"I don't know what he is," said Ashbjoern calmly. "Let others consider
that. I'm satisfied if only I can get a good sum for him. Now tell me,
Clement, what you think the doctor at Skansen would give me."

There was a long pause before Clement replied. He felt very sorry for
the poor little chap. He actually imagined that his mother was standing
beside him telling him that he must always be kind to the tiny folk.

"I have no idea what the doctor up there would care to give you,
Ashbjoern," he said finally. "But if you will leave him with me, I'll pay
you twenty kroner for him."

Ashbjoern stared at the fiddler in amazement when he heard him name so
large a sum. He thought that Clement believed the midget had some
mysterious power and might be of service for him. He was by no means
certain that the doctor would think him such a great find or would offer
to pay so high a sum for him; so he accepted Clement's proffer.

The fiddler poked his purchase into one of his wide pockets, turned back
to Skansen, and went into a moss-covered hut, where there were neither
visitors nor guards. He closed the door after him, took out the midget,
who was still bound hand and foot and gagged, and laid him down gently
on a bench.

"Now listen to what I say!" said Clement. "I know of course that such as
you do not like to be seen of men, but prefer to go about and busy
yourselves in your own way. Therefore I have decided to give you your
liberty--but only on condition that you will remain in this park until I
permit you to leave. If you agree to this, nod your head three times."

Clement gazed at the midget with confident expectation, but the latter
did not move a muscle.

"You shall not fare badly," continued Clement. "I'll see to it that you
are fed every day, and you will have so much to do there that the time
will not seem long to you. But you mustn't go elsewhere till I give you
leave. Now we'll agree as to a signal. So long as I set your food out in
a white bowl you are to stay. When I set it out in a blue one you may
go."

Clement paused again, expecting the midget to give the sign of approval,
but he did not stir.

"Very well," said Clement, "then there's no choice but to show you to
the master of this place. Then you'll be put in a glass case, and all
the people in the big city of Stockholm will come and stare at you."

This scared the midget, and he promptly gave the signal.

"That was right," said Clement as he cut the