lp--perhaps you may."

So Jack pocketed the golden snuff-box and went on his way.

Now, after a time, he grew very tired, and very hungry, for he had eaten
his big cake first thing, and night closed in on him so that he could
scarce see his way.

But at last he came to a large house and begged board and lodging at the
back door. Now Jack was a good-looking young fellow, so the maid-servant
at once called him in to the fireside and gave him plenty good meat and
bread and beer. And it so happened that while he was eating his supper
the master's gay young daughter came into the kitchen and saw him. So
she went to her father and said that there was the prettiest young
fellow she had ever seen in the back kitchen, and that if her father
loved her he would give the young man some employment. Now the
gentleman of the house was exceedingly fond of his gay young daughter,
and did not want to vex her; so he went into the back kitchen and
questioned Jack as to what he could do.

"Anything," said Jack gaily, meaning, of course, that he could do any
foolish bit of work about a house.

But the gentleman saw a way of pleasing his gay young daughter and
getting rid of the trouble of employing Jack; so he laughs and says, "If
you can do anything, my good lad," says he, "you had better do this. By
eight o'clock to-morrow morning you must have dug a lake four miles
round in front of my mansion, and on it there must be floating a whole
fleet of vessels. And they must range up in front of my mansion and fire
a salute of guns. And the very last shot must break the leg of the
four-post bed on which my daughter sleeps, for she is always late of a
morning!"

Well! Jack was terribly flabbergasted, but he faltered out:

"And if I don't do it?"

"Then," said the master of the house quite calmly, "your life will be
the forfeit."

So he bade the servants take Jack to a turret-room and lock the door on
him.

Well! Jack sate on the side of his bed and tried to think things out,
but he felt as if he didn't know _b_ from a battledore, so he decided to
think no more, and after saying his prayers he lay down and went to
sleep. And he did sleep! When he woke it was close on eight o'clock,
and he had only time to fly to the window and look out, when the great
clock on the tower began to whirr before it struck the hour. And there
was the lawn in front of the house all set with beds of roses and stocks
and marigolds! Well! all of a sudden he reme