"Do not fear, sir," answered Inga, in a calm voice.
"Stay quietly in the boat with Bilbil until I have
spoken with these men."

He stopped the boat a dozen feet from the shore, and
standing up in his place made a grave bow to the
multitude confronting him. Said the big Captain Buzzub
in a gruff voice:

"Well, little one, who may you be? And how dare you
come, uninvited and all alone, to the Island of Regos?"

"I am Inga, Prince of Pingaree," returned the boy,
"and I have come here to free my parents and my people,
whom you have wrongfully enslaved."

When they heard this bold speech a mighty laugh arose
from the band of warriors, and when it had subsided the
captain said:

"You love to jest, my baby Prince, and the joke is
fairly good. But why did you willingly thrust your head
into the lion's mouth? When you were free, why did you
not stay free? We did not know we had left a single
person in Pingaree! But since you managed to escape us
then, it is really kind of you to come here of your own
free will, to be our slave. Who is the funny fat person
with you?"

"It is His Majesty, King Rinkitink, of the great City