se to state that you are a Dormouse we
want you to be a Dormouse and not go crying out through the street, 'I am
a huckleberry.' In the countries we visit people think we are the wisest
of the wise, and what we say no one ever dares dispute."

"So, you see, my dear Dormouse," said the other, "we couldn't possibly
take you off with us unless you fall in with our plans and submit to our
calling you anything we please."

"I don't see why you are not willing to admit that I am a boy, though,"
insisted Tom, who, although he was extremely anxious to go off with the
Andirons, did not really like to lose sight of the fact that he was a boy.
"What good does it do you or me or anybody else for me to admit that I am
a Dormouse, for instance?"

"A little tail which I will wag for you," said the Righthandiron, "will
explain how that is. Did you ever know a boy named Ebenezer J. Carrottop?"

"No, I never heard of any person with such an absurd name as that,"
returned Tom.

[Illustration: "A LITTLE TALE WHICH I WILL WAG FOR YOU."]

"Well, you are very fortunate not to have been one of Ebenezer's
particular friends," said the Righthandiron. "If you had been, the story I
am going to tell you would have made you very unhappy. As it is, not
having known Ebenezer, and, having in fact taken a dislike to him because
of his name, the story will amuse you more than otherwise."

"Good," said Tom; "I like to be amused."

"That being the case," said the Andiron, "I will proceed at once to tell
you the story of Ebenezer."

CHAPTER II.

The Story of Ebenezer

"Ebenezer was a boy very much like yourself in several ways," resumed the
Righthandiron. "He wasn't one of the Sleepyhead or Dozy Pate families, but
he was next thing to it. He was nephew of Senator Takeanap, and a grandson
of old General Snoraloud--but he'd never admit it. He used to get just as
angry when we reminded him that he was quite as much of a Snoraloud as a
Carrottop, as you were when we called you Sleepyhead, and when my brother
Lefty here said to him, 'Hullo, Weasel,' he didn't like it a bit better
than you did when we said you were a Dormouse. He insisted that he was a
boy, and for all we could do we couldn't get him to admit that he was a
Weasel--"

"He was the most persistent lad
That I have ever seen.
He'd always say that bad was bad,
That blue could not be green.

"We couldn't get him to deny
That white was always white,