id not see the well, but stepped into it and
found myself tumbling down to the bottom. I struck the water very
neatly and began struggling to keep myself from drowning, but presently
I found that when I stood upon my feet on the bottom of the well, that
my chin was just above the water. So I stood still and yelled for help;
but no one heard me."

"If the warriors had heard you," said Bilbil, "they would have pulled
you out and carried you away to be a slave. Then you would have been
obliged to work for a living, and that would be a new experience."

"Work!" exclaimed Rinkitink. "Me work? Hoo, hoo, heek-keek-eek! How
absurd! I'm so stout--not to say chubby--not to say fat--that I can
hardly walk, and I couldn't earn my salt at hard work. So I'm glad the
enemy did not find me, Bilbil. How many others escaped?"

"That I do not know," replied the boy, "for I have not yet had time to
visit the other parts of the island. When you have rested and satisfied
your royal hunger, it might be well for us to look around and see what
the thieving warriors of Regos and Coregos have left us."

"An excellent idea," declared Rinkitink. "I am somewhat feeble from my
long confinement in the well, but I can ride upon Bilbil's back and we
may as well start at once."

Hearing this, Bilbil cast a surly glance at his master but said
nothing, since it was really the goat's business to carry King
Rinkitink wherever he desired to go.

They first searched the ruins of the palace, and where the kitchen had
once been they found a small quantity of food that had been half hidden
by a block of marble. This they carefully placed in a sack to preserve
it for future use, the little fat King having first eaten as much as he
cared for. This consumed some time, for Rinkitink had been exceedingly
hungry and liked to eat in a leisurely manner. When he had finished the
meal he straddled Bilbil's back and set out to explore the island,
Prince Inga walking by his side.

They found on every hand ruin and desolation. The houses of the people
had been pilfered of all valuables and then torn down or burned. Not a
boat had been left upon the shore, nor was there a single person, man
or woman or child, remaining upon the island, save themselves. The only
inhabitants of Pingaree now consisted of a fat little King, a boy and a
goat.

Even Rinkitink, merry hearted as he was, found it hard to laugh in the
face of this mighty disaster. Even the goat, contrary to its