he commanded the door to
open, and the door would not move. So then she put on the lace apron
and the door obeyed her. That was how I learned the magic power of the
apron."

"I see--I see!" said the little Brown Bear, wagging his stuffed head.
"Then, if we could get the apron from Mrs. Yoop, we could open the
doors and escape from our prison."

"That is true, and it is the plan I was about to suggest," replied
Polychrome the Canary-Bird. "However, I don't believe the Owl could
steal the apron, or even the Bear, but perhaps the Monkey could hide in
her room at night and get the apron while she is asleep."

"I'll try it!" cried Woot the Monkey. "I'll try it this very night, if
I can manage to steal into her bedroom."

"You mustn't think about it, though," warned the bird, "for she can
read your thoughts whenever she cares to do so. And do not forget,
before you escape, to take me with you. Once I am out of the power of
the Giantess, I may discover a way to save us all."

"We won't forget our fairy friend," promised the boy; "but perhaps you
can tell me how to get into the bedroom."

"No," declared Polychrome, "I cannot advise you as to that. You must
watch for a chance, and slip in when Mrs. Yoop isn't looking."

They talked it over for a while longer and then Mrs. Yoop returned.
When she entered, the door opened suddenly, at her command, and closed
as soon as her huge form had passed through the doorway. During that
day she entered her bedroom several times, on one errand or another,
but always she commanded the door to close behind her and her prisoners
found not the slightest chance to leave the big hall in which they were
confined.

The Green Monkey thought it would be wise to make a friend of the big
woman, so as to gain her confidence, so he sat on the back of her chair
and chattered to her while she mended her stockings and sewed silver
buttons on some golden shoes that were as big as row-boats. This
pleased the Giantess and she would pause at times to pat the Monkey's
head. The little Brown Bear curled up in a corner and lay still all
day. The Owl and the Canary found they could converse together in the
bird language, which neither the Giantess nor the Bear nor the Monkey
could understand; so at times they twittered away to each other and
passed the long, dreary day quite cheerfully.

After dinner Mrs. Yoop took a big fiddle from a big cupboard and played
such loud and dreadful music that her prisoner