"I beg Your Highness, on my bended knees, not to do so cruel a thing as to make me King!" "Why not ?" inquired Rinkitink.

"I'm a King, and I know how it feels.

I assure you, good Nikobob, that I quite enjoy my high rank, although a jeweled crown is rather heavy to wear in hot weather." "With you, noble sir, it is different," said Nikobob, "for you are far from your kingdom and its trials and worries and may do as you please.
But to remain in Regos, as King over these fierce and unruly warriors, would be to live in constant anxiety and peril, and the chances are that they would murder me within a month.

As I have done no harm to anyone and have tried to be a good and upright man, I do not think that I should be condemned to such a dreadful fate." "Very well," replied Inga, "we will say no more about your being King.
I merely wanted to make you rich and prosperous, as I had promised Zella." "Please forget that promise," pleaded the charcoal-burner, earnestly; "I have been safe from molestation for many years, because I was poor and possessed nothing that anyone else could envy.

But if you make me rich and prosperous I shall at once become the prey of thieves and marauders and probably will lose my life in the attempt to protect my fortune." Inga looked at the man in surprise.
"What, then, can I do to please you ?" he inquired.
"Nothing more than to allow me to go home to my poor cabin," said Nikobob.
"Perhaps," remarked King Rinkitink, "the charcoal-burner has more wisdom concealed in that hard head of his than we gave him credit for.
But let us use that wisdom, for the present, to counsel us what to do in this emergency." "What you call my wisdom," said Nikobob, "is merely common sense.