ut at the
doors, and a few others were walking at some distance, before the
shop-windows. An ox-cart was coming slowly down the street.

Freddie had sometimes dreamed of being out among people in broad
daylight in his night-gown, and he now felt the same terror he had felt
in those dreams; he looked anxiously at the shops for a place in which
to hide. No one appeared to observe them yet, but they would soon be
seen, and it would be dreadful, unless they could find shelter without a
moment's delay.

"We had better run into one of those shops," said he, breathlessly, "and
ask them to hide us until we can get some clothes."

"Ah, no," said a soft voice beside him, at his right. "It is not a shop
that I must go to now. I must hurry home."

Freddie looked around at his right for Aunt Amanda. There was no Aunt
Amanda. In her place, holding an empty hour-glass in her right hand, was
a lady, the fairest whom Freddie had ever seen. She was young; her eyes
were of the blue of summer skies; her hair was golden yellow; on her
soft white cheek was a tinge of pink; two heavy braids of hair hung
almost to her knees; her eyes were sparkling with happiness, and a
tender and wistful smile curved her lips. As Freddie gazed at her, he
thought that there could not be in the world another so radiantly
beautiful. She looked about her as one who sees familiar things after a
long absence.

Freddie's eyes fell to the hand which was nearest him, her left. On the
third finger of her left hand was a ruby ring.

"Are you," he faltered, "are you--Aunt Amanda?"

"I think," she said, smiling on him, "I think I was, once. I think I can
remember that name. And you are--let me see; what was your name? Ah,
yes, your name was Freddie. But we must hurry; we must not keep them
waiting."

Freddie turned, and saw beside him four strange men, all gazing at the
beautiful lady in amazement. In the right hand of each was an empty
hour-glass.

Freddie looked down on the two men who stood nearest him; he looked
_down_ on them; he was suddenly aware that he was not looking up. They
were short, for full-grown men, and of precisely the same height; their
faces were square, their cheek-bones prominent, and their noses hooked;
the head of one was bald, and the hair of the other's head lay flat down
on his forehead where it curved back like a hairpin; except for their
heads, they were in all respects twins. There was no hump on the back of
either of them.

"M