64 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. (i.

 

buzzing round the heads of the two sisters as they
descended the stairs, he told them that if the magic
word was at all weakened in its force as regarded
Macklethorpe, by what had passed, the word ‘ Fol-de-
rol-liddle,’ repeated after it, would be quite too much
for him. Thus cautioned and advised, the Princesses
entered the drawing-room, where they found the Giant
pacing up and down in great agitation and excite-
ment, whilst Macklethorpe was sitting cross-legged on
the hearth-rug. As soon as ever he saw them, the
owner of the palace began to speak.

“What does this mean ?’ he said. ‘I received you
kindly ; Idenied you no request ; yet you have intro-
duced an enemy into my kingdom, and I am now in-
formed that an army is advancing against my people
from two separate quarters. Queer kind of nieces
are ye, I think !’

‘Sir, returned Malvina in a grave tone, ‘we have
done you no wrong, neither do we desire that any
evil should befall you: only give us our brother and
let us go, and we will do our best to prevent mis-
chief.’

‘Harrico your brother, and you too!’ cried the
Giant ina rage. ‘I'll see about both of you presently.
Meantime I shall leave you in friend Macklethorpe’s
charge, for I must go and drive off those friends of
yours, whom I hear of as coming to invade my
country. When I return I shall probably marry one
of you girls myself, and give the other to Mackle-
thorpe ; so now you know what to expect ;) and with
these words he left the room in a passion.

Macklethorpe now rose from the hearth-rug, and