one day?" they cried; "we never
could do so well! Goose and cabbage! friend Bartlemy! you must have the
assistance of some fairy!"

Bartlemy made no answer, but taking the coat in hand, carried it to his
master, who viewed it in the greatest astonishment. Never before had a
coat been made in a single day, and stitched, too, more finely than
anything he had ever seen; but, not wishing to raise his late
'prentice's ideas of himself, he merely grumbled out, "For a wonder you
have done your work this time; so now take your wages, and be sure to
come early Monday morn."

As he spoke, he slipped a couple of coins into Bartlemy's hand, who,
remembering the goblin's words, put them into his pouch without so much
as looking at them.

Now, no doubt my clever little readers have guessed quite readily the
true solution of this mighty mystery; but to the simple Bartlemy the
reality of the Gold Stone's magic power was placed beyond a doubt when,
on reaching his chamber and striking a light, he found, instead of the
farthing and penny which had always been his weekly payment, a crown and
sixpence.

"Huzzah! huzzah!" he cried, fairly jumping for joy; "my beautiful Gold
Stone is doing its work bravely." He kissed the stone in his delight,
and went to bed, to dream of becoming a master tailor, and making
clothes for the king.

The following Monday he repaired to his master's shop the first of any
one, and everything happened as on the former time; except that, being
more diligent at his work, the goose and the yardstick were less
frequent in their favors, and he now made a coat and a vest in the day.
His master really knew not what to think; but at least so good a workman
was not to be lost; so he kept his surprise and suspicions to himself,
and made up by heaping more and more sewing on the luckless Bartlemy.

It didn't make any difference, however; his needle almost seemed to work
by itself, and the sewing was finished by sunset; so that, really, the
good-natured goblin was the original sewing machine, and no thanks to
Messrs. Grover and Baker. At the end of the week his master paid him a
crown and a shilling; or, as Bartlemy believed, a farthing and a penny;
the next week a guinea, and the week after a guinea and a crown, which
was the highest wages ever paid.

So things went on, until Bartlemy had earned enough to make quite a
fortune in his eyes; ten whole guineas lay glittering in the old night
cap where he kept his saving