w plants," the student replied. "It was certainly
something that moved there," insisted the cook. The student threw back
the lid to show her that she was mistaken. "See for yourself--if--"

But he got no further, for now the boy dared not stay in the box any
longer, but with one bound he stood on the floor, and out he rushed.
The maids hardly had time to see what it was that ran, but they hurried
after it, nevertheless.

The teacher still stood and talked when he was interrupted by shrill
cries. "Catch him, catch him!" shrieked those who had come from the
kitchen; and all the young men raced after the boy, who glided away
faster than a rat. They tried to intercept him at the gate, but it was
not so easy to get a hold on such a little creature, so, luckily, he got
out in the open.

The boy did not dare to run down toward the open _allee,_ but turned in
another direction. He rushed through the garden into the back yard. All
the while the people raced after him, shrieking and laughing. The poor
little thing ran as hard as ever he could to get out of their way; but
still it looked as though the people would catch up with him.

As he rushed past a labourer's cottage, he heard a goose cackle, and saw
a white down lying on the doorstep. There, at last, was the
goosey-gander! He had been on the wrong track before. He thought no more
of housemaids and men, who were hounding him, but climbed up the
steps--and into the hallway. Farther he couldn't come, for the door was
locked. He heard how the goosey-gander cried and moaned inside, but he
couldn't get the door open. The hunters that were pursuing him came
nearer and nearer, and, in the room, the goosey-gander cried more and
more pitifully. In this direst of needs the boy finally plucked up
courage and pounded on the door with all his might.

A child opened it, and the boy looked into the room. In the middle of
the floor sat a woman who held the goosey-gander tight to clip his
quill-feathers. It was her children who had found him, and she didn't
want to do him any harm. It was her intention to let him in among her
own geese, had she only succeeded in clipping his wings so he couldn't
fly away. But a worse fate could hardly have happened to the
goosey-gander, and he shrieked and moaned with all his might.

And a lucky thing it was that the woman hadn't started the clipping
sooner. Now only two quills had fallen under the shears' when the door
was opened--and the boy stood on