ring and a lisping, and a whiz and a buzz
all about him, for the little people were now, some whirling round and
round in the dance, and others sporting and tumbling about in the
moonshine, and playing a thousand merry pranks and tricks. He felt a
secret dread come over him at this whispering and buzzing, for he could
see nothing of them, as the caps they wore made them invisible, but he
lay quite still with his face in the grass, and his eyes fast shut,
snoring a little, just as if he were asleep. Now and then he ventured to
open his eyes a little and peep out, but not the slightest trace of them
could he see, though it was bright moonlight.

It was not long before three of the underground people came jumping up
to where he was lying, but they took no heed of him, and flung their
brown caps up into the air, and caught them from one another. At length
one snatched the cap out of the hand of another and flung it away. It
flew direct, and fell upon John's head. The moment he felt it he caught
hold of it, and, standing up, bid farewell to sleep. He flung his cap
about for joy and made the little silver bell of it jingle, then set it
upon his head, and--oh wonderful! that instant he saw the countless and
merry swarm of the little people.

The three little men came slily up to him, and thought by their
nimbleness to get back the cap, but he held his prize fast, and they saw
clearly that nothing was to be done in this way with him, for in size
and strength John was a giant in comparison with these little fellows,
who hardly came up to his knee. The owner of the cap now came up very
humbly to the finder, and begged, in as supplicating a tone as if his
life depended upon it, that he would give him back his cap.

"No," said John, "you sly little rogue, you will get the cap no more.
That's not the sort of thing one gives away for buttered cake. I should
be in a nice way with you if I had not something of yours, but now you
have no power over me, but must do what I please. I will go down with
you and see how you live down below, and you shall be my servant. Nay,
no grumbling. You know you must. I know that just as well as you do, for
Klas Starkwolt told it to me often and often!"

The little man made as if he had not heard or understood one word of all
this. He began his crying and whining over again, and wept and screamed
and howled most piteously for his little cap. John, however, cut the
matter short by saying--

"Have don