his great
surprise, saw a small man about the size of his own baby, sitting
composedly at his elbow. He was dressed in green,--green hat, green
coat, and green shoes. He had very bright black eyes, and they twinkled
very much as he looked at Tom and smiled.

"Servant, sir!" said Tom, edging himself a little farther off.

"Miserable slave," said the small man, "art thou so far lost to the
noble sense of freedom that thy very salutation acknowledges a mere
stranger as thy master?'

"Who are you," said Tom, "and how dare you call me a slave?"

"Tom," said the small man, with a knowing look, "don't speak roughly.
Keep your rough words for your wife, my man; she is bound to bear them."

"I'll thank you to let my affairs alone," interrupted Tom, shortly.

"Tom, I'm your friend; I think I can help you out of your difficulty.
Every minnow in this stream--they are very scarce, mind you--has a
silver tail."

"You don't say so," exclaimed Tom, opening his eyes very wide; "fishing
for minnows and being one's own master would be much pleasanter than the
sort of life I've been leading this many a day."

"Well, keep the secret as to where you get them, and much good may it do
you," said the man in green. "Farewell; I wish you joy in your freedom."
So saying, he walked away, leaving Tom on the brink of the stream, full
of joy and pride.

He went to his master and told him that he had an opportunity for
bettering himself, and should not work for him any longer.

The next day, he arose with the dawn, and went in search of minnows. But
of all the minnows in the world, never were any so nimble as those with
silver tails. They were very shy, too, and had as many turns and doubles
as a hare; what a life they led him!

They made him troll up the stream for miles; then, just as he thought
his chase was at an end and he was sure of them, they would leap quite
out of the water, and dart down the stream again like little silver
arrows. Miles and miles he went, tired, wet, and hungry. He came home
late in the evening, wearied and footsore, with only three minnows in
his pocket, each with a silver tail.

"But, at any rate," he said to himself, as he lay down in his bed,
"though they lead me a pretty life, and I have to work harder than ever,
yet I certainly am free; no man can now order me about."

This went on for a whole week; he worked very hard; but, up to Saturday
afternoon, he had caught only fourteen minnows.

After all, how