When King Rinkitink and Prince Inga had bathedthemselves in the sea and eaten a simple breakfast,they began wondering what they could do to improvetheir condition.

"The poor people of Gilgad," said Rinkitinkcheerfully, "are little likely ever again to beholdtheir King in the flesh, for my boat and my rowers aregone with everything else. Let us face the fact that weare imprisoned for life upon this island, and that ourlives will be short unless we can secure more to eatthan is in this small sack."

"I'll not starve, for I can eat grass," remarked thegoat in a pleasant tone -- or a tone as pleasant asBilbil could assume.

"True, quite true," said the King. Then he seemedthoughtful for a moment and turning to Inga he asked:"Do you think, Prince, that if the worst comes, wecould eat Bilbil?"

The goat gave a groan and cast a reproachful look athis master as he said:

"Monster! Would you, indeed, eat your old friend andservant?"

"Not if I can help it, Bilbil," answered the Kingpleasantly. "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 suddenlyremembered the three pearls which his father had hiddenunder the tiled floor of the banquet hall. Withoutdoubt King Kitticut had been so suddenly surprised bythe invaders that he had found no opportunity to getthe pearls, for otherwise the fierce warriors wouldhave been defeated and driven out of Pingaree. So theymust still be in their hiding place, and Inga believedthey would prove of great assistance to him and hiscomrades in this hour of need. But the palace was amass of ruins; perhaps he would be unable now to findthe place where the pearls were hidden.

He said nothing of this to Rinkitink, rememberingthat his father had charged him to preserve the secretof the pearls and of their magic powers. Nevertheless,the thought of securing the wonderful treasures of hisancestors gave the boy new hope.

He stood up and said to the King:

"Let us return to the other end of Pingaree. It ismore pleasant than here in spite of the desolation ofmy father's palace. And there, if anywhere, we shalldiscover a way out of our difficulties."

This suggestion met with Rinkitink's approval and thelittle party at once started upon the return journey.As there was no occasion to delay upon the way, theyreached the big end of the island about the middle ofthe day and at once began searching the ruins of thepalace.

They found, to their satisfaction, that one room atthe bottom of a tower was still habitable, although theroof was broken in and the place was somewhat litteredwith stones. The King was, as he said, too fat to doany hard work, so he sat down on a block of marble andwatched Inga clear the room of its rubbish. This done,the boy hunted through the ruins until he discovered astool and an armchair that had not been broken beyonduse. Some bedding and a mattress were also found, sothat by nightfall the little room had been made quitecomfortable

The following morning, while Rinkitink was stillsound asleep and Bilbil was busily cropping the dewygrass that edged the shore, Prince Inga began to searchthe tumbled heaps of marble for the place where theroyal banquet hall had been. After climbing over theruins for a time he reached a flat place which herecognized, by means of the tiled flooring and thebroken furniture scattered about, to be the great hallhe 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 hadbeen torn from the dismantled walls.

This unfortunate discovery for a time discouraged theboy, who realized how helpless he was to remove suchvast obstacles; but it was so important to secure thepearls that he dared not give way to despair untilevery human effort had been made, so he sat him down tothink over the matter with great care.

Meantime Rinkitink had risen from his bed and walkedout upon the lawn, where he found Bilbil reclining atease upon the greensward.

"Where is Inga?" asked Rinkitink, rubbing his eyeswith his knuckles because their vision was blurred withtoo much sleep.

"Don't ask me," said the goat, chewing with muchsatisfaction a cud of sweet grasses.

"Bilbil," said the King, squatting down beside thegoat and resting his fat chin upon his hands and hiselbows on his knees, "allow me to confide to you thefact that I am bored, and need amusement. My goodfriend Kitticut has been kidnapped by the barbariansand taken from me, so there is no one to converse withme 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 agoat's face is very expressive.

"If you refuse, I shall be more unhappy than ever,and I know your disposition is too sweet to permitthat. 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 theKing, 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 timethere was a King with a hollow inside his head, wheremost 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 atsenseless things. That part of the story is trueenough, Rinkitink."

"Then proceed with the tale, sweet Bilbil. Yet it ishard 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, havingbeen born to that high station. Also the King wasempty-headed by the same chance, being born withoutbrains."

"Poor fellow!" quoth the King. "Did he own a talkinggoat?"

"He did," answered Bilbil.

"Then he was wrong to have been born at all. Cheek-eek-eek-eek, oo, hoo!" chuckled Rinkitink, his fat bodyshaking with merriment. "But it's hard to preventoneself 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'ttell," replied the King, bursting into one of his merryfits of laughter.

Bilbil rose to his hoofs and walked away in adignified manner, leaving Rinkitink chuckling anew atthe 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 hislace handkerchief to wipe his eyes; for, as he oftendid, he had laughed till the tears came.

Bilbil was deeply vexed and would not even turn hishead to look at his master. To escape from Rinkitink hewandered among the ruins of the palace, where he cameupon Prince Inga.

"Good morning, Bilbil," said the boy. "I was justgoing to find you, that I might consult you upon animportant matter. If you will kindly turn back with meI am sure your good judgment will be of greatassistance."

The angry goat was quite mollified by the respectfultone in which he was addressed, but he immediatelyasked:

"Are you also going to consult that empty-headed Kingover yonder?"

"I am sorry to hear you speak of your kind master insuch a way," said the boy gravely. "All men aredeserving of respect, being the highest of livingcreatures, 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. "Butanyway his heart is kind and gentle and that is betterthan being wise. He is merry in spite of misfortunesthat would cause others to weep and he never speaksharsh words that wound the feelings of his friends."

"Still," growled Bilbil, "he is --"

"Let us forget everything but his good nature, whichputs new heart into us when we are sad," advised theboy."

"But he is --"

"Come with me, please," interrupted Inga, "for thematter of which I wish to speak is very important."

Bilbil followed him, although the boy still heard thegoat muttering that the King had no brains. Rinkitink,seeing them turn into the ruins, also followed, andupon joining them asked for his breakfast.

Inga opened the sack of food and while he and theKing ate of it the boy said:

"If I could find a way to remove some of the blocksof marble which have fallen in the banquet hall, Ithink I could find means for us to escape from thisbarren island."

"Then," mumbled Rinkitink, with his mouth full, "letus move the blocks of marble."

"But how?" inquired Prince Inga. "They are veryheavy."

"Ah, how, indeed?" returned the King, smacking hislips contentedly. "That is a serious question. But -- Ihave it! Let us see what my famous parchment says aboutit." He wiped his fingers upon a napkin and then,taking the scroll from a pocket inside his embroideredblouse, 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 usexactly how to move the blocks of marble."

"Oh, does it?" responded the King, and then for amoment he rubbed the top of his bald head in aperplexed manner. The next moment he burst into a pealof joyous laughter. The goat looked at Inga and sighed.

"What did I tell you?" asked the creature. "Was Iright, or was I wrong?"

"This scroll," said Rinkitink, "is indeed amasterpiece. Its advice is of tremendous value. 'Neverstep 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 Istepped upon another man's toes, I would be the otherman. 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 Idid."

"We have still to decide how to remove the blocks ofmarble," suggested Inga anxiously.

"Fasten a rope to them, and pull," said Bilbil."Don't pay any more attention to Rinkitink, for he isno wiser than the man who wrote that brainless scroll.Just get the rope, and we'll fasten Rinkitink to oneend of it for a weight and I'll help you pull."

"Thank you, Bilbil," replied the boy. "I'll get therope at once.

Bilbil found it difficult to climb over the ruins tothe floor of the banquet hall, but there are few placesa goat cannot get to when it makes the attempt, soBilbil succeeded at last, and even fat little Rinkitinkfinally joined them, though much out of breath.

Inga fastened one end of the rope around a block ofmarble and then made a loop at the other end to go overBilbil's head. When all was ready the boy seized therope and helped the goat to pull; yet, strain as theymight, the huge block would not stir from its place.Seeing this, King Rinkitink came forward and lent hisassistance, the weight of his body forcing the heavymarble to slide several feet from where it had lain.

But it was hard work and all were obliged to take along rest before undertaking the removal of the nextblock.

"Admit, Bilbil," said the King, "that I am of someuse in the world."

"Your weight was of considerable help," acknowledgedthe goat, "but if your head were as well filled asyour stomach the task would be still easier."

When Inga went to fasten the rope a second time hewas rejoiced to discover that by moving one more blockof marble he could uncover the tile with the secretspring. So the three pulled with renewed energy and totheir joy the block moved and rolled upon its side,leaving Inga free to remove the treasure when hepleased.

But the boy had no intention of allowing Bilbil andthe King to share the secret of the royal treasures ofPingaree; so, although both the goat and its masterdemanded to know why the marble blocks had been moved,and how it would benefit them, Inga begged them to waituntil the next morning, when he hoped to be able tosatisfy them that their hard work had not been in vain.

Having little confidence in this promise of a mereboy, the goat grumbled and the King laughed; but Ingapaid no heed to their ridicule and set himself to workrigging up a fishing rod, with line and hook. Duringthe afternoon he waded out to some rocks near the shoreand fished patiently until he had captured enoughyellow perch for their supper and breakfast.

"Ah," said Rinkitink, looking at the fine catch whenInga returned to the shore; "these will taste deliciouswhen they are cooked; but do you know how to cookthem?"

"No," was the reply. I have often caught fish, butnever cooked them. Perhaps Your Majesty understandscooking."

"Cooking and majesty are two different things,"laughed the little King. "I could not cook a fish tosave me from starvation."

"For my part," said Bilbil, "I never eat fish, but Ican tell you how to cook them, for I have often watchedthe palace cooks at their work." And so, with thegoat's assistance, the boy and the King managed toprepare the fish and cook them, after which they wereeaten with good appetite.

That night, after Rinkitink and Bilbil were both fastasleep, Inga stole quietly through the moonlight to thedesolate banquet hall. There, kneeling down, he touchedthe secret spring as his father had instructed him todo and to his joy the tile sank downward and disclosedthe opening. You may imagine how the boy's heartthrobbed with excitement as he slowly thrust his handinto the cavity and felt around to see if the preciouspearls were still there. In a moment his fingerstouched the silken bag and, without pausing to closethe recess, he pressed the treasure against his breastand ran out into the moonlight to examine it. When hereached a bright place he started to open the bag, buthe observed Bilbil lying asleep upon the grass near by.So, trembling with the fear of discovery, he ran toanother place, and when he paused he heard Rinkitinksnoring lustily. Again he fled and made his way to theseashore, where he squatted under a bank and began tountie the cords that fastened the mouth of the bag. Butnow another fear assailed him.

"If the pearls should slip from my hand," he thought,"and roll into the water, they might be lost to meforever. I must find some safer place."

Here and there he wandered, still clasping the silkenbag in both hands, and finally he went to the grove andclimbed into the tall tree where he had made hisplatform and seat. But here it was pitch dark, so hefound he must wait patiently until morning before hedared touch the pearls. During those hours of waitinghe had time for reflection and reproached himself forbeing so frightened by the possession of his father'streasures.

"These pearls have belonged to our family forgenerations," he mused, "yet no one has ever lost them.If I use ordinary care I am sure I need have no fearsfor their safety."

When the dawn came and he could see plainly, Ingaopened the bag and took out the Blue Pearl. There wasno possibility of his being observed by others, so hetook time to examine it wonderingly, saying to himself:"This will give me strength."

Taking off his right shoe he placed the Blue Pearlwithin it, far up in the pointed toe. Then he tore apiece from his handkerchief and stuffed it into theshoe to hold the pearl in place. Inga's shoes were longand pointed, as were all the shoes worn in Pingaree,and the points curled upward, so that there was quite avacant space beyond the place where the boy's toesreached when the shoe was upon his foot.

After he had put on the Shoe and laced it up heopened the bag and took out the Pink Pearl. "This willprotect me from danger," said Inga, and removing theshoe from his left foot he carefully placed the pearlin the hollow toe. This, also, he secured in place bymeans of a strip torn from his handkerchief.

Having put on the second shoe and laced it up, theboy drew from the silken bag the third pearl -- thatwhich was pure white -- and holding it to his ear heasked.

"Will you advise me what to do, in this my hour ofmisfortune?"

Clearly the small voice of the pearl made answer:

"I advise you to go to the Islands of Regos andCoregos, where you may liberate your parents fromslavery."

"How could I do that?" exclaimed Prince Inga, amazedat receiving such advice.

"To-night," spoke the voice of the pearl, "there willbe a storm, and in the morning a boat will strand uponthe shore. Take this boat and row to Regos andCoregos."

"How can I, a weak boy, pull the boat so far?" heinquired, doubting the possibility.

"The Blue Pearl will give you strength," was thereply.

"But I may be shipwrecked and drowned, before ever Ireach Regos and Coregos," protested the boy.

"The Pink Pearl will protect you from harm," murmuredthe 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 silkenbag, Inga fastened it securely around his neck andbuttoned his waist above it to hide the treasure fromall prying eyes. Then he slowly climbed down from thetree and returned to the room where King Rinkitinkstill slept.

The goat was browsing upon the grass but looked crossand surly. When the boy said good morning as he passed,Bilbil made no response whatever. As Inga entered theroom the King awoke and asked:

"What is that mysterious secret of yours? I've beendreaming about it, and I haven't got my breath yet fromtugging 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, whichit is proper I should keep to myself. But I may tellyou one thing, at least: We are going to leave thisisland to-morrow morning."

The King seemed puzzled' by this statement.

"I'm not much of a swimmer," said he, "and, thoughI'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!" declaredRinkitink, looking upon the boy with wonder.

"True," said Inga. "But one will come to us in themorning." He spoke positively, for he had perfect faithin the promise of the White Pearl; but Rinkitink,knowing nothing of the three marvelous jewels, began tofear that the little Prince had lost his mind throughgrief and misfortune.

For this reason the King did not question the boyfurther but tried to cheer him by telling him wittystories. He laughed at all the stories himself, in hismerry, rollicking way, and Inga joined freely in thelaughter because his heart had been lightened by theprospect of rescuing his dear parents. Not since thefierce warriors had descended upon Pingaree had the boybeen so hopeful and happy.

With Rinkitink riding upon Bilbil's back, the threemade a tour of the island and found in the central partsome bushes and trees bearing ripe fruit. They gatheredthis freely, for -- aside from the fish which Ingacaught -- it was the only food they now had, and theless they had, the bigger Rinkitink's appetite seemedto grow.

"I am never more happy," said he with a sigh, "thanwhen I am eating."

Toward evening the sky became overcast and soon agreat storm began to rage. Prince Inga and KingRinkitink took refuge within the shelter of the roomthey had fitted up and there Bilbil joined them. Thegoat and the King were somewhat disturbed by theviolence of the storm, but Inga did not mind it, beingpleased at this evidence that the White Pearl might berelied upon.

All night the wind shrieked around the island;thunder rolled, lightning flashed and rain came down intorrents. But with morning the storm abated and whenthe sun arose no sign of the tempest remained save afew fallen trees.