th a critical gaze.

"All right," said the Very Imp; "he can go around, and pick out his
previous existence. We have here all sorts of vile creepers, crawlers,
hissers, and snorters. I suppose he thinks anything will be better than
a Bee-man."

"It is not because I want to be better than I am," said the Bee-man,
"that I started out on this search. I have simply an honest desire to
become what I originally was."

"Oh; that is it, is it?" said the other. "There is an idiotic moon-calf
here with a clam head, which must be just what you used to be."

"Nonsense," said the Bee-man. "You have not the least idea what an
honest purpose is. I shall go about and see for myself."

"Go ahead," said the Very Imp, "and I will attend to this fellow who
wants to be toned up." So saying he joined the Languid Youth.

"Look here," said the Youth, "do you black and shine yourself every
morning?"

"No," said the other, "it is water-proof varnish. You want to be
invigorated, don't you? Well, I will tell you a splendid way to begin.
You see that Bee-man has put down his hive and his coat with the bees in
it. Just wait till he gets out of sight, and then catch a lot of those
bees, and squeeze them flat. If you spread them on a sticky rag, and
make a plaster, and put it on the small of your back, it will invigorate
you like everything, especially if some of the bees are not quite dead."

"Yes," said the Languid Youth, looking at him with his mild eyes, "but
if I had energy enough to catch a bee I would be satisfied. Suppose you
catch a lot for me."

"The subject is changed," said the Very Imp. "We are now about to visit
the spacious chamber of the King of the Snap-dragons."

"That is a flower," said the Languid Youth.

"You will find him a gay old blossom," said the other. "When he has
chased you round his room, and has blown sparks at you, and has snorted
and howled, and cracked his tail, and snapped his jaws like a pair of
anvils, your energies will be toned up higher than ever before in your
life."

"No doubt of it," said the Languid Youth; "but I think I will begin with
something a little milder."

"Well, then," said the other, "there is a flat-tailed Demon of the Gorge
in here. He is generally asleep, and, if you say so, you can slip into
the farthest corner of his cave, and I'll solder his tail to the
opposite wall. Then he will rage and roar, but he can't get at you, for
he doesn't reach all the way across his cave; I have