HOP-0’-Mv- day to go into the nearest town and beg for help ;
THUMB and while she was away, he again told his sons to
accompany him. But this time he watched Hop-
o’-my-Thumb, and took care that the child did not

get any pebbles. However, as he gave each boy

a slice of bread, poor Hop-o’-my-Thumb thought

that would do as well, and as he walked he took

care to throw crumbs of bread all along the path-

way.
By-and-by the father proposed a game of ‘hide-
and-seek’ amongst the trees, and as the children
played at it, he managed to slip away and leave
them alone in the forest.
When they were tired of play, and found that their
father had once more deserted them, they began
to cry bitterly, but Hop-o’-my-Thumb said:
ee not weep, my dear brothers, I will take you
ome.’
And he began to look for the path, by the crumbs
of bread. Alas! the birds had eaten them all up!
Hop-o’-my-Thumb did not, however, despair.
‘My dear brothers,’ he said, ‘we were protected
before; we shall not be deserted now. Do not let
us waste the short time of twilight in tears, but
auty on, and see if we can find a shelter for the
night.’
They all said they would do whatever he told
them, for they saw that he was wiser than they
were. So Hop-o’-my-Thumb led the way and they
endeavoured to find a beaten track. But now
night closed in, and a high wind raged in the
forest; the trees creaked and groaned, till the
terrified children expected to be beaten or crushed
by their mighty boughs.
Every now and then they heard in the distance the
howl of the wolves; a heavy rain poured down and
soaked their thin garments; their feet slipped in
the mire, and they fell repeatedly.
At last Hop-o’-my-Thumb climbed to the top of a
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