THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER, 29

‘The second thing,” continued the astrologer, ‘is, that
on arriving at the residence of the king, we must carefully
conceal the fact that we have brought with us the young
man who is destined to crack the Crackatook nut. For my
opinion is that the more teeth there are broken, and the more
jaws there are dislocated in trying to break the Crackatook
nut, the more eager the king will be to offer a great reward
to him who shall succeed where so many will have failed.”

‘¢ My dear friend,” answered the mechanician, ‘‘ you are
. aman of sound sense. Let us go to bed.”

And, with these words, having quitted the top of the
house, they descended to their bed-room, where, having
drawn their cotton night-caps over their ears, they slept

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more comfortably than they had done for fourteen years and
nine months past.

On the following morning, at an early hour, the two
friends went down to the apartment of Christopher Zecharias,
and told him all the fine plans they had formed the evening
before. Now, as the toyman was not wanting in ambition,