raspberry patch.

"You go ahead," said Hortense to Owl, "and spy out the land. Perhaps
some of the Little People are about."

Owl flew off as directed and returned shortly to say, "Two of the guard
are seated on the edge of the strawberry field. I could not hear what
they said, but perhaps if you creep quietly through the bushes you can
overhear."

Andy and Hortense, telling the others to wait, did as suggested.
Creeping cautiously through the bushes, they could hear the little
soldiers talking together before they could see them. Unfortunately,
Andy stepped on a dry stem which broke with a snap. The soldiers ceased
talking at once and Andy and Hortense lay still, scarcely daring to
breathe.

"What was that?" asked one of the soldiers at last in a low voice.

"It must have been a bird," said the other. "I saw a great owl only a
moment ago."

Then they resumed their talk.

"Well, it makes our work easier to have them gone," said one. "The
short fat fellow was always eating the strawberries instead of putting
them in his basket, and the tall one wouldn't work when he had a rhyme
to find."

"And now," said the other, "they are to wear fine clothes and have
nothing to do. It must have been the Queen who interceded for them."

"I don't call it nothing to do to make jokes all day or to write a poem
when ordered," said the first.

"True," his companion replied. "I should rather pick berries. Meanwhile
I'm going to take a nap. The Captain won't be back for hours."

"Me, too," the other agreed. "We'll lay our breastplates and helmets to
hand and slip them on when we hear him coming."

Thereupon silence ensued, and Hortense and Andy lay still. It was
evident, Hortense was thinking, that Highboy and Lowboy had been
ordered back to court, and to help them escape would be difficult, for
how dared she and Andy go near it, escaped prisoners as they were?

After a time Hortense nudged Andy and they crept forward together
until, by parting the bushes, they could see the little soldiers fast
asleep, their swords and armor beside them. Cautiously, Hortense
reached out and drew a breastplate towards her and followed it by
seizing a helmet and a sword. Andy, at a nod, did likewise, and with
their captured arms they made their way slowly back through the bushes
to a safe distance.

"We must put them on and disguise ourselves so that we can go to the
court," said Hortense, slipping on the breastplate and helmet and
buckling