and glory it derives from the trade in your pearls. So
I have wished for many years to come here to see you,
but my people said: 'No! Stay at home and behave
yourself, or we'll know the reason why.'"

"Will they not miss Your Majesty from your
palace at Gilgad?" inquired Kitticut.

"I think not," answered Rinkitink. "You see, one of
my clever subjects has written a parchment entitled
'How to be Good,' and I believed it would benefit me to
study it, as I consider the accomplishment of being
good one of the fine arts. I had just scolded severely
my Lord High Chancellor for coming to breakfast without
combing his eyebrows, and was so sad and regretful at
having hurt the poor man's feelings that I decided to
shut myself up in my own room and study the scroll
until I knew how to be good -- hee, heek, keek, eek,
eek! --to be good! Clever idea, that, wasn't it? Mighty
clever! And I issued a decree that no one should enter
my room, under pain of my royal displeasure, until I
was ready to come out. They're awfully afraid of my
royal displeasure, although not a bit afraid of me.
Then I put the parchment in my pocket and escaped
through the back door to my boat -- and here I am. Oo,
hoo-hoo, keek-eek! Imagine the fuss there would be in
Gilgad if my subjects knew where I am this very
minute!"

"I would like to see that parchment," said the