went to and fro about the unfinished house, measuring pieces
of timber and marking out the work that was to be done, and continually
exhorting the other carpenters to be diligent. And wherever he turned
his hard and wrinkled visage, the men seemed to feel that they had a
task-master over them, and sawed, and hammered, and planed, as if for
dear life.

"Oh, no! this is not Mr. Toil, the schoolmaster," said the stranger. "It
is another brother of his, who follows the trade of carpenter."

"I am very glad to hear it," quoth Daffydowndilly; "but if you please,
sir, I should like to get out of his way as soon as possible."

Then they went on a little farther, and soon heard the sound of a drum
and fife. Daffydowndilly pricked up his ears at this, and besought his
companion to hurry forward, that they might not miss seeing the
soldiers. Accordingly they made what haste they could, and soon met a
company of soldiers gaily dressed, with beautiful feathers in their
caps, and bright muskets on their shoulders. In front marched two
drummers and two fifers, beating on their drums and making such lively
music that little Daffydowndilly would gladly have followed them to the
end of the world. And if he was only a soldier, then, he said to
himself, old Mr. Toil would never venture to look him in the face.

"Quick step! Forward march!" shouted a gruff voice.

Little Daffydowndilly started, in great dismay; for this voice which had
spoken to the soldiers sounded precisely the same as that which he had
heard every day in Mr. Toil's school-room, out of Mr. Toil's own mouth.
And, turning his eyes to the captain of the company, what should he see
but the very image of old Mr. Toil himself, with a smart cap and feather
on his head, a pair of gold epaulets on his shoulders, a laced coat on
his back, a purple sash round his waist, and a long sword, instead of a
birch rod, in his hand. And though he held his head so high, and
strutted like a turkey-cock, still he looked quite as ugly and
disagreeable as when he was hearing lessons in the school-room.

"This is certainly old Mr. Toil," said Daffydowndilly, in a trembling
voice. "Let us run away for fear he should make us enlist in his
company!"

"You are mistaken again, my little friend," replied the stranger, very
composedly. "This is not Mr. Toil, the schoolmaster, but a brother of
his, who has served in the army all his life. People say he's a terribly
severe fellow; but you and I nee