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Page 15
Inga feared that only he was left of all his nation.
Perhaps he might be obliged to pass his life there
alone. He would not starve, for the sea would give him
oysters and fish, and the trees fruit; yet the life
that confronted him was far from enticing.
The boy's first act was to walk over to where the
palace had stood and search the ruins until he found
some scraps of food that had been overlooked by the
enemy. He sat upon a block of marble and ate of this,
and tears filled his eyes as he gazed upon the
desolation around him. But Inga tried to bear up
bravely, and having satisfied his hunger he walked over
to the well, intending to draw a bucket of drinking
water.
Fortunately, this well had been overlooked by the
invaders and the bucket was still fastened to the chain
that wound around a stout wooden windlass. Inga took
hold of the crank and began letting the bucket down
into the well, when suddenly he was startled by a
muffled voice crying out:
"Be careful, up there!"
The sound and the words seemed to indicate that the
voice came from the bottom of the well, so Inga looked
down. Nothing could be seen, on account of the
darkness.
"Who are you?" he shouted.
"It's I -- Rinkitink," came the answer, and the
depths of the well echoed: "Tink-i-tink-i-tink!" in a
ghostly manner.
"Are you in the well?" asked the boy, greatly
surprised.
"Yes, and nearly drowned. I fell in while running
from those terrible warriors, and I've been standing in
this damp hole ever since, with my head just above the
water. It's lucky the well was no deeper, for had my
head been under water, instead of above it -- hoo, hoo,
hoo, keek, eek! -- under instead of over, you know --
why, then I wouldn't be talking to you now! Ha, hoo,
hee!" And the well dismally echoed: "Ha, hoo, hee!"
which you must imagine was a laugh half merry and half
sad.
"I'm awfully sorry," cried the boy, in answer. "I
wonder you have the heart to laugh at all. But how am I
to get you out?"
"I've been considering that all night," said
Rinkitink, "and I believe the best plan will be for you
to let down the bucket to me, and I'll hold fast to it
while you wind up the chain and so draw me to the top."
"I will try to do that," replied Inga, and he let the
bucket down very carefully until he heard the King call
out:
"I've got it! Now pull me up -- slowly, my boy,
slowly -- so I won't rub against the rough sides."
Inga began winding up the chain, but King Rinkitink
was so fat that he was very heavy and by the time the
boy had managed to pull him halfway up the well his
strength was gone. He clung to the crank as long as
possible, but suddenly it slipped from his grasp and
the next minute he heard Rinkitink fall "plump!" into
the water again.
"That's too bad!" called Inga, in real distress; "but
you were so heavy I couldn't help it."
"Dear me!" gasped the King, from the darkness below,
as he spluttered and coughed to get the water out of
his mouth. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to
let go?"
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