One morning, just as the royal party was finishingbreakfast, a servant came running to say that a greatfleet of boats was approaching the island from thesouth. King Kitticut sprang up at once, in great alarm,for he had much cause to fear strange boats. The othersquickly followed him to the shore to see what invasionmight be coming upon them.

Inga was there with the first, and Nikobob and Zellasoon joined the watchers. And presently, while all weregazing eagerly at the approaching fleet, King Rinkitinksuddenly cried out:

"Get your pearls, Prince Inga -- get them quick!"

"Are these our enemies, then?" asked the boy, lookingwith surprise upon the fat little King, who had begunto tremble violently.

"They are my people of Gilgad!" answered Rinkitink,wiping a tear from his eye. "I recognize my royalstandards flying from the boats. So, please, dear Inga,get out your pearls to protect me!"

"What can you fear at the hands of your ownsubjects?" asked Kitticut, astonished.

But before his frightened guest could answer thequestion Prince Bobo, who was standing beside hisfriend, gave an amused laugh and said:

"You are caught at last, dear Rinkitink. Your peoplewill take you home again and oblige you to reign asKing."

Rinkitink groaned aloud and clasped his handstogether with a gesture of despair, an attitude socomical that the others could scarcely forbearlaughing.

But now the boats were landing upon the beach. Theywere fifty in number, beautifully decorated andupholstered and rowed by men clad in the gay uniformsof the King of Gilgad. One splended boat had a throneof gold in the center, over which was draped the King'sroyal robe of purple velvet, embroidered with goldbuttercups.

Rinkitink shuddered when he saw this throne; but nowa tall man, handsomely dressed, approached and kneltupon the grass before his King, while all the otheroccupants of the boats shouted joyfully and waved theirplumed hats in the air.

"Thanks to our good fortune," said the man whokneeled, "we have found Your Majesty at last!"

"Pinkerbloo," answered Rinkitink sternly, "I musthave you hanged, for thus finding me against my will."

"You think so now, Your Majesty, but you will neverdo it," returned Pinkerbloo, rising and kissing theKing's hand.

"Why won't I?" asked Rinkitink.

"Because you are much too tender-hearted, YourMajesty."

"It may be -- it may be," agreed Rinkitink, sadly."It is one of my greatest failings. But what chancebrought you here, my Lord Pinkerbloo?"

"We have searched for you everywhere, sire, and allthe people of Gilgad have been in despair since you somysteriously disappeared. We could not appoint a newKing, because we did not know but that you still lived;so we set out to find you, dead or alive. Aftervisiting many islands of the Nonestic Ocean we at lastthought of Pingaree, from where come the preciouspearls; and now our faithful quest has been rewarded."

"And what now?" asked Rinkitink.

"Now, Your Majesty, you must come home with us, likea good and dutiful King, and rule over your people,"declared the man in a firm voice.

"I will not."

"But you must -- begging Your Majesty's pardon forthe contradiction."

"Kitticut," cried poor Rinkitink, "you must save mefrom being captured by these, my subjects. What! must Ireturn to Gilgad and be forced to reign in splendidstate when I much prefer to eat and sleep and sing inmy own quiet way? They will make me sit in a thronethree hours a day and listen to dry and tedious affairsof state; and I must stand up for hours at the courtreceptions, till I get corns on my heels; and forevermust I listen to tiresome speeches and endlesspetitions and complaints!"

"But someone must do this, Your Majesty," saidPinkerbloo respectfully, "and since you were born to beour King you cannot escape your duty."

"'Tis a horrid fate!" moaned Rinkitink. "I would diewillingly, rather than be a King -- if it did not hurtso terribly to die."

"You will find it much more comfortable to reign thanto die, although I fully appreciate Your Majesty'sdifficult position and am truly sorry for you," saidPinkerbloo.

King Kitticut had listened to this conversationthoughtfully, so now he said to his friend:

"The man is right, dear Rinkitink. It is your duty toreign, since fate has made you a King, and I see nohonorable escape for you. I shall grieve to lose yourcompanionship, but I feel the separation cannot beavoided."

Rinkitink sighed.

"Then," said he, turning to Lord Pinkerbloo, "inthree days I will depart with you for Gilgad; butduring those three days I propose to feast and makemerry with my good friend King Kitticut."

Then all the people of Gilgad shouted with delightand eagerly scrambled ashore to take their part in thefestival.

Those three days were long remembered in Pingaree,for never -- before nor since -- has such feasting andjollity been known upon that island. Rinkitink made themost of his time and everyone laughed and sang with himby day and by night.

Then, at last, the hour of parting arrived and theKing of Gilgad and Ruler of the Dominion of Rinkitinkwas escorted by a grand procession to his boat andseated upon his golden throne. The rowers of the fiftyboats paused, with their glittering oars pointed intothe air like gigantic uplifted sabres, while the peopleof Pingaree -- men, women and children -- stood uponthe shore shouting a royal farewell to the jolly King.

Then came a sudden hush, while Rinkitink stood upand, with a bow to those assembled to witness hisdeparture, sang the following song, which he had justcomposed for the occasion.

"Farewell, dear Isle of Pingaree --The fairest land in all the sea!No living mortals, kings or churls,Would scorn to wear thy precious pearls.

"King Kitticut, 'tis with regretI'm forced to say farewell; and yetAbroad no longer can I roamWhen fifty boats would drag me home.

"Good-bye, my Prince of Pingaree;A noble King some time you'll beAnd long and wisely may you reignAnd never face a foe again!"

They cheered him from the shore; they cheered himfrom the boats; and then all the oars of the fiftyboats swept downward with a single motion and dippedtheir blades into the purple-hued waters of theNonestic Ocean.

As the boats shot swiftly over the ripples of the seaRinkitink turned to Prince Bobo, who had decided not todesert his former master and his present friend, andasked anxiously:

"How did you like that song, Bilbil -- I mean Bobo?Is it a masterpiece, do you think?"

And Bobo replied with a smile:

"Like all your songs, dear Rinkitink, the sentimentfar excels the poetry."