Chapter Nineteen

Rinkitink Chuckles


We will now relate what happened to Rinkitink and
Bilbil that morning, while Inga was undergoing his
trying experience in escaping the fearful dangers of
the three caverns.

The King of Gilgad wakened to find the door of Inga's
room fast shut and locked, but he had no trouble in
opening his own door into the corridor, for it seems
that the boy's room, which was the middle one, whirled
around on a pivot, while the adjoining rooms occupied
by Bilbil and Rinkitink remained stationary. The little
King also found a breakfast magically served in his
room, and while he was eating it, Klik came to him and
stated that His Majesty, King Kaliko, desired his
presence in the royal cavern.

So Rinkitink, having first made sure that the Pink
Pearl was still in his vest pocket, willingly followed
Klik, who ran on some distance ahead. But no sooner had
Rinkitink set foot in the passage than a great rock,
weighing at least a ton, became dislodged and dropped
from the roof directly over his head. Of course, it
could not harm him, protected as he was by the Pink
Pearl, and it bounded aside and crashed upon the floor,
where it was shattered by its own weight.