d cart till they got to
the field, when they saw the man take Thumbkin out of the horse's ear
and stroke him and thank him. They looked at one another and said:

"That lad is a wonder; if we could exhibit him we would make our
fortunes."

So the men went up to the man and said:

"Will you sell that lad?"

But the man said:

"No, not for a fortune; he's the light of our life."

But Thumbkin, who was seated on the man's shoulder, whispered to him:

"Sell me and I'll soon get back."

So the man after a time agreed to sell Thumbkin for a great deal of
money, and the men took him away with them.

"How shall we carry him?" said they.

But Thumbkin called out:

"Put me on the rim of your hat and I shall be able to see the
country."

And that is what they did.

After a time as it got dusk the men sat down by the wayside to eat
their supper. And the man took off his hat and put it on the ground,
when Thumbkin jumped off and hid himself in the crevice of a tree.

When they had finished their supper the men looked about to find
Thumbkin, but he was not there. And after a while they had to give up
the search and go away without him.

When they had gone three robbers came and sat down near the tree where
Thumbkin was and began to speak of their plans to rob the Squire's
house.

"The only way," said one, "would be to break down the door of the
pantry which they always lock at night."

"But," said another, "that'll make so much noise it will wake up the
whole house."

"Then one of us," said the first robber, "will have to creep in
through the window and unlock the door."

"But the window is too small," said the third robber; "none of us
could get through it."

"But I can," called out Thumbkin.

"What is that? Who was that?" called out the robbers, who commenced
thinking of running away. And then Thumbkin called out again:

"Do not be afraid, I'll not hurt you, and I can help you get into the
Squire's pantry."

Then he came out of the hole in the tree, and the robbers were
surprised to see how small he was. So they took him up with them to
the Squire's house, and when they got there they lifted him up and put
him through the window and told him to look out for the silver.

"I've found it! I've found it!" he called out at the top of his shrill
voice.

"Not so loud; not so loud," said they.

"What shall I hand out first, the spoons or the ladles?" he shouted
out again.

But this time the butler hear