."

Grandfather took a long look at her, and Hortense was a little
frightened that maybe she shouldn't have asked him at all. Finally he
said, "I don't know how much help I could be. These magic things only
happen to you because you are young and believe they can happen. But I
am old, and need my sleep at night. However, maybe I could get Fergus
to help you."

At the barn they found Fergus grooming Tom and Jerry. Uncle Jonas was
there too, so until he left nothing more could be said about it, for he
would have been frightened even worse than Mary or Aunt Esmerelda if he
knew what was going on around the farm since Hortense's arrival. After
an hour or so Grandfather sent Uncle Jonas to town for some harness
straps and he and Hortense were free to talk to Fergus.

"Well, Hortense," began Grandfather, "why don't you tell Fergus about
your adventures?"

Fergus looked strangely at the girl, but said nothing. Hortense hardly
knew where to start, but finally began at the first and told him the
whole story, just as she had Grandfather. When she finished Grandfather
said, "Hortense says she has a plan for rescuing the firedogs and
alligator sofa from the little people, but she needs some help. I
wondered if you could help her, Fergus?"

Fergus thought this over for some time. Then he began to talk slowly,
as if thinking aloud, and as if no one were hearing him at all. "It
would be nice," he began, "if I didn't have to be grooming these horses
so much. But if I were to go up there on the mountain side what could I
tell Mary? I couldn't tell her the real story, because she'd never
believe it. She might even get Aunt Esmerelda and Uncle Jonas all
excited and there's no telling what would happen then. On the other
hand I wouldn't want to tell her something that isn't true, either. But
I sure would like to get this household back to normal again."

"Let me make a suggestion," offered Grandfather. "Why not tell her that
I think somebody is bothering the horses at night and I want you to
stay in the barn and guard them. If she is frightened to stay at your
house alone all night I'm sure Grandmother would come stay with her for
one night."

"That is so," said Fergus. "It is true that someone _has_ been
bothering the horses. Now I want to know what Hortense's plan is before
I finally decide whether to risk my neck for those firedogs and that
sofa."

"Well," Hortense began, "I thought if Andy and I were to go back to the
little