ngs,--clocks and musical boxes, strange
china ornaments, embroidered slippers, red caps, and many kinds of
splendid silks and small carpets. In other booths were swords and
dirks, glittering with jewels; and the chatter of the people when they
talked together was not in a language that Jack could understand.

Some of the booths were square, and evidently made of common canvas,
for when you went into them, and the sun shone, you could distinctly
see the threads.

But scattered a little farther on in groups were some round tents,
which were far more curious. They were open on all sides, and
consisted only of a thick canopy overhead, which was supported by one
beautiful round pillar in the middle.

Outside the canopy was white or brownish; but when Jack stood under
these tents, he saw that they were lined with splendid flutings of
brown or pink silk: what looked like silk, at least, for it was
impossible to be sure whether these were real tents or gigantic
mushrooms.

They varied in size, also, as mushrooms do, and in shape: some were
large enough for twenty people to stand under them, and had flat tops
with a brown lining; others had dome-shaped roofs; these were lined
with pink, and would only shelter six or seven.

The people who sold in these tents were as strange as their neighbors;
each had a little high cap on his head, in shape just like a beehive,
and it was made of straw, and had a little hole in front. In fact,
Jack very soon saw bees flying in and out, and it was evident that
these people had their honey made on the premises. They were chiefly
selling country produce. They had cheeses so large as to reach to
their waists, and the women trundled them along as boys do their
hoops. They sold a great many kinds of seed, too, in wooden bowls, and
cakes and good things to eat, such as gilt gingerbread. Jack bought
some of this, and found it very nice indeed. But when he took out his
money to pay for it, the little man looked rather strangely at it, and
turned it over with an air of disgust. Then Jack saw him hand it to
his wife, who also seemed to dislike it; and presently Jack observed
that they followed him about, first on one side, then on the other.
At last, the little woman slipped her hand into his pocket, and Jack,
putting his hand in directly, found his sixpence had been returned.

"Why, you've given me back my money!" he said.

The little woman put her hands behind her. "I do not like it," she
said;