am late again he shall sell me in the slave market to
the brown people, who work underground. And, though I am dreadfully
afraid of my master, I mean to be late to-day, in hopes (as you are
kind, and as you have some money) that you will come to the
slave-market and buy me. Can you buy me, Jack, to be your slave?"

"I don't want a slave," said Jack; "and, besides, I have hardly any
money to buy you with."

"But it is real money," said the fairy woman, "not like what my master
has. His money has to be made every week, for if there comes a hot
day it cracks, so it never has time to look old, as your half-crown
does; and that is how we know the real money, for we cannot imitate
anything that is old. Oh, now, now it is twelve o'clock! now I am late
again! and though I said I would do it, I am so frightened!"

So saying, the little woman ran off towards the town, wringing her
hands, and Jack ran beside her.

"How am I to find your master?" he said.

"O Jack, buy me! buy me!" cried the fairy woman. "You will find me in
the slave-market. Bid high for me. Go back and put your boots on, and
bid high."

Now Jack had nothing on his feet, so he left the poor little woman to
run into the town by herself, and went back to put his boots on. They
were very uncomfortable, as he had no stockings; but he did not much
mind that, and he counted his money. There was the half-crown that his
grandmamma had given him on his birthday, there was a shilling, a
sixpence, and two pence, besides a silver fourpenny-piece which he had
forgotten. He then marched into the town; and now it was quite full of
people,--all of them little men and women about his own height. They
thought he was somebody of consequence, and they called out to him to
buy their goods. And he bought some stockings, and said, "What I want
to buy now is a slave."

So they showed him the way to the slave-market, and there whole rows
of odd-looking little people were sitting, while in front of them
stood the slaves.

Now Jack had observed as he came along how very disrespectful the dogs
of that town were to the people. They had a habit of going up to them
and smelling at their legs, and even gnawing their feet as they sat
before the little tables selling their wares; and what made this more
surprising was that the people did not always seem to find out when
they were being gnawed. But the moment the dogs saw Jack they came and
fawned on him, and two old hounds followed him a