warriors unaided."

"You and I together, Bilbil," said Rinkitink mildly.
"But the next time you make a charge, please warn me in
time, so that I may dismount and give you all the
credit for the attack."

There being no one now to oppose their advance, the
three walked to the gates of the city, which had been
closed against them. The gates were of iron and heavily
barred, and upon the top of the high walls of the city
a host of the warriors now appeared armed with arrows
and spears and other weapons. For Buzzub had gone
straight to the palace of King Cos and reported his
defeat, relating the powerful magic of the boy, the fat
King and the goat, and had asked what to do next.

The big captain still trembled with fear, but King
Gos did not helieve in magic, and called Buzzub a
coward and a weakling. At once the King took command of
his men personally, and he ordered the walls manned
with warriors and instructed them to shoot to kill if
any of the three strangers approached the gates.

Of course, neither Rinkitink nor Bilbil knew how they
had been protected from harm and so at first they were
inclined to resent the boy's command that the three
must always keep together and touch one another at all
times. But when Inga explained that his magic would not
otherwise save them from injury, they agreed to obey,