Rinkitink lost no time in getting upon the red velvet
saddle which the goat constantly wore, for he feared
the Nome King would try to destroy Bilbil and knew that
as long as his body touched that of the goat the Pink
Pearl would protect them both; whereas, if Bilbil stood
alone, there was no magic to save him.

Bilbil glared wickedly at King Kaliko, who moved
uneasily in his ivory throne. Then the Nome King
whispered a moment in the ear of Klik, who nodded and
left the room.

"Please make yourselves at home here for a few
minutes, while I attend to an errand," said the Nome
King, getting up from the throne. "I shall return
pretty soon, when I hope to find you pieceful -- ha,
ha, ha! -- that's a joke you can't appreciate now but
will later. Be pieceful -- that's the idea. Ho, ho, ho!
How funny." Then he waddled from the cavern, closing
the door behind him.

"Well, why didn't you laugh when Kaliko laughed?"
demanded the goat, when they were left alone in the
cavern.

"Because he means mischief of some sort," replied
Rinkitink, "and we'll laugh after the danger is over,
Bilbil. There's an old adage that says: 'He laughs best
who laughs last,' and the only way to laugh last is to