eks were puffed like
footballs. And yet there was no sound, only a half-sound, as of a horn
blown in the far distance, or in a dream. Presently the point of a tall
hat, and finally just such another little wizened face, poked out
through the side of the haycock.

"Can we hold revel here to-night?" asked the little green man.

"That indeed you cannot," answered the other; "we have hardly room to
turn round as it is, with all Amelia's dirty frocks."

"Ah, bah!" said the dwarf; and he walked on to the next haycock, Amelia
cautiously following.

Here he blew again, and a head was put out as before; on which he said,

"Can we hold revel here to-night?"

"How is it possible," was the reply, "when there is not a place where
one can so much as set down an acorn cup, for Amelia's broken
victuals?"

"Fie! fie!" said the dwarf, and went on to the third, where all
happened as before; and he asked the old question,

"Can we hold revel here to-night?"

"Can you dance on glass and crockery sherds?" inquired the other.
"Amelia's broken gimcracks are everywhere."

"Pshaw!" snorted the dwarf, frowning terribly; and when he came to the
fourth haycock he blew such an angry blast that the grass stalk split
into seven pieces. But he met with no better success than before. Only
the point of a hat came through the hay, and a feeble voice piped in
tones of depression--"The broken threads would entangle our feet. It's
all Amelia's fault. If we could only get hold of her!"

"If she's wise, she'll keep as far from these haycocks as she can,"
snarled the dwarf, angrily; and he shook his fist as much as to say,
"If she did come, I should not receive her very pleasantly."

Now with Amelia, to hear that she had better not do something, was to
make her wish at once to do it; and as she was not at all wanting in
courage, she pulled the dwarf's little cloak, just as she would have
twitched her mother's shawl, and said (with that sort of snarly whine
in which spoilt children generally speak)--"Why shouldn't I come to the
haycocks if I want to? They belong to my papa, and I shall come if I
like. But you have no business here."

"Nightshade and hemlock!" ejaculated the little man, "you are not
lacking in impudence. Perhaps your Sauciness is not quite aware how
things are distributed in this world?" saying which he lifted his
pointed shoes and began to dance and sing,

"All under the sun belongs to men,
And all under the moon to t