st and
worthy man, I shall make him the King of the Twin Islands."

"Me?" cried Nikobob, astounded by this speech. "I beg Your Highness, on
my bended knees, not to do so cruel a thing as to make me King!"

"Why not?" inquired Rinkitink. "I'm a King, and I know how it feels. I
assure you, good Nikobob, that I quite enjoy my high rank, although a
jeweled crown is rather heavy to wear in hot weather."

"With you, noble sir, it is different," said Nikobob, "for you are far
from your kingdom and its trials and worries and may do as you please.
But to remain in Regos, as King over these fierce and unruly warriors,
would be to live in constant anxiety and peril, and the chances are
that they would murder me within a month. As I have done no harm to
anyone and have tried to be a good and upright man, I do not think that
I should be condemned to such a dreadful fate."

"Very well," replied Inga, "we will say no more about your being King.
I merely wanted to make you rich and prosperous, as I had promised
Zella."

"Please forget that promise," pleaded the charcoal-burner, earnestly;
"I have been safe from molestation for many years, because I was poor
and possessed nothing that anyone else could envy. But if you make me
rich and prosperous I shall at once become the prey of thieves and
marauders and probably will lose my life in the attempt to protect my
fortune."

Inga looked at the man in surprise.

"What, then, can I do to please you?" he inquired.

"Nothing more than to allow me to go home to my poor cabin," said
Nikobob.

"Perhaps," remarked King Rinkitink, "the charcoal-burner has more
wisdom concealed in that hard head of his than we gave him credit for.
But let us use that wisdom, for the present, to counsel us what to do
in this emergency."

"What you call my wisdom," said Nikobob, "is merely common sense. I
have noticed that some men become rich, and are scorned by some and
robbed by others. Other men become famous, and are mocked at and
derided by their fellows. But the poor and humble man who lives
unnoticed and unknown escapes all these troubles and is the only one
who can appreciate the joy of living."

"If I had a hand, instead of a cloven hoof, I'd like to shake hands
with you, Nikobob," said Bilbil the goat. "But the poor man must not
have a cruel master, or he is undone."

During the council they found, indeed, that the advice of the
charcoal-burner was both shrewd and sensible, and they profited