're not afraid of anything,
So let us gayly laugh and sing
Until we seek repose.

"We've all our grateful hearts can wish;
King Gos has gone to feed the fish,
Queen Cor has gone, as well;
King Kitticut has found his own,
Prince Bobo soon will have a throne
Relieved of magic spell.

"So let's forget the horrid strife
That fell upon our peaceful life
And caused distress and pain;
For very soon across the sea
We'll all be sailing merrily
To Pingaree again."

[Illustration]

The Pearl Kingdom

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 23

It was unfortunate that the famous Scarecrow--the most popular person in
all Oz, next to Ozma--was absent at the time of the banquet, for he
happened just then to be making one of his trips through the country;
but the Scarecrow had a chance later to meet Rinkitink and Inga and the
King and Queen of Pingaree and Prince Bobo, for the party remained
several weeks at the Emerald City, where they were royally entertained,
and where both the gentle Queen Garee and the noble King Kitticut
recovered much of their good spirits and composure and tried to forget
their dreadful experiences.

At last, however, the King and Queen desired to return to their own
Pingaree, as they longed to be with their people again and see how well
they had rebuilt their homes. Inga also was anxious to return, although
he had been very happy in Oz, and King Rinkitink, who was happy anywhere
except at Gilgad, decided to go with his former friends to Pingaree. As
for Prince Bobo, he had become so greatly attached to King Rinkitink
that he was loth to leave him.

On a certain day they all bade good-bye to Ozma and Dorothy and Glinda
and the Wizard and all their good friends in Oz, and were driven in the
Red Wagon to the edge of the Deadly Desert, which they crossed safely on
the Magic Carpet. They then made their way across the Nome Kingdom and
the Wheeler Country, where no one molested them, to the shores of the
Nonestic Ocean. There they found the boat with the silver lining still
lying undisturbed on the beach.

There were no important adventures during the trip and on their arrival
at the pearl kingdom they were amazed at the beautiful appearance of the
island they had left in ruins. All the houses of the people had been
rebuilt and were prettier than before, with green lawns before them and
flower gardens in the back yards. The marble towers of King Kitticut's
new palace were very striking and