sat down
to their dinner. Birds hopped tamely near them for the crumbs, and
squirrels leaped, chattering, from bough to bough. They finished their
lunch, but still the elf did not return; they did not dare to go from
the spot where he had left them, and their little hearts were full of
anxiety, for if he should not return, how could they ever find their way
through the woods without the precious staff? Laura blamed herself for
her giddiness, and wondered how she could for a moment have been so
forgetful. Kathie tried to comfort her, and suggested that if they found
it again it would be well to tie or fasten it in some way to her
girdle.

CHAPTER IX.

Just as the girls were thinking what they should do for the night in
case they were obliged to remain in this place, they heard a little
shout, and their eyes were gladdened by the welcome sight of the
rabbit-skin, and trailing behind the elf was a large bunch of flax.

He came slowly towards them, and flung the flax at their feet, saying,
"I have had hard work to get this, I can tell you; this is something we
have nothing to do with, and I have robbed a garden for it."

"Oh, how could you be so wicked?" exclaimed Laura.

The elf made one of his strange grimaces, and stood on his head a
moment.

"So you call that wicked, do you?"

"Yes; robbing is very wicked."

"If I planted ever so much catnip in its place, what do you call that?"

"Oh, that was all fair, I suppose."

"Well, don't suppose anything more about it, but just go to work, if you
want your stick."

At this Kathie began to plait most diligently, and Laura, finding a bit
of blue ribbon somewhere about her dress, tied the end of the long braid
with it. The elf watched them closely--his little black beady eyes
following every movement of Kathie's dexterous fingers, while Laura held
the flax. When it was finished, Laura proposed fastening it in the elf's
cap as the easiest way for him to wear it, and then when he chose he
could lay it aside. This suited exactly, and the little furry rabbit's
head was soon adorned with this peculiar ornament. When the elf put it
on he gave a shout of glee, but afterwards became very grave--whether
the weight oppressed him, or whether he remembered that Chinese
sedateness and dignity would be appropriate, cannot be determined; but
Laura and Kathie both assured him he looked very grand.

"And now," said Laura, "please be so good, Mr. Elf, as to give me my
staff,