e was a loud, splashing sound heard above and around them
and under their feet.

"Watch out!" cried Mr. Thimblefinger. "Run this way! The water is
getting wet again!"

The way seemed to widen before them as they ran, and in a moment they
found themselves below the "gum," or "curb," of the spring and beyond
it. But as they went forward the bottom of the spring seemed to grow
and expand, and the sun shining through gave a soft light that was
very pleasant to the eye. The grass was green and the leaves of the
trees and the flowers were pale pink and yellow.

Mr. Thimblefinger seemed to be very happy. He ran along before the
children as nimbly as a killdee, talking and laughing all the time.
Presently Drusilla, who brought up the rear, suddenly stopped in her
tracks and looked around. Then she uttered an exclamation of fright.
Sweetest Susan and Buster John paused to see what was the matter.

"Wharbouts did we come in at?" she asked.

Then, for the first time, the children saw that the bottom of the
spring had seemed to expand, until it spread over their heads and
around on all sides as the sky does in our country.

"Don't bother about that," said Mr. Thimblefinger. "No matter how big
it looks, it's nothing but the bottom of the spring after all."

"But how are we to get out, please?" asked Sweetest Susan.

"The same way you came in," said Mr. Thimblefinger.

"I tol' you! I tol' you!" exclaimed Drusilla, swinging her right arm
up and down vigorously. "Ef you kin fly you kin git out, an' you look
much like flyin'. Dat what you git by not mindin' me an' yo' ma!"

"Tut! tut!" exclaimed Mr. Thimblefinger. "I'll 'sicc' the Katydids on
you if you don't stop scaring the little girl. Come! we are not far
from my house. We'll go there and see what the neighbors have sent in
for dinner."

Buster John followed him as readily as before, but Sweetest Susan and
Drusilla were not so eager. They had no device, however, and Drusilla
made the best of it.

"I ain't skeered ez I wuz. He talk mo' and mo' like folks."

So they went on toward Mr. Thimblefinger's house.

III.

MR. THIMBLEFINGER'S FRIENDS.

"I hope you are not tired," said Mr. Thimblefinger to Sweetest Susan
when they had been on their way for some little time. "Because if you
are you can rest yourself by taking longer steps."

Buster John was ready to laugh at this, but he soon discovered that
Mr. Thimblefinger was right. He found that he could hop and