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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　so