Rinkitink in Oz
"But I may be shipwrecked and drowned, before ever I reach Regos and
Coregos," protested the boy.
"The Pink Pearl will protect you from harm," murmured the 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 silken bag, Inga fastened
it securely around his neck and buttoned his waist above it to hide the
treasure from all prying eyes. Then he slowly climbed down from the tree
and returned to the room where King Rinkitink still slept.
The goat was browsing upon the grass but looked cross and surly. When
the boy said good morning as he passed, Bilbil made no response
whatever. As Inga entered the room the King awoke and asked:
"What is that mysterious secret of yours? I've been dreaming about it,
and I haven't got my breath yet from tugging 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, which it is proper I should keep to
myself. But I may tell you one thing, at least: We are going to leave
this island to-morrow morning."
The King seemed puzzled by this statement.
"I'm not much of a swimmer," said he, "and, though I'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!" declared Rinkitink, looking upon
the boy with wonder.
"True," said Inga. "But one will come to us in the morning." He spoke
positively, for he had perfect faith in the promise of the White Pearl;
but Rinkitink, knowing nothing of the three marvelous jewels, began to
fear that the little Prince had lost his mind through grief and
misfortune.
For this reason the King did not question the boy further but tried to
cheer him by telling him witty stories. He laughed at all the stories
himself, in his merry, rollicking way, and Inga joined freely in the
laughter because his heart had been lightened by the prospect of
rescuing his dear parents. Not since the fierce warriors had descended
upon Pingaree had the boy been so hopeful and happy.
With Rinkitink riding upon Bilbil's back, the three made a tour of the
island and found in the central part some bushes and trees bearing ripe
fruit. They gathered this freely, for--aside from the fish which Inga
caught--it was the only food they now had, and the less they had, the
bigger Rinkitink's appetite seemed to grow.
"I am never more happy," said he with a sigh, "than when I am eating."
Toward evening the sky became overcast and soon a great storm began to
rage. Prince Inga and King Rinkitink took refuge within the shelter of
the room they had fitted up and there Bilbil joined them. The goat and
the King were somewhat disturbed by the violence of the storm, but Inga
did not mind it, being pleased at this evidence that the White Pearl
might be relied upon.
All night the wind shrieked around the island; thunder rolled, lightning
flashed and rain came down in torrents. But with morning the storm
abated and when the sun arose no sign of the tempest remained save a few
fallen trees.
The Magic Boat
CHAPTER 6
Prince Inga was up with the sun and, accompanied by Bilbil, began
walking along the shore in search of the boat which the White Pearl had
promised him. Never for an instant did he doubt that he would find it
and before he had walked any great distance a dark object at the water's
edge caught his eye.
"It is the boat, Bilbil!" he cried joyfully, and running down to it he
found it was, indeed, a large and roomy boat. Although stranded upon the
beach, it was in perfect order and had suffered in no way from the
storm.
Inga stood for some moments gazing upon the handsome craft and wondering
where it could have come from. Certainly it was unlike any boat he had
ever seen. On the outside it was painted a lustrous black, without any
other color to relieve it; but all the inside of the boat was lined with
pure silver, polished so highly that the surface resembled a mirror and
glinted brilliantly in the rays of the sun. The seats had white velvet
cushions upon them and the cushions were splendidly embroidered with
threads of gold. At one end, beneath the broad seat, was a small barrel
with silver hoops, which the boy found was filled with fresh, sweet
water. A great chest of sandalwood, bound and ornamented with silver,
stood in the other end of the boat. Inga raised the lid and discovered
the chest filled with sea-biscuits, cakes, tinned meats and ripe, juicy
melons; enough good and wholesome food to last the party a long time.
Lying upon the bottom of the boat were two shining oars, and overhead,
but rolled back now, was a canopy of silver cloth to ward off the heat
of the sun.
It is no wonder the boy was delighted with the appearance of this
beautiful boat; but on reflection he feared it was too large for him to
row any great distance. Unless, indeed, the Blue Pearl gave him unusual
strength.
While he was considering this matter, King Rinkitink came waddling up to
him and said:
"Well, well, well, my Prince, your words have come true! Here is the
boat, for a certainty, yet how it came here--and how you knew it would
come to us--are puzzles that mystify me. I do not question our good
fortune, however, and my heart is bubbling with joy, for in this boat I
will return at once to my City of Gilgad, from which I have remained
absent altogether too long a time."
"I do not wish to go to Gilgad," said Inga.
"That is too bad, my friend, for you would be very welcome. But you may
remain upon this island, if you wish," continued Rinkitink, "and when I
get home I will send some of my people to rescue you."
"It is my boat, Your Majesty," said Inga quietly.
"May be, may be," was the careless answer, "but I am King of a great
country, while you are a boy Prince without any kingdom to speak of.
Therefore, being of greater importance than you, it is just and right
that I take your boat and return to my own country in it."
"I am sorry to differ from Your Majesty's views," said Inga, "but
instead of going to Gilgad I consider it of greater importance that we
go to the islands of Regos and Coregos."
"Hey? What!" cried the astounded King. "To Regos and Coregos! To become
slaves of the barbarians, like the King, your father? No, no, my boy!
Your Uncle Rinki may have an empty noddle, as Bilbil claims, but he is
far too wise to put his head in the lion's mouth. It's no fun to be a
slave."
"The people of Regos and Coregos will not enslave us," declared Inga.
"On the contrary, it is my intention to set free my dear parents, as
well as all my people, and to bring them back again to Pingaree."
"Cheek-eek-eek-eek-eek! How funny!" chuckled Rinkitink, winking at the
goat, which scowled in return. "Your audacity takes my breath away,
Inga, but the adventure has its charm, I must confess. Were I not so
fat, I'd agree to your plan at once, and could probably conquer that
horde of fierce warriors without any assistance at all--any at all--eh,
Bilbil? But I grieve to say that I am fat, and not in good fighting
trim. As for your determination to do what I admit I can't do, Inga, I
fear you forget that you are only a boy, and rather small at that."
"No, I do not forget that," was Inga's reply.
"Then please consider that you and I and Bilbil are not strong enough,
as an army, to conquer a powerful nation of skilled warriors. We could
attempt it, of course, but you are too young to die, while I am too old.
Come with me to my City of Gilgad, where you will be greatly honored.
I'll have my professors teach you how to be good. Eh? What do you say?"
Inga was a little embarrassed how to reply to these arguments, which he
knew King Rinkitink considered were wise; so, after a period of thought,
he said:
"I will make a bargain with Your Majesty, for I do not wish to fail in
respect to so worthy a man and so great a King as yourself. This boat is
mine, as I have said, and in my father's absence you have become my
guest; therefore I claim that I am entitled to some consideration, as
well as you."
"No doubt of it," agreed Rinkitink. "What is the bargain you propose,
Inga?"
"Let us both get into the boat, and you shall first try to row us to
Gilgad. If you succeed, I will accompany you right willingly; but should
you fail, I will then row the boat to Regos, and you must come with me
without further protest."
"A fair and just bargain!" cried the King, highly pleased. "Yet,
although I am a man of mighty deeds, I do not relish the prospect of
rowing so big a boat all the way to Gilgad. But I will do my best and
abide by the result."
The matter being thus peaceably settled, they prepared to embark. A
further supply of fruits was placed in the boat and Inga also raked up a
quantity of the delicious oysters that abounded on the coast of Pingaree
but which he had before been unable to reach for lack of a boat. This
was done at the suggestion of the ever-hungry Rinkitink, and when the
oysters had been stowed in their shells behind the water barrel and a
plentiful supply of grass brought aboard for Bilbil, they decided they
were ready to start on their voyage.
It proved no easy task to get Bilbil into the boat, for he was a
remarkably clumsy goat and once, when Rinkitink gave him a push, he
tumbled into the water and nearly drowned before they could get him out
again. But there was no thought of leaving the quaint animal behind. His
power of speech made him seem almost human in the eyes of the boy, and
the fat King was so accustomed to his surly companion that nothing could
have induced him to part with him. Finally Bilbil fell sprawling into
the bottom of the boat, and Inga helped him to get to the front end,
where there was enough space for him to lie down.
Rinkitink now took his seat in the silver-lined craft and the boy came
last, pushing off the boat as he sprang aboard, so that it floated
freely upon the water.
"Well, here we go for Gilgad!" exclaimed the King, picking up the oars
and placing them in the row-locks. Then he began to row as hard as he
could, singing at the same time an odd sort of a song that ran like
this:
"The way to Gilgad isn't bad
For a stout old King and a brave young lad,
For a cross old goat with a dripping coat,
And a silver boat in which to float.
So our hearts are merry, light and glad
As we speed away to fair Gilgad!"
"Don't, Rinkitink; please don't! It makes me seasick," growled Bilbil.
Rinkitink stopped rowing, for by this time he was all out of breath and
his round face was covered with big drops of perspiration. And when he
looked over his shoulder he found to his dismay that the boat had
scarcely moved a foot from its former position.
Inga said nothing and appeared not to notice the King's failure. So now
Rinkitink, with a serious look on his fat, red face, took off his purple
robe and rolled up the sleeves of his tunic and tried again.
However, he succeeded no better than before and when he heard Bilbil
give a gruff laugh and saw a smile upon the boy Prince's face, Rinkitink
suddenly dropped the oars and began shouting with laughter at his own
defeat. As he wiped his brow with a yellow silk handkerchief he sang in
a merry voice:
"A sailor bold am I, I hold,
But boldness will not row a boat.
So I confess I'm in distress
And just as useless as the goat."
"Please leave me out of your verses," said Bilbil with a snort of anger.