a would become the King of Pingaree and it would be his
duty to go to his people and rule over them.

It was while the last of the boats were preparing to sail for Pingaree
that Nikobob, who had been of great service in getting them ready, came
to Inga in a thoughtful mood and said:

"Your Highness, my wife and my daughter Zella have been urging me to
leave Regos and settle down in your island, in a new home. From what
your people have told me, Pingaree is a better place to live than
Regos, and there are no cruel warriors or savage beasts there to keep
one in constant fear for the safety of those he loves. Therefore, I
have come to ask to go with my family in one of the boats."

Inga was much pleased with this proposal and not only granted Nikobob
permission to go to Pingaree to live, but instructed him to take with
him sufficient goods to furnish his new home in a comfortable manner.
In addition to this, he appointed Nikobob general manager of the
buildings and of the pearl fisheries, until his father or he himself
arrived, and the people approved this order because they liked Nikobob
and knew him to be just and honest.

Soon as the last boat of the great flotilla had disappeared from the
view of those left at Regos, Inga and Rinkitink prepared to leave the
island themselves. The boy was anxious to overtake the boat of King
Gos, if possible, and Rinkitink had no desire to remain in Regos.

Buzzub and the warriors stood silently on the shore and watched the
black boat with its silver lining depart, and I am sure they were as
glad to be rid of their unwelcome visitors as Inga and Rinkitink and
Bilbil were to leave.

The boy asked the White Pearl what direction the boat of King Gos had
taken and then he followed after it, rowing hard and steadily for eight
days without becoming at all weary. But, although the black boat moved
very swiftly, it failed to overtake the barge which was rowed by Queen
Cor's forty picked oarsmen.

Chapter Seventeen

The Nome King

The Kingdom of the Nomes does not border on the Nonestic Ocean, from
which it is separated by the Kingdom of Rinkitink and the Country of
the Wheelers, which is a part of the Land of Ev. Rinkitink's country is
separated from the country of the Nomes by a row of high and steep
mountains, from which it extends to the sea. The Country of the
Wheelers is a sandy waste that is open on one side to the Nonestic
Ocean and on the other side has no barrier to