he fire with his
bushy tail, in a great state of excitement.

Bud peeped out and was just going to say, "I see nothing but snow," when
she saw that what looked like a party of flakes blowing up to the door
was really the seven Kobolds loaded with great piles of white silkweed
for their spinning. She dropped her best courtesy, smiled her sweetest
smile, and called out, "Welcome home, my masters!" like a little
maidservant, as she led the way to the large room, now bright and warm
with the fire roaring up the chimney made by a hole in the old roots.

"Ha, ha! Neighbor Dart, you have done well this time, and we are
satisfied with you. Now just store away our packs while we go for our
wheels, and then we will have supper. But first, tell us who this pretty
person is, if you please?" said the oldest of the Kobolds, while the
others stood nodding and looking at Bud as if she pleased them well.

"Your new housekeeper, gentlemen," answered Dart, and in a few words
told them all about his friend,--how she had helped get ready for them,
what fine tales and songs she knew, and how much good she had done and
still hoped to do while waiting for her wings to grow.

"Good, very good! She shall stay with us, and we will take care of her
till spring. Then we will see what happens;" and they all smiled and
nodded harder than ever, as if they knew something charming but would
not tell it yet.

Then they clapped on their funny pointed hats, and trotted away before
Bud could thank them half enough. While they were gone Dart showed her
how to put a row of chestnuts on the hearth to roast, and how to set the
table, which was a dry mushroom propped up on four legs in the middle of
the room, with little toadstools to sit on. Acorn cups full of berries
and water, and grains of wheat and barley were arranged on it, with a
place for the chestnuts when they were done, and some preserved apple
on an oak-leaf platter. Several torches were lighted and stuck in holes
at the four corners of the table, and then all was ready, and Bud put on
a little white apron made of her torn veil, and waited like a neat cook
to dish up supper when her masters arrived.

Presently they came, each lugging a tiny spinning-wheel on his back; for
they hid them in a cave among the rocks all summer, and got them out
when the time for their winter work was come again. Dart helped them
settle down a bit, and then left them to eat and rest; while Bud waited
on them so nice