t glad to see your old friend, then?"

"Not so; but you are so strong that you hurt people without knowing it.
But where are all the rest of you?"

"Oh! they are coming on. I did not want to hurry Brelion and Bechette."

"What! Have you those two animals yet?"

"To be sure. Why not? They don't look their age."

"And your wife?"

Gudel, or Iron Jaws, as he was called, hesitated a moment.

"Things are going smoothly there, I hope," said the innkeeper, with a
wink.

"Well! We will talk of something else, if you please!"

"Oh! women, women! you have much to answer for!" sighed the innkeeper.

"I was happy enough with my first wife, though, and Caillette is her
very image."

"She must be a big girl, now, it is five years since I saw her."

"And she is nearly sixteen. An angel without wings!"

"How does she get on with your wife?"

"Oh! Roulante can't endure her!"

Schwann shook his head.

"Ah! my lad, you made a great mistake. I felt it when you told me that
you were about to marry the giantess. She had something about her eyes I
didn't like. She doesn't ill-treat Caillette, I hope?"

"Not if I know it!" answered Gudel, clenching his enormous fist. "Just
let her lay a finger on the girl, that is all!"

"You need not get so excited. And now about Bobichel--how is he?"

"Just the same as ever, honest and stupid."

"And Robeccal?"

"I mean to get rid of him for reasons of my own."

"And the little boy?"

Gudel shouted with laughter.

"The little boy! Just wait until you see him. He is six feet, and a
treasure. I am strong, but Fanfar is different from me. He has wrists
and ankles like a woman, with the hands of a Duchess, but his back and
shoulders are iron and his fingers steel. He is, moreover, as good and
gentle as possible."

"You love him as much as ever, I see."

The excellent Gudel opened his mouth to speak, when with loud fife and
horn, the wagon that held all his worldly possessions rattled up to the
door.

We will call the vehicle a chariot, as it is more complimentary than the
title of wagon. Four huge wheels held the body of this vehicle, from
which rose posts striped like barbers' poles, decorated with
parti-colored curtains.

Underneath the chariot hung all sorts of queer looking things--kegs of
wine, rope, ladders, baskets, and hoops with torn covers of rose colored
tissue paper.

Bobichel must be mentioned first, as he stands on one of the shafts and
blows a long horn. The