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Page 8
"So I perceive," responded King Kitticut, bowing with
much dignity.
The fat man glanced at all the sober faces before him
and burst into a rollicking laugh. Perhaps I should say
it was half laughter and half a chuckle of merriment,
for the sounds he emitted were quaint and droll and
tempted every hearer to laugh with him.
"Heh, heh -- ho, ho, ho!" he roared. "Didn't expect
me, I see. Keek-eek-eek-eek! This is funny -- it's
really funny. Didn't know I was coming, did you? Hoo,
hoo, hoo, hoo! This is certainly amusing. But I'm here,
just the same."
"Hush up!" said a deep, growling voice. "You're
making yourself ridiculous."
Everyone looked to see where this voice came from;
but none could guess who had uttered the words of
rebuke. The rowers of the boat were all solemn and
silent and certainly no one on the shore had spoken.
But the little man did not seem astonished in the
least, or even annoyed.
King Kitticut now addressed the stranger, saying
courteously:
"You are welcome to the Kingdom of Pingaree. Perhaps
you will deign to come ashore and at your convenience
inform us whom we have the honor of receiving as a
guest."
"Thanks; I will," returned the little fat man,
waddling from his place in the boat and stepping, with
some difficulty, upon the sandy beach. "I am King
Rinkitink, of the City of Gilgad in the Kingdom of
Rinkitink, and I have come to Pingaree to see for
myself the monarch who sends to my city so many
beautiful pearls. I have long wished to visit this
island; and so, as I said before, here I am!"
"I am pleased to welcome you," said King Kitticut.
"But why has Your Majesty so few attendants? Is it not
dangerous for the King of a great country to make
distant journeys in one frail boat, and with but twenty
men?"
"Oh, I suppose so," answered King Rinkitink, with a
laugh. "But what else could I do? My subjects would not
allow me to go anywhere at all, if they knew it. So I
just ran away."
"Ran away!" exclaimed King Kitticut in surprise.
"Funny, isn't it? Heh, heh, heh -- woo, hoo!" laughed
Rinkitink, and this is as near as I can spell with
letters the jolly sounds of his laughter. "Fancy a King
running away from his own ple -- hoo, hoo -- keek, eek,
eek, eek! But I had to, don't you see!"
"Why?" asked the other King.
"They're afraid I'll get into mischief. They don't
trust me. Keek-eek-eek -- Oh, dear me! Don't trust
their own King. Funny, isn't it?"
"No harm can come to you on this island," said
Kitticut, pretending not to notice the odd ways of his
guest. "And, whenever it pleases you to return to your
own country, I will send with you a fitting escort of
my own people. In the meantime, pray accompany me to my
palace, where everything shall be done to make you
comfortable and happy."
"Much obliged," answered Rinkitink, tipping his white
cap over his left ear and heartily shaking the hand of
his brother monarch. "I'm sure you can make me
comfortable if you've plenty to eat. And as for being
happy -- ha, ha, ha, ha! -- why, that's my trouble. I'm
too happy. But stop! I've brought you some presents in
those boxes. Please order your men to carry them up to
the palace."
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