The Dwarf Woman 179

being devoured; and it was only when the
master-tailor’s wife had run for her husband
that they could be at all quieted. And how
he rated them, with his bright eyes gleaming
under his thick eyebrows |!

“Well, well, well,” he exclaimed, ‘I hope
you are satisfied at last! This comes of the
folly of stealing men-children. A fine dis-
turbance it has made! The children fretting
themselves to death, and wild beasts rushing
in upon us, and worse things behind, I have
no doubt. And for what? Just to please
the silly vanity of that woman,” he went on,
waggling his great beard, and pointing at
the dwarf woman, who was huddled up in
a corner, shaking all over, and ready to die
with fright.

Meanwhile Joan had been hugging Ju-Ju,
and looking under his collar, and there she
found a paper which she gave to the master-
tailor, who got on a chair and read it to the
people in his biggest voice—

“T hereby give notice: Unless my children
are sent out safe and sound in an hour's