Chapter VII
The Lucky Ring
The next morning Nibbles asked Mr. Scratchetty-Claw where the Prince lived.
“Just fasten your raft to my tail,” said the Alligator, “and I’ll take you there before you know that you’ve started. Only wait until I get my shade hat, as I don’t like the sun in my eyes.”
“Please don’t go too fast, Mr. Scratchetty-Claw,” said little Teenie Weenie, timidly, “or we might be upset again.”
Scratchetty-Claw promised to be very careful, and after he had tied on his shade hat, and Nibbles had fastened the raft to his tail, away they went.
The Prince’s beautiful garden was close to the river, so when Nibbles and Teenie Weenie landed, they soon found their way to his palace.
Nibbles had put the ring around his neck again for safe keeping, but when he showed it to a footman in the palace hall, he took Nibbles and Teenie Weenie at once to the Prince, who was sitting in a lovely rose arbor in the garden.
After taking off his hat, and making a low bow, Nibbles said:
“I think I have found your lordship’s ring, which you lost. I have it around my neck.”
The Prince lifted Nibbles up, and looked at the ring.
“That is most surely my Lucky Ring,” said he. “Where did you find it?”
“In the sand at the bottom of the river,” answered Nibbles, and he told the Prince how nearly drowned he had been, and about Mr. Scratchetty-Claw.
“My old friend, the Alligator,” laughed the Prince. “Oh, I know him well, the lazy scamp, for he eats up all my best trout.”
Then he took the ring carefully from Nibbles’s neck, and put it on his own finger.
“You have given me back what I prize most in the world,” he said, “and your reward shall be in proportion. Every year, as long as you live, you shall receive a bag of gold.”
Nibbles was almost too happy to speak, but he thanked the Prince and kissed his hand. A page was sent to bring the gold, and a few minutes later, Nibbles and Teenie Weenie, carrying the precious bag between them, were hurrying back to the raft.
They found Mr. Scratchetty-Claw fast asleep, but Nibbles, dancing with joy, woke him up to hear the great news.
“Good enough!” said the Alligator. “It’s a lucky thing for you that I tipped you into the river.”
“It certainly was,” said Nibbles, “for now my mother will never have to work any more. Let us hurry home to her as fast as we can, Teenie Weenie.”
“I’ll take you part of the way,” yawned Mr. Scratchetty-Claw, “although I am fearfully sleepy.”