The wicked Queen of Coregos was in a very bad humorthis morning, for one of her slave drivers had comefrom the fields to say that a number of slaves hadrebelled and would not work.

"Bring them here to me!" she cried savagely. "A goodwhipping may make them change their minds."

So the slave driver went to fetch the rebellious onesand Queen Cor sat down to eat her breakfast, an uglylook on her face.

Prince Inga had been ordered to stand behind his newmistress with a big fan of peacock's feathers, but hewas so unused to such service that he awkwardly brushedher ear with the fan. At once she flew into a terriblerage and slapped the Prince twice with her hand-blowsthat tingled, too, for her hand was big and hard andshe was not inclined to be gentle. Inga took the blowswithout shrinking or uttering a cry, although theystung his pride far more than his body. But KingRinkitink, who was acting as the queen's butler and hadjust brought in her coffee, was so startled at seeingthe young Prince punished that he tipped over the urnand the hot coffee streamed across the lap of theQueen's best morning gown.

Cor sprang from her seat with a scream of anger andpoor Rinkitink would doubtless have been given aterrible beating had not the slave driver returned atthis moment and attracted the woman's attention. Theoverseer had brought with him all of the women slavesfrom Pingaree, who had been loaded down with chains andwere so weak and ill they could scarcely walk, muchless work in the fields.

Prince Inga's eyes were dimmed with sorrowful tearswhen he discovered how his poor people had been abused,but his own plight was so helpless that he was unableto aid them. Fortunately the boy's mother, Queen Garee,was not among these slaves, for Queen Cor had placedher in the royal dairy to make butter.

"Why do you refuse to work?" demanded Cor in a harshvoice, as the slaves from Pingaree stood before her,trembling and with downcast eyes.

"Because we lack strength to perform the tasks youroverseers demand," answered one of the women.

"Then you shall be whipped until your strengthreturns!" exclaimed the Queen, and turning to Inga, shecommanded: "Get me the whip with the seven lashes."

As the boy left the room, wondering how he mightmanage to save the unhappy women from their undeservedpunishment, he met a girl entering by the back way, whoasked:

"Can you tell me where to find Her Majesty, QueenCor?"

"She is in the chamber with the red dome, where greendragons are painted upon the walls," replied Inga; "butshe is in an angry and ungracious mood to-day. Why doyou wish to see her?"

"I have honey to sell," answered the girl, who wasZella, just come from the forest. "The Queen is veryfond 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 maydo you a mischief."

"Why should she harm me, who brings her the honey sheso dearly loves?" inquired the child innocently. "But Ithank you for your warning; and I will try not to angerthe Queen."

As Zella started to go, Inga's eyes suddenly fellupon her shoes and instantly he recognized them as hisown. For only in Pingaree were shoes shaped in thismanner: high at the heel and pointed at the toes.

"Stop!" he cried in an excited voice, and the girlobeyed, wonderingly. "Tell me," he continued, moregently, "where did you get those shoes?"

"My father brought them to me from Regos," sheanswered.

"From Regos!"

"Yes. Are they not pretty?" asked Zella, looking downat her feet to admire them. "One of them my fatherfound 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, whichof course the girl could not understand.

"What is your name, little maid?" he asked.

"I am called Zella, and my father is Nikobob, thecharcoal-burner."

"Zella is a pretty name. I am Inga, Prince ofPingaree," said he, "and the shoes you are now wearing,Zella, belong to me. They were not cast away, as yourfather supposed, but were lost. Will you let me havethem 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 howimportant it was that he regain possession of the MagicPearls. So he said, pleadingly:

"Please let me have them, Zella. See! I will exchangefor them the shoes I now have on, which are newer andprettier than the others."

The girl hesitated. She wanted to please the boyPrince, yet she hated to exchange the shoes which herfather 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 fatherand mother rich and prosperous. Indeed, I will promiseto grant any favors you may ask of me," and he sat downupon the floor and drew off the shoes he was wearingand held them toward the girl.

"I'll see if they will fit me," said Zella, takingoff her left shoe -- the one that contained the PinkPearl -- and beginning to put on one of Inga's.

Just then Queen Cor, angry at being made towait for her whip with the seven lashes, rushedinto the room to find Inga. Seeing the boy sittingupon the floor beside Zella, the woman sprangtoward him to beat him with her clenched fists;but Inga had now slipped on the shoe and theQueen's blows could not reach his body.

Then Cor espied the whip lying beside Inga andsnatching it up she tried to lash him with it -- all tono avail.

While Zella sat horrified by this scene, the Prince,who realized he had no time to waste, reached out andpulled the right shoe from the girl's foot, quicklyplacing it upon his own. Then he stood up and, facingthe furious but astonished Queen, said to her in aquiet voice:

"Madam, please give me that whip."

"I won't!" answered Cor. "I'm going to lash thosePingaree women with it."

The boy seized hold of the whip and with irresistiblestrength drew it from the Queen's hand. But she drewfrom her bosom a sharp dagger and with the swiftness oflightning aimed a blow at Inga's heart. He merely stoodstill and smiled, for the blade rebounded and fellclattering to the floor.

Then, at last, Queen Cor understood the magic powerthat had terrified her husband but which she hadridiculed in her ignorance, not believing in it. Shedid not know that Inga's power had been lost, and foundagain, but she realized the boy was no common foe andthat unless she could still manage to outwit him herreign in the Island of Coregos was ended. To gain time,she went back to the red-domed chamber and seatedherself in her throne, before which were grouped theweeping slaves from Pingaree.

Inga had taken Zella's hand and assisted her to puton the shoes he had given her in exchange for his own.She found them quite comfortable and did not know shehad lost anything by the transfer.

"Come with me," then said the boy Prince, and led herinto the presence of Queen Cor, who was givingRinkitink a scolding. To the overseer Inga said.

"Give me the keys which unlock these chains, that Imay set these poor women at liberty."

"Don't you do it!" screamed Queen Cor.

"If you interfere, madam," said the boy, "I will putyou into a dungeon."

By this Rinkitink knew that Inga had recovered hisMagic Pearls and the little fat King was so overjoyedthat he danced and capered all around the room. But theQueen was alarmed at the threat and the slave driver,fearing the conqueror of Regos, tremblingly gave up thekeys.

Inga quickly removed all the shackles from the womenof his country and comforted them, telling them theyshould work no more but would soon be restored to theirhomes in Pingaree. Then he commanded the slave driverto go and get all the children who had been madeslaves, and to bring them to their mothers. The manobeyed and left at once to perform his errand, whileQueen Cor, growing more and more uneasy, suddenlysprang from her throne and before Inga could stop herhad rushed through the room and out into the courtyardof the palace, meaning to make her escape. Rinkitinkfollowed her, running as fast as he could go.

It was at this moment that Bilbil, in his mad dashfrom Regos, turned in at the gates of the courtyard,and as he was coming one way and Queen Cor was goingthe 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 hercrown rolled into a ditch and she picked herself up,half dazed, and continued her flight. Bilbil was alsosomewhat dazed by the unexpected encounter, but hecontinued his rush rather blindly and so struck poorRinkitink, who was chasing after Queen Cor. They rolledover one another a few times and then Rinkitink sat upand Bilbil sat up and they looked at each other inamazement.

"Bilbil," said the King, "I'm astonished at you!"

"Your Majesty," said Bilbil, "I expected kindertreatment at your hands."

"You interrupted me," said Rinkitink.

"There was plenty of room without your taking mypath," declared the goat.

And then Inga came running out and said. "Where isthe Queen?"

"Gone," replied Rinkitink, "but she cannot go far, asthis is an island. However, I have found Bilbil, andour party is again reunited. You have recovered yourmagic powers, and again we are masters of thesituation. So let us be thankful."

Saying this, the good little King got upon his feetand limped back into the throne room to help comfortthe women.

Presently the children of Pingaree, who had beengathered together by the overseer, were brought in andrestored to their mothers, and there was greatrejoicing among them, you may be sure.

"But where is Queen Garee, my dear mother?"questioned Inga; but the women did not know and it wassome time before the overseer remembered that one ofthe slaves from Pingaree had been placed in the royaldairy. Perhaps this was the woman the boy was seeking.

Inga at once commanded him to lead the way to thebutter house, but when they arrived there Queen Gareewas nowhere in the place, although the boy found a silkscarf which he recognized as one that his mother usedto wear. Then they began a search throughout the islandof 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 againbeen removed, separating them from Regos, and from thisthey suspected that Queen Cor had fled to her husband'sisland and had taken Queen Garee with her. Inga wasmuch perplexed what to do and returned with his friendsto the palace to talk the matter over.

Zella was now crying because she had not sold herhoney and was unable to return to her parents on theisland of Regos, but the boy prince comforted her andpromised she should be protected until she could berestored to her home. Rinkitink found Queen Cor'spurse, which she had had no time to take with her, andgave Zella several gold pieces for the honey. Then Ingaordered the palace servants to prepare a feast for allthe women and children of Pingaree and to prepare forthem beds in the great palace, which was large enoughto accommodate them all.

Then the boy and the goat and Rinkitink and Zellawent into a private room to consider what should bedone next.