that she would see me. She did not see
me, however, and so she began the second verse of her song:

'"_Peep! peep! chippeda dee!
The moon is for the mountains, the sun is for the sea!_"

'When she had got so far,' continued Beechnut, 'she suddenly stopped.
She saw me. The fact was, I was trying to move back a little farther, so
as to be out of sight, and I made a little rustling, which she heard.
The instant she saw me, she ran off the ice, and up her little path to
the opening in the oak, and in a moment disappeared. Presently, however,
I saw the fringe of moss moving again, and she began to peep out.

'"Beechnut," said she, "how came you here?"

'"Why, I was taking a walk," said I, "and I came along this path. Don't
you want me to be here?"

'"No," said she.

'"Oh, then I will go away," said I. "But how came you to know me?"

'"Oh, I know you very well," said she. "Your name is Beechnut."

'"And do you know Malleville?" said I.

'"Yes," said she. "I know her very well. I like Malleville very much. I
like her better than I do you."

'"Ah," said I; "I am sorry for that. Why do you like her better than you
do me?"

'"Because she is a girl," said Agnes.

'"That is a good reason," said I, "I confess. I like girls myself better
than I do boys. But how came you to know Malleville?"

'"Oh, I have seen her a great many times," said she, "peeping into her
windows by moonlight, when she was asleep."

'"Well," said I, "I will tell Malleville about you, and she will want to
come and see you."

'"No," said Agnes, "she must not come and see me; but she may write me a
letter."

'"But she is not old enough to write letters," said I.

'"Then," said she, "she must tell _you_ what to write, and you must
write it for her."'

Beechnut observed that, though Phonny and Malleville neither of them
spoke, they were both extremely interested, and somewhat excited by the
story, and that he was far from accomplishing the object which he had in
view at first in telling a story, namely, lulling Malleville to sleep.
He therefore said to Malleville that, though he had a great deal more to
tell her about Agnes, he thought it would be better not to tell her any
more then; but that he would sing Agnes's song to her, to the same tune
that Agnes herself sung it. He would sing it several times, he said, and
she might listen, laying her head upon his shoulder.

Malleville said that she should like very much to hear Beechnut s