ing, you know. And as for my name--humph! can you pronounce
Bmfkmgth, for example? that is the name of my dog, and it is a good
name, too."

"No!" said Brighteyes. "I certainly cannot. It sounds like sneezing and
barking and whistling all at once."

"Exactly!" I replied. "That is the language of the dog-star. But _my_
name is very much harder than that, so there really would be no use in
my telling it to you. There are twenty-four j's in it, and seventeen
g's, so you may imagine that it is difficult. The other children call me
Mr. Moonman, and you may as well do so too. As for Nibble," I continued,
"if he sleeps in this little room close by, it is an easy matter to call
him. Whisk, just ask that boy's bed if it will please step in here, will
you?" The good beam did his errand quickly, and in another moment the
two beds stood side by side, and shook castors in a very friendly
manner. Nibble, who was as fast asleep as heart could desire, was very
much astonished as Brighteyes introduced him to me, and told him all the
wonderful things she had heard.

"But how did you get down here?" he asked. "Did you come on a falling
star?"

"No!" I replied. "I always ride on my own beams, which are much more
manageable, and swifter as well. Why, I can go round the world in two
whisks of a comet's tail."

"Oh! oh!" cried Nibble. "Mr. Moonman, don't you think you could let me
ride on one some time? I can ride very well, indeed I can! Uncle Jack
lets me ride Castor sometimes, and even Jose never can get me off,
unless he lies down and rolls! oh! _please_ let me ride on a moonbeam!
it would be _so_ jolly!"

"Jolly enough, but not quite safe enough, my young friend!" said I. "It
is very easy to ride on a moonbeam when one knows how, but very
different when one does not. There are, however, other ways of getting
about. A nice little cloud is what you want." I looked out of the
window, but not a cloud was to be seen in the sky.

"Oh dear!" said the mice. "We should _so_ like to have a ride, Mr.
Moonman. Couldn't you take us on your moonbeam? we would sit very still,
and not say a word!"

"And you shall have a ride," I said; "but not on Whisk. Run now to your
uncle's bureau, and bring me from the top drawer two of his largest silk
handkerchiefs." Yes, that was soon done. "Now 'Whisk,'" said I, "there
must be some little Winds about here with nothing special to do. See if
you cannot find some who are willing to give these mice a ride.