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Page 35
Of course, neither Rinkitink nor Bilbil knew how they
had been protected from harm and so at first they were
inclined to resent the boy's command that the three
must always keep together and touch one another at all
times. But when Inga explained that his magic would not
otherwise save them from injury, they agreed to obey,
for they had now seen enough to convince them that the
Prince was really protected by some invisible power.
As they came before the gates another shower of
arrows and spears descended upon them, and as before
not a single missile touched their bodies. King Gos,
who was upon the wall, was greatly amazed and somewhat
worried, but he depended upon the strength of his gates
and commanded his men to continue shooting until all
their weapons were gone.
Inga let them shoot as much as they wished, while he
stood before the great gates and examined them
carefully.
"Perhaps Bilbil can batter down the gates, suggested
Rinkitink.
"No," replied the goat; "my head is hard, but not
harder than iron."
"Then," returned the King, "let us stay outside;
especially as we can't get in."
But Inga was not at all sure they could not get in.
The gates opened inward, and three heavy bars were held
in place by means of stout staples riveted to the
sheets of steel. The boy had been told that the power
of the Blue Pearl would enable him to accomplish any
feat of strength, and he believed that this was true.
The warriors, under the direction of King Gos,
continued to hurl arrows and darts and spears and axes
and huge stones upon the invaders, all without avail.
The ground below was thickly covered with weapons, yet
not one of the three before the gates had been injured
in the slightest manner. When everything had been cast
that was available and not a single weapon of any sort
remained at hand, the amazed warriors saw the boy put
his shoulder against the gates and burst asunder the
huge staples that held the bars in place. A thousand of
their men could not have accomplished this feat, yet
the small, slight boy did it with seeming ease. The
gates burst open, and Inga advanced into the city
street and called upon King Gos to surrender.
But Gos was now as badly frightened as were his
warriors. He and his men were accustomed to war and
pillage and they had carried terror into many
countries, but here was a small boy, a fat man and a
goat who could not be injured by all his skill in
warfare, his numerous army and thousands of death-
dealing weapons. Moreover, they not only defied King
Gos's entire army but they had broken in the huge gates
of the city -- as easily as if they had been made of
paper -- and such an exhibition of enormous strength
made the wicked King fear for his life. Like all
bullies and marauders, Gos was a coward at heart, and
now a panic seized him and he turned and fled before
the calm advance of Prince Inga of Pingaree. The
warriors were like their master, and having thrown all
their weapons over the wall and being helpless to
oppose the strangers, they all swarmed after Gos, who
abandoned his city and crossed the bridge of boats to
the Island of Coregos. There was a desperate struggle
among these cowardly warriors to get over the bridge,
and many were pushed into the water and obliged to
swim; but finally every fighting man of Regos had
gained the shore of Coregos and then they tore away the
bridge of boats and drew them up on their own side,
hoping the stretch of open water would prevent the
magic invaders from following them.
The humble citizens and serving people of Regos, who
had been terrified and abused by the rough warriors all
their lives, were not only greatly astonished by this
sudden conquest of their masters but greatly delighted.
As the King and his army fled to Coregos, the people
embraced one another and danced for very joy, and then
they turned to see what the conquerors of Regos were
like.
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