n toes, 'put them against the tree, and you will have
steps to carry you to the top, but be sure, for your life and mine,
not to forget any of them. If you do, my life will be taken tomorrow
morning, for your master puts on my slippers with his own hands.'

"Jack was now going to swear that he would give up the whole thing and
surrender his head at once; but when life looked at her feet, and saw
no appearance of blood, he went over without more to do, and robbed
the nest, taking down the eggs one by one, that he mightn't brake them.
There was no end to his joy, as he secured the last egg; he instantly
took down the toes, one after another, save and except the little one
of the left foot, which in his joy and hurry he forgot entirely. He then
returned by the green ridge to the shore, and accordingly as he went
along, it melted away into water behind him.

"'Jack,' says the charmer, 'I hope you forgot none of my toes.'

"'Is it me?' says Jack, quite sure that he had them all--'arrah, catch
any one from my country making a blunder of that kind.'

"'Well,' says she, 'let us see; so, taking the toes, she placed them on
again, just as if they had never been off. But, lo and behold! on coming
to the last of the left foot, it wasn't forthcoming. 'Oh! Jack, Jack,'
says she, 'you have destroyed me; to-morrow morning your master will
notice the want of this toe, and that instant I'll be put to death.'

"'Lave that to me,' says Jack; 'by the powers, you won't lose a drop of
your darling blood for it. Have you got a pen-knife about you? and I'll
soon show you how you won't.'

"'What do you want with the knife?' she inquired.

"'What do I want with it?--Why to give you the best toe on both my feet,
for the one I lost on you; do you think I'd suffer you to want a toe,
and I having ten thumping ones at your sarvice?--I'm not the man, you
beauty you, for such a shabby trick as that comes to.'

"'But you forget,' says the lady, who was a little cooler than Jack,
'that none of yours would fit me.'

"'And must you die to-morrow, _acushla?_' asked Jack, in desperation.

"'As sure as the sun rises,' answered the lady 'for Your master would
know at once that it was by my toes the nest was robbed.'

"'By the powers,' observed Jack, 'he's one of the greatest ould vag--I
mane, isn't he a terrible man, out and out, for a father?'

"'Father!' says the darling,--'he's not my father, Jack, he only wishes
to marry me and if I'm not able t