CHAP. XXV.—TOM THINKS HE HEARS ROBBERS.

sySOM was very sorry indeed that there

) were no more fairies or elves to be found
anywhere in the world except in story-books
and the Pantomime, and that giants and
giantesses were so seldom seen, and robbers
so rarely met with. He thought it would
be a grand thing to get up in the middle
of the night, when everybody was asleep,
to catch the robbers just as they were
breaking into the house, and frighten them
away all by himself, and save everything
from being stolen. When he was staying in
London, his cousin Bob had given him a de-
lightful stick—nearly as nice as his own—
which Tom always kept in the corner of his
room, to have it ready. Doggie used to watch -
downstairs; but Tom thought he might very