y big fish,
they all had some.

Grandfather must have told Vrouw Vedder something about what had
happened; for that night, when she put Kit to bed, she felt his
clothes very carefully--but she didn't say a word about their being
damp. And she said to Kat: "To-morrow we will see the shoemaker and
get him to make you another shoe."

Then Kit and Kat hugged her and said good-night, and popped off to
sleep before you could wink your eyes.

_The Honest Farmer_

ELLA LYMAN CABOT

There was a war in Germany long ago and thousands of soldiers were
scattered over the country. A captain of cavalry, who had a great many
men and horses to feed, was told by his colonel that he must get food
from the farmers near by. The captain walked for some time through the
lonely valley, and at last knocked at the door of a small cottage. The
man who opened it looked old and lame. He leaned on a stick.

"Good-day, sir," said the captain. "Will you kindly show me a field
where my soldiers can cut the grain and carry it off for our army?"

The old man led the soldiers through the valley for about a mile, and
in the distance they saw a field of barley waving in the breeze.

"This is just what we want. We'll stop here," exclaimed the captain.

"No, not yet," said the old man. "You must follow me a little
farther."

After another mile or two they came to a second field of barley. The
soldiers alighted, cut down the grain, tied it in sheaves, and rode
away with it.

Then the captain said to the old farmer: "Why did you make us walk so
far? The first field of barley was better than this one."

"That is true, sir," answered the honest old man; "but it was not
mine."

_Damon and Pythias_

ELLA LYMAN CABOT

More than two thousand years ago two young men who were intimate
friends lived in Sicily. Their names were Damon and Pythias.

The ruler of the country, named Dionysius, was a cruel man. He put
Pythias in prison and fixed a day for his death. Pythias had done
nothing wrong, but he had angered Dionysius.

The father and mother of Pythias lived far away. "May I go home to bid
my father and mother good-bye, and to arrange my affairs before I
die?" asked Pythias.

The ruler laughed. "That is a strange request," said he. "Of course
you would escape and you would never come back."

At that moment Damon stepped forward. "I am his friend," he said. "I
will stay in prison till Pythias returns."

Then the ruler asked: