ats.'

"'But what do you mean to do with it, dear ducat--dear Klaus, I mean?'
asked the bewildered Mike.

"'That's my concern. I promise you not to hurt a hair; and your noddle
shall be kept warm enough,' added the creature with a hideous chuckle.
'I engage myself to that, by all the Kremnitz ducats in the world!'

"Hesitation seldom prospers. It was fatal to poor Mike. He couldn't
bring himself to answer. 'What,' he kept saying to himself--'what can I
want with my head when I am dead? What matters who gets it?'

"'Have you settled?' enquired the Dwarf. 'Don't keep me, Mike; there are
plenty of fellows who'll jump to get the ducats.'

"'Ducats! ducats!' continued Simon, still arguing with himself.--'What's
a dead head in a scale with ducats? Nothing at all!--precious ducats!
How many I have lost! one for a step, two for a hop. I had better close
the bargain!'

"'You won't have them, then!' exclaimed the Dwarf. "'Yes! Done--agreed!'
cried Simon eagerly. 'I'll consent, dear Klaus!' "'Very well!' replied
the Dwarf. 'We'll to business, then!'

"'You recollect the terms, dear gossip! One for a step, two for a hop;
and you are to have my head as soon as I die, and have no further use
for it. Now, play a very slow waltz, there's a good Klaus--very slow, if
you love me! Don't fiddle too long, and let the ducats come down
prettily!'

"The Dwarf made no reply; but simply laughed like a growling bear. He
cocked his fiddle under his chin, however, as quick as lightning;
scraped a little by way of timing, and then broke out. Klaus
Stringstriker had fiddled for a very few minutes before Simon was
springing about, and cutting such capers as no professional performer
had ever attempted, whilst the beams and rafters of the house quivered
again. The impoverished farmer held in his hands about twenty large
empty money-bags, which he grasped very tightly. It was quite wonderful
to see how at every caper, at every kick of the foot, there fell at
least two dozen real and true Kremnitz ducats, right down from his head
straight into the pockets. Down they came faster and faster, so thick
that before the dance was half over, the bags were all chokeful, and the
dancer himself hardly able to bear the weight of all his treasure. But,
mad with joy at the unexpected rushing back of all his wealth, he burst
into the wildest laughter, flung himself about like a lunatic, and
devoured with greedy gluttonous eyes the clinking, twinkling gold, th