ief had already taken it home.

The following day he went to the Governor and wanted to have his
daughter according to promise. But the Governor again put him off with
fine words, and only gave him three hundred dollars, saying that he must
do one more masterpiece of skill, and if he were but able to do that he
should have her.

Well, the Master Thief thought he might if he could hear what it was.

'Do you think you can steal the sheet off our bed, and my wife's
night-gown?' said the Governor.

'That is by no means impossible,' said the Master Thief. 'I only wish I
could get your daughter as easily.'

So late at night the Master Thief went and cut down a thief who was
hanging on the gallows, laid him on his own shoulders, and took him
away with him. Then he got hold of a long ladder, set it up against the
Governor's bedroom window, and climbed up and moved the dead man's head
up and down, just as if he were some one who was standing outside and
peeping in.

'There's the Master Thief, mother!' said the Governor, nudging his wife.
'Now I'll just shoot him, that I will!'

So he took up a rifle which he had laid at his bedside.

'Oh no, you must not do that,' said his wife; 'you yourself arranged
that he was to come here.'

'Yes, mother, I will shoot him,' said he, and lay there aiming, and then
aiming again, for no sooner was the head up and he caught sight of it
than it was gone again. At last he got a chance and fired, and the dead
body fell with a loud thud to the ground, and down went the Master Thief
too, as fast as he could.

'Well,' said the Governor, 'I certainly am the chief man about here, but
people soon begin to talk, and it would be very unpleasant if they were
to see this dead body; the best thing that I can do is to go out and
bury him.'

'Just do what you think best, father,' said his wife.

So the Governor got up and went downstairs, and as soon as he had
gone out through the door, the Master Thief stole in and went straight
upstairs to the woman.

'Well, father dear,' said she, for she thought it was her husband. 'Have
you got done already?'

'Oh yes, I only put him into a hole,' said he, 'and raked a little earth
over him; that's all I have been able to do to-night, for it is fearful
weather outside. I will bury him better afterwards, but just let me
have the sheet to wipe myself with, for he was bleeding, and I have got
covered with blood with carrying him.'

So she gave him the shee