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Page 39
After a half hour's careful search the boy said
sorrowfully:
"Someone must have passed by, as we slept, and taken
the precious shoe, not knowing its value. To us, King
Rinkitink, this will be a dreadful misfortune, for we
are surrounded by dangers from which we have now no
protection. Luckily I have the other shoe left, within
which is the magic power that gives me strength; so all
is not lost."
Then he told Rinkitink, in a few words, the secret of
the wonderful pearls, and how he had recovered them
from the ruins and hidden them in his shoes, and how
they had enabled him to drive King Gos and his men from
Regos and to capture the city. The King was much
astonished, and when the story was concluded he said to
Inga:
"What did you do with the other shoe?"
"Why, I left it in our bedroom," replied the boy.
"Then I advise you to get it at once," continued
Rinkitink, "for we can ill afford to lose the second
shoe, as well as the one I threw at the cat."
"You are right!" cried Inga, and they hastened back
to their bedchamber.
On entering the room they found an old woman sweeping
and raising a great deal of dust.
"Where is my shoe?" asked the Prince, anxiously.
The old woman stopped sweeping and looked at him in a
stupid way, for she was not very intelligent.
"Do you mean the one odd shoe that was lying on the
floor when I came in?" she finally asked.
"Yes -- yes!" answered the boy. "Where is it? Tell me
where it is!"
"Why, I threw it on the dust-heap, outside the back
gate," said she, "for, it being but a single shoe, with
no mate, it can be of no use to anyone."
"Show us the way to the dust-heap -- at once!"
commanded the boy, sternly, for he was greatly
frightened by this new misfortune which threatened him.
The old woman hobbled away and they followed her,
constantly urging her to hasten; but when they reached
the dust-heap no shoe was to be seen.
"This is terrible!" wailed the young Prince, ready to
weep at his loss. "We are now absolutely ruined, and at
the mercy of our enemies. Nor shall I be able to
liberate my dear father and mother."
"Well," replied Rinkitink, leaning against an old
barrel and looking quite solemn, "the thing is
certainly unlucky, any way we look at it. I suppose
someone has passed along here and, seeing the shoe upon
the dust-heap, has carried it away. But no one could
know the magic power the shoe contains and so will not
use it against us. I believe, Inga, we must now depend
upon our wits to get us out of the scrape we are in.
With saddened hearts they returned to the palace, and
entering a small room where no one could observe them
or overhear them, the boy took the White Pearl from its
silken bag and held it to his ear, asking:
"What shall I do now?"
"Tell no one of your loss," answered the Voice of the
Pearl. "If your enemies do not know that you are
powerless, they will fear you as much as ever. Keep
your secret, be patient, and fear not!"
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