d with goatskin. "If your wife does not care for
children, take me into your service next year, and you may be sure I
shall amuse them so well that they will not notice anything."

VI -- On the Heath

"DEAR ME," said Germain, after they had gone a few steps farther, "what
will they think at home when they miss the little man? The family will
be worried, and will be looking everywhere for him."

"You can tell the man who is mending the road up there that you are
taking him along, and ask him to speak to your people."

"That is very true, Marie; you don't forget anything. It never occurred
to me that Jeannie must be there."

"He lives close to the farm, and he will not fail to do your errand."

When they had taken this precaution, Germain put the mare to a trot, and
Petit-Pierre was so overjoyed that for a time he forgot that he had
gone without his dinner; but the motion of the horse gave him a hollow
feeling in his stomach, and at the end of a league, he began to gape and
grow pale, and confessed that he was dying of hunger.

"This is the way it begins," exclaimed Germain. "I was quite sure that
we should not go far without this young gentleman crying with hunger or
thirst."

"I am thirsty, too!" said Petit-Pierre.

"Very well, then, let 's go to Mother Rebec's tavern at Corlay, the
sign of 'The Dawn'--a pretty sign, but a poor lodging. You will take
something to drink, too, will you not, Marie?"

"No, no; I don't want anything. I will hold the mare while you go in
with the child."

"But I remember, my good girl, that this morning you gave the bread from
your own breakfast to my Pierre. You have had nothing to eat. You would
not take dinner with us at home; you would do nothing but cry."

"Oh, I was not hungry; I felt too sad, and I give you my word that even
now I have no desire to eat."

"You must oblige yourself to eat, little girl, else you will fall sick.
We have a long way to go, and it will not do to arrive half-starved and
beg for bread before we say how d' ye do. I shall set you a good example
myself, although I am not very hungry: and I am sure that I can, for,
after all, I did not eat any dinner. I saw you crying, you and your
mother, and it made me feel sad. Come along. I am going to tie the gray
at the door. Get down; I wish you to."

All three entered the inn, and in less than fifteen minutes the fat,
lame hostess was able to place before them a nice-looking omelette, some
brown brea