ys turning round for?'

'I turn round because I have no eyes in the back of my neck,' said Hans.

'Cease talking nonsense,' replied the minister, 'and give all your mind
to getting us to the town before nightfall.'

Hans did not answer, but rode on steadily, though every now and then he
cast a glance over his shoulder.

When they arrived in the middle of the wood the sun sank altogether.
Then Hans reined up his horse, took his knapsack, and jumped out of the
sledge.

'What are you doing? Are you mad?' asked the minister, but Hans answered
quietly, 'The sun is set and my work is over, and I am going to camp
here for the night.'

In vain the master prayed and threatened, and promised Hans a large
reward if he would only drive him on. The young man was not to be moved.

'Are you not ashamed to urge me to break my word?' said he. 'If you want
to reach the town to-night you must go alone. The hour of my freedom has
struck, and I cannot go with you.'

'My good Hans,' entreated the minister, 'I really ought not to leave
you here. Consider what danger you would be in! Yonder, as you see, a
gallows is set up, and two evil-doers are hanging on it. You could not
possibly sleep with such ghastly neighbours.'

'Why not?' asked Hans. 'Those gallows birds hang high in the air, and
my camp will be on the ground; we shall have nothing to do with each
other.' As he spoke, he turned his back on the minister, and went his
way.

There was no help for it, and the minister had to push on by himself, if
he expected to arrive in time for the christening. His friends were
much surprised to see him drive up without a coachman, and thought some
accident had happened. But when he told them of his conversation with
Hans they did not know which was the most foolish, master or man.

It would have mattered little to Hans had he known what they were saying
or thinking of him. He satisfied his hunger with the food he had in his
knapsack, lit his pipe, pitched his tent under the boughs of a tree,
wrapped himself in his furs, and went sound asleep. After some hours,
he was awakened by a sudden noise, and sat up and looked about him.
The moon was shining brightly above his head, and close by stood two
headless dwarfs, talking angrily. At the sight of Hans the little dwarfs
cried out:

'It is he! It is he!' and one of them stepping nearer exclaimed, 'Ah,
my old friend! it is a lucky chance that has brought us here. My bones
still ache from my