you do it?"

"I haven't thought of a way yet," was the response. "It takes wit, you
know. I'll think of a way before long. Don't speak so loud."

The giant had come quite close to them by this time. "Good morning,"
he said pleasantly.

Not one of the children recognized him, and Everychild ventured to say,
in a polite tone, "Good morning . . . though I don't believe we know
who you are." He was thinking: "If he will only explain that he is a
good giant!"

"I am known as the giant, Will o'Dreams," was the reply.

Everychild was charmed by the beauty of his voice; but he was startled
when Jack cried out sternly,--

"And what are you doing here?"

The giant regarded Jack with thoughtful eyes. "A natural question, I
am sure," he said after a pause. "Permit me to say, then, that I have
merely been looking at a few masterpieces."

At this Everychild felt a delightful sense of mystery stir within him.
The words seemed tremendous--and yet he could not think what they meant!

But Jack the Giant Killer nodded his head shrewdly. And almost
instantly he said, "Well, you'll look at no more masterpieces--whatever
they are!"

The giant seemed to be simply amused. "Say you so?" he replied.

Grettel clasped her hands with delight. "How suitably he talks!" said
she.

"I do," said Jack. "You don't know me, eh? I'm Jack the Giant Killer.
And you're just about my size."

It was here that Everychild interfered. "Maybe he's a good giant," he
said to Jack. And to the giant he added courteously, "Won't you sit
down and rest awhile, Will o'Dreams?"

"I thank you," responded the giant; and he sat down by the side of
Everychild.

And instantly the thought came to Everychild that at whatever cost he
must save the splendid stranger from that terrible sword of sharpness
which Jack the Giant Killer was even now drawing from its scabbard.

CHAPTER VI

A FIGHT WHICH WAS STRANGELY ENDED

It was plain that Jack was in a determined mood. He was no longer
seated with the others. He drew off a little and capered in a very
confident manner. For the moment he was content to say nothing more to
the giant. He had drawn his sword; and now he hopped about, cutting
the heads from tall grasses and tender twigs from the trees.

You would have said that his mind was very far away but for the fact
that he occasionally glanced at the others to see if this or that
skilful pass had been witnessed; and occasionally he gazed