158 Fairy Tales

laid her on a silver bed. Barthel was more
solemnly walked off to his, and both chil-
dren slept very soundly, and dreamed only
of their mother’s kisses.

The morning was really puzzling, for, of
course, no light of day could get inside the
mountain, and day and night the torches had
to be kept burning; and though there were
a great many very interesting things to be
looked at, Barthel was growing uneasy. He
thought it was absurd that they should be
called Their Majesties, and his cheeks grew
red and his voice gruff, and once or twice he
was rather rude about it, for you cannot
offend a dwarf so much as by laughing at
him. As soon as he could talk privately to
Joan he began in a great hurry :—

‘““T don’t know what we could have done
differently last night, but I do want to get
out of this place now. Mother will be aw-
fully frightened at our not turning up.”

“Oh, all in good time,” said the little girl
easily, for she was enjoying herself very
much. ‘I am sure they are extremely nice