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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　w