e 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