my good fellow, you really should give some one else a chance.
This is the third time you have been--and at such an hour, too!'

'Oh, yes, Holy Man, I know it is very late, but you will forgive me!
It is your cock--there is something the matter. It is like the basket.
Look!'

'THAT my cock? THAT my basket? Somebody has played you a trick, my good
man!'

'A trick?' repeated Father Grumbler, who began to understand what had
happened. 'Then it must have been those two--'

'I warned you not to show them to anybody,' said the Holy Man. 'You
deserve--but I will give you one more chance.' And, turning, he unhooked
something from the wall.

'When you wish to dust your own jacket or those of your friends,' he
said, 'you have only got to say, "Flack, flick, switch, be quick," and
you will see what happens. That is all I have to tell you.' And, smiling
to himself, the Holy Man pushed Father Grumbler out of the cave.

'Ah, I understand now,' muttered the good man, as he took the road
home; 'but I think I have got you two rascals!' and he hurried on to the
tavern with his basket under his arm, and the cock and the switch both
inside.

'Good evening, friends!' he said, as he entered the inn. 'I am very
hungry, and should be glad if you would roast this cock for me as soon
as possible. THIS cock and no other--mind what I say,' he went on. 'Oh,
and another thing! You can light the fire with this basket. When you
have done that I will show you something I have in my bag,' and, as he
spoke, he tried to imitate the smile that the Holy Man had given HIM.

These directions made the innkeeper's wife very uneasy. However, she
said nothing, and began to roast the cock, while her husband did his
best to make the man sleepy with wine, but all in vain.

After dinner, which he did not eat without grumbling, for the cock was
very tough, the man struck his hand on the table, and said: 'Now listen
to me. Go and fetch my cock and my basket, at once. Do you hear?'

'Your cock, and your basket, Father Grumbler? But you have just--'

'MY cock and MY basket!' interrupted he. 'And, if you are too deaf and
too stupid to understand what that means, I have got something which
may help to teach you.' And opening the bag, he cried: 'Flack, flick,
switch, be quick.'

And flack! flick! like lightening a white switch sprang out of the bag,
and gave such hearty blows to the innkeeper and his wife, and to Father
Grumbler into the bargain, that they al