me. Have you been there long?"

"Oh, no. Only a few moments. We just came to see the place."

"Well, do you think you can manage to throw the key out of the window?
Then I could unlock the door for you, couldn't I?"

"Oh, thank you so very much. If you don't mind waiting a
minute--er--it's so dark in here and so confusing that--"

"You don't mean to say you've lost the key?" said the girl.

"Oh, it's not lost," said Daphne. "It's just here somewhere. One of
us laid it down for a moment and, really, in this darkness you can't
see anything. If we only had some more matches--"

"I've got a box," I said. A long silence followed my words. Then:

"My dear lady," said Berry. "Are you still there?"

"Yes," said my companion, her voice shaking a little.

"Then I beseech you to have no dealing with the being whose vile
accents I heard but a moment ago. A man of depraved instincts and
profligate ways, he is no fit companion for a young and innocent girl.
Moreover, viper-like, he bears malice towards us, who have shielded him
for years."

"How awful," said the girl.

"Yes," said Berry, "for your own sake, dear lady, beware of him. And
for ours, too, I beg you. On no account accept his proffered
assistance--in the matter of the key, I mean. If he really has
matches, tell him to throw them in. Adopt a hectoring tone and he will
fear you. But, remember, he is as cunning as a serpent, Let but that
key fall into his hands--"

"Wait till it's fallen into your own hands, old cock," said I.

"Dear lady," said Berry, "you hear his ribald--"

The rest of the sentence was drowned in the peals of laughter to which
my companion at last gave vent. I joined her, and the meadow resounded
with our merriment. When we had recovered a little:

"Will you have the matches?" said I, standing beneath the window, "or
shall I send for the battering ram?"

"Throw them in, fathead," said my brother-in-law.

"Ask nicely, then."

"I'll see you--"

"Please, Boy, dear," cried Jill.

I laughed and pitched the box into the kitchen. The next second we
heard a match struck, and the groping sounds recommenced. The girl and
I strolled a little back from the window and stood, awaiting the key.

"So it's all come true," said I, looking at her.

"What has?"

"The fairy tale." I pointed to the kitchen. "There is the copper
castle, and here"--with a bow--"the pretty Princess. The tinder-box I
have just thrown to my compani