sound continued, mingled with little
sneezes and squeaking sobs, as if some very small kittens had bad colds
and were crying about it.

"I think I'll take a peep," said Davy, looking cautiously about him.
There was no one in sight, and he carefully raised the cover a little
way and tried to look in. The scuffling sound and the sobs ceased, and
the next instant the cover flew off the basket, and out poured a swarm
of little brown creatures, like snuff-boxes with legs. As they scampered
off in all directions Davy made a frantic grab at one of them, when it
instantly turned over on its back and blew a puff of smoke into his
face, and he rolled over in the road, almost stifled. When he was able
to sit up again and look about him the empty basket was lying on its
side near him, and not a lay-over was to be seen. At that moment the Roc
came in sight, hurrying along the road with her shawl and her
bonnet-strings fluttering behind her; and Davy, clapping the cover on
the basket, took to his heels and ran for dear life.

CHAPTER X.

RIBSY.

The road was very dreary and dusty, and wound in and out in the most
tiresome way until it seemed to have no end to it, and Davy ran on and
on, half expecting at any moment to feel the Roc's great beak pecking at
his back. Fortunately his legs carried him along so remarkably well that
he felt he could run for a week; and, indeed, he might have done so if
he had not, at a sharp turn in the road, come suddenly upon a horse and
cab. The horse was fast asleep when Davy dashed against him, but he woke
up with a start, and, after whistling like a locomotive once or twice in
a very alarming manner, went to sleep again. He was a very
frowsy-looking horse, with great lumps at his knees and a long, crooked
neck like a camel's; but what attracted Davy's attention particularly
was the word "RIBSY" painted in whitewash on his side in large letters.
He was looking at this, and wondering if it were the horse's name, when
the door of the cab flew open and a man fell out, and, after rolling
over in the dust, sat up in the middle of the road and began yawning. He
was even a more ridiculous-looking object than the horse, being dressed
in a clown's suit, with a morning-gown over it by way of a top-coat,
and a field-marshal's cocked hat. In fact, if he had not had a whip in
his hand no one would ever have taken him for a cabman. After yawning
heartily he looked up at Davy, and said drowsily, "Where t