sleepy to care; but probably it was your shoe, since it
is now missing."

"Then," said the boy, in a despairing tone of voice,
"your carelessness has ruined me, as well as yourself,
King Rinkitink, for in that shoe was concealed the
magic power which protected us from danger."

The King's face became very serious when he heard
this and he uttered a low whistle of surprise and
regret.

"Why on earth did you not warn me of this?" he
demanded. "And why did you keep such a precious power
in an old shoe? And why didn't you put the shoe under a
pillow? You were very wrong, my lad, in not confiding
to me, your faithful friend, the secret, for in that
case the shoe would not now be lost."

To all this Inga had no answer. He sat on the side of
his bed, with hanging head, utterly disconsolate, and
seeing this, Rinkitink had pity for his sorrow.

"Come!" cried the King; "let us go out at once and
look for the shoe which I threw at the cat. It must
even now be lying in the yard of the palace."

This suggestion roused the boy to action. He at once
threw open the door and in his stocking feet rushed
down the staircase, closely followed by Rinkitink. But