his seat on the throne. Said Rinkitink with a chuckle:

"We've really had a peaceful time, Kaliko, although
not the pieceful time you expected. Forgive me if I
indulge in a laugh -- hoo, hoo, hoo-hee, heek-keek-eek!
And now, tell me; aren't you getting tired of trying to
injure us?"

"Eh -- heh," said the Nome King. "I see now that your
magic can protect you from all my arts. But is the boy
Inga as, well protected as Your Majesty and the goat?'

"Why do you ask?" inquired Rinkitink, uneasy at the
question because he remembered he had not seen the
little Prince of Pingaree that morning.

"Because," said Kaliko, "the boy has been undergoing
trials far greater and more dangerous than any you have
encountered, and it has been hundreds of years since
anyone has been able to escape alive from the perils of
my Three Trick Caverns."

King Rinkitink was much alarmed at hearing this, for
although he knew that Inga possessed the Blue Pearl,
that would only give to him marvelous strength, and
perhaps strength alone would not enable him to escape
from danger. But he would not let Kaliko see the fear
he felt for Inga's safety, so he said in a careless
way: