?
No, it is far better than something to wear; it is something to eat.
Come, put on the pot!"

At this all hope forsook poor Vance, and he thought that his end had
come indeed. But the giant's wife spoke up sharply, and declared that it
was quite too late to be cooking anything fresh for supper, and that the
giant might wait until morning.

"What is there for supper, anyhow?" asked the giant, discontentedly,
for he had quite counted upon the fresh stew he would have made from
Vance.

"Why," replied the giantess, "there's the sea-serpent pie I've warmed
up, and I've opened a can of elephant's heads by way of a relish."

"Be quick with it," growled the giant, "or I shall eat this boy up raw
in no time!"

At this the giant's wife, who was by no means a bad-hearted woman,
though rather fond of dress and vain of her beauty, (and being as high
as a steeple, one must confess that there was a good deal of her to be
vain of!) gave Vance a shove into a corner to get him out of her
husband's sight; and in the corner Vance was glad enough to stay hid
while the giant ate an enormous supper, and drank a whole cask of ale
which his wife drew for him from a huge butt in the corner of the hall.

After he had finished eating and drinking, the giant bade his wife look
to it that the boy was put in a safe place for the night; then, seizing
a candle as long as a bean-pole, he stumbled heavily away to bed. His
wife, who had been sitting by the fire, now rose and invited Vance to
come and share the remains of the supper.

"You are a pretty little boy," she said, "and that peach-colored velvet
jacket must have been handsome before it grew so soiled. Now come, eat a
bit of pie and drink a little ale; you want to be in good condition for
to-morrow. If you must be made into a stew, of course you'd rather be a
good stew than a bad one."

"I don't know about that," replied Vance, dismally; "if I must be cooked
whether I like it or not, I rather think I would like to taste
particularly nasty."

"Oh, fie now!" cried the giantess. "Good little boys do not talk so. I
am sure you must be a good little boy, by your looks. What is in your
box? Jewelry?"

"If I will show you," asked Vance, with some hope in his voice, "will
you let me go? My dear, kind lady, you do pity me, don't you? I am sure
you are kind and good. Only let me go, and I will send you beautiful
jewels. I will do anything for you if you will only let me go."

"No," said the