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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　looke