r it as sweet as candy
made from mustard and vinegar."

"But not as sweet as your disposition, I admit. Ah, Bilbil, your temper
would put honey itself to shame."

"Do not quarrel, I beg of you," pleaded Inga. "Are we not sad enough
already?"

"But this is a jolly quarrel," said the King, "and it is the way Bilbil
and I often amuse ourselves. Listen, now, to the last verse of all:

"The maid who shied her shoe now cried--
Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do!
Her tears were fried for the Captain's bride
Who ate with pride her sobs, beside,
And gently sighed 'I'm satisfied'--
Sing to-ral-oo-ral-i-do!"

"Worse and worse!" grumbled Bilbil, with much scorn. "I am glad that is
the last verse, for another of the same kind might cause me to faint."

"I fear you have no ear for music," said the King.

"I have heard no music, as yet," declared the goat. "You must have a
strong imagination, King Rinkitink, if you consider your songs music.
Do you remember the story of the bear that hired out for a nursemaid?"

"I do not recall it just now," said Rinkitink, with a wink at Inga.

"Well, the bear tried to sing a lullaby to put the baby to sleep."

"And then?" said the King.

"The bear was highly pleased with its own voice, but the baby was
nearly frightened to death."

"Heh, heb, heh, heh, whoo, hoo, hoo! You are a merry rogue, Bilbil,"
laughed the King; "a merry rogue in spite of your gloomy features.
However, if I have not amused you, I have at least pleased myself, for
I am exceedingly fond of a good song. So let us say no more about it."

All this time the boy Prince was rowing the boat. He was not in the
least tired, for the oars he held seemed to move of their own accord.
He paid little heed to the conversation of Rinkitink and the goat, but
busied his thoughts with plans of what he should do when he reached the
islands of Regos and Coregos and confronted his enemies. When the
others finally became silent, Inga inquired.

"Can you fight, King Rinkitink?"

"I have never tried," was the answer. "In time of danger I have found
it much easier to run away than to face the foe."

"But could you fight?" asked the boy.

"I might try, if there was no chance to escape by running. Have you a
proper weapon for me to fight with?"

"I have no weapon at all," confessed Inga.

"Then let us use argument and persuasion instead of fighting. For
instance, if we could persuade the warriors of Regos to lie down, and
l