espied the whip lying beside Inga and snatching it up she
tried to lash him with it--all to no avail.

While Zella sat horrified by this scene, the Prince, who realized he
had no time to waste, reached out and pulled the right shoe from the
girl's foot, quickly placing it upon his own. Then he stood up and,
facing the furious but astonished Queen, said to her in a quiet voice:

"Madam, please give me that whip."

"I won't!" answered Cor. "I'm going to lash those Pingaree women with
it."

The boy seized hold of the whip and with irresistible strength drew it
from the Queen's hand. But she drew from her bosom a sharp dagger and
with the swiftness of lightning aimed a blow at Inga's heart. He merely
stood still and smiled, for the blade rebounded and fell clattering to
the floor.

Then, at last, Queen Cor understood the magic power that had terrified
her husband but which she had ridiculed in her ignorance, not believing
in it. She did not know that Inga's power had been lost, and found
again, but she realized the boy was no common foe and that unless she
could still manage to outwit him her reign in the Island of Coregos was
ended. To gain time, she went back to the red-domed chamber and seated
herself in her throne, before which were grouped the weeping slaves
from Pingaree.

Inga had taken Zella's hand and assisted her to put on the shoes he had
given her in exchange for his own. She found them quite comfortable and
did not know she had lost anything by the transfer.

"Come with me," then said the boy Prince, and led her into the presence
of Queen Cor, who was giving Rinkitink a scolding. To the overseer Inga
said.

"Give me the keys which unlock these chains, that I may set these poor
women at liberty."

"Don't you do it!" screamed Queen Cor.

"If you interfere, madam," said the boy, "I will put you into a
dungeon."

By this Rinkitink knew that Inga had recovered his Magic Pearls and the
little fat King was so overjoyed that he danced and capered all around
the room. But the Queen was alarmed at the threat and the slave driver,
fearing the conqueror of Regos, tremblingly gave up the keys.

Inga quickly removed all the shackles from the women of his country and
comforted them, telling them they should work no more but would soon be
restored to their homes in Pingaree. Then he commanded the slave driver
to go and get all the children who had been made slaves, and to bring
them to their mothers. The man ob