slavery, but I +never imagined a well could be one of them. Tell me, Inga, could you +let down some food to me? I'm nearly starved, and if you could manage +to send me down some food I'd be well fed--hoo, hoo, heek, keek, +eek!--well fed. Do you see the joke, Inga?" + +"Do not ask me to enjoy a joke just now, Your Majesty," begged Inga in +a sad voice; "but if you will be patient I will try to find something +for you to eat." + +He ran back to the ruins of the palace and began searching for bits of +food with which to satisfy the hunger of the King, when to his surprise +he observed the goat, Bilbil, wandering among the marble blocks. + +"What!" cried Inga. "Didn't the warriors get you, either?" + +"If they had," calmly replied Bilbil, "I shouldn't be here." + +"But how did you escape?" asked the boy. + +"Easily enough. I kept my mouth shut and stayed away from the rascals," +said the goat. "I knew that the soldiers would not care for a skinny +old beast like me, for to the eye of a stranger I seem good for +nothing. Had they known I could talk, and that my head contained more +wisdom than a hundred of their own noddles, I might not have escaped so +easily." + +"Perhaps you are right," said the boy. + +"I suppose they got the old man?" carelessly remarked Bilbil. + +"What old man?" + +"Rinkitink." + +"Oh, no! His Majesty is at the bottom of the well," said Inga, "and I +don't know how to get him out again." + +"Then let him stay there," suggested the goat. + +"That would be cruel. I am sure, Bilbil, that you are fond of the good +King, your master, and do not mean what you say. Together, let us find +some way to save poor King Rinkitink. He is a very jolly companion, and +has a heart exceedingly kind and gentle." + +"Oh, well; the old boy isn't so bad, taken altogether," admitted +Bilbil, speaking in a more friendly tone. "But his bad jokes and fat +laughter tire me dreadfully, at times." + +Prince Inga now ran back to the well, the goat following more leisurely. + +"Here's Bilbil!" shouted the boy to the King. "The enemy didn't get +him, it seems." + +"That's lucky for the enemy," said Rinkitink. "But it's lucky for me, +too, for perhaps the beast can assist me out of this hole. If you can +let a rope down the well, I am sure that you and Bilbil, pulling +together, will be able to drag me to the earth's surface." + +"Be patient and we will make the attempt," replied Inga encouragingly, +and he ran to search the ruins for a rope. Presently he found one that +had been used by the warriors in toppling over the towers, which in +their haste they had neglected to remove, and with some difficulty he +untied the knots and carried the rope to the mouth of the well. + +Bilbil had lain down to sleep and the refrain of a merry song came in +muffled tones from the well, proving that Rinkitink was making a +patient endeavor to amuse himself. + +"I've found a rope!" Inga called down to him; and then the boy +proceeded to make a loop in one end of the rope, for the King to put +his arms through, and the other end he placed over the drum of the +windlass. He now aroused Bilbil and fastened the rope firmly around the +goat's shoulders. + +"Are you ready?" asked the boy, leaning over the well. + +"I am," replied the King. + +"And I am not," growled the goat, "for I have not yet had my nap out. +Old Rinki will be safe enough in the well until I've slept an hour or +two longer." + +"But it is damp in the well," protested the boy, "and King Rinkitink +may catch the rheumatism, so that he will have to ride upon your back +wherever he goes." + +Hearing this, Bilbil jumped up at once. + +"Let's get him out," he said earnestly. + +"Hold fast!" shouted Inga to the King. Then he seized the rope and +helped Bilbil to pull. They soon found the task more difficult than +they had supposed. Once or twice the King's weight threatened to drag +both the boy and the goat into the well, to keep Rinkitink company. But +they pulled sturdily, being aware of this danger, and at last the King +popped out of the hole and fell sprawling full length upon the ground. + +For a time he lay panting and breathing hard to get his breath back, +while Inga and Bilbil were likewise worn out from their long strain at +the rope; so the three rested quietly upon the grass and looked at one +another in silence. + +Finally Bilbil said to the King: "I'm surprised at you. Why were you so +foolish as to fall down that well? Don't you know it's a dangerous +thing to do? You might have broken your neck in the fall, or been +drowned in the water." + +"Bilbil," replied the King solemnly, "you're a goat. Do you imagine I +fell down the well on purpose?" + +"I imagine nothing," retorted Bilbil. "I only know you were there." + +"There? Heh-heh-heek-keek-eek! To be sure I was there," laughed +Rinkitink. "There in a dark hole, where there was no light; there in a +watery well, where the wetness soaked me through and +through--keek-eek-eek-eek!--through and through!" + +"How did it happen?" inquired Inga. + +"I was running away from the enemy," explained the King, "and I was +carelessly looking over my shoulder at the same time, to see if they +were chasing me. So I did not see the well, but stepped into it and +found myself tumbling down to the bottom. I struck the water very +neatly and began struggling to keep myself from drowning, but presently +I found that when I stood upon my feet on the bottom of the well, that +my chin was just above the water. So I stood still and yelled for help; +but no one heard me." + +"If the warriors had heard you," said Bilbil, "they would have pulled +you out and carried you away to be a slave. Then you would have been +obliged to work for a living, and that would be a new experience." + +"Work!" exclaimed Rinkitink. "Me work? Hoo, hoo, heek-keek-eek! How +absurd! I'm so stout--not to say chubby--not to say fat--that I can +hardly walk, and I couldn't earn my salt at hard work. So I'm glad the +enemy did not find me, Bilbil. How many others escaped?" + +"That I do not know," replied the boy, "for I have not yet had time to +visit the other parts of the island. When you have rested and satisfied +your royal hunger, it might be well for us to look around and see what +the thieving warriors of Regos and Coregos have left us." + +"An excellent idea," declared Rinkitink. "I am somewhat feeble from my +long confinement in the well, but I can ride upon Bilbil's back and we +may as well start at once." + +Hearing this, Bilbil cast a surly glance at his master but said +nothing, since it was really the goat's business to carry King +Rinkitink wherever he desired to go. + +They first searched the ruins of the palace, and where the kitchen had +once been they found a small quantity of food that had been half hidden +by a block of marble. This they carefully placed in a sack to preserve +it for future use, the little fat King having first eaten as much as he +cared for. This consumed some time, for Rinkitink had been exceedingly +hungry and liked to eat in a leisurely manner. When he had finished the +meal he straddled Bilbil's back and set out to explore the island, +Prince Inga walking by his side. + +They found on every hand ruin and desolation. The houses of the people +had been pilfered of all valuables and then torn down or burned. Not a +boat had been left upon the shore, nor was there a single person, man +or woman or child, remaining upon the island, save themselves. The only +inhabitants of Pingaree now consisted of a fat little King, a boy and a +goat. + +Even Rinkitink, merry hearted as he was, found it hard to laugh in the +face of this mighty disaster. Even the goat, contrary to its usual +habit, refrained from saying anything disagreeable. As for the poor boy +whose home was now a wilderness, the tears came often to his eyes as he +marked the ruin of his dearly loved island. + +When, at nightfall, they reached the lower end of Pingaree and found it +swept as bare as the rest, Inga's grief was almost more than he could +bear. Everything had been swept from him--parents, home and country--in +so brief a time that his bewilderment was equal to his sorrow. + +Since no house remained standing, in which they might sleep, the three +wanderers crept beneath the overhanging branches of a cassa tree and +curled themselves up as comfortably as possible. So tired and exhausted +were they by the day's anxieties and griefs that their troubles soon +faded into the mists of dreamland. Beast and King and boy slumbered +peacefully together until wakened by the singing of the birds which +greeted the dawn of a new day. + + + + +Chapter Five + +The Three Pearls + + +When King Rinkitink and Prince Inga had bathed themselves in the sea +and eaten a simple breakfast, they began wondering what they could do +to improve their condition. + +"The poor people of Gilgad," said Rinkitink cheerfully, "are little +likely ever again to behold their King in the flesh, for my boat and my +rowers are gone with everything else. Let us face the fact that we are +imprisoned for life upon this island, and that our lives will be short +unless we can secure more to eat than is in this small sack." + +"I'll not starve, for I can eat grass," remarked the goat in a pleasant +tone--or a tone as pleasant as Bilbil could assume. + +"True, quite true," said the King. Then he seemed thoughtful for a +moment and turning to Inga he asked: "Do you think, Prince, that if the +worst comes, we could eat Bilbil?" + +The goat gave a groan and cast a reproachful look at his master as he +said: + +"Monster! Would you, indeed, eat your old friend and servant?" + +"Not if I can help it, Bilbil," answered the King pleasantly. "You +would make a remarkably tough morsel, and my teeth are not as good as +they once were." + +While this talk was in progress Inga suddenly remembered the three +pearls which his father had hidden under the tiled floor of the banquet +hall. Without doubt King Kitticut had been so suddenly surprised by the +invaders that he had found no opportunity to get the pearls, for +otherwise the fierce warriors would have been defeated and driven out +of Pingaree. So they must still be in their hiding place, and Inga +believed they would prove of great assistance to him and his comrades +in this hour of need. But the palace was a mass of ruins; perhaps he +would be unable now to find the place where the pearls were hidden. + +He said nothing of this to Rinkitink, remembering that his father had +charged him to preserve the secret of the pearls and of their magic +powers. Nevertheless, the thought of securing the wonderful treasures +of his ancestors gave the boy new hope. + +He stood up and said to the King: + +"Let us return to the other end of Pingaree. It is more pleasant than +here in spite of the desolation of my father's palace. And there, if +anywhere, we shall discover a way out of our difficulties." + +This suggestion met with Rinkitink's approval and the little party at +once started upon the return journey. As there was no occasion to delay +upon the way, they reached the big end of the island about the middle +of the day and at once began searching the ruins of the palace. + +They found, to their satisfaction, that one room at the bottom of a +tower was still habitable, although the roof was broken in and the +place was somewhat littered with stones. The King was, as he said, too +fat to do any hard work, so he sat down on a block of marble and +watched Inga clear the room of its rubbish. This done, the boy hunted +through the ruins until he discovered a stool and an armchair that had +not been broken beyond use. Some bedding and a mattress were also +found, so that by nightfall the little room had been made quite +comfortable. + +The following morning, while Rinkitink was still sound asleep and +Bilbil was busily cropping the dewy grass that edged the shore, Prince +Inga began to search the tumbled heaps of marble for the place where +the royal banquet hall had been. After climbing over the ruins for a +time he reached a flat place which he recognized, by means of the tiled +flooring and the broken furniture scattered about, to be the great hall +he was seeking. But in the center of the floor, directly over the spot +where the pearls were hidden, lay several large and heavy blocks of +marble, which had been torn from the dismantled walls. + +This unfortunate discovery for a time discouraged the boy, who realized +how helpless he was to remove such vast obstacles; but it was so +important to secure the pearls that he dared not give way to despair +until every human effort had been made, so he sat him down to think +over the matter with great care. + +Meantime Rinkitink had risen from his bed and walked out upon the lawn, +where he found Bilbil reclining at ease upon the greensward. + +"Where is Inga?" asked Rinkitink, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles +because their vision was blurred with too much sleep. + +"Don't ask me," said the goat, chewing with much satisfaction a cud of +sweet grasses. + +"Bilbil," said the King, squatting down beside the goat and resting his +fat chin upon his hands and his elbows on his knees, "allow me to +confide to you the fact that I am bored, and need amusement. My good +friend Kitticut has been kidnapped by the barbarians and taken from me, +so there is no one to converse with me intelligently. I am the King and +you are the goat. Suppose you tell me a story. + +"Suppose I don't," said Bilbil, with a scowl, for a goat's face is very +expressive. + +"If you refuse, I shall be more unhappy than ever, and I know your +disposition is too sweet to permit that. Tell me a story, Bilbil." + +The goat looked at him with an expression of scorn. Said he: + +"One would think you are but four years old, Rinkitink! But there--I +will do as you command. Listen carefully, and the story may do you some +good--although I doubt if you understand the moral." + +"I am sure the story will do me good," declared the King, whose eyes +were twinkling. + +"Once on a time," began the goat. + +"When was that, Bilbil?" asked the King gently. + +"Don't interrupt; it is impolite. Once on a time there was a King with +a hollow inside his head, where most people have their brains, and--" + +"Is this a true story, Bilbil?" + +"And the King with a hollow head could chatter words, which had no +sense, and laugh in a brainless manner at senseless things. That part +of the story is true enough, Rinkitink." + +"Then proceed with the tale, sweet Bilbil. Yet it is hard to believe +that any King could be brainless--unless, indeed, he proved it by +owning a talking goat." + +Bilbil glared at him a full minute in silence. Then he resumed his +story: + +"This empty-headed man was a King by accident, having been born to that +high station. Also the King was empty-headed by the same chance, being +born without brains." + +"Poor fellow!" quoth the King. "Did he own a talking goat?" + +"He did," answered Bilbil. + +"Then he was wrong to have been born at all. Cheek-eek-eek-eek, oo, +hoo!" chuckled Rinkitink, his fat body shaking with merriment. "But +it's hard to prevent oneself from being born; there's no chance for +protest, eh, Bilbil?" + +"Who is telling this story, I'd like to know," demanded the goat, with +anger. + +"Ask someone with brains, my boy; I'm sure I can't tell," replied the +King, bursting into one of his merry fits of laughter. + +Bilbil rose to his hoofs and walked away in a dignified manner, leaving +Rinkitink chuckling anew at the sour expression of the animal's face. + +"Oh, Bilbil, you'll be the death of me, some day--I'm sure you will!" +gasped the King, taking out his lace handkerchief to wipe his eyes; +for, as he often did, he had laughed till the tears came. + +Bilbil was deeply vexed and would not even turn his head to look at his +master. To escape from Rinkitink he wandered among the ruins of the +palace, where he came upon Prince Inga. + +"Good morning, Bilbil," said the boy. "I was just going to find you, +that I might consult you upon an important matter. If you will kindly +turn back with me I am sure your good judgment will be of great +assistance." + +The angry goat was quite mollified by the respectful tone in which he +was addressed, but he immediately asked: + +"Are you also going to consult that empty-headed King over yonder?" + +"I am sorry to hear you speak of your kind master in such a way," said +the boy gravely. "All men are deserving of respect, being the highest +of living creatures, and Kings deserve respect more than others, for +they are set to rule over many people." + +"Nevertheless," said Bilbil with conviction, "Rinkitink's head is +certainly empty of brains." + +"That I am unwilling to believe," insisted Inga. "But anyway his heart +is kind and gentle and that is better than being wise. He is merry in +spite of misfortunes that would cause others to weep and he never +speaks harsh words that wound the feelings of his friends." + +"Still," growled Bilbil, "he is--" + +"Let us forget everything but his good nature, which puts new heart +into us when we are sad," advised the boy. + +"But he is--" + +"Come with me, please," interrupted Inga, "for the matter of which I +wish to speak is very important." + +Bilbil followed him, although the boy still heard the goat muttering +that the King had no brains. Rinkitink, seeing them turn into the +ruins, also followed, and upon joining them asked for his breakfast. + +Inga opened the sack of food and while he and the King ate of it the +boy said: + +"If I could find a way to remove some of the blocks of marble which +have fallen in the banquet hall, I think I could find means for us to +escape from this barren island." + +"Then," mumbled Rinkitink, with his mouth full, "let us move the blocks +of marble." + +"But how?" inquired Prince Inga. "They are very heavy." + +"Ah, how, indeed?" returned the King, smacking his lips contentedly. +"That is a serious question. But--I have it! Let us see what my famous +parchment says about it." He wiped his fingers upon a napkin and then, +taking the scroll from a pocket inside his embroidered blouse, he +unrolled it and read the following words: 'Never step on another man's +toes.' + +The goat gave a snort of contempt; Inga was silent; the King looked +from one to the other inquiringly. + +"That's the idea, exactly!" declared Rinkitink. + +"To be sure," said Bilbil scornfully, "it tells us exactly how to move +the blocks of marble." + +"Oh, does it?" responded the King, and then for a moment he rubbed the +top of his bald head in a perplexed manner. The next moment he burst +into a peal of joyous laughter. The goat looked at Inga and sighed. + +"What did I tell you?" asked the creature. "Was I right, or was I +wrong?" + +"This scroll," said Rinkitink, "is indeed a masterpiece. Its advice is +of tremendous value. 'Never step on another man's toes.' Let us think +this over. The inference is that we should step upon our own toes, +which were given us for that purpose. Therefore, if I stepped upon +another man's toes, I would be the other man. Hoo, hoo, hoo!--the other +man--hee, hee, heek-keek-eek! Funny, isn't it?" + +"Didn't I say--" began Bilbil. + +"No matter what you said, my boy," roared the King. "No fool could have +figured that out as nicely as I did." + +"We have still to decide how to remove the blocks of marble," suggested +Inga anxiously. + + "Fasten a rope to them, and pull," said Bilbil. +"Don't pay any more attention to Rinkitink, for he is no wiser than the +man who wrote that brainless scroll. Just get the rope, and we'll +fasten Rinkitink to one end of it for a weight and I'll help you pull." + +"Thank you, Bilbil," replied the boy. "I'll get the rope at once." + +Bilbil found it difficult to climb over the ruins to the floor of the +banquet hall, but there are few places a goat cannot get to when it +makes the attempt, so Bilbil succeeded at last, and even fat little +Rinkitink finally joined them, though much out of breath. + +Inga fastened one end of the rope around a block of marble and then +made a loop at the other end to go over Bilbil's head. When all was +ready the boy seized the rope and helped the goat to pull; yet, strain +as they might, the huge block would not stir from its place. Seeing +this, King Rinkitink came forward and lent his assistance, the weight +of his body forcing the heavy marble to slide several feet from where +it had lain. + +But it was hard work and all were obliged to take a long rest before +undertaking the removal of the next block. + +"Admit, Bilbil," said the King, "that I am of some use in the world." + +"Your weight was of considerable help," acknowledged the goat, "but if +your head were as well filled as your stomach the task would be still +easier." + +When Inga went to fasten the rope a second time he was rejoiced to +discover that by moving one more block of marble he could uncover the +tile with the secret spring. So the three pulled with renewed energy +and to their joy the block moved and rolled upon its side, leaving Inga +free to remove the treasure when he pleased. + +But the boy had no intention of allowing Bilbil and the King to share +the secret of the royal treasures of Pingaree; so, although both the +goat and its master demanded to know why the marble blocks had been +moved, and how it would benefit them, Inga begged them to wait until +the next morning, when he hoped to be able to satisfy them that their +hard work had not been in vain. + +Having little confidence in this promise of a mere boy, the goat +grumbled and the King laughed; but Inga paid no heed to their ridicule +and set himself to work rigging up a fishing rod, with line and hook. +During the afternoon he waded out to some rocks near the shore and +fished patiently until he had captured enough yellow perch for their +supper and breakfast. + +"Ah," said Rinkitink, looking at the fine catch when Inga returned to +the shore; "these will taste delicious when they are cooked; but do you +know how to cook them?" + +"No," was the reply. "I have often caught fish, but never cooked them. +Perhaps Your Majesty understands cooking." + +"Cooking and majesty are two different things," laughed the little +King. "I could not cook a fish to save me from starvation." + +"For my part," said Bilbil, "I never eat fish, but I can tell you how +to cook them, for I have often watched the palace cooks at their work." +And so, with the goat's assistance, the boy and the King managed to +prepare the fish and cook them, after which they were eaten with good +appetite. + +That night, after Rinkitink and Bilbil were both fast asleep, Inga +stole quietly through the moonlight to the desolate banquet hall. +There, kneeling down, he touched the secret spring as his father had +instructed him to do and to his joy the tile sank downward and +disclosed the opening. You may imagine how the boy's heart throbbed +with excitement as he slowly thrust his hand into the cavity and felt +around to see if the precious pearls were still there. In a moment his +fingers touched the silken bag and, without pausing to close the +recess, he pressed the treasure against his breast and ran out into the +moonlight to examine it. When he reached a bright place he started to +open the bag, but he observed Bilbil lying asleep upon the grass near +by. So, trembling with the fear of discovery, he ran to another place, +and when he paused he heard Rinkitink snoring lustily. Again he fled +and made his way to the seashore, where he squatted under a bank and +began to untie the cords that fastened the mouth of the bag. But now +another fear assailed him. + +"If the pearls should slip from my hand," he thought, "and roll into +the water, they might be lost to me forever. I must find some safer +place." + +Here and there he wandered, still clasping the silken bag in both +hands, and finally he went to the grove and climbed into the tall tree +where he had made his platform and seat. But here it was pitch dark, so +he found he must wait patiently until morning before he dared touch the +pearls. During those hours of waiting he had time for reflection and +reproached himself for being so frightened by the possession of his +father's treasures. + +"These pearls have belonged to our family for generations," he mused, +"yet no one has ever lost them. If I use ordinary care I am sure I need +have no fears for their safety." + +When the dawn came and he could see plainly, Inga opened the bag and +took out the Blue Pearl. There was no possibility of his being observed +by others, so he took time to examine it wonderingly, saying to +himself: "This will give me strength." + +Taking off his right shoe he placed the Blue Pearl within it, far up in +the pointed toe. Then he tore a piece from his handkerchief and stuffed +it into the shoe to hold the pearl in place. Inga's shoes were long and +pointed, as were all the shoes worn in Pingaree, and the points curled +upward, so that there was quite a vacant space beyond the place where +the boy's toes reached when the shoe was upon his foot. + +After he had put on the Shoe and laced it up he opened the bag and took +out the Pink Pearl. "This will protect me from danger," said Inga, and +removing the shoe from his left foot he carefully placed the pearl in +the hollow toe. This, also, he secured in place by means of a strip +torn from his handkerchief. + +Having put on the second shoe and laced it up, the boy drew from the +silken bag the third pearl--that which was pure white--and holding it +to his ear he asked. + +"Will you advise me what to do, in this my hour of misfortune?" + +Clearly the small voice of the pearl made answer: + +"I advise you to go to the Islands of Regos and Coregos, where you may +liberate your parents from slavery." + +"How could I do that?" exclaimed Prince Inga, amazed at receiving such +advice. + +"To-night," spoke the voice of the pearl, "there will be a storm, and +in the morning a boat will strand upon the shore. Take this boat and +row to Regos and Coregos." + +"How can I, a weak boy, pull the boat so far?" he inquired, doubting +the possibility. + +"The Blue Pearl will give you strength," was the reply. + +"But I may be shipwrecked and drowned, before ever I reach Regos and +Coregos," protested the boy. + +"The Pink Pearl will protect you from harm," murmured the voice, soft +and low but very distinct. + +"Then I shall act as you advise me," declared Inga, speaking firmly +because this promise gave him courage, and as he removed the pearl from +his ear it whispered: + +"The wise and fearless are sure to win success." + +Restoring the White Pearl to the depths of the silken bag, Inga +fastened it securely around his neck and buttoned his waist above it to +hide the treasure from all prying eyes. Then he slowly climbed down +from the tree and returned to the room where King Rinkitink still slept. + +The goat was browsing upon the grass but looked cross and surly. When +the boy said good morning as he passed, Bilbil made no response +whatever. As Inga entered the room the King awoke and asked: + +"What is that mysterious secret of yours? I've been dreaming about it, +and I haven't got my breath yet from tugging at those heavy blocks. +Tell me the secret." + +"A secret told is no longer a secret," replied Inga, with a laugh. +"Besides, this is a family secret, which it is proper I should keep to +myself. But I may tell you one thing, at least: We are going to leave +this island to-morrow morning." + +The King seemed puzzled' by this statement. + +"I'm not much of a swimmer," said he, "and, though I'm fat enough to +float upon the surface of the water, I'd only bob around and get +nowhere at all." + +"We shall not swim, but ride comfortably in a boat," promised Inga. + +"There isn't a boat on this island!" declared Rinkitink, looking upon +the boy with wonder. + +"True," said Inga. "But one will come to us in the morning." He spoke +positively, for he had perfect faith in the promise of the White Pearl; +but Rinkitink, knowing nothing of the three marvelous jewels, began to +fear that the little Prince had lost his mind through grief and +misfortune. + +For this reason the King did not question the boy further but tried to +cheer him by telling him witty stories. He laughed at all the stories +himself, in his merry, rollicking way, and Inga joined freely in the +laughter because his heart had been lightened by the prospect of +rescuing his dear parents. Not since the fierce warriors had descended +upon Pingaree had the boy been so hopeful and happy. + +With Rinkitink riding upon Bilbil's back, the three made a tour of the +island and found in the central part some bushes and trees bearing ripe +fruit. They gathered this freely, for--aside from the fish which Inga +caught--it was the only food they now had, and the less they had, the +bigger Rinkitink's appetite seemed to grow. + +"I am never more happy," said he with a sigh, "than when I am eating." + +Toward evening the sky became overcast and soon a great storm began to +rage. Prince Inga and King Rinkitink took refuge within the shelter of +the room they had fitted up and there Bilbil joined them. The goat and +the King were somewhat disturbed by the violence of the storm, but Inga +did not mind it, being pleased at this evidence that the White Pearl +might be relied upon. + +All night the wind shrieked around the island; thunder rolled, +lightning flashed and rain came down in torrents. But with morning the +storm abated and when the sun arose no sign of the tempest remained +save a few fallen trees. + + + + +Chapter Six + +The Magic Boat + + +Prince Inga was up with the sun and, accompanied by Bilbil, began +walking along the shore in search of the boat which the White Pearl had +promised him. Never for an instant did he doubt that he would find it +and before he had walked any great distance a dark object at the +water's edge caught his eye. + +"It is the boat, Bilbil!" he cried joyfully, and running down to it he +found it was, indeed, a large and roomy boat. Although stranded upon +the beach, it was in perfect order and had suffered in no way from the +storm. + +Inga stood for some moments gazing upon the handsome craft and +wondering where it could have come from. Certainly it was unlike any +boat he had ever seen. On the outside it was painted a lustrous black, +without any other color to relieve it; but all the inside of the boat +was lined with pure silver, polished so highly that the surface +resembled a mirror and glinted brilliantly in the rays of the sun. The +seats had white velvet cushions upon them and the cushions were +splendidly embroidered with threads of gold. At one end, beneath the +broad seat, was a small barrel with silver hoops, which the boy found +was filled with fresh, sweet water. A great chest of sandalwood, bound +and ornamented with silver, stood in the other end of the boat. Inga +raised the lid and discovered the chest filled with sea-biscuits, +cakes, tinned meats and ripe, juicy melons; enough good and wholesome +food to last the party a long time. + +Lying upon the bottom of the boat were two shining oars, and overhead, +but rolled back now, was a canopy of silver cloth to ward off the heat +of the sun. + +It is no wonder the boy was delighted with the appearance of this +beautiful boat; but on reflection he feared it was too large for him to +row any great distance. Unless, indeed, the Blue Pearl gave him unusual +strength. + +While he was considering this matter, King Rinkitink came waddling up +to him and said: + +"Well, well, well, my Prince, your words have come true! Here is the +boat, for a certainty, yet how it came here--and how you knew it would +come to us--are puzzles that mystify me. I do not question our good +fortune, however, and my heart is bubbling with joy, for in this boat I +will return at once to my City of Gilgad, from which I have remained +absent altogether too long a time." + +"I do not wish to go to Gilgad," said Inga. + +"That is too bad, my friend, for you would be very welcome. But you may +remain upon this island, if you wish," continued Rinkitink, "and when I +get home I will send some of my people to rescue you." + +"It is my boat, Your Majesty," said Inga quietly. + +"May be, may be," was the careless answer, "but I am King of a great +country, while you are a boy Prince without any kingdom to speak of. +Therefore, being of greater importance than you, it is just and right +that I take, your boat and return to my own country in it." + +"I am sorry to differ from Your Majesty's views," said Inga, "but +instead of going to Gilgad I consider it of greater importance that we +go to the islands of Regos and Coregos." + +"Hey? What!" cried the astounded King. "To Regos and Coregos! To become +slaves of the barbarians, like the King, your father? No, no, my boy! +Your Uncle Rinki may have an empty noddle, as Bilbil claims, but he is +far too wise to put his head in the lion's mouth. It's no fun to be a +slave." + +"The people of Regos and Coregos will not enslave us," declared Inga. +"On the contrary, it is my intention to set free my dear parents, as +well as all my people, and to bring them back again to Pingaree." + +"Cheek-eek-eek-eek-eek! How funny!" chuckled Rinkitink, winking at the +goat, which scowled in return. "Your audacity takes my breath away, +Inga, but the adventure has its charm, I must, confess. Were I not so +fat, I'd agree to your plan at once, and could probably conquer that +horde of fierce warriors without any assistance at all--any at all--eh, +Bilbil? But I grieve to say that I am fat, and not in good fighting +trim. As for your determination to do what I admit I can't do, Inga, I +fear you forget that you are only a boy, and rather small at that." + +"No, I do not forget that," was Inga's reply. + +"Then please consider that you and I and Bilbil are not strong enough, +as an army, to conquer a powerful nation of skilled warriors. We could +attempt it, of course, but you are too young to die, while I am too +old. Come with me to my City of Gilgad, where you will be greatly +honored. I'll have my professors teach you how to be good. Eh? What do +you say?" + +Inga was a little embarrassed how to reply to these arguments, which he +knew King Rinkitink considered were wise; so, after a period of +thought, he said: + +"I will make a bargain with Your Majesty, for I do not wish to fail in +respect to so worthy a man and so great a King as yourself. This boat +is mine, as I have said, and in my father's absence you have become my +guest; therefore I claim that I am entitled to some consideration, as +well as you." + +"No doubt of it," agreed Rinkitink. "What is the bargain you propose, +Inga?" + +"Let us both get into the boat, and you shall first try to row us to +Gilgad. If you succeed, I will accompany you right willingly; but +should you fail, I will then row the boat to Regos, and you must come +with me without further protest." + +"A fair and just bargain!" cried the King, highly pleased. "Yet, +although I am a man of mighty deeds, I do not relish the prospect of +rowing so big a boat all the way to Gilgad. But I will do my best and +abide by the result." + +The matter being thus peaceably settled, they prepared to embark. A +further supply of fruits was placed in the boat and Inga also raked up +a quantity of the delicious oysters that abounded on the coast of +Pingaree but which he had before been unable to reach for lack of a +boat. This was done at the suggestion of the ever-hungry Rinkitink, and +when the oysters had been stowed in their shells behind the water +barrel and a plentiful supply of grass brought aboard for Bilbil, they +decided they were ready to start on their voyage. + +It proved no easy task to get Bilbil into the boat, for he was a +remarkably clumsy goat and once, when Rinkitink gave him a push, he +tumbled into the water and nearly drowned before they could get him out +again. But there was no thought of leaving the quaint animal behind. +His power of speech made him seem almost human in the eyes of the boy, +and the fat King was so accustomed to his surly companion that nothing +could have induced him to part with him. Finally Bilbil fell sprawling +into the bottom of the boat, and Inga helped him to get to the front +end, where there was enough space for him to lie down. + +Rinkitink now took his seat in the silver-lined craft and the boy came +last, pushing off the boat as he sprang aboard, so that it floated +freely upon the water. + +"Well, here we go for Gilgad!" exclaimed the King, picking up the oars +and placing them in the row-locks. Then he began to row as hard as he +could, singing at the same time an odd sort of a song that ran like +this: + + "The way to Gilgad isn't bad + For a stout old King and a brave young lad, + For a cross old goat with a dripping coat, + And a silver boat in which to float. + So our hearts are merry, light and glad + As we speed away to fair Gilgad!" + + +"Don't, Rinkitink; please don't! It makes me seasick," growled Bilbil. + +Rinkitink stopped rowing, for by this time he was all out of breath and +his round face was covered with big drops of perspiration. And when he +looked over his shoulder he found to his dismay that the boat had +scarcely moved a foot from its former position. + +Inga said nothing and appeared not to notice the King's failure. So now +Rinkitink, with a serious look on his fat, red face, took off his +purple robe and rolled up the sleeves of his tunic and tried again. + +However, he succeeded no better than before and when he heard Bilbil +give a gruff laugh and saw a smile upon the boy Prince's face, +Rinkitink suddenly dropped the oars and began shouting with laughter at +his own defeat. As he wiped his brow with a yellow silk handkerchief he +sang in a merry voice: + + "A sailor bold am I, I hold, + But boldness will not row a boat. + So I confess I'm in distress + And just as useless as the goat." + + +"Please leave me out of your verses," said Bilbil with a snort of anger. + +"When I make a fool of myself, Bilbil, I'm a goat," replied Rinkitink. + +"Not so," insisted Bilbil. "Nothing could make you a member of my +superior race." + +"Superior? Why, Bilbil, a goat is but a beast, while I am a King!" + +"I claim that superiority lies in intelligence," said the goat. + +Rinkitink paid no attention to this remark, but turning to Inga he said: + +"We may as well get back to the shore, for the boat is too heavy to row +to Gilgad or anywhere else. Indeed, it will be hard for us to reach +land again." + +"Let me take the oars," suggested Inga. "You must not forget our +bargain." + +"No, indeed," answered Rinkitink. "If you can row us to Regos, or to +any other place, I will go with you without protest." + +So the King took Inga's place at the stern of the boat and the boy +grasped the oars and commenced to row. And now, to the great wonder of +Rinkitink--and even to Inga's surprise--the oars became light as +feathers as soon as the Prince took hold of them. In an instant the +boat began to glide rapidly through the water and, seeing this, the boy +turned its prow toward the north. He did not know exactly where Regos +and Coregos were located, but he did know that the islands lay to the +north of Pingaree, so he decided to trust to luck and the guidance of +the pearls to carry him to them. + +Gradually the Island of Pingaree became smaller to their view as the +boat sped onward, until at the end of an hour they had lost sight of it +altogether and were wholly surrounded by the purple waters of the +Nonestic Ocean. + +Prince Inga did not tire from the labor of rowing; indeed, it seemed to +him no labor at all. Once he stopped long enough to place the poles of +the canopy in the holes that had been made for them, in the edges of +the boat, and to spread the canopy of silver over the poles, for +Rinkitink had complained of the sun's heat. But the canopy shut out the +hot rays and rendered the interior of the boat cool and pleasant. + +"This is a glorious ride!" cried Rinkitink, as he lay back in the +shade. "I find it a decided relief to be away from that dismal island +of Pingaree. + +"It may be a relief for a short time," said Bilbil, "but you are going +to the land of your enemies, who will probably stick your fat body full +of spears and arrows." + +"Oh, I hope not!" exclaimed Inga, distressed at the thought. + +"Never mind," said the King calmly, "a man can die but once, you know, +and when the enemy kills me I shall beg him to kill Bilbil, also, that +we may remain together in death as in life." + +"They may be cannibals, in which case they will roast and eat us," +suggested Bilbil, who wished to terrify his master. + +"Who knows?" answered Rinkitink, with a shudder. "But cheer up, Bilbil; +they may not kill us after all, or even capture us; so let us not +borrow trouble. Do not look so cross, my sprightly quadruped, and I +will sing to amuse you." + +"Your song would make me more cross than ever," grumbled the goat. + +"Quite impossible, dear Bilbil. You couldn't be more surly if you +tried. So here is a famous song for you." + +While the boy rowed steadily on and the boat rushed fast over the +water, the jolly King, who never could be sad or serious for many +minutes at a time, lay back on his embroidered cushions and sang as +follows: + + "A merry maiden went to sea-- + Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! + She sat upon the Captain's knee + And looked around the sea to see + What she could see, but she couldn't see me-- + Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! + + +"How do you like that, Bilbil?" + +"I don't like it," complained the goat. "It reminds me of the alligator +that tried to whistle." + +"Did he succeed, Bilbil?" asked the King. + +"He whistled as well as you sing." + +"Ha, ha, ha, ha, heek, keek, eek!" chuckled the King. "He must have +whistled most exquisitely, eh, my friend?" + +"I am not your friend," returned the goat, wagging his ears in a surly +manner. + +"I am yours, however," was the King's cheery reply; "and to prove it +I'll sing you another verse." + +"Don't, I beg of you!" + +But the King sang as follows: + + "The wind blew off the maiden's shoe-- + Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! + And the shoe flew high to the sky so blue + And the maiden knew 'twas a new shoe, too; + But she couldn't pursue the shoe, 'tis true-- + Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! + + +"Isn't that sweet, my pretty goat?" + +"Sweet, do you ask?" retorted Bilbil. "I consider it as sweet as candy +made from mustard and vinegar." + +"But not as sweet as your disposition, I admit. Ah, Bilbil, your temper +would put honey itself to shame." + +"Do not quarrel, I beg of you," pleaded Inga. "Are we not sad enough +already?" + +"But this is a jolly quarrel," said the King, "and it is the way Bilbil +and I often amuse ourselves. Listen, now, to the last verse of all: + + "The maid who shied her shoe now cried-- + Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! + Her tears were fried for the Captain's bride + Who ate with pride her sobs, beside, + And gently sighed 'I'm satisfied'-- + Sing to-ral-oo-ral-i-do!" + + +"Worse and worse!" grumbled Bilbil, with much scorn. "I am glad that is +the last verse, for another of the same kind might cause me to faint." + +"I fear you have no ear for music," said the King. + +"I have heard no music, as yet," declared the goat. "You must have a +strong imagination, King Rinkitink, if you consider your songs music. +Do you remember the story of the bear that hired out for a nursemaid?" + +"I do not recall it just now," said Rinkitink, with a wink at Inga. + +"Well, the bear tried to sing a lullaby to put the baby to sleep." + +"And then?" said the King. + +"The bear was highly pleased with its own voice, but the baby was +nearly frightened to death." + +"Heh, heb, heh, heh, whoo, hoo, hoo! You are a merry rogue, Bilbil," +laughed the King; "a merry rogue in spite of your gloomy features. +However, if I have not amused you, I have at least pleased myself, for +I am exceedingly fond of a good song. So let us say no more about it." + +All this time the boy Prince was rowing the boat. He was not in the +least tired, for the oars he held seemed to move of their own accord. +He paid little heed to the conversation of Rinkitink and the goat, but +busied his thoughts with plans of what he should do when he reached the +islands of Regos and Coregos and confronted his enemies. When the +others finally became silent, Inga inquired. + +"Can you fight, King Rinkitink?" + +"I have never tried," was the answer. "In time of danger I have found +it much easier to run away than to face the foe." + +"But could you fight?" asked the boy. + +"I might try, if there was no chance to escape by running. Have you a +proper weapon for me to fight with?" + +"I have no weapon at all," confessed Inga. + +"Then let us use argument and persuasion instead of fighting. For +instance, if we could persuade the warriors of Regos to lie down, and +let me step on them, they would be crushed with ease." + +Prince Inga had expected little support from the King, so he was not +discouraged by this answer. After all, he reflected, a conquest by +battle would be out of the question, yet the White Pearl would not have +advised him to go to Regos and Coregos had the mission been a hopeless +one. It seemed to him, on further reflection, that he must rely upon +circumstances to determine his actions when he reached the islands of +the barbarians. + +By this time Inga felt perfect confidence in the Magic Pearls. It was +the White Pearl that had given him the boat, and the Blue Pearl that +had given him strength to row it. He believed that the Pink Pearl would +protect him from any danger that might arise; so his anxiety was not +for himself, but for his companions. King Rinkitink and the goat had no +magic to protect them, so Inga resolved to do all in his power to keep +them from harm. + +For three days and three nights the boat with the silver lining sped +swiftly over the ocean. On the morning of the fourth day, so quickly +had they traveled, Inga saw before him the shores of the two great +islands of Regos and Coregos. + +"The pearls have guided me aright!" he whispered to himself. "Now, if I +am wise, and cautious, and brave, I believe I shall be able to rescue +my father and mother and my people." + + + + +Chapter Seven + +The Twin Islands + + +The Island of Regos was ten miles wide and forty miles long and it was +ruled by a big and powerful King named Gos. Near to the shores were +green and fertile fields, but farther back from the sea were rugged +hills and mountains, so rocky that nothing would grow there. But in +these mountains were mines of gold and silver, which the slaves of the +King were forced to work, being confined in dark underground passages +for that purpose. In the course of time huge caverns had been hollowed +out by the slaves, in which they lived and slept, never seeing the +light of day. Cruel overseers with whips stood over these poor people, +who had been captured in many countries by the raiding parties of King +Cos, and the overseers were quite willing to lash the slaves with their +whips if they faltered a moment in their work. + +Between the green shores and the mountains were forests of thick, +tangled trees, between which narrow paths had been cut to lead up to +the caves of the mines. It was on the level green meadows, not far from +the ocean, that the great City of Regos had been built, wherein was +located the palace of the King. This city was inhabited by thousands of +the fierce warriors of Gos, who frequently took to their boats and +spread over the sea to the neighboring islands to conquer and pillage, +as they had done at Pingaree. When they were not absent on one of these +expeditions, the City of Regos swarmed with them and so became a +dangerous place for any peaceful person to live in, for the warriors +were as lawless as their King. + +The Island of Coregos lay close beside the Island of Regos; so close, +indeed, that one might have thrown a stone from one shore to another. +But Coregos was only half the size of Regos and instead of being +mountainous it was a rich and pleasant country, covered with fields of +grain. The fields of Coregos furnished food for the warriors and +citizens of both countries, while the mines of Regos made them all rich. + +Coregos was ruled by Queen Cor, who was wedded to King Gos; but so +stern and cruel was the nature of this Queen that the people could not +decide which of their sovereigns they dreaded most. + +Queen Cor lived in her own City of Coregos, which lay on that side of +her island facing Regos, and her slaves, who were mostly women, were +made to plow the land and to plant and harvest the grain. + +From Regos to Coregos stretched a bridge of boats, set close together, +with planks laid across their edges for people to walk upon. In this +way it was easy to pass from one island to the other and in times of +danger the bridge could be quickly removed. + +The native inhabitants of Regos and Coregos consisted of the warriors, +who did nothing but fight and ravage, and the trembling servants who +waited on them. King Gos and Queen Cor were at war with all the rest of +the world. Other islanders hated and feared them, for their slaves were +badly treated and absolutely no mercy was shown to the weak or ill. + +When the boats that had gone to Pingaree returned loaded with rich +plunder and a host of captives, there was much rejoicing in Regos and +Coregos and the King and Queen gave a fine feast to the warriors who +had accomplished so great a conquest. This feast was set for the +warriors in the grounds of King Gos's palace, while with them in the +great throne room all the captains and leaders of the fighting men were +assembled with King Gos and Queen Cor, who had come from her island to +attend the ceremony. Then all the goods that had been stolen from the +King of Pingaree were divided according to rank, the King and Queen +taking half, the captains a quarter, and the rest being divided amongst +the warriors. + +The day following the feast King Gos sent King Kitticut and all the men +of Pingaree to work in his mines under the mountains, having first +chained them together so they could not escape. The gentle Queen of +Pingaree and all her women, together with the captured children, were +given to Queen Cor, who set them to work in her grain fields. + +Then the rulers and warriors of these dreadful islands thought they had +done forever with Pingaree. Despoiled of all its wealth, its houses +torn down, its boats captured and all its people enslaved, what +likelihood was there that they might ever again hear of the desolated +island? So the people of Regos and Coregos were surprised and puzzled +when one morning they observed approaching their shores from the +direction of the south a black boat containing a boy, a fat man and a +goat. The warriors asked one another who these could be, and where they +had come from? No one ever came to those islands of their own accord, +that was certain. + +Prince Inga guided his boat to the south end of the Island of Regos, +which was the landing place nearest to the city, and when the warriors +saw this action they went down to the shore to meet him, being led by a +big captain named Buzzub. + +"Those people surely mean us no good," said Rinkitink uneasily to the +boy. "Without doubt they intend to capture us and make us their slaves." + +"Do not fear, sir," answered Inga, in a calm voice. "Stay quietly in +the boat with Bilbil until I have spoken with these men." + +He stopped the boat a dozen feet from the shore, and standing up in his +place made a grave bow to the multitude confronting him. Said the big +Captain Buzzub in a gruff voice: + +"Well, little one, who may you be? And how dare you come, uninvited and +all alone, to the Island of Regos?" + +"I am Inga, Prince of Pingaree," returned the boy, "and I have come +here to free my parents and my people, whom you have wrongfully +enslaved." + +When they heard this bold speech a mighty laugh arose from the band of +warriors, and when it had subsided the captain said: + +"You love to jest, my baby Prince, and the joke is fairly good. But why +did you willingly thrust your head into the lion's mouth? When you were +free, why did you not stay free? We did not know we had left a single +person in Pingaree! But since you managed to escape us then, it is +really kind of you to come here of your own free will, to be our slave. +Who is the funny fat person with you?" + +"It is His Majesty, King Rinkitink, of the great City of Gilgad. He has +accompanied me to see that you render full restitution for all you have +stolen from Pingaree." + +"Better yet!" laughed Buzzub. "He will make a fine slave for Queen Cor, +who loves to tickle fat men, and see them jump." + +King Rinkitink was filled with horror when he heard this, but the +Prince answered as boldly as before, saying: + +"We are not to be frightened by bluster, believe me; nor are we so weak +as you imagine. We have magic powers so great and terrible that no host +of warriors can possibly withstand us, and therefore I call upon you to +surrender your city and your island to us, before we crush you with our +mighty powers." + +The boy spoke very gravely and earnestly, but his words only aroused +another shout of laughter. So while the men of Regos were laughing Inga +drove the boat we'll up onto the sandy beach and leaped out. He also +helped Rinkitink out, and when the goat had unaided sprung to the +sands, the King got upon Bilbil's back, trembling a little internally, +but striving to look as brave as possible. + +There was a bunch of coarse hair between the goat's ears, and this Inga +clutched firmly in his left hand. The boy knew the Pink Pearl would +protect not only himself, but all whom he touched, from any harm, and +as Rinkitink was astride the goat and Inga had his hand upon the +animal, the three could not be injured by anything the warriors could +do. But Captain Buzzub did not know this, and the little group of three +seemed so weak and ridiculous that he believed their capture would be +easy. So he turned to his men and with a wave of his hand said: + +"Seize the intruders!" + +Instantly two or three of the warriors stepped forward to obey, but to +their amazement they could not reach any of the three; their hands were +arrested as if by an invisible wall of iron. Without paying any +attention to these attempts at capture, Inga advanced slowly and the +goat kept pace with him. And when Rinkitink saw that he was safe from +harm he gave one of his big, merry laughs, and it startled the warriors +and made them nervous. Captain Buzzub's eyes grew big with surprise as +the three steadily advanced and forced his men backward; nor was he +free from terror himself at the magic that protected these strange +visitors. As for the warriors, they presently became terror-stricken +and fled in a panic up the slope toward the city, and Buzzub was +obliged to chase after them and shout threats of punishment before he +could halt them and form them into a line of battle. + +All the men of Regos bore spears and bows-and-arrows, and some of the +officers had swords and battle-axes; so Buzzub ordered them to stand +their ground and shoot and slay the strangers as they approached. This +they tried to do. Inga being in advance, the warriors sent a flight of +sharp arrows straight at the boy's breast, while others cast their long +spears at him. + +It seemed to Rinkitink that the little Prince must surely perish as he +stood facing this hail of murderous missiles; but the power of the Pink +Pearl did not desert him, and when the arrows and spears had reached to +within an inch of his body they bounded back again and fell harmlessly +at his feet. Nor were Rinkitink or Bilbil injured in the least, +although they stood close beside Inga. + +Buzzub stood for a moment looking upon the boy in silent wonder. Then, +recovering himself, he shouted in a loud voice: + +"Once again! All together, my men. No one shall ever defy our might and +live!" + +Again a flight of arrows and spears sped toward the three, and since +many more of the warriors of Regos had by this time joined their +fellows, the air was for a moment darkened by the deadly shafts. But +again all fell harmless before the power of the Pink Pearl, and Bilbil, +who had been growing very angry at the attempts to injure him and his +party, suddenly made a bolt forward, casting off Inga's hold, and +butted into the line of warriors, who were standing amazed at their +failure to conquer. + +Taken by surprise at the goat's attack, a dozen big warriors tumbled in +a heap, yelling with fear, and their comrades, not knowing what had +happened but imagining that their foes were attacking them, turned +about and ran to the city as hard as they could go. Bilbil, still +angry, had just time to catch the big captain as he turned to follow +his men, and Buzzub first sprawled headlong upon the ground, then +rolled over two or three times, and finally jumped up and ran yelling +after his defeated warriors. This butting on the part of the goat was +very hard upon King Rinkitink, who nearly fell off Bilbil's back at the +shock of encounter; but the little fat King wound his arms around the +goat's neck and shut his eyes and clung on with all his might. It was +not until he heard Inga say triumphantly, "We have won the fight +without striking a blow!" that Rinkitink dared open his eyes again. +Then he saw the warriors rushing into the City of Regos and barring the +heavy gates, and he was very much relieved at the sight. + +"Without striking a blow!" said Bilbil indignantly. "That is not quite +true, Prince Inga. You did not fight, I admit, but I struck a couple of +times to good purpose, and I claim to have conquered the cowardly +warriors unaided." + +"You and I together, Bilbil," said Rinkitink mildly. "But the next time +you make a charge, please warn me in time, so that I may dismount and +give you all the credit for the attack." + +There being no one now to oppose their advance, the three walked to the +gates of the city, which had been closed against them. The gates were +of iron and heavily barred, and upon the top of the high walls of the +city a host of the warriors now appeared armed with arrows and spears +and other weapons. For Buzzub had gone straight to the palace of King +Cos and reported his defeat, relating the powerful magic of the boy, +the fat King and the goat, and had asked what to do next. + +The big captain still trembled with fear, but King Gos did not believe +in magic, and called Buzzub a coward and a weakling. At once the King +took command of his men personally, and he ordered the walls manned +with warriors and instructed them to shoot to kill if any of the three +strangers approached the gates. + +Of course, neither Rinkitink nor Bilbil knew how they had been +protected from harm and so at first they were inclined to resent the +boy's command that the three must always keep together and touch one +another at all times. But when Inga explained that his magic would not +otherwise save them from injury, they agreed to obey, for they had now +seen enough to convince them that the Prince was really protected by +some invisible power. + +As they came before the gates another shower of arrows and spears +descended upon them, and as before not a single missile touched their +bodies. King Gos, who was upon the wall, was greatly amazed and +somewhat worried, but he depended upon the strength of his gates and +commanded his men to continue shooting until all their weapons were +gone. + +Inga let them shoot as much as they wished, while he stood before the +great gates and examined them carefully. + +"Perhaps Bilbil can batter down the gates, suggested Rinkitink. + +"No," replied the goat; "my head is hard, but not harder than iron." + +"Then," returned the King, "let us stay outside; especially as we can't +get in." + +But Inga was not at all sure they could not get in. The gates opened +inward, and three heavy bars were held in place by means of stout +staples riveted to the sheets of steel. The boy had been told that the +power of the Blue Pearl would enable him to accomplish any feat of +strength, and he believed that this was true. + +The warriors, under the direction of King Gos, continued to hurl arrows +and darts and spears and axes and huge stones upon the invaders, all +without avail. The ground below was thickly covered with weapons, yet +not one of the three before the gates had been injured in the slightest +manner. When everything had been cast that was available and not a +single weapon of any sort remained at hand, the amazed warriors saw the +boy put his shoulder against the gates and burst asunder the huge +staples that held the bars in place. A thousand of their men could not +have accomplished this feat, yet the small, slight boy did it with +seeming ease. The gates burst open, and Inga advanced into the city +street and called upon King Gos to surrender. + +But Gos was now as badly frightened as were his warriors. He and his +men were accustomed to war and pillage and they had carried terror into +many countries, but here was a small boy, a fat man and a goat who +could not be injured by all his skill in warfare, his numerous army and +thousands of death-dealing weapons. Moreover, they not only defied King +Gos's entire army but they had broken in the huge gates of the city--as +easily as if they had been made of paper--and such an exhibition of +enormous strength made the wicked King fear for his life. Like all +bullies and marauders, Gos was a coward at heart, and now a panic +seized him and he turned and fled before the calm advance of Prince +Inga of Pingaree. The warriors were like their master, and having +thrown all their weapons over the wall and being helpless to oppose the +strangers, they all swarmed after Gos, who abandoned his city and +crossed the bridge of boats to the Island of Coregos. There was a +desperate struggle among these cowardly warriors to get over the +bridge, and many were pushed into the water and obliged to swim; but +finally every fighting man of Regos had gained the shore of Coregos and +then they tore away the bridge of boats and drew them up on their own +side, hoping the stretch of open water would prevent the magic invaders +from following them. + +The humble citizens and serving people of Regos, who had been terrified +and abused by the rough warriors all their lives, were not only greatly +astonished by this sudden conquest of their masters but greatly +delighted. As the King and his army fled to Coregos, the people +embraced one another and danced for very joy, and then they turned to +see what the conquerors of Regos were like. + + + + +Chapter Eight + +Rinkitink Makes a Great Mistake + + +The fat King rode his goat through the streets of the conquered city +and the boy Prince walked proudly beside him, while all the people bent +their heads humbly to their new masters, whom they were prepared to +serve in the same manner they had King Gos. + +Not a warrior remained in all Regos to oppose the triumphant three; the +bridge of boats had been destroyed; Inga and his companions were free +from danger--for a time, at least. + +The jolly little King appreciated this fact and rejoiced that he had +escaped all injury during the battle. How it had all happened he could +not tell, nor even guess, but he was content in being safe and free to +take possession of the enemy's city. So, as they passed through the +lines of respectful civilians on their way to the palace, the King +tipped his crown back on his bald head and folded his arms and sang in +his best voice the following lines: + + "Oh, here comes the army of King Rinkitink! + It isn't a big one, perhaps you may think, + But it scattered the warriors quicker than wink-- + Rink-i-tink, tink-i-tink, tink! + + Our Bilbil's a hero and so is his King; + Our foemen have vanished like birds on the wing; + I guess that as fighters we're quite the real thing-- + Rink-i-tink, tink-i-tink, tink!" + + +"Why don't you give a little credit to Inga?" inquired the goat. "If I +remember aright, he did a little of the conquering himself." + +"So he did," responded the King, "and that's the reason I'm sounding +our own praise, Bilbil. Those who do the least, often shout the loudest +and so get the most glory. Inga did so much that there is danger of his +becoming more important than we are, and so we'd best say nothing about +him." + +When they reached the palace, which was an immense building, furnished +throughout in regal splendor, Inga took formal possession and ordered +the majordomo to show them the finest rooms the building contained. +There were many pleasant apartments, but Rinkitink proposed to Inga +that they share one of the largest bedrooms together. + +"For," said he, "we are not sure that old Gos will not return and try +to recapture his city, and you must remember that I have no magic to +protect me. In any danger, were I alone, I might be easily killed or +captured, while if you are by my side you can save me from injury." + +The boy realized the wisdom of this plan, and selected a fine big +bedroom on the second floor of the palace, in which he ordered two +golden beds placed and prepared for King Rinkitink and himself. Bilbil +was given a suite of rooms on the other side of the palace, where +servants brought the goat fresh-cut grass to eat and made him a soft +bed to lie upon. + +That evening the boy Prince and the fat King dined in great state in +the lofty-domed dining hall of the palace, where forty servants waited +upon them. The royal chef, anxious to win the favor of the conquerors +of Regos, prepared his finest and most savory dishes for them, which +Rinkitink ate with much appetite and found so delicious that he ordered +the royal chef brought into the banquet hall and presented him with a +gilt button which the King cut from his own jacket. + +"You are welcome to it," said he to the chef, "because I have eaten so +much that I cannot use that lower button at all." + +Rinkitink was mightily pleased to live in a comfortable palace again +and to dine at a well spread table. His joy grew every moment, so that +he came in time to be as merry and cheery as before Pingaree was +despoiled. And, although he had been much frightened during Inga's +defiance of the army of King Gos, he now began to turn the matter into +a joke. + +"Why, my boy," said he, "you whipped the big black-bearded King exactly +as if he were a schoolboy, even though you used no warlike weapon at +all upon him. He was cowed through fear of your magic, and that reminds +me to demand from you an explanation. How did you do it, Inga? And +where did the wonderful magic come from?" + +Perhaps it would have been wise for the Prince to have explained about +the magic pearls, but at that moment he was not inclined to do so. +Instead, he replied: + +"Be patient, Your Majesty. The secret is not my own, so please do not +ask me to divulge it. Is it not enough, for the present, that the magic +saved you from death to-day?" + +"Do not think me ungrateful," answered the King earnestly. "A million +spears fell on me from the wall, and several stones as big as +mountains, yet none of them hurt me!" + +"The stones were not as big as mountains, sire," said the Prince with a +smile. "They were, indeed, no larger than your head." + +"Are you sure about that?" asked Rinkitink. + +"Quite sure, Your Majesty." + +"How deceptive those things are!" sighed the King. "This argument +reminds me of the story of Tom Tick, which my father used to tell." + +"I have never heard that story," Inga answered. + +"Well, as he told it, it ran like this: + + "When Tom walked out, the sky to spy, + A naughty gnat flew in his eye; + But Tom knew not it was a gnat-- + He thought, at first, it was a cat. + + "And then, it felt so very big, + He thought it surely was a pig + Till, standing still to hear it grunt, + He cried: 'Why, it's an elephunt!' + + "But--when the gnat flew out again + And Tom was free from all his pain, + He said: 'There flew into my eye + A leetle, teenty-tiny fly.'" + + +"Indeed," said Inga, laughing, "the gnat was much like your stones that +seemed as big as mountains." + +After their dinner they inspected the palace, which was filled with +valuable goods stolen by King Gos from many nations. But the day's +events had tired them and they retired early to their big sleeping +apartment. + +"In the morning," said the boy to Rinkitink, as he was undressing for +bed, "I shall begin the search for my father and mother and the people +of Pingaree. And, when they are found and rescued, we will all go home +again, and be as happy as we were before." + +They carefully bolted the door of their room, that no one might enter, +and then got into their beds, where Rinkitink fell asleep in an +instant. The boy lay awake for a while thinking over the day's +adventures, but presently he fell sound asleep also, and so weary was +he that nothing disturbed his slumber until he awakened next morning +with a ray of sunshine in his eyes, which had crept into the room +through the open window by King Rinkitink's bed. + +Resolving to begin the search for his parents without any unnecessary +delay, Inga at once got out of bed and began to dress himself, while +Rinkitink, in the other bed, was still sleeping peacefully. But when +the boy had put on both his stockings and began looking for his shoes, +he could find but one of them. The left shoe, that containing the Pink +Pearl, was missing. + +Filled with anxiety at this discovery, Inga searched through the entire +room, looking underneath the beds and divans and chairs and behind the +draperies and in the corners and every other possible place a shoe +might be. He tried the door, and found it still bolted; so, with +growing uneasiness, the boy was forced to admit that the precious shoe +was not in the room. + +With a throbbing heart he aroused his companion. + +"King Rinkitink," said he, "do you know what has become of my left +shoe?" + +"Your shoe!" exclaimed the King, giving a wide yawn and rubbing his +eyes to get the sleep out of them. "Have you lost a shoe?" + +"Yes," said Inga. "I have searched everywhere in the room, and cannot +find it." + +"But why bother me about such a small thing?" inquired Rinkitink. "A +shoe is only a shoe, and you can easily get another one. But, stay! +Perhaps it was your shoe which I threw at the cat last night." + +"The cat!" cried Inga. "What do you mean?" + +"Why, in the night," explained Rinkitink, sitting up and beginning to +dress himself, "I was wakened by the mewing of a cat that sat upon a +wall of the palace, just outside my window. As the noise disturbed me, +I reached out in the dark and caught up something and threw it at the +cat, to frighten the creature away. I did not know what it was that I +threw, and I was too sleepy to care; but probably it was your shoe, +since it is now missing." + +"Then," said the boy, in a despairing tone of voice, "your carelessness +has ruined me, as well as yourself, King Rinkitink, for in that shoe +was concealed the magic power which protected us from danger." + +The King's face became very serious when he heard this and he uttered a +low whistle of surprise and regret. + +"Why on earth did you not warn me of this?" he demanded. "And why did +you keep such a precious power in an old shoe? And why didn't you put +the shoe under a pillow? You were very wrong, my lad, in not confiding +to me, your faithful friend, the secret, for in that case the shoe +would not now be lost." + +To all this Inga had no answer. He sat on the side of his bed, with +hanging head, utterly disconsolate, and seeing this, Rinkitink had pity +for his sorrow. + +"Come!" cried the King; "let us go out at once and look for the shoe +which I threw at the cat. It must even now be lying in the yard of the +palace." + +This suggestion roused the boy to action. He at once threw open the +door and in his stocking feet rushed down the staircase, closely +followed by Rinkitink. But although they looked on both sides of the +palace wall and in every possible crack and corner where a shoe might +lodge, they failed to find it. + +After a half hour's careful search the boy said sorrowfully: + +"Someone must have passed by, as we slept, and taken the precious shoe, +not knowing its value. To us, King Rinkitink, this will be a dreadful +misfortune, for we are surrounded by dangers from which we have now no +protection. Luckily I have the other shoe left, within which is the +magic power that gives me strength; so all is not lost." + +Then he told Rinkitink, in a few words, the secret of the wonderful +pearls, and how he had recovered them from the ruins and hidden them in +his shoes, and how they had enabled him to drive King Gos and his men +from Regos and to capture the city. The King was much astonished, and +when the story was concluded he said to Inga: + +"What did you do with the other shoe?" + +"Why, I left it in our bedroom," replied the boy. + +"Then I advise you to get it at once," continued Rinkitink, "for we can +ill afford to lose the second shoe, as well as the one I threw at the +cat." + +"You are right!" cried Inga, and they hastened back to their bedchamber. + +On entering the room they found an old woman sweeping and raising a +great deal of dust. + +"Where is my shoe?" asked the Prince, anxiously. + +The old woman stopped sweeping and looked at him in a stupid way, for +she was not very intelligent. + +"Do you mean the one odd shoe that was lying on the floor when I came +in?" she finally asked. + +"Yes--yes!" answered the boy. "Where is it? Tell me where it is!" + +"Why, I threw it on the dust-heap, outside the back gate," said she, +"for, it being but a single shoe, with no mate, it can be of no use to +anyone." + +"Show us the way to the dust-heap--at once!" commanded the boy, +sternly, for he was greatly frightened by this new misfortune which +threatened him. + +The old woman hobbled away and they followed her, constantly urging her +to hasten; but when they reached the dust-heap no shoe was to be seen. + +"This is terrible!" wailed the young Prince, ready to weep at his loss. +"We are now absolutely ruined, and at the mercy of our enemies. Nor +shall I be able to liberate my dear father and mother." + +"Well," replied Rinkitink, leaning against an old barrel and looking +quite solemn, "the thing is certainly unlucky, any way we look at it. I +suppose someone has passed along here and, seeing the shoe upon the +dust-heap, has carried it away. But no one could know the magic power +the shoe contains and so will not use it against us. I believe, Inga, +we must now depend upon our wits to get us out of the scrape we are in." + +With saddened hearts they returned to the palace, and entering a small +room where no one could observe them or overhear them, the boy took the +White Pearl from its silken bag and held it to his ear, asking: + +"What shall I do now?" + +"Tell no one of your loss," answered the Voice of the Pearl. "If your +enemies do not know that you are powerless, they will fear you as much +as ever. Keep your secret, be patient, and fear not!" + +Inga heeded this advice and also warned Rinkitink to say nothing to +anyone of the loss of the shoes and the powers they contained. He sent +for the shoemaker of King Gos, who soon brought him a new pair of red +leather shoes that fitted him quite well. When these had been put upon +his feet, the Prince, accompanied by the King, started to walk through +the city. + +Wherever they went the people bowed low to the conqueror, although a +few, remembering Inga's terrible strength, ran away in fear and +trembling. They had been used to severe masters and did not yet know +how they would be treated by King Gos's successor. There being no +occasion for the boy to exercise the powers he had displayed the +previous day, his present helplessness was not suspected by any of the +citizens of Regos, who still considered him a wonderful magician. + +Inga did not dare to fight his way to the mines, at present, nor could +he try to conquer the Island of Coregos, where his mother was enslaved; +so he set about the regulation of the City of Regos, and having +established himself with great state in the royal palace he began to +govern the people by kindness, having consideration for the most humble. + +The King of Regos and his followers sent spies across to the island +they had abandoned in their flight, and these spies returned with the +news that the terrible boy conqueror was still occupying the city. +Therefore none of them ventured to go back to Regos but continued to +live upon the neighboring island of Coregos, where they passed the days +in fear and trembling and sought to plot and plan ways how they might +overcome the Prince of Pingaree and the fat King of Gilgad. + + + + +Chapter Nine + +A Present for Zella + + +Now it so happened that on the morning of that same day when the Prince +of Pingaree suffered the loss of his priceless shoes, there chanced to +pass along the road that wound beside the royal palace a poor +charcoal-burner named Nikobob, who was about to return to his home in +the forest. + +Nikobob carried an ax and a bundle of torches over his shoulder and he +walked with his eyes to the ground, being deep in thought as to the +strange manner in which the powerful King Gos and his city had been +conquered by a boy Prince who had come from Pingaree. + +Suddenly the charcoal-burner espied a shoe lying upon the ground, just +beyond the high wall of the palace and directly in his path. He picked +it up and, seeing it was a pretty shoe, although much too small for his +own foot, he put it in his pocket. + +Soon after, on turning a corner of the wall, Nikobob came to a +dust-heap where, lying amidst a mass of rubbish, was another shoe--the +mate to the one he had before found. This also he placed in his pocket, +saying to himself: + +"I have now a fine pair of shoes for my daughter Zella, who will be +much pleased to find I have brought her a present from the city." + +And while the charcoal-burner turned into the forest and trudged along +the path toward his home, Inga and Rinkitink were still searching for +the missing shoes. Of course, they could not know that Nikobob had +found them, nor did the honest man think he had taken anything more +than a pair of cast-off shoes which nobody wanted. + +Nikobob had several miles to travel through the forest before he could +reach the little log cabin where his wife, as well as his little +daughter Zella, awaited his return, but he was used to long walks and +tramped along the path whistling cheerfully to beguile the time. + +Few people, as I said before, ever passed through the dark and tangled +forests of Regos, except to go to the mines in the mountain beyond, for +many dangerous creatures lurked in the wild jungles, and King Gos never +knew, when he sent a messenger to the mines, whether he would reach +there safely or not. + +The charcoal-burner, however, knew the wild forest well, and especially +this part of it lying between the city and his home. It was the +favorite haunt of the ferocious beast Choggenmugger, dreaded by every +dweller in the Island of Regos. Choggenmugger was so old that everyone +thought it must have been there since the world was made, and each year +of its life the huge scales that covered its body grew thicker and +harder and its jaws grew wider and its teeth grew sharper and its +appetite grew more keen than ever. + +In former ages there had been many dragons in Regos, but Choggenmugger +was so fond of dragons that he had eaten all of them long ago. There +had also been great serpents and crocodiles in the forest marshes, but +all had gone to feed the hunger of Choggenmugger. The people of Regos +knew well there was no use opposing the Great Beast, so when one +unfortunately met with it he gave himself up for lost. + +All this Nikobob knew well, but fortune had always favored him in his +journey through the forest, and although he had at times met many +savage beasts and fought them with his sharp ax, he had never to this +day encountered the terrible Choggenmugger. Indeed, he was not thinking +of the Great Beast at all as he walked along, but suddenly he heard a +crashing of broken trees and felt a trembling of the earth and saw the +immense jaws of Choggenmugger opening before him. Then Nikobob gave +himself up for lost and his heart almost ceased to beat. + +He believed there was no way of escape. No one ever dared oppose +Choggenmugger. But Nikobob hated to die without showing the monster, in +some way, that he was eaten only under protest. So he raised his ax and +brought it down upon the red, protruding tongue of the monster--and cut +it clean off! + +For a moment the charcoal-burner scarcely believed what his eyes saw, +for he knew nothing of the pearls he carried in his pocket or the magic +power they lent his arm. His success, however, encouraged him to strike +again, and this time the huge scaly jaw of Choggenmugger was severed in +twain and the beast howled in terrified rage. + +Nikobob took off his coat, to give himself more freedom of action, and +then he earnestly renewed the attack. But now the ax seemed blunted by +the hard scales and made no impression upon them whatever. The creature +advanced with glaring, wicked eyes, and Nikobob seized his coat under +his arm and turned to flee. + +That was foolish, for Choggenmugger could run like the wind. In a +moment it overtook the charcoal-burner and snapped its four rows of +sharp teeth together. But they did not touch Nikobob, because he still +held the coat in his grasp, close to his body, and in the coat pocket +were Inga's shoes, and in the points of the shoes were the magic +pearls. Finding himself uninjured, Nikobob put on his coat, again +seized his ax, and in a short time had chopped Choggenmugger into many +small pieces--a task that proved not only easy but very agreeable. + +"I must be the strongest man in all the world!" thought the +charcoal-burner, as he proudly resumed his way, "for Choggenmugger has +been the terror of Regos since the world began, and I alone have been +able to destroy the beast. Yet it is singular' that never before did I +discover how powerful a man I am." + +He met no further adventure and at midday reached a little clearing in +the forest where stood his humble cabin. + +"Great news! I have great news for you," he shouted, as his wife and +little daughter came to greet him. "King Gos has been conquered by a +boy Prince from the far island of Pingaree, and I have this +day--unaided--destroyed Choggenmugger by the might of my strong arm." + +This was, indeed, great news. They brought Nikobob into the house and +set him in an easy chair and made him tell everything he knew about the +Prince of Pingaree and the fat King of Gilgad, as well as the details +of his wonderful fight with mighty Choggenmugger. + +"And now, my daughter," said the charcoalburner, when all his news had +been related for at least the third time, "here is a pretty present I +have brought you from the city." + +With this he drew the shoes from the pocket of his coat and handed them +to Zella, who gave him a dozen kisses in payment and was much pleased +with her gift. The little girl had never worn shoes before, for her +parents were too poor to buy her such luxuries, so now the possession +of these, which were not much worn, filled the child's heart with joy. +She admired the red leather and the graceful curl of the pointed toes. +When she tried them on her feet, they fitted as well as if made for her. + +All the afternoon, as she helped her mother with the housework, Zella +thought of her pretty shoes. They seemed more important to her than the +coming to Regos of the conquering Prince of Pingaree, or even the death +of Choggenmugger. + +When Zella and her mother were not working in the cabin, cooking or +sewing, they often searched the neighboring forest for honey which the +wild bees cleverly hid in hollow trees. The day after Nikobob's return, +as they were starting out after honey, Zella decided to put on her new +shoes, as they would keep the twigs that covered the ground from +hurting her feet. She was used to the twigs, of course, but what is the +use of having nice, comfortable shoes, if you do not wear them? + +So she danced along, very happily, followed by her mother, and +presently they came to a tree in which was a deep hollow. Zella thrust +her hand and arm into the space and found that the tree was full of +honey, so she began to dig it out with a wooden paddle. Her mother, who +held the pail, suddenly cried in warning: + +"Look out, Zella; the bees are coming!" and then the good woman ran +fast toward the house to escape. + +Zella, however, had no more than time to turn her head when a thick +swarm of bees surrounded her, angry because they had caught her +stealing their honey and intent on stinging the girl as a punishment. +She knew her danger and expected to be badly injured by the multitude +of stinging bees, but to her surprise the little creatures were unable +to fly close enough to her to stick their dart-like stingers into her +flesh. They swarmed about her in a dark cloud, and their angry buzzing +was terrible to hear, yet the little girl remained unharmed. + +When she realized this, Zella was no longer afraid but continued to +ladle out the honey until she had secured all that was in the tree. +Then she returned to the cabin, where her mother was weeping and +bemoaning the fate of her darling child, and the good woman was greatly +astonished to find Zella had escaped injury. + +Again they went to the woods to search for honey, and although the +mother always ran away whenever the bees came near them, Zella paid no +attention to the creatures but kept at her work, so that before supper +time came the pails were again filled to overflowing with delicious +honey. + +"With such good fortune as we have had this day," said her mother, "we +shall soon gather enough honey for you to carry to Queen Cor." For it +seems the wicked Queen was very fond of honey and it had been Zella's +custom to go, once every year, to the City of Coregos, to carry the +Queen a supply of sweet honey for her table. Usually she had but one +pail. + +"But now," said Zella, "I shall be able to carry two pailsful to the +Queen, who will, I am sure, give me a good price for it." + +"True," answered her mother, "and, as the boy Prince may take it into +his head to conquer Coregos, as well as Regos, I think it best for you +to start on your journey to Queen Cor tomorrow morning. Do you not +agree with me, Nikobob?" she added, turning to her husband, the +charcoal-burner, who was eating his supper. + +"I agree with you," he replied. "If Zella must go to the City of +Coregos, she may as well start to-morrow morning." + + + + +Chapter Ten + +The Cunning of Queen Cor + + +You may be sure the Queen of Coregos was not well pleased to have King +Gos and all his warriors living in her city after they had fled from +their own. They were savage natured and quarrelsome men at all times, +and their tempers had not improved since their conquest by the Prince +of Pingaree. Moreover, they were eating up Queen Cor's provisions and +crowding the houses of her own people, who grumbled and complained +until their Queen was heartily tired. + +"Shame on you!" she said to her husband, King Gos, "to be driven out of +your city by a boy, a roly-poly King and a billy goat! Why do you not +go back and fight them?" + +"No human can fight against the powers of magic," returned the King in +a surly voice. "That boy is either a fairy or under the protection of +fairies. We escaped with our lives only because we were quick to run +away; but, should we return to Regos, the same terrible power that +burst open the city gates would crush us all to atoms." + +"Bah! you are a coward," cried the Queen, tauntingly. + +"I am not a coward," said the big King. "I have killed in battle scores +of my enemies; by the might of my sword and my good right arm I have +conquered many nations; all my life people have feared me. But no one +would dare face the tremendous power of the Prince of Pingaree, boy +though he is. It would not be courage, it would be folly, to attempt +it." + +"Then meet his power with cunning," suggested the Queen. "Take my +advice, and steal over to Regos at night, when it is dark, and capture +or destroy the boy while he sleeps." + +"No weapon can touch his body," was the answer. "He bears a charmed +life and cannot be injured." + +"Does the fat King possess magic powers, or the goat?" inquired Cor. + +"I think not," said Gos. "We could not injure them, indeed, any more +than we could the boy, but they did not seem to have any unusual +strength, although the goat's head is harder than a battering-ram." + +"Well," mused the Queen, "there is surely some way to conquer that +slight boy. If you are afraid to undertake the job, I shall go myself. +By some stratagem I shall manage to make him my prisoner. He will not +dare to defy a Queen, and no magic can stand against a woman's cunning." + +"Go ahead, if you like," replied the King, with an evil grin, "and if +you are hung up by the thumbs or cast into a dungeon, it will serve you +right for thinking you can succeed where a skilled warrior dares not +make the attempt." + +"I'm not afraid," answered the Queen. "It is only soldiers and bullies +who are cowards." + +In spite of this assertion, Queen Cor was not so brave as she was +cunning. For several days she thought over this plan and that, and +tried to decide which was most likely to succeed. She had never seen +the boy Prince but had heard so many tales of him from the defeated +warriors, and especially from Captain Buzzub, that she had learned to +respect his power. + +Spurred on by the knowledge that she would never get rid of her +unwelcome guests until Prince Inga was overcome and Regos regained for +King Gos, the Queen of Coregos finally decided to trust to luck and her +native wit to defeat a simple-minded boy, however powerful he might be. +Inga could not suspect what she was going to do, because she did not +know herself. She intended to act boldly and trust to chance to win. + +It is evident that had the cunning Queen known that Inga had lost all +his magic, she would not have devoted so much time to the simple matter +of capturing him, but like all others she was impressed by the +marvelous exhibition of power he had shown in capturing Regos, and had +no reason to believe the boy was less powerful now. + +One morning Queen Cor boldly entered a boat, and, taking four men with +her as an escort and bodyguard, was rowed across the narrow channel to +Regos. Prince Inga was sitting in the palace playing checkers with King +Rinkitink when a servant came to him, saying that Queen Cor had arrived +and desired an audience with him. + +With many misgivings lest the wicked Queen discover that he had now +lost his magic powers, the boy ordered her to be admitted, and she soon +entered the room and bowed low before him, in mock respect. + +Cor was a big woman, almost as tall as King Gos. She had flashing black +eyes and the dark complexion you see on gypsies. Her temper, when +irritated, was something dreadful, and her face wore an evil expression +which she tried to cover by smiling sweetly--often when she meant the +most mischief. + +"I have come," said she in a low voice, "to render homage to the noble +Prince of Pingaree. I am told that Your Highness is the strongest +person in the world, and invincible in battle, and therefore I wish you +to become my friend, rather than my enemy." + +Now Inga did not know how to reply to this speech. He disliked the +appearance of the woman and was afraid of her and he was unused to +deception and did not know how to mask his real feelings. So he took +time to think over his answer, which he finally made in these words: + +"I have no quarrel with Your Majesty, and my only reason for coming +here is to liberate my father and mother, and my people, whom you and +your husband have made your slaves, and to recover the goods King Gos +has plundered from the Island of Pingaree. This I hope soon to +accomplish, and if you really wish to be my friend, you can assist me +greatly." + +While he was speaking Queen Cor had been studying the boy's face +stealthily, from the corners of her eyes, and she said to herself: "He +is so small and innocent that I believe I can capture him alone, and +with ease. He does not seem very terrible and I suspect that King Gos +and his warriors were frightened at nothing." + +Then, aloud, she said to Inga: + +"I wish to invite you, mighty Prince, and your friend, the great King +of Gilgad, to visit my poor palace at Coregos, where all my people +shall do you honor. Will you come?" + +"At present," replied Inga, uneasily, "I must refuse your kind +invitation." + +"There will be feasting, and dancing girls, and games and fireworks," +said the Queen, speaking as if eager to entice him and at each word +coming a step nearer to where he stood. + +"I could not enjoy them while my poor parents are slaves," said the +boy, sadly. + +"Are you sure of that?" asked Queen Cor, and by that time she was close +beside Inga. Suddenly she leaned forward and threw both of her long +arms around Inga's body, holding him in a grasp that was like a vise. + +Now Rinkitink sprang forward to rescue his friend, but Cor kicked out +viciously with her foot and struck the King squarely on his stomach--a +very tender place to be kicked, especially if one is fat. Then, still +hugging Inga tightly, the Queen called aloud: + +"I've got him! Bring in the ropes." + +Instantly the four men she had brought with her sprang into the room +and bound the boy hand and foot. Next they seized Rinkitink, who was +still rubbing his stomach, and bound him likewise. + +With a laugh of wicked triumph, Queen Cor now led her captives down to +the boat and returned with them to Coregos. + +Great was the astonishment of King Gos and his warriors when they saw +that the mighty Prince of Pingaree, who had put them all to flight, had +been captured by a woman. Cowards as they were, they now crowded around +the boy and jeered at him, and some of them would have struck him had +not the Queen cried out: + +"Hands off! He is my prisoner, remember not yours." + +"Well, Cor, what are you going to do with him?" inquired King Gos. + +"I shall make him my slave, that he may amuse my idle hours. For he is +a pretty boy, and gentle, although he did frighten all of you big +warriors so terribly." + +The King scowled at this speech, not liking to be ridiculed, but he +said nothing more. He and his men returned that same day to Regos, +after restoring the bridge of boats. And they held a wild carnival of +rejoicing, both in the King's palace and in the city, although the poor +people of Regos who were not warriors were all sorry that the kind +young Prince had been captured by his enemies and could rule them no +longer. + +When her unwelcome guests had all gone back to Regos and the Queen was +alone in her palace, she ordered Inga and Rinkitink brought before her +and their bonds removed. They came sadly enough, knowing they were in +serious straits and at the mercy of a cruel mistress. Inga had taken +counsel of the White Pearl, which had advised him to bear up bravely +under his misfortune, promising a change for the better very soon. With +this promise to comfort him, Inga faced the Queen with a dignified +bearing that indicated both pride and courage. + +"Well, youngster," said she, in a cheerful tone because she was pleased +with her success, "you played a clever trick on my poor husband and +frightened him badly, but for that prank I am inclined to forgive you. +Hereafter I intend you to be my page, which means that you must fetch +and carry for me at my will. And let me advise you to obey my every +whim without question or delay, for when I am angry I become ugly, and +when I am ugly someone is sure to feel the lash. Do you understand me?" + +Inga bowed, but made no answer. Then she turned to Rinkitink and said: + +"As for you, I cannot decide how to make you useful to me, as you are +altogether too fat and awkward to work in the fields. It may be, +however, that I can use you as a pincushion. + +"What!" cried Rinkitink in horror, "would you stick pins into the King +of Gilgad?" + +"Why not?" returned Queen Cor. "You are as fat as a pincushion, as you +must yourself admit, and whenever I needed a pin I could call you to +me." Then she laughed at his frightened look and asked: "By the way, +are you ticklish?" + +This was the question Rinkitink had been dreading. He gave a moan of +despair and shook his head. + +"I should love to tickle the bottom of your feet with a feather," +continued the cruel woman. "Please take off your shoes." + +"Oh, your Majesty!" pleaded poor Rinkitink, "I beg you to allow me to +amuse you in some other way. I can dance, or I can sing you a song." + +"Well," she answered, shaking with laughter, "you may sing a song--if +it be a merry one. But you do not seem in a merry mood." + +"I feel merry--indeed, Your Majesty, I do!" protested Rinkitink, +anxious to escape the tickling. But even as he professed to "feel +merry" his round, red face wore an expression of horror and anxiety +that was really comical. + +"Sing, then!" commanded Queen Cor, who was greatly amused. + +Rinkitink gave a sigh of relief and after clearing his throat and +trying to repress his sobs he began to sing this song-gently, at first, +but finally roaring it out at the top of his voice: + + "Oh! + There was a Baby Tiger lived in a men-ag-er-ie-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy--they wouldn't set him free; + And ev'rybody thought that he was gentle as could be-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy--Ba-by Ti-ger! + + "Oh! + They patted him upon his head and shook him by the paw-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy--he had a bone to gnaw; + But soon he grew the biggest Tiger that you ever saw-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy--what a Ti-ger! + + "Oh! + One day they came to pet the brute and he began to fight-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy-how he did scratch and bite! + He broke the cage and in a rage he darted out of sight-- + Fizzy-fezzy-fuzzy was a Ti-ger!" + + +"And is there a moral to the song?" asked Queen Cor, when King +Rinkitink had finished his song with great spirit. + +"If there is," replied Rinkitink, "it is a warning not to fool with +tigers." + +The little Prince could not help smiling at this shrewd answer, but +Queen Cor frowned and gave the King a sharp look. + +"Oh," said she; "I think I know the difference between a tiger and a +lapdog. But I'll bear the warning in mind, just the same." + +For, after all her success in capturing them, she was a little afraid +of these people who had once displayed such extraordinary powers. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + +Zella Goes to Coregos + + +The forest in which Nikobob lived with his wife and daughter stood +between the mountains and the City of Regos, and a well-beaten path +wound among the trees, leading from the city to the mines. This path +was used by the King's messengers, and captured prisoners were also +sent by this way from Regos to work in the underground caverns. + +Nikobob had built his cabin more than a mile away from this path, that +he might not be molested by the wild and lawless soldiers of King Gos, +but the family of the charcoal-burner was surrounded by many creatures +scarcely less dangerous to encounter, and often in the night they could +hear savage animals growling and prowling about the cabin. Because +Nikobob minded his own business and never hunted the wild creatures to +injure them, the beasts had come to regard him as one of the natural +dwellers in the forest and did not molest him or his family. Still +Zella and her mother seldom wandered far from home, except on such +errands as carrying honey to Coregos, and at these times Nikobob +cautioned them to be very careful. + +So when Zella set out on her journey to Queen Cor, with the two pails +of honey in her hands, she was undertaking a dangerous adventure and +there was no certainty that she would return safely to her loving +parents. But they were poor, and Queen Cor's money, which they expected +to receive for the honey, would enable them to purchase many things +that were needed; so it was deemed best that Zella should go. She was a +brave little girl and poor people are often obliged to take chances +that rich ones are spared. + +A passing woodchopper had brought news to Nikobob's cabin that Queen +Cor had made a prisoner of the conquering Prince of Pingaree and that +Gos and his warriors were again back in their city of Regos; but these +struggles and conquests were matters which, however interesting, did +not concern the poor charcoal-burner or his family. They were more +anxious over the report that the warriors had become more reckless than +ever before, and delighted in annoying all the common people; so Zella +was told to keep away from the beaten path as much as possible, that +she might not encounter any of the King's soldiers. + +"When it is necessary to choose between the warriors and the wild +beasts," said Nikobob, "the beasts will be found the more merciful." + +The little girl had put on her best attire for the journey and her +mother threw a blue silk shawl over her head and shoulders. Upon her +feet were the pretty red shoes her father had brought her from Regos. +Thus prepared, she kissed her parents good-bye and started out with a +light heart, carrying the pails of honey in either hand. + +It was necessary for Zella to cross the path that led from the mines to +the city, but once on the other side she was not likely to meet with +anyone, for she had resolved to cut through the forest and so reach the +bridge of boats without entering the City of Regos, where she might be +interrupted. For an hour or two she found the walking easy enough, but +then the forest, which in this part was unknown to her, became badly +tangled. The trees were thicker and creeping vines intertwined between +them. She had to turn this way and that to get through at all, and +finally she came to a place where a network of vines and branches +effectually barred her farther progress. + +Zella was dismayed, at first, when she encountered this obstacle, but +setting down her pails she made an endeavor to push the branches aside. +At her touch they parted as if by magic, breaking asunder like dried +twigs, and she found she could pass freely. At another place a great +log had fallen across her way, but the little girl lifted it easily and +cast it aside, although six ordinary men could scarcely have moved it. + +The child was somewhat worried at this evidence of a strength she had +heretofore been ignorant that she possessed. In order to satisfy +herself that it was no delusion, she tested her new-found power in many +ways, finding that nothing was too big nor too heavy for her to lift. +And, naturally enough, the girl gained courage from these experiments +and became confident that she could protect herself in any emergency. +When, presently, a wild boar ran toward her, grunting horribly and +threatening her with its great tusks, she did not climb a tree to +escape, as she had always done before on meeting such creatures, but +stood still and faced the boar. When it had come quite close and Zella +saw that it could not injure her--a fact that astonished both the beast +and the girl--she suddenly reached down and seizing it by one ear threw +the great beast far off amongst the trees, where it fell headlong to +the earth, grunting louder than ever with surprise and fear. + +The girl laughed merrily at this incident and, picking up her pails, +resumed her journey through the forest. It is not recorded whether the +wild boar told his adventure to the other beasts or they had happened +to witness his defeat, but certain it is that Zella was not again +molested. A brown bear watched her pass without making any movement in +her direction and a great puma--a beast much dreaded by all men--crept +out of her path as she approached, and disappeared among the trees. + +Thus everything favored the girl's journey and she made such good speed +that by noon she emerged from the forest's edge and found she was quite +near to the bridge of boats that led to Coregos. This she crossed +safely and without meeting any of the rude warriors she so greatly +feared, and five minutes later the daughter of the charcoal-burner was +seeking admittance at the back door of Queen Cor's palace. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + +The Excitement of Bilbil the Goat + + +Our story must now return to one of our characters whom we have been +forced to neglect. The temper of Bilbil the goat was not sweet under +any circumstances, and whenever he had a grievance he was inclined to +be quite grumpy. So, when his master settled down in the palace of King +Gos for a quiet life with the boy Prince, and passed his time in +playing checkers and eating and otherwise enjoying himself, he had no +use whatever for Bilbil, and shut the goat in an upstairs room to +prevent his wandering through the city and quarreling with the +citizens. But this Bilbil did not like at all. He became very cross and +disagreeable at being left alone and he did not speak nicely to the +servants who came to bring him food; therefore those people decided not +to wait upon him any more, resenting his conversation and not liking to +be scolded by a lean, scraggly goat, even though it belonged to a +conqueror. The servants kept away from the room and Bilbil grew more +hungry and more angry every hour. He tried to eat the rugs and +ornaments, but found them not at all nourishing. There was no grass to +be had unless he escaped from the palace. + +When Queen Cor came to capture Inga and Rinkitink, both the prisoners +were so filled with despair at their own misfortune that they gave no +thought whatever to the goat, who was left in his room. Nor did Bilbil +know anything of the changed fortunes of his comrades until he heard +shouts and boisterous laughter in the courtyard below. Looking out of a +window, with the intention of rebuking those who dared thus to disturb +him, Bilbil saw the courtyard quite filled with warriors and knew from +this that the palace had in some way again fallen into the hands of the +enemy. + +Now, although Bilbil was often exceedingly disagreeable to King +Rinkitink, as well as to the Prince, and sometimes used harsh words in +addressing them, he was intelligent enough to know them to be his +friends, and to know that King Gos and his people were his foes. In +sudden anger, provoked by the sight of the warriors and the knowledge +that he was in the power of the dangerous men of Regos, Bilbil butted +his head against the door of his room and burst it open. Then he ran to +the head of the staircase and saw King Gos coming up the stairs +followed by a long line of his chief captains and warriors. + +The goat lowered his head, trembling with rage and excitement, and just +as the King reached the top stair the animal dashed forward and butted +His Majesty so fiercely that the big and powerful King, who did not +expect an attack, doubled up and tumbled backward. His great weight +knocked over the man just behind him and he in turn struck the next +warrior and upset him, so that in an instant the whole line of Bilbil's +foes was tumbling heels over head to the bottom of the stairs, where +they piled up in a heap, struggling and shouting and in the mixup +hitting one another with their fists, until every man of them was +bruised and sore. + +Finally King Gos scrambled out of the heap and rushed up the stairs +again, very angry indeed. Bilbil was ready for him and a second time +butted the King down the stairs; but now the goat also lost his balance +and followed the King, landing full upon the confused heap of soldiers. +Then he kicked out so viciously with his heels that he soon freed +himself and dashed out of the doorway of the palace. + +"Stop him!" cried King Gos, running after. + +But the goat was now so wild and excited that it was not safe for +anyone to stand in his way. None of the men were armed and when one or +two tried to head off the goat, Bilbil sent them sprawling upon the +ground. Most of the warriors, however, were wise enough not to attempt +to interfere with his flight. + +Coursing down the street, Bilbil found himself approaching the bridge +of boats and without pausing to think where it might lead him he +crossed over and proceeded on his way. A few moments later a great +stone building blocked his path. It was the palace of Queen Cor, and +seeing the gates of the courtyard standing wide open, Bilbil rushed +through them without slackening his speed. + + + + +Chapter Thirteen + +Zella Saves the Prince + + +The wicked Queen of Coregos was in a very bad humor this morning, for +one of her slave drivers had come from the fields to say that a number +of slaves had rebelled and would not work. + +"Bring them here to me!" she cried savagely. "A good whipping may make +them change their minds." + +So the slave driver went to fetch the rebellious ones and Queen Cor sat +down to eat her breakfast, an ugly look on her face. + +Prince Inga had been ordered to stand behind his new mistress with a +big fan of peacock's feathers, but he was so unused to such service +that he awkwardly brushed her ear with the fan. At once she flew into a +terrible rage and slapped the Prince twice with her hand-blows that +tingled, too, for her hand was big and hard and she was not inclined to +be gentle. Inga took the blows without shrinking or uttering a cry, +although they stung his pride far more than his body. But King +Rinkitink, who was acting as the queen's butler and had just brought in +her coffee, was so startled at seeing the young Prince punished that he +tipped over the urn and the hot coffee streamed across the lap of the +Queen's best morning gown. + +Cor sprang from her seat with a scream of anger and poor Rinkitink +would doubtless have been given a terrible beating had not the slave +driver returned at this moment and attracted the woman's attention. The +overseer had brought with him all of the women slaves from Pingaree, +who had been loaded down with chains and were so weak and ill they +could scarcely walk, much less work in the fields. + +Prince Inga's eyes were dimmed with sorrowful tears when he discovered +how his poor people had been abused, but his own plight was so helpless +that he was unable to aid them. Fortunately the boy's mother, Queen +Garee, was not among these slaves, for Queen Cor had placed her in the +royal dairy to make butter. + +"Why do you refuse to work?" demanded Cor in a harsh voice, as the +slaves from Pingaree stood before her, trembling and with downcast eyes. + +"Because we lack strength to perform the tasks your overseers demand," +answered one of the women. + +"Then you shall be whipped until your strength returns!" exclaimed the +Queen, and turning to Inga, she commanded: "Get me the whip with the +seven lashes." + +As the boy left the room, wondering how he might manage to save the +unhappy women from their undeserved punishment, he met a girl entering +by the back way, who asked: + +"Can you tell me where to find Her Majesty, Queen Cor?" + +"She is in the chamber with the red dome, where green dragons are +painted upon the walls," replied Inga; "but she is in an angry and +ungracious mood to-day. Why do you wish to see her?" + +"I have honey to sell," answered the girl, who was Zella, just come +from the forest. "The Queen is very fond of my honey." + +"You may go to her, if you so desire," said the boy, "but take care not +to anger the cruel Queen, or she may do you a mischief." + +"Why should she harm me, who brings her the honey she so dearly loves?" +inquired the child innocently. "But I thank you for your warning; and I +will try not to anger the Queen." + +As Zella started to go, Inga's eyes suddenly fell upon her shoes and +instantly he recognized them as his own. For only in Pingaree were +shoes shaped in this manner: high at the heel and pointed at the toes. + +"Stop!" he cried in an excited voice, and the girl obeyed, wonderingly. +"Tell me," he continued, more gently, "where did you get those shoes?" + +"My father brought them to me from Regos," she answered. + +"From Regos!" + +"Yes. Are they not pretty?" asked Zella, looking down at her feet to +admire them. "One of them my father found by the palace wall, and the +other on an ash-heap. So he brought them to me and they fit me +perfectly." + +By this time Inga was trembling with eager joy, which of course the +girl could not understand. + +"What is your name, little maid?" he asked. + +"I am called Zella, and my father is Nikobob, the charcoal-burner." + +"Zella is a pretty name. I am Inga, Prince of Pingaree," said he, "and +the shoes you are now wearing, Zella, belong to me. They were not cast +away, as your father supposed, but were lost. Will you let me have them +again?" + +Zella's eyes filled with tears. + +"Must I give up my pretty shoes, then?" she asked. "They are the only +ones I have ever owned." + +Inga was sorry for the poor child, but he knew how important it was +that he regain possession of the Magic Pearls. So he said, pleadingly: + +"Please let me have them, Zella. See! I will exchange for them the +shoes I now have on, which are newer and prettier than the others." + +The girl hesitated. She wanted to please the boy Prince, yet she hated +to exchange the shoes which her father had brought her as a present. + +"If you will give me the shoes," continued the boy, anxiously, "I will +promise to make you and your father and mother rich and prosperous. +Indeed, I will promise to grant any favors you may ask of me," and he +sat down upon the floor and drew off the shoes he was wearing and held +them toward the girl. + +"I'll see if they will fit me," said Zella, taking off her left +shoe--the one that contained the Pink Pearl--and beginning to put on +one of Inga's. + +Just then Queen Cor, angry at being made to wait for her whip with the +seven lashes, rushed into the room to find Inga. Seeing the boy sitting +upon the floor beside Zella, the woman sprang toward him to beat him +with her clenched fists; but Inga had now slipped on the shoe and the +Queen's blows could not reach his body. + +Then Cor espied the whip lying beside Inga and snatching it up she +tried to lash him with it--all to no avail. + +While Zella sat horrified by this scene, the Prince, who realized he +had no time to waste, reached out and pulled the right shoe from the +girl's foot, quickly placing it upon his own. Then he stood up and, +facing the furious but astonished Queen, said to her in a quiet voice: + +"Madam, please give me that whip." + +"I won't!" answered Cor. "I'm going to lash those Pingaree women with +it." + +The boy seized hold of the whip and with irresistible strength drew it +from the Queen's hand. But she drew from her bosom a sharp dagger and +with the swiftness of lightning aimed a blow at Inga's heart. He merely +stood still and smiled, for the blade rebounded and fell clattering to +the floor. + +Then, at last, Queen Cor understood the magic power that had terrified +her husband but which she had ridiculed in her ignorance, not believing +in it. She did not know that Inga's power had been lost, and found +again, but she realized the boy was no common foe and that unless she +could still manage to outwit him her reign in the Island of Coregos was +ended. To gain time, she went back to the red-domed chamber and seated +herself in her throne, before which were grouped the weeping slaves +from Pingaree. + +Inga had taken Zella's hand and assisted her to put on the shoes he had +given her in exchange for his own. She found them quite comfortable and +did not know she had lost anything by the transfer. + +"Come with me," then said the boy Prince, and led her into the presence +of Queen Cor, who was giving Rinkitink a scolding. To the overseer Inga +said. + +"Give me the keys which unlock these chains, that I may set these poor +women at liberty." + +"Don't you do it!" screamed Queen Cor. + +"If you interfere, madam," said the boy, "I will put you into a +dungeon." + +By this Rinkitink knew that Inga had recovered his Magic Pearls and the +little fat King was so overjoyed that he danced and capered all around +the room. But the Queen was alarmed at the threat and the slave driver, +fearing the conqueror of Regos, tremblingly gave up the keys. + +Inga quickly removed all the shackles from the women of his country and +comforted them, telling them they should work no more but would soon be +restored to their homes in Pingaree. Then he commanded the slave driver +to go and get all the children who had been made slaves, and to bring +them to their mothers. The man obeyed and left at once to perform his +errand, while Queen Cor, growing more and more uneasy, suddenly sprang +from her throne and before Inga could stop her had rushed through the +room and out into the courtyard of the palace, meaning to make her +escape. Rinkitink followed her, running as fast as he could go. + +It was at this moment that Bilbil, in his mad dash from Regos, turned +in at the gates of the courtyard, and as he was coming one way and +Queen Cor was going the other they bumped into each other with great +force. The woman sailed through the air, over Bilbil's head, and landed +on the ground outside the gates, where her crown rolled into a ditch +and she picked herself up, half dazed, and continued her flight. Bilbil +was also somewhat dazed by the unexpected encounter, but he continued +his rush rather blindly and so struck poor Rinkitink, who was chasing +after Queen Cor. They rolled over one another a few times and then +Rinkitink sat up and Bilbil sat up and they looked at each other in +amazement. + +"Bilbil," said the King, "I'm astonished at you!" + +"Your Majesty," said Bilbil, "I expected kinder treatment at your +hands." + +"You interrupted me," said Rinkitink. + +"There was plenty of room without your taking my path," declared the +goat. + +And then Inga came running out and said. "Where is the Queen?" + +"Gone," replied Rinkitink, "but she cannot go far, as this is an +island. However, I have found Bilbil, and our party is again reunited. +You have recovered your magic powers, and again we are masters of the +situation. So let us be thankful." + +Saying this, the good little King got upon his feet and limped back +into the throne room to help comfort the women. + +Presently the children of Pingaree, who had been gathered together by +the overseer, were brought in and restored to their mothers, and there +was great rejoicing among them, you may be sure. + +"But where is Queen Garee, my dear mother?" questioned Inga; but the +women did not know and it was some time before the overseer remembered +that one of the slaves from Pingaree had been placed in the royal +dairy. Perhaps this was the woman the boy was seeking. + +Inga at once commanded him to lead the way to the butter house, but +when they arrived there Queen Garee was nowhere in the place, although +the boy found a silk scarf which he recognized as one that his mother +used to wear. Then they began a search throughout the island of +Coregos, but could not find Inga's mother anywhere. + +When they returned to the palace of Queen Cor, Rinkitink discovered +that the bridge of boats had again been removed, separating them from +Regos, and from this they suspected that Queen Cor had fled to her +husband's island and had taken Queen Garee with her. Inga was much +perplexed what to do and returned with his friends to the palace to +talk the matter over. + +Zella was now crying because she had not sold her honey and was unable +to return to her parents on the island of Regos, but the boy prince +comforted her and promised she should be protected until she could be +restored to her home. Rinkitink found Queen Cor's purse, which she had +had no time to take with her, and gave Zella several gold pieces for +the honey. Then Inga ordered the palace servants to prepare a feast for +all the women and children of Pingaree and to prepare for them beds in +the great palace, which was large enough to accommodate them all. + +Then the boy and the goat and Rinkitink and Zella went into a private +room to consider what should be done next. + + + + +Chapter Fourteen + +The Escape + + +"Our fault," said Rinkitink, "is that we conquer only one of these twin +islands at a time. When we conquered Regos, our foes all came to +Coregos, and now that we have conquered Coregos, the Queen has fled to +Regos. And each time they removed the bridge of boats, so that we could +not follow them." + +"What has become of our own boat, in which we came from Pingaree?" +asked Bilbil. + +"We left it on the shore of Regos," replied the Prince, "but I wonder +if we could not get it again." + +"Why don't you ask the White Pearl?" suggested Rinkitink. + +"That is a good idea," returned the boy, and at once he drew the White +Pearl from its silken bag and held it to his ear. Then he asked: "How +may I regain our boat?" + +The Voice of the Pearl replied: "Go to the south end of the Island of +Coregos, and clap your hands three times and the boat will come to you. + +"Very good!" cried Inga, and then he turned to his companions and said: +"We shall be able to get our boat whenever we please; but what then +shall we do?" + +"Take me home in it!" pleaded Zella. + +"Come with me to my City of Gilgad," said the King, "where you will be +very welcome to remain forever." + +"No," answered Inga, "I must rescue my father and mother, as well as my +people. Already I have the women and children of Pingaree, but the men +are with my father in the mines of Regos, and my dear mother has been +taken away by Queen Cor. Not until all are rescued will I consent to +leave these islands." + +"Quite right!" exclaimed Bilbil. + +"On second thought," said Rinkitink, "I agree with you. If you are +careful to sleep in your shoes, and never take them off again, I +believe you will be able to perform the task you have undertaken." + +They counseled together for a long time as to their mode of action and +it was finally considered best to make the attempt to liberate King +Kitticut first of all, and with him the men from Pingaree. This would +give them an army to assist them and afterward they could march to +Regos and compel Queen Cor to give up the Queen of Pingaree. Zella told +them that they could go in their boat along the shore of Regos to a +point opposite the mines, thus avoiding any conflict with the warriors +of King Gos. + +This being considered the best course to pursue, they resolved to start +on the following morning, as night was even now approaching. The +servants being all busy in caring for the women and children, Zella +undertook to get a dinner for Inga and Rinkitink and herself and soon +prepared a fine meal in the palace kitchen, for she was a good little +cook and had often helped her mother. The dinner was served in a small +room overlooking the gardens and Rinkitink thought the best part of it +was the sweet honey, which he spread upon the biscuits that Zella had +made. As for Bilbil, he wandered through the palace grounds and found +some grass that made him a good dinner. + +During the evening Inga talked with the women and cheered them, +promising soon to reunite them with their husbands who were working in +the mines and to send them back to their own island of Pingaree. + +Next morning the boy rose bright and early and found that Zella had +already prepared a nice breakfast. And after the meal they went to the +most southern point of the island, which was not very far away, +Rinkitink riding upon Bilbil's back and Inga and Zella following behind +them, hand in hand. + +When they reached the water's edge the boy advanced and clapped his +hands together three times, as the White Pearl had told him to do. And +in a few moments they saw in the distance the black boat with the +silver lining, coming swiftly toward them from the sea. Presently it +grounded on the beach and they all got into it. + +Zella was delighted with the boat, which was the most beautiful she had +ever seen, and the marvel of its coming to them through the water +without anyone to row it, made her a little afraid of the fairy craft. +But Inga picked up the oars and began to row and at once the boat shot +swiftly in the direction of Regos. They rounded the point of that +island where the city was built and noticed that the shore was lined +with warriors who had discovered their boat but seemed undecided +whether to pursue it or not. This was probably because they had +received no commands what to do, or perhaps they had learned to fear +the magic powers of these adventurers from Pingaree and were unwilling +to attack them unless their King ordered them to. + +The coast on the western side of the Island of Regos was very uneven +and Zella, who knew fairly well the location of the mines from the +inland forest path, was puzzled to decide which mountain they now +viewed from the sea was the one where the entrance to the underground +caverns was located. First she thought it was this peak, and then she +guessed it was that; so considerable time was lost through her +uncertainty. + +They finally decided to land and explore the country, to see where they +were, so Inga ran the boat into a little rocky cove where they all +disembarked. For an hour they searched for the path without finding any +trace of it and now Zella believed they had gone too far to the north +and must return to another mountain that was nearer to the city. + +Once again they entered the boat and followed the winding coast south +until they thought they had reached the right place. By this time, +however, it was growing dark, for the entire day had been spent in the +search for the entrance to the mines, and Zella warned them that it +would be safer to spend the night in the boat than on the land, where +wild beasts were sure to disturb them. None of them realized at this +time how fatal this day of search had been to their plans and perhaps +if Inga had realized what was going on he would have landed and fought +all the wild beasts in the forest rather than quietly remain in the +boat until morning. + +However, knowing nothing of the cunning plans of Queen Cor and King +Gos, they anchored their boat in a little bay and cheerfully ate their +dinner, finding plenty of food and drink in the boat's lockers. In the +evening the stars came out in the sky and tipped the waves around their +boat with silver. All around them was delightfully still save for the +occasional snarl of a beast on the neighboring shore. + +They talked together quietly of their adventures and their future plans +and Zella told them her simple history and how hard her poor father was +obliged to work, burning charcoal to sell for enough money to support +his wife and child. Nikobob might be the humblest man in all Regos, but +Zella declared he was a good man, and honest, and it was not his fault +that his country was ruled by so wicked a King. + +Then Rinkitink, to amuse them, offered to sing a song, and although +Bilbil protested in his gruff way, claiming that his master's voice was +cracked and disagreeable, the little King was encouraged by the others +to sing his song, which he did. + + "A red-headed man named Ned was dead; + Sing fiddle-cum-faddle-cum-fi-do! + In battle he had lost his head; + Sing fiddle-cum-faddl-cum-fi-do! + 'Alas, poor Ned,' to him I said, + 'How did you lose your head so red?' + Sing fiddle-cum-faddle-cum-fi-do! + + "Said Ned: 'I for my country bled,' + Sing fiddle-cum-faddle-cum-fi-do! + 'Instead of dying safe in bed', + Sing fiddle-cum-faddle-cum-fi-do! + 'If I had only fled, instead, + I then had been a head ahead.' + Sing fiddle-cum-faddle-cum-fi-do! + + "I said to Ned--" + + +"Do stop, Your Majesty!" pleaded Bilbil. "You're making my head ache." + +"But the song isn't finished," replied Rinkitink, "and as for your head +aching, think of poor Ned, who hadn't any head at all!" + +"I can think of nothing but your dismal singing," retorted Bilbil. "Why +didn't you choose a cheerful subject, instead of telling how a man who +was dead lost his red head? Really, Rinkitink, I'm surprised at you. + +"I know a splendid song about a live man, said the King. + +"Then don't sing it," begged Bilbil. + +Zella was both astonished and grieved by the disrespectful words of the +goat, for she had quite enjoyed Rinkitink's singing and had been taught +a proper respect for Kings and those high in authority. But as it was +now getting late they decided to go to sleep, that they might rise +early the following morning, so they all reclined upon the bottom of +the big boat and covered themselves with blankets which they found +stored underneath the seats for just such occasions. They were not long +in falling asleep and did not waken until daybreak. + +After a hurried breakfast, for Inga was eager to liberate his father, +the boy rowed the boat ashore and they all landed and began searching +for the path. Zella found it within the next half hour and declared +they must be very close to the entrance to the mines; so they followed +the path toward the north, Inga going first, and then Zella following +him, while Rinkitink brought up the rear riding upon Bilbil's back. + +Before long they saw a great wall of rock towering before them, in +which was a low arched entrance, and on either side of this entrance +stood a guard, armed with a sword and a spear. The guards of the mines +were not so fierce as the warriors of King Gos, their duty being to +make the slaves work at their tasks and guard them from escaping; but +they were as cruel as their cruel master wished them to be, and as +cowardly as they were cruel. + +Inga walked up to the two men at the entrance and said: + +"Does this opening lead to the mines of King Gos?" + +"It does," replied one of the guards, "but no one is allowed to pass +out who once goes in." + +"Nevertheless," said the boy, "we intend to go in and we shall come out +whenever it pleases us to do so. I am the Prince of Pingaree, and I +have come to liberate my people, whom King Gos has enslaved." + +Now when the two guards heard this speech they looked at one another +and laughed, and one of them said: "The King was right, for he said the +boy was likely to come here and that he would try to set his people +free. Also the King commanded that we must keep the little Prince in +the mines, and set him to work, together with his companions." + +"Then let us obey the King," replied the other man. + +Inga was surprised at hearing this, and asked: + +"When did King Gos give you this order?" + +"His Majesty was here in person last night," replied the man, "and went +away again but an hour ago. He suspected you were coming here and told +us to capture you if we could." + +This report made the boy very anxious, not for himself but for his +father, for he feared the King was up to some mischief. So he hastened +to enter the mines and the guards did nothing to oppose him or his +companions, their orders being to allow him to go in but not to come +out. + +The little group of adventurers passed through a long rocky corridor +and reached a low, wide cavern where they found a dozen guards and a +hundred slaves, the latter being hard at work with picks and shovels +digging for gold, while the guards stood over them with long whips. + +Inga found many of the men from Pingaree among these slaves, but King +Kitticut was not in this cavern; so they passed through it and entered +another corridor that led to a second cavern. Here also hundreds of men +were working, but the boy did not find his father amongst them, and so +went on to a third cavern. + +The corridors all slanted downward, so that the farther they went the +lower into the earth they descended, and now they found the air hot and +close and difficult to breathe. Flaming torches were stuck into the +walls to give light to the workers, and these added to the oppressive +heat. + +The third and lowest cavern was the last in the mines, and here were +many scores of slaves and many guards to keep them at work. So far, +none of the guards had paid any attention to Inga's party, but allowed +them to proceed as they would, and while the slaves cast curious +glances at the boy and girl and man and goat, they dared say nothing. +But now the boy walked up to some of the men of Pingaree and asked news +of his father, telling them not to fear the guards as he would protect +them from the whips. + +Then he Teamed that King Kitticut had indeed been working in this very +cavern until the evening before, when King Gos had come and taken him +away--still loaded with chains. + +"Seems to me," said King Rinkitink, when he heard this report, "that +Gos has carried your father away to Regos, to prevent us from rescuing +him. He may hide poor Kitticut in a dungeon, where we cannot find him." + +"Perhaps you are right," answered the boy, "but I am determined to find +him, wherever he may be." + +Inga spoke firmly and with courage, but he was greatly disappointed to +find that King Gos had been before him at the mines and had taken his +father away. However, he tried not to feel disheartened, believing he +would succeed in the end, in spite of all opposition. Turning to the +guards, he said: + +"Remove the chains from these slaves and set them free." + +The guards laughed at this order, and one of them brought forward a +handful of chains, saying: "His Majesty has commanded us to make you, +also, a slave, for you are never to leave these caverns again." + +Then he attempted to place the chains on Inga, but the boy indignantly +seized them and broke them apart as easily as if they had been cotton +cords. When a dozen or more of the guards made a dash to capture him, +the Prince swung the end of the chain like a whip and drove them into a +corner, where they cowered and begged for mercy. + +Stories of the marvelous strength of the boy Prince had already spread +to the mines of Regos, and although King Gos had told them that Inga +had been deprived of all his magic power, the guards now saw this was +not true, so they deemed it wise not to attempt to oppose him. + +The chains of the slaves had all been riveted fast to their ankles and +wrists, but Inga broke the bonds of steel with his hands and set the +poor men free--not only those from Pingaree but all who had been +captured in the many wars and raids of King Gos. They were very +grateful, as you may suppose, and agreed to support Prince Inga in +whatever action he commanded. + +He led them to the middle cavern, where all the guards and overseers +fled in terror at his approach, and soon he had broken apart the chains +of the slaves who had been working in that part of the mines. Then they +approached the first cavern and liberated all there. + +The slaves had been treated so cruelly by the servants of King Gos that +they were eager to pursue and slay them, in revenge; but Inga held them +back and formed them into companies, each company having its own +leader. Then he called the leaders together and instructed them to +march in good order along the path to the City of Regos, where he would +meet them and tell them what to do next. + +They readily agreed to obey him, and, arming themselves with iron bars +and pick-axes which they brought from the mines, the slaves began their +march to the city. + +Zella at first wished to be left behind, that she might make her way to +her home, but neither Rinkitink nor Inga thought it was safe for her to +wander alone through the forest, so they induced her to return with +them to the city. + +The boy beached his boat this time at the same place as when he first +landed at Regos, and while many of the warriors stood on the shore and +before the walls of the city, not one of them attempted to interfere +with the boy in any way. Indeed, they seemed uneasy and anxious, and +when Inga met Captain Buzzub the boy asked if anything had happened in +his absence. + +"A great deal has happened," replied Buzzub. "Our King and Queen have +run away and left us, and we don't know what to do." + +"Run away!" exclaimed Inga. "Where did they go to?" + +"Who knows?" said the man, shaking his head despondently. "They +departed together a few hours ago, in a boat with forty rowers, and +they took with them the King and Queen of Pingaree!" + + + + +Chapter Fifteen + +The Flight of the Rulers + + +Now it seems that when Queen Cor fled from her island to Regos, she had +wit enough, although greatly frightened, to make a stop at the royal +dairy, which was near to the bridge, and to drag poor Queen Garee from +the butter-house and across to Regos with her. The warriors of King Gos +had never before seen the terrible Queen Cor frightened, and therefore +when she came running across the bridge of boats, dragging the Queen of +Pingaree after her by one arm, the woman's great fright had the effect +of terrifying the waiting warriors. + +"Quick!" cried Cor. "Destroy the bridge, or we are lost." + +While the men were tearing away the bridge of boats the Queen ran up to +the palace of Gos, where she met her husband. + +"That boy is a wizard!" she gasped. "There is no standing against him." + +"Oh, have you discovered his magic at last?" replied Gos, laughing in +her face. "Who, now, is the coward?" + +"Don't laugh!" cried Queen Cor. "It is no laughing matter. Both our +islands are as good as conquered, this very minute. What shall we do, +Gos?" + +"Come in," he said, growing serious, "and let us talk it over." + +So they went into a room of the palace and talked long and earnestly. + +"The boy intends to liberate his father and mother, and all the people +of Pingaree, and to take them back to their island," said Cor. "He may +also destroy our palaces and make us his slaves. I can see but one way, +Gos, to prevent him from doing all this, and whatever else he pleases +to do." + +"What way is that?" asked King Gos. + +"We must take the boy's parents away from here as quickly as possible. +I have with me the Queen of Pingaree, and you can run up to the mines +and get the King. Then we will carry them away in a boat and hide them +where the boy cannot find them, with all his magic. We will use the +King and Queen of Pingaree as hostages, and send word to the boy wizard +that if he does not go away from our islands and allow us to rule them +undisturbed, in our own way, we will put his father and mother to +death. Also we will say that as long as we are let alone his parents +will be safe, although still safely hidden. I believe, Gos, that in +this way we can compel Prince Ingato obey us, for he seems very fond of +his parents." + +"It isn't a bad idea," said Gos, reflectively; "but where can we hide +the King and Queen, so that the boy cannot find them?" + +"In the country of the Nome King, on the mainland away at the south," +she replied. "The nomes are our friends, and they possess magic powers +that will enable them to protect the prisoners from discovery. If we +can manage to get the King and Queen of Pingaree to the Nome Kingdom +before the boy knows what we are doing, I am sure our plot will +succeed." + +Gos gave the plan considerable thought in the next five minutes, and +the more he thought about it the more clever and reasonable it seemed. +So he agreed to do as Queen Cor suggested and at once hurried away to +the mines, where he arrived before Prince Inga did. The next morning he +carried King Kitticut back to Regos. + +While Gos was gone, Queen Cor busied herself in preparing a large and +swift boat for the journey. She placed in it several bags of gold and +jewels with which to bribe the nomes, and selected forty of the +strongest oarsmen in Regos to row the boat. The instant King Gos +returned with his royal prisoner all was ready for departure. They +quickly entered the boat with their two important captives and without +a word of explanation to any of their people they commanded the oarsmen +to start, and were soon out of sight upon the broad expanse of the +Nonestic Ocean. + +Inga arrived at the city some hours later and was much distressed when +he learned that his father and mother had been spirited away from the +islands. + +"I shall follow them, of course," said the boy to Rinkitink, "and if I +cannot overtake them on the ocean I will search the world over until I +find them. But before I leave here I must arrange to send our people +back to Pingaree." + + + + +Chapter Sixteen + +Nikobob Refuses a Crown + + +Almost the first persons that Zella saw when she landed from the +silver-lined boat at Regos were her father and mother. Nikobob and his +wife had been greatly worried when their little daughter failed to +return from Coregos, so they had set out to discover what had become of +her. When they reached the City of Regos, that very morning, they were +astonished to hear news of all the strange events that had taken place; +still, they found comfort when told that Zella had been seen in the +boat of Prince Inga, which had gone to the north. Then, while they +wondered what this could mean, the silver-lined boat appeared again, +with their daughter in it, and they ran down to the shore to give her a +welcome and many joyful kisses. + +Inga invited the good people to the palace of King Gos, where he +conferred with them, as well as with Rinkitink and Bilbil. + +"Now that the King and Queen of Regos and Coregos have run away," he +said, "there is no one to rule these islands. So it is my duty to +appoint a new ruler, and as Nikobob, Zella's father, is an honest and +worthy man, I shall make him the King of the Twin Islands." + +"Me?" cried Nikobob, astounded by this speech. "I beg Your Highness, on +my bended knees, not to do so cruel a thing as to make me King!" + +"Why not?" inquired Rinkitink. "I'm a King, and I know how it feels. I +assure you, good Nikobob, that I quite enjoy my high rank, although a +jeweled crown is rather heavy to wear in hot weather." + +"With you, noble sir, it is different," said Nikobob, "for you are far +from your kingdom and its trials and worries and may do as you please. +But to remain in Regos, as King over these fierce and unruly warriors, +would be to live in constant anxiety and peril, and the chances are +that they would murder me within a month. As I have done no harm to +anyone and have tried to be a good and upright man, I do not think that +I should be condemned to such a dreadful fate." + +"Very well," replied Inga, "we will say no more about your being King. +I merely wanted to make you rich and prosperous, as I had promised +Zella." + +"Please forget that promise," pleaded the charcoal-burner, earnestly; +"I have been safe from molestation for many years, because I was poor +and possessed nothing that anyone else could envy. But if you make me +rich and prosperous I shall at once become the prey of thieves and +marauders and probably will lose my life in the attempt to protect my +fortune." + +Inga looked at the man in surprise. + +"What, then, can I do to please you?" he inquired. + +"Nothing more than to allow me to go home to my poor cabin," said +Nikobob. + +"Perhaps," remarked King Rinkitink, "the charcoal-burner has more +wisdom concealed in that hard head of his than we gave him credit for. +But let us use that wisdom, for the present, to counsel us what to do +in this emergency." + +"What you call my wisdom," said Nikobob, "is merely common sense. I +have noticed that some men become rich, and are scorned by some and +robbed by others. Other men become famous, and are mocked at and +derided by their fellows. But the poor and humble man who lives +unnoticed and unknown escapes all these troubles and is the only one +who can appreciate the joy of living." + +"If I had a hand, instead of a cloven hoof, I'd like to shake hands +with you, Nikobob," said Bilbil the goat. "But the poor man must not +have a cruel master, or he is undone." + +During the council they found, indeed, that the advice of the +charcoal-burner was both shrewd and sensible, and they profited much by +his words. + +Inga gave Captain Buzzub the command of the warriors and made him +promise to keep his men quiet and orderly--if he could. Then the boy +allowed all of King Gos's former slaves, except those who came from +Pingaree, to choose what boats they required and to stock them with +provisions and row away to their own countries. When these had +departed, with grateful thanks and many blessings showered upon the boy +Prince who had set them free, Inga made preparations to send his own +people home, where they were told to rebuild their houses and then +erect a new royal palace. They were then to await patiently the coming +of King Kitticut or Prince Inga. + +"My greatest worry," said the boy to his friends, "is to know whom to +appoint to take charge of this work of restoring Pingaree to its former +condition. My men are all pearl fishers, and although willing and +honest, have no talent for directing others how to work." + +While the preparations for departure were being made, Nikobob offered +to direct the men of Pingaree, and did so in a very capable manner. As +the island had been despoiled of all its valuable furniture and +draperies and rich cloths and paintings and statuary and the like, as +well as gold and silver and ornaments, Inga thought it no more than +just that they be replaced by the spoilers. So he directed his people +to search through the storehouses of King Gos and to regain all their +goods and chattels that could be found. Also he instructed them to take +as much else as they required to make their new homes comfortable, so +that many boats were loaded full of goods that would enable the people +to restore Pingaree to its former state of comfort. + +For his father's new palace the boy plundered the palaces of both Queen +Cor and King Gos, sending enough wares away with his people to make +King Kitticut's new residence as handsomely fitted and furnished as had +been the one which the ruthless invaders from Regos had destroyed. + +It was a great fleet of boats that set out one bright, sunny morning on +the voyage to Pingaree, carrying all the men, women and children and +all the goods for refitting their homes. As he saw the fleet depart, +Prince Inga felt that he had already successfully accomplished a part +of his mission, but he vowed he would never return to Pingaree in +person until he could take his father and mother there with him; +unless, indeed, King Gos wickedly destroyed his beloved parents, in +which case Inga would become the King of Pingaree and it would be his +duty to go to his people and rule over them. + +It was while the last of the boats were preparing to sail for Pingaree +that Nikobob, who had been of great service in getting them ready, came +to Inga in a thoughtful mood and said: + +"Your Highness, my wife and my daughter Zella have been urging me to +leave Regos and settle down in your island, in a new home. From what +your people have told me, Pingaree is a better place to live than +Regos, and there are no cruel warriors or savage beasts there to keep +one in constant fear for the safety of those he loves. Therefore, I +have come to ask to go with my family in one of the boats." + +Inga was much pleased with this proposal and not only granted Nikobob +permission to go to Pingaree to live, but instructed him to take with +him sufficient goods to furnish his new home in a comfortable manner. +In addition to this, he appointed Nikobob general manager of the +buildings and of the pearl fisheries, until his father or he himself +arrived, and the people approved this order because they liked Nikobob +and knew him to be just and honest. + +Soon as the last boat of the great flotilla had disappeared from the +view of those left at Regos, Inga and Rinkitink prepared to leave the +island themselves. The boy was anxious to overtake the boat of King +Gos, if possible, and Rinkitink had no desire to remain in Regos. + +Buzzub and the warriors stood silently on the shore and watched the +black boat with its silver lining depart, and I am sure they were as +glad to be rid of their unwelcome visitors as Inga and Rinkitink and +Bilbil were to leave. + +The boy asked the White Pearl what direction the boat of King Gos had +taken and then he followed after it, rowing hard and steadily for eight +days without becoming at all weary. But, although the black boat moved +very swiftly, it failed to overtake the barge which was rowed by Queen +Cor's forty picked oarsmen. + + + + +Chapter Seventeen + +The Nome King + + +The Kingdom of the Nomes does not border on the Nonestic Ocean, from +which it is separated by the Kingdom of Rinkitink and the Country of +the Wheelers, which is a part of the Land of Ev. Rinkitink's country is +separated from the country of the Nomes by a row of high and steep +mountains, from which it extends to the sea. The Country of the +Wheelers is a sandy waste that is open on one side to the Nonestic +Ocean and on the other side has no barrier to separate it from the Nome +Country, therefore it was on the coast of the Wheelers that King Cos +landed--in a spot quite deserted by any of the curious inhabitants of +that country. + +The Nome Country is very large in extent, and is only separated from +the Land of Oz, on its eastern borders, by a Deadly Desert that can not +be crossed by mortals, unless they are aided by the fairies or by magic. + +The nomes are a numerous and mischievous people, living in underground +caverns of wide extent, connected one with another by arches and +passages. The word "nome" means "one who knows," and these people are +so called because they know where all the gold and silver and precious +stones are hidden in the earth--a knowledge that no other living +creatures share with them. The nomes are busy people, constantly +digging up gold in one place and taking it to another place, where they +secretly bury it, and perhaps this is the reason they alone know where +to find it. The nomes were ruled, at the time of which I write, by a +King named Kaliko. + +King Gos had expected to be pursued by Inga in his magic boat, so he +made all the haste possible, urging his forty rowers to their best +efforts night and day. To his joy he was not overtaken but landed on +the sandy beach of the Wheelers on the morning of the eighth day. + +The forty rowers were left with the boat, while Queen Cor and King Cos, +with their royal prisoners, who were still chained, began the journey +to the Nome King. + +It was not long before they passed the sands and reached the rocky +country belonging to the nomes, but they were still a long way from the +entrance to the underground caverns in which lived the Nome King. There +was a dim path, winding between stones and boulders, over which the +walking was quite difficult, especially as the path led up hills that +were small mountains, and then down steep and abrupt slopes where any +misstep might mean a broken leg. Therefore it was the second day of +their journey before they climbed halfway up a rugged mountain and +found themselves at the entrance of the Nome King's caverns. + +On their arrival, the entrance seemed free and unguarded, but Gos and +Cor had been there before, and they were too wise to attempt to enter +without announcing themselves, for the passage to the caves was full of +traps and pitfalls. So King Gos stood still and shouted, and in an +instant they were surrounded by a group of crooked nomes, who seemed to +have sprung from the ground. + +One of these had very long ears and was called The Long-Eared Hearer. +He said: "I heard you coming early this morning." + +Another had eyes that looked in different directions at the same time +and were curiously bright and penetrating. He could look over a hill or +around a corner and was called The Lookout. Said he: "I saw you coming +yesterday." + +"Then," said King Gos, "perhaps King Kaliko is expecting us." + +"It is true," replied another nome, who wore a gold collar around his +neck and carried a bunch of golden keys. "The mighty Nome King expects +you, and bids you follow me to his presence." + +With this he led the way into the caverns and Gos and Cor followed, +dragging their weary prisoners with them, for poor King Kitticut and +his gentle Queen had been obliged to carry, all through the tedious +journey, the bags of gold and jewels which were to bribe the Nome King +to accept them as slaves. + +Through several long passages the guide led them and at last they +entered a small cavern which was beautifully decorated and set with +rare jewels that flashed from every part of the wall, floor and +ceiling. This was a waiting-room for visitors, and there their guide +left them while he went to inform King Kaliko of their arrival. + +Before long they were ushered into a great domed chamber, cut from the +solid rock and so magnificent that all of them--the King and Queen of +Pingaree and the King and Queen of Regos and Coregos--drew long breaths +of astonishment and opened their eyes as wide as they could. + +In an ivory throne sat a little round man who had a pointed beard and +hair that rose to a tall curl on top of his head. He was dressed in +silken robes, richly embroidered, which had large buttons of cut +rubies. On his head was a diamond crown and in his hand he held a +golden sceptre with a big jeweled ball at one end of it. This was +Kaliko, the King and ruler of all the nomes. He nodded pleasantly +enough to his visitors and said in a cheery voice: + +"Well, Your Majesties, what can I do for you?" + +"It is my desire," answered King Gos, respectfully, "to place in your +care two prisoners, whom you now see before you. They must be carefully +guarded, to prevent them from escaping, for they have the cunning of +foxes and are not to be trusted. In return for the favor I am asking +you to grant, I have brought Your Majesty valuable presents of gold and +precious gems." + +He then commanded Kitticut and Garee to lay before the Nome King the +bags of gold and jewels, and they obeyed, being helpless. + +"Very good," said King Kaliko, nodding approval, for like all the nomes +he loved treasures of gold and jewels. "But who are the prisoners you +have brought here, and why do you place them in my charge instead of +guarding them, yourself? They seem gentle enough, I'm sure." + +"The prisoners," returned King Gos, "are the King and Queen of +Pingaree, a small island north of here. They are very evil people and +came to our islands of Regos and Coregos to conquer them and slay our +poor people. Also they intended to plunder us of all our riches, but by +good fortune we were able to defeat and capture them. However, they +have a son who is a terrible wizard and who by magic art is trying to +find this awful King and Queen of Pingaree, and to set them free, that +they may continue their wicked deeds. Therefore, as we have no magic to +defend ourselves with, we have brought the prisoners to you for safe +keeping." + +"Your Majesty," spoke up King Kitticut, addressing the Nome King with +great indignation, "do not believe this tale, I implore you. It is all +a lie!" + +"I know it," said Kaliko. "I consider it a clever lie, though, because +it is woven without a thread of truth. However, that is none of my +business. The fact remains that my good friend King Gos wishes to put +you in my underground caverns, so that you will be unable to escape. +And why should I not please him in this little matter? Gos is a mighty +King and a great warrior, while your island of Pingaree is desolated +and your people scattered. In my heart, King Kitticut, I sympathize +with you, but as a matter of business policy we powerful Kings must +stand together and trample the weaker ones under our feet." + +King Kitticut was surprised to find the King of the nomes so candid and +so well informed, and he tried to argue that he and his gentle wife did +not deserve their cruel fate and that it would be wiser for Kaliko to +side with them than with the evil King of Regos. But Kaliko only shook +his head and smiled, saying: + +"The fact that you are a prisoner, my poor Kitticut, is evidence that +you are weaker than King Cos, and I prefer to deal with the strong. By +the way," he added, turning to the King of Regos, "have these prisoners +any connection with the Land of Oz?" + +"Why do you ask?" said Gos. + +"Because I dare not offend the Oz people," was the reply. "I am very +powerful, as you know, but Ozma of Oz is far more powerful than I; +therefore, if this King and Queen of Pingaree happened to be under +Ozma's protection, I would have nothing to do with them." + +"I assure Your Majesty that the prisoners have nothing to do with the +Oz people," Gos hastened to say. And Kitticut, being questioned, +admitted that this was true. + +"But how about that wizard you mentioned?" asked the Nome King. + +"Oh, he is merely a boy; but he is very ferocious and obstinate and he +is assisted by a little fat sorcerer called Rinkitink and a talking +goat." + +"Oho! A talking goat, do you say? That certainly sounds like magic; and +it also sounds like the Land of Oz, where all the animals talk," said +Kaliko, with a doubtful expression. + +But King Gos assured him the talking goat had never been to Oz. + +"As for Rinkitink, whom you call a sorcerer," continued the Nome King, +"he is a neighbor of mine, you must know, but as we are cut off from +each other by high mountains beneath which a powerful river runs, I +have never yet met King Rinkitink. But I have heard of him, and from +all reports he is a jolly rogue, and perfectly harmless. However, in +spite of your false statements and misrepresentations, I will earn the +treasure you have brought me, by keeping your prisoners safe in my +caverns. + +"Make them work," advised Queen Cor. "They are rather delicate, and to +make them work will make them suffer delightfully." + +"I'll do as I please about that," said the Nome King sternly. "Be +content that I agree to keep them safe." + +The bargain being thus made and concluded, Kaliko first examined the +gold and jewels and then sent it away to his royal storehouse, which +was well filled with like treasure. Next the captives were sent away in +charge of the nome with the golden collar and keys, whose name was +Klik, and he escorted them to a small cavern and gave them a good +supper. + +"I shall lock your door," said Klik, "so there is no need of your +wearing those heavy chains any longer." He therefore removed the chains +and left King Kitticut and his Queen alone. This was the first time +since the Northmen had carried them away from Pingaree that the good +King and Queen had been alone together and free of all bonds, and as +they embraced lovingly and mingled their tears over their sad fate they +were also grateful that they had passed from the control of the +heartless King Gos into the more considerate care of King Kaliko. They +were still captives but they believed they would be happier in the +underground caverns of the nomes than in Regos and Coregos. + +Meantime, in the King's royal cavern a great feast had been spread. +King Gos and Queen Cor, having triumphed in their plot, were so well +pleased that they held high revelry with the jolly Nome King until a +late hour that night. And the next morning, having cautioned Kaliko not +to release the prisoners under any consideration without their orders, +the King and Queen of Regos and Coregos left the caverns of the nomes +to return to the shore of the ocean where they had left their boat. + + + + +Chapter Eighteen + +Inga Parts with his Pink Pearl + + +The White Pearl guided Inga truly in his pursuit of the boat of King +Gos, but the boy had been so delayed in sending his people home to +Pingaree that it was a full day after Gos and Cor landed on the shore +of the Wheeler Country that Inga's boat arrived at the same place. + +There he found the forty rowers guarding the barge of Queen Cor, and +although they would not or could not tell the boy where the King and +Queen had taken his father and mother, the White Pearl advised him to +follow the path to the country and the caverns of the nomes. + +Rinkitink didn't like to undertake the rocky and mountainous journey, +even with Bilbil to carry him, but he would not desert Inga, even +though his own kingdom lay just beyond a range of mountains which could +be seen towering southwest of them. So the King bravely mounted the +goat, who always grumbled but always obeyed his master, and the three +set off at once for the caverns of the nomes. + +They traveled just as slowly as Queen Cor and King Gos had done, so +when they were about halfway they discovered the King and Queen coming +back to their boat. The fact that Gos and Cor were now alone proved +that they had left Inga's father and mother behind them; so, at the +suggestion of Rinkitink, the three hid behind a high rock until the +King of Regos and the Queen of Coregos, who had not observed them, had +passed them by. Then they continued their journey, glad that they had +not again been forced to fight or quarrel with their wicked enemies. + +"We might have asked them, however, what they had done with your poor +parents," said Rinkitink. + +"Never mind," answered Inga. "I am sure the White Pearl will guide us +aright." + +For a time they proceeded in silence and then Rinkitink began to +chuckle with laughter in the pleasant way he was wont to do before his +misfortunes came upon him. + +"What amuses Your Majesty?" inquired the boy. + +"The thought of how surprised my dear subjects would be if they +realized how near to them I am, and yet how far away. I have always +wanted to visit the Nome Country, which is full of mystery and magic +and all sorts of adventures, but my devoted subjects forbade me to +think of such a thing, fearing I would get hurt or enchanted." + +"Are you afraid, now that you are here?" asked Inga. + +"A little, but not much, for they say the new Nome King is not as +wicked as the old King used to be. Still, we are undertaking a +dangerous journey and I think you ought to protect me by lending me one +of your pearls." + +Inga thought this over and it seemed a reasonable request. + +"Which pearl would you like to have?" asked the boy. + +"Well, let us see," returned Rinkitink; "you may need strength to +liberate your captive parents, so you must keep the Blue Pearl. And you +will need the advice of the White Pearl, so you had best keep that +also. But in case we should be separated I would have nothing to +protect me from harm, so you ought to lend me the Pink Pearl." + +"Very well," agreed Inga, and sitting down upon a rock he removed his +right shoe and after withdrawing the cloth from the pointed toe took +out the Pink Pearl--the one which protected from any harm the person +who carried it. + +"Where can you put it, to keep it safely?" he asked. + +"In my vest pocket," replied the King. "The pocket has a flap to it and +I can pin it down in such a way that the pearl cannot get out and +become lost. As for robbery, no one with evil intent can touch my +person while I have the pearl." + +So Inga gave Rinkitink the Pink Pearl and the little King placed it in +the pocket of his red-and-green brocaded velvet vest, pinning the flap +of the pocket down tightly. + +They now resumed their journey and finally reached the entrance to the +Nome King's caverns. Placing the White Pearl to his ear, Inga asked: +"What shall I do now?" and the Voice of the Pearl replied: "Clap your +hands together four times and call aloud the word 'Klik.' Then allow +yourselves to be conducted to the Nome King, who is now holding your +father and mother captive." + +Inga followed these instructions and when Klik appeared in answer to +his summons the boy requested an audience of the Nome King. So Klik led +them into the presence of King Kaliko, who was suffering from a severe +headache, due to his revelry the night before, and therefore was +unusually cross and grumpy. + +"I know what you've come for," said he, before Inga could speak. "You +want to get the captives from Regos away from me; but you can't do it, +so you'd best go away again." + +"The captives are my father and mother, and I intend to liberate them," +said the boy firmly. + +The King stared hard at Inga, wondering at his audacity. Then he turned +to look at King Rinkitink and said: + +"I suppose you are the King of Gilgad, which is in the Kingdom of +Rinkitink." + +"You've guessed it the first time," replied Rinkitink. + +"How round and fat you are!" exclaimed Kaliko. + +"I was just thinking how fat and round you are," said Rinkitink. +"Really, King Kaliko, we ought to be friends, we're so much alike in +everything but disposition and intelligence." + +Then he began to chuckle, while Kaliko stared hard at him, not knowing +whether to accept his speech as a compliment or not. And now the nome's +eyes wandered to Bilbil, and he asked: + +"Is that your talking goat?" + +Bilbil met the Nome King's glowering look with a gaze equally surly and +defiant, while Rinkitink answered: "It is, Your Majesty." + +"Can he really talk?" asked Kaliko, curiously. + +"He can. But the best thing he does is to scold. Talk to His Majesty, +Bilbil." + +But Bilbil remained silent and would not speak. + +"Do you always ride upon his back?" continued Kaliko, questioning +Rinkitink. + +"Yes," was the answer, "because it is difficult for a fat man to walk +far, as perhaps you know from experience. + +"That is true," said Kaliko. "Get off the goat's back and let me ride +him a while, to see how I like it. Perhaps I'll take him away from you, +to ride through my caverns." + +Rinkitink chuckled softly as he heard this, but at once got off +Bilbil's back and let Kaliko get on. The Nome King was a little +awkward, but when he was firmly astride the saddle he called in a loud +voice: "Giddap!" + +When Bilbil paid no attention to the command and refused to stir, +Kaliko kicked his heels viciously against the goat's body, and then +Bilbil made a sudden start. He ran swiftly across the great cavern, +until he had almost reached the opposite wall, when he stopped so +abruptly that King Kaliko sailed over his head and bumped against the +jeweled wall. He bumped so hard that the points of his crown were all +mashed out of shape and his head was driven far into the +diamond-studded band of the crown, so that it covered one eye and a +part of his nose. Perhaps this saved Kaliko's head from being cracked +against the rock wall, but it was hard on the crown. + +Bilbil was highly pleased at the success of his feat and Rinkitink +laughed merrily at the Nome King's comical appearance; but Kaliko was +muttering and growling as he picked himself up and struggled to pull +the battered crown from his head, and it was evident that he was not in +the least amused. Indeed, Inga could see that the King was very angry, +and the boy knew that the incident was likely to turn Kaliko against +the entire party. + +The Nome King sent Klik for another crown and ordered his workmen to +repair the one that was damaged. While he waited for the new crown he +sat regarding his visitors with a scowling face, and this made Inga +more uneasy than ever. Finally, when the new crown was placed upon his +head, King Kaliko said: "Follow me, strangers!" and led the way to a +small door at one end of the cavern. + +Inga and Rinkitink followed him through the doorway and found +themselves standing on a balcony that overlooked an enormous domed +cave--so extensive that it seemed miles to the other side of it. All +around this circular cave, which was brilliantly lighted from an +unknown source, were arches connected with other caverns. + +Kaliko took a gold whistle from his pocket and blew a shrill note that +echoed through every part of the cave. Instantly nomes began to pour in +through the side arches in great numbers, until the immense space was +packed with them as far as the eye could reach. All were armed with +glittering weapons of polished silver and gold, and Inga was amazed +that any King could command so great an army. + +They began marching and countermarching in very orderly array until +another blast of the gold whistle sent them scurrying away as quickly +as they had appeared. And as soon as the great cave was again empty +Kaliko returned with his visitors to his own royal chamber, where he +once more seated himself upon his ivory throne. + +"I have shown you," said he to Inga, "a part of my bodyguard. The royal +armies, of which this is only a part, are as numerous as the sands of +the ocean, and live in many thousands of my underground caverns. You +have come here thinking to force me to give up the captives of King Gos +and Queen Cor, and I wanted to convince you that my power is too mighty +for anyone to oppose. I am told that you are a wizard, and depend upon +magic to aid you; but you must know that the nomes are not mortals, and +understand magic pretty well themselves, so if we are obliged to fight +magic with magic the chances are that we are a hundred times more +powerful than you can be. Think this over carefully, my boy, and try to +realize that you are in my power. I do not believe you can force me to +liberate King Kitticut and Queen Garee, and I know that you cannot coax +me to do so, for I have given my promise to King Gos. Therefore, as I +do not wish to hurt you, I ask you to go away peaceably and let me +alone." + +"Forgive me if I do not agree with you, King Kaliko," answered the boy. +"However difficult and dangerous my task may be, I cannot leave your +dominions until every effort to release my parents has failed and left +me completely discouraged." + +"Very well," said the King, evidently displeased. "I have warned you, +and now if evil overtakes you it is your own fault. I've a headache +to-day, so I cannot entertain you properly, according to your rank; but +Klik will attend you to my guest chambers and to-morrow I will talk +with you again." + +This seemed a fair and courteous way to treat one's declared enemies, +so they politely expressed the wish that Kaliko's headache would be +better, and followed their guide, Klik, down a well-lighted passage and +through several archways until they finally reached three nicely +furnished bedchambers which were cut from solid gray rock and well +lighted and aired by some mysterious method known to the nomes. + +The first of these rooms was given King Rinkitink, the second was +Inga's and the third was assigned to Bilbil the goat. There was a +swinging rock door between the third and second rooms and another +between the second and first, which also had a door that opened upon +the passage. Rinkitink's room was the largest, so it was here that an +excellent dinner was spread by some of the nome servants, who, in spite +of their crooked shapes, proved to be well trained and competent. + +"You are not prisoners, you know," said Klik; "neither are you welcome +guests, having declared your purpose to oppose our mighty King and all +his hosts. But we bear you no ill will, and you are to be well fed and +cared for as long as you remain in our caverns. Eat hearty, sleep +tight, and pleasant dreams to you." + +Saying this, he left them alone and at once Rinkitink and Inga began to +counsel together as to the best means to liberate King Kitticut and +Queen Garee. The White Pearl's advice was rather unsatisfactory to the +boy, just now, for all that the Voice said in answer to his questions +was: "Be patient, brave and determined." + +Rinkitink suggested that they try to discover in what part of the +series of underground caverns Inga's parents had been confined, as that +knowledge was necessary before they could take any action; so together +they started out, leaving Bilbil asleep in his room, and made their way +unopposed through many corridors and caverns. In some places were great +furnaces, where gold dust was being melted into bricks. In other rooms +workmen were fashioning the gold into various articles and ornaments. +In one cavern immense wheels revolved which polished precious gems, and +they found many caverns used as storerooms, where treasure of every +sort was piled high. Also they came to the barracks of the army and the +great kitchens. + +There were nomes everywhere--countless thousands of them--but none paid +the slightest heed to the visitors from the earth's surface. Yet, +although Inga and Rinkitink walked until they were weary, they were +unable to locate the place where the boy's father and mother had been +confined, and when they tried to return to their own rooms they found +that they had hopelessly lost themselves amid the labyrinth of +passages. However, Klik presently came to them, laughing at their +discomfiture, and led them back to their bedchambers. + +Before they went to sleep they carefully barred the door from +Rinkitink's room to the corridor, but the doors that connected the +three rooms one with another were left wide open. + +In the night Inga was awakened by a soft grating sound that filled him +with anxiety because he could not account for it. It was dark in his +room, the light having disappeared as soon as he got into bed, but he +managed to feel his way to the door that led to Rinkitink's room and +found it tightly closed and immovable. Then he made his way to the +opposite door, leading to Bilbil's room, to discover that also had been +closed and fastened. + +The boy had a curious sensation that all of his room--the walls, floor +and ceiling--was slowly whirling as if on a pivot, and it was such an +uncomfortable feeling that he got into bed again, not knowing what else +to do. And as the grating noise had ceased and the room now seemed +stationary, he soon fell asleep again. + +When the boy wakened, after many hours, he found the room again light. +So he dressed himself and discovered that a small table, containing a +breakfast that was smoking hot, had suddenly appeared in the center of +his room. He tried the two doors, but finding that he could not open +them he ate some breakfast, thoughtfully wondering who had locked him +in and why he had been made a prisoner. Then he again went to the door +which he thought led to Rinkitink's chamber and to his surprise the +latch lifted easily and the door swung open. + +Before him was a rude corridor hewn in the rock and dimly lighted. It +did not look inviting, so Inga closed the door, puzzled to know what +had become of Rinkitink's room and the King, and went to the opposite +door. Opening this, he found a solid wall of rock confronting him, +which effectually prevented his escape in that direction. + +The boy now realized that King Kaliko had tricked him, and while +professing to receive him as a guest had plotted to separate him from +his comrades. One way had been left, however, by which he might escape +and he decided to see where it led to. + +So, going to the first door, he opened it and ventured slowly into the +dimly lighted corridor. When he had advanced a few steps he heard the +door of his room slam shut behind him. He ran back at once, but the +door of rock fitted so closely into the wall that he found it +impossible to open it again. That did not matter so much, however, for +the room was a prison and the only way of escape seemed ahead of him. + +Along the corridor he crept until, turning a corner, he found himself +in a large domed cavern that was empty and deserted. Here also was a +dim light that permitted him to see another corridor at the opposite +side; so he crossed the rocky floor of the cavern and entered a second +corridor. This one twisted and turned in every direction but was not +very long, so soon the boy reached a second cavern, not so large as the +first. This he found vacant also, but it had another corridor leading +out of it, so Inga entered that. It was straight and short and beyond +was a third cavern, which differed little from the others except that +it had a strong iron grating at one side of it. + +All three of these caverns had been roughly hewn from the rock and it +seemed they had never been put to use, as had all the other caverns of +the nomes he had visited. Standing in the third cavern, Inga saw what +he thought was still another corridor at its farther side, so he walked +toward it. This opening was dark, and that fact, and the solemn silence +all around him, made him hesitate for a while to enter it. Upon +reflection, however, he realized that unless he explored the place to +the very end he could not hope to escape from it, so he boldly entered +the dark corridor and felt his way cautiously as he moved forward. + +Scarcely had he taken two paces when a crash resounded back of him and +a heavy sheet of steel closed the opening into the cavern from which he +had just come. He paused a moment, but it still seemed best to proceed, +and as Inga advanced in the dark, holding his hands outstretched before +him to feel his way, handcuffs fell upon his wrists and locked +themselves with a sharp click, and an instant later he found he was +chained to a stout iron post set firmly in the rock floor. + +The chains were long enough to permit him to move a yard or so in any +direction and by feeling the walls he found he was in a small circular +room that had no outlet except the passage by which he had entered, and +that was now closed by the door of steel. This was the end of the +series of caverns and corridors. + +It was now that the horror of his situation occurred to the boy with +full force. But he resolved not to submit to his fate without a +struggle, and realizing that he possessed the Blue Pearl, which gave +him marvelous strength, he quickly broke the chains and set himself +free of the handcuffs. Next he twisted the steel door from its hinges, +and creeping along the short passage, found himself in the third cave. + +But now the dim light, which had before guided him, had vanished; yet +on peering into the gloom of the cave he saw what appeared to be two +round disks of flame, which cast a subdued glow over the floor and +walls. By this dull glow he made out the form of an enormous man, +seated in the center of the cave, and he saw that the iron grating had +been removed, permitting the man to enter. + +The giant was unclothed and its limbs were thickly covered with coarse +red hair. The round disks of flame were its two eyes and when it opened +its mouth to yawn Inga saw that its jaws were wide enough to crush a +dozen men between the great rows of teeth. + +Presently the giant looked up and perceived the boy crouching at the +other side of the cavern, so he called out in a hoarse, rude voice: + +"Come hither, my pretty one. We will wrestle together, you and I, and +if you succeed in throwing me I will let you pass through my cave." + +The boy made no reply to the challenge. He realized he was in dire +peril and regretted that he had lent the Pink Pearl to King Rinkitink. +But it was now too late for vain regrets, although he feared that even +his great strength would avail him little against this hairy monster. +For his arms were not long enough to span a fourth of the giant's huge +body, while the monster's powerful limbs would be likely to crush out +Inga's life before he could gain the mastery. + +Therefore the Prince resolved to employ other means to combat this foe, +who had doubtless been placed there to bar his return. Retreating +through the passage he reached the room where he had been chained and +wrenched the iron post from its socket. It was a foot thick and four +feet long, and being of solid iron was so heavy that three ordinary men +would have found it hard to lift. + +Returning to the cavern, the boy swung the great bar above his head and +dashed it with mighty force full at the giant. The end of the bar +struck the monster upon its forehead, and with a single groan it fell +full length upon the floor and lay still. + +When the giant fell, the glow from its eyes faded away, and all was +dark. Cautiously, for Inga was not sure the giant was dead, the boy +felt his way toward the opening that led to the middle cavern. The +entrance was narrow and the darkness was intense, but, feeling braver +now, the boy stepped boldly forward. Instantly the floor began to sink +beneath him and in great alarm he turned and made a leap that enabled +him to grasp the rocky sides of the wall and regain a footing in the +passage through which he had just come. + +Scarcely had he obtained this place of refuge when a mighty crash +resounded throughout the cavern and the sound of a rushing torrent came +from far below. Inga felt in his pocket and found several matches, one +of which he lighted and held before him. While it flickered he saw that +the entire floor of the cavern had fallen away, and knew that had he +not instantly regained his footing in the passage he would have plunged +into the abyss that lay beneath him. + +By the light of another match he saw the opening at the other side of +the cave and the thought came to him that possibly he might leap across +the gulf. Of course, this could never be accomplished without the +marvelous strength lent him by the Blue Pearl, but Inga had the feeling +that one powerful spring might carry him over the chasm into safety. He +could not stay where he was, that was certain, so he resolved to make +the attempt. + +He took a long run through the first cave and the short corridor; then, +exerting all his strength, he launched himself over the black gulf of +the second cave. Swiftly he flew and, although his heart stood still +with fear, only a few seconds elapsed before his feet touched the ledge +of the opposite passageway and he knew he had safely accomplished the +wonderful feat. + +Only pausing to draw one long breath of relief, Inga quickly traversed +the crooked corridor that led to the last cavern of the three. But when +he came in sight of it he paused abruptly, his eyes nearly blinded by a +glare of strong light which burst upon them. Covering his face with his +hands, Inga retreated behind a projecting corner of rock and by +gradually getting his eyes used to the light he was finally able to +gaze without blinking upon the strange glare that had so quickly +changed the condition of the cavern. When he had passed through this +vault it had been entirely empty. Now the flat floor of rock was +covered everywhere with a bed of glowing coals, which shot up little +tongues of red and white flames. Indeed, the entire cave was one +monster furnace and the heat that came from it was fearful. + +Inga's heart sank within him as he realized the terrible obstacle +placed by the cunning Nome King between him and the safety of the other +caverns. There was no turning back, for it would be impossible for him +again to leap over the gulf of the second cave, the corridor at this +side being so crooked that he could get no run before he jumped. +Neither could he leap over the glowing coals of the cavern that faced +him, for it was much larger than the middle cavern. In this dilemma he +feared his great strength would avail him nothing and he bitterly +reproached himself for parting with the Pink Pearl, which would have +preserved him from injury. + +However, it was not in the nature of Prince Inga to despair for long, +his past adventures having taught him confidence and courage, sharpened +his wits and given him the genius of invention. He sat down and thought +earnestly on the means of escape from his danger and at last a clever +idea came to his mind. This is the way to get ideas: never to let +adverse circumstances discourage you, but to believe there is a way out +of every difficulty, which may be found by earnest thought. + +There were many points and projections of rock in the walls of the +crooked corridor in which Inga stood and some of these rocks had become +cracked and loosened, although still clinging to their places. The boy +picked out one large piece, and, exerting all his strength, tore it +away from the wall. He then carried it to the cavern and tossed it upon +the burning coals, about ten feet away from the end of the passage. +Then he returned for another fragment of rock, and wrenching it free +from its place, he threw it ten feet beyond the first one, toward the +opposite side of the cave. The boy continued this work until he had +made a series of stepping-stones reaching straight across the cavern to +the dark passageway beyond, which he hoped would lead him back to +safety if not to liberty. + +When his work had been completed, Inga did not long hesitate to take +advantage of his stepping-stones, for he knew his best chance of escape +lay in his crossing the bed of coals before the rocks became so heated +that they would burn his feet. So he leaped to the first rock and from +there began jumping from one to the other in quick succession. A +withering wave of heat at once enveloped him, and for a time he feared +he would suffocate before he could cross the cavern; but he held his +breath, to keep the hot air from his lungs, and maintained his leaps +with desperate resolve. + +Then, before he realized it, his feet were pressing the cooler rocks of +the passage beyond and he rolled helpless upon the floor, gasping for +breath. His skin was so red that it resembled the shell of a boiled +lobster, but his swift motion had prevented his being burned, and his +shoes had thick soles, which saved his feet. + +After resting a few minutes, the boy felt strong enough to go on. He +went to the end of the passage and found that the rock door by which he +had left his room was still closed, so he returned to about the middle +of the corridor and was thinking what he should do next, when suddenly +the solid rock before him began to move and an opening appeared through +which shone a brilliant light. Shielding his eyes, which were somewhat +dazzled, Inga sprang through the opening and found himself in one of +the Nome King's inhabited caverns, where before him stood King Kaliko, +with a broad grin upon his features, and Klik, the King's chamberlain, +who looked surprised, and King Rinkitink seated astride Bilbil the +goat, both of whom seemed pleased that Inga had rejoined them. + + + + +Chapter Nineteen + +Rinkitink Chuckles + + +We will now relate what happened to Rinkitink and Bilbil that morning, +while Inga was undergoing his trying experience in escaping the fearful +dangers of the three caverns. + +The King of Gilgad wakened to find the door of Inga's room fast shut +and locked, but he had no trouble in opening his own door into the +corridor, for it seems that the boy's room, which was the middle one, +whirled around on a pivot, while the adjoining rooms occupied by Bilbil +and Rinkitink remained stationary. The little King also found a +breakfast magically served in his room, and while he was eating it, +Klik came to him and stated that His Majesty, King Kaliko, desired his +presence in the royal cavern. + +So Rinkitink, having first made sure that the Pink Pearl was still in +his vest pocket, willingly followed Klik, who ran on some distance +ahead. But no sooner had Rinkitink set foot in the passage than a great +rock, weighing at least a ton, became dislodged and dropped from the +roof directly over his head. Of course, it could not harm him, +protected as he was by the Pink Pearl, and it bounded aside and crashed +upon the floor, where it was shattered by its own weight. + +"How careless!" exclaimed the little King, and waddled after Klik, who +seemed amazed at his escape. + +Presently another rock above Rinkitink plunged downward, and then +another, but none touched his body. Klik seemed much perplexed at these +continued escapes and certainly Kaliko was surprised when Rinkitink, +safe and sound, entered the royal cavern. + +"Good morning," said the King of Gilgad. "Your rocks are getting loose, +Kaliko, and you'd better have them glued in place before they hurt +someone." Then he began to chuckle: "Hoo, hoo, hoo-hee, hee-heek, keek, +eek!" and Kaliko sat and frowned because he realized that the little +fat King was poking fun at him. + +"I asked Your Majesty to come here," said the Nome King, "to show you a +curious skein of golden thread which my workmen have made. If it +pleases you, I will make you a present of it." + +With this he held out a small skein of glittering gold twine, which was +really pretty and curious. Rinkitink took it in his hand and at once +the golden thread began to unwind--so swiftly that the eye could not +follow its motion. And, as it unwound, it coiled itself around +Rinkitink's body, at the same time weaving itself into a net, until it +had enveloped the little King from head to foot and placed him in a +prison of gold. + +"Aha!" cried Kaliko; "this magic worked all right, it seems. + +"Oh, did it?" replied Rinkitink, and stepping forward he walked right +through the golden net, which fell to the floor in a tangled mass. + +Kaliko rubbed his chin thoughtfully and stared hard at Rinkitink. + +"I understand a good bit of magic," said he, "but Your Majesty has a +sort of magic that greatly puzzles me, because it is unlike anything of +the sort that I ever met with before." + +"Now, see here, Kaliko," said Rinkitink; "if you are trying to harm me +or my companions, give it up, for you will never succeed. We're +harm-proof, so to speak, and you are merely wasting your time trying to +injure us. + +"You may be right, and I hope I am not so impolite as to argue with a +guest," returned the Nome King. "But you will pardon me if I am not yet +satisfied that you are stronger than my famous magic. However, I beg +you to believe that I bear you no ill will, King Rinkitink; but it is +my duty to destroy you, if possible, because you and that insignificant +boy Prince have openly threatened to take away my captives and have +positively refused to go back to the earth's surface and let me alone. +I'm very tender-hearted, as a matter of fact, and I like you immensely, +and would enjoy having you as a friend, but--" Here he pressed a button +on the arm of his throne chair and the section of the floor where +Rinkitink stood suddenly opened and disclosed a black pit beneath, +which was a part of 'the terrible Bottomless Gulf. + +But Rinkitink did not fall into the pit; his body remained suspended in +the air until he put out his foot and stepped to the solid floor, when +the opening suddenly closed again. + +"I appreciate Your Majesty's friendship," remarked Rinkitink, as calmly +as if nothing had happened, "but I am getting tired with standing. Will +you kindly send for my goat, Bilbil, that I may sit upon his back to +rest?" + +"Indeed I will!" promised Kaliko. "I have not yet completed my test of +your magic, and as I owe that goat a slight grudge for bumping my head +and smashing my second-best crown, I will be glad to discover if the +beast can also escape my delightful little sorceries." + +So Klik was sent to fetch Bilbil and presently returned with the goat, +which was very cross this morning because it had not slept well in the +underground caverns. + +Rinkitink lost no time in getting upon the red velvet saddle which the +goat constantly wore, for he feared the Nome King would try to destroy +Bilbil and knew that as long as his body touched that of the goat the +Pink Pearl would protect them both; whereas, if Bilbil stood alone, +there was no magic to save him. + +Bilbil glared wickedly at King Kaliko, who moved uneasily in his ivory +throne. Then the Nome King whispered a moment in the ear of Klik, who +nodded and left the room. + +"Please make yourselves at home here for a few minutes, while I attend +to an errand," said the Nome King, getting up from the throne. "I shall +return pretty soon, when I hope to find you pieceful--ha, ha, +ha!--that's a joke you can't appreciate now but will later. Be +pieceful--that's the idea. Ho, ho, ho! How funny." Then he waddled from +the cavern, closing the door behind him. + +"Well, why didn't you laugh when Kaliko laughed?" demanded the goat, +when they were left alone in the cavern. + +"Because he means mischief of some sort," replied Rinkitink, "and we'll +laugh after the danger is over, Bilbil. There's an old adage that says: +'He laughs best who laughs last,' and the only way to laugh last is to +give the other fellow a chance. Where did that knife come from, I +wonder." + +For a long, sharp knife suddenly appeared in the air near them, +twisting and turning from side to side and darting here and there in a +dangerous manner, without any support whatever. Then another knife +became visible--and another and another--until all the space in the +royal cavern seemed filled with them. Their sharp points and edges +darted toward Rinkitink and Bilbil perpetually and nothing could have +saved them from being cut to pieces except the protecting power of the +Pink Pearl. As it was, not a knife touched them and even Bilbil gave a +gruff laugh at the failure of Kaliko's clever magic. + +The goat wandered here and there in the cavern, carrying Rinkitink upon +his back, and neither of them paid the slightest heed to the knives, +although the glitter of the hundreds of polished blades was rather +trying to their eyes. Perhaps for ten minutes the knives darted about +them in bewildering fury; then they disappeared as suddenly as they had +appeared. + +Kaliko cautiously stuck his head through the doorway and found the goat +chewing the embroidery of his royal cloak, which he had left lying over +the throne, while Rinkitink was reading his manuscript on "How to be +Good" and chuckling over its advice. The Nome King seemed greatly +disappointed as he came in and resumed his seat on the throne. Said +Rinkitink with a chuckle: + +"We've really had a peaceful time, Kaliko, although not the pieceful +time you expected. Forgive me if I indulge in a laugh--hoo, hoo, +hoo-hee, heek-keek-eek! And now, tell me; aren't you getting tired of +trying to injure us?" + +"Eh--heh," said the Nome King. "I see now that your magic can protect +you from all my arts. But is the boy Inga as, well protected as Your +Majesty and the goat?' + +"Why do you ask?" inquired Rinkitink, uneasy at the question because he +remembered he had not seen the little Prince of Pingaree that morning. + +"Because," said Kaliko, "the boy has been undergoing trials far greater +and more dangerous than any you have encountered, and it has been +hundreds of years since anyone has been able to escape alive from the +perils of my Three Trick Caverns." + +King Rinkitink was much alarmed at hearing this, for although he knew +that Inga possessed the Blue Pearl, that would only give to him +marvelous strength, and perhaps strength alone would not enable him to +escape from danger. But he would not let Kaliko see the fear he felt +for Inga's safety, so he said in a careless way: + +"You're a mighty poor magician, Kaliko, and I'll give you my crown if +Inga hasn't escaped any danger you have threatened him with." + +"Your whole crown is not worth one of the valuable diamonds in my +crown," answered the Nome King, "but I'll take it. Let us go at once, +therefore, and see what has become of the boy Prince, for if he is not +destroyed by this time I will admit he cannot be injured by any of the +magic arts which I have at my command." + +He left the room, accompanied by Klik, who had now rejoined his master, +and by Rinkitink riding upon Bilbil. After traversing several of the +huge caverns they entered one that was somewhat more bright and +cheerful than the others, where the Nome King paused before a wall of +rock. Then Klik pressed a secret spring and a section of the wall +opened and disclosed the corridor where Prince Inga stood facing them. + +"Tarts and tadpoles!" cried Kaliko in surprise. "The boy is still +alive!" + + + + +Chapter Twenty + +Dorothy to the Rescue + + +One day when Princess Dorothy of Oz was visiting Glinda the Good, who +is Ozma's Royal Sorceress, she was looking through Glinda's Great Book +of Records--wherein is inscribed all important events that happen in +every part of the world--when she came upon the record of the +destruction of Pingaree, the capture of King Kitticut and Queen Garee +and all their people, and the curious escape of Inga, the boy Prince, +and of King Rinkitink and the talking goat. Turning over some of the +following pages, Dorothy read how Inga had found the Magic Pearls and +was rowing the silver-lined boat to Regos to try to rescue his parents. + +The little girl was much interested to know how well Inga succeeded, +but she returned to the palace of Ozma at the Emerald City of Oz the +next day and other events made her forget the boy Prince of Pingaree +for a time. However, she was one day idly looking at Ozma's Magic +Picture, which shows any scene you may wish to see, when the girl +thought of Inga and commanded the Magic Picture to show what the boy +was doing at that moment. + +It was the time when Inga and Rinkitink had followed the King of Regos +and Queen of Coregos to the Nome King's country and she saw them hiding +behind the rock as Cor and Gos passed them by after having placed the +King and Queen of Pingaree in the keeping of the Nome King. From that +time Dorothy followed, by means of the Magic Picture, the adventures of +Inga and his friend in the Nome King's caverns, and the danger and +helplessness of the poor boy aroused the little girl's pity and +indignation. + +So she went to Ozma and told the lovely girl Ruler of Oz all about Inga +and Rinkitink. + +"I think Kaliko is treating them dreadfully mean," declared Dorothy, +"and I wish you'd let me go to the Nome Country and help them out of +their troubles." + +"Go, my dear, if you wish to," replied Ozma, "but I think it would be +best for you to take the Wizard with you." + +"Oh, I'm not afraid of the nomes," said Dorothy, "but I'll be glad to +take the Wizard, for company. And may we use your Magic Carpet, Ozma?" + +"Of course. Put the Magic Carpet in the Red Wagon and have the Sawhorse +take you and the Wizard to the edge of the desert. While you are gone, +Dorothy, I'll watch you in the Magic Picture, and if any danger +threatens you I'll see you are not harmed." + +Dorothy thanked the Ruler of Oz and kissed her good-bye, for she was +determined to start at once. She found the Wizard of Oz, who was +planting shoetrees in the garden, and when she told him Inga's story he +willingly agreed to accompany the little girl to the Nome King's +caverns. They had both been there before and had conquered the nomes +with ease, so they were not at all afraid. + +The Wizard, who was a cheery little man with a bald head and a winning +smile, harnessed the Wooden Sawhorse to the Red Wagon and loaded on +Ozma's Magic Carpet. Then he and Dorothy climbed to the seat and the +Sawhorse started off and carried them swiftly through the beautiful +Land of Oz to the edge of the Deadly Desert that separated their +fairyland from the Nome Country. + +Even Dorothy and the clever Wizard would not have dared to cross this +desert without the aid of the Magic Carpet, for it would have quickly +destroyed them; but when the roll of carpet had been placed upon the +edge of the sands, leaving just enough lying flat for them to stand +upon, the carpet straightway began to unroll before them and as they +walked on it continued to unroll, until they had safely passed over the +stretch of Deadly Desert and were on the border of the Nome King's +dominions. + +This journey had been accomplished in a few minutes, although such a +distance would have required several days travel had they not been +walking on the Magic Carpet. On arriving they at once walked toward the +entrance to the caverns of the nomes. + +The Wizard carried a little black bag containing his tools of wizardry, +while Dorothy carried over her arm a covered basket in which she had +placed a dozen eggs, with which to conquer the nomes if she had any +trouble with them. + +Eggs may seem to you to be a queer weapon with which to fight, but the +little girl well knew their value. The nomes are immortal; that is, +they do not perish, as mortals do, unless they happen to come in +contact with an egg. If an egg touches them--either the outer shell or +the inside of the egg--the nomes lose their charm of perpetual life and +thereafter are liable to die through accident or old age, just as all +humans are. + +For this reason the sight of an egg fills a nome with terror and he +will do anything to prevent an egg from touching him, even for an +instant. So, when Dorothy took her basket of eggs with her, she knew +that she was more powerfully armed than if she had a regiment of +soldiers at her back. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-One + +The Wizard Finds an Enchantment + + +After Kaliko had failed in his attempts to destroy his guests, as has +been related, the Nome King did nothing more to injure them but treated +them in a friendly manner. He refused, however, to permit Inga to see +or to speak with his father and mother, or even to know in what part of +the underground caverns they were confined. + +"You are able to protect your lives and persons, I freely admit," said +Kaliko; "but I firmly believe you have no power, either of magic or +otherwise, to take from me the captives I have agreed to keep for King +Gos." + +Inga would not agree to this. He determined not to leave the caverns +until he had liberated his father and mother, although he did not then +know how that could be accomplished. As for Rinkitink, the jolly King +was well fed and had a good bed to sleep upon, so he was not worrying +about anything and seemed in no hurry to go away. + +Kaliko and Rinkitink were engaged in pitching a game with solid gold +quoits, on the floor of the royal chamber, and Inga and Bilbil were +watching them, when Klik came running in, his hair standing on end with +excitement, and cried out that the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy were +approaching. + +Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news and, abandoning his +game, went to sit in his ivory throne and try to think what had brought +these fearful visitors to his domain. + +"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga. + +"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas," replied Klik, with a +shudder, "but she now lives in Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and is +a Princess of Oz--which means that she is a terrible foe to deal with." + +"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy. + +"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but she insists on +the nomes being goody-goody, which is contrary to their natures. +Dorothy gets angry if I do the least thing that is wicked, and tries to +make me stop it, and that naturally makes me downhearted. I can't +imagine why she has come here just now, for I've been behaving very +well lately. As for that Wizard of Oz, he's chock-full of magic that I +can't overcome, for he learned it from Glinda, who is the most powerful +sorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why didn't Dorothy and the Wizard +stay in Oz, where they belong?" + +Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy, for at once the idea +came to them both to plead with Dorothy to help them. Even Bilbil +pricked up his ears when he heard the Wizard of Oz mentioned, and the +goat seemed much less surly, and more thoughtful than usual. + +A few minutes later a nome came to say that Dorothy and the Wizard had +arrived and demanded admittance, so Klik was sent to usher them into +the royal presence of the Nome King. + +As soon as she came in the little girl ran up to the boy Prince and +seized both his hands. + +"Oh, Inga!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad to find you alive and well." + +Inga was astonished at so warm a greeting. Making a low bow he said: + +"I don't think we have met before, Princess." + +"No, indeed," replied Dorothy, "but I know all about you and I've come +to help you and King Rinkitink out of your troubles." Then she turned +to the Nome King and continued: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, +King Kaliko, to treat an honest Prince and an honest King so badly." + +"I haven't done anything to them," whined Kaliko, trembling as her eyes +flashed upon him. + +"No; but you tried to, an' that's just as bad, if not worse," said +Dorothy, who was very indignant. "And now I want you to send for the +King and Queen of Pingaree and have them brought here immejitly!" + +"I won't," said Kaliko. + +"Yes, you will!" cried Dorothy, stamping her foot at him. "I won't have +those poor people made unhappy any longer, or separated from their +little boy. Why, it's dreadful, Kaliko, an' I'm su'prised at you. You +must be more wicked than I thought you were." + +"I can't do it, Dorothy," said the Nome King, almost weeping with +despair. "I promised King Gos I'd keep them captives. You wouldn't ask +me to break my promise, would you?" + +"King Gos was a robber and an outlaw," she said, "and p'r'aps you don't +know that a storm at sea wrecked his boat, while he was going back to +Regos, and that he and Queen Cor were both drowned." + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Kaliko. "Is that so?" + +"I saw it in Glinda's Record Book," said Dorothy. "So now you trot out +the King and Queen of Pingaree as quick as you can." + +"No," persisted the contrary Nome King, shaking his head. "I won't do +it. Ask me anything else and I'll try to please you, but I can't allow +these friendly enemies to triumph over me. + +"In that case," said Dorothy, beginning to remove the cover from her +basket, "I'll show you some eggs." + +"Eggs!" screamed the Nome King in horror. "Have you eggs in that +basket?" + +"A dozen of 'em," replied Dorothy. + +"Then keep them there--I beg--I implore you!--and I'll do anything you +say," pleaded Kaliko, his teeth chattering so that he could hardly +speak. + +"Send for the King and Queen of Pingaree," said Dorothy. + +"Go, Klik," commanded the Nome King, and Klik ran away in great haste, +for he was almost as much frightened as his master. + +It was an affecting scene when the unfortunate King and Queen of +Pingaree entered the chamber and with sobs and tears of joy embraced +their brave and adventurous son. All the others stood silent until +greetings and kisses had been exchanged and Inga had told his parents +in a few words of his vain struggles to rescue them and how Princess +Dorothy had finally come to his assistance. + +Then King Kitticut shook the hands of his friend King Rinkitink and +thanked him for so loyally supporting his son Inga, and Queen Garee +kissed little Dorothy's forehead and blessed her for restoring her +husband and herself to freedom. + +The Wizard had been standing near Bilbil the goat and now he was +surprised to hear the animal say: + +"Joyful reunion, isn't it? But it makes me tired to see grown people +cry like children." + +"Oho!" exclaimed the Wizard. "How does it happen, Mr. Goat, that you, +who have never been to the Land of Oz, are able to talk?" + +"That's my business," returned Bilbil in a surly tone. + +The Wizard stooped down and gazed fixedly into the animal's eyes. Then +he said, with a pitying sigh: "I see; you are under an enchantment. +Indeed, I believe you to be Prince Bobo of Boboland." + +Bilbil made no reply but dropped his head as if ashamed. + +"This is a great discovery," said the Wizard, addressing Dorothy and +the others of the party. "A good many years ago a cruel magician +transformed the gallant Prince of Boboland into a talking goat, and +this goat, being ashamed of his condition, ran away and was never after +seen in Boboland, which is a country far to the south of here but +bordering on the Deadly Desert, opposite the Land of Oz. I heard of +this story long ago and know that a diligent search has been made for +the enchanted Prince, without result. But I am well assured that, in +the animal you call Bilbil, I have discovered the unhappy Prince of +Boboland." + +"Dear me, Bilbil," said Rinkitink, "why have you never told me this?" + +"What would be the use?" asked Bilbil in a low voice and still refusing +to look up. + +"The use?" repeated Rinkitink, puzzled. + +"Yes, that's the trouble," said the Wizard. "It is one of the most +powerful enchantments ever accomplished, and the magician is now dead +and the secret of the anti-charm lost. Even I, with all my skill, +cannot restore Prince Bobo to his proper form. But I think Glinda might +be able to do so and if you will all return with Dorothy and me to the +Land of Oz, where Ozma will make you welcome, I will ask Glinda to try +to break this enchantment." + +This was willingly agreed to, for they all welcomed the chance to visit +the famous Land of Oz. So they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, whom +Dorothy warned not to be wicked any more if he could help it, and the +entire party returned over the Magic Carpet to the Land of Oz. They +filled the Red Wagon, which was still waiting for them, pretty full; +but the Sawhorse didn't mind that and with wonderful speed carried them +safely to the Emerald City. + + + + +Chapter Twenty Two + +Ozma's Banquet + + +Ozma had seen in her Magic Picture the liberation of Inga's parents and +the departure of the entire party for the Emerald City, so with her +usual hospitality she ordered a splendid banquet prepared and invited +all her quaint friends who were then in the Emerald City to be present +that evening to meet the strangers who were to become her guests. + +Glinda, also, in her wonderful Record Book had learned of the events +that had taken place in the caverns of the Nome King and she became +especially interested in the enchantment of the Prince of Boboland. So +she hastily prepared several of her most powerful charms and then +summoned her flock of sixteen white storks, which swiftly bore her to +Ozma's palace. She arrived there before the Red Wagon did and was +warmly greeted by the girl Ruler. + +Realizing that the costume of Queen Garee of Pingaree must have become +sadly worn and frayed, owing to her hardships and adventures, Ozma +ordered a royal outfit prepared for the good Queen and had it laid in +her chamber ready for her to put on as soon as she arrived, so she +would not be shamed at the banquet. New costumes were also provided for +King Kitticut and King Rinkitink and Prince Inga, all cut and made and +embellished in the elaborate and becoming style then prevalent in the +Land of Oz, and as soon as the party arrived at the palace Ozma's +guests were escorted by her servants to their rooms, that they might +bathe and dress themselves. + +Glinda the Sorceress and the Wizard of Oz took charge of Bilbil the +goat and went to a private room where they were not likely to be +interrupted. Glinda first questioned Bilbil long and earnestly about +the manner of his enchantment and the ceremony that had been used by +the magician who enchanted him. At first Bilbil protested that he did +not want to be restored to his natural shape, saying that he had been +forever disgraced in the eyes of his people and of the entire world by +being obliged to exist as a scrawny, scraggly goat. But Glinda pointed +out that any person who incurred the enmity of a wicked magician was +liable to suffer a similar fate, and assured him that his misfortune +would make him better beloved by his subjects when he returned to them +freed from his dire enchantment. + +Bilbil was finally convinced of the truth of this assertion and agreed +to submit to the experiments of Glinda and the Wizard, who knew they +had a hard task before them and were not at all sure they could +succeed. We know that Glinda is the most complete mistress of magic who +has ever existed, and she was wise enough to guess that the clever but +evil magician who had enchanted Prince Bobo had used a spell that would +puzzle any ordinary wizard or sorcerer to break; therefore she had +given the matter much shrewd thought and hoped she had conceived a plan +that would succeed. But because she was not positive of success she +would have no one present at the incantation except her assistant, the +Wizard of Oz. + +First she transformed Bilbil the goat into a lamb, and this was done +quite easily. Next she transformed the lamb into an ostrich, giving it +two legs and feet instead of four. Then she tried to transform the +ostrich into the original Prince Bobo, but this incantation was an +utter failure. Glinda was not discouraged, however, but by a powerful +spell transformed the ostrich into a tottenhot--which is a lower form +of a man. Then the tottenhot was transformed into a mifket, which was a +great step in advance and, finally, Glinda transformed the mifket into +a handsome young man, tall and shapely, who fell on his knees before +the great Sorceress and gratefully kissed her hand, admitting that he +had now recovered his proper shape and was indeed Prince Bobo of +Boboland. + +This process of magic, successful though it was in the end, had +required so much time that the banquet was now awaiting their presence. +Bobo was already dressed in princely raiment and although he seemed +very much humbled by his recent lowly condition, they finally persuaded +him to join the festivities. + +When Rinkitink saw that his goat had now become a Prince, he did not +know whether to be sorry or glad, for he felt that he would miss the +companionship of the quarrelsome animal he had so long been accustomed +to ride upon, while at the same time he rejoiced that poor Bilbil had +come to his own again. + +Prince Bobo humbly begged Rinkitink's forgiveness for having been so +disagreeable to him, at times, saying that the nature of a goat had +influenced him and the surly disposition he had shown was a part of his +enchantment. But the jolly King assured the Prince that he had really +enjoyed Bilbil's grumpy speeches and forgave him readily. Indeed, they +all discovered the young Prince Bobo to be an exceedingly courteous and +pleasant person, although he was somewhat reserved and dignified. + +Ah, but it was a great feast that Ozma served in her gorgeous banquet +hall that night and everyone was as happy as could be. The Shaggy Man +was there, and so was Jack Pumpkinhead and the Tin Woodman and Cap'n +Bill. Beside Princess Dorothy sat Tiny Trot and Betsy Bobbin, and the +three little girls were almost as sweet to look upon as was Ozma, who +sat at the head of her table and outshone all her guests in loveliness. + +King Rinkitink was delighted with the quaint people of Oz and laughed +and joked with the tin man and the pumpkin-headed man and found Cap'n +Bill a very agreeable companion. But what amused the jolly King most +were the animal guests, which Ozma always invited to her banquets and +seated at a table by themselves, where they talked and chatted together +as people do but were served the sort of food their natures required. +The Hungry Tiger and Cowardly Lion and the Glass Cat were much admired +by Rinkitink, but when he met a mule named Hank, which Betsy Bobbin had +brought to Oz, the King found the creature so comical that he laughed +and chuckled until his friends thought he would choke. Then while the +banquet was still in progress, Rinkitink composed and sang a song to +the mule and they all joined in the chorus, which was something like +this: + + "It's very queer how big an ear + Is worn by Mr. Donkey; + And yet I fear he could not hear + If it were on a monkey. + + 'Tis thick and strong and broad and long + And also very hairy; + It's quite becoming to our Hank + But might disgrace a fairy!" + + +This song was received with so much enthusiasm that Rinkitink was +prevailed upon to sing another. They gave him a little time to compose +the rhyme, which he declared would be better if he could devote a month +or two to its composition, but the sentiment he expressed was so +admirable that no one criticized the song or the manner in which the +jolly little King sang it. + +Dorothy wrote down the words on a piece of paper, and here they are: + + "We're merry comrades all, to-night, + Because we've won a gallant fight + And conquered all our foes. + We're not afraid of anything, + So let us gayly laugh and sing + Until we seek repose. + + "We've all our grateful hearts can wish; + King Gos has gone to feed the fish, + Queen Cor has gone, as well; + King Kitticut has found his own, + Prince Bobo soon will have a throne + Relieved of magic spell. + + "So let's forget the horrid strife + That fell upon our peaceful life + And caused distress and pain; + For very soon across the sea + We'll all be sailing merrily + To Pingaree again." + + + + +Chapter Twenty Three + +The Pearl Kingdom + + +It was unfortunate that the famous Scarecrow--the most popular person +in all Oz, next to Ozma--was absent at the time of the banquet, for he +happened just then to be making one of his trips through the country; +but the Scarecrow had a chance later to meet Rinkitink and Inga and the +King and Queen of Pingaree and Prince Bobo, for the party remained +several weeks at the Emerald City, where they were royally entertained, +and where both the gentle Queen Garee and the noble King Kitticut +recovered much of their good spirits and composure and tried to forget +their dreadful experiences. + +At last, however, the King and Queen desired to return to their own +Pingaree, as they longed to be with their people again and see how well +they had rebuilt their homes. Inga also was anxious to return, although +he had been very happy in Oz, and King Rinkitink, who was happy +anywhere except at Gilgad, decided to go with his former friends to +Pingaree. As for prince Bobo, he had become so greatly attached to King +Rinkitink that he was loth to leave him. + +On a certain day they all bade good-bye to Ozma and Dorothy and Glinda +and the Wizard and all their good friends in Oz, and were driven in the +Red Wagon to the edge of the Deadly Desert, which they crossed safely +on the Magic Carpet. They then made their way across the Nome Kingdom +and the Wheeler Country, where no one molested them, to the shores of +the Nonestic Ocean. There they found the boat with the silver lining +still lying undisturbed on the beach. + +There were no important adventures during the trip and on their arrival +at the pearl kingdom they were amazed at the beautiful appearance of +the island they had left in ruins. All the houses of the people had +been rebuilt and were prettier than before, with green lawns before +them and flower gardens in the back yards. The marble towers of King +Kitticut's new palace were very striking and impressive, while the +palace itself proved far more magnificent than it had been before the +warriors from Regos destroyed it. + +Nikobob had been very active and skillful in directing all this work, +and he had also built a pretty cottage for himself, not far from the +King's palace, and there Inga found Zella, who was living very happy +and contented in her new home. Not only had Nikobob accomplished all +this in a comparatively brief space of time, but he had started the +pearl fisheries again and when King Kitticut returned to Pingaree he +found a quantity of fine pearls already in the royal treasury. + +So pleased was Kitticut with the good judgment, industry and honesty of +the former charcoal-burner of Regos, that he made Nikobob his Lord High +Chamberlain and put him in charge of the pearl fisheries and all the +business matters of the island kingdom. + +They all settled down very comfortably in the new palace and the Queen +gathered her maids about her once more and set them to work +embroidering new draperies for the royal throne. Inga placed the three +Magic Pearls in their silken bag and again deposited them in the secret +cavity under the tiled flooring of the banquet hall, where they could +be quickly secured if danger ever threatened the now prosperous island. + +King Rinkitink occupied a royal guest chamber built especially for his +use and seemed in no hurry to leave his friends in Pingaree. The fat +little King had to walk wherever he went and so missed Bilbil more and +more; but he seldom walked far and he was so fond of Prince BoBo that +he never regretted Bilbil's disenchantment. + +Indeed, the jolly monarch was welcome to remain forever in Pingaree, if +he wished to, for his merry disposition set smiles on the faces of all +his friends and made everyone near him as jolly as he was himself. When +King Kitticut was not too busy with affairs of state he loved to join +his guest and listen to his brother monarch's songs and stories. For he +found Rinkitink to be, with all his careless disposition, a shrewd +philosopher, and in talking over their adventures one day the King of +Gilgad said: + +"The beauty of life is its sudden changes. No one knows what is going +to happen next, and so we are constantly being surprised and +entertained. The many ups and downs should not discourage us, for if we +are down, we know that a change is coming and we will go up again; +while those who are up are almost certain to go down. My grandfather +had a song which well expresses this and if you will listen I will sing +it." + +"Of course I will listen to your song," returned Kitticut, "for it +would be impolite not to." + +So Rinkitink sang his grandfather's song: + + "A mighty King once ruled the land-- + But now he's baking pies. + A pauper, on the other hand, + Is ruling, strong and wise. + + A tiger once in jungles raged-- + But now he's in a zoo; + A lion, captive-born and caged, + Now roams the forest through. + + A man once slapped a poor boy's pate + And made him weep and wail. + The boy became a magistrate + And put the man in jail. + + A sunny day succeeds the night; + It's summer--then it snows! + Right oft goes wrong and wrong comes right, + As ev'ry wise man knows." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Four + +The Captive King + + +One morning, just as the royal party was finishing breakfast, a servant +came running to say that a great fleet of boats was approaching the +island from the south. King Kitticut sprang up at once, in great alarm, +for he had much cause to fear strange boats. The others quickly +followed him to the shore to see what invasion might be coming upon +them. + +Inga was there with the first, and Nikobob and Zella soon joined the +watchers. And presently, while all were gazing eagerly at the +approaching fleet, King Rinkitink suddenly cried out: + +"Get your pearls, Prince Inga--get them quick!" + +"Are these our enemies, then?" asked the boy, looking with surprise +upon the fat little King, who had begun to tremble violently. + +"They are my people of Gilgad!" answered Rinkitink, wiping a tear from +his eye. "I recognize my royal standards flying from the boats. So, +please, dear Inga, get out your pearls to protect me!" + +"What can you fear at the hands of your own subjects?" asked Kitticut, +astonished. + +But before his frightened guest could answer the question Prince Bobo, +who was standing beside his friend, gave an amused laugh and said: + +"You are caught at last, dear Rinkitink. Your people will take you home +again and oblige you to reign as King." + +Rinkitink groaned aloud and clasped his hands together with a gesture +of despair, an attitude so comical that the others could scarcely +forbear laughing. + +But now the boats were landing upon the beach. They were fifty in +number, beautifully decorated and upholstered and rowed by men clad in +the gay uniforms of the King of Gilgad. One splendid boat had a throne +of gold in the center, over which was draped the King's royal robe of +purple velvet, embroidered with gold buttercups. + +Rinkitink shuddered when he saw this throne; but now a tall man, +handsomely dressed, approached and knelt upon the grass before his +King, while all the other occupants of the boats shouted joyfully and +waved their plumed hats in the air. + +"Thanks to our good fortune," said the man who kneeled, "we have found +Your Majesty at last!" + +"Pinkerbloo," answered Rinkitink sternly, "I must have you hanged, for +thus finding me against my will." + +"You think so now, Your Majesty, but you will never do it," returned +Pinkerbloo, rising and kissing the King's hand. + +"Why won't I?" asked Rinkitink. + +"Because you are much too tender-hearted, Your Majesty." + +"It may be--it may be," agreed Rinkitink, sadly. "It is one of my +greatest failings. But what chance brought you here, my Lord +Pinkerbloo?" + +"We have searched for you everywhere, sire, and all the people of +Gilgad have been in despair since you so mysteriously disappeared. We +could not appoint a new King, because we did not know but that you +still lived; so we set out to find you, dead or alive. After visiting +many islands of the Nonestic Ocean we at last thought of Pingaree, from +where come the precious pearls; and now our faithful quest has been +rewarded." + +"And what now?" asked Rinkitink. + +"Now, Your Majesty, you must come home with us, like a good and dutiful +King, and rule over your people," declared the man in a firm voice. + +"I will not." + +"But you must--begging Your Majesty's pardon for the contradiction." + +"Kitticut," cried poor Rinkitink, "you must save me from being captured +by these, my subjects. What! must I return to Gilgad and be forced to +reign in splendid state when I much prefer to eat and sleep and sing in +my own quiet way? They will make me sit in a throne three hours a day +and listen to dry and tedious affairs of state; and I must stand up for +hours at the court receptions, till I get corns on my heels; and +forever must I listen to tiresome speeches and endless petitions and +complaints!" + +"But someone must do this, Your Majesty," said Pinkerbloo respectfully, +"and since you were born to be our King you cannot escape your duty." + +"'Tis a horrid fate!" moaned Rinkitink. "I would die willingly, rather +than be a King--if it did not hurt so terribly to die." + +"You will find it much more comfortable to reign than to die, although +I fully appreciate Your Majesty's difficult position and am truly sorry +for you," said Pinkerbloo. + +King Kitticut had listened to this conversation thoughtfully, so now he +said to his friend: + +"The man is right, dear Rinkitink. It is your duty to reign, since fate +has made you a King, and I see no honorable escape for you. I shall +grieve to lose your companionship, but I feel the separation cannot be +avoided." + +Rinkitink sighed. + +"Then," said he, turning to Lord Pinkerbloo, "in three days I will +depart with you for Gilgad; but during those three days I propose to +feast and make merry with my good friend King Kitticut." + +Then all the people of Gilgad shouted with delight and eagerly +scrambled ashore to take their part in the festival. + +Those three days were long remembered in Pingaree, for never--before +nor since--has such feasting and jollity been known upon that island. +Rinkitink made the most of his time and everyone laughed and sang with +him by day and by night. + +Then, at last, the hour of parting arrived and the King of Gilgad and +Ruler of the Dominion of Rinkitink was escorted by a grand procession +to his boat and seated upon his golden throne. The rowers of the fifty +boats paused, with their glittering oars pointed into the air like +gigantic uplifted sabres, while the people of Pingaree--men, women and +children--stood upon the shore shouting a royal farewell to the jolly +King. + +Then came a sudden hush, while Rinkitink stood up and, with a bow to +those assembled to witness his departure, sang the following song, +which he had just composed for the occasion. + + "Farewell, dear Isle of Pingaree-- + The fairest land in all the sea! + No living mortals, kings or churls, + Would scorn to wear thy precious pearls. + + "King Kitticut, 'tis with regret + I'm forced to say farewell; and yet + Abroad no longer can I roam + When fifty boats would drag me home. + + "Good-bye, my Prince of Pingaree; + A noble King some time you'll be + And long and wisely may you reign + And never face a foe again!" + + +They cheered him from the shore; they cheered him from the boats; and +then all the oars of the fifty boats swept downward with a single +motion and dipped their blades into the purple-hued waters of the +Nonestic Ocean. + +As the boats shot swiftly over the ripples of the sea Rinkitink turned +to Prince Bobo, who had decided not to desert his former master and his +present friend, and asked anxiously: + +"How did you like that song, Bilbil--I mean Bobo? Is it a masterpiece, +do you think?" + +And Bobo replied with a smile: + +"Like all your songs, dear Rinkitink, the sentiment far excels the +poetry." + + + + + +The Wonderful Oz Books + +by L. Frank Baum + + 1 The Wizard of Oz + 2 The Land of Oz + 3 Ozma of Oz + 4 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz + 5 The Road to Oz + 6 The Emerald City of Oz + 7 The Patchwork Girl of Oz + 8 Tik-Tok of Oz + 9 The Scarecrow of Oz + 10 Rinkitink in Oz + 11 The Lost Princess of Oz + 12 The Tin Woodman of Oz + 13 The Magic of Oz + 14 Glinda of Oz + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rinkitink in Oz, by L. Frank Baum + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RINKITINK IN OZ *** + +***** This file should be named 958.txt or 958.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/5/958/ + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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