urbed by a great
noise, very much like the galloping of a horse, and suddenly, without
any warning, right into their midst there leapt a very large woman, who
immediately seized upon the little merchant, and attempted to drag him
away. Bill at once went to the assistance of the little fellow, and
endeavoured to pacify his assailant. At length the irate creature calmed
down, and addressing the company in an aggrieved tone, said:--'It's all
very well for you people to stand up for this wicked man, but not one of
you knows the dance the little wretch has led me for the last fifteen
years.'

'Of course,' the King answered, 'it is hardly to be expected that we
should know anything of either of you, considering that this is the very
first time we have had the pleasure of meeting you. Perhaps you will be
so kind as to enlighten us, and explain to us your strange conduct.'

The large woman now sat down upon the grass and said:--'Well, I suppose
I had better do so. Give me a cup of tea, and I'll let you know all
there is to know.'

A cup of tea was accordingly handed to her, from which she took a sip,
and then proceeded thus:--

'About fifteen years ago I was so unfortunate as to wed this poor
specimen of a man you see before you, and we had not set up house
together very long before I could see that he wanted thoroughly looking
after, and, indeed, that he could hardly be allowed out by himself. Now
this was very awkward, as his business required that he should be out
all day, so I proposed to accompany him on his rounds. Holding him
securely fastened to the end of a long cord, I never let him out of my
sight for more than a minute at a time, and so kept him from mischief.
After a year or so, however, this grew rather tiresome for me, as I had
to neglect my household duties in attending upon my husband, and, in the
end, was compelled to let him out again alone.

[Illustration: Bringing with them a little old man]

'But you may be sure I did not do this until I had laid down certain
fixed rules for his behaviour, which I made him promise to obey. Amongst
these, one was that he should start from home not a minute earlier and
not a minute later than eight o'clock in the morning; another was, that
if he returned either a minute earlier or a minute later than eight
o'clock in the evening, he should go supperless to bed. And, would
you believe me, in spite of all my care, he would sometimes return
earlier and, as I learnt after