without waiting for his reply, the girl walked toward a table on which
stood a number of mince-pies, and, taking up one of them, she placed it
before Conrad.

That was not the way in which an enchanted princess was supposed to act;
but as Conrad was very hungry, he did not express his surprise, but
turned his attention to the pie. While he was eating, the princess
busied herself with beating some eggs in a large bowl, and before he
knew it, Conrad found that he had eaten all the pie.

Then they talked about the weather and whatever else they happened to
think of; and at last, Conrad asked her how long she had been enchanted.

"What!" exclaimed the princess.

He repeated his question.

"Why, what do you mean?" said she.

He was just about explaining, when "tramp, tramp, tramp!"--the noise of
feet was heard coming down the stairs. The princess jumped up, and
cried:

"Oh, run! Run quickly! I shall be punished if they find that I have
given you a pie!"

"Oh, no," said Conrad; "do not be frightened! I will protect you from
them. I came to this castle on purpose to rescue you."

"But I do not want to be rescued!" said she. "Do go, at once!"

Tramp, tramp! Nearer and nearer came the sound,--almost to the bottom of
the stairs. Conrad felt for his key.

"Oh, dear!" he exclaimed, "I must have lost my key when I fell into the
barrel! I never noticed that I was without it till now. All is lost!
Adieu, good Princess!"

"Good-bye," said she; "only go!"

He jumped upon a table, and climbed out of the window. It was all that
was left for him to do. After he was outside of the building, he turned,
and waving his hand to the princess, begged her to remember him.

"I will come back to you, if I ever get my key again," he said; "and
then I'll disenchant you."

At that moment the kitchen door opened, and Conrad saw a great light. It
might have been a bull's-eye lantern, but Conrad was sure that it was a
dragon that was pointing its fiery eye at him.

"Oh, the poor princess!" said he. "If only I had my key!"

Then, as the light flashed full at him, he became so frightened that he
turned and ran for the gate as hard as he could. He made his way across
the court-yard much faster than when he had come in, and soon he had
left the castle far behind. The houses began to be farther apart and to
have a more rustic appearance. He heard a cart coming along the road.

"Please give me a ride!" he cried to the driver.

"Yes, I w