was alone. My head ached badly, and I was
terribly athirst.

I turned wearily on my side. The moment my ear touched the ground, I
heard the gushing and gurgling of water, and the soft noises made me
groan with longing. At once I was amid a multitude of silent children,
and delicious little fruits began to visit my lips. They came and came
until my thirst was gone.

Then I was aware of sounds I had never heard there before; the air was
full of little sobs.

I tried to sit up. A pile of small bodies instantly heaped itself at my
back. Then I struggled to my feet, with much pushing and pulling from
the Little Ones, who were wonderfully strong for their size.

"You must go away, good giant," they said. "When the bad giants see you
hurt, they will all trample on you."

"I think I must," I answered.

"Go and grow strong, and come again," they said.

"I will," I replied--and sat down.

"Indeed you must go at once!" whispered Lona, who had been supporting
me, and now knelt beside me.

"I listened at his door," said one of the bigger boys, "and heard the
bad giant say to his wife that he had found you idle, talking to a lot
of moles and squirrels, and when he beat you, they tried to kill him. He
said you were a wizard, and they must knock you, or they would have no
peace."

"I will go at once," I said, "and come back as soon as I have found out
what is wanted to make you bigger and stronger."

"We don't want to be bigger," they answered, looking very serious.
"We WON'T grow bad giants!--We are strong now; you don't know how much
strong!"

It was no use holding them out a prospect that had not any attraction
for them! I said nothing more, but rose and moved slowly up the slope of
the valley. At once they formed themselves into a long procession; some
led the way, some walked with me helping me, and the rest followed. They
kept feeding me as we went.

"You are broken," they said, "and much red juice has run out of you: put
some in."

When we reached the edge of the valley, there was the moon just lifting
her forehead over the rim of the horizon.

"She has come to take care of you, and show you the way," said Lona.

I questioned those about me as we walked, and learned there was a great
place with a giant-girl for queen. When I asked if it was a city, they
said they did not know. Neither could they tell how far off, or in what
direction it was, or what was the giant-girl's name; all they knew was,
that she hat