," said King Kitticut. "But why has Your
Majesty so few attendants? Is it not dangerous for the King of a great
country to make distant journeys in one frail boat, and with but
twenty men?"

[Illustration]

"Oh, I suppose so," answered King Rinkitink, with a laugh. "But what
else could I do? My subjects would not allow me to go anywhere at all,
if they knew it. So I just ran away."

"Ran away!" exclaimed King Kitticut in surprise.

"Funny, isn't it? Heh, heh, heh--woo, hoo!" laughed Rinkitink, and this
is as near as I can spell with letters the jolly sounds of his laughter.
"Fancy a King running away from his own people--hoo, hoo--keek, eek,
eek, eek! But I had to, don't you see!"

"Why?" asked the other King.

"They're afraid I'll get into mischief. They don't trust me.
Keek-eek-eek--Oh, dear me! Don't trust their own King. Funny, isn't it?"

"No harm can come to you on this island," said Kitticut, pretending not
to notice the odd ways of his guest. "And, whenever it pleases you to
return to your own country, I will send with you a fitting escort of my
own people. In the meantime, pray accompany me to my palace, where
everything shall be done to make you comfortable and happy."

"Much obliged," answered Rinkitink, tipping his white cap over his left
ear and heartily shaking the hand of his brother monarch. "I'm sure you
can make me comfortable if you've plenty to eat. And as for being
happy--ha, ha, ha, ha!--why, that's my trouble. I'm _too_ happy. But
stop! I've brought you some presents in those boxes. Please order your
men to carry them up to the palace."

"Certainly," answered King Kitticut, well pleased, and at once he gave
his men the proper orders.

"And, by the way," continued the fat little King, "let them also take my
goat from his cage."

"A goat!" exclaimed the King of Pingaree.

"Exactly; my goat Bilbil. I always ride him wherever I go, for I'm not
at all fond of walking, being a trifle stout--eh, Kitticut?--a trifle
stout! Hoo, hoo, hoo--keek, eek!"

The Pingaree people started to lift the big cage out of the boat, but
just then a gruff voice cried: "Be careful, you villains!" and as the
words seemed to come from the goat's mouth the men were so astonished
that they dropped the cage upon the sand with a sudden jar.

"There! I told you so!" cried the voice angrily. "You've rubbed the skin
off my left knee. Why on earth didn't you handle me gently?"

"There, there, Bilbil," said King Rink