e; so, although both the
goat and its master demanded to know why the marble blocks had been
moved, and how it would benefit them, Inga begged them to wait until the
next morning, when he hoped to be able to satisfy them that their hard
work had not been in vain.

[Illustration]

Having little confidence in this promise of a mere boy, the goat
grumbled and the King laughed; but Inga paid no heed to their ridicule
and set himself to work rigging up a fishing rod, with line and hook.
During the afternoon he waded out to some rocks near the shore and
fished patiently until he had captured enough yellow perch for their
supper and breakfast.

"Ah," said Rinkitink, looking at the fine catch when Inga returned to
the shore; "these will taste delicious when they are cooked; but do you
know how to cook them?"

"No," was the reply. "I have often caught fish, but never cooked them.
Perhaps Your Majesty understands cooking."

"Cooking and majesty are two different things," laughed the little King.
"I could not cook a fish to save me from starvation."

"For my part," said Bilbil, "I never eat fish, but I can tell you how to
cook them, for I have often watched the palace cooks at their work." And
so, with the goat's assistance, the boy and the King managed to prepare
the fish and cook them, after which they were eaten with good appetite.

That night, after Rinkitink and Bilbil were both fast asleep, Inga stole
quietly through the moonlight to the desolate banquet hall. There,
kneeling down, he touched the secret spring as his father had
instructed him to do and to his joy the tile sank downward and disclosed
the opening. You may imagine how the boy's heart throbbed with
excitement as he slowly thrust his hand into the cavity and felt around
to see if the precious pearls were still there. In a moment his fingers
touched the silken bag and, without pausing to close the recess, he
pressed the treasure against his breast and ran out into the moonlight
to examine it. When he reached a bright place he started to open the
bag, but he observed Bilbil lying asleep upon the grass near by. So,
trembling with the fear of discovery, he ran to another place, and when
he paused he heard Rinkitink snoring lustily. Again he fled and made his
way to the seashore, where he squatted under a bank and began to untie
the cords that fastened the mouth of the bag. But now another fear
assailed him.

"If the pearls should slip from my hand," he thou