had heard the children approaching,
and he remained standing in the road, waiting for them to come up.

Grettel was already looking at the youth out of the corner of her eye
and smiling.

"I'm going to speak to him," declared Hansel.

"Hansel!" exclaimed Grettel; "we mustn't disturb him!" And she glanced
at Everychild for approval--though she hastily turned again so that she
was observing the strange youth out of the comer of her eye, and she
smiled more invitingly than ever.

"I don't care!" retorted Hansel. "He looks like a rich man's son, and
he might tell us where we could get something to eat."

Just then the strange youth began to approach them with a proud air.
He was really very handsome. He was very sturdy, and he was clothed
smartly in a velvet jacket and knee breeches. A fine cloak fell
loosely from his shoulders. He wore a plumed hat and carried a sword.

As he drew near Hansel said: "Hello! Have they been trying to lose you
too?"

It was then that Everychild recognized the strange youth as Jack the
Giant Killer; and at the same time he heard Grettel whispering:

"How handsome he is!"

Jack the Giant Killer replied smilingly to Hansel: "Lose me? Not at
all! It's plain you don't know who I am." He touched his breast
lightly with his forefinger. "I am Jack the Giant Killer." He then
brought his heels together and removed his hat with a wide gesture, and
made a fine bow.

"I recognized you," said Everychild, "though I didn't know you lived in
this neighborhood. I mean, near Hansel and Grettel."

Jack replied with a certain neat air: "I don't live anywhere in
particular. Did you never hear of my seven-league hoots? I have a way
of bobbing up wherever there are any giants."

In the meantime Grettel had sat down on a grassy bank beside the road.
"It's very tiresome, walking," she said. And then, very politely (to
Jack), "Won't you sit down?"

He accepted this invitation, and Everychild and Hansel also sat down.

Grettel sighed and said: "I'd like so much to hear about your fights
with the giants. It must be wonderful to know how to fight."

Jack could not help saying "Ho--hum!" in a rather bored way, though he
politely placed his hand over his mouth. "There's nothing great about
it," he said, "when you're fixed for it. I've my seven-league boots,
and my invisible cloak, and my sword of sharpness. You can't help
winning with them. Of course, there's my wit, too."

Grettel sm