ember the story I told you about my friend who sought a rare
jewel and who, when he died, sent me this image? This must be the jewel
he found. It has lain here all these years. It is very strange that you
should have found it as you did--your story is very strange. But for
the jewel, and the disappearance of the sofa and the firedogs, I could
scarcely believe it."

"If you'll come, I'll show you the little door and the tunnel,"
Hortense said.

"It would be too small for me to approach," Grandfather said, "and I am
much too old to eat thirteen cookies."

"But," Hortense urged, "I want you to go with me to see the Little
People. I must get Alligator and Coal and Ember back."

Grandfather shook his head.

"If you visit the Little People again, I fear it will have to be with
your own friends. But wait a while. We've had enough surprising
experiences for a time."

"It's really Jeremiah who is the cause of everything," Hortense said.

As she spoke Jeremiah walked in slowly, a very dejected cat.

"Come here, sir," Grandfather said sternly.

Jeremiah meowed plaintively and jumped on Grandfather's knee.

"I hear you've been up to tricks," Grandfather said.

Jeremiah hung his head and meowed again.

"I see you are sorry and will not do it again," Grandfather said. "If
you do----" Grandfather opened his hand and showed the jewel.

In a flash Jeremiah was off Grandfather's knee and running down the
hall. Grandfather laughed and held up his hand on which was a long red
scratch.

"Oh!" Hortense cried, "the Image said he would cut Jeremiah's claws."

"That was a figure of speech, evidently," Grandfather said. "Whenever
Jeremiah is bad, we'll show him the jewel. I'll keep it for you. It
must be very valuable. Some day it will be yours."

But Hortense thought less of the jewel than of the monkey charm about
her neck. Besides, there were Alligator and Coal and Ember, still
captive among the Little People. She wished Grandfather hadn't asked
her to keep away from the Little People for a while, though Alligator
and Coal and Ember were decidedly able to care for themselves, and
Grater was securely bound and unable to do further harm.

"But, of course," said Hortense, "I can talk to Owl, and Malay Kris,
and to Highboy, and Lowboy, and we can lay our plans for the rescue."

CHAPTER XIV

_Rescue From the Mountain Side_[1]

Hortense sat quietly in the corner of the kitchen on a stool watching
Aunt Esmerelda at h