"Call someone to help you," was the reply.

"There is no one on the island but myself," said the
boy; "-- excepting you," he added, as an afterthought.

"I'm not on it -- more's the pity! -- but in it,"
responded Rinkitink. "Are the warriors all gone?"

"Yes," said Inga, "and they have taken my father and
mother, and all our people, to be their slaves," he
added, trying in vain to repress a sob.

"So -- so!" said Rinkitink softly; and then he paused
a moment, as if in thought. Finally he said: "There are
worse things than slavery, but I never imagined a well
could be one of them. Tell me, Inga, could you let down
some food to me? I'm nearly starved, and if you could
manage to send me down some food I'd be well fed --
hoo, hoo, heek, keek, eek! -- well fed. Do you see the
joke, Inga?"

"Do not ask me to enjoy a joke just now, Your
Majesty," begged Inga in a sad voice; "but if you will
be patient I will try to find something for you to
eat."

He ran back to the ruins of the palace and began
searching for bits of food with which to satisfy the
hunger of the King, when to his surprise he observed