ssly as to
what must be, or with a good, honest curiosity as to what may be."

"There's not much fun in being dead, sir," said Meehawl.

"How do you know?" said the Philosopher.

"I know well enough," replied Meehawl.

CHAPTER VIII

WHEN the children leaped into the hole at the foot of the tree they
found themselves sliding down a dark, narrow slant which dropped them
softly enough into a little room. This room was hollowed out immediately
under the tree, and great care had been taken not to disturb any of
the roots which ran here and there through the chamber in the strangest
criss-cross, twisted fashion. To get across such a place one had to walk
round, and jump over, and duck under perpetually. Some of the roots had
formed themselves very conveniently into low seats and narrow, uneven
tables, and at the bottom all the roots ran into the floor and away
again in the direction required by their business. After the clear air
outside this place was very dark to the children's eyes, so that they
could not see anything for a few minutes, but after a little time their
eyes became accustomed to the semiobscurity and they were able to see
quite well. The first things they became aware of were six small men who
were seated on low roots. They were all dressed in tight green clothes
and little leathern aprons, and they wore tall green hats which wobbled
when they moved. They were all busily engaged making shoes. One was
drawing out wax ends on his knee, another was softening pieces of
leather in a bucket of water, another was polishing the instep of a shoe
with a piece of curved bone, another was paring down a heel with a short
broad-bladed knife, and another was hammering wooden pegs into a sole.
He had all the pegs in his mouth, which gave him a widefaced, jolly
expression, and according as a peg was wanted he blew it into his hand
and hit it twice with his hammer, and then he blew another peg, and he
always blew the peg with the right end uppermost, and never had to hit
it more than twice. He was a person well worth watching.

The children had slid down so unexpectedly that they almost forgot their
good manners, but as soon as Seumas Beg discovered that he was really in
a room he removed his cap and stood up.

"God be with all here," said he.

The Leprecaun who had brought them lifted Brigid from the floor to which
amazement still constrained her.

"Sit down on that little root, child of my heart," said he, "and