onished at her
practical wisdom. Probably, had I been more of a child myself, I should
have wondered less.

It was yet far from morning when I became aware of a slight fluttering
and scrambling. I rose on my elbow, and looking about me, saw many
Little Ones descend from their nests. They disappeared, and in a few
moments all was again still.

"What are they doing?" I asked.

"They think," answered Lona, "that, stupid as they are, the giants
will search the wood, and they are gone to gather stones with which to
receive them. Stones are not plentiful in the forest, and they have to
scatter far to find enow. They will carry them to their nests, and from
the trees attack the giants as they come within reach. Knowing their
habits, they do not expect them before the morning. If they do come, it
will be the opening of a war of expulsion: one or the other people must
go. The result, however, is hardly doubtful. We do not mean to
kill them; indeed, their skulls are so thick that I do not think we
could!--not that killing would do them much harm; they are so little
alive! If one were killed, his giantess would not remember him beyond
three days!"

"Do the children then throw so well that the thing MIGHT happen?" I
asked.

"Wait till you see them!" she answered, with a touch of pride. "--But I
have not yet told you," she went on, "of a strange thing that happened
the night before last!--We had come home from gathering our fruit, and
were asleep in our nests, when we were roused by the horrid noises
of beasts fighting. The moon was bright, and in a moment our trees
glittered with staring little eyes, watching two huge leopardesses, one
perfectly white, the other covered with black spots, which worried and
tore each other with I do not know how many teeth and claws. To judge by
her back, the spotted creature must have been climbing a tree when the
other sprang upon her. When first I saw them, they were just under my
own tree, rolling over and over each other. I got down on the lowest
branch, and saw them perfectly. The children enjoyed the spectacle,
siding some with this one, some with that, for we had never seen such
beasts before, and thought they were only at play. But by degrees their
roaring and growling almost ceased, and I saw that they were in deadly
earnest, and heartily wished neither might be left able to climb a
tree. But when the children saw the blood pouring from their flanks and
throats, what do you think the